Courtney Barnett, Tame Impala and Hiatus Kaiyote Lead Top 20 Contenders for APRA Song of the Year

APRA/AMCOS have just announced the Top 20 Contenders for APRA Song of the Year with Courtney Barnett, Tame Impala and Hiatus Kaiyote leading the pack with two nominations each. The shortlist of 20 comes ahead of the announcement of the Top 5 in early March.

It’s really a massive mix of talent in the list this year, with a number of first time nominees like Pond and Jarryd James sitting alongside veteran songwriters such as Daniel Johns and Don Walker of Cold Chisel. With 2016 marking the awards 25th anniversary, the shortlist reflects the creative diversity of the Australian music industry today with every genre from hip hop to country represented.

With voting open until 5:00pm AEDST on Tuesday 9th February, APRA/AMCOS members have until then to cast their vote for who they think should take out the peer-voted APRA Song of the Year. Plus all memebers who vote go into the chance to win a Gibson Les Paul Special double cut in yellow top finish valued at $2,299 as well as two tickets to the 2016 APRA Music Awards. Too bad if you don’t play guitar I guess, although I’m sure it’ll go for a song (not literally) on eBay.

Anyway here is the full list of contenders for the award below and you can visit the award’s website here for any more info.

Top 20 Contenders for 2016 APRA Song of the Year

1969 – Seth Sentry – Written by Nicholas Martin, Seth Sentry and Styalz Fuego

6000 MILES – The Waifs – Written by Josh Cunningham, Donna Simpson and Vikki Thorn



Aerial Love
– Daniel Johns – Written by Daniel Johns and Joel Little

A-Grade Playa – Sheppard – Written by Jay Bovino, Amy Sheppard and George Sheppard

Anchor – Birds Of Tokyo – Written by Ian Berney, Ian Kenny, Glenn Sarangapany, Adam

Spark and Adam Weston

Another Australian Day – Troy Cassar-Daley – Written by Troy Cassar-Daley and Pete Denahy

Bend – Chet Faker – Written by Nicholas Murphy and Curtis Mayfield

Borderline with my Atoms – Haitus Kaiyote – Written by Paul Bender, Perrin Moss, Simon Mavin, Naomi Saalfield

Breathing Underwater – Haitus Kaiyote – Written by Paul Bender, Perrin Moss, Simon Mavin, Naomi Saalfield

Dead Fox – Courtney Barnett – Written by Courtney Barnett

Do You Remember – Jarryd James – Written by Jarryd James and Joel Little

Eventually – Tame Impala – Written by Kevin Parker

Freedom Ride – Troy Cassar Daley feat Paul Kelly – Written by Troy Cassar-Daley and Paul Kelly

Georgia – Vance Joy – Written by James Keogh

Let It Happen – Tame Impala – Written by Kevin Parker

Lost – Cold Chisel – Wes Carr and Don Walker

Pedestrian At Best – Courtney Barnett – Written by Courtney Barnett

Secondhand Man – Shane Nicholson – Written by Shane Nicholson

The Zombie – C.W. Stoneking – Written by C.W. Stoneking

Zond – Pond – Written by Nicholas Allbrook, Joseph Ryan, James Terry and Jay Watson

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