With eight nominations each, Tame Impala and Genesis Owusu head the pack for the 40th annual ARIA Awards, while Ecca Vandal is close behind with seven chances.
The winner of 13 career ARIA Awards, Kevin Parker’s Tame Impala is basking in the afterglow of his fifth studio album, Deadbeat. The 2025 effort houses the psychedelic pop act’s biggest global hit, “Dracula,” which has logged 18 weeks in the national top 10, peaking at No. 4. Tame Impala’s ARIA Award nominations this time include album of the year, best solo artist, best pop release and best dance/electronic release.
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Genesis Owusu is a genre-defying artist with a wizard’s touch on everything he tackles, a talent that has seen him collect seven ARIAs in quick time. Following the release earlier this year of his third album, REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE, the Ghana-born, Canberra-raised artist scoops nominations for album of the year, best solo artist, best independent release and more.
The annual event promises to be a blinder for Ecca Vandal, who soaks up seven nominations for her sophomore album Looking For People To Unfollow, while Baker Boy, BOY SODA, G Flip, Miss Kaninna and Ninajirachi each bag five nominations.
Just hours before Dom Dolla plays Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, a first for a homegrown DJ, the electronic music star snags four ARIA Award nominations. There’s four nominations for DMA’S and Troye Sivan, too, while iconic Aussie artists Kylie Minogue, Paul Kelly, Keith Urban, Vika & Linda and Hilltop Hoods figure in the ARIAs shortlist, published Thursday, Sept. 24.
“We could not be more thrilled with this list of nominees to celebrate 40 years of Australian music and incredible human artistry,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. “These records and these amazing artists represent the culmination of 40 years of Australian success in making great music that captures our unique voice and takes it global.”
The four publicly-voted ARIAs categories will again be integrated into Spotify, enabling fans to cast daily votes directly within the app. Public-voting runs for those categories — best Australian live act, song of the year, best video, and most popular international artist — is open from Sept. 24 to No. 9 across Spotify and the official ARIA website.
“In year one, we set out to bring fans closer to the artists they love and help their music travel further, and
we saw that come to life through record in-app voting, curated editorial across Spotify and our social
channels, and greater global exposure for nominees,” comments Spotify AUNZ managing director Mikaela Lancaster. This year, she continues, “we’re building on that foundation. From discovery to global amplification, Spotify is committed to ensuring Australian artists aren’t just celebrated at home, but reach audiences around the world.”
The ARIAs, the Australian recorded music industry’s flagship awards ceremony, will be presented Wednesday, Nov. 18 at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.
“As we continue to fight against the relentless assault on our copyright laws by foreign AI companies,” explains ARIA’s Herd, “this year’s ARIA Awards are a powerful moment to recognize the enduring power of music to give meaning to the human experience, connect Australians through our own stories and inspire us to feel truly alive. Congratulations to all the 2026 nominees.”
The 2026 ARIA Awards is supported by Destination NSW, in partnership with Spotify, and will be live on Paramount+ and broadcast on 10. Performances and moments will also be available on the @ARIA.official YouTube channel.
2026 ARIA AWARDS Nominations:
Album of the Year
BOY SODA – Soulstar [Warner Music Australia]
DMA’S – DMA’S [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness / Believe]
Tame Impala – Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Best Solo Artist
Baker Boy – Djandjay [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island Records Australia]
BOY SODA – Soulstar [Warner Music Australia]
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
G Flip – Dream Ride [AWAL Recordings]
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness / Believe]
Matt Corby – Tragic Magic [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Miss Kaninna – BLACKPRINT [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Ninajirachi – WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Tame Impala – Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Troye Sivan – She’s The Best [EMI Music Australia]
Best Group
5 Seconds of Summer – Everyone’s A Star! [Republic Records]
DMA’S – DMA’S [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Gang Of Youths – Things Take Time [Mosy Music / Sony Music]
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers – Glory [Community Music]
Vika & Linda – Where Do You Come From? [Mushroom Music]
Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist presented by Spotify
aleksiah – Good On Paper [Chugg Music & Stellar Trigger / MGM]
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Rachael Fahim – Who You Are [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Way Dynamic – Massive Shoe [Spoilsport Records]
WILSN – Bloom [Mushroom Music]
Best Pop Release
Blusher – Rager [Warner Music Australia]
G Flip – Dream Ride [AWAL Recordings]
Kylie Minogue – Tension Tour//Live 2025 [Mushroom Music]
Tame Impala – Dracula [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Troye Sivan – She’s The Best [EMI Music Australia]
Best Dance / Electronic Release
Dean Turnley – Actin’ Tough [CHAOS in collaboration with HOME//GRXWN]
Dom Dolla – Addicted to Bass [TMRW Music]
Ninajirachi, Porter Robinson – WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Tame Impala – Afterthought [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Yes Boone – All I Really Want [TMRW Music]
Best Hip Hop / Rap Release
Baker Boy – Djandjay [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island Records Australia]
DEVAURA – Vol. 2 If You Don’t Laugh, You’ll Cry [Offbeat Collective / Xelon Digital]
Hilltop Hoods – Never Coming Home [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Miss Kaninna – BLACKPRINT [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Nerve – Growing Pains [Nerve MP3’s / Xelon Digital]
Best Soul / R&B Release
Becca Hatch – Garden (Bang Goes the Drum) [G.Y.R.O.]
BOY SODA – Soulstar [Warner Music Australia]
Larissa Lambert – I Love You Out Loud [New Levels / Virgin Music Group]
Miss Kaninna – BACKSTREETS [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Tkay Maidza – Romanticize [Dew Process / Universal Music Australia]
Best Independent Release presented by PPCA
2charm – boyfriend [STAR SCUM RECORDS]
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness / Believe]
Miss Kaninna – BLACKPRINT [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
Ninajirachi, Porter Robinson – WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Best Rock Album presented by Tooheys
Courtney Barnett – Creature Of Habit [Fiction / Virgin Music Australia]
DMA’S – DMA’S [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers – Glory [Community Music]
The Belair Lip Bombs – Again [Third Man Records / Rocket]
The Temper Trap – Sungazer [Mushroom Music]
Best Alternative Release
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Gang Of Youths – Things Take Time [Mosy Music / Sony Music]
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness/Believe]
Meg Mac – It’s My Party [EMI Music Australia]
Tame Impala – Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Matt Corby – Tragic Magic [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Paul Kelly – Seventy [EMI Music Australia]
The Paper Kites – If You Go There, I Hope You Find It [Wonderlick Recording Company]
Vika & Linda – Where Do You Come From? [Mushroom Music]
Way Dynamic – Massive Shoe [Spoilsport Records]
Best Country Album
Keith Urban – Flow State [MCA – NASHVILLE / EMI Music Australia]
Max Jackson – Dangerous in Denim [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Morgan Evans – Steel Town [Solrise Records / Virgin Music Group]
Rachael Fahim – Who You Are [Island Records Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Wade Forster – Gooseneck Party [Community Music]
Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Album
Cosmic Psychos – I Really Like Beer [G.Y.R.O.]
DZ Deathrays – Easing Out Of Control [DZ Worldwide / The Orchard]
Karnivool – In Verses [Cymatic Records / Sony Music]
These New South Whales – Godspeed [These New South Whales / ADA]
WAAX – Angels Mess [AWAL/DRUNK ON POWER RECORDS]
Best Blues & Roots Album
Any Young Mechanic – The Modern Shoe Is Ruining The Foot [Warner Records]
Emma Donovan – Take Me To The River [Civilians / The Orchard]
John Butler – Prism [Jarrah Records/Metropolitan Groove Merchants]
William Crighton – Colonial Drift [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Xavier Rudd – Freedom Sessions/Where To Now [Salt.X Records / Virgin Music Group]
Best Children’s Album
Bluey – Up Here (The Orchestral Album) [Demon Music Group / Rocket / Orchard]
Don Spencer – Feathers, Fur or Fins 40th Anniversary (Don Spencer & Friends) [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Emma Memma – Jungle Picnic [G.Y.R.O.]
Play School – Dance It Out [ABC Music / The Orchard]
The Wiggles – Sparkle!: A Circus Of Lights [Universal Music Australia]
Best Music Festival presented by Music Australia
Beyond The Valley 2025 – Untitled Group
CMC Rocks – CMC Rocks Pty Ltd
Groovin The Moo Lismore – Fuzzy Operations Pty Ltd
Laneway Festival – ST JEROME’S LANEWAY PTY LTD
Spilt Milk – Kicks Entertainment
PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS
Best Video
Never The Same – BOY SODA, Adam Saunders [Warner Music Australia]
RUNNING LOW ft. Pardyalone – Baker Boy, Aurie Indianna & Jordan Ruyi Blanch [Baker Boy Music Pty
Ltd / Island Records Australia]
BACKSTREETS – Miss Kaninna, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore [Soul Has No Tempo / AWAL Recordings]
My Baby’s Place – DMA’S, Cole Surrey [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE – Ecca Vandal, Richie Buxton [Loma Vista Recordings / Concord]
Stampede – Genesis Owusu, Isaac Brown [Ourness / Believe]
One More – James Johnston, Jared Hinz [Warner Music Australia]
Every Single Weekend – The Avalanches, Jonathan Zawada [Modular / EMI Music Australia]
Addicted to Bass – Dom Dolla, Kyle Caulfield & Charles Buxton-Leslie [TMRW Music]
Bed On Fire – G Flip, Tas Wilson [AWAL Recordings]
Best Australian Live Act presented by Destination NSW
Baker Boy – DJANDJAY TOUR [Handsome Tours]
BOY SODA – Lil Obsession Tour [Select Music]
Dom Dolla – Dom Dolla Australian Tour 2025 [Untitled & TEG Live Presents]
G Flip – Dream Ride Tour – Australia 2026
Gang Of Youths – Various
Genesis Owusu – Red Star Wu’s Pirate Radio Tour [Frontier Touring]
Hilltop Hoods – Never Coming Home Tour [TEG Live & Blue Max Music]
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Phantom Island Australian Tour
Ninajirachi – DARK CRYSTAL V [Laneway Presents & TEG Live]
Paul Kelly – Australian Tour 2025 [Frontier Touring]
Song of the Year
FISHER – Blackberries [etcetc Music Pty Ltd]
G Flip – Bed on Fire [AWAL Recordings]
Keli Holiday – Dancing2 [GROUP SPEED]
Lithe – Cannonball [10K / ADA]
Ocean Alley – Love Balloon [Independent / Community Music]
Royel Otis – car [Ourness / Capitol Records]
Sonny Fodera – Think About Us [Solotoko / ADA]
Tame Impala – Dracula [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
The Kid LAROI – A COLD PLAY [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Vance Joy – Divine Feelings [Mushroom Music]
Most Popular International Artist
BTS – ARIRANG [Virgin Music Group / Geffen]
Ed Sheeran – Play [Atlantic Records / Warner Music Australasia]
Harry Styles – Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally [Columbia / Sony Music]
Morgan Wallen – I’m The Problem [Universal Music International / Universal Music Australia]
Noah Kahan – The Great Divide [Universal Music International / Universal Music Australia]
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving [Universal Music International / Universal Music Australia]
Olivia Rodrigo – you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love [Geffen / Universal Music Australia]
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend [Island Records / Universal Music Australia]
sombr – I Barely Know Her [Warner Records / Warner Music Australasia]
Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl [Republic Records / Universal Music Australia]
ARTISAN AWARDS
Best Cover Art
Aurie Indianna & Sulaiman Enayatzada for Baker Boy – Djandjay [Baker Boy Music Pty Ltd / Island
Records Australia]
Connor Dewhurst for Amy Shark – soft pop [Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music]
Ecca Vandal, Kathryn Vinella, Sean McDonald for Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow [Loma
Vista Recordings / Concord]
Kofi Owusu-Ansah, Isaac Brown, Gina Wagstaffe for Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE
WORLDWIDE SCOURGE [Ourness / Believe]
Miriam David and Pat Fox for Matt Corby – Tragic Magic [Island Records Australia / Universal Music
Australia]
Engineer – Best Engineered Release
Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla – Don’t Worry Baby [Good Fortune Records]
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Wave Racer for 2charm – Star Scum City [STAR SCUM RECORDS]
Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan – She’s The Best [EMI Music Australia]
Tony Buchen for DOBBY – MARSHMELLOW [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Producer – Best Produced Release
Dann Hume / Andrew Klippel for Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
[Ourness / Believe]
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – Deadbeat [Columbia Records / Sony Music]
Ninajirachi for 2charm – Star Scum City [STAR SCUM RECORDS]
Ninajirachi / Porter Robinson for Ninajirachi – WannaCry [NLV RECORDS]
Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan – She’s The Best [EMI Music Australia]
FINE ARTS AWARDS
Best Classical Album
Jayson Gillham – Chopin Etudes [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
Richard Tognetti – Australian Chamber Orchestra – Beethoven & Brahms Concertos for Violin and
Orchestra [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
Simone Young & Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Mahler: Symphony No. 3 [Deutsche Grammophon
Australia / Universal Music Australia]
Tamara-Anna Cislowska – Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra – Johannes Fritzsch – Elena Kats-Chernin:
Ancient Letters [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
William Barton – Omega Ensemble – Gift – Our Breath of Life [ABC Classic / The Orchard]
Best Jazz Album
Donny Benét – Il Basso [Donnyland Records / The Orchard]
Hilary Geddes – Redleaf [Earshift Music]
Lauren Tsamouras & Tom Avegenicos – For Judy [ABC Jazz / The Orchard]
Ten Part Invention – Time Is moved [ABC Jazz / The Orchard]
The Vampires – Skydancer [Earshift / The Planet Company]
Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album
Ack Kinmonth – The Pout Pout Fish (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Ack Music]
Amanda Brown – Deadloch Season 1 [Amazon Content Services under exclusive licence to Strange Loops
Recordings]
Brian Cachia – Beast (Original Motion Picture Score) [BCMuse Studios / CDBaby]
Caitlin Yeo – Every Little Thing (Official Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Strange Loops]
Francois Tetaz – My Brilliant Career [Netflix]
Best World Music Album
Melbourne Ska Orchestra – Monte Loco Rides Again [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Mo’Ju, Nicholas Buc and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Double J Live at the Wireless – Hamer Hall,
Melbourne 2023 [ABC Music / The Orchard]
Not Drowning, Waving – Malira [ORiGiN Recordings / ADA]
Tenzin Choegyal & Philip Glass – Be The Sky [Orange Mountain Music]
The Cat Empire – Live At Sydney Opera House [BMG]
OUR SOUNDTRACK OUR ADS
Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement
Fox Sports Australia Finals Footy – Fox Sports Australia, 3%, Fred Leone, Scribe
Paramount+: All Fired Up – AFC Women’s Asian Cup – Hello, G Flip
Tourism WA: Walking On A Dream – Tourism WA, Empire of the Sun, West Australian Symphony
Orchestra & Billy-Jo Shoveller
Toyota: Nice to Know it could.- THE HERO CORPORATION, Amyl and The Sniffers
Uber Eats: The Man LAROI – Special, The Kid LAROI
