Amyl and The Sniffers performing at The Station on the Sunshine Coast. Photo: Dameeka Middleton for YELO.
Amyl and The Sniffers have led the 2026 APRA Music Awards, taking home three major honours at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.
The Melbourne punk band won Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year and Most Performed Rock Work for “Jerkin’”, along with Songwriter of the Year.
It marks the second year in a row Amyl and The Sniffers have taken out Song of the Year, after winning in 2025 for “U Should Not Be Doing That”.
The 2026 awards were held on Wednesday, April 29, as part of a centenary celebration marking 100 years of APRA.
Queensland connection
There was also a Queensland thread in the national results, with Ball Park Music’s Sam Cromack winning Most Performed Alternative Work for “Please Don’t Move to Melbourne”.
Emily Wurramara was named Emerging Songwriter of the Year, while Sarah Aarons received the International Recognition Award.
Ocean Grove also picked up Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work for “RAINDROP”.
Guy Sebastian and co-writers Ned Houston and Robby De Sa won Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Pop Work for “Maybe”. Sia took out Most Performed Australian Work Overseas for “Unstoppable”.
INXS honoured
INXS received the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music.
The award was presented by APRA Chair Jenny Morris, before Ecca Vandal performed a reworked version of the INXS song “Just Keep Walking”.
The night also featured performances from Paul Kelly, Peter Garrett, The Presets, Christine Anu, BARKAA, Sarah Blasko and more.
Paul Kelly performed “Walking in the Rain”, while The Presets delivered an electro version of “Power and the Passion” with Peter Garrett, in tribute to late Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst.
The APRA Music Awards recognise Australian songwriters and publishers across peer-voted, board-selected and statistically determined categories.
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