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Amyl And The Sniffers Rick Clifford Trending on Billboard Amyl And The Sniffers snared a hattrick at the 2026 APRA Music Awards, presented Wednesday night (April 29) in Sydney, while INXS was feted with the lifetime achievement award. Explore Amyl And The Sniffers INXS See latest videos, charts and news For the past year, few Australian acts could touch Amyl And The Sniffers on the awards circuit. It was the same story at the Hordern Pavilion, as the loveable rogues collected the peer-voted APRA song of the year, marking the second consecutive year the punk rockers have won prestigious honor, having done so in 2025 with “U Should Not Be Doing That”. The Melbourne four piece also collected most performed rock work for their Cartoon Darkness hit “Jerkin’,” and lifted the coveted songwriter of the year award. Earlier in the day, Amyl’s managers Simone Ubaldi and Andrew Parisi (of Sundowner Artists) jointly won manager of the year at the AAM Awards, also presented in Sydney. Related HUNTR/X's Ejae, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna Accept Woman of the Year at 2026 Billboard Women In Music: Read Their Full Speech Rosalía to Collect Prestigious Songwriting Award at The Ivors 2026 Rick Ross & French Montana Set to Face Off in 'Verzuz' Battle Doubling up on the night was Guy Sebastian and co-writers Ned Houston and Robby De Sa, who won most performed Australian work and most performed pop work for “Maybe”. The victory marks Houston’s first APRA Award, and the fourth career win for Sebastian and De Sa. Sia snagged the category for most performed Australian work overseas for the third consecutive year with “Unstoppable,” for the singer and songwriter’s 14th donut-shaped award across her career. The Adelaide-raised artist is now APRA’s most-awarded writer member of all time. Hitmaker Sarah Aarons made the trip from her base in Los Angeles to receive the international recognition award, her sixth APRA Award. While visiting the stage, Aarons, who was worked with the likes of Tame Impala, BTS, Flume, Gracie Abrams, ROSÉ and Maren Morris, told of her homesickness. Her favorite restaurant on the West Coast is the Qantas business lounge at LAX, she quipped. “Not being home is really hard.” Emily Wurramara made history at the 2024 ARIA Awards, when Nara won for best adult contemporary album, the first time an Indigenous woman had won the category since its inception in 1987. The proud Warnindhilyagwa woman etched her name in APRAs history at the Hordern when she nabbed emerging songwriter of the year, a board-appointed award recognizing her incredible body of work over the past year. The biggest cheers of the night, however, were directed at INXS, who were saluted with the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. Long-time friend, artist and APRA chair Jenny Morris inducted the new wave band, with an emotional trip down memory lane. “People ask me what made INX different. The honest answer is everything,” she remarked. “I’ve stood on the riser with these guys. I watched them from the wings, from the front of the house, from the stage door, from every single angle. They were extraordinary.” The six-piece’s “power, intelligence, and visceral effect of the music couldn’t be ignored.” Holding back tears, Morris recounted the late, great frontman Michael Hutchence, who passed away in 1997, aged 37. “The Michael I knew was modest. As his friends will tell you, in his private time he liked nothing better than just being part of the cohort. One of the bunch. He was not someone who looked over your shoulder at the room full of glitz and glamor. He would look you in the eye. He genuinely wanted to hear what you had to say. He once said, ‘there is an integrity to INXS in the music, that makes it worthwhile.’” He claimed they were “worthwhile. A modest word from a modest man.” The surviving members of the band were on hand to receive the award, ahead of what will be INXS’ 50th anniversary. Each spoke. Andrew Farriss recounted a youthful conversation with his older brother and bandmate, Tim. “I said to him early in our career, you know, we’re going to have to get real job one day. And this is fun, we play music, have a few beers, a few laughs. We get away with it. Then we went and did all that. Incredible. You were right brother.” Kirk Pengilly, who spoke last, admitted the band made “amazing choices.” As previously announced, the awards celebrated the 100th anniversary of APRA, and were hosted by Julia Zemiro with guest presenters Bernard Fanning, Jessica Mauboy, Mark Coles Smith and Stella Donnelly, and music curated by François Tétaz. Performers included Christine Anu, Ngulmiya and Rob Ruha; Barkaa; Ecca Vandal; Paul Kelly; and The Presets’ show-stopping electronic rendition of Midnight Oil’s “Power and the Passion,” featuring a special guest appearance by Peter Garrett, in tribute to the late Oils drummer, Rob Hirst. “The 2026 APRA Music Awards were a fitting way to celebrate not only 100 years of APRA, but today’s biggest and brightest stars,” remarks Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS. “It’s a privilege to look back at 100 years of service to our members and the incredible breadth and diversity of Australian talent. As a nation we derive so much, socially, culturally and economically, from our music creators, it’s imperative that we recognize and celebrate that contribution.” The APRAs celebrate excellence in contemporary music, honoring songwriters and publishers who have achieved artistic excellence and outstanding success in their fields. At told, 18 awards were presented across three distinct selection processes: board selected, most performed (based on statistical analysis) and peer voted. See all the winners at apraamcos.com.au/apramusicawards2026 and below. Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year Title: Artist: Written by: Jerkin’Amyl and The SniffersDeclan Mehrtens / Amy Taylor / Bryce Wilson Songwriter of the Year Amyl and The SniffersDeclan Mehrtens / Fergus Romer / Amy Taylor / Bryce Wilson Emerging Songwriter of the Year Writer: Published by: Emily Wurramara Mushroom Music Publishing International Recognition Award Writer: Published by: Sarah Aarons Sony Music Publishing Most Performed Australian Work Title: Artist: Written by:Published by: MaybeGuy Sebastian Guy Sebastian / Robby De Sa* / Ned Houston*Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing* Most Performed Australian Work Overseas Title: Artist: Written by:Published by: UnstoppableSiaSia Furler / Christopher Braide*Sony Music Publishing / Concord Music Publishing ANZ* Most Performed Alternative Work Title: Artist: Written by:Published by: Please Don’t Move to Melbourne Ball Park MusicSam Cromack Sony Music Publishing Most Performed Blues & Roots Work Title: Artist: Written by: Survival Karen Lee Andrews Daniel March / Adam Ventoura Most Performed Country Work Title: Artist: Written by:Published by: Who You Are Rachael FahimRachael Fahim / Shawn Mayer / Liam Quinn / Vlado Saric / Keenan Te* Sentric Music Publishing obo Acts Music Publishing* Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work Title: Artist: Written by:Published by: Tell MeSonny Fodera & Clementine DouglasStuart Crichton / Sonny Fodera* / Clementine Douglas^ / Ruth Cunningham^Concord Music Publishing ANZ / BMG* / Mushroom Music Publishing^ Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work Title: Artist: Written by:Published by: RAINDROP Ocean Grove Samuel Bassal* / Brent Hunter* / Luke Holmes BMG* Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work Title: Artist: Written by:Published by: Spinnin ONEFOUR & Nemzzz Jerome Misa* / Salec Su’a* / Hoi Tang / Nemiah Simms* / Robin Turrini Sony Music Publishing* Most Performed International Work Title: Artist: Written by:Published by: Timeless The Weeknd & Playboi Carti Abel Tesfaye* / Jordan Carter^ / Raul Cubina+ / Mike Dean^ / Evan Hood^ / Jarrod Morgan^ / Chisolm Petty+ / Tariq Sharrieff+ / Mark Williams~ / Pharrell Williams^Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Sony Music Publishing^ / Kobalt Music Publishing+ / Warner Chappell Music~ Most Performed Pop Work Title: Artist: Written by:Published by: MaybeGuy Sebastian Guy Sebastian / Robby De Sa* / Ned Houston*Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing* Most Performed R&B / Soul Work Title: Artist: Written by:Pity Party PANIA Pania Hika / Jake Amy / Chelsea Warner / Sam Verghese Most Performed Rock Work Title: Artist: Written by:Jerkin’Amyl and The SniffersDeclan Mehrtens / Amy Taylor / Bryce Wilson Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music INXS Licensee of the Year The Bob Hawke Beer and Leisure Centre Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up Leave a Comment Your email address will not be published. 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