Australian pop music awards are a series of inter-related national awards that gave recognition to popular musical artists and have included the Go-Set pop poll (1966–1972); TV Week King of Pop Awards (1967–1978); TV Week and Countdown Music Awards (1979–1980); the Countdown Awards (1981–1982) and Countdown Music and Video Awards (1983–1987). Early awards were based on popular voting from readers of teenage pop music newspaper Go-Set and television program guide TV Week. They were followed by responses from viewers of Countdown, a TV pop music series (1974–1987) on national broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Some of the later award ceremonies incorporated listed nominees and peer-voted awards. From 1987 the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) instituted its own peer-voted ARIA Music Awards.
1966–1972:Go-Set pop poll results
Teen-oriented pop music newspaper, Go-Set was established in February 1966 and conducted an annual poll during 1966 to 1972 of its readers to determine the most popular personalities. Readers were provided with coupons to vote for their choice, with initial categories of 'Male Vocal', 'Female Vocal' and 'Group' for both Australian and International acts – in later years new categories were introduced and old categories renamed or retired.
1966 Printed in Go-Set on 5 October 1966, pages 12 & 13.
+Australian acts: pop poll results Position Male Vocal Female Vocal Group 1 Normie Rowe Lynne Randell The Easybeats 2 Ronnie Burns Dinah Lee The Twilights 3 Merv Benton Denise Drysdale Purple Hearts 4 Mike Furber Little Pattie Steve & the Board 5 Billy Thorpe Donna Gaye The Id 6 Johnny Young Pat Carroll The Aztecs 7 Tony Barber Yvonne Barrett MPD Ltd 8 Jeff St John Marcia Jones The Playboys 9 Colin Cook Laurel Lea The Loved Ones 10 Ray Brown Joy Lemmon Bobby & Laurie
+International acts: pop poll results Position Male Vocal Female Vocal Group 1 Elvis Presley Cilla Black The Beatles 2 Normie Rowe Petula Clark The Rolling Stones 3 Roy Orbison Dusty Springfield The Easybeats 4 Tom Jones Nancy Sinatra Herman's Hermits 5 P. J. Proby Sandie Shaw The Troggs / The Jordanaires 6 Gene Pitney Dinah Lee 7 Crispian St. Peters Dionne Warwick The Animals 8 Cliff Richard Marianne Faithfull The Kinks 9 Bob Dylan Cher The Who 10 Donovan Brenda Lee The Lovin' Spoonful
1967 Printed in Go-Set on 9 August 1967, pages 12 & 13. Categories were renamed, e.g. Male Vocal became Top Male Singer.
+Australian acts: pop poll results Position Top Male Singer Top Female Singer Top Group 1 Ronnie Burns Lynne Randell The Easybeats 2 Normie Rowe Bev Harrell The Twilights 3 Johnny Young Cheryl Gray The Groop 4 Phil Jones Dinah Lee The Loved Ones 5 Mike Furber Little Pattie The Masters Apprentices 6 Robbie Snowden Yvonne Barrett The Cherokees 7 Marty Rhone Denise Drysdale The Vibrants 8 Buddy England Marcia Jones Phil Jones Unknown Blues Band 9 Jeff St John Donna Gaye Jackson 10 Billy Thorpe Judy Stone James Taylor Move
+International acts: pop poll results Position Top Male Singer Top Female Singer Top Group 1 Tom Jones Petula Clark The Beatles 2 Elvis Presley Sandie Shaw The Monkees 3 Normie Rowe Nancy Sinatra The Rolling Stones 4 Jimi Hendrix Dusty Springfield The Easybeats 5 Cliff Richard Cilla Black The Who 6 P.J. Proby Lynne Randell The Jordanaires 7 Eric Burdon Sandy Posey The Mamas and the Papas 8 Scott Engel Marianne Faithfull The Animals 9 Cat Stevens Aretha Franklin Procol Harum 10 Gene Pitney Tina Turner Herman's Hermits
1968 Printed in Go-Set on 19 June 1968, pages 12 & 13.
+Australian acts: pop poll results Position Top Male Singer Top Female Singer Top Group 1 Normie Rowe Bev Harrell The Twilights 2 Johnny Farnham Lynne Randell The Masters Apprentices 3 Ronnie Burns Dinah Lee The Groove 4 Phil Jones Little Pattie Somebody's Image 5 Cheryl Gray The Easybeats 6 Marty Rhone Marcie Jones Procession 7 Graeme Willington Janice Slater Dave Miller Set 8 Peter Doyle Judy Durham The Groop 9 Robbie Snowden Denise Drysdale Bee Gees 10 Jon Blanchfield Laurel Lea Heart 'n' Soul
+International acts: pop poll results Position Top Male Singer Top Female Singer Top Group 1 Tom Jones Lulu The Beatles 2 Paul Jones Sandie Shaw The Monkees 3 Elvis Presley Petula Clark The Bee Gees 4 Cliff Richard Aretha Franklin Jimi Hendrix Experience 5 Otis Redding Dusty Springfield Cream 6 Jimi Hendrix Cilla Black Small Faces 7 Normie Rowe Nancy Sinatra The Rolling Stones 8 Donovan Lynne Randell The Who 9 Engelbert Humperdinck Bobbie Gentry The Jordanaires 10 Scott Engel Dionne Warwick The Easybeats
1969 Printed in Go-Set on 28 June 1969, pages 10 & 12. Categories back to original names, e.g. Top Male Singer returns to Male Vocal.
+Australian acts: pop poll results Position Male Vocal Female Vocal Group 1 Russell Morris Allison Durbin Zoot 2 Johnny Farnham Anne Hawker The Masters Apprentices 3 Ronnie Burns Bev Harrell Brisbane Avengers 4 Normie Rowe Wendy Saddington The Dream 5 Jeff Phillips Lynne Randell Flying Circus 6 Dave Miller Patti Town Criers 7 Jonne Sands Yvonne Barrett Dave Miller Set 8 Ross D. Wyllie Pat Carroll Doug Parkinson in Focus 9 Doug Parkinson Marcie Jones The Valentines 10 Alex Kadell Dinah Lee The Groove
+International acts: pop poll results Position Male Vocal Girl Vocal Group 1 Tom Jones Lulu The Beatles 2 Elvis Presley Mary Hopkin The Monkees 3 Donovan Aretha Franklin The Bee Gees 4 Davy Jones Julie Driscoll The Rolling Stones 5 Barry Ryan Cilla Black Cream 6 Peter Sarstedt Dusty Springfield The Hollies 7 Jimi Hendrix Sandie Shaw The Jordanaires 8 Paul Jones Dionne Warwick The Animals 9 Jose Feliciano Diana Ross Union Gap 10 Bob Dylan Petula Clark Diana Ross & The Supremes
1970 Printed in Go-Set on 11 July 1970, pages 6 & 7. New categories introduced: Guitarist, Drummer, Composer. Ceremony for the Australian acts was held at Dallas Brooks Hall, East Melbourne, and was broadcast on 30 June by Seven Network. +Australian acts: pop poll results Position Male Girl Group Guitarist Drummer Composer 1 Johnny Farnham Allison Durbin The Masters Apprentices Doug Ford Colin Burgess Johnny Young 2 Russell Morris Wendy Saddington Axiom Ricky Springfield John Dien Jim Keays, Doug Ford 3 Ronnie Burns Colleen Hewett New Dream Billy Green Rick Brewer Hans Poulsen 4 Alex Kadell Liv Maessen Town Criers Rod Harris Stewie Speers Russell Morris 5 Normie Rowe Yvonne Barrett Zoot Glenn Wheatley Chris Easterby Ricky Springfield 6 Issi Dye Pat Carroll The Valentines John du Bois Peter Reed Billy Green 7 Jeff St John Bev Harrell The Sect John Farrar Paddy Beach John Brownrigg 8 Doug Parkinson Little Pattie Doug Parkinson in Focus Sam Dunnin Paul Doo Sam Dunnin 9 Ronnie Charles Kerrie Biddell The Flying Circus Phil Manning Don Lebler Lindsay Bjerre 10 Ross D. Wyllie Bernadette Cavanagh Jeff St John & Copperwine Doug Rowe Colin Walker Don Mudie & Brian Cadd
+International acts: pop poll results Position Male Girl Group Guitarist Drummer Composer 1 Tom Jones Mary Hopkin The Beatles Eric Clapton Ringo Starr Paul McCartney 2 Elvis Presley Lulu Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page Ginger Baker John Lennon, Paul McCartney 3 Paul McCartney Diana Ross Creedence Clearwater Revival Jose Feliciano John Bonham John Lennon 4 Donovan Julie Driscoll The Rolling Stones George Harrison Keith Moon Bob Dylan 5 Glen Campbell Cilla Black The Hollies Paul McCartney Micky Dolenz Jimmy Webb 6 Neil Diamond Janis Joplin The Monkees Jimi Hendrix Charlie Watts Burt Bacharach 7 Mick Jagger Bobbie Gentry Shocking Blue Hank B. Marvin Doug Clifford Paul Simon 8 Bob Dylan Dionne Warwick Beach Boys John Lennon Dave Clark John Fogerty 9 Jose Feliciano Dusty Springfield Herman's Hermits Elvis Presley Dennis Wilson Harry Nilsson 10 Robert Plant Aretha Franklin The Jackson 5 Mick Taylor Mitch Mitchell Donovan
1971 Printed in Go-Set on 10 July 1971, pages 2 & 3. New categories introduced: Best Album, Best Single, Best Bass Guitarist. +Australian acts: pop poll results Position Best Male Vocal Best Girl Vocal Best Group Best Guitarist Best Drummer Best Songwriter / Composer Best Album Best Single Best Bass Guitarist 1 Johnny Farnham Allison Durbin Daddy Cool Ricky Springfield Colin Burgess Russell Morris Choice Cuts – The Masters Apprentices "Eleanor Rigby" – Zoot Glenn Wheatley 2 Russell Morris Liv Maessen The Masters Apprentices Doug Ford Rick Brewer Johnny Young Natural High – Hans Poulsen "Eagle Rock" – Daddy Cool Beeb Birtles 3 Ronnie Burns Colleen Hewett Zoot Phil Manning Gary Young Hans Poulsen Virgo – Ronnie Burns "Mr. America" – Russell Morris Wayne Duncan 4 Ted Mulry Wendy Saddington Chain Ross Hannaford Mark Kennedy Ricky Springfield The Hoax Is Over – Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs "Black & Blue" – Chain Barry Sullivan 5 Hans Poulsen Jenny Johnston Spectrum Denis Wilson Barry Harvey Jim Keays, Doug Ford Spectrum Part One – Spectrum "I'll Be Gone" – Spectrum Duncan McGuire6 Darryl Cotton Yvonne Barrett New Dream John Robinson Dannie Davidson Ross Wilson Kamahl – Kamahl "Because I Love You" – The Masters Apprentices John du Bois7 Jim Keays Olivia Newton-John Autumn Ross Wilson Chris Easterby Mike Rudd Looking Through a Tear – Johnny Farnham "Soft Delight" – New Dream Mark Demajo8 Ross D. Wyllie Little Pattie The Mixtures Lobby Loyde Peter Reed Matt Taylor Wide Open – Kahvas Jute "Falling in Love Again" – Ted Mulry Bill Putt9 Matt Taylor Dawn Dixon Town Criers Billy Thorpe Stewie Speers Ted Mulry At the Mountains of Madness – Blackfeather "Acapulco Sun" – Johnny Farnham Rick Graham10 Doug Parkinson Marian Henderson Blackfeather Billy Green Jim Yonge John Robinson Pirana – Pirana "The Freak" – Zoot Paul Wheeler
+International acts: pop poll results Position Best Male Vocal Best Girl Vocal Best Group Best Guitarist Best Drummer Best Songwriter / Composer Best Album Best Bass Guitarist 1 Elvis Presley Janis Joplin Creedence Clearwater Revival Eric Clapton Ringo Starr Paul McCartney All Things Must Pass – George Harrison Paul McCartney 2 Tom Jones Melanie The Rolling Stones George Harrison Ginger Baker George Harrison Mad Dogs and Englishmen – Joe Cocker Stu Cook 3 Joe Cocker Mary Hopkin The Partridge Family Jimmy Page Doug Clifford John Lennon Pendulum – Creedence Clearwater Revival Andy Fraser 4 Elton John Freda Payne Deep Purple John Fogerty John Bonham Elton John, Bernie Taupin That's the Way It Is – Elvis Presley John Paul Jones 5 George Harrison Diana Ross The Beatles Ritchie Blackmore Ian Paice John Fogerty Pearl – Janis Joplin Roger Glover6 David Cassidy Lynn Anderson Led Zeppelin Peter Townshend Simon Kirke Neil Diamond Deep Purple in Rock – Deep Purple Jack Bruce7 Paul McCartney Aretha Franklin Jackson Five Paul Kossoff Charlie Watts Bob Dylan John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band – John Lennon Bill Wyman8 Neil Diamond Lulu Free Jimi Hendrix Keith Moon James Taylor The Partridge Family Album – The Partridge Family Klaus Voormann9 James Taylor Olivia Newton-John The Hollies Alvin Lee Mick Avory Cat Stevens Tumbleweed Connection – Elton John John Entwistle10 Mick Jagger Cilla Black The Who Paul McCartney Michael Shrieve Burt Bacharach Elton John – Elton John Noel Redding
1972 Printed in Go-Set on 30 December 1972, pages 5 & 6. New category introduced: Newcomer (only for Australian acts); with old categories retired: Best Guitarist, Best Drummer, Best Bass Guitarist.