The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2017 (generally known as APRA Awards) are a series of related awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Art Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards of 2017 was the 35th annual ceremony by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) to award outstanding achievements in contemporary songwriting, composing and publishing. The ceremony was held on 3 April 2017 at the International Convention Centre Sydney. The host for the ceremony was Julia Zemiro, presenter on SBS-TV's RocKwiz.
The Art Music Awards ceremony was held on 22 August 2017 in Sydney and are presented by APRA, AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre (AMC), "to recognise achievement in the composition, performance, education and presentation of Australian art music. Art music covers activity across contemporary classical music, contemporary jazz and improvised music, experimental music and sound art" The Screen Music Awards were issued on 13 November at the Melbourne Recital Centre by APRA, AMCOS and Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC), which "acknowledges excellence and innovation in the field of screen composition."
In mid-March nominations for the APRA Music Awards were announced on multiple news sources: Flume received the most with four nominations, he went on to win three awards. Archie Roach was honoured by the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. Songwriter of the Year was Flume.
Presenters At the APRA Music Awards ceremony on 3 April 2017, aside from the host, Julia Zemiro, the presenters were Bernard Fanning, Hayley Mary (of the Jezabels), Tex Perkins and Morgan Evans (of Solver).
APRA Music Awards Blues & Roots Work of the Year Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result "It's not too Late" – Archie Roach Archie Roach, Craig Pilkington Mushroom Music "Second Guess" – Ash Grunwald Ash Grunwald Mushroom Music "The Pain" – Robbie Miller Robbie Miller, Nathan Morrison "Notion" – Tash Sultana Tash Sultana "Lonesome Road" – Russell Morris Russell Morris, Shannon Bourne BMG
Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result Gang of Youths David Le'aupepe Universal Music Publishing Australia Rüfüs Jon George, James Hunt and Tyrone Lindqvist Kobalt Music Publishing Sweat It Out Meg Mac Meg Mac Mushroom Music BMG King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Stu MacKenzie Mushroom Music Troye Sivan Troye Sivan Mellet
Country Work of the Year Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result "Burn Baby Burn" – Kirsty Lee Akers Kirsty Lee Akers, Trey Bruce Native Tongue Music Publishing Round Hill Songs and Kid Drum Music "This Crazy Life" – The Wolfe Brothers Phil Barton, Brodie Rainbird, Bruce Wallace, Nicholas Wolfe, Thomas Wolfe Warner/Chappell Music Better Boat Music/ Perfect Pitch Publishing "The Truth Walks Slowly (In the Countryside)" – O'Shea featuring Rob Hirst Rob Hirst, Jay O'Shea, Mark O'Shea Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Orient Pacific Music "Greatest Companion" – Aleyce Simmonds Aleyce Simmonds Kobalt Music Publishing Checked Label Services "Call Me Crazy" – Travis Collins Travis Collins, Damien Leith ABC Music Publishing
Dance Work of the Year Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result "This Girl" – Kungs vs Cookin' on 3 Burners Jake Mason, Lance Ferguson, Ivan Khatchoyan Universal Music Publishing, BMG Origin Music Publishing "The Trouble with Us" – Nick Murphy featuring Marcus Marr Nicholas Murphy, Marcus Annesley Mushroom Music "Say It" – Flume featuring Tove Lo Harley Streten ( Flume), Julian Hamilton, Daniel Johns, Tove Lo Kobalt Music Publishing Future Classic, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music Wolf Cousins "Keeping Score" – LDRU featuring Paige IV Sarah Aarons, Drew Carmody Sony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro (Australia), BMG "Never Be like You" – Flume featuring Kai Harley Streten ( Flume), Kai, Geoffrey Earley Kobalt Music Publishing Future Classic / Native Tongue Music Publishing Songs of SMP / Warner/Chappell Music Artist 101
International Work of the Year Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result "Can't Stop the Feeling!" – Justin TimberlakeJustin Timberlake, Martin Sandberg, Johan Schuster Universal Music Publishing DWA Songs, Universal Music Publishing MGB Tennman Tunes, Kobalt Music Publishing MXM Music "Hello" – Adele Adele Adkins, Greg Kurstin Universal Music Publishing Melted Stone, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Kurstin Music "Love Yourself" – Justin Bieber Justin Bieber, Benny Blanco, Ed Sheeran Universal/MCA Music Publishing Bieber Time, Universal/MCA Music Publishing Please Don’t Forget to Pay Me Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing "Ocean Drive" – Duke Dumont Timucin Aluo, Adam Dyment, Jay Norton, Henry Ritson Kobalt Music Publishing Funky Wonton, Mushroom Music BMG, Kobalt Music Publishing "Sorry" – Justin Bieber Justin Bieber, Julia Michaels, Sonny Moore, Justin Tranter, Michael Tucker Universal/MCA Music Publishing Bieber Time, Warner/Chappell Music Thanks for the Songs Richard, Kobalt Music Publishing Copaface, Warner/Chappell Music Justin S School for Girls, Kobalt Music Publishing Michael Diamond Music, Native Tongue Music Publishing These are Songs of Pulse
Most Played Australian Work Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result "Cheap Thrills" – Sia Sia Furler, Greg Kurstin Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Sony/ATV Music Publishing Kurstin Music "In My Blood" – The Veronicas Anthony Egizii, David Musumeci, Lisa Origliasso, Jessica Origliasso Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Universal Music Publishing "The Trouble with Us" – Nick Murphy featuring Marcus Marr Nicholas Murphy, Marcus Annesley Mushroom Music "Say It" – Flume featuring Tove Lo Harley Streten ( Flume), Julian Hamilton, Daniel Johns, Tove Lo Kobalt Music Publishing Future Classic, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music Wolf Cousins "Never Be like You" – Flume featuring Kai Harley Streten ( Flume), Kai, Geoffrey Earley Kobalt Music Publishing Future Classic, Native Tongue Music Publishing Songs of SMP, Warner/Chappell Music Artist 101
Most Played Australian Work Overseas Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result "Riptide" – Vance Joy James Keogh ( Vance Joy) Kobalt Music Publishing Future Classic, Native Tongue Music Publishing Songs of SMP, Warner/Chappell Music Artist 101
Overseas Recognition Award Writer(s)Publisher(s)Result Samuel Dixon
Pop Work of the Year Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result "Alive" – Sia Sia Furler, Adele Adkins, Tobias Jesso Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Melted Stone, Universal/MCA Music Publishing "Black & Blue" – Guy Sebastian Guy Sebastian, Jaymes McFarland Universal Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music Jaymes Young Music "Youth" – Troye Sivan Alex Hope, Troye Sivan, Bram Inscore, Alexandra Hughes, Brett McLaughlin Sony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro (Aust), Kobalt Music Publishing I Am Bram, Kobalt Music Publishing Dream Machine and Prescription Songs, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Bob Ocho "Cheap Thrills" – Sia Sia Furler, Greg Kurstin Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Kurstin Music "In My Blood" – The Veronicas Anthony Egizii, David Musumeci, Lisa Origliasso, Jessica Origliasso Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Universal Music Publishing
Rock Work of the Year Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result Fall Together – The Temper Trap Richard Cooper, Dougy Mandagi, Justin Parker Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Mushroom Music "Hold Me Back" – The Rubens Scott Baldwin, David Kahne, Elliott Margin, Izaac Margin, Samuel Margin, William Zeglis Mushroom Music Ivy League Music, Kobalt Music Publishing E Equals Music "I'd Go with You Anywhere" – Birds of Tokyo Ian Berney, Ian Kenny, Glenn Sarangapany, Adam Spark, Adam Weston Mushroom Music "The Good Life" – Thirsty Merc Jon Hume, Rai Thistlethwayte Sony/ATV Music Publishing "Wasting Time" – Bernard Fanning Bernard Fanning, Nick DiDia
Song of the Year Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result "Adore" – Amy Shark Amy Shark, Mark Landon M-Phazes Universal Music Publishing "Come Home (Cardinal Pell)" – Tim Minchin Tim Minchin Kobalt Music Publishing Navel Enterprises "Pool Party" – Julia Jacklin Julia Jacklin Mushroom Music "Satan" – D.D Dumbo Oliver Perry ( D.D Dumbo) Mushroom Music "Skeleton Tree" – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Nick Cave, Warren Ellis Kobalt Music Publishing
Songwriter of the Year Harley Streten p.k.a. Flume
Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music Archie Roach
Urban Work of the Year Title and/or artistWriter(s)Publisher(s)Result "1955" – Hilltop Hoods featuring Montaigne & Tom Thum DJ Debris (Barry Francis), MC Pressure (Daniel Smith), Suffa (Matthew Lambert), Andrew Burford Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Universal Music Publishing "For Good" – Remi featuring Sampa the Great Aderemi Kolawole, Justin Smith, Sampa Tembo Sony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro (Aust) "Papercuts" – Illy featuring Vera Blue Alasdair Murray ( Illy), Mark Landon M-Phazes, Thomas Macken, Celia Pavey Mushroom Music WAU Publishing, Universal Music Publishing, Native Tongue Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Canal Music "Long Loud Hours" – Urthboy featuring Bertie Blackman Tim Levinson, Pip Norman, Luke Dubber, Angus Stuart, Ray Charles BMG / Mushroom Music / Sony/ATV Music Publishing /Warner/Chappell Music "Higher" – Hilltop Hoods featuring James Chatburn DJ Debris (Barry Francis), MC Pressure (Daniel Smith), Suffa (Matthew Lambert) Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing
Art Music Awards Instrumental Work of the Year TitleComposerPerformerResultArt Music Awards: Winners: Finalists: Aisles Austin Buckett Australian Art Orchestra and Ensemble Offspring Diomira Peter Knight Australian Art Orchestra How Forests Think Liza Lim Elision, Wu Wei (sheng, soloist), Carl Rosman (conductor) Moon Fire Jessica Wells Lyn Fuller
Jazz Work of the Year TitleComposerPerformerResult Intrusions Eugene Ball Monash Art Ensemble Moons of Jupiter Paul Grabowsky The Paul Grabowsky Sextet Now Noise Tom O'Halloran Memory of Elements Still Night Andrea Keller Vince Jones, Andrea Keller, Stephen Magnusson, Gian Slater, Julien Wilson
Orchestral Work of the Year TitleComposerPerformerResult Frog and Star Cycle Ross Edwards Amy Dickson (saxophone), Colin Currie (percussion), Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Lothar Koenigs (conductor) Raga Andrew Ford Zane Banks (guitar), Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Northey (conductor) Serenade for Tenor, Saxophone and Orchestra ("My Dear Benjamin") Lyle Chan (music), Benjamin Britten and Wulff Scherchen (text) Andrew Goodwin (tenor), Michael Duke (saxophone), Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Paul Kildea (conductor) The Witching Hour Elena Kats-Chernin Australian World Orchestra, Alexander Briger (conductor), soloists
Vocal / Choral Work of the Year TitleComposer / librettistPerformerResult Agnus Dei (Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep) Paul Stanhope / Mary Elizabeth Frye; Requiem Mass Adelaide Chamber Singers, Carl Crossin (conductor) Permission to Speak Kate Neal / Tamara Saulwick Chamber Made Opera (Gian Slater, Georgie Darvidis, Josh Kyle, Edward Fairlie) Tree of Codes Liza Lim Ensemble Musikfabrik; Cologne Opera, Clement Power (conductor), Massimo Furlan (director) With Love and Fury Judith Wright (text), with music by Katie Noonan, Paul Dean, Andrew Ford, Paul Grabowsky, Iain Grandage, David Hirschfelder, Elena Kats-Chernin, John Rodgers, Richard Tognetti, Carl Vine, Katie Noonan & the Brodsky Quartet
Performance of the Year TitleComposer / librettistPerformerResult Agnus Dei (Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep) Paul Stanhope / Mary Elizabeth Frye; Requiem Mass Adelaide Chamber Singers, Carl Crossin (conductor) Cerulean Orbits Jane Stanley Benjamin Beilman, Andrew Tyson "Piano Concerto" Yitzhak Yedid Michael Kieran Harvey "Piano Sonata" Chris Dench Peter de Jager