AMPAL MAICC 2025 (Round 1) now open, applications close 9 Dec 2025

The Australasian Music Publishers’ Association Limited (AMPAL) is delighted to announce the return of the Music Australia International Conference Contribution – Music Publishers program for 2025!

Designed to ease the financial burden for music publishers who staff are attending a major international music conference, MAICC funding financially supports selected AMPAL members who represent writers with demonstrated potential in a specific international market, so the publisher can undertake an invaluable reconnaissance trip - and/or be present on-ground to maximise outcomes for their writers - at a major international music conference, during a critical moment in their writers', or their own, international career. The program provides contributions of up to $5000 AUD to selected AMPAL members in partnership with Sounds Australia presents the Music Australia International Conference Contribution - Music Publishers program.

2 new MAICC funding rounds have been announced for 2025:

ROUND 1, 2025: For conferences occurring in January to June 2025 inclusive; and

ROUND 2, 2025: For conferences occurring in July to December 2025 inclusive.

This game-changing funding initiative, along with the earliest iteration of the program in 2024 has already supported 11 music publishers to attend a major international music conference in 2024.

Surrounded by their music publisher peers and/or Sounds Australia team members (where Sounds Australia attendance is possible), selected MAICC funding recipients are provided with an invaluable opportunity to develop their music publishing skills, build export in-roads, and learn more about a selected international market whilst leveraging the formal and informal activities, networking and professional development opportunities that surround the international music conference that they are attending.

APPLY FOR ROUND 1 HERE

2024 AMPAL Board Election Results

The results for the 2024 AMPAL board elections were announced at the AMPAL Annual General Meeting held on 19 November 2024.

Congratulations to the following successful nominees:

Linda Bosidis*

Bernard Depasquale**

Matthew Donlevy***

Jane English*

Fergus Jenkins**

Craig Monagle *

Simon Moor*

Damian Trotter*

Mushroom Music Pty Ltd/Mushroom Music NZ Ltd

Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB)

Frankdon Music/Cooking Vinyl Publishing Australia

Wise Music Pty Ltd

Dew Process Publishing Pty Ltd

Warner Chappell Music Australia

Kobalt Music Publishing Australia P/L

Sony Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd

* Continuing director

** First time director

*** Returning as director having served previously

APRA AMCOS and AMPAL thank Peter Hebbes AM for 50 years’ service to the industry

Credit: Daniel Boud

APRA AMCOS and AMPAL bid farewell to industry legend, Peter Hebbes AM, as he announces his

retirement from the music industry and both Boards ahead of the Annual General Meetings on Tuesday

19 November.

A key player in the music industry for over 50 years, Hebbes was a trusted and respected leader in

music publishing, record labels and artist management. In his retirement, he is being recognised for his

significant contribution to the industry.

Launching his career in London in the 1970s in artist management with the legendary Peter Gormley,

Hebbes worked with superstars including Sir Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John AC DBE and The

Shadows.

The UK company also represented the international arm of Australian independent record label, Festival

Records and Music Publishing. At their invitation, Hebbes moved to Australia in 1977 and took up the

position of A&R Director, before later becoming Managing Director of Festival Music Publishing.

In 1993, Hebbes left the organisation to take up the role of Managing Director of Universal/MCA Music

Publishing Group, before going independent and setting up his own music publishing, business

management and consultancy company, Hebbes Music Group (HMG), in Sydney in 2000.

HMG was named Independent Music Publisher of the Year in 2003 by The Music Network and worked

with countless theatre and screen productions including Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Shout and The

Merchants of Bollywood until its sale to Cooking Vinyl Australia in 2024.

In 2006, Hebbes’ contribution to the industry and extensive charity work with organisations like

Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy of Australia (now Noro), The Golden Stave Foundation and Variety -

the Children’s Charity, NSW was recognised by the Australian Government with his appointment of

Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

From 2010 to 2012, he took up the role of General Manager of the Australasian Music Publishers

Association Limited (AMPAL), also serving on its Board for over 40 years. Additionally, he had a hand in

the running of several other industry organisations including the Australian Music Centre (AMC) and the

Music Industry Advisory Council (MIAC).

Hebbes served on the Board of the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) from 1988 to

2000, on the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) Board for 34 years from

1988 to 2000, and again from 2002 to 2024.

Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS, explains: “Peter has been an absolutely pivotal player in our

industry for over 50 years, and his stellar career will be remembered for a long time to come.

“Through his work with APRA AMCOS and many other organisations and charities in the music industry,

he has brought great passion, dedication and guidance to everyone he’s worked with, and he will be

sorely missed. We wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.”

Clive Hodson, Chair of AMPAL, adds: “Peter has been a friend and colleague for over 30 years.

Throughout this time, I have witnessed his selfless dedication to his writers and invaluable support to

the boards and organisations he has been part of.

“His 40 plus years as a valued AMPAL Board member have showcased his deep knowledge, expertise

and love of music, making him a valued asset to both the Board and our wider membership.

“His lifelong friendships with some of the world’s most respected artists are a testament to his integrity

as a person. AMPAL, and I personally, will miss Peter for his insight and commitment as a valued

member of the Board.”

Damian Rinaldi Appointed General Manager of AMPAL

MEDIA RELEASE

After an exhaustive recruitment process, AMPAL is pleased to announce the appointment of Damian Rinaldi of Sydney-based consultancy Sonic Rights Management as AMPAL’s new General Manager.

Said Clive Hodson, AMPAL Chair: “In order to take AMPAL to the next level, we were looking for someone who could ideally provide not only industry and strategic experience and profile, but also operational and administrative capability. Between them, Damian and his team at Sonic Rights Management tick all of these boxes.”

Said Damian Rinaldi: “Though my many years working in the publishing arena, I have been convinced that our publishing fraternity deserves strong representation in the creative industries conversation. I’m delighted that my team and I now have the opportunity to follow through on that vision.”

A veteran of over 30 years in the music business since his days playing in bands in his native Perth, Damian is the managing director of music industry consultancy Sonic Rights Management, and the principal of its related music law firm, Sonic Lawyers. Damian brings a wealth of relevant music industry experience, including lengthy stints as head of legal & business affairs for both Sony Music Australia and Alberts, board member of PPCA, WAM and AMPAL, and past president of the Copyright Society of Australia. Particularly through his work with Alberts managing the AC/DC and Vanda & Young catalogues, Damian has developed strong relationships with publishers large and small around the world, and a sophisticated understanding of the publishing landscape and challenges faced.

Damian holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Western Australia and a Master of Laws degree (specialising in media, communications and information technology) from the University of New South Wales.

The SRM team also includes former longtime Sony Music executive assistant Gianna Simmonson, and former Art Gallery of NSW copyright officer Cherith Devenish.

Damian’s engagement rounds out a series of recent key appointments for AMPAL, which also include:

• Clive Hodson (Perfect Pitch Publishing) being elected Chair of AMPAL;

• Karen Hamilton (120 Publishing) being elected Deputy-Chair of AMPAL;

• Ralph W Peer (peermusic) being elected to the Global Board of ICMP (International Confederation of Music Publishers) as AMPAL’s representative; and

• Clive Hodson being elected as Chair of the Australasia and Asia Global Regional Board of ICMP.

Australian and New Zealand music publishing industry valued at more than AUD$320 million

The 2021 survey of AMPAL members has valued the Australian and New Zealand music publishing industry at just over AUD$320 million for the year. The survey included data from the industry collecting society APRA AMCOS, but it only related to royalties flowing through to music publishing companies and did not include royalties paid directly to songwriters and composers. AMPAL members provided confidential information to auditors Rosenfeld Kant who aggregated the data.

The Australasian Music Publishers' Association Limited (AMPAL) is the industry association for Australian and New Zealand music publishers, and works on behalf of its members and their songwriter and composer partners to promote the importance and value of music and music publishing in Australia and New Zealand - both culturally and economically.

AMPAL’s music publisher members invest in songwriters across all genres of music. They nurture talent, promote the works of their songwriters and find avenues for their work to be heard. Music publishers are a vital part of an industry that contributes to the cultural and economic future of Australia and New Zealand.

Photo by Marius Masalar on Unsplash

Australian music industry three-point plan for the Federal Election campaign

Sixteen Australian music industry bodies representing an industry worth $16 billion a year to the digital, entertainment, hospitality and tourism economies have come together to outline a three-point plan in the lead-up to the 2022 Federal Election.

The three priorities centre around direct investment in the creation of great new Australian music, skills development and global exports, incentivising the use of local content on streaming and broadcast platforms, insurance to provide certainty for local audiences and programs to build industry sustainability through strong intellectual property and national mentorship programs.

Australian music provides the soundtrack to people’s lives, travelling around the globe as one of the country’s great cultural exports. It projects our continent’s vibrant, diverse, and ancient First Nations cultures to the four corners of the world. Whether it is at a concert, stadium, festival, or gig, in a film, interactive game, broadcast or streamed, it is local music that brings communities together, lifting the spirit of the nation regardless of age, background, or location.

Australian music already supports everything from aged care, mental health, and education. It is already the backbone of a healthy and vibrant visitor and night-time economy, fuelling national GDP and providing jobs through tourism and hospitality supply chains. As part of a strong Australian creative industry, music attracts the brightest minds and supports the development of associated sectors including tech, screen, and interactive games.

Just before COVID-19, Australian music was on a trajectory of extraordinary growth as one of the country’s great success stories. With a pipeline of talent coming from across the nation and with the advent of the next digital revolution, Australia has been fostering the development of an artform in an industry capturing the hearts and minds of millions at home and around the globe.

The 2022 Federal Election provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Australian music to pick up from where it left off. It is an opportunity to learn from the pandemic and build a better, more sustainable, innovative, and successful cultural asset at the forefront of community building and the next digital revolution, supporting the artists of today while fostering new waves of talent and driving the changes to global music consumption.

We urge the Federal Government and Federal Opposition to partner with the Australian music industry on the next chapter of our national story. Australia has the potential to go from a music nation to a music powerhouse. A powerhouse that can fully realise the cultural, economic, and social benefits of an even healthier music industry accessible to all Australians. A partnership approach with the Australian music industry will foster the future of jobs and build the skills in one of the fastest growing global industries at the forefront of community, innovation and economic growth.

THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS COME TOGETHER TO PUT FORWARD A THREE-POINT PLAN TO PROMOTE DURING THE 2022 FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Music is at the core of how our nation comes together- whether at the local pub, club or our biggest stadiums, in a film, interactive game, broadcast or streamed. It is a key driver of many other sectors and the heart and soul of great night-time economy, hospitality, travel and tourism experiences.

The 2022 Federal Election provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Australian music to build back better. Our vision is for a more sustainable, innovative, and successful cultural asset at the forefront of community building and the next digital revolution, supporting the artists of today while fostering talent and driving the changes to global music consumption.

Australia has the potential to go from a music nation to a music powerhouse. A partnership approach with the Australian music industry will foster future job creation and build skills in one of the fastest growing global industries at the forefront of community, innovation and economic growth.

We urge the Federal Government and Federal Opposition to partner with the Australian music industry on the next chapter of our national story. With a pipeline of talent coming from across the nation and with the advent of the next digital revolution, Australia can fully realise the cultural, economic, and social benefits of an even healthier music industry accessible to all Australians and exported around the world.

1. Support rebuild – skills, music creation & export

• Provide traineeships and skills retraining programs to address critical skills shortages in metro and regional areas

• Wage support and additional funding to Support Act for ongoing crisis relief and to help the industry create sustainable cultural and behavioural change around mental health and wellbeing for artists and industry workers

• Expand the Australian Music Industry program to foster the growth of First Nations led music, Sounds Australia and music export, women in music mentors, touring and new programs for young people and diversity initiatives

• Invest in new Australian music through an annual Commonwealth Fellowship Program through living wage support of artists, songwriters & composers

• Establish a national mentorship and industry development program to help develop the skills of artists, songwriters, producers, managers, sound engineers and music industry workers

2. Drive investment – local content & certainty for local audiences

• Incentivise the visibility, use and discoverability of local content across all screen and audio digital platforms as well as commercial and community broadcasters

• Provide a tax offset for live music to encourage new investment in activity across the country

• Establish a Commonwealth-backed insurance scheme to increase industry confidence to invest in the creation and presentation of music across the nation

3. Ensure sustainability – strengthen intellectual property & policy review

• Enhance tech innovation by strengthening intellectual property protection for music in the digital economy to ensure artists get a return on their creations

• Partner with industry to support the recommendations of the Music Industry Review into sexual harm, sexual harassment and systemic discrimination

• Undertake a ‘Green Paper’ Review of the policy settings supporting the creation, investment and pathways to market for Australian music

THREE-POINT POLICY DETAIL

1. Industry rebuild – skills, music creation & export

New investment in traineeships and skills development to rebuild capacity across the live music industry in metropolitan and regional areas

Provide traineeships to address critical skills shortages across the broader Australian arts and entertainment industry technicians, managers, event and festival managers, administration, programming, and production, stage managers and security. Establish a grants program for venues and companies to access short courses for retraining and re-skilling established technicians. This will serve to encourage a diversity of new entrants to the industry as well as enticing skilled workers back to the industry.

COVID relief package with additional support for Support Act for ongoing crisis relief and to help the industry create sustainable cultural and behavioural change in relation to mental health and wellbeing for artists and music industry workers

Given the long lead-times to plan and deliver live music concerts, festivals, tours and events there will be a significant lag-time for the music industry to recover and rebuild. Direct support to the artists, sole traders and small to medium businesses through a COVID-19 recovery wage subsidy program together with micro-business grants. Investment in Support Act for ongoing crisis relief and a range of innovative mental health and wellbeing programs to support the music community to build back better and stronger throughout the recovery phase of the pandemic and beyond. The coming years are a "once in a generation opportunity" to help create more mentally healthy workplaces through access to industry specific wellbeing and psychological services, education and training programs that include a strong focus on sexual health and safety and the creation of First Nations designed and implemented programs, plus ongoing mental health promotion and sector development.

Expand the Australian Music Industry program to boost funding for First Nations led programs, Sounds Australia, Women in Music Mentorship, Live Music Touring and Venues and develop new youth music and diversity initiatives.

Increased investment for First Nations led programs, Sounds Australia, Women in Music Mentorship and Live Music Australia as well as the development of new youth music and music diversity programs will ensure that capacity building reaches across the entire music industry ecosystem and help develop a new wave of Australian music.

Invest in great Australian music through an annual Commonwealth Fellowship Program for emerging and established artists

A national fellowship scheme for emerging and established artists across genres and across regions providing a living wage to artists, songwriters and composers for a period of three years to create the next wave of great Australian music to be recorded and presented live as well as broadcast across platforms, on screen and through interactive games both at home and around the globe.

A national mentorship and development program to build the capacity of the industry with a national hub and spoke program fostering the professional development of artists, songwriters, managers, music creators and industry workers across the country

A capacity building program for the music industry with a national hub and spoke program fostering the professional development of artists, songwriters, managers, music creators and music industry workers across metropolitan, regional and remote Australia. This would help establish Australia as a centre of excellence for the global music industry, provide clear and sustainable career pathways for the sector and increase international collaborations and reach new markets.

2. Drive incentives – local content & certainty for local audiences

Incentivise the visibility, use and discoverability of local content across screen and music broadcast and digital streaming platforms

Incentivising the visibility and discoverability of local music content to ensure established and emerging creators are supported and celebrated across broadcast, streaming and emerging platforms will not only foster more sustainable careers and music industry innovation, but it will also give all Australians and new global audiences easier access to great Australian music. Leverage existing offset arrangements, particularly around the use of music on screen and interactive games as part of a ‘cultural uplift’ in local music. Renewed investment in community radio will also enhance the development of more diverse music and provide crucial exposure to more diverse audiences.

A tax offset for live music to encourage investment in cultural and economic activity across metropolitan, regional, and remote Australia

The venue-based live music sector is critical to the development of both artist and audiences throughout Australia and is a key driver of economic activity for the hospitality sector in cities, regions and towns across the country. Implement a new tax offset program to encourage investment in live music venues and activity across Australia to drive investment in cultural and economic activity to support local artists and the associated industries of hospitality, tourism and night-time economies. Regulatory barriers and limited venue expertise have impeded the viability and health of the sector.

A Commonwealth-backed insurance scheme to increase industry confidence and navigate further closures brought on by pandemic health orders and natural disasters

In partnership with state and territory governments to increase industry confidence and navigate further closures brought on by pandemic health orders and natural disasters. The fund would do this by providing indemnification for costs if, due to COVID-19 related issues, a live event in Australia is cancelled, postponed or negatively affected by the re-introduction of government restrictions. Industry would contribute a percentage of cost exposure to the BIF and the government would provide underwriting. A government backed insurance scheme would also complement existing RISE funding.

3. Ensure sustainability – strengthen intellectual property & policy review

Enhance tech innovation by strengthening intellectual property protection, particularly across current and emerging digital platforms

To help drive innovation in Australian music across genre and platforms, Australia must ensure the policy settings are right with a framework that ensures music creators receive fair payment for their intellectual property and continue to innovate in one of the fastest moving industries in the world. With new platforms emerging, Australia has a unique opportunity to not only capitalise on new patterns of music consumption but invest in the development of the next wave of digital delivery.

Partner with industry to support the recommendations of the Music Industry Review into sexual harm, sexual harassment and systemic discrimination

An Independent Review into Sexual Harm, Sexual Harassment and Systemic Discrimination in the National Music Industry commenced in December 2021. The Review is the first of its kind in Australian music and will be industry-wide and covers all sectors and professions in the national contemporary music industry; it will be the first time the lived experiences of our people are front and centre of a cultural change process. The Review will include artists, artist management, agents, crew, venues, production, labels, publishing, promoters, studios, trade and peak organisations, and freelancers and creatives. A report will be delivered in June 2022 with findings and recommendations.

A ‘Green Paper’ Review of the policy settings supporting the creation, investment and pathways to market for the key creative industry of Australian music

Global music consumption is changing. It is time for the Australian Government to fully reflect the policy and investment settings of Australian music as a cornerstone creative industry that is a key cultural, social, and economic driver of the nation. An Australian Government green paper on the Australian music industry will provide a critical opportunity for better government focus and a whole-of-government approach. COVID-19 has highlighted incredible opportunities while also accelerating key challenges facing Australian music and its place in the world. These include professional sustainability and skills, local content, global digital export, live music regulation, innovation and touring. A commitment to a ‘Green Paper’ review of the policy settings around creation, investment and pathways to market for Australian music will ensure Australia has the policy and investment framework in place to ensure the industry is sustainable and world leading.

QUOTES FROM MUSIC INDUSTRY BODIES

“The cultural, social and economic benefits of investing in Australia’s contemporary music industry are substantive and far-reaching. The challenge for government is to develop a smart whole-of-government approach across cultural diplomacy, trade, tourism, small business, education, health and arts to take full advantage of the music industry’s impact. The opportunity for government is to see dividends in employment opportunities throughout the industries that rely heavily on music whether it be hospitality or the visitor economy, and delivering on the huge appetite for Australian music around the world.”
Dean Ormston, APRA AMCOS

"A strong music economy and recognition of the true economic and cultural value of local music benefits more than artists and music industry professionals looking to return to touring. The business of music now extends from legacy music catalogues and IP ownership, to gaming and tech industries and everything in between – with the correct government support, this is a significant potential driver of GDP. We currently have an increasingly diverse, important cultural new wave of Australian artists, including Genesis Owusu, Budjerah, and the first Australian ARIA #1 of 2020, Huski. Thanks to COVID these artists have struggled to have their music heard. We cannot risk losing a whole generation of young Australian artists with the potential to be recognised on the same global stage as Flume, Rufus Du Sol, Tame Impala and plenty of others. Whichever party forms government, it is critical that these priorities are addressed, and the real value of music is acknowledged and supported in the same way that the government supports film, TV, and sport.”
Annabelle Herd, ARIA and PPCA

“Australia needs a vibrant arts and entertainment industry, not just to support other Australian industries and contribute to our economic recovery from Covid, but to drive social interaction and well-being in our communities – at a time when it’s never been needed more. We need support from all parties and candidates to drive investment and rebuild skills and capacity in our industry.”
Evelyn Richardson, Live Performance Australia (LPA)

“The live music industry is the training ground of the future Australian music industry. It is where the ecosystem starts and is how artists and music industry workers and businesses get their first start. It’s where the Australian public fall in love with Australian music. The sole traders and small to medium businesses that drive live music in Australia are still recovering from the COVID-19 shutdown. They need targeted investment in skills development and training so we can staff the return of live music long term and a government backed insurance scheme so we can have certainty in the future.”
Stephen Wade, Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC)

“Whoever wins the election on May 21 has an opportunity to fast track the local and global success of great Australian music and leave a legacy for generations to come. The last two years have been devastating for so many in the music industry. But while we’ve been locked down, brilliant Australian songwriters and composers have been creating extraordinary new music that is already travelling the world live, streamed or on screen. RÜFÜS DU SOL, Baker Boy, Tkay Maidza, The Kid LAROI, Gang of Youths, Antonio Gambale and Sampa The Great are just some of the names part of this extraordinary new wave of Australian music. In 2020 I gave a National Press Club address where I set a vision for Australia to become a net exporter in ten years. With the talent we’ve got and the right investment, it’s something Australia can achieve.”
Jenny Morris MNZM OAM, Chair APRA

“The NATSIMO is invested in working alongside music industry bodies and governments to develop programs that support self-determined pathways for our music creators. We want our members to be engaged and ready to participate in an industry that is equally invested in becoming fluent in understanding Indigenous culture and protocols as we collectively as a nation move forward into the next phase of becoming a music powerhouse.”
Leah Flanagan, National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Music Office (NATSIMO)

“Australia’s screen music composers are the forefront of some of the most iconic scores for film and television around the world. These screen music composers create not just the soundscape to great screen content, they generate valuable intellectual property for the nation. These creators and creative businesses must be fostered by whoever is election on 21 May if we want Australia to be not just a global location for filming, but also the home to globally relevant screen stories that travel the world.”
Antony Partos, Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC)

As the sector takes vital steps towards rebuilding after a two year hiatus, Australian acts are operating in an increasingly fierce and hyper competitive landscape. The cost of doing business has gone up and will only continue to increase, with agents and managers reporting that their touring costs are increasing from between 20% – 100%. The time is ripe for dedicated, targeted and ongoing investment to support international activity for Australian artists and industry professionals at different stages of their export careers”.
Millie Millgate, Sounds Australia

"One of this country's greatest assets became clear when it was forced to shut down by the Covid-19 pandemic; the Australian Music Industry. We at the Association of Artist Managers represent hard-working, ethical and nurturing Managers who protect, and forge the careers of Artists and Songwriters in an already challenging commercial market. Investment in Artist Managers alone has proven to have a phenomenal return based on the value they give to stakeholders in quantified benefits. With this three-part plan, we are ready to play our part, to not only realise this industry's full potential, but to send it skyrocketing."
Maggie Collins, Association of Artist Managers (AAM)

"Festivals and live music employ thousands while boosting the economy and spreading joy. This election there is an opportunity to invest in the Australian music and live entertainment industry that touches each and every voter. The AFA is proud to stand beside a united industry seeking courageous leadership on Australia's cultural identity.”
Julia Robinson, Australian Festival Association (AFA)

“Australian content, whether its live, on platforms or broadcast to audiences around the country, is the best and easiest way to support great Australian music. We know that audiences love it and it helps support the sustainability of our sector. Not only that, the value of music, whether it’s for mental health or inspiring young people at schools is a return on investment, culturally, socially and economically.”
Simone Schinkel, Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN)

“On behalf of live music workers and the many, varied businesses that employ them, CrewCare wholeheartedly support these recommendations in the knowledge they will help our industry return to the upward trajectory we enjoyed pre-Covid which will in turn continue to feed into other industries, such as tourism, hospitality and aviation.”
Tony Moran, CrewCare

“Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all music workers is critical if the industry is to build back better and achieve its true potential at home and internationally. The creation of mentally healthy workplaces through the development and implementation of industry specific prevention, education and training programs that drive productivity, boost creativity, and keep people connected to their work and colleagues will help ensure future success and sustainability.”
Clive Miller, SupportAct

“Since 2020 AIR has been running the Commonwealth funded women in music mentor program nationwide and has delivered a comprehensive professional development program to help educate, empower and propel career progression. We have been overwhelmed by positive feedback from mentees and mentors attesting to its success. Mentoring is an invaluable tool that increases self-confidence and one’s ability to problem solve which is vital in order to navigate the many challenges practitioners face in this industry. The value of expanding this program to cover the entire music industry ecosystem will ensure Australia has the skills to build a sustainable and globally facing future for the industry.”
Maria Amato, Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR)

“The Australian music industry and the many people who make up our sector make a substantial contribution to the cultural and economic life of the country. But there are challenges we face, particularly following the significant impacts from the Covid pandemic. So our industry has come together to align on these priorities that we believe are worthy of investment and support, and we look forward to building on what these priorities can provide to better assist our sector and the cultural and economic development of the country.”
John Wardle, Live Music Office (LMO)

“AMPAL supports these recommendations for the Federal Government and Federal Opposition to partner with the Australian music industry including music publishers, and to champion the great talent of Australian songwriters domestically and abroad. A robust intellectual property framework is integral to the ongoing success of the industry and to foster innovation.”
Matthew O'Sullivan, Australasian Music Publishers' Association (AMPAL)

Photo by Scott Gruber on Unsplash

40th APRA Music Awards celebrate songwriting superstars

The Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year is STAY performed by The Kid LAROI (Sony Music Publishing) and Justin Bieber (Universal/MCA Music Publishing).

The Kid LAROI was named Songwriter of the Year and Genesis Owusu (Kobalt Music Publishing obo Ourness Song) took out Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year.

The APRA Music Awards were held on Tuesday 3 May at Melbourne Town Hall.

A mix of Australian songwriters and industry gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the APRA Music Awards, the event recognising the talented songwriters and music publishers that have achieved outstanding success across 15 categories in the past year.

A mix of Australian songwriters and industry gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the APRA Music Awards, the event recognising the talented songwriters and music publishers that have achieved outstanding success across 15 categories in the past year.

APRA AMCOS Chief Executive Dean Ormston said, “It was an absolute joy to celebrate the success and artistry of the Australian songwriters who have persevered and kept us entertained and connected over the last couple of challenging years. Congratulations to the winners, nominees and performers, who helped to create such a memorable night in honouring 40 years of the APRA Music Awards.”

The Kid LAROI has scored an APRA Music Awards trifecta. The 18-year-old has taken out the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year for STAY, the global sensation co-written with Justin Bieber. He has also won Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work for Without You. And to cap off an incredible year, the 2021 Breakthrough Songwriter has now been named Songwriter of the Year.

The Kid LAROI said, “Thank you for awarding me with Songwriter of the Year. I really appreciate the support and I want to give a quick shout out to fans back home. I’m stoked to be on my way back and I can’t wait to perform the END OF THE WORLD TOUR with you guys. I miss you all and I’ll see you soon.”

Also having a spectacular rise is the unstoppable Genesis Owusu who is the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year. With his songwriting and debut album Smiling with No Teeth receiving a lot of high praise, Genesis most recently took out first-place in the 2021 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition.

Tones And I (Kobalt Music Publishing) is a dual winner for the second year in a row, scoring two gongs for two different songs. Fly Away is the Most Performed Pop Work and her worldwide hit Dance Monkey is the Most Performed Australian Work Overseas.

The full list of winning writers and publishers is available here. Congratulations to all!

Image generated by DALL-E, a tool powered by OpenAI, with description and input by Charlie Pierre.

AMPAL and Music Publishers Canada (MPC) collaborate on first joint songwriting camp; hold joint Board meeting including new AMPAL Directors

CREATE Song Camp participants Paul Beard (left) and ASHY (right).

Australasian Music Publishers Association Limited (AMPAL) and Music Publishers Canada (MPC) are pleased to have collaborated on the CREATE Song Camp, a joint initiative to showcase Australian, New Zealand and Canadian songwriting and production talent through a virtual writing camp. 

The CREATE Song Camp took place in March, and featured 40 published songwriters, producers, and artists from Australia, New Zealand and Canada in virtual writing rooms across three days writing original songs together in the pop and singer-songwriter genres.  The song camp was coordinated by respected music industry consultant Danny Keenan.

The AMPAL and MPC Boards of music publisher executives also met during the week, virtually, to learn more about the key issues for music publishers in each association’s markets and explore how the two associations and their music publisher members can work together in the future to advance the interests of their songwriter and composer partners.

It was one of the first AMPAL meetings for recently elected AMPAL Directors Linda Bosidis (Mushroom Music Publishing), Karen Hamilton (120 Publishing Pty Ltd), Tim Prescott (Double Drummer Music) and Damian Rinaldi (Alberts).  In 2021, AMPAL Directors Steve McPherson (formerly Hillsong Music Publishing Australia), Ian James OAM (Mushroom Music Publishing), Philip Walker (Origin Music) and Rachel Kelly (formerly Downtown Music Publishing) stepped down from the AMPAL Board after many years of service to the organisation and the Australian and New Zealand publishing sector between them.

AMPAL Chair Matthew Capper (Warner Chappell Music Australia) remarked: “As a music publisher it’s always incredible to be involved in the creation of a new song, and to hear what all of the amazing writers achieved together in such a short space of time was extraordinary. I’d like to thank Margaret McGuffin, MPC, Danny Keenan, and all of the contributors to what was a fantastic and invaluable international event.”  

Clive Hodson (AMPAL Deputy Chair, Perfect Pitch Publishing) added: “A cowriting experience for any writer is invaluable in developing their craft. To do that with someone they’ve just met, remotely and in a short time frame is priceless on so many levels for a songwriter/performer. Amela was jumping out of her skin over the experience and the outcome. We shared that excitement on hearing the songs. Thank you AMPAL/MPC for the great experience”.

The export of Australian and New Zealand songs is driving growth for Australasian music publishers and is increasingly important in the globalised music market.  AMPAL and its music publisher members want to ensure that Australian and New Zealand songs and stories continue to be heard around the world.

Sydney-based producer Paul Beard (Wise Music) said:

“I had a terrific time writing songs for the recent AMPAL-MPC Australasia-Canada song camp. Both days were fresh and super productive. The dynamic trio of artist, writer and producer was just the right creative balance and I’m convinced we created at least one future hit!” 

New Zealand artist and songwriter, ASHY (Native Tongue Music Publishing), also said: "It was so incredible to be included in this songwriting camp & work with such talented people. A pleasure to be amongst masters at their own craft!”

The Australasian song camp participants included:

Alex Wildwood (Sony Music Publishing)

Ali Barter (Native Tongue Music Publishing)

ALIUS (120 Publishing)

Amela (Perfect Pitch Publishing)

ASHY (Native Tongue Music Publishing)

BOI (Universal Music Publishing Group)

Charlotte Adelle (Shout! Music Publishing)

Chí (Mushroom Music Publishing)

Claire Nakazawa (Third Side Music)

CLYPSO (BMG Australia)

Damien Leith (Wise Music)

Dylan Ollivierre (BMG Australia)

ILUKA (BMG Australia)

Jack Carty (Wise Music)

JXN (Kobalt Music)

Lucy Parle (Origin Music Publishing)

Matilda Pearl (Kobalt Music)

NGAIIRE (Wise Music)

Oscar Dawson (Native Tongue Music Publishing)

Paul Beard (Wise Music)

Sir Jude (peermusic) 

They were joined by Canadian counterparts:

Aaron Allen (Arts & Crafts)

Alex Sampson (Sony Music Publishing)

Ava Kay

Aysanabee

Cayne McKenzie (Red Brick Songs)

Dan Davidson (Red Brick Songs)

Demetri James (Ultra Publishing)

DRMS (Bloc-Notes Music)

Erin Costelo (Cymba Music)

FAMBA (Sony Music Publishing)

Flower Face (Nettwerk)

Hill Kourkoutis (Daytripper)

Isabelle Banos (Third Side Music)

Jeremy Voltz (HyveTown)

KELLAND (Cadence Music Group)

L’isle (Bravo Musique)

Lucas Marston (HyveTown)

Mike Schlosser (Pop Guru)

Talltale (Cymba Music)

2021 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Comp winners announced!

First place in the 2021 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition goes to Canberra’s Genesis Owusu for the stunning ‘Gold Chains’, co-written with Andrew Klippel, Kieran J Callinan, Michael Di Francesco and Julian Sudek.

Courtesy of APRA AMCOS, Alberts and Sony Music Publishing, Owusu and his collaborators win a $50,000 cash prize, the largest first place prize for any songwriting competition in the world.

The groove-laden single’s lyrics explore the trade-offs that come with music industry fame, with the chorus repeating ‘When it looks so gold, but it feels so cold inside these chains.’

Owusu said the song was “inspired by life, the music industry and the reality of certain situations compared to outside misconceptions of them.”

‘Gold Chains’ made Barack Obama’s annual Favorite Music playlist and Owusu and band performed it for their US late night TV debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Second place and $10,000 courtesy of Banki Haddock Fiora goes to Melbourne artist and songwriter Jerome Farah for the soulful ‘Mikey Might’, a song that addresses racial identity with lyrics 'Way too white to be a black kid, right? / Not enough to live that white kid life, am I ever gonna feel right?'

Farah is a double APRA Music Award-winner for co-writing Kian’s hit ‘Waiting’, but it took him seven years to build the confidence to release ‘Mikey Might’.

“Just want to say thank you to the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition for picking ‘Mikey Might’. Being recognised and appreciated for the art I create is an experience and makes the countless hours and effort feel worth it. Couldn’t feel more grateful!” Farah said.

Third-place winner MAY-A is a songwriter and singer to watch. She takes home $5,000 courtesy of Aon for the indie-pop tune ‘Time I Love to Waste’, co-written with Roberto De Sa and Christian Lo Russo. It’s a song she wrote on the same day as her Honourable Mention winner ‘Apricots’. Both were “inspired by falling in love for the first time in high school with a girl and dealing with a lot of queer discovery,” she said.

“Feeling very blessed to win third place. I didn’t think I was very good so it’s nice to be told otherwise (haha),” MAY-A said.

Last year’s second place winner Baker Boy (Danzal Baker) wowed the judges again, this time with his buoyant single ‘Move’ winning the $5,000 AMPAL Emerging Songwriter Prize, provided by AMPAL. The unpublished songwriter and artist co-wrote the song with Dallas Woods, James Iheakanwa and Willie Tafa.

For the second year in a row the prize money extended to ten Honourable Mention winners from the Top 40 finalists list. Each receives a runner-up prize of $1,000, courtesy of an anonymous donor wishing to help songwriters during the pandemic. From that list is Budjerah’s collaboration with MAY-A ‘Talk,’ Yirrmal’s soon-to-be-released ‘Shining Light’, Gang of Youth’s ‘unison’, Amyl and The Sniffers’ ‘Guided by Angels’ and more.

For the full list of winners, see here.

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners!

Image generated by DALL-E, a tool powered by OpenAI, with description and input by Charlie Pierre.

AMPAL 2021 AGM and Board election results

The Australasian Music Publishers’ Association Limited (AMPAL) has held its Annual General Meeting as a virtual meeting hosted from the registered office of the company on 23 November 2021. 

At the AMPAL AGM, Ian James OAM (Mushroom Music Publishing), Rachel Kelly (Downtown Music Publishing) and Philip Walker (Origin Music Group) stepped down from the AMPAL Board, and Steve McPherson (Hillsong International) had previously stepped down from the AMPAL Board in August.

The results of the election of Directors were declared at the AGM as follows:

Matthew Capper (Warner Chappell Music Australia), re-elected

Jane English (Wise Music), re-elected

Linda Bosidis (Mushroom Music Publishing), newly elected

Damian Rinaldi (Alberts), newly elected

Simon Moor (Kobalt Music Group), re-elected

Matthew Donlevy (Frankdon Music), re-elected

Karen Hamilton (120 Publishing), newly elected

Tim Prescott (Double Drummer Music), newly elected.

AMPAL is the industry association for Australasian music publishers with over 55 members, and is governed by a Board of 15 elected member representatives.  The AMPAL Board is elected by the AMPAL membership, and the current Board is shown at: www.ampal.com.au/ampal-board/.

Australian and New Zealand music publishing industry valued at more than AUD$300 million

The 2020 survey of AMPAL members has valued the Australian and New Zealand music publishing industry at just over AUD$300 million for the year. The survey included data from the industry collecting society APRA AMCOS, but it only related to royalties flowing through to music publishing companies and did not include royalties paid directly to songwriters and composers. AMPAL members provided confidential information to auditors Rosenfeld Kant who aggregated the data.

The Australasian Music Publishers' Association Limited (AMPAL) is the industry association for Australian and New Zealand music publishers, and works on behalf of its members and their songwriter and composer partners to promote the importance and value of music and music publishing in Australia and New Zealand - both culturally and economically.

AMPAL’s music publisher members invest in songwriters across all genres of music. They nurture talent, promote the works of their songwriters and find avenues for their work to be heard. Music publishers are a vital part of an industry that contributes to the cultural and economic future of Australia and New Zealand.

Nominations for 2021 AMPAL Board Elections now open

In accordance with the Australasian Music Publishers' Association Limited (AMPAL) constitution, nominations for the position of board director can be received up until 60 days prior to the date of the annual general meeting (AGM).

The date for the 2021 AMPAL AGM is Tuesday 23 November 2021. Accordingly, nominations for the position of AMPAL board director must be received by the Company Secretary by no later than 5pm AEST Friday 24 September 2021.

Details of nominees will be provided to all eligible full members prior to the AGM and in accordance with the AMPAL constitution. The constitution is available at http://www.ampal.com.au/ampal-constitution.

For a copy of the AMPAL board Nomination Form and to discuss your eligibility for nomination, please contact the AMPAL Company Secretary and General Manager, Matthew O’Sullivan, email matthew.osullivan@ampal.com.au.

Our Soundtrack Our Stories

Australian music’s artists, leading businesses and industry bodies are sending out a different kind of S.O.S. to the nation’s corporations, media and anyone willing to listen: it’s time to add our soundtrack to our stories.

Our Soundtrack Our Stories, launched today, is an initiative to soundtrack Australian lives with Australian music. It’s that simple. But one simple move will have a monumental impact on the lives of our homegrown, globally-loved, local artists whose livelihoods have been rocked by the ongoing pandemic. This campaign is about celebrating Australian music and the people making it.

Greater support from corporate Australia means greater reach for our artists, which translates to everything from higher streams, new fans and increased royalty revenue. That support could not come at a more important time, with over $64,000,000 in revenue lost since 1 July 2021 among just 2,000 respondents to the I Lost My Gig survey. With 99% of that revenue revealed to be uninsurable, the real figure is significantly higher. This push will invite everyday people to view this country's music in a new light.

The initiative arrives exactly one week after Jack River, real name Holly Rankin, posted the now viral call-to-arms for Australian media and business to get behind homegrown music as it struggles under the pressure of a new wave of lockdowns – all but eliminating prospects for live touring for the foreseeable future – the initiative calls for public commitment to increase the inclusion of diverse Australian artists in the commercial and mainstream landscape.

The post has already led to action from Channel 7, Channel 9, Coles, 7-Eleven and Bank Australia; with the likes of Baker Boy, Lime Cordiale, Vera Blue, Alex The Astronaut, Sarah Wilson, Turia Pitt, Chantelle Otten adding their support to the original post.

Our Soundtrack Our Stories is an open invitation from our country's music community to the rest of Australia to discover, champion, share, and consume more local music. It exists to promote our artists, promote the enormous economic and cultural contribution of local music, and to ensure a bright, bold, diverse and exciting future for the next generation of musicians and music lovers alike.

Join the movement. Get involved today by clicking the links below:

• Show your support by sharing these social assets.

• Check out the factsheet here to learn more about how to support.

• Follow @OurSoundtrackOurStories on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter for more and use #OurSoundtrackOurStories.

Together we acknowledge First Nations peoples’ unbroken connection to country, and the experience that they bring to the music landscape. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and future, as we continue our journey of listening, and work towards true kinship and equality.

Our Soundtrack Our Stories is created by ARIA in collaboration partners - full list here.

2021 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition now open - AMPAL Emerging Songwriter Prize on offer!

The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition returns for 2021, calling songwriters of all genres and career stages, from anywhere in the world, to enter their song for the chance to win a career-boosting cash prize.

The winning songwriter takes home a first-place cash prize of A$50,000, courtesy of Australasian music rights management organisation APRA AMCOS, Alberts and Sony Music Publishing.

The 2020 first-place winner was Thelma Plum for ‘Better in Blak.’ Plum’s win for her empowering anthem was an inspiring one, coming eight years after she was the competition’s 2nd runner-up.

“Vanda & Young was kind to me early in my career when I received a runner-up prize for ‘Breathe In Breathe Out,’ I could never have imagined then that one day I would win!," said Plum upon winning Vanda & Young. Plum wrote the song with Alexander Burnett and Oliver Horton, and she is signed to Sony Music Publishing.

Runners-up also win impactful cash prizes, with a 2nd place amount of $10,000 thanks to legal experts Banki Haddock Fiora, and 3rd place receives $5,000 courtesy of Aon.

AMPAL is proud to again sponsor the AMPAL Emerging Songwriter Prize, awarded to an up-and-coming unpublished songwriter, comes with $5,000 cash for the recipient.

When last year’s competition deadline was extended to give songwriters more time to enter during the challenges of COVID, an anonymous donor stepped in to furnish an additional 10 runner-up prizes of $1,000 each. The competition is excited to announce that those 10 cash prizes have again been provided by the generous donor.

Songwriters were eager to get their music heard in new ways during 2020, resulting in more than 4,000 entries – the most ever. Entries from 46 countries raised $203,000.

As always, the full entry fee goes to support the transformative programs of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia (Noro). Since 2009, songwriters have contributed more than A$1.4m to help make NORO’s transformative programs accessible to its participants and their families.

The local arm of BMG was a valued first-place prize co-sponsor from 2017 through the 2020 competition.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Heath Johns and the team at BMG for their support of Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition over the past four years, particularly last year as we faced significant challenges in the context of COVID-19. Their support enabled us to think strategically and invest in developing programs while we couldn’t physically see many our participants, and this saw us emerge from the 2020 lockdown in a strong position, as we will again in 2021,” said Belinda Leonard, CEO, Noro.

“On behalf of Sony Music Publishing Australia, we are thrilled to be partnering with Alberts in support of the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition. As a music publisher, we regard it as a particular privilege to be honouring the legacy of two of this country’s greatest ever songwriters, while at the same time, raising much needed funds for Nordoff-Robbins’ life-changing music therapy programs,” said Damian Trotter, Managing Director, Sony Music Publishing Australia.

Named after the iconic songwriters and founding members of The Easybeats, Harry Vanda and the late George Young, the long-running competition has honoured a range of songwriting talent: Plum in 2020, Matt Corby and Dann Hume (2019), Amy Shark (2018), Gretta Ray (2016), Husky Gawenda (2014), Isabella Manfredi (2013), Kimbra (2011) and Megan Washington (2009), as well as top finishers including Baker Boy, Ruel, Kaiit, Sarah Aarons, Gotye, Meg Mac and Gang of Youths frontman David Le’aupepe.

A judging panel comprised of influential artists, producers, media and music industry professionals will be announced soon.

Entries close Friday 8 October 2021. For more information and to enter, see the website here.

Jackie Alway appointed Chair of ICMP

Jackie Alway OBE has been appointed as the new Chair of the International Confederation Of Music Publishers (ICMP), the global industry body for music publishers.

Alway is currently EVP International Legal & Industry Affairs for Universal Music Publishing Group, and is also Chair of MCPS. Alway also serves on the Boards of the UK Music Publishers Association, PMLL, PRS For Music, MPA Ireland and MCPS Ireland.

Alway is the first woman to hold the Chair position at ICMP. Chris Butler of Wise Music Group retires as Chair, and has been in the role since 2017.

For more information, see the ICMP website.

Winners announced for 2021 APRA Music Awards

After a year of virtual recognition, the APRA Music Awards have made a welcome return as a live event in Sydney. The first major Australian music awards ceremony to do so since COVID struck, the 2021 APRA Music Awards last night celebrated the achievements of songwriters who have excelled in the past year.

APRA members have chosen Gadigal Land as the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year. Written by Rob Hirst (Sony Music Publishing), Gadigal poet Joel Davison and Bunna Lawrie (Universal Music Publishing), the song is an uncompromising recount of what happened on Gadigal land, and elsewhere in Australia, since 1788. The song was Midnight Oil’s first single in 17 years, and is part of The Makarrata Project, a themed mini album of collaborations with Indigenous artists.

Kevin Parker (Sony Music Publishing) has been named Songwriter of the Year for his ingenious sonic masterpieces on The Slow Rush, the fourth studio album by Tame Impala with all songs written, produced, recorded and mixed solely by Parker. Steeped in psychedelic disco sounds, the album was embraced by critics and reached the top 10 on numerous record charts around the world, debuting at Number 3 on the US Billboard chart and landing the top spot in Australia. Kevin was presented his award virtually by superstar producer and collaborator Mark Ronson.

Charlton Howard pka The Kid LAROI (Sony Music Publishing) is the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year. His success has been nothing short of meteoric, with debut mixtape F*ck Love peaking at Number 3 on the US Billboard chart. Along with a string of accomplishments, the First Nations rapper became the youngest Australian solo artist ever to hit Number 1 on the ARIA album charts earlier this year at just 17 years of age.

Continuing her APRA winning streak is Tones And I (Toni Watson - Kobalt Music Publishing), who has pulled off a double taking out Most Performed Pop Work and Most Performed Australian Work for Never Seen the Rain, the third single from her hugely successful debut EP The Kids Are Coming.

The Rubens (Scott Baldwin / Elliott Margin / Sam Margin / Zaac Margin / William Zeglis - Mushroom Music obo Ivy League Music) have won Most Performed Alternative Work with Live in Life, the lead single from the band’s fourth studio album 0202. Taking out Most Performed Country Work for the fourth consecutive year is Morgan Evans (Warner Chappell Music), this time for love song Diamonds which he co-wrote with international collaborators Evan Bogart (Kobalt Music Publishing) and Chris de Stefano (Sony Music Publishing).

Glitchy dance song Rushing Back, written by Harley Streten (Flume) (Kobalt Music Publishing obo Future Classic), Celia Pavey (Vera Blue) (Universal Music Publishing), Eric Dubowsky (Kobalt Music Publishing) and Sophie Cates (Sony Music Publishing) has won Most Performed Dance Work, while the Most Performed Blues & Roots Work is Over Drinking Over You, a song about when fun habits stop being fun, written and performed by Busby Marou (Thomas Busby and Jeremy Marou - Sony Music Publishing) with co-writers Ivy Adara (Kobalt Music Publishing), Jon Hume (Native Tongue Music Publishing) and Lindsey Jackson (Native Tongue Music Publishing).

The 2021 APRA Music Awards saw the introduction of two new categories. The Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work is Misunderstood , written by first time nominee Filipo Faaoloii, who performs as Youngn Lipz, and the Most Performed R&B / Soul Work is Rain, written by Josh Teskey, Sam Teskey, Liam Gough and Brendan Love (The Teskey Brothers - Mushroom Music obo Ivy League Music).

Renowned songwriter Don Walker (Sony Music Publishing) has won the APRA Music Award for Most Performed Rock Work for Getting The Band Back Together, the first single from the Cold Chisel album Blood Moon, which features Jimmy Barnes and guitarist Ian Moss sharing vocal duties.

Dean Lewis (Kobalt Music Publishing obo Specific Music) and Jon Hume’s (Sony Music Publishing) heartbreak anthem Be Alright is the Most Performed Australian Work Overseas, and as previously announced Dua Lipa (Universal Music Publishing) and co-writers Caroline Ailin (BMG Rights Management), Ian Kirkpatrick (Warner Chappell Music) and Emily Schwartz (Kobalt Music Publishing) took out Most Performed International Work for the impossibly catchy Don’t Start Now.

Two powerhouse women were recognised before their peers with the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music. The 2021 recipient is country music trailblazer Joy McKean, who was in attendance to accept the honour presented by her children Anne and David Kirkpatrick. In a taped acceptance Traci Donat, daughter of 2020 recipient the late Helen Reddy, said “My mother was very proud of being Australian and she was proud of using her voice, her success and her visibility to elevate others. In the final years of her life, she was incredibly optimistic and moved to see so many young women passionately carrying the torch. Thank you for honouring her legacy.”

For the full details of all winners, see the APRA AMCOS website.

AMPAL congratulates all winning songwriters, composers and music publishers!

2021 APRA Music Awards nominees

In a roll call that celebrates songwriters spanning pop, rock, country, R&B, hip hop, rap, soul, blues & roots, and dance genres, today APRA has announced the nominees for the 2021 APRA Music Awards.

The peer-voted APRA Song of the Year contenders are songwriters Rob Hirst (Sony Music Publishing), Bunna Lawrie  (Universal Music Publishing) and Gadigal poet Joel Davison for Gadigal Land, Midnight Oil’s first single in 17 years. Tim Minchin (Kobalt Music Publishing) s nominated for Carry You, the song performed by Missy Higgins on Tim’s television series Upright. Guy Sebastian (Universal Music Publishing) returns with a back-to-back nod for Standing With You. Making the cut as a nominee for APRA Song of the Year is Kevin Parker (Sony Music Publishing), who won the top song gong in 2013 and 2016. This year his peers have placed him in the final five for Lost in Yesterday. Amy Shark (Mushroom Music) and co-writer Joel Little (Sony Music Publishing) round out the peer-voted category with Everybody Rise. Amy is nominated for the 5th consecutive year, a streak that began in 2017 with breakout hit Adore and saw her win APRA Song of the Year in 2019 with I Said Hi.

Amy Shark, Kevin Parker and Guy Sebastian have made the dual nominee list for 2021, which also features Tones And I, The Rubens, Andrew Farriss, Flume featuring Vera Blue and Dean Lewis.

Singer-songwriter Miiesha is both a dual AND first-time nominee, as are brothers Louis and Oli Leimbach aka Lime Cordiale. Miiesha appears in the brand new Most Performed R&B / Soul Work category for Twisting Words (with co-writers Stephen Collins and Mohamed Komba), while Lime Cordiale have landed a spot in Most Performed Alternative Work for Robbery.

Both Miiesha and Lime Cordiale are also recognised in the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year category, which is determined by the APRA Board of Writer and Publisher Directors. Joining them in this heavyweight group are first-time nominees Grace Shaw pka Mallrat and songwriter, rapper, singer and producer, The Kid LAROI, who at 17 is the youngest nominee in 2021. Thelma Plum, recent winner of the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, rounds out the Breakthrough honours.

A total of 49 Australian songwriters have received their first ever APRA Music Awards nomination. They include; Joel Davison, Bunna Lawrie, DMA’s and co-writers Thomas Crandles, Joel Flyger and Liam Hoskins (their touring band members), Casey Barnes, MSquared (Michael Paynter, Michael Delorenzis), Brad Cox and co-writer Joseph Mungovan, Andy Mak, Melanie Dyer, John Courtidis, Winston Surfshirt, Isabella Kearney-Nurse, Spacey Jane, Hockey Dad and The Amity Affliction.

From those debuts comes the rise of fresh songwriters across two brand new Award categories Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work and Most Performed R&B / Soul Work, a whopping eight of the 10 nominated songs feature first time APRA nominees. They include Day1, No Money Enterprise, ONEFOUR, Youngn Lipz, Milan Ring and co-writer BLESSED, Becca Hatch and her four co-writers Maribelle Anes, Jamie Muscat, Willie Tafa and Solo Tohi.

For the first time, music fans will be able to watch rolling highlights on the night via the official APRA AMCOS YouTube channel. Stayed tuned for more details and an announcement of live performances.

The 2021 APRA Music Awards will be presented at a ceremony at the Sydney International Convention Centre Grand Ballroom on Wednesday 28 April, hosted by Julia Zemiro, Ziggy Ramo and Georgia Mooney.

Playlists of the nominated songs can be streamed on YouTube Music, Spotifyand Apple Music.

For the full list of nominated songwriters, composers and music publishers - see the APRA AMCOS website here.

Winners of the 2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition Announced!

(L-R) - Thelma Plum, Baker Boy, Ruel and Carla Geneve have all taken out prizes in the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition

The winner is in! The top prize for the 2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition goes to Thelma Plum for ‘Better in Blak’, (writers: Thelma Plum* / Alex Burnett / Oliver Horton; publisher: Sony Music Publishing*) a song that brings together frank and honest lyrics with soaring melodies.

Courtesy of APRA AMCOS, Alberts and BMG, Plum wins a $50,000 cash prize, the largest first place prize for any songwriting competition in the world. The Gamilaraay singer-songwriter was a runner-up in the 2013 competition for her song ‘Breathe In Breathe Out.’

“I am so honoured that ‘Better in Blak’ has won the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, I can’t even really describe it. My heartfelt thanks to Alex Burnett and Oli Horton for their creativity and to everyone who connected to a song that is deeply personal, written when I was feeling very alone.

“I don’t feel alone today.

“Vanda & Young was kind to me early in my career when I received a runner-up prize for ‘Breathe In Breathe Out,’ I could never have imagined then that one day I would win!"

Plum collaborated with Australian songwriter-producer Alexander Burnett and London-based Oli Horton on the song, which is the title track to Plum’s acclaimed debut album. Released in 2019, ‘Better In Blak’ was a top five finalist in the 2020 Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year and came in at #9 in the triple j Hottest 100.

The competition’s $10,000 2nd place prize, courtesy of Banki Haddock Fiora, goes to hip-hop artist Baker Boy aka Danzal Baker for his powerful track ‘Meditjin,’ (writers: Danzal Baker / Jess Bourke* / Dion Brownfield^ / Jerome Farah+ / Dallas Woods^; publishers: Native Tongue Music Publishing* / Kobalt Music Publishing^ / Mushroom Music+) with lyrics both in English and the Yolngu Matha language.

“I was blown away that I even made the shortlist so to come 2nd for the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is just crazy. It feels really special that my Yolngu Matha lyrics are getting this kind of recognition!

“Couldn't have done it without my co-writers: JessB, Jerome Farah, Dallas Woods and Dion Brownfield,' said Baker Boy.

In 3rd place and the winner of $5,000 courtesy of Aon is Sydney performer and songwriter Ruel for ‘Painkiller’ (writers: Ruel Van Dijk / Sarah Aarons* / Mark Landon; publishers: Universal Music Publishing / Sony Music Publishing*). Since emerging on the scene in 2017, the teenager has built a global fanbase through his soulful pop songs.

"I feel so honoured to make it to the top 3 in this year's Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition! I’ve been working hard to improve my songwriting every day, so it feels amazing to be recognised at this level and be mentioned alongside incredible artists like Thelma Plum and Baker Boy," said Ruel. He wrote the song with producer M-Phazes and acclaimed songwriter Sarah Aarons, and it comes from the Free Time EP.

AMPAL is proud to sponsor the inaugural $5,000 AMPAL Emerging Songwriter Prize, which goes to Fremantle, WA’s Carla Geneve, who takes out the honour for the sublime ‘The Right Reasons.’ She follows in the esteemed footsteps of previous winners Mallrat and Kaiit, winning the award for an outstanding unpublished songwriter.

“I can't say how excited I am to be even considered for the competition, let alone taking home a prize. I see myself as primarily a songwriter over anything else, so this means a lot to me. I'm excited to keep writing!” said Geneve. Her song is from the recently released Dog Eared EP.

For the first time in the competition’s history, 10 runners-up from the top 40 shortlist each take home $1,000 cash. The prize money comes from a generous donor who wishes to remain anonymous. The list includes Gordi for ‘Volcanic’ and ‘Extraordinary’, The Teskey Brothers, Lime Cordiale, up-and-coming artists Shannen James and Annie Hamilton and more.

ICMP Evolution: New Board Appointments & Restructure - Matthew Capper (AMPAL Chair and MD of Warner Chappell Music Australia) appointed to ICMP Board

A vote by global trade body the International Confederation of Music Publisher’s (ICMP) membership has:

• Approved expansion of the Board from 16 to 18 Directors. The Board maintains its 50/50 composition of Major and Independent music company Execs and now has Directors from 12 national trade associations from 4 continents worldwide. Matthew Capper (AMPAL Chair and Managing Director of Warner Chappell Music Australia has been appointed to the ICMP Board, with Ian James (Mushroom Music) as alternate director.

• Approved a strategic restructure of the organisation which includes establishing four ICMP Global Regional Groups - Europe; North America; Latin America; AAAA (Australasia, Asia, Africa). These will gather the ICMP Executive, senior company reps and heads of ICMP’s 64 national trade association members in each region, thereby evolving to best tackle issues for today’s industry.

ICMP Board Chairman Chris Butler stated: “Following the revision to ICMP’s bylaws the expansion of our Board is now complete with the addition of Matthew Capper (AMPAL) and Antal Boronkay (Hungarian MPA). I am delighted to welcome such experienced and accomplished music publishers to the ICMP Board and look forward to their contribution in the months and years ahead.”

ICMP Director General John Phelan commented: “Congratulations to two outstanding executives in Matthew Capper and Antal Boronkay. As representatives of the Australasian and Hungarian music industries, from a Major in Warner Chappell Music and Indie in Editio Musica Budapest, they exemplify ICMP as a global trade body. With our work ongoing on 6 continents, we’re keen for their contributions to our daily mission: growing the value of music while defending the rights of our member companies and creator partners. Similarly, approval of the restructure plan will enable us to deliver ever better for our members worldwide.”

Matthew Capper (Managing Director Warner Chappell Music Australia, Chairman Australasian Music Publishers' Association Limited (AMPAL), newly appointed ICMP Board Director) stated: “ICMP’s global role is incredibly important to our industry. The boundaries of our markets continue to blur, and we all face the same challenges in demanding respect for our rights. With the support of Ian James (Mushroom Music), I’m looking forward to working with Chris Butler and the ICMP Board, John Phelan and the ICMP team to support the interests of the worldwide music publishing community as AMPAL’s representative.”

Antal Boronkay (Director, Hungarian Music Publishers’ Association, newly appointed ICMP Board Director) said: “In my new post I look forward to leading implementation of the latest copyright related and digital industry goals in Europe. I have been working in ICMP since 2005 when I was appointed MD of Editio Musica Budapest, a Universal company, and have been a proud member of ICMP’s Classical Bureau for 10 years. I’m looking forward to continuing to drive positive change for the music industry via ICMP.”

Music and live entertainment industry implores Australian Government to extend JobKeeper in Open Letter

3500 music industry artists, workers, venues and businesses have signed an Open Letter to the Australian Government about the end of JobKeeper

• The constant wave of lockdowns, state border closures and audience limitations has made it impossible for the music and live entertainment industry to properly restart

• New analysis shows live music alone is operating under 4 per cent of pre-COVID levels

Jenny Morris, The Cat Empire, Mo’Ju, Kate Miller-Heidke, Paul Kelly, Bernard Fanning, Courtney Barnett, The McClymonts, Laneway Festival, Missy Higgins, Archie Roach, Josh Pyke, L-FRESH The LION, Gordi, Stella Donnelly, Abby Dobson, Sarah Blasko, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Don Walker, Katie Noonan, Graham ‘Buzz’ Bidstrup, Bluesfest, Bushwackers Band, Ocean Alley, Ian Moss, Alex the Astronaut, Lee Kernaghan, Troy Cassar-Daley, Birds of Tokyo, Lime Cordiale, Killing Heidi, The Presets, Birdz, Dan Sultan, Methyl Ethel, John Watson Management, Bill Cullen One Louder, Jebediah, Boy and Bear, The Living End, Xavier Rudd, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Didirri, KLP, The Living End, Polish Club, Midnight Oil, Sneaky Sound System, Spiderbait, The Preatures, Diesel, Anna Laverty, Something For Kate, Hunters and Collectors, Secret Sounds, The Avalanches, Jen Cloher…. sign urgent Open Letter with more than 3500 music and live entertainment industry artists, workers, venues & businesses.

An Open Letter published today seeks to bring attention to the continuing devastation the COVID-19 pandemic is having on Australia’s music and live entertainment industry with an appeal to the Australian Government to establish an industry rescue program to replace the end of JobKeeper.

“Each time there is another COVID-19 cluster or a quarantine breach, any plans to trade again are halted. Musicians, sole traders, venues, clubs, festivals, music businesses and the industry remain out of work. Billions of dollars for hospitality and tourism generated from Australian music remains stifled. We are an industry in crisis,” the Open Letter says.

“We applaud the work of local, state and federal authorities, as well as the community and acknowledge the situation in Australia is much different to most nations around the world. But Australia remains in a cycle of lockdowns and border closures to keep on top of the insidious COVID-19 pandemic.”

Despite Australia being ahead of most countries around the world, new figures released today by music rights organisation APRA AMCOS reveal that live music alone is operating at under 4 per cent of the level compared to this time last year, showing the devastation that has hit Australia’s live music industry and on the thousands of people who work to make live music happen.

Pre-COVID, APRA AMCOS members submitted live performance reports, representing payment for over 3 million performances of their works. The same period during COVID-19 saw the number of performances of works plummet to approximately 100,000 - representing under 4 per cent of activity pre-COVID*.

Since March last year there has not been a single national tour undertaken by an Australian artist and there has not been a single festival run at full capacity. Night clubs remain closed and what venues are open are trading at an average of 30 per cent due to social distancing capacity regulations.

“Extending JobKeeper, or providing an industry specific wage subsidy package, will keep the show on the road. This doesn’t just make cultural sense, it makes economic sense. The arts and entertainment sector contributes around $15 billion per year in GDP, employing close to 200,000 highly-skilled Australians. Australia Institute research has found that for every million dollars in turnover, arts and entertainment produce 9 jobs while the construction industry only produces around 1 job,”
the Open Letter continues.

Research shows three dollars are generated from every $1 spent on live music. The inability for the music industry to trade has a direct knock-on effect on the hospitality and tourism industries across major metropolitan and regional centres across the country and an unprecedented loss to the economy.

“Every live music venue and festival in a city, town centre or regional area is part of an intricate network that supports our industry. Sitting behind these venues and events is an army of musicians, managers, agents, promoters, crew, technicians, music teachers and many other industry professionals,” the Open Letter says.

“We can’t afford to lose the skills and businesses of our industry. The result for Australian music and live entertainment would be catastrophic.”

The music and live entertainment industry urges the Australian Government to extend JobKeeper for music and live entertainment workers or provide an industry specific wage subsidy.

For the full letter and other details, see the APRA AMCOS website.