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)

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.

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.”

Top 20 Announced for 2020 APRA Silver Scroll Award

The Top 20 has been announced for the 2020 APRA Silver Scroll Award. The list was chosen from over 200 entries by a judging panel of 10 fellow songwriters, who have each made wonderful contributions to the NZ music community.  

The Top 20 songs are:

• Best Thing In The Room, written by Lisa Crawley and Robert Kleiner, performed by Lisa Crawley (Published by St Music ANZ Pty / Songtrust Blvd) 

• Bone Dat Needs Pickin’, written and performed by Steve Tofa (Published by Songbroker) 

• Don’t You Know Who I Am, written and performed by Reb Fountain (Published by Mushroom Music) 

• Get The Devil Out, written and performed by Nadia Reid (Published by Blue Raincoat Songs / Kobalt Music Publishing) 

• Glitter written by Stella Bennett, Joshua Fountain and Djesian Suskov, performed by Benee (Published by Universal Music Publishing / Sony/ATV Publishing) 

• Guilty Talk, written by Stephanie Brown and Fen Ikner performed by Lips  

• Hands, written by Bella Cook and Shannon Fowler, performed by Belladonna (Published by Native Tongue Music Publishing) 

• I Might Disappear, written by Gussie Larkin, Lily West and Abraham Hollingsworth, performed by Mermaidens  

• In The Air, written by Arapekanga Hayden Adams-Tamatea, Brad Donald Kora, Hiriini Stuart Kora, Joel Charles Shadbolt, and Miharo Boaz Gregory, performed by L.A.B (Published by Loop Publishing / Kobalt Music Publishing)

• Let’s Just Stay In Bed, written by Cass Mitchell and Bic Runga, performed by King Sweeties (Published by Mushroom Music) 

• Mighty Invader, written and performed by Troy Kingi (Published by Loop Publishing / Kobalt Music Publishing) 

• Remote, written by Annabel Alpers and performed by Hamerkop (Published by Native Tongue Music Publishing) 

• Ruffle, written by Matthew Barus and Lauren Barus, performed by Terrible Sons (Published by Native Tongue Music Publishing) 

• Superfan, written by Chelsea Jade Metcalf and Leroy Clampitt, performed by Chelsea Jade (Published by EMI Music Publishing Australia / Stellar Songs /

• Avant-Garde LOL / These Are Songs of Pulse / Native Tongue Music Publishing) 

• Take, written by Finn Scholes, Tam Scholes, Siobhanne Thompson, Cass Mitchell and Alistair Deverick, performed by Carnivorous Plant Society 

• Trouble, written by Mona Sanei and Frank Eliesa, performed by CHAII (Published by Big Pop Music Publishing / BMG Rights Management) 

• Walk, written by Ria Hall and Laughton Kora, performed by Ria Hall (Published by Loop Publishing / Kobalt Music Publishing)

• War Outside, written by Elijah Manu, Albert Purcell and Rory Noble, performed by Church & AP  

• Who?, written by Lance Fepuleai, Tony Tz, Harry Huavi and Stephen Atutolu, performed by Team Dynamite feat. Diggy Dupe

• You Were Mine, written by Tamara Neilson and Joshua Neilson, performed by Tami Neilson (Published by Native Tongue Music Publishing) 

All APRA members are now invited to vote for their top five songs from this list of 20. 

These votes from the APRA membership will determine the five finalists and winner of the 2020 APRA Silver Scroll Award. 

The APRA Silver Scroll Award will be presented with other awards at the Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday October 14. 

For more information see the APRA AMCOS website here.

Australia's music industry puts out an SOS in open letter to government

Australian music industry unites behind an Open Letter imploring the Australian Government to provide sector support to ensure its survival during the COVID-19 crisis

Jenny Morris, Archie Roach, Tina Arena, Jimmy Barnes, Nick Cave, John Farnham, Guy Sebastian, Peter Garrett, Deborah Conway, Kev Carmody, Marcia Hines, Josh Pyke, Stella Donnelly, Genevieve Lacey, Little River Band, Jessica Mauboy, Lee Kernaghan, Thelma Plum, Regurgitator, Montaigne, Paul Grabowsky, Icehouse, David Hirschfelder, San Cisco, Gotye, The Teskey Brothers, Kate Miller-Heidke, Julia Jacklin, Carl Vine, Alex Lahey, Jack River, Savage Garden sign urgent Open Letter with more than 1000 leading music industry artists, workers, venues & businesses.

“Australian music is a proud national asset that entertains, comforts, and uplifts our communities. It helps to define who we are as a nation, is a central pillar of our health and well-being and is a key driver of learning in schools. Our artists and industry are always there to come to the aid of our nation during a crisis. Now it is time for the nation to come to our aid,” the Open Letter says.

“The Australian music sector fell off a cliff on 13 March when Government made the correct and prudent decision to shut the nation down. Without the ability for artists to play and venues to open around the country, the industry lost billions of dollars in revenue. It is estimated the box-office loss in relation to live music alone will be half a billion dollars over six months.”

The Open Letter has five key asks of the Australian Government, including the expansion of JobKeeper to artists and individuals who have been excluded, an extension of the scheme until at least the end of the year, direct business grants to ensure the survival of thousands of music businesses and venues, a boost to Australia Council funding and tax offsets and red-tape reduction for the sector.

“While much of the economy starts to re-open, the ongoing restrictions on large gatherings means our industry will continue to be held back from returning to work. Without immediate government intervention, the Australian music sector will be hit twice as hard as the rest of the economy and thousands of jobs will be lost within months,” the Open Letter continues.

“The long-term cost to Treasury, the economy and the damage to our cultural infrastructure will be immense and long-lasting. Most of the four thousand plus venues that present live music across Australia are closed with no certainty as to when a restart is likely or viable.
 
“We are a highly skilled workforce with thousands of businesses that continuously adapts to technological change. We contribute $16 billion to the economy and we are an asset that is a lynchpin for the tourism and hospitality sectors and a powerful driver of metropolitan and regional economies and export to the world.
 
“Our industry is resilient, innovative and creative. We fight to stand on our own two feet and in normal circumstances we are self-sufficient. Yet these are not normal times, and we need the support of the Australian Government to help us get to the other side of this crisis.”
 
AMPAL supports and has signed the open letter.

Read: The Full Open Letter

Winners of 2020 Virtual APRA Music Awards announced

The winners of the 2020 APRA Music Awards have been announced, this year in the global online space as the Virtual APRA Music Awards. In a shortened version of the usual live, gala event, the awards went ahead to celebrate the talented songwriters that have achieved outstanding success in the previous year. 

The awards are available to watch (or watch again!) until Wednesday 24 June.

The verdict is in for the biggest peer-voted music award in Australia. APRA members have chosen Dance Monkey by Tones And I (Kobalt Music Publishing obo Tones and I) as the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year. In what can only be described as a phenomenal songwriting success story Tones And I is also the 2020 Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year, an honour that is determined by the APRA Board of Writer and Publisher Directors.

Hip-hop trailblazers Hilltop Hoods - Barry Francis (DJ Debris), Matthew Lambert (Suffa) and Daniel Smith (Pressure) - have been named Songwriter of the Year. Their album The Great Expanse (released 2019) is a songwriting tour de force, chock full of the band’s classic Aussie wit, punchy beats and lyrics that speak to the human experience.

Hilltop Hoods are dual winners for 2020 with Leave Me Lonely taking out the Most Performed Urban Work. They share their honour with co-writer Leigh Ryan aka Plutonic Lab. It’s the second year in a row that Hilltop Hoods have won the Most Performed Urban Work category. (Writers: Barry Francis (DJ Debris) / Matthew Lambert (Suffa) / Daniel Smith (Pressure)/ Leigh Ryan* / Richard Berry^. Publishers: Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Native Tongue Music Publishing* / Campbell Connelly^).

“We’ve spent our entire lives writing and making music. To be awarded ‘Songwriter of the Year’ by the APRA Board is an absolute honour. We couldn’t be more thrilled or grateful,” said Hilltop Hoods.

In his first appearance at the APRA Music Awards, seventeen-year-old songwriter KIAN (Kobalt Music Publishing obo KB Recording), and co-writer Jerome Farah (Mushroom Music), have received awards for Most Performed Australian Work AND Most Performed Alternative Work for their beguiling collaboration Waiting. Hailing from Castlemaine, VIC, KIAN has gone from strength to strength since winning triple j’s Unearthed High competition in 2018, with Waiting reaching number 20 on triple j’s 2019 Hottest 100 and achieving double platinum status. Songwriter and producer Jerome was a dual APRA nominee in 2019 for his work with Baker Boy. Jerome and KIAN have joined creative forces again on KIAN’s new single Every Hour. 

Taking out the Most Performed Country Work in back-to-back years is country pop crossover songwriter Morgan Evans, for his feel-good song Young Again (Writers: Morgan Evans / Chris DeStefano* / Joshua Kear^. Publishers: Warner Chappell Music / Sony/ATV Music Publishing* / Downtown Music Publishing^). John Butler (Downtown Music Publishing obo Family Music) receives his 6th career APRA Music Award for Just Call  in the category of Most Performed Blues & Roots Work. 

Winning their first ever APRA Award, for Most Performed Dance Work, are all-star co-writers Hayden James (Kobalt Music Publishing obo Future Classic), Matthew Kopp (who performs as Running Touch, and is the featured vocalist on the track) (BMG Rights Management), Jack Glass (Bag Raiders) (Universal Music Publishing), and Cassian Stewart-Kasimba (Cassian), who earned themselves the honour for Better Together. 

Dean Lewis has taken out the Most Performed Pop Work for the emotional 7 Minutes, (Writers: Dean Lewis / Nicholas Atkinson* / Edward Holloway*. Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Specific Music / BMG Rights Management*) while Troy Cassar-Daley’s (Mushroom Music) powerful anthem Shutting Down Our Town, (performed by Jimmy Barnes featuring Troy Cassar-Daley) has scored a gong for Most Performed Rock Work. Troy was inspired to write the song after reading Jimmy Barnes’ memoir Working Class Boy, where Jimmy writes about growing up in Elizabeth, SA and the impact of the closure of the Holden car factory.

For the third consecutive year, Sia (along with co-writer Greg Kurstin) took out the Most Performed Australian Work Overseas for Cheap Thrills (Writers: Sia Furler / Greg Kurstin*. Publishers: Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Sony/ATV Music Publishing obo Kurstin Music*).

 Meredith Music Festival was earlier named Licensee of the Year for their excellent music citizenship, and Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s duet Shallow was previously announced as the Most Performed International Work (Writers: Stefani Germanotta*^ / Mark Ronson*+ / Anthony Rossomando*> / Andrew Wyatt*>. Publishers: Universal/MCA Music Publishing* / Sony/ATV Music Publishing^ / Native Tongue Music Publishing+ / Downtown Music Publishing>). 

The 2020 Virtual APRA Music Awards were hosted by APRA AMCOS Ambassador and previous Songwriter of the Year honouree Briggs. Musical Director Kate Miller-Heidke worked her magic curating the music performances remotely. The virtual awards featured stellar performances of artists taking on each of the five Song of the Year compositions. John Butler and Mama Kin performed a joyful rendition of Guy Sebastian’s Choir, Kira Puru and Mo’Ju teamed up for their interpretation of Thelma Plum and Alexander Burnett’s Better in Blak. Folk troubadour William Crighton put his spin on 5 Seconds of Summer’s Teeth, while Los Angeles-based Nikka Costa and Justin Stanley performed The Teskey Brothers I Get Up. From New York City, The Dawn of MAY delivered her mesmerising interpretation of the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year Dance Monkey.

AMPAL congratulations to all the winning songwriters, composers and music publishers!

For the full list of winnes, see the APRA AMCOS website.

Deadline Extended for the 2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, with more prizes added

With the impact of COVID-19 affecting the livelihoods of music creators worldwide, organisers of the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition are extending the entry period and awarding an additional ten runner-up cash prizes of $1,000.
 
The competition’s original closing date of 14 May has been moved to 29 October, giving songwriters more time to submit a song. The 1st place winner will receive a career-changing $50,000 furnished by APRA AMCOS, Alberts and BMG; 2nd place of $10,000 courtesy of Banki Haddock Fiora, and the third place $5,000 courtesy Aon. AMPAL is proud to sponsor the inaugural $5,000 AMPAL Emerging Songwriter Prize awarded to an unpublished up-and-coming songwriter.
 
With the aim to help more songwriters financially and get their music heard by both industry tastemakers and music fans, ten runners-up from the Top 40 shortlist will also be awarded a $1,000 cash prize, made possible by the generosity of an anonymous donor.
 
And, as always, thanks to the generosity of songwriters worldwide, the full entry fee of $50 will go directly to fund the transformative programs of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia. In eleven years of the competition’s existence, entrants have contributed over $1.2 million, making a huge impact on the lives of others with their songs.
 
Named after the iconic songwriters and founding members of The Easybeats, Harry Vanda and the late George Young, the long-running competition has served as a career springboard to an impressive line-up: Matt Corby and Dann Hume in 2019 for Miracle Love, Amy Shark (2018), Gretta Ray (2016), Husky Gawenda (2014), Isabella Manfredi (2013), Kimbra (2011) and Megan Washington (2009), as well as top finishers including 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 has been confirmed, including award-winning songwriter Lior, APRA AMCOS Ambassador Dallas Frasca, triple j Unearthed’s Dave Ruby Howe, producer Robert Conley and reps from Amazon Music and Universal Music.
 
Entries close 11.59pm AEDT Thursday 29 October 2020.

Songwriters can enter here.

Nominees announced for the 2020 Virtual APRA Music Awards

With the 2020 APRA Music Awards now taking place as an online event on the evening of Tuesday 26 May, APRA AMCOS has annonced the nominees for the 2020 Awards.

"If ever there was a time to acknowledge the work of songwriters – both those on stage and those who work quietly behind-the-scenes – it is now, which is why we have committed to the 2020 Virtual APRA Music Awards. 

"Our songwriters give us so much - they contribute enormously to our economic and cultural wealth, and in a world of self-isolation, never has the comfort, poignancy, or uplift of a song been more important! The nominees provide a ready-made #AussieMade playlist of fantastic music. We look forward to celebrating their success, as part of our support of all Australian music creators. ‘See' you May 26th!" said APRA AMCOS Chief Executive, Dean Ormston.

Leading the charge with four nominations is Tones And I who appears with her global sensation 'Dance Monkey' (Kobalt Music Publishing obo Tones and I) in the categories of Most Performed Australian Work, Most Performed Pop Work and Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year. She is also nominated as Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year.

With three nominations a-piece are The Teskey Brothers (songwriters Josh Teskey, Sam Teskey, Liam Gough and Brendon Love), who also appear in the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year and Most Performed Blues & Roots category for 'I Get Up' (Mushroom Music obo Ivy League Music). They have also landed a place in the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year category. Guy Sebastian’s anthemic song 'Choir' has scored he and co-writers Trevor Brown* and Zaire Koalo* (Universal Music Publishing / Mushroom Music obo Reservoir*), the US pair who collaborate as The Orphanage, a nomination for Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year, as well as Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Pop Work.

The APRA Songwriter of the Year will be revealed during the virtual awards event. The recipient of the Licensee of the Year and winner of the Most Performed International Work will be announced in mid-May.

AMPAL congratulates all the nominees for the 2020 Virtual APRA Music Awards, including all AMPAL members and their songwriter and composer partners!

The 2020 Virtual APRA Music Awards will be streamed on Tuesday 26 May 
With Musical Direction by Kate Miller-Heidke.

For more information, see the APRA AMCOS website here.

ICMP Sheet Music Database Launched

Accessing music is vital for people worldwide - to play, learn, listen, read or teach. 

The newly launched ICMP Sheet Music Database helps you – whether an individual, a band, an orchestra, a teacher or a school - access all the licensed sheet music you could need.

So, whether you’re looking for Beethoven symphony orchestral parts or an Ed Sheeran songbook, Tupac lyrics or guitar tabs to Bob Dylan’s canon – the new ICMP Sheet Music Database will provide you with a list of licensed sheet music providers.

We work hard in the music business to provide these so you don’t use illegal downloads or copies. Why? Behind the notes and words of every work is not just creative genius, but the jobs of composers, songwriters, music publishers, bands, orchestras, DJs, singers, rappers, jazzers, folkies, session musos, lyricists, choirs, hip hop artists and on….  

So in this crisis, #StayAtHomeMakeMusicAtHome

See the sheet music database on the ICMP website here.

ICMP is the International Confederation of Music Publishers - the global voice of music publishing. AMPAL is a member of ICMP.

2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition now open

Songwriters, rejoice! The 2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition is now open.

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

Previously known as the ‘Unpublished’ prize, the category’s two previous recipients have each been on a hot streak since winning. 2019’s ‘Unpublished’ winner Kaiit (for ‘Miss Shiney’) won the 2019 ARIA Award for Best R &B / Soul release, and the inaugural honouree Mallrat (for ‘Better’) just won the Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Award at the Global APRA Music Awards Los Angeles. 

There is a first place cash prize of $50,000 courtesy of APRA AMCOS, Alberts and BMG.

Last year’s 1st place winner, the soulful ‘Miracle Love,’ was co-written by Matt Corby and Dann Hume, and featured on Corby’s LP Rainbow Valley, which went on to win triple j’s coveted ‘J Award’ for album of the year.

“I’m so grateful that such a positive song burrowed into the hearts and ears of our peers and genuinely humbled by this moment," said Corby upon winning Vanda & Young.

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

Last year’s competition marked the move from a biennial to an annual tradition, thanks to overwhelming demand. And with 3,683 entries from 48 countries, songwriters worldwide collectively raised $184,150 for Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia (NRMTA) via their $50 entry fee per song.

All money raised goes directly to fund the organisation’s transformative programs, and in eleven years of the competition’s existence, entrants have contributed over A$1.2 million, making a huge impact on the lives of others with their songs.

Named after the iconic songwriters and founding members of The Easybeats, Harry Vanda and the late George Young, the long-running competition has served as a career springboard to an impressive line-up: Matt Corby and Dann Hume (2019), Amy Shark (2018), Gretta Ray (2016), Husky Gawenda (2014), Isabella Manfredi (2013), and Kimbra (2011), as well as top finishers including 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 has been confirmed, including award-winning songwriter Lior, APRA AMCOS Ambassador Dallas Frasca, triple j Unearthed’s Dave Ruby Howe, producer Robert Conley and reps from Amazon Music and Universal Music.

Entries close 11.59pm (AEST) Thursday 14 May.

AMPAL Board appoints Rachel Kelly as interim Director

Due to the recent resignation of Marianna Annas from the AMPAL Board, the AMPAL Board has appointed Rachel Kelly (Downtown Music Publishing) as an interim Director to fill the casual vacancy. 

This interim position will remain in place until the next Annual General Meeting in November 2020, when the AMPAL membership will vote for new Directors in line with the regular board election process. 

Short list announced for the 2020 Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year

25 songs have been announced as the short list contenders for the 2020 Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year. In what remains the largest peer-voted music award in Australia, the list represents the songs chosen by APRA members as the finest of 2019. One of these songs will take home the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year as the APRA Music Awards return for the 38th time to celebrate the songwriters and music publishers that have excelled in the past year.

The shortlist is below:

Title: Arrows

Artist: Missy Higgins

Writer: Missy Higgins

Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Better in Blak

Artist: Thelma Plum

Writers: Thelma Plum* / Alexander Burnett / Oliver Horton

Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing Allegro*

Title: Borderline

Artist: Tame Impala

Writer: Kevin Parker

Publishers: Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Title: By The Scars

Artist: Diesel

Writer: Mark Lizotte

Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Charlie

Artist: Mallrat

Writers: Grace Shaw / Leroy Clampitt

Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: Choir

Artist: Guy Sebastian

Writers: Guy Sebastian / Trevor Brown* / William Simmons*

Publishers: Universal Music Publishing / Mushroom Music*

Title: Dance Monkey

Artist: Tones & I

Writer: Toni Watson

Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Tones and I

Title: Every Day My Mother's Voice

Artist: Paul Kelly & Dan Sultan

Writer: Paul Kelly

Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Title: Exit Sign (ft Illy and Ecca Vandal)

Artist: Hilltop Hoods

Writers: Barry Francis (DJ Debris)* / Daniel Smith (MC Pressure)*/ Matthew Lambert (Suffa)*/ Sarah Aarons* / Andrew Burford^ / Alasdair Murray (Illy)+

Publishers: Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Universal Music Publishing^ / BMG Rights Management+

Title: Fear of Missing Out

Artist: Ainslie Wills

Writers: Ainslie Wills* / Paul Dempsey* / Lawrence Folvig* / Arron Light

Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing*

Title: Final Form

Artist: Sampa The Great

Writers: Sampa Tembo / Alejandro Abapo / Leon Sylvers*

Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing*

Title: Good Lord

Artist: Birds of Tokyo

Writers: Ian Berney / Ian Kenny / Glenn Sarangapany / Adam Spark / Adam Weston

Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Little Things

Artist: Jessica Mauboy

Writers: Jessica Mauboy* / Antonio Egizii / Chiara Hunter / David Musumeci

Publisher: Universal Music Publishing */ Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Title: Miss Shiney

Artist: Kaiit

Writers: Kaiit Waup / Vincent Goodyear / Nicholas Martin

Title: Old Man

Artist: Stella Donnelly

Writer: Stella Donnelly

Publisher: Downtown Music

Title: Open Up Your Eyes

Artist: Archie Roach

Writer: Archie Roach

Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Paradise

Artist: Tropical Fuck Storm

Writers: Erica Dunn / Gareth Liddiard / Fiona Kitchin / Lauren Hammel

Title: Pasta

Artist: Angie McMahon

Writer: Angie McMahon

Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: Pressure to Party

Artist: Julia Jacklin

Writer: Julia Jacklin

Publisher: Mushroom Music

Title: Rushing Back

Artist: Flume ft Vera Blue

Writers: Harley Streten* / Celia Pavey^ / Sophie Cates+ / Eric Dubowsky~

Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Future Classic* / Universal Music Publishing obo Canal Music Publishing^ / Sony/ATV Music Publishing+ / Kobalt Music Publishing~

Title: Self-Immolate

Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Writers: Stuart MacKenzie / Michael Cavanagh / Joseph Walker

Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing

Title: Seven Day Weekend

Artist: Underground Lovers

Writers: Richard Andrew / Maurice Argiro / Glenn Bennie / Vincent Giarrusso / Phillipa Nihill

Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Title: Teeth

Artist: 5 Seconds of Summer

Writers: Luke Hemmings* / Ashton Irwin* / Louis Bell* / Gillian Gilbert^ / Peter Hook^ / Stephen Morris^ / Evan Rogers+ / Carl Sturken+ / Bernard Sumner^ / Ali Tamposi~ / Ryan Tedder> / Andrew Watt°

Publishers: Sony/ATV Music Publishing* / Universal Music Publishing^ / Universal/MCA Music Publishing+ / Mushroom Music~ / Downtown Music> / Kobalt Music Publishing°

Title: Zero Gravity

Artist: Kate Miller-Heidke

Writer: Kate Miller-Heidke / Julian Hamilton / Keir Nuttal

Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Congratulations to all writers and publishers!

The 2020 APRA Music Awards will be held on Tuesday 28 April at the International Convention Centre Grand Ballroom, Darling Harbour, Sydney.

2019 Screen Music Awards Winners Announced

The winners for outstanding achievements in music for feature films, documentaries, short films, children’s television, advertising, film and television soundtrack albums have been announced at the 2019 Screen Music Awards at the Forum, Melbourne. Together they represent the very best in Australian screen composition over the past 12 months.

Among the awards presented on the night, the Feature Film Score of the Year has been awarded to co-composers Dan Luscombe and Antony Partos for their work on the acclaimed science fiction thriller I Am Mother. Described by the Hollywood Reporter as a score “that ranges across ambient rumble, symphonic lushness and pulsing electronica”, their work has impressed the panel of judges to take out the top prize. 

Antony Partos has also received the honour of Best Television Theme for his work on Bloom, a Stan original drama series about life in an idyllic country town a year after a devastating flood kills five locals. Partos’ third Screen Music award for 2019 is shared with co-composer Jackson Milas in the category of Best Music for a Television Series or Serial for Bloom. Fairfax television and film critic Debi Enker described the evocative score by Milas and Partos as “hauntingly melancholy and, at times, audacious.”

Every Day My Mother’s Voice, Paul Kelly’s (published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing) powerful tribute to the strong relationship between Adam Goodes and his mother, has been named the Best Original Song Composed for the Screen. The song was written for The Final Quarter, the Ian Darling directed documentary about the final stages of Goodes' football career.

AMPAL congratulate all the nominees and winners of the 2019 Screen Music Awards, including publisher members Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Mushroom Music.

For more information see the APRA AMCOS website, and the full list of winners is set out below.

2019 Screen Music Awards winners

Feature Film Score of the Year
I Am Mother
Composed by Dan Luscombe and Antony Partos

Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
Every Day My Mother’s Voice from The Final Quarter
Composed by Paul Kelly
Published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Best Soundtrack Album
Little Monsters
Composed by Piers Burbrook de Vere

Best Music for a Documentary
Australia’s Lost Impressionist
Composed by David Bridie
Published by Mushroom Music

Best Television Theme
Bloom
Composed by Antony Partos
Published by Sonar Music

Best Music for a Television Series or Serial
Bloom 
Composed by Jackson Milas and Antony Partos
Published by Sonar Music

Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie
Dead Lucky
Composed by  Michael Yezerski

Best Music for a Short Film
For the Girl in the Coffee Shop
Composed by Angela Little

Best Music for Children’s Television
The Pilgrims Progress
Composed by Michael Dooley

Best Music for an Advertisement
Dan Murphy’s
Composed by Adrian Sergovich
Published by Song Zu Publishing

Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia*
Composers Adam Gock and Dinesh Wicks
Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas*
Composer Neil Sutherland
*Determined by statistical analysis

AMPAL 2019 AGM and Board Election Results

The Australasian Music Publishers’ Association Limited (AMPAL) has held its Annual General Meeting in Sydney on 13 November. 

The results of the election of Directors were declared at the AGM, with Marianna Annas (ABC Music Publishing), Philip Burn (Hal Leonard Australia), Peter Hebbes AM (Hebbes Music Group), Heath Johns (BMG Australia), and Steve McPherson (Hillsong Music Publishing) re-elected to the AMPAL Board. Andrew Jenkins (Universal Music Publishing Group) was newly elected to the Board.

Andrew Jenkins is President, Australia and Asia Pacific Region, for Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). He is responsible for UMPG’s activities in Australasia, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as for global society and industry matters. He has been responsible for the Australian offices of both BMG Music Publishing and subsequently Universal Music Publishing since 1993.

Nominations had also been received from Bernard Depasquale (Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB)), Rachel Kelly (Downtown Music Publishing) and Jess Ossington (Audio Network).

Matthew Capper (Warner Chappell Music Australia) was returned as Chair, and Clive Hodson (Perfect Pitch Publishing) as Deputy Chair of the AMPAL Board.

Mr Capper congratulated the re-elected directors and Mr Jenkins, and thanked all of the nominees for standing for election, noting the strong interest in the operations of the association. AMPAL General Manager Matthew O’Sullivan spoke about the organisation’s work throughout the year on behalf of the association's Australian and New Zealand music publisher members and their songwriter and composer partners. Mr Capper and Mr O’Sullivan also thanked retiring AMPAL Board Director, Bob Aird (Universal Music Publishing Group) for his services to the AMPAL Board. Mr Aird was presented with the AMPAL Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Publishing by the AMPAL Board in September (see the news article here).   

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/.