15th Australian Music Prize finalists announced
The shortlist of finalists have been announced for the 15th annual Australian Music Prize, with ARIA winners making up several of the nominated albums.
From an original list of 107 albums, some of Australia’s most respected music experts have narrowed it down to a list of nine finalists.
It’s a talented and diverse list, reflecting the ability of local talent to make waves both at home and abroad.
The list is as follows:
- Ainslie Wills – All You Have Is All You Need
- Amyl and the Sniffers – Amyl and the Sniffers
- Dispossessed – Warpath Never Ended
- Julia Jacklin – Crushing
- Methyl Ethel – Triage
- Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
- Sampa The Great – The Return
- Sleep D – Rebel Force
- Thelma Plum – Better In Blak
Amyl and The Sniffers, Sampa The Great and Thelma Plum all took home gongs at the 2019 ARIAs, and could start 2020 on a high.
Sampa The Great by Barun Chatterjee
“It’s always great when an album as a body of work is recognised, The Return was one hell of a journey. Being nominated again feels very special,” said Sampa The Great.
The 15th Australian Music Prize saw forty of Australia’s country’s most admired tastemakers, retailers, media and artists come together to form a judging panel.
“As a first time AMP judge, binge-listening was a chance to revisit great albums and discover albums that had slipped through the cracks now we’re all seemingly bombarded with more music than ever before,” said judge Cameron Adams.
“Heaven knows how they managed to cull all those albums down, but they’ve come up with a fine nine that is a killer snapshot of Australian music in the last 12 months.”
Dispossessed (Supplied)
They will reform to discuss, debate and argue of the merits of the finalists before selecting a winner, announced in March.
“The Australian Music Prize has never been more vital in our music ecosystem, providing a separation from the fight for commercial success and encouraging a reconnection to the very heart of what draws us to music,” added Australian Music Prize director Scott Murphy.
“We are proud to lift up music that inspires lives and change our culture for the better.”