Australian Music Prize gets travel funding as 110 semi-finalists unveiled

The nine finalists of the 2021 Soundmerch Australian Music Prize (AMP) will have their travel expenses to go to Melbourne to attend the winner’s announcement on Thursday March 3 picked up.

EMI Records, Virgin Music and Island Records are chipping in $3,000 each to cover costs.

Scott Murphy, AMP founder/director says that he usually help financially when a nominee needs it.

“However, with the craziness of the past couple of years AMP funding hasn’t been able to do so,” he explains.

“To now have additional funds which are dedicated to those artists is such a relief!”

Independent artist Ziggy Ramo agrees that many of the shortlisted artists will want to attend, but haven’t started earning enough from their work to fund their travel.

“(They) haven’t really started to earn significantly from their work, yet want to attend the announcement event,” Ramo said. “It can be hard. I experienced this myself!”

Virgin Music Australia managing director Timothy Janes approached Murphy mid-year about how best to contribute to the AMP.

“An award that comes out of the blocks and recognises the brilliance of The Drones’ Wait Long By The River…. as its inaugural winner has always been an award worth supporting.”

For Michael Taylor, managing director of Universal Music Australia & Island Records Australia, reading the nominations list is “seeing your favourite albums of the year get the recognition they deserve.

“Having this added spotlight on these Australian artists and their excellent artistry is so important for Australian music and culture.”

For EMI Music Australia managing director John O’Donnell, the AMP gives important albums an extra credibility by making them winners.

He cites Courtney Barnett’s debut, A. B. Original’s Reclaim Australia, both Sampa The Great albums and We Will Always Love You by The Avalanches.

“(It) has established itself as arguably the premier award for Australian albums over the past 17 years,” O’Donnell notes.

The 2021 Soundmerch AMP today also revealed 110 nominees, culled from 450 issued in 2021.

The shortlisted nine are unveiled in January.

The increased prize is $30,000 is from Soundmerch.

The Longlist

Allday – Drinking With My Smoking Friends

Amends – Tales Of Love, Loss, and Outlaws

Amyl and The Sniffers – Comfort To Me

Australian Art Orchestra – Hand To Earth

B Wise – Jamie

Bad Bangs – Character Building

Baker Boy – Gela

Courtney Barnett – Things Take Time, Take Time

Big Scary – Daisy

Billy Davis – This Is What’s Important

The Black Sorrows – Saint Georges Road

Bliss n Eso – The Sun

Bones and Jones – Ginger Gold (Farm Singles)

Bored Shorts – Way Off!

Katie Brianna – This Way Or Some Other

Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes – As Long As It’s Not Us

Candy – A Pull To Heal

Troy Cassar-Daley – The World Today

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Carnage

Sarah Mary Chadwick – Me & Ennui Are Friends, Baby

Charm of Finches – Wonderful Oblivion

Belle Chen – Late Night Sessions: New Dawn

Chet Faker – Hotel Surrender

Children Collide – Time Itself

Civic – Future Forecast

Client Liaison – Divine Intervention

Comets – Rain Faces

Cool Sounds – Bystander

Cosmic Psychos – Mountain of Piss

Deuce – Deuce

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Under These Streets

Ryan Downey – A Ton Of Colours

Dseeva – Pressure Makes Diamonds

The Avalanches with winner’s cheque in 2021

DZ Deathrays – Positive Rising: Part 2

Kutcha Edwards – Circling

Ruby Fields – Been Doin’ It For A Bit

Tori Forsyth – Provlépseis

Good Morning – Barnyard

The Goon Sax – Mirror II

Grigoryan Brothers – This Is Us: A Musical Reflection of Australia

Grinding Eyes – Taste The Monochrome

Harpooner – In Two Minds

Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant

Holy Holy – Hello My Beautiful World

HTRK – Rhinestones

IJALE – OTTN (On To The Next)

Illy – The Space Between

Indigo Sparke – Echo

Izy – Irene

Jarryd James – P.M.

Jazzparty – Nobody Gets Away

June Jones – Leafcutter

Jonnine – Blue Hills

The Jungle Giants – Love Sign

Steve Kilbey & The Winged Heels – The Hall of Counterfeits

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – L.W.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Butterfly 3000

Kucka – Wrestling

Ajak Kwai – Let Me Grow My Wings

Jack Ladder – Hijack!

LANKS – Spirits Pt. 2

LIARS – The Apple Drop

Jess Locke – Don’t Ask Yourself Why

Luca Brasi – Everything Is Tenuous

Maple Glider – To Enjoy Is The Only Thing

Martha Marlow – Medicine Man

Mere Women – Romantic Notions

Merpire – Simulation Ride

Middle Kids – Today We’re The Greatest

Mista Monk – Inkswel – Muti

Mitch Dillon’s Compulsive Ramblers – Mitch Dillon’s Compulsive Ramblers

Mod Con – Modern Condition

The Murlocs – Bittersweet Demons

Ngaiire – 3

Mike Noga – Open Fire

Odette – Herald

Genesis Owusu – Smiling With No Teeth

The Paper Kites – Roses

Parvyn – Sa

Perfect Moment – Kangourou

Tex Perkins & The Fat Rubber Band – Tex Perkins & The Fat Rubber Band

Pond – 9

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound

Jordan Rakei – What We Call Life

Gretta Ray – Begin To Look Around

REMI – Fried

The Rubens – 0202

Rüfüs Du Sol – Surrender

Emma Russack & Lachlan Denton – Something Is Going To Change Tomorrow, Today. What Will You Do? What Will You Say?

Saint Surly & Dyl Thomas – Twelve (Hundred)

Heather Shannon – Midnight Sun

Tim Shiel – Distractions One

J.P. Shilo – Jubjoté

Shining Bird – Deadlands

Skydeck – Coupon

Alice Skye – I Feel Better But I Don’t Feel Good

Sleep D x Ad Lib Collective – Flashed Glass

Snowy Band – Alternate Endings

Julia Stone – Sixty Summers

Liz Stringer – First Time Really Feeling

Tash Sultana – Terra Firma