APRA Music Awards 2024: Organisers Unveil New Heavy Music Category, Host, Musical Director

The APRA Music Awards ring in the changes for the 2024 edition, which will include a new category representing songwriters in the heavier end of the music spectrum, and a renamed breakthrough songwriter category.

Announced today (March 19), the most performed hard rock/heavy metal category is an addition to the lineup of genre awards based on statistical analysis.

Nominees and winners in the category are determined by royalties earned from Australian performances of works across broadcast, digital downloads, streaming services, and live performances.

Meanwhile, the emerging songwriter of the year category will replace the breakthrough songwriter of the year, an honour that lauds songwriters in “the early stages of their professional careers, who are building significant recognition, with a demonstrated original body of work,” reads a statement.

The emerging songwriter of the year is assessed by an independent advisory group, with the final selection made by the APRA board of directors.

Gold Logie winner and Hard Quiz chief Tom Gleeson is host of the 2024 APRA Music Awards, with award-winning indie musician Jen Cloher and Noongar woman and Naarm-based artist Bumpy named as guest presenters.

Also, The Presets co-founder Julian Hamilton will curate the live performances for the show as musical director, his first time in the role.

Hamilton is familiar with the APRAs stage. In 2008, he collected the coveted APRA song of the year award for the Silverchair hit “Straight Lines” with co-writer Daniel Johns, and, the following year, he Julian shared the APRA songwriter of the year award with bandmate Kim Moyes.

“The introduction of the most performed hard rock/heavy metal category comes in response to popular demand from members and the music industry and has been created to acknowledge the significant commercial and cultural impact of the hard rock/heavy metal genres,” comments Jenny Morris, songwriter, performer and APRA board chair.

The other change, which comes from “re-thinking and refining” the former breakthrough songwriter to emerging songwriter of the year, “emphasises that the recipients are in the process of establishing a foothold in the music industry, which is such a vital career stage to acknowledge.”

The 2024 APRA Music Awards will be presented Wednesday, May 1 at the ICC Sydney, Gadigal land.

Nominations will be announced Thursday, April 4.

As previously reported, APRA members have selected songs by G Flip, Kylie Minogue, Sia, Polaris, Jen Cloher, Angie McMahon and more for the 25-strong APRA song of the year longlist, the top honour at the PRO’s annual celebration of songwriters and music publishers.