Silver Scroll finalists – for 2015 and 1981

Some of New Zealand’s best known names are announced in the APRA Silver Scroll Award top 20 list.

The prestigious and only peer-voted song crafting award is now in its 50th year.

Past winner Lorde returns with Yellow Flicker Beat, which she wrote for the Hunger Games soundtrack. Her producer and songwriter Joel Little is up for three wins. Unknown Mortal Orchestra and SJD have two nominations each.

Brisbane’s Jarryd James is included because of his Joel Little collaboration. Other nominees who’ve made a presence in Australia include Melbourne-based Marlon Williams as well as brother-sister duo Broods, indie pop band She's So Rad, indie rockers Six60 and Pasifika performer King Kapisi.

The winner gets $5000 cash and keeps the Silver Scroll for eleven months.

The award ceremony is held in Auckland on Thursday September 17 at Vector Arena. Also announced on the night are the winners of the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, the APRA Maioha Award and APRA awards for best original music in a feature film, best original music in a series, and the local and international most performed works awards. A New Zealand songwriter will be inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

The 2015 finalists are:

Clap Clap Riot + Buzz Moller’s Back Into Your Life (written by Dave Rowland, Stephen Heard, Andrew Moller).

Nadia Reid’s Call The Days (Nadia Reid).

Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Can’t Keep Checking My Phone (Ruban Nielson, Jacob Portrait).

Thomston’s Collarbones (Thomas Stoneman, Josh Fountain).

She’s So Rad’s Cool It (Anji Sami).

Marlon Williams’ Dark Child (Marlon Williams, Tim Moore).

Jarryd James’ Do You Remember (Joel Little, Jarryd James).

Mel Parsons’ Get Out Alive (Mel Parsons).

Ayreton Hall’s Just In Case, Allelujah (Toni Randle Keegan).

Broods’ L.A.F. (Joel Little, Georgia Nott, Caleb Nott).

SJD’s Little Pieces (Sean Donnelly)

Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Multi-Love (Ruban Nielson, Kody Nielson).

Martin Andrews’ Naomi (Martin Andrews).

Mulholland’s Perfect Health (Jolyon Mulholland).

Six60’s Special (Marlon Gerbes, Matiu Walters, Priese Board).

MAALA’s Touch (Evan Sinton, Jaden Parkes, Josh Fountain).

Anthonie Tonnon’s Water Underground (Anthonie Tonnon).

King Kapisi’s Welcome Back (Bill Urale, James Britt).

Lorde’s Yellow Flicker Beat (Ella Yelich-O’Connor, Joel Little).

Also to be announced on the night is the 'lost scroll' of 1981 – to be chosen from The Swingers' Counting the Beat, Blam Blam Blam's No Depression In New Zealand, Split Enz's One Step Ahead, The Screaming Meemees' See Me Go and The Clean's Tally Ho.

Both the awards will be voted on by APRA NZ’s 10,000 members. The final five of the 2015 Silver Scroll is announced in mid-August.