Nominees for the this year’s ARIA Awards have been announced with Sydney’s Boy & Bear, Perth’s Drapht and music’s Gotye landing seven nods apiece. As penance for excluding Making Mirrors from this year’s ceremony (it is eligible for next year’s awards) organizers have also unveiled winners in select Artisan and Fine Art categories. Namely, Wally De Backer aka that dude Gotye, who has already taken home Producer of the Year (Wally himself), Best Video (Natasha Pincus for Starkraving Productions) and Engineer of the Year (Francois Tetaz). Other technical winners include AC/DC for Best Music DVD, Cut Copy for Best Cover Art (beating out Ken Done’s effort for Oh Mercy) and Chris Lilley for Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album, an award that should have gone to Jed Kurzel’s thoroughly creepy Snowtown soundtrack.
Also of note is a venue change. After the impersonal, gust-prone mess that was last year’s Opera House telecast, organizers have shifted to Sydney’s Allphones Arena where hair-mussing spurts of wind will be kept to a minimum. Awkward vibes, not so much.
And the nominees are…
2011 ARIA AWARD FINALISTS
Album of the Year
Boy & Bear – Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Cut Copy – Zonoscope (Modular Recordings)
Eskimo Joe – Ghosts of the Past (Warner Music Australia)
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Rrakala (Skinnyfish Music/MGM Distribution)
Grinderman – 2 (Mute/EMI Music Australia)
Single of the Year
Birds of Tokyo – Wild at Heart (EMI Music Australia)
Boy & Bear – Feeding Line (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Drapht- Rapunzel (The Ayems/Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)
Guy Sebastian – Who’s That Girl (feat. Eve) (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
The Jezabels – Dark Storm (MGM Distribution)
Best Male Artist
Drapht – The Life of Riley (The Ayems/Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Gareth Liddiard – Strange Tourist (Shock Entertainment)
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Rrakala (Skinnyfish Music/MGM Distribution)
Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)
Josh Pyke – No One Wants a Lover (Ivy League Records)
Best Female Artist
Adalita – Adalita (Liberation Music)
Clare Bowditch – Are You Ready Yet? (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Kasey Chambers – Little Bird (Liberation Music)
Kimbra – Cameo Lover (Warner Music Australia)
Washington – Holy Moses (Mercury Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Best Group
Birds of Tokyo – Wild at Heart (EMI Music Australia)
Boy & Bear – Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Eskimo Joe – Ghosts of the Past (Warner Music Australia)
Grinderman – 2 (Mute/EMI Music Australia)
The Living End – The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)
Breakthrough Artist – Album
Boy & Bear – Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Drapht – The Life of Riley (The Ayems/Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Gypsy & The Cat – Gilgamesh (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Oh Mercy – Great Barrier Grief (EMI Music Australia)
The Middle East – I Want That You Are Always Happy (Spunk/EMI Music Australia)
Breakthrough Artist – Single
Boy & Bear – Feeding Line (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Drapht – Rapunzel (The Ayems/Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Havana Brown – We Run The Night (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
The Jezabels – Dark Storm (MGM Distribution)
Zoe Badwi – Freefallin’ (Neon Records/Warner Music Australia)
Best Independent Release
Art vs Science – The Experiment (Green/MGM Distribution)
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Rrakala (Skinnyfish Music/MGM Distribution)
John Butler Trio – Live At Red Rocks (Jarrah Records/MGM Distribution)
Tex Perkins & The Dark Horses – Tex Perkins & The Dark Horses (Dark Horses Records/Inertia)
The Jezabels – Dark Storm (MGM Distribution)
Best Adult Alternative Album
Boy & Bear – Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Grinderman – 2 (Mute/EMI Music Australia)
Little Red – Midnight Remember (Liberation Music)
Seeker Lover Keeper – Seeker Lover Keeper (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)
The Panics – Rain On The Humming Wire (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Billy Thorpe – Billy Thorpe’s Tangier (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Colin Hay – Gathering Mercury (Compass Records/Planet/MGM Distribution)
Damien Leith – Roy (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
John Farnham – Jack (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Mark Seymour and the Undertow – Undertow (Liberation Music)
Best Blues & Roots Album
Backsliders – Starvation Box (Fuse)
Blue King Brown – Worldwize Part 1 – North & South (Lion House Records/MGM Distribution)
John Butler Trio – Live At Red Rocks (Jarrah Records/MGM Distribution)
The Audreys – Sometimes The Stars (ABC Music)
The Waifs – Temptation (Jarrah Records/MGM Distribution)
Best Children’s Album
Dirtgirlworld – Dig It (Kidindy)
Hi-5 – Turn The Music Up (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Holly Throsby – See! (ABC Music)
Play School – Let’s Play Together (ABC Music)
The Wiggles – Ukulele Baby! (ABC Music)
Best Comedy Release
Adam Hills – Inflatable (Universal Pictures)
Buddy Goode – The One and Only Buddy Goode (ABC Music)
Hamish & Andy – Celebrating 50 Glorious Years (Roadshow Music)
Josh Thomas – Josh Thomas ‘Surprise’: Warehouse Comedy Festival (Madman Entertainment/Warehouse Comedy Festival)
Tim Minchin – Tim Minchin & The Heritage Orchestra (Navel/Inertia)
Best Country Album
Jasmine Rae – Listen Here (ABC Music)
Kasey Chambers – Little Bird (Liberation Music)
Keith Urban – Get Closer (EMI Music Australia)
Shane Nicholson – Bad Machines (Liberation Music)
Troy Cassar-Daley – Live (Liberation Music)
Best Dance Release
Bag Raiders – Bag Raiders (Modular Recordings)
Cut Copy – Zonoscope (Modular Recordings)
Miami Horror – Illumination (EMI Music Australia)
Pnau – Soft Universe (etcetc Music/Ministry of Sound/Universal Music Australia)
The Potbelleez – From The Music (Vicious/Universal Music Australia)
Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
Coerce – Ethereal Surrogate Saviour (Green/MGM Distribution)
Cosmic Psychos – Glorius Barsteds (Missing Link/Fuse)
Dream On Dreamer – Heartbound (We Are Unified Pty Ltd)
Floatingme – Floatingme (Cross Section/Inertia)
Front End Loader – Ritardando (Weeping Anus Records/MGM Distribution)
Best Pop Release
Architecture in Helsinki – Moment Bends (Modular Recordings)
Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)
Guy Sebastian – Who’s That Girl (feat. Eve) (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Gypsy & The Cat – Gilgamesh (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Washington – Holy Moses (Mercury Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Best Rock Album
Children Collide- Theory Of Everything (Universal Music Australia)
Eskimo Joe – Ghosts Of The Past (Warner Music Australia)
Jebediah – Kosciuszko (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)
Papa Vs Pretty – United In Isolation (EMI Music Australia)
The Living End – The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)
Best Urban Album
Drapht – The Life Of Riley (The Ayems/Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Illy – The Chase (Obese Records)
Koolism – The ‘Umu (Invada/Inertia)
Phrase – Babylon (Marlin Records/ Universal Music Australia)
Vents – Marked For Death (Golden Era Records)
Highest Selling Album
Altiyan Childs – Altiyan Childs (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Angus & Julia Stone – Down The Way (EMI Music Australia)
Birds Of Tokyo – Birds of Tokyo (EMI Music Australia)
Keith Urban – Get Closer (EMI Music Australia)
Various – He Will Have His Way – The Songs of Tim & Neil Finn (EMI Music Australia)
Highest Selling Single
Birds of Tokyo – Plans (EMI Music Australia)
Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)
Guy Sebastian – Who’s that Girl (feat. Eve) (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Havana Brown – We Run The Night (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Jessica Mauboy – Saturday Night (feat. Ludacris) (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
2011 ARIA FINE ARTS AWARD NOMINEES – WINNERS IN BOLD
Best Classical Album
Karin Schaupp & Flinders Quartet – Fandango (ABC Classics)
Latitude 37 – Latitude 37 (ABC Classics)
Richard Tognetti (violin), Australian Chamber Orchestra – Mozart Violin Concertos Vol 2 (BIS)
Sally Whitwell – Mad Rush: Piano Music of Philip Glass (ABC Classics)
Teddy Tahu Rhodes – Serious Songs (ABC Classics)
Best Jazz Album
Allan Browne, Marc Hannaford, Sam Anning – Shreveport Stomp (Jazzhead Records)
Elixir featuring Katie Noonan – First Seed Ripening (ABC Music)
Kristin Berardi and The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra – Kristin Berardi meets The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra (Jazzhead Records)
Sarah McKenzie – Don’t Tempt Me (ABC Music)
The Idea of North – Extraordinary Tale (ABC Jazz)
Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album
Chris Lilley – Angry Boys – Official Soundtrack Album (ABC Music)
Jed Kurzel – Snowtown (Ivy League Records)
Stephen Pigram, Alan Pigram, Alex Lloyd – Mad Bastards – Music from the Motion Picture (Bush Turkey Films/MGM Distribution)
Sydney Symphony and cast conducted by Alexander Briger – Don John of Austria (ABC Classics)
Various Artists – Mary Poppins Australian Cast Recording (Walt Disney Records/Universal Music Australia)
Best World Music Album
David Bridie, Hein Arumisore, Jacob Rumbiak, Ronny Kareni & Donny Roem – Strange Birds in Paradise: A West Papuan Soundtrack (Wantok Musik/Planet/MGM Distribution)
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Rrakala (Skinnyfish Music/MGM Distribution)
Saltwater Band – Malk (Skinnyfish Music Music/MGM Distribution)
Shaolin Afronauts – Flight Of The Ancients (Freestyle/Fuse)
Slava & Leonard Grigoryan, Joseph & James Tawadros – Band of Brothers (ABC Music)
Best Music DVD
AC/DC – AC/DC – Live at River Plate (Albert Productions)
Powderfinger – Sunsets Farewell Tour (Universal Music Australia)
RocKwiz – Live National Tour (Liberation Music)
Tex Perkins – Man In Black (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Various – triple j One Night Stand (ABC Music)
2011 ARIA ARTISAN AWARD NOMINEES – WINNERS IN BOLD
Best Cover Art
Aaron Hayward + David Homer (Debaser) – Art vs Science, The Experiment (Green/MGM Distribution)
Alter – Cut Copy, Zonoscope (Modular Recordings)
Carlo Santone – Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Rrakala (Skinnyfish Music/MGM Distribution)
Aaron Hayward + David Homer (Debaser) – Billy Thorpe, Billy Thorpe’s Tangier (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Ken Done – Oh Mercy, Great Barrier Grief (EMI Music Australia)
Best Video
Bart Borghesi – Eskimo Joe, Love Is A Drug (Warner Music Australia)
Carlo Santone – Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Gopuru (Skinnyfish Music/MGM Distribution)
David Michod/Flood Projects – Children Collide, Loveless (Universal Music Australia)
Guy Franklin – Kimbra, Cameo Lover (Warner Music Australia)
Natasha Pincus for Starkraving Productions – Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)
Engineer of the Year
Dave Parkin – Drapht, Rapunzel (The Ayems/Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Francois Tetaz – Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)
Greg Clarke – Billy Thorpe, Billy Thorpe’s Tangier (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Matt Lovell – Eskimo Joe, Ghosts of the Past (Warner Music Australia)
Wayne Connolly – Josh Pyke, No One Wants A Lover (Ivy League Records)
Producer of the Year
Boy & Bear – Boy & Bear, Moonfire (Island Australia/Universal Music Australia)
Daniel Denholm – Billy Thorpe, Billy Thorpe’s Tangier (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Eskimo Joe – Eskimo Joe, Ghosts of the Past (Warner Music Australia)
Wally De Backer – Gotye, Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) (Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records/Eleven: A Music Company)
Wayne Connolly, Josh Pyke – Josh Pyke, No One Wants A Lover (Ivy League Records)
2011 ARIA AWARD PUBLIC VOTED NOMINEES
Most Popular Australian Artist
Altiyan Childs (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Angus & Julia Stone (EMI Music Australia)
Birds of Tokyo (EMI Music Australia)
Drapht (The Ayems/Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Guy Sebastian (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Jessica Mauboy (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
John Farnham (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Justice Crew (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Keith Urban (EMI Music Australia)
Stan Walker (Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
Most Popular International Artist
Adele (XL/Inertia)
Chris Brown (Jive/Sony Music Australia)
Jennifer Lopez (Universal Music Australia)
Jessie J (Universal Music Australia)
Ke$ha (RCA Records/Sony Music)
Lady Gaga (Universal Music Australia)
LMFAO (Universal Music Australia)
P!nk (La Face/Sony Music Australia)
Pitbull (J Records/Sony Music Australia)
Rihanna (Universal Music Australia)
