The Nominations For The 2026 ARIA Awards Have Dropped, So Here's The Full List

Ring the alarm, 'cos the 2026 ARIA Award nominees list has dropped, and two beloved Aussie artists are leading the pack with eight nods to their names. 

In this year's shebang, Australia's finest Genesis Owusu and Tame Impala are tied when it comes to leading the 2026 ARIA nominations, with both artists copping a total of eight nominations to their names. 

Following closely behind is Ecca Vandal with seven, and Baker Boy, BOY SODA, G Flip, Miss Kaninna and Ninajirachi scoring a total of five nominations for this year's shebang. 

Alongside being the night of nights for Australia's music industry — where homegrown talent is applauded for their amazing contributions to craft — 2026's ceremony will also mark the 40th anniversary of the ARIA Awards. 

Annabelle Herd, the ARIA CEO, highlighted this exciting milestone while acknowledging the music industry's fight against AI Companies, describing the 2026 ceremony as “a powerful moment to recognise the enduring power of music to give meaning to the human experience, connect Australians through our own stories and inspire us to feel truly alive”. 

“We could not be more thrilled with this list of nominees to celebrate 40 years of Australian music and incredible human artistry. These records and these amazing artists represent the culmination of 40 years of Australian success in making great music that captures our unique voice and takes it global,” Herd said. 

“As we continue to fight against the relentless assault on our copyright laws by foreign AI companies, this year’s ARIA Awards are a powerful moment to recognise the enduring power of music to give meaning to the human experience, connect Australians through our own stories and inspire us to feel truly alive. Congratulations to all the 2026 nominees.” 

To keep you updated on the spiky trophies that'll be dished out on November 18 at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, here are the nominees for the 2026 ARIA Awards. 

Who's nominated for an ARIA Award in 2026? 

Album of the Year
BOY SODA – Soulstar
DMA’S – DMA’S
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
Tame Impala – Deadbeat

Best Solo Artist
Baker Boy – Djandjay
BOY SODA – Soulstar
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow
G Flip – Dream Ride
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
Matt Corby – Tragic Magic
Miss Kaninna – BLACKPRINT
Ninajirachi – WannaCry
Tame Impala – Deadbeat
Troye Sivan – She’s The Best

Best Group
5 Seconds of Summer – Everyone’s A Star!
DMA’S – DMA’S
Gang of Youths – Things Take Time
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers – Glory
Vika & Linda – Where Do You Come From?

Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist presented by Spotify
aleksiah – Good On Paper
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow
Rachael Fahim – Who You Are
Way Dynamic – Massive Shoe
WILSN – Bloom

Best Pop Release
Blusher – Rager
G Flip – Dream Ride
Kylie Minogue – Tension Tour//Live 2025
Tame Impala – Dracula
Troye Sivan – She’s The Best

Best Dance/Electronic Release
Dean Turnley – Actin’ Tough
Dom Dolla and Puretone – Addicted to Bass
Ninajirachi, Porter Robinson – WannaCry
Tame Impala – Afterthought
Yes Boone – All I Really Want

Best Hip Hop/Rap Release
Baker Boy – Djandjay
DEVAURA – Vol. 2 If You Don’t Laugh, You’ll Cry
Hilltop Hoods – Never Coming Home
Miss Kaninna – BLACKPRINT
Nerve – Growing Pains

Best Soul/R&B Release
Becca Hatch – Garden (Bang Goes the Drum)
BOY SODA – Soulstar
Larissa Lambert – I Love You Out Loud
Miss Kaninna – BACKSTREETS
Tkay Maidza – Romanticize

Best Independent Release presented by PPCA
2charm – boyfriend
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
Miss Kaninna – BLACKPRINT
Ninajirachi, Porter Robinson – WannaCry

Best Rock Album presented by Tooheys
Courtney Barnett – Creature Of Habit
DMA’S – DMA’S
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers – Glory
The Belair Lip Bombs – Again
The Temper Trap – Sungazer

Best Alternative Release
Ecca Vandal – Looking For People to Unfollow
Gang of Youths – Things Take Time
Genesis Owusu – REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE
Meg Mac – It’s My Party
Tame Impala – Deadbeat

Best Adult Contemporary Album
Matt Corby – Tragic Magic
Paul Kelly – Seventy
The Paper Kites – If You Go There, I Hope You Find It
Vika & Linda – Where Do You Come From?
Way Dynamic – Massive Shoe

Best Country Album
Keith Urban – Flow State
Max Jackson – Dangerous in Denim
Morgan Evans – Steel Town
Rachael Fahim – Who You Are
Wade Forster – Gooseneck Party

Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
Cosmic Psychos – I Really Like Beer
DZ Deathrays – Easing Out Of Control
Karnivool – In Verses
These New South Whales – Godspeed
WAAX – Angels Mess

Best Blues & Roots Album
Any Young Mechanic – The Modern Shoe Is Ruining The Foot
Emma Donovan – Take Me To The River
John Butler – Prism
William Crighton – Colonial Drift
Xavier Rudd – Freedom Sessions/Where To Now

Best Children’s Album
Bluey – Up Here (The Orchestral Album)
Don Spencer – Feathers, Fur or Fins 40th Anniversary (Don Spencer & Friends)
Emma Memma – Jungle Picnic
Play School – Dance It Out
The Wiggles – Sparkle!: A Circus Of Lights

Best Music Festival presented by Music Australia
Beyond The Valley 2025 – Untitled Group
CMC Rocks – CMC Rocks Pty Ltd
Groovin The Moo Lismore – Fuzzy Operations Pty Ltd
Laneway Festival – St Jerome’s Laneway Pty Ltd
Spilt Milk – Kicks Entertainment

Artisan Awards

Best Cover Art
Aurie Indianna & Sulaiman Enayatzada for Baker Boy – “Djandjay”
Connor Dewhurst for Amy Shark – “soft pop”
Ecca Vandal, Kathryn Vinella, Sean McDonald for Ecca Vandal – “Looking For People to Unfollow”
Kofi Owusu-Ansah, Isaac Brown, Gina Wagstaffe for Genesis Owusu – “REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE”
Miriam David and Pat Fox for Matt Corby – “Tragic Magic”

Engineer – Best Engineered Release
Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla – “Don’t Worry Baby”
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – “Deadbeat”
Wave Racer for 2charm – “Star Scum City”
Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan – “She’s The Best”
Tony Buchen for DOBBY – “MARSHMELLOW”

Producer – Best Produced Release
Dann Hume/Andrew Klippel for Genesis Owusu – “REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE”
Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – “Deadbeat”
Ninajirachi for 2charm – “Star Scum City”
Ninajirachi/Porter Robinson for Ninajirachi – “WannaCry”
Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan – “She’s The Best”

Fine Arts Awards

Best Classical Album
Jayson Gillham – “Chopin Etudes”
Richard Tognetti, Australian Chamber Orchestra – “Beethoven & Brahms Concertos for Violin and Orchestra”
Simone Young, Sydney Symphony Orchestra – “Mahler: Symphony No. 3”
Tamara-Anna Cislowska, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Johannes Fritzsch – “Elena Kats-Chernin: Ancient Letters”
William Barton, Omega Ensemble – “Gift – Our Breath of Life”

Best Jazz Album
Donny Benét – “Il Basso”
Hilary Geddes – “Redleaf”
Lauren Tsamouras & Tom Avegenicos – “For Judy”
Ten Part Invention – “Time Is moved”
The Vampires – “Skydancer”

Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album
Ack Kinmonth – “The Pout Pout Fish” (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Amanda Brown – “Deadloch” Season 1
Brian Cachia – “Beast” (Original Motion Picture Score)
Caitlin Yeo – “Every Little Thing” (Official Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Francois Tetaz – “My Brilliant Career”

Best World Music Album
Melbourne Ska Orchestra – “Monte Loco Rides Again”
Mo’Ju, Nicholas Buc, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – “Double J Live at the Wireless – Hamer Hall, Melbourne 2023”
Not Drowning, Waving – “Malira”
Tenzin Choegyal & Philip Glass – “Be The Sky”
The Cat Empire – “Live At Sydney Opera House”

Public Voted Awards

Best Video
“Never The Same” – BOY SODA, Adam Saunders
“Running Low ft. Pardyalone” – Baker Boy, Aurie Indianna & Jordan Ruyi Blanch
“BACKSTREETS” – Miss Kaninna, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore
“My Baby’s Place” – DMA’S, Cole Surrey
“CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE” – Ecca Vandal, Richie Buxton
“Stampede” – Genesis Owusu, Isaac Brown
“One More” – James Johnston, Jared Hinz
“Every Single Weekend” – The Avalanches, Jonathan Zawada
“Addicted to Bass” – Dom Dolla, Kyle Caulfield & Charles Buxton-Leslie
“Bed On Fire” – G Flip, Tas Wilson

Best Australian Live Act presented by Destination NSW
Baker Boy – Djandjay Tour
BOY SODA – Lil Obsession Tour
Dom Dolla – Dom Dolla Australian Tour 2025
G Flip – Dream Ride Tour – Australia 2026
Gang of Youths – Various
Genesis Owusu – Red Star Wu’s Pirate Radio Tour
Hilltop Hoods – Never Coming Home Tour
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Phantom Island Australian Tour
Ninajirachi – DARK CRYSTAL V
Paul Kelly – Australian Tour 2025

Song of the Year
FISHER – “Blackberries”
G Flip – “Bed On Fire”
Keli Holiday – “Dancing2”
Lithe – “Cannonball”
Ocean Alley – “Love Balloon”
Royel Otis – “car”
Sonny Fodera – “Think About Us”
Tame Impala – “Dracula”
The Kid LAROI – “A COLD PLAY”
Vance Joy – “Divine Feelings”

Most Popular International Artist
BTS – ARIRANG
Ed Sheeran – Play
Harry Styles – Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally
Morgan Wallen – I’m The Problem
Noah Kahan – The Great Divide
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
Olivia Rodrigo – you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
sombr – I Barely Know Her
Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl

Our Soundtrack Our Ads: Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement

Fox Sports Australia: “Finals Footy” – Fox Sports Australia, 3%, Fred Leone, Scribe
Paramount+: “All Fired Up – AFC Women’s Asian Cup” – Hello, G Flip
Tourism WA: “Walking On A Dream” – Tourism WA, Empire of the Sun, West Australian Symphony Orchestra & Billy-Jo Shoveller
Toyota: “Nice to Know it Could” – The Hero Corporation, Amyl and The Sniffers
Uber Eats: “The Man LAROI” – Special, The Kid LAROI

Everything night of nights for Aussie music kicks off on November 18, and can be watched on Paramount+ and Channel 10. Be there or be squareeeee.