Month: September 2023

Stadium rockers Six60 strutted their stuff with best record honors while Bic Runga was confirmed as an “icon” at the 2023 Rolling Stone Aotearoa Awards, held Wednesday, Sept. 20 at Auckland’s Matthew-In-The-City.

The Auckland band, which played filled stadiums up and down the country during the pandemic, when most other countries were stuck in lockdown, won for Castle St., their fourth studio album.

Also on the night, indie act the Beths took out the global award, judged by the music title’s global team to acknowledge the Kiwi artist “they just can’t get enough of,” reads a statement.

Reggae outfit L.A.B. snagged best single for “Take It Away,” and COTERIE, based on Australia’s west coast and formed around the core of Māori brothers Tyler, Joshua, Brandford and Conrad Fisher, took out the best new artist category – and completed their victory lap with a live performance.

Now in its second year, the Rolling Stone Aotearoa Awards celebrates New Zealand’s finest.

The star of the night was, naturally, Bic Runga, who received the prestigious Rolling Stone Icon Award, and performed for the gathering.

Following the release of her debut single, “Drive”, in 1996, Runga (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine) has won almost every major musical honor in her homeland, including the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Songwriting Award. She has won 20 Tui Awards (New Zealand Music Awards), more than any individual, including best female vocalist on four occasions. Bic’s first LP Drive was certified seven-times platinum and contained the hit “Sway”.

“The fact that we are here, tonight, once again, honoring Aotearoa music and celebrating so many of you that have joined us here… it’s not something I take lightly,” Poppy Reid, The Brag Media’s editor-in-chief, told guests.

She continued, “there’s one thing that I would love all of the nominees in the room tonight to know, and it’s that your music has been listened to, and judged by the best, most influential music critics in the world, because Rolling Stone’s global editors took part in the judging process.”

For those who went home empty handed, Reid added, “please know that your music is now on the radar of some of the leading voices in music journalism.”

Rolling Stone AU/NZ is published by Sydney-based The Brag Media, whose portfolio of titles includes Tone Deaf, The Music Network, and Variety Australia. Brewery Panhead returned as headline sponsor for the awards.

2023 Panhead Rolling Stone Aotearoa Awards Winners:

Best Record

Six60 – Castle St (WINNER)

Princess Chelsea – Everything Is Going To Be Alright

COTERIE – Coterie

The Beths – Expert In A Dying Field

TE KAAHU – Te Kaahu O Rangi

Marlon Williams – My Boy

Fazerdaze – Break!

Stan Walker – All In

Best Single

L.A.B. – ‘Take It Away’ (WINNER)

Daily J ft. Boo Seeka – ‘Lost In Time’

lilbubblegum – ‘af1’

Princess Chelsea – ‘Forever Is A Charm’

SXMPRA feat. Ski Mask the Slump God – ‘COWBELL WARRIORS!’

Tami Neilson – ‘Beyond The Stars’ ft Willie Nelson

Kaylee Bell – ‘Boots N All’

Fazerdaze – ‘Break!’

Best New Artist

COTERIE (WINNER)

Georgia Lines

Hanbee

TE KAAHU

Luca George

Teo Glacier

33 Below

NO CIGAR

Rolling Stone Global Award

The Beths (WINNER)

UMO 

Six60

Bic Runga

BENEE 

Mitch James

MELODOWNZ

L.A.B. 

Rolling Stone Icon Award

Bic Runga (WINNER)

Genesis Owusu leads with way with seven nominations for the 2023 ARIA Awards, ahead of Troye Sivan, Kylie Minogue, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and others.

Born in Ghana and raised in Australia’s capital, Canberra, Owusu has dominated awards ceremonies in these parts since the release of his dynamite debut from 2021, Smiling With No Teeth. It could be a situation of history repeating with Struggler, his sophomore album, which is up for album of the year, best hip hop/rap release, best independent release and more at the ARIAs. Struggler has already collected hardware, snapping up independent song of the year, for “Get Inspired,” at the 2023 AIR Awards.

The set, which debuted and peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart in August, also earns Owusu an ARIAs nod for best solo artist, a stacked category that features the likes of Minogue, Sivan and The Kid LAROI.

Close behind on the nominations count is Dom Dolla, G Flip and Sivan, each with six chances; while Budjerah and DMA’S are up for five, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Minogue and The Teskey Brothers are nominated in four categories; while Amy Shark, Brad Cox, Cub Sport, Dan Sultan, Matt Corby and Peach PRC nab a hattrick of nods.

Set for Nov. 15, the ARIAs return to Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion for the second successive year.

“With over 60% of this year’s nominees coming from independent labels,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd, “we’re excited to celebrate success stories from across the Australian music industry, and showcase exactly what we’ve got to the rest of the country and the world.” Leading the way is indie powerhouse Mushroom Group, whose labels roster accumulates 20 nominations (DMA’S, Minogue, The Teskey Brothers, Sultan, Julia Jacklin, Lastlings, Alex Lahey & Gordi).

“Congratulations again to everyone nominated,” adds Herd, “we can’t wait to celebrate with you in November.”

Those celebrations will include an ARIA Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the first since 2020. As previously reported, Jet is this year’s honoree, with the four-piece rock group tapped on the 20th anniversary of their debut album Get Born.

The 37th annual ARIAs, the Australian recording industry’s flagship awards ceremony, will premiere live on Stan for the first time (from 5pm local time). That live stream will be followed by a free-to-air feed from commercial TV broadcaster the Nine Network (from 7.30pm local time) with performances and moments available on-demand on the @ARIA.official YouTube channel.

The 2023 edition marks the fifth year in partnership with streaming giant YouTube, an alliance which has reached some 29 million views. Last year’s awards captured more than 1.7 million views on the platform, according to YouTube, which will also live stream the red carpet globally.

2023 ARIA Awards nominations:

Album of the Year

DMA’S – How Many Dreams? (I OH YOU/Mushroom)

G Flip – DRUMMER (Future Classic)

Genesis Owusu – STRUGGLER (OURNESS/AWAL RECORDINGS)

Matt Corby – Everything’s Fine (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

The Teskey Brothers – The Winding Way (Ivy League Records/Mushroom Group)

Best Solo Artist

Budjerah – 2step – Ed Sheeran (Feat. Budjerah) (Warner Music Australia)

Dan Sultan – Dan Sultan (Liberation Records)

Dom Dolla – Eat Your Man (Three Six Zero/Sony Music)

G Flip – DRUMMER (Future Classic)

Genesis Owusu – STRUGGLER (OURNESS/AWAL RECORDINGS)

Jen Cloher – I Am The River, The River Is Me (Milk! Records/Remote Control Records)

Kylie Minogue – Padam Padam (Liberator Music/Mushroom)

Meg Mac – Matter Of Time (EMI Music Australia)

The Kid LAROI – Love Again (Columbia/Sony Music)

Troye Sivan – Rush (EMI Music Australia)

Best Group presented by Stan

Cub Sport – Jesus At The Gay Bar (BLVE/RKT)

DMA’S – How Many Dreams? (I OH YOU/Mushroom)

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth… (Virgin Music Australia)

Parkway Drive – Darker Still (Parkway Records/Cooking Vinyl Australia)

The Teskey Brothers – The Winding Way (Ivy League Records/Mushroom Group)

Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist

Charley – TIMEBOMBS (EMI Music Australia)

grentperez – When We Were Younger (Fast Friends/AWAL Records)

Pacific Avenue – Flowers (BMG)

Royal Otis – Sofa Kings (OURNESS)

Teenage Dads – Midnight Driving (Chugg Music/MGM)

Best Pop Release

Amy Shark – Can I Shower At Yours (Sony Music)

Budjerah – Therapy (Warner Music Australia)

Kylie Minogue – Padam Padam (Liberator Music/Mushroom)

Peach PRC – Perfect For You (Republic Records & Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Troye Sivan – Rush (EMI Music Australia)

Best Dance / Electronic Release

FISHER & Aatig – Take It Off (etcetc Music)

Golden Features – Sisyphus (Warner Music Australia)

Lastlings – Perfect World (Liberation Records)

MK and Dom Dolla – Rhyme Dust (Area 10/Big On Blue/Sony Music UK)

PNAU and Troye Sivan – You Know What I Need (etcetc Music)

Best Hip Hop / Rap Release

Genesis Owusu – STRUGGLER (OURNESS/AWAL RECORDINGS)

KAHUKX – NOTHING TO SOMETHING (AURA Entertainment/ADA)

Kerser – A Gift & A Kers (ABK Records/ADA)

ONEFOUR Feat. CG – Comma’s (Independent Releases/Tunecore (AU/NZ)/Ditto (ROW)

TKay Maidza and Flume – Silent Assassin (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)

Best Soul / R&B Release

Chanel Loren – Rollin’ (Sony Music)

Forest Claudette – Mess Around (feat. EARTHGANG) (Sony Music)

Jade Weazel – Skin (EMI Music Australia)

KYE – Ribena (Sony Music)

PANIA – P STANDS 4 PLAYA (Say Less)

Best Independent Release presented by PPCA

Cub Sport – Jesus At The Gay Bar (BLVE/RKT)

Dan Sultan – Dan Sultan (Liberation Records)

G Flip – DRUMMER (Future Classic)

Genesis Owusu – STRUGGLER (OURNESS/AWAL RECORDINGS)

Kylie Minogue – Padam Padam (Liberator Music/Mushroom)

Best Rock Album

Bad//Dreems – Hoo Ha! (BMG/ADA)

DMA’S – How Many Dreams? (I OH YOU/Mushroom)

G Flip – DRUMMER (Future Classic)

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushroom and Lava (Virgin Music Australia)

Pacific Avenue – Flowers (BMG)

Best Adult Contemporary Album

Alex Lahey – The Answer Is Always Yes (Liberation Records)

Dan Sultan – Dan Sultan (Liberation Records)

Kate Ceberano – My Life Is A Symphony (ABC Music/The Orchard)

Mo’Ju – ORO, PLATA, MATA (Virgin Music Australia)

Tina Arena – Love Saves (Positive Dream/ADA)

Best Country Album

Brad Cox – Acres (Sony Music)
Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley – Up, Down & Sideways (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Fanny Lumsden – Hey Dawn (Cooking Vinyl Australia/The Orchard)

Henry Wagons – South Of Everywhere (Cheatin’ Hearts Records/Spunk Records)

The Wolfe Brothers – Livin’ The Dream (BMG/ADA)

Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Album

DZ Deathrays – R.I.F.F (DZ Worldwide/The Orchard)

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth… (Virgin Music Australia)

Parkway Drive – Darker Still (Parkway Records/Cooking Vinyl Australia)

The Amity Affliction – Not Without My Ghosts (Warner Music Australia)

These New South Whales – TNSW (Damaged Records/Inertia Music)

Best Blues & Roots Album

Cash Savage and The Last Drinks – So This Is Love (Mistletone)

Katie Wighton – The End (ABC Music/The Orchard)

The Bamboos – Live At Hamer Hall With The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (BMG/ADA)

The Teskey Brothers – The Winding Way (Ivy League Records/Mushroom Group)

Ziggy Alberts – DANCING IN THE DARK (Commonfolk Records/Ingrooves)

Best Children’s Album

Emma Memma – Emma Memma (GYROstream)

Peter Combe – Planet Earth 3rd From The Sun (Universal Music Australia)

Play School – Very Jazzy Street Party (ABC Music/The Orchard)
The Wiggles – Ready, Steady, Wiggle! (ABC Music/The Orchard)

Whistle & Trick – Bananas And Other Delicious Things (ABC Kids/The Orchard)

PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS

Best Video presented by YouTube

Can I Shower At Yours – Amy Shark, Mitch Green (Sony Music)

Everybody’s Saying Thursday’s The Weekend – DMA’S, Joel Burrows (I OH YOU/Mushroom)

Gila Monster – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Spod (Virgin Music Australia)

Give You Love – Jessica Mauboy (feat. Jason Derulo), Rowena Rasmussen; Joel Rasmussen (Warner Music Australia)

Good Enough – G Flip, Kyle Caulfield (Future Classic)

LOLA – MAY-A, Murli Dhir (Arcadia Music, Sony Music)

Lookin’ Out – King Stingray, Sam Brumby (Cooking Vinyl Australia, The Orchard)

Manic Dream Pixie – Peaches PRC, Kyle Caulfield (Republic Records and Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Stay Blessed – Genesis Owusu, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore (OURNESS/AWAL RECORDINGS)

Therapy – Budjerah, Murli Dhir, Made In Katana Studios (Warner Music Australia)

Best Australian Live Act

Baker Boy – Regional Vic Tour (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Brad Cox – ACRES TOUR (Sony Music)

Budjerah – Budjerah Australian Tour (Warner Music Australia)

DMA’S – DMA’S Live at Falls Festival (I OH YOU/Mushroom)

Dom Dolla – Dom Dolla Australian Summer Festival Tour (Three Six Zero/Sony Music)

G Flip – DRUMMER Australian Tour (Future Classic)

Julia Jacklin – PRE PLEASURE TOUR (Liberation Records)

King Stingray – That’s Where I Wanna Be Tour (Cooking Vinyl Australia/The Orchard)

RÜFÜS DU SOL – RÜFÜS DU SOL AUSTRALIAN 2022 TOUR (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music)

Tame Impala – Slow Rush Tour (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Song of the Year presented by YouTube

Budjerah – Therapy (Warner Music Australia)

Day1 feat. KAHUKX – MBAPPÉ (db Music/Warner Music Australia)

Dean Lewis – How Do I Say Goodbye (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Joji – Die For You (88rising/Warner Records)

Kylie Minogue – Padam Padam (Liberator Music/Mushroom)

Luude and Mattafix – Big City Life (Sweat It Out/Warner Music Australia)

MK and Dom Dolla – Rhyme Dust (Area10/Big On Blue/Sony Music UK)

R3hab and Amy Shark – Sway My Way (Wonderlick/Kobalt Music Publishing)

The Kid LAROI – Love Again (Columbia/Sony Music)
Troye Sivan – Rush (EMI Music Australia)

Most Popular International Artist

Beyonce – Renaissance (Columbia/Sony Music)

Drake and 21 Savage – Her Loss (Republic Records/Universal Music Australia)

Ed Sheeran – (Atlantic UK/Warner Music Australia)

Luke Combs – Gettin’ Old (Columbia Nashville/Sony Music)

Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains (Republic Records/Universal Music Australia)

Morgan Wallen – One Thing At A Time (Mercury Nashville/Universal Music Australia)

Nicki Minaj – Queens Radio (Universal Records USA/Universal Music Australia)

P!NK – Trustfall (RCA/Sony Music)

SZA – SOS (RCA/Sony Music)

Taylor Swift – Midnights (Universal Records USA/Universal Music Australia)

Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award

Hank Lewerissa – Upper Coomera State College, Yugambeh Country, Gold Coast, QLD

Jessie Copeman – Ainslie School, Ngunnawal Country, Canberra, ACT

Peter Earl – The Music Guy, Dharug and Gundungurra Country, Blue Mountains, NSW

Sue Lowry – Southport Special School, Yugambeh Country, Gold Coast, QLD

ARTISAN AWARDS

Best Cover Art

Connor Dewhurst for Brad Cox – ACRES (Sony Music)

Harry Allen – Studio Balcony for Private Function – 370HSSV 0773H (Still on Top Records)

Jeremy Koren (Grey Ghost) – Everything Was Green – Forest Claudette (Sony Music)

Peach PRC, Billy Zammit for Manic Dream Pixie – Peach PRC  (Republic Records & Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Sam Netterfiled, Mia Rankin – Jesus At The Gay Bar – Cub Sport (BLVE/RKT)

Engineer – Best Engineered Release

Dann Hume, Chris Collins, Matt Corby for Matt Corby – Everything’s Fine (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla – Eat Your Man (Three Six Zero/Sony Music)

Eric J Dobowsky, Sam Teskey, Wayne Connelly for The Teskey Brothers – The Winding Way (Ivy League Records/Mushroom Group)

Simon Cohen, Dave Hammer for Genesis Owusu – STRUGGLER (OURNESS/AWAL RECORDINGS)

Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan – Rush (EMI Music Australia)

Producer – Best Produced Release presented by Neumann

Andrew Klippel and Dave Hammer for Genesis Owusu – STRUGGLER(OURNESS/AWAL RECORDINGS)

Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla – Eat Your Man (Three Six Zero/Sony Music)

Matt Corby, Chris Collins, Nat Dunn, Alex Henrikssen for Matt Corby – Everything’s Fine (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

M-Phazes for Ruel – 4th Wall (RCA/Sony Music)

Styalz Fuego for Troye Sivan – Rush (EMI Music Australia)

FINE ARTS AWARD

Best Classical Album

Australian Chamber Orchestra/Richard Tognetti – Indies & Idols (ABC Classic/The Orchard)

Ensemble Offspring – To Listen, To Sing – Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers (ABC Classic/The Orchard)

Neil Gaiman and FourPlay String Quartet – Signs Of Life (Instrumental Recordings/Inertia Music)

Roger Benedict and Simon Tedeschi – Dubussy – Ravel (ABC Classic/The Orchard)

Various Artists – Genevieve Lacey: Breathing Space (ABC Classic/The Orchard)

Best Jazz Album

Lance Gurisik – Cull Portal (33 Sides/Inertia Music)

Mike Nock – Hearing (ABC Jazz/The Orchard)

Sinj Clarke – The Height Of Love (Inertia Music)

Surprise Chef – Education & Recreation (Big Crown Records/Inertia Music)

The Vampires featuring Chris Abrahams – Nightjar (Earshift/Planet)

Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album presented by Stan

Brett Aplin and Burkhard Dallwitz – Splice Here: A Projected Odyssey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Independent)

Helena Czajka – Unseen Skies (Original Score Soundtrack) (BMG)

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra/Benjamin Northey – Blueback – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack By Nigel Westlake (ABC Classic/The Orchard)

Sophie Payton (GORDI), Jason Fernandez – RIDE – Music From the Film (ABC Music/The Orchard)

Various Artists – John Farnham: Finding The Voice (Music From The Feature Documentary) (Wheatley Records/Sony Music)

Best World Music Album

Byron Mark – Odyssey (Bug Sonic Records)

East of West – Moving Home (East of West Music)

Joseph Tawadros – Those Who Came Before Us (Independent/The Planet Company)

Mick Dick – Id of RA (Crusty Dub)

Songs of Disappearance – Australian Frog Calls (Bowerbird Collective/MGM)

OUR SOUNDTRACK OUR ADS

Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement (duration of 2 minutes or less)

Google: Helping You Help Others – 72andSunny, Baker Boy

Tourism Australia: Come and Say G’Day – M&C Saatchi Sydney, King Stingray

Tourism WA: Walking On A Dream – The Brand Agency, Empire Of The Sun

Wilk Turkey: Music 101 –  BRING Agency, Matt Corby

Best Use of an Australian Recording in an Advertisement (over 2 minutes duration)

Australian Marine Conservation Society: Voice of the Sea – INNOCEAN Australia, John Williamson

Sim Sessions: Blessed – Bolster Group, Becca Hatch

Tourism Australian: G’day Short Film – M&C Saatchi Sydney, King Stingray

Vodka Cruiser: The Solo Project – BRING Agency, The Veronicas

There’s a new No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart: FamousSally and YB’s “Wassup Gwayy,” which debuts atop the Sept. 23-dated survey.

The TikTok Billboard Top 50, which launched a week ago, is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity Sept. 11-17. (Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.)

“Wassup Gwayy” was released in June and has taken off on TikTok thanks in large part to uploads by users referencing the song’s lyrics “In the cut with my twin, we be vibin’,” with videos featuring not only actual twins, but friends and even people and their pets dancing along.

One of the most high-profile proponents of the trend? Drake, who was seen dancing to the song with a young fan in early September.

Rappers FamousSally and YB have not yet made a Billboard chart outside the TikTok Billboard Top 50. Still, in the tracking week (Sept. 8-14) for Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based song charts dated Sept. 23, “Wassup Gwayy” earned 548,000 official U.S. streams, up 39% from 395,000 Sept. 1-7, according to Luminate.

“Wassup Gwayy” is the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s second No. 1 in the list’s two weeks of existence; the inaugural No. 1, Sexyy Red’s “SkeeYee,” drops to No. 2 on the Sept. 23 tally.

Chrisette Michele’s “Epiphany (I’m Leaving)” is another big mover on the latest ranking, leaping from No. 33 to No. 4. “Epiphany” is Michele’s lone Billboard Hot 100 entry as a lead artist to date, having peaked at No. 89 in May 2009. The 14-year-old tune has returned to prominence in 2023 sparked by a dance challenge largely set to the lyric “So I think I’m just about over being your girlfriend,” which kicks off the chorus.

“Epiphany” isn’t the only song from the 2000s/early ’10s in the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10. It’s followed by a trio of tracks in J. Dash’s “Wop,” featuring Flo Rida; Cee-Lo Green’s “I’ll Be Around,” featuring Timbaland; and Usher’s “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home),” featuring Plies, which round out the tier at Nos. 8-10, respectively.

“Wop,” released in 2007, has had multiple runs of virality over the years, initially reaching Billboard’s charts in 2011 and peaking on the Hot 100 in 2013 (No. 51), hitting critical mass that year when Miley Cyrus uploaded a video of herself twerking in a unicorn costume to the tune. The song has continued to be popular for choreography routines on TikTok and other platforms and leaps 17-8 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50.

“I’ll Be Around,” which peaked at No. 52 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in January 2004, is scoring a viral bump due to dances using the song and surges 42-9 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, while “Hey Daddy,” a No. 24 Hot 100 hit in May 2010, premieres on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 thanks to uploads largely populated with women using a filter adding facial hair to their faces.

Check out the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart here to see additional debuts from Cardi B, HUS, Harry Styles and more.