In celebration of the success of Australian music in the face of extreme adversity this year, ARIA has announced that the 2021 ARIA Awards in partnership with YouTube Music will proceed on Wednesday 24th November as a digital show, streamed live on YouTube.
The ARIA Awards in partnership with YouTube Music will continue to call Sydney, New South Wales, home, and are proudly supported by the NSW Government through Destination NSW.
This year has seen success for local music with 74 Australian releases landing in the top ten on the ARIA Albums Chart and a huge 12 homegrown albums reaching #1. In 2021 several of our artists have also achieved success internationally.
Annabelle Herd (pictured), ARIA chief executive, said: “Even though it has been another huge year for Australian music, unfortunately we are still living through a pandemic. As much as we wish it were different, it is just not possible to come together for an in-person event.
“Having said that, COVID will not stop us from recognising the outstanding achievements of ARIA Award nominees in 2021 and spotlighting the strength and resilience of our amazing local music industry. Even after an extremely difficult year, nothing can keep this industry down, and we hope to capture and pay homage to that spirit through the premium digital show that we have planned for this unique year.”
Lyor Cohen, global head of music, YouTube, said: “YouTube is proud to be part of the ARIA Awards for a third year and to help stream the celebration around the world and for the very first time, into Australian homes. Since March 2020 it has been really tough for the music industry. It has made creating shared moments even more important – and last year’s Awards did just that as people from around the world, including me, watched incredible Australian talent like Lime Cordiale and Sampa the Great perform and be recognised. Australia has an outsized weight in the global music scene, and we will continue to empower and help local artists grow their audiences, connect with fans in meaningful ways and break songs around the world. I’m excited to see what will come out of Australia this year!”
ARIA has also announced that the 2021 ARIA Awards in partnership with YouTube Music will include the ARIA Award for Best Artist. This award replaces the categories of Best Female Artist and Best Male Artist. This change is designed to ensure that the ARIA Awards reflect and embrace equality and the true diversity of the music industry in 2021. It will guarantee that all artists have the opportunity to achieve the recognition they deserve for their work on an equal platform.
In making this change ARIA does not want to decrease the number of artists recognised overall each year so the number of nominees for Best Artist has been expanded from five to ten.
Annabelle Herd said: “The time for separating artists based on gendered categories that exclude non-binary artists altogether has passed. The music industry is demanding a more equal, inclusive, safe and supportive space for everyone and ARIA is working hard to achieve that across the ARIA Awards and everything we do. While the removal of gender-based categories is a significant change we are proud of, I recognise it is just one step in the continous journey of reassessment, progression and ultimately evolution that we are committed to undertake. We’re determined to make the future of the ARIA Awards and the future of Australian music as bright as it can be.”
In addition to the removal of the gender-based categories from the ARIA Awards, the category of Engineer and Producer Of The Year Award has been amended to allow engineers and producers to be nominated for a body of work.
The 2021 ARIA Awards Nominations will be presented as a YouTube Premiere in October, allowing music fans across Australia and around the world to share in the excitement of the year’s top artists as the 2021 ARIA nominees are revealed.
The Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award is returning in 2021. The award, which was first launched in partnership with The Song Room and award partner Telstra five years ago, celebrates the contribution of music education and the teachers that impact students and the wider community every day. The shortlist of nominees will be announced on Wednesday 6th October in advance of the 2021 ARIA Awards Nominations.
Each shortlisted teacher will partner with an artist ambassador to tell the story of the school and its very special nominated teacher. Previous Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award ambassadors include Emma Watkins of The Wiggles, Missy Higgins, Guy Sebastian, Thelma Plum and The Veronicas.