WAM was originally formed as the Western Australian Rock Music Industry Association Inc. (WARMIA) in 1985, with its main aim to develop and run annual awards recognising achievements within the music industry in Western Australia. WAM first received project funding from the state government in 1989, and in the early 90s the word "rock" was dropped from the title to give the organisation scope to take on a broader constituency.
In 1989 the inaugural WA Song Contest commenced, in 2002 it was rebranded as the WAM Song of the Year.
The WAM Song of the Year is open to all residents of Western Australia. The song must be the original work of the songwriter(s). Songwriters with a publishing deal can only enter the Professional category.
Winners 1985–1988
1989–2002 1996 Grand Prize – Exteria 1997 Grand Prize – Beaverloop 1998 Grand Prize – Cartman 2000 Grand Prize – Ivan Zar 2001 Grand Prize – Halogen
2003 In 2003, there were 1,247 entries and 75 shortlisted nominees in the 15 genre categories. Winners each received $1,000 (Children & Youth winners received $500) and a days recording time in a notable Perth studio. The Grand Prize winner received the opportunity to have a promotional single recorded, pressed and released among other select opportunities.
The individual category award winners were: Children – "Something More" – Wesley Fuller Country – "Asbestos Fibro" – ADM Powell Easy Listening Pop/R'n'B – "Back 2 those Timez" – Chanelle Electronic/Hip Hop – "Boy X Girl Y" – Johnson, Vernie Hard Rock/Metal/ Punk – "Reprisal" – Neptune Bloom Indi Pop/Rock – "Andy Warhol" – Little Birdy Indigenous – "Raining on Djilba" – George Walley Jazz/ Funk – "That Hurt" – Myles Wright Love – "Walking Over Sea" – Sam Dunn, Ben Dunn Political – "Georgie Boy" – Andrew Horabin Roots – "Sheba Lane" – Lynn Hazelton Songs for Kids – "Pirlpirltji" – L. Hazelton, A. Ovi, S. Stanford Soundtrack/ Filmscore/Experimental – "Green Lantern" – Johannes Luebbers World/Multicultural – "Day Oh" – Eloy Cardenas
2004 The WAM Song of the Year for 2004 was announced at the Fly by Night Club in Fremantle on Thursday 16 September 2004. The evening featured performances from past winners including Andrew Horabin and Lynn Hazelton, as well as finalists for the 2005 competition. The WAM Song of the Year was presented by the Minister for the Arts the Hon. Sheila McHale. There was over 1,300 songs entered in the competition with 75 works nominated by the industry panels as finalists in the 15 genre categories.
The individual category award winners were: Commercial/Contemporary Pop – "Breathe" – Cassie Swinney, Alistair Watson & Escher Country – "Dirty Liar" – Rob Findlay & Haley Mason Electronic/Dance Category – "Hit '5'" – Tim Macnamara & Diego Bosco Hard Rock/Metal – "Bay of Martyrs" – Mike Sukys Indie Rock/Punk Category – "Tread Easy" – The Bank Holidays Jazz – "West Bank Moon" – Michael Pigneguy & Sian Brown Roots – "Slipping With the Blues" – Gerard Maunick Urban – "Wait a Minute" – Tsunami & Nathan Jamieson Love – "Blame Me" – Frans Bisschops, Jasmine Yee & Michael Miller Gospel – "Take Over" – Chad Blondel ASME Upper Secondary (Years 11–12) – "Radio Play" – Melissa Erpen ASME Lower Secondary (Years 8–10) – "Home Sweet Home" – Danni Stefanetti ASME Primary Category – "Sidewalk Surfer" – The Flairz Indigenous – "Hardway" – The Hill (John Bullen, Jarred Wall) Outstanding Regional Song – "Time for You to Go" – Lauren Brede
2005 The WAM Song of the Year for 2005 was announced at the Fly By Night Club in Fremantle on Thursday 27 October 2005. The evening featured performances from past winners including Andrew Horabin and Lynn Hazelton, as well as finalists for the 2005 competition. Performing on the night were The Bank Holidays, Lake of Bass, New Rules For Boats, Peter Brandy, The Flairz and the 2004 Song of the Year winner, Lauren Brede. The WAM Song of the Year was presented by the Minister for the Arts the Hon. Sheila McHale. There were close to 1,500 songs entered in the competition with 86 works nominated by the industry panels as finalists in the 17 genre categories.
The individual category award winners were: Blues & Roots – "4 Men Dead" – Kevin Smith Country – "Lord I Want an Exit" – Emily Barker Electronic/Dance – "We Gave Colour Away" – Harvey Rae and Hiro? (Thread) Gospel – "Learning to Say" – Mark Cullen Heavy Rock/Metal – "Falling" – Shannon de Bie Indigenous Song of the Year – "Long Time Ago" – Peter Brandy Jazz – "Storm" – Marnie Kent and Grant Windsor (Ginger Blu Collective) Love – "Drunkard's Wife" – Pete Stone Mixed Bag – "Then You Appear" – Damian Crosbie (The Panda Band) Pop – "Sleepy Little Death Toll Town" – Damian Crosbie (The Panda Band) Regional Song of the Year – "Lord I Want an Exit" – Emily Barker Rock – "Information" – Sascha Ion, Ronan Charles, Stuart Leach (One Horse Town) School Primary School Aged – "Holey Cheeses" – Oliver Bradley, Albert Loss School Lower Secondary School Aged – "Memory Lane" – Wesley Fuller School Upper Secondary School Aged – "The Best is Yet to Come" – Ben Blondel Urban – "Take 5" – Tsunami World and Folk – "Long Time Ago" – Peter Brandy
2006 The WAM Song of the Year for 2006 was announced on Thursday 19 October 2006 at the Fly By Night Club in Fremantle with awards in 17 different categories. Performing on the night were Kavyen Temperley from Eskimo Joe, The Panda Band, Abbe May and The Rockin' Pneumonia, One Horse Town, the Catherine Noblet Quartet and The Watts. Presenters from X-Press Magazine, The West Australian, RTRFM, ABC Radio, Nova 93.7, Drum Media, Network 10, APRA, Perth International Arts Festival and Minister for the Arts, the Honorable Sheila McHale announced the winners. The winners of most categories were awarded $1,000 cash and 1 day of recording time in a leading Perth studio. The winner of the Grand Prize received an additional 3 days recording time with producer Rob Grant at Poons Head Studios and the pressing of 500 promotional singles/EPs through Westlink Multimedia/MGM.
The individual category award winners were:
Blues/Roots – "Sidewindin'" – Abbe May Country – "Live on Love" by Polly (Kylie) Medlen Electronic/Dance by "These Times" – David McKinney, Rachel Claudio Gospel by "Flowers in the Desert" – Jeremy Dixon Heavy Rock/Metal by "Drag in Drag Out" – Kevin Curran, Todd Fishwick Indigenous – "Our Song" by Jason Bartlett and Phillip Bartlett Jazz – "Wanderer" by Catherine Noblet Love – "Old Folks, Drunks and Babies" by Sascha Ion Mixed Bag – "It's a PC 21st Century New Millennium Romantic Arrangement..." by Andrew Horabin Pop by "City Walls and Empires" – Erik Hecht (Institut Polaire) Regional – "Call of the Wild" by Xavier Brown Rock – "Red Means Go" by B. Mulvena-Trinder, I. Berney, J. Sher, C. Palmer School Primary – Free by "Matt Larsen" School Lower Secondary by "Shadows of a City" – E. Hamilton, G. Hutchings, M. Mackintosh, L. Osborn School Upper Secondary – "Happy Birthday Dave" by Matt Gresham Urban – "Lose Control" by S.Roy, C.Wancer (Roy-Al feat. Cristian Alexanda) World/Folk – "Mon Ankor Anmourer" by Grace Barbé, James Searle
2007 The 2007 WAM Song of the Year was announced at the Fly By Night in Fremantle, on Wednesday 31 October 2007. There were eighteen category winners and included for the first year a professional category where published Western Australian based songwriters are given the chance to enter their works in WA's premier song writing Awards.
The individual category award winners were:
Blues 'n' Roots – "Lara Clare" by Craig Sinclair Country – "Take Me With You" by Polly Medlen Electronic / Dance – "Hot Property" by Hayley McLennan and Simon Sieradzki Gospel – "My Hallelujah" by Paul Morrison Heavy Rock/Metal – "Broken Eyes" by Brett Jones, Johnny Kyi & Nigel Watts Indigenous – "Kick the Monkey" by Jason Bartlett & Phillip Bartlett Jazz – "Curious Yellow" by Adrian Kelly Mixed Bag – "Bring Out Your Dead" by Schvendes Love – "There is a Room on Hold" by James Crombie & Wibekke Reczek Pop – "Holidayz" by Josh Fontaine Professional – "Sun Dirt Water" by The Waifs Regional – "Two Months" by Polly Medlen Rock – "The World or Nothing" by Scott Tomlinson, Greg Sanders, Brenton Bell & Dayvid Clark Primary – "Valley of Flowers" by Madi MacDougall & Erika McKay Secondary (Lower) – "Wishing on a Star" by Jordi Davieson Secondary (Upper) – "Overcast Day" by Timothy Nelson Urban – "Get By" by Glen Foreman, Scott Griffiths & Alex Plant World and Folk – "Moodjebing" by Jessie Lloyd & Della Rae Morrison
2008 The 2008 WAM Song of the Year was announced at the Fly By Night in Fremantle, on Thursday 9 October 2008. The 85 nominees in 17 categories were announced on Monday 22 September. The Grand Prize for the WAM Song of the Year 2008 included a cash prize of $5,000, together with a 3-day recording session at Poons Head Recording Studio and 500 CDs by DiskBank.
For the first time, the public were invited to listen to and vote for a nominee in the Most Popular Song category. Public voting was later cancelled after claims of technical issues allowing multiple votes, it was replaced by judging by Sunday Times and PerthNOW entertainment staff. The professional category was also cancelled due to lack of numbers. Over 400 songwriters from throughout Western Australia submitted 1640 songs, the second highest number of entries received in the competition's 19-year history.
The 18 award winners were: Blues & Roots – "Howl And Moan" by Abbe May Café – "Revien" by Cloud Kollektiv Country – "Place Where I Belong" by Phyllis Bennell (Warangka Band) Electronic/Dance – "Realizing" by Cloud Kollektiv Gospel – "Light" by Lindsay Hamminga Heavy Rock/Metal – "Refuse the Sickness" by Chaos Divine Indigenous – "Gundulla – We Dance" by Yabu Band Jazz – "Til Death Does Me Part" by Johannes Luebbers Mixed Bag – "The Land" by Abraham Dunovits (Funkalleros) Pop – "Feel" by Roly Skender and The Tonics Regional – "Kaya" by Charmaine Bennell (Warangka Band), from Bunbury WA Rock – "Howl And Moan" by Abbe May School, Primary – "Shadows" by Josephine Langford School, Secondary Lower – "Smile" by Mike Nutt School, Secondary Upper – "The Pony and the Ark" by Lyndon Blue Urban – "Behind The Curtain" by Emcee Able World & Folk – "Kaya" by Charmaine Bennell (Warangka Band)
2008 Grand Prize As judged by an independent industry panel from all category winners. "Feel" by Roly Skender and The Tonics
2008 Most Popular Song As judged by The Sunday Times and PerthNOW entertainment staff from all nominated songs. "Give Up Money For Music" by Robert Sazdov (BSYDE)
2009 The 2009 WAM Song of the Year was announced at the Fly By Night Musicians' Club in Fremantle.
The sixteen award winners were: Blues and Roots – "Lover Don't You Wanna" by DivCraft Cafe – "Era Quondam" by Minute 36 Country – "Sleeping Alone" by Timothy Nelson Electronic/Dance – "They Wanna Dance" by Scott Tomlinson Experimental – "A Vexing Predicament" by Tangled Thoughts of Leaving Heavy – "Total Existence Failure" by Voyager Indigenous – "Here I Go" by Black Poet Jazz – "Thinking Without Thinking" by Tilman Robinson Mentally Healthy – "I'm Not Scared" by Black Board Minds Pop – "Streamers" by Umpire Regional – "Spirit Calling" by Simon and Tammy London Rock – "Acute" by Sugar Army Schools 14 Yrs and below – "Everything" – Convict X Schools 15–17 Yrs – "Rocket Ship" by King George Urban – "Skyhawks" by Mathas World/Folk – "Son of a Son of a King" by Michael Strong and The Ghost Anyway
2009 Grand Prize "Streamers" by Umpire
2009 Popular Vote "Run for the Hills" by The Words
2010 The 2010 WAM Song of the Year was announced at the Fly By Night Musicians' Club in Fremantle.
The sixteen award winners were:
Blues and Roots – "Hoborockabilly" by The Wilderness Country – "Juliette" by The Ghost Hotel Electronic/Dance – "Into Another" by Matt Mclean Experimental – "Scene from a Window" by Rachel Dease Heavy – "Behold" by Dsycord