The ARIA Music Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album is an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It is handed out by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), an organisation whose aim is "to advance the interests of the Australian record industry."
Solo artists and groups are eligible if they are an Australian citizen, have resided in Australia for six months for two consecutive years prior to the awards, or signed to an Australian record label (if they have met the aforementioned criteria). Only album recordings in the adult contemporary genre are eligible. The nominees and winners are chosen by a judging academy which comprises 1000 members from different areas of the music industry.
Paul Kelly has the most wins with five, and is also tied with John Farnham for the most nominations with 10 each. Farnham is the only artist with two consecutive wins, which he achieved for Whispering Jack as the inaugural winner in 1987 and "Touch of Paradise" in 1988. My Friend the Chocolate Cake won both of their nominations, becoming the only artist to achieve this feat. Welsh singer Tom Jones was nominated for the collaborative live album John Farnham & Tom Jones – Together in Concert in 2005, making him the only non-Australian nominee.
Winners and nominees In the following table, the winner is highlighted in a separate colour, and in boldface; the nominees are those that are not highlighted or in boldface.ARIA Award previous winners.
Year Winner(s) Album Title 1987(1st) John Farnham Whispering Jack Dragon Dreams of Ordinary Men Mondo Rock Boom Baby Boom The Reels "Bad Moon Rising" Vince Jones Tell Me a Secret 1988(2nd) John Farnham "Touch of Paradise" 1989(3rd) Crowded House Temple of Low Men The Black Sorrows Hold On To Me Kate Ceberano & Wendy Matthews You've Always Got the Blues John Farnham Age of Reason Little River Band Monsoon 1990(4th) Stephen Cummings A New Kind of Blue Dragon Bondi Road Not Drowning, Waving Claim Paul Kelly & The Messengers So Much Water So Close To Home John Williamson Warragul 1991(5th) Vince Jones and Grace Knight Come In Spinner Andrew Pendlebury Zing Went the Strings Marc Hunter Night & Day Original Cast Recording Paris Tommy Emmanuel Dare to Be Different 1992(6th) Tommy Emmanuel Determination Debbie Byrne Caught in the Act Grace Knight Stormy Weather Monica & the Moochers Cotton on the Breeze John Williamson Waratah St 1993(7th) Andrew Pendlebury Don't Hold Back That Feeling Marina Prior Aspects of Andrew Lloyd Webber Various Artists Stairways to Heaven Strictly Ballroom Anthony Warlow On the Boards 1994(8th) Tommy Emmanuel The Journey James Blundell Touch of Water Grace Knight Gracious Rick Price and Margaret Urlich "Where Is the Love?" The Seekers 25 Year Reunion Celebration 1995(9th) My Friend the Chocolate Cake Brood The Black Sorrows Lucky Charm Phil Emmanuel and Tommy Emmanuel Terra Firma Dave Hole Steel on Steel Wendy Matthews The Witness Tree 1996(10th) John Farnham Romeo's Heart Kate Ceberano Change Stephen Cummings Escapist Tommy Emmanuel Classical Gas Mick Harvey Intoxicated Man 1997(11th) My Friend The Chocolate Cake Good Luck Annie Crummer Seventh Wave Tommy Emmanuel Can't Get Enough Ed Kuepper Starstruck Vika and Linda Princess Tabu 1998(12th) Archie Roach Looking for Butter Boy David Campbell Taking the Wheel Colin Hay Transcendental Highway The Killjoys Sun Bright Deep Wendy Matthews Ghosts 1999(13th) Jimmy Little Messenger Frank Bennett Cash Landing The Black Sorrows Beat Club John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John and Anthony Warlow Highlights from The Main Event Renée Geyer Sweet Life 2000(14th) Karma County Into the Land of Promise Marcia Hines The Time of Our Lives Icecream Hands Sweeter Than the Radio Michael Spiby Ho's Kitchen Vika and Linda Two Wings 2001(15th) Mark Seymour One Eyed Man Jodi Phillis In Dreams I Live John Farnham Stella One Eleven In Your Hands Wendy Matthews Beautiful View 2002(16th) Paul Kelly Nothing But a Dream Archie Roach Sensual Being Jimmy Little Resonate Lisa Miller Car Tape Vika and Linda Love is Mighty Close 2003(17th) John Farnham The Last Time Blackeyed Susans Shangri-La David Bridie Hotel Radio The Go-Betweens Bright Yellow Bright Orange Renée Geyer Tenderland 2004(18th) Paul Kelly Ways & Means Diesel Singled Out Jimmy Little Life's What You Make It george Unity Lisa Miller Version Originale 2005(19th) The Go-Betweens Oceans Apart Architecture in Helsinki In Case We Die John Farnham and Tom Jones Together in Concert Renée Geyer Tonight The Church El Momento Descuidado 2006(20th) Bob Evans Suburban Songbook Human Nature Reach Out: The Motown Record Tex, Don and Charlie All Is Forgiven The Whitlams Little Cloud Various Artists She Will Have Her Way: The Songs of Tim & Neil Finn 2007(21st) Josh Pyke Memories & Dust Art of Fighting Runaways Lisa Miller Morning in the Bowl of Night New Buffalo Somewhere, Anywhere Paul Kelly Stolen Apples 2008(22nd) The Panics Cruel Guards Clare Bowditch The Moon Looked On Jimmy Barnes Out in the Blue Katie Noonan Skin Robert Forster The Evangelist 2009(23rd)Josh PykeChimney's AfireBob EvansGoodnight, Bull Creek!David CampbellGood Lovin!Little BirdyConfettiPaul DempseyEverything Is True 2010(24th)Crowded House IntriguerAngie Hart Eat My ShadowJimmy Barnes The Rhythm and the BluesLisa Miller Car Tape 2Perry Keyes Johnny Ray's Downtown 2011(25th) Billy Thorpe Tangier Colin Hay Gathering Mercury Damien Leith Roy John Farnham Jack Mark Seymour & the Undertow Undertow 2012(26th) Missy Higgins The Ol' Razzle Dazzle Darren Hayes Secret Codes and Battleships Husky Forever So Josh Pyke Only Sparrows Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp Songs of the Southern Skies 2013(27th) Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Push the Sky Away Bob Evans Familiar Stranger Clare Bowditch The Winter I Chose Happiness Josh Pyke The Beginning and the End of Everything Sarah Blasko I Awake 2014(28th) Neil Finn & Paul Kelly Goin' Your Way Gossling Harvest of Gold Kate Miller-Heidke O Vertigo! Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Live from KCRW Tina Arena Reset 2015(29th) Oh Mercy When We Talk About Love John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John Two Strong Hearts Live Megan Washington There There Paul Kelly The Merri Soul Sessions Szymon Tigersapp 2016 Bernard Fanning Civil Dusk Bob Evans Car Boot Sale Paul Kelly Seven Sonnets & a Song Robert Forster Songs to Play Tina Arena Eleven 2017 Paul Kelly Life Is Fine Bernard Fanning Brutal Dawn D.D Dumbo Utopia Defeated Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Skeleton Tree Pete Murray Camacho 2018 Vance Joy Nation of Two Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile Lotta Sea Lice Dan Sultan Killer Under a Blood Moon Missy Higgins Solastalgia Odette To a Stranger 2019 Paul Kelly Nature Julia Jacklin Crushing Samantha Jade The Magic of Christmas Seeker Lover Keeper Wild Seeds The Paper Kites On the Corner Where You Live 2020 Archie Roach Tell Me Why Donny Benét Mr Experience Gordi Our Two Skins Josh Pyke Rome Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Ghosteen 2021 Crowded House Dreamers Are Waiting Big Scary Daisy Kylie Minogue Disco Nick Cave & Warren Ellis Carnage Odette Herald 2022 Julia Jacklin Pre Pleasure Alex the Astronaut How to Grow a Sunflower Underwater Missy Higgins Total Control Vance Joy In Our Own Sweet Time Vika and Linda The Wait 2023 Dan Sultan Dan Sultan Alex Lahey The Answer Is Always Yes Kate Ceberano My Life Is a Symphony Mo'Ju Oro, Plata, Mata Tina Arena Love Saves 2024 Emily Wurramara Nara Angus & Julia Stone Cape Forestier Crowded House Gravity Stairs Emma Donovan Til My Song Is Done Fanning Dempsey National Park The Deluge 2025 Missy Higgins The Second Act Folk Bitch Trio Now Would Be a Good Time Gordi Like Plasticine Meg Washington Gem Paul Kelly Fever Longing Still
Artists with multiple wins 5 wins Paul Kelly
4 wins John Farnham
3 wins Crowded House
2 wins
Artists with multiple nominations 10 nominations John Farnham Paul Kelly
6 nominations Tommy Emmanuel
5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations
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