The APRA Music Awards of 2020 are the 38th annual series, known as APRA Awards, in 2020. The awards are given in a series of categories in three divisions and in separate ceremonies throughout the year: the APRA Music Awards, Art Music Awards and Screen Music Awards. They are provided by the Australasian Performing Right Association and the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society, known jointly as APRA AMCOS. In mid-February the associations announced that the previous category, Overseas Recognition Award, would be replaced by Global APRA Music Awards with separate ceremonies at three locations: Los Angeles (26 February 2020) for western North American-based artists, Nashville (1 March) for central and eastern North American-based artists and London (6 March) for European-based artists.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 APRA Music Awards were not held in the usual live format. The event had been due to take place on 28 April at the International Convention Centre in Sydney, instead they were streamed online for the first time as a virtual event on 25 May with Indigenous rapper, Briggs as host. The format featured presenters, winners and performances of the Song of the Year finalists. The nominees were announced on 7 April, winners for Most Performed International Work and Licensee of the Year were announced on 14 May, and the full list of winners was provided to media outlets on 25 May.
The Art Music Awards are provided by APRA AMCOS in conjunction with the Australian Music Centre (AMC), and in 2020 the ceremony was also a virtual event, held on 8 September, hosted by Zela Margossian, Dr Lou Bennett, Jonathan Biggins. They were presented with several new and redefined categories to "acknowledge the achievements of composers, performers and educators in the genres of contemporary classical music, jazz, improvisation, sound art and experimental music."
The Screen Music Awards are presented jointly by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC), to "acknowledge excellence and innovation in the field of screen composition." Winners were announced on 1 December at a virtual ceremony and hosted by Justine Clarke, Claudia Karvan and Meyne Wyatt.
Presenters and performers Indigenous rapper, Briggs, hosted the virtual APRA Music Awards of 2020 on 25 May. The musical director, Kate Miller-Heidke, curated the performers:
Artist(s) Song(s) John Butler and Mama Kin Guy Sebastian's "Choir" Kira Puru and Mo'Ju Thelma Plum's "Better in Blak" William Crighton 5 Seconds of Summer's "Teeth" Nikka Costa and Justin Stanley The Teskey Brothers' "I Get Up" The Dawn of May Tones and I's "Dance Monkey"
APRA Music Awards Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result Ruel van Dijk Ruel Universal Music Publishing Sampa Tembo Sampa the Great Thelma Plum Sony/ATV Music Publishing Liam Gough, Brendon Love, Josh Teskey and Sam Teskey (The Teskey Brothers) Mushroom Music Ivy League Music Toni Watson Tones and I Kobalt Music Publishing Tones and I
Licensee of the Year Venue Location Result Meredith Music Festival Meredith, Victoria
Most Performed Alternate Work Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "God Forgot" by The Rubens Scott Baldwin, Elliott Margin, Sam Margin, Zaac Margin, William Zeglis Mushroom Music Ivy League Music "Good Lord" by Birds of Tokyo Ian Berney, Ian Kenny, Glenn Sarangapany, Adam Spark, Adam Weston Mushroom Music Ivy League Music "Miracle Love" by Matt Corby Matt Corby, Dann Hume BMG Rights Management / Sony/ATV Music Publishing "Radio Silence" by Gretta Ray Gretta Ray Sony/ATV Music Publishing "Waiting" by Kian Kian Brownfield, Jerome Farah Kobalt Music Publishing KB Recording / Mushroom Music
Most Performed Australian Work Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "7 Minutes" by Dean Lewis Dean Lewis, Nicholas Atkinson, Edward Holloway Kobalt Music Publishing Specific Music "Choir" by Guy Sebastian Guy Sebastian, Trevor Brown, William Simmons Universal Music Publishing / Mushroom Music Reservoir "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I Toni Watson Kobalt Music Publishing Tones and I "Good Lord" by Birds of Tokyo Ian Berney, Ian Kenny, Glenn Sarangapany, Adam Spark, Adam Weston Mushroom Music "Waiting" by Kian Kian Brownfield, Jerome Farah Kobalt Music Publishing KB Recording / Mushroom Music
Most Performed Australian Work Overseas Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "Cheap Thrills" by Sia Sia Furler, Greg Kurstin Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Most Performed Blues & Roots Work Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "Blackbird" by Tash Sultana Tash Sultana Kobalt Music Publishing Tash Sultana "I Get Up" by The Teskey Brothers Liam Gough / Brendon Love / Josh Teskey / Sam Teskey Mushroom Music Ivy League Music "Just Call" by John Butler Trio John Butler Downtown Music Publishing Family Music "Laps Around the Sun" by Ziggy Alberts Ziggy Alberts Kobalt Music Publishing Albert & Co Music "Sound of Summer" by Busby Marou Thomas Busby / Jeremy Marou / Phil Barton / Lindsay Rimes Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Mushroom Music
Most Performed Country Work Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "Backroad Nation" by Lee Kernaghan Lee Kernaghan, Phil Barton, Colin Buchanan, Garth Porter, Lindsay Rimes Universal Music Publishing / Mushroom Music Anthem Entertainment "Girl" by Maren Morris Sarah Aarons, Greg Kurstin, Maren Morris Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Downtown Music Publishing "Happy" by Travis Collins Travis Collins, Allison Veltz ABC Music Publishing / Mushroom Music Big Deal Music "Love That" by Seaforth Thomas Jordan, Mitchell Thompson, Daniel Ross, Michael Whitworth ABC Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music / Universal/MCA Music Publishing "Wouldn't Change a Thing" by Troy Cassar-Daley Troy Cassar-Daley, Greg Storer Mushroom Music / ABC Music Publishing "Young Again" by Morgan Evans Morgan Evans, Chris DeStefano, Joshua Kear Warner Chappell Music / Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Downtown Music Publishing
Most Performed Dance Work Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "Better Together" by Hayden James featuring Running Touch Hayden James, Matthew Kopp, Jack Glass, Cassian Stewart-Kasimba Kobalt Music Publishing Future Classic / BMG Rights Management / Universal Music Publishing "Solid Gold" by Pnau featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver Nick Littlemore, Sam Littlemore, Peter Mayes, Shakira Marshall, Marques Toliver Universal Music Publishing "Sugar" by Peking Duk featuring Jack River Adam Hyde, Reuben Styles, Holly Rankin, Kaelyn Behr, Xavier Dunn, Karsten Dahlgaard, Rene Dif, Claus Norreen, Anders Oeland, Johnny Pedersen, Soren Rasted Universal Music Publishing / BMG Rights Management / Mushroom Music / Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music / Universal/MCA Music Publishing "Take It" by Dom Dolla Dominic Matheson Sweat It Out Publishing administered by Kobalt Music Publishing "Treat You Better" by Rüfüs Du Sol Jonathon George, James Hunt, Tyrone Lindqvist, Jason Evigan, Mark Foster Kobalt Music Publishing Rüfüs Du Sol / BMG Rights Management / Sony/ATV Music
Most Performed International Work Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "Happier" by Marshmello & Bastille Marshmello, Dan Smith, Steve Mac Kobalt Music Publishing / Universal Music Publishing "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" by Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus Mark Ronson, Miley Cyrus, Thomas Brenneck, Ilsey Juber, Clement Picard, Maxime Picard, Conor Szymanski Native Tongue Music Publishing / Universal/MCA Music Publishing / BMG Rights Management / Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Mushroom Music Big Deal "Promises" by Calvin Harris & Sam Smith Calvin Harris, Sam Smith, Jessie Reyez Sony/ATV Music Publishing / BMG Rights Management "Shallow" by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper Stefani Germanotta, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt Universal/MCA Music Publishing / Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Native Tongue Music Publishing / Downtown Music Publishing "Sunflower" by Post Malone & Swae Lee Post Malone, Swae Lee, Louis Bell, Carter Lang, Carl Rosen, William Walsh Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Universal/MCA Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music
Most Performed Pop Work Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "7 Minutes" by Dean Lewis Dean Lewis, Nicholas Atkinson, Edward Holloway Kobalt Music Publishing Specific Music / BMG Rights Management "All Loved Up" by Amy Shark Amy Billings, Jack Antonoff Mushroom Music UNIFIED Music Publishing / Sony/ATV Music Publishing "Choir" by Guy Sebastian Guy Sebastian, Trevor Brown, William Simmons Universal Music Publishing / Mushroom Music Reservoir "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I Toni Watson Kobalt Music Publishing Tones And I "Never Really Over" by Katy Perry Daniel James, Leah Haywood, Hayley Warner, Katy Perry, Gino Barletta, Michelle Buzz, Jason Gill, Dagny Sandvik, Anton Zaslavski Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music / Kobalt Music Publishing / Universal/MCA Music Publishing
Most Performed Rock Work Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "Clarity" by Polish Club David Novak, John-Henry Pajak Sony/ATV Music Publishing "Dinosaurs" by Ruby Fields Ruby Fields, Chris Collins Sony/ATV Music Publishing "Jellyfish" by Slowly Slowly Ben Stewart Native Tongue Music Publishing "Shutting Down Our Town" by Jimmy Barnes featuring Troy Cassar-Daley Troy Cassar-Daley Mushroom Music "Otherside" by The Living End Chris Cheney, Scott Owen, Andy Strachan, Tobias Kuhn BMG Rights Management / Kobalt Music Publishing
Most Performed Urban Work Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "Butter" by Triple One Conor Grealish, Martin Guilfoyle, William Gunns, Dominic Kim "Cool as Hell" by Baker Boy Danzal Baker, Carl Dimataga, Jesse Ferris, Morgan Jones, Brendan Tuckerman, Dallas Woods Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Kobalt Music Publishing "Exit Sign" by Hilltop Hoods featuring Illy & Ecca Vandal Barry Francis DJ Debris, Matthew Lambert Suffa, Daniel Smith MC Pressure, Alasdair Murray, Sarah Aarons, Andrew Burford Sony/ATV Music Publishing / BMG Rights Management / Universal Music Publishing "Leave Me Lonely" by Hilltop Hoods Barry Francis DJ Debris, Matthew Lambert Suffa, Daniel Smith MC Pressure, Leigh Ryan, Richard Berry Sony/ATV Music Publishing / Native Tongue Music Publishing / Campbell Connelly "Then What" by Illy Alasdair Murray/ Tobias Frelin / Elias Naslin BMG Rights Management / Kobalt Music Publishing
Song of the Year Title and/or artist Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result "Better in Blak" by Thelma Plum Thelma Plum, Alexander Burnett, Oliver Horton Sony/ATV Music Publishing "Choir" by Guy Sebastian Guy Sebastian, Trevor Brown, William Simmons Universal Music Publishing / Mushroom Music "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I Toni Watson Kobalt Music Publishing Tones and I "I Get Up" by The Teskey Brothers Liam Gough, Brendon Love, Josh Teskey, Sam Teskey Mushroom Music Ivy League Music "Teeth" by 5 Seconds of Summer Luke Hemmings, Ashton Irwin, Louis Bell, Ali Tamposi, Ryan Tedder, Andrew Watt, Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Bernard Sumner Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Songwriter of the Year Writer(s) Publisher(s) Result Barry Francis DJ Debris, Matthew Lambert Suffa, Daniel Smith MC Pressure Hilltop Hoods
Global APRA Music Awards