No prizes for guessing who cleaned up at the APRA Music Awards last night! Wally De Backer aka Gotye scored the songwriting trifecta.
Gotye walked away with the APRA Music Awards top prize APRA Song of the Year, the award for Most Played Australian Work as well as Songwriter of The Year awarded by the APRA Board of Writer and Publisher Directors.
The wins for Gotye are further indication that this is the Year Of Gotye. His spine tingling ode to a breakup Somebody That I Used To Know (from the album Making Mirrors) featuring a sample from Luiz Bonfa's classic song Seville, has become a chart-topping hit in 11 countries around the world.
Shane Nicholson, one of Australia's most prolific songwriters, took out the Country Work of the Year category with Famous Last Words. Music critics have been unanimous in their praise of Shane Nicholson and have delivered high praise for the lyrical depth of Shane's songs and
Blues & Roots Work of the Year went to first-time APRA nominees Busby Marou for the emotive Biding My Time from the band's debut self-titled album.
The Potbelleez (David Green, Ilan Kidron, Marisa Lock and Jonathan Murphy) along with co-writer Justin Shave received the APRA Award in the category of Dance Work of the Year for From The Music, a song which reached number one on the ARIA Australian Singles chart, made it into the Top 100 Singles chart of 2011 and has achieved Platinum sales in Australia.
Marvin Priest , the son of reggae royalty Maxi Priest took out the category of Urban Work of the Year, along with co-writers Antonio Egizii and David Musumeci for Own This Club, Priest's official debut solo single and collaboration with Sydney-based hit makers, DNA Songs.
Rock Work of the Year went to Birds of Tokyo for Wild at Heart, the third single from the band's self-titled album.The single achieved Gold status and was voted number 47 in triple j's Hottest 100 of 2010.
It is the second-highest-selling single in Australian history, and now the catchy Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO (written by LMFAO members Skyler Gordy and Stefan Gordy along with co-writers David LIstenbee and Peter Schroeder) has won International Work of the Year.
AC / DC won the APRA Award for Most Played Australian Work Overseas for the rock n' roll classic Highway to Hell, written by Bon Scott and the 2010 APRA Songwriters of the Year Angus and Malcolm Young. The song was released way back in 1979, but continues to prove that old is gold.
Respected talent agent Mary Lopez was presented with the 2012 Ted Albert Award For Outstanding Services to Australian Music. With her unique talent for bringing together a dazzling range of musical and dramatic performers, Mary is committed to helping young people be the best they can be.
