With eight nominations each, Tame Impala and Genesis Owusu head the pack for the 40th annual ARIA Awards, while Ecca Vandal is close behind with seven chances.
The winner of 13 career ARIA Awards, Kevin Parker’s Tame Impala is basking in the afterglow of his fifth studio album, Deadbeat. The 2025 effort houses the psychedelic pop act’s biggest global hit, “Dracula,” which has logged 18 weeks in the national top 10, peaking at No. 4. Tame Impala’s ARIA Award nominations this time include album of the year, best solo artist, best pop release and best dance/electronic release.
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Genesis Owusu is a genre-defying artist with a wizard’s touch on everything he tackles, a talent that has seen him collect seven ARIAs in quick time. Following the release earlier this year of his third album, REDSTAR WU & THE WORLDWIDE SCOURGE, the Ghana-born, Canberra-raised artist scoops nominations for album of the year, best solo artist, best independent release and more.
The annual event promises to be a blinder for Ecca Vandal, who soaks up seven nominations for her sophomore album Looking For People To Unfollow, while Baker Boy, BOY SODA, G Flip, Miss Kaninna and Ninajirachi each bag five nominations.
Just hours before Dom Dolla plays Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, a first for a homegrown DJ, the electronic music star snags four ARIA Award nominations. There’s four nominations for DMA’S and Troye Sivan, too, while iconic Aussie artists Kylie Minogue, Paul Kelly, Keith Urban, Vika & Linda and Hilltop Hoods figure in the ARIAs shortlist, published Thursday, Sept. 24.
“We could not be more thrilled with this list of nominees to celebrate 40 years of Australian music and incredible human artistry,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. “These records and these amazing artists represent the culmination of 40 years of Australian success in making great music that captures our unique voice and takes it global.”
The four publicly-voted ARIAs categories will again be integrated into Spotify, enabling fans to cast daily votes directly within the app. Public-voting runs for those categories — best Australian live act, song of the year, best video, and most popular international artist — is open from Sept. 24 to No. 9 across Spotify and the official ARIA website.
Spotify AUNZ managing director, Mikaela Lancaster, remarked “The 40th anniversary of the ARIA Awards is a milestone moment for Australian music, and we’re honored to be part of it as presenting partner.”
The ARIAs, the Australian recorded music industry’s flagship awards ceremony, will be presented Wednesday, Nov. 18 at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.
“As we continue to fight against the relentless assault on our copyright laws by foreign AI companies,” explains ARIA’s Herd, “this year’s ARIA Awards are a powerful moment to recognize the enduring power of music to give meaning to the human experience, connect Australians through our own stories and inspire us to feel truly alive. Congratulations to all the 2026 nominees.”
The 2026 ARIA Awards is supported by Destination NSW, in partnership with Spotify, and will be live on Paramount+ and broadcast on 10. Performances and moments will also be available on the @ARIA.official YouTube channel.
