The 2020 ARIA Music Awards are the 34th Annual

Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing ...

Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) and consist of a series of awards, including the 2020 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine Arts Awards and the ARIA Awards. The ARIA Awards ceremony occurred on 25 November 2020, with Delta Goodrem as host. However, due to COVID-safe restrictions, it was without an audience and was broadcast from the Star Event Centre, Sydney on the Nine Network around Australia. In place of the usual Red Carpet event, a pre-show was broadcast from The Star's backstage and was hosted by Ash London and Mitch Churi. The pre-show had 16 awards presented ahead of the main ceremony. The ARIA CEO Dan Rosen had explained to Lars Brandle of '' Billboard'', "There will be an ARIA stage with real people on it, tjust won't have a live audience in there." Nine Network's

Brooke Boney Brooke Boney () is an Australian journalist and television presenter of Aboriginal Gamilaroi descent. She is an entertainment reporter on the Nine Network's breakfast program ''Today.'' Early life and education Boney was born around 1987 in ...

announced the nominees on 13 October via ARIA's YouTube channel with

Dean Lewis Dean Lewis Grant Loaney (born 21 October 1987) is an Australian pop singer-songwriter. He is best known for his 2016 single "Waves", which was certified 7× platinum in Australia in 2019, and his 2018 single " Be Alright", which reached number ...

Guy Sebastian Guy Theodore Sebastian (born 26 October 1981) is an Australian singer and songwriter who was the winner of the first ''Australian Idol'' in 2003, judge on Australia's ''The X Factor'' from 2010 to 2012 and again from 2015 to 2016, and coach ...

, and

Tones and I Toni Watson, known professionally as Tones and I, is an Australian singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her breakout single, " Dance Monkey" (May 2019), reached number one in over 30 countries, including Australia. In November 2019, i ...

appearing.

Tame Impala Tame Impala is the psychedelic music project of Australian multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker. In the recording studio, Parker writes, records, performs, and produces all of the project's music. As a touring act, Tame Impala consists of Parke ...

won the most awards with five from seven nominations,

Lime Cordiale Lime Cordiale are an Australian pop rock group from Sydney, New South Wales, formed in 2009. The band consists of brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach, with additional members James Jennings, Felix Bornholt and Nicholas Polovineo. They released their ...

received the most nominations with eight and

Sampa the Great Sampa Tembo (born 9 August 1993), known professionally as Sampa the Great, is a Zambian singer, rapper and songwriter. Between 2014 and 2020, she was based in Australia. Note: this source was an agency for the artist. Her debut solo album, '' ...

received six nominations, while winning three.

Archie Roach Archibald William Roach (8 January 1956 – 30 July 2022) was an Australian singer, songwriter and Aboriginal activist. Often referred to as "Uncle Archie", Roach was a Gunditjmara and Bundjalung elder who campaigned for the rights of Abori ...

was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. During the ceremony he was joined on a stage in

Warrnambool Warrnambool ( Maar: ''Peetoop'' or ''Wheringkernitch'' or ''Warrnambool'') is a city on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 census, Warrnambool had a population of 35,743. Situated on the Princes Highway, Warrnambool (A ...

by family, friends and collaborators to sing, " Took the Children Away". A tribute performance of "

I Am Woman "I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him'', released in May 1971, and was heard durin ...

", in memory of 2006 ARIA Hall of Fame inductee, Helen Reddy (1941–2020), was given by an ensemble of female singers backed by a virtual chorus. Sampa the Great won Best Hip Hop Release for the second year in a row. The category had been created after splitting Best Urban Release into two. Upon her win in the previous year, she was the first female person of colour to win a hip hop award at the ARIAs. However her acceptance speech "about diversity and inclusivity" was not broadcast as the network switched to a commercial. ''

HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...

''s Alicia Vrajlal reported that various artists had criticised "systemic racism" in Australia and its music industry for years. At the 2020 ceremony Sampa the Great performed " Final Form", introduced by her rapping an acceptance speech which included reference to the hurt inflicted by the previous year's ARIA broadcast. Prior to this year's ceremony, Rosen had acknowledged his organisation had handled diverse artists poorly and admitted that "we need to do better."

Performers

A tribute performance of "

", in honour of Helen Reddy, was given by an ensemble of Australian female singers, they were introduced by former Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. The ensemble comprised

Amy Shark Amy Louise Billings (born 14 May 1986), known professionally as Amy Shark, is an Australian indie pop singer-songwriter-guitarist and producer from the Gold Coast, Queensland. During 2008 to 2012, her early solo material was released and per ...

, Christine Anu, Delta Goodrem, Emma Watkins,

Jessica Mauboy Jessica Hilda Mauboy (born 4 August 1989) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. Born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory, she rose to fame in 2006 on the fourth season of ''Australian Idol'', where she was runner-up and subseq ...

Kate Ceberano Catherine Yvette Ceberano ( or , born 17 November 1966) is an Australian singer and actress who performs in the soul, jazz, and pop genres, as well as in film and musicals such as ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. Her song "Pash" received a gold sa ...

Marcia Hines Marcia Elaine Hines, AM (born July 20, 1953), is an American-Australian vocalist and TV personality. Hines made her debut, at the age of 16, in the Australian production of the stage musical '' Hair'' and followed with the role of Mary Magdale ...

, Montaigne,

the McClymonts The McClymonts are an Australian country music trio comprising sisters Brooke McClymont (born 1981), Samantha McClymont (born 1986) and Mollie McClymont (born 1987), originally from Grafton, New South Wales. They have released one eponymous EP a ...

and

. They were backed by a virtual choir of

Amy Sheppard Amy Sheppard is an Australian singer-songwriter and along with her siblings George and Emma, is a forming member of indie pop band Sheppard. She released her debut extended play, ''Nothing But Wild'' in September 2022. Career 2009–present: ...

Christie Whelan Browne Christine "Christie" Whelan Browne (born 6 August 1982) is an Australian performer who has worked extensively in musical theatre as an actress, dancer and singer. She has also appeared on television shows and in films. In March 2012, she marr ...

Clare Bowen Clare Maree Bowen (born 12 May 1984) is an Australian actress and singer, best known for her role as Scarlett O'Connor in the ABC/ CMT musical-drama television series ''Nashville''. Alongside her music releases from ''Nashville'' and her solo ...

Dami Im Dami Im ( , , ; born October 17, 1988) is a South Korean-born Australian singer and songwriter. She represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 held in Stockholm, Sweden with the song " Sound of Silence", placing second and ach ...

Emma Donovan Emma Donovan (born 1981) is an Aboriginal Australian singer and songwriter. She is a member of the renowned musical Donovan family. She started her singing career at age seven with her uncle's band, the Donovans. In 2000, she became a founding m ...

, Erika Heynatz, Fanny Lumsden,

Graace Grace Pitts, better known as Graace, is an Australian singer-songwriter from Sydney. She is best known for her vocals on Hayden James' platinum selling single " Numb". It was released in October 2017. Career 2017–2018: ''Self Sabotage'' Graa ...

Kate Miller-Heidke Kate Melina Miller-Heidke (; born 16 November 1981) is an Australian singer and songwriter. Although classically trained, she has generally followed a career in alternative pop music. She signed to Sony Australia, Epic in the US and RCA in th ...

Katie Noonan Katie Anne Noonan (born 2 May 1977) is an Australian singer-songwriter. In addition to a successful solo career encompassing opera, jazz, pop, rock and dance, she was the singer in the band George and remains the singer in the band Elixir; perf ...

KLP KLP may refer to: *Kommunal Landspensjonskasse, Norwegian mutual insurance company * KLP Eiendom, Norwegian real estate management company *KLP (musician), Australian singer-songwriter, record producer, DJ and radio personality * Kamasa language, IS ...

Maddy Jane Madeleine Jane Woolley, who performs as Maddy Jane (born 1996), is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Bruny Island. In 2015, she released her debut single "People". In 2017, she released the singles "No Other Way" and "Thank Yo ...

, Missy Higgins, Mo'Ju, Odette,

Samantha Jade Samantha Jade Gibbs (born 18 April 1987) is an Australian singer and songwriter. She has written tracks for artists including JoJo and Ashley Tisdale. In 2012, Jade won the fourth season of ''The X Factor Australia'', the first woman to win ...

, Teeny Tiny Stevies,

Thandi Phoenix Thandiwe Helen Phoenix (born 5 September 1993), better known by her stage name Thandi Phoenix, is an Australian singer-songwriter from Newtown in Inner Sydney. Thandi is half South African. Career Thandi Phoenix has performed at festivals such ...

and

Wendy Matthews Wendy Joan Matthews (born 13 January 1960) is a Canadian-born Australian singer-songwriter who has been a member of Models and Absent Friends and is a solo artist. She released Top 20 hit singles in the 1990s including " Token Angels", " ...

. Performers for the ARIA Awards ceremony:

Presenters

Delta Goodrem hosted the 2020 ARIA Music Awards main ceremony with the presenters: Briggs,

, Christine Anu,

Hamish Blake Hamish Donald Blake (born 11 December 1981) is an Australian comedian, television and radio presenter, actor and author. Since 2003, he has worked with Andy Lee as part of the comedy duo Hamish and Andy. The pair have performed live and on te ...

, INXS,

Joel Creasey Joel Creasey (born 11 August 1990) is an Australian stand-up comedian, actor, television and radio presenter. Creasey has performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, as well as performing at the New York International Fringe Festiv ...

, Julia Gillard,

Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...

, Kylie Minogue,

Mick Fleetwood Michael John Kells Fleetwood (born 24 June 1947) is a British musician, songwriter and occasional actor. He is best known as the drummer, co-founder, and leader of the rock band Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood, whose surname was merged with that of t ...

, Richard Wilkins,

Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stud ...

Sophie Monk Sophie Charlene Akland Monk (born 14 December 1979) is an Australian singer, actress, model, and television personality. She was a member of the pop girl group Bardot, winners of the first season of '' Popstars Australia'' in 2000, and later re ...

, Tim Minchin,

, and Tuma Basa &

A$AP Ferg Darold Durard Brown Ferguson Jr. (born October 20, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Ferg (stylized as A$AP Ferg), is an American rapper from New York City's Harlem neighborhood. Aside from his solo career, he is a member of the hip hop collec ...

. Pre-Show presenters were: Briggs, Anu, Ceberano, Matt Okine & KLP, Mia Rodriguez, Montaigne, Morgan Evans and Nat's What I Reckon.

ARIA Hall of Fame inductee

Upon the announcement of

's induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame, the Indigenous Australian musician reflected on changes for local First Nations people during his career. He had released his debut album, ''

Charcoal Lane ''Charcoal Lane'' is the debut studio album by Australian singer song writer Archie Roach, released in 1990. Name From the 1960s through to the 1980s, the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy was a meeting place for Aboriginal people who had ...

'', in May 1990 and its lead single, " Took the Children Away" (September 1990). He detailed his own experience of the

Stolen Generations The Stolen Generations (also known as Stolen Children) were the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian federal and state government agencies and church mis ...

and addressed the issue of the Australian government's policy, where Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their parents. Roach observed, "When you have written a song and perform a song you just hope people listen to it. I am glad that I was among the first people that opened up about that and began that conversation." He also acknowledged the wider acceptance of Indigenous artists, "I feel more Australian now, I feel more part of the broader community rather than a sub-group or a subculture." For the virtual ceremony Roach was at the Lighthouse Theatre,

(his hometown), where he was joined for his song, "Took the Children Away", by family, friends and collaborators including

Paul Grabowsky Paul Atherstone Grabowsky (born 27 September 1958) is an Australian pianist and composer. Biography Born in Lae, Papua New Guinea, Grabowsky is a pianist and composer of music for film, theatre and opera. His father Alistair had lived in Pap ...

(piano), Paul Kelly (vocal),

Linda Bull Vika and Linda, also known as Vika and Linda Bull, are an Australian vocal duo consisting of Vika Susan Bull (born 1966) and her younger sister, Linda Rose Bull . They came to prominence after singing backing vocals in Joe Camilleri's band The ...

(vocal), Jessica Hitchcock (vocal), Steve Magnusson (guitar),

Sam Anning Sam Anning is an Australian jazz bassist. He was nominated for ARIA Awards for Best Jazz Album with Dale Barlow, George Coleman Jr, Mark Fitzgibbon & Sam Anning - ''Treat Me Gently'' in 2009 and with Allan Browne, Marc Hannaford, Sam Anning - ' ...

(bass guitar), Dave Beck (drums), Erkki Veltheim (violin), and Nola Roach (vocal). Besides his induction Roach won two more awards, Best Male Artist and Best Adult Contemporary Album for '' Tell Me Why'' (November 2019). *

Nominees and winners

ARIA Awards

Winners indicated in boldface, with other nominees in plain.

Public voted

Fine Arts Awards

Winners indicated in boldface, with other nominees in plain.

Artisan Awards

Winners indicated in boldface, with other nominees in plain.

References

External links

* {{ARIA music awards 2020 in Australian music 2020 music awards ARIA Music Awards