Full list of nominees including Ninajirachi, Dom Dolla, Amyl and the Sniffers and more

ARIA Awards 2025 winners: Full list of nominees including Ninajirachi, Dom Dolla, Amyl and the Sniffers and more

Move on, pub rock: New genre dominates 2025 ARIA Awards nominations

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Warning: This story contains the name of an Indigenous person who has died.

Self-taught artist Ninajirachi’s eight ARIA Award nominations – the most for an individual in one year – heralds a new era for Australian music, one that’s embracing electronic music after so many decades steeped in pub rock.

For more proof, look no further than Dom Dolla’s seven nominations, and the fact the 33-year-old house music producer will formally receive the inaugural Global Impact Award presented by Spotify in Sydney on Wednesday.

Self-taught electronic music producer Ninajirachi leads the pack with a record-breaking eight nominations.

Self-taught electronic music producer Ninajirachi leads the pack with a record-breaking eight nominations.Credit: Steven Siewert

But pub rock has clearly not been discarded by the association – Grammy-nominated rockers Amyl and the Sniffers will walk into Hordern Pavilion with six nominations, and alt-rock band You Am I to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Genre wars, however, are not what’s made the ARIA Awards somewhat controversial this year. That in part is due to the event’s partnership with Spotify, which has come under fire from Australian musicians over how it invests its money, and for its minimal royalty payments. Singer-songwriter Dean Lewis’ nomination for Song of the Year, meanwhile, was withdrawn following allegations made on social media by fans.

Also interesting to note this year is the new category of Best Music Festival, with five events from across Australia nominated for the award.

The accolade was created to acknowledge the importance of the ecosystem that helps Australian artists build sustainable careers, but the nomination pool is dwindling as festivals increasingly opt out of regularly scheduled programming.

Here is the full list of 2025 ARIA Awards nominees:

Album of the YearAmyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness (Amyl and The Sniffers/Virgin Music Group)Missy Higgins – The Second Act (Eleven Music/EMI Music Australia)Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer (NLV Records)RÜFÜS DU SOL – Inhale / Exhale (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music Australasia)Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say it Back (Warner Music Australia)Best Solo ArtistBARKAA – Big Tidda (Big Apples Music/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)Dom Dolla – DREAMIN’ (Good Fortune Records)Kylie Minogue – Tension II (Mushroom Music)Mallrat – Light hit my face like a straight right (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)Missy Higgins – The Second Act (Eleven Music/EMI Music Australia)Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer (NLV Records)Paul Kelly – Fever Longing Still (EMI Music Australia)The Kid LAROI – How Does It Feel? (Columbia Records/Sony Music)Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say it Back (Warner Music Australia)Young Franco – it’s Franky baby! (Neon Records) Singer-songwriter Thelma Plum has been nominated five times, as have Hilltop Hoods.

Singer-songwriter Thelma Plum has been nominated five times, as have Hilltop Hoods.Credit: Cordula Ditz

Best GroupAmyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness (Amyl and The Sniffers/Virgin Music Group)Folk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be a Good Time (Jagjaguwar)Hilltop Hoods – Fall From the Light (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)Royel Otis – hickey (Ourness/Capitol Records)RÜFÜS DU SOL – Inhale / Exhale (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music Australasia)

Michael Gudinski Breakthrough ArtistFolk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be a Good Time (Jagjaguwar)Gut Health – Stiletto (AWAL Recordings)Mia Wray – hi, it’s nice to meet me (Mushroom Music)Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer (NLV Records)Young Franco – it’s Franky baby! (Neon Records)Best Pop ReleaseG Flip – Disco Cowgirl (AWAL Recordings)Kita Alexander – Press Pause (Warner Music Australia)Kylie Minogue – Tension II (Mushroom Music)Mallrat – Light hit my face like a straight right (Dew Process/Universal Music Australia)Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say it Back (Warner Music Australia)Best Dance/Electronic ReleaseConfidence Man – 3AM (LA LA LA) (I OH YOU/Mushroom Music)Dom Dolla – DREAMIN’ (Good Fortune Records)FISHER – Stay (etcetc Music Pty Ltd)Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer (NLV Records)Sonny Fodera, D.O.D & Jazzy – Somedays (Solotoko/ADA)Best Hip Hop/Rap ReleaseBARKAA – Big Tidda (Big Apples Music/Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)Hilltop Hoods – Fall From the Light (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)Miss Kaninna – Kaninna EP (Soul Has No Tempo)ONEFOUR – Look at Me Now (ONEFOUR Records/The Orchard)The Kid LAROI – Baby I’m Back (Columbia Records/Sony Music)

Best Soul/R&B ReleaseBOY SODA – Lil Obsession (Warner Music Australia)JACOTÉNE – Why’d You Do That? (Epic Records/Sony Music)Jerome Farah – CHLORINE (Sony Music)Larissa Lambert – Cardio (New Levels/Virgin Music Group)PANIA – Pity Party (Warner Music Australia/Say Less)Best Independent ReleaseBall Park Music – Like Love (Prawn Records/Inertia Music)Confidence Man – 3AM (LA LA LA) (I OH YOU/Mushroom Music)Folk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be a Good Time (Jagjaguwar)Miss Kaninna – Kaninna EP (Soul Has No Tempo)Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer (NLV Records) Folk Bitch Trio has landed four nominations, alongside Missy Higgins, Royel Otis, and Rüfüs Du Sol.

Folk Bitch Trio has landed four nominations, alongside Missy Higgins, Royel Otis, and Rüfüs Du Sol.Credit: Richard Clifford

Best Rock AlbumAmyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness (Amyl and The Sniffers/Virgin Music Group)Ball Park Music – Like Love (Prawn Records/Inertia Music)King Stingray – For the Dreams (Civilians/The Orchard)Royel Otis – hickey (Ourness/Capitol Records)Spacey Jane – If That Makes Sense (AWAL Recordings)Best Adult Contemporary AlbumFolk Bitch Trio – Now Would Be a Good Time (Jagjaguwar)Gordi – Like Plasticine (Mushroom Music)Meg Washington – GEM (OriGiN Distribution/ADA)Missy Higgins – The Second Act (Eleven Music/EMI Music Australia)Paul Kelly – Fever Longing Still (EMI Music Australia)

Best Country AlbumDylan Wright – Half a World Away (Sony Music)Imogen Clark – Choking on Fuel (Potts Entertainment/MGM)Kasey Chambers – Backbone (Essence Music Group/MGM)Keith Urban – High (CAPITOL – NASHVILLE/EMI Music Australia)Taylor Moss – Firecracker (Taylor Moss/Ditto Music)Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal AlbumCivic – Chrome Dipped (ATO Records/Inertia Music)Press Club – To All the Ones I Love (Inertia Music)RedHook – Mutation (RedHook Records)The Amity Affliction – Let the Ocean Take Me (Redux) (G.Y.R.O.)Thornhill – Bodies (UNFD/Community Music)Best Blues & Roots AlbumDope Lemon – Golden Wolf (BMG)Mama Kin Spender – Promises (Mama Kin Spender/MGM)Sons Of The East – SONS (Sons Of The East Music/MGM)Tash Sultana – Return to the Roots (Lonely Lands Records via Sony Music)The Teskey Brothers – Live at the Hammersmith Apollo (Mushroom Music)Best Children’s AlbumEmma Memma – Dance Island Party (G.Y.R.O.)Justine Clarke – Mimi’s Symphony (ABC Music/The Orchard)Teeny Tiny Stevies – Brain Fart (Love Your Records/Xelon)The Vegetable Plot – Season Three (ABC Music/The Orchard)The Wiggles – Wiggle Up, Giddy Up! (ABC Music/The Orchard)

Best Music FestivalAbility Fest – Dylan Alcott Foundation/Untitled GroupBeyond the Valley – Untitled Group/Beyond the Valley Music FestivalBluesfest Byron Bay – Bluesfest Byron BayLaneway Festival – St Jerome’s Laneway/Laneway FestivalYours and Owls Festival – Yours and OwlsBest VideoBreak My Love – RÜFÜS DU SOL, Alexander George (Katzki) (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music Australasia)Craters – Missy Higgins, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore (Eleven Music/EMI Music Australia)Lordy Lordy – Emily Wurramara, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore (ABC Music/The Orchard)All the Noise – Spacey Jane, Dan Lesser (AWAL Recordings)Car – Royel Otis, Jamieson Kerr (Ourness/Capitol Records)Big Dreams – Amyl and The Sniffers, John Stewart (Amyl and The Sniffers/Virgin Music Group)Dreamin – Dom Dolla, Kyle Caulfield & Shevin Dissanayake (Good Fortune Records)Don’t Happy, Be Worry – Hilltop Hoods, Roman Anastasios and Jordan Ruyi Blanch (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)Dancing2 – Keli Holiday, Ryan Sauer (Keli Holiday/GYROstream)WASSA – Vv Pete, UTILITY, Formation Boyz, UTILITY (Trackwork)Best Australian Live ActAmyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness World TourBall Park Music – Like Love TourBARKAA – BIG TIDDA TOUR (Jackson Street & Bad Apples Music)Confidence Man – 3AM (LA LA LA) Tour (I OH YOU)Dom Dolla – Dom Dolla Australia 2024 (Untitled Group)Hilltop Hoods – Hilltop Hoods 2025Kylie Minogue – Tension Tour 2025Miss Kaninna – Dawg In Me Tour (Astral People)SPEED – SPEED Australia Tour ’25Troye Sivan – Something To Give Each Other Tour (Live Nation) Grammy nominees Amyl and the Sniffers (pictured here is Amy Taylor) have been nominated in the Best Australian Live Act category and five others at this year’s ARIA Awards.

Grammy nominees Amyl and the Sniffers (pictured here is Amy Taylor) have been nominated in the Best Australian Live Act category and five others at this year’s ARIA Awards.Credit: Richard Clifford

Song of the YearCyril, Maryjo – Still Into You (Warner Music Australia/Spinnin Records)Dom Dolla Feat. Daya – Dreamin (Good Fortune Records)FISHER – Stay (etcetc Music Pty Ltd)Gotye, FISHER, Chris Lake Feat. Kimbra, Sante Sansone – Somebody (Eleven: A Music Company/EMI Music Australia)ONEFOUR, Nemzzz – Spinnin (ONEFOUR RECORDS/The Orchard)Royel Otis – Linger (SiriusXM Session) (Ourness)Sonny Fodera, D.O.D & Jazzy – Somedays (Solotoko/ADA)The Kid LAROI – Girls (Columbia Records/Sony Music)Tobiahs – Angel of Mine (Mushroom Music)

Most Popular International ArtistAlex Warren – You’ll Be Alright Kid (Atlantic Records/Warner Music Australasia)Calvin Harris – 96 Months (Columbia Records/Sony Music)Gracie Abrams – The Secret of Us (Interscope/Universal Music Australia)Kendrick Lamar – GNX (Interscope/Universal Music Australia)Noah Kahan – Stick Season (Republic Records/Universal Music Australia)Post Malone – F-1Trillion (Republic Records/Universal Music Australia)Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet (Island Records USA/Universal Music Australia)Tate McRae – So Close to What (RCA Records/Universal Music Australia)Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department (Republic Records/Universal Music Australia)Tyler, The Creator – Chromakopia (Columbia Records/Sony Music)Best Cover ArtGiulia McGauran for The Cat Empire – Bird in Paradise (BMG)John Stewart and Thomas Rennie for Amyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness (Amyl and The Sniffers/Virgin Music Group)Kira Puru, Thelma Plum and Em Jensen for Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say it Back (Warner Music Australasia)Nina Wilson, John You and Aria Zarzycki for Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer (NLV Records)Sarah McCloskey for Hilltop Hoods – Fall From the Light (Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)Engineer – Best Engineered ReleaseAlice Ivy for Alice Ivy – Do What Makes You Happy (Kewpie Mayo Records/Independent)Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla – DREAMIN’ (Good Fortune Records)Eric J Dubowsky for Emma Louise & Flume – DUMB (Three Six Zero Recordings/ADA)Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – End of Summer (Columbia Records/Sony Music)Thomas Purcell (Wave Racer) for Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer (NLV Records)Producer – Best Produced ReleaseAlex Burnett for Thelma Plum – I’m Sorry, Now Say it Back (Warner Music Australia)Dom Dolla for Dom Dolla – Dreamin (Good Fortune Records)Kevin Parker for Tame Impala – End of Summer (Columbia Records/Sony Music)Nina Wilson (Ninajirachi) for Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer (NLV Records)RÜFÜS DU SOL for RÜFÜS DU SOL – Inhale / Exhale (Rose Avenue Records/Warner Music Australasia)

Best Classical AlbumAndrea Lam – Piano Diary (ABC Classic/The Orchard)Australian Chamber Orchestra/Richard Tognetti – Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings and Andante Cantabile/Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony in C minor (ABC Classic/The Orchard)Nat Bartsch – Forever Changed (Amica Records)Simone Young & Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Mahler: Symphony No.2; Barton: of the Earth (Deutsche Grammophon Australia/Universal Music)Sophie Hutchings – Become the Sky (Universal Music Australia/Mercury KX)Best Jazz AlbumEvans Robson Quartet – Zenith (Lamplight Records)Lachlan McKenzie – Departures (ABC Jazz/The Orchard)Lucy Clifford – Between Spaces of Knowing (ABC Jazz/The Orchard)TL; DR & Peter Knight – Too Long; Didn’t Read (Earshift Music/The Planet Company-MGM)Touch Sensitive – In Paradise (Future Classic)Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast AlbumAustralian Chamber Orchestra – Memoir of a Snail (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (ABC Classic/The Orchard)François Tétaz – The Surfer (Impressed Recordings/Rubber Music Pty Ltd)Michael Cassel Group – Michael Cassel Group Presents a (Very) Musical Christmas (ABC Music)Various Artists – How to Make Gravy (Original Soundtrack) (Origin Recordings)Vidya Makan – The Lucky Country (Original Cast Album) (ORiGiN Distribution/ADA)Best World Music AlbumElectric Fields, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Live in Concert (ABC Music/The Orchard)Gurrumul – Banbirrngu – The Orchestral Sessions (Decca Australia & Skinnyfish/UMA)Joseph Tawadros – The Forgotten Path to Humanity (Independent/The Planet Company)Tenzin Choegyal – Snow Flower (Warner Music Australasia/Rainbow Valley Records)The Cat Empire – Bird in Paradise (BMG)Best Use of an Australian Recording in an AdvertisementFox League 2025: Our Greats – Fox Sports Australia, 3%Menulog: What’s Good in Your Hood – Thinkerbell, Bliss n EsoParamount+ Australia: Ballad of the GOATS – Paramount+ Australia, Briggs and Kobie DeeTooheys: I Feel Like a Tooheys – Thinkerbell, Dune RatsTourism & Events Queensland: That Holiday Feeling – Publicis Worldwide, Kita Alexander

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Bronte Gossling is a reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, WAtoday and Brisbane Times.Connect via email.Most Viewed in Culture

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Full list of nominees including Ninajirachi, Dom Dolla, Amyl and the Sniffers and more

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