Punk rockers Amyl and The Sniffers have taken out three top gongs at the 2026 APRA Music Awards, held at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday night. The band won Song of the Year, Most Performed Rock Work, and Songwriter of the Year for the second consecutive year.
The winning track, Jerkin', is the opening song from their third studio album Cartoon Darkness. Despite its explicit lyrics, the song earned the prestigious peer-voted Song of the Year award and Most Performed Rock Work. Frontwoman Amy Taylor's high-energy performance has been a key factor in the band's success.
The ceremony also featured performances by Paul Kelly, Christine Anu, Ngulmiya, and Rob Ruha. The event celebrated 100 years of the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), which was founded in 1926 and collects music royalties for artists.
Tributes were paid to late Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst, who died in January at age 70. The Presets performed a cover of the Oils' 1982 hit Power and the Passion, joined by Peter Garrett.
Sia's track Unstoppable won Most Performed Australian Work Overseas for the third year in a row, bringing her total APRA awards to 14, the most of any songwriter. Guy Sebastian's Maybe won Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Pop Work.
Sarah Aarons received an International Recognition Award, her sixth APRA gong. INXS was honored with the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music, with Ecca Vandal performing their early track Just Keep Walking.
