The 2020 ARIA Music Awards are the 34th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association 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.[1] 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.[2] The pre-show had 16 awards presented ahead of the main ceremony.[2]
| 2020 ARIA Music Awards | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date | 25 November 2020 |
| Venue | Star Event Centre, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Hosted by | Delta Goodrem |
| Most awards | Tame Impala (5) |
| Most nominations | Lime Cordiale (8) |
| Website | ariaawards |
| Television/radio coverage | |
| Network | Nine Network |
The ARIA CEO Dan Rosen had explained to Lars Brandle of Billboard, "There will be an ARIA stage with real people on it, [it] just won't have a live audience in there."[3] Nine Network's Brooke Boney announced the nominees on 13 October via ARIA's YouTube channel with Dean Lewis, Guy Sebastian, and Tones and I appearing.[4][5] Tame Impala won the most awards with five from seven nominations, Lime Cordiale received the most nominations with eight and Sampa the Great received six nominations, while winning three.[6][7] Archie Roach was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.[8] During the ceremony he was joined on a stage in Warrnambool by family, friends and collaborators to sing, "Took the Children Away".[9] A tribute performance of "I Am Woman", 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.[10]
Sampa the Great won Best Hip Hop Release for the second year in a row.[11] 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.[11] HuffPost's Alicia Vrajlal reported that various artists had criticised "systemic racism" in Australia and its music industry for years.[11] 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.[9] Prior to this year's ceremony, Rosen had acknowledged his organisation had handled diverse artists poorly and admitted that "we need to do better."[11]
Performers
edit-
Archie Roach (centre), May 2016
A tribute performance of "I Am Woman", in honour of Helen Reddy, was given by an ensemble of Australian female singers, they were introduced by former Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.[12] The ensemble comprised Amy Shark, Christine Anu, Delta Goodrem, Emma Watkins, Jessica Mauboy, Kate Ceberano, Marcia Hines, Montaigne, the McClymonts and Tones and I. They were backed by a virtual choir of Amy Sheppard, Christie Whelan Browne, Clare Bowen, Dami Im, Emma Donovan, Erika Heynatz, Fanny Lumsden, Graace, Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan, KLP, Maddy Jane, Missy Higgins, Mo'Ju, Odette, Samantha Jade, Teeny Tiny Stevies, Thandi Phoenix and Wendy Matthews.[10][12]
Performers for the ARIA Awards ceremony:
| Artist(s) | Song(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Amy Shark | "Everybody Rise" | [13][14][15][10] |
| Sia | "Together" | |
| Sampa the Great | "Final Form" | |
| Lime Cordiale | "Robbery" | |
| Sam Smith | "Diamonds" | |
| Archie Roach | "Took the Children Away" | |
| Billie Eilish | "Therefore I Am" | |
| Tame Impala | "On Track" | |
| Ensemble + choir | "I Am Woman" |
Presenters
editDelta Goodrem hosted the 2020 ARIA Music Awards main ceremony with the presenters: Briggs, Brooke Boney, Christine Anu, Guy Sebastian, Hamish Blake, INXS, Joel Creasey, Julia Gillard, Kate Ceberano, Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Mick Fleetwood, Richard Wilkins, Robbie Williams, Sophie Monk, Tim Minchin, Tones and I, and Tuma Basa & A$AP Ferg.[12][16] Pre-Show presenters were: Briggs, Anu, Ceberano, Matt Okine & KLP, Mia Rodriguez, Montaigne, Morgan Evans and Nat's What I Reckon.[2]
ARIA Hall of Fame inductee
editUpon the announcement of Archie Roach's induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame, the Indigenous Australian musician reflected on changes for local First Nations people during his career.[8] He had released his debut album, Charcoal Lane, in May 1990 and its lead single, "Took the Children Away" (September 1990).[17] He detailed his own experience of the Stolen Generations and addressed the issue of the Australian government's policy, where Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their parents.[17] 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."[8] 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."[8]
For the virtual ceremony Roach was at the Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool (his hometown), where he was joined for his song, "Took the Children Away", by family, friends and collaborators including Paul Grabowsky (piano), Paul Kelly (vocal), Linda Bull (vocal), Jessica Hitchcock (vocal), Steve Magnusson (guitar), Sam Anning (bass guitar), Dave Beck (drums), Erkki Veltheim (violin), and Nola Roach (vocal).[18][19] Besides his induction Roach won two more awards, Best Male Artist and Best Adult Contemporary Album for Tell Me Why (November 2019).[18]
Nominees and winners
editARIA Awards
editWinners indicated in boldface, with other nominees in plain.[6][20]
Public voted
edit| Song of the Year | Best Video |
|---|---|
|
|
| Best Australian Live Act | Best International Artist |
|
|
| Music Teacher of the Year | |
| |
Fine Arts Awards
editWinners indicated in boldface, with other nominees in plain.
| Best Classical Album |
|---|
|
| Best Jazz Album |
|
| Best World Music Album |
|
| Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album |
Artisan Awards
editWinners indicated in boldface, with other nominees in plain.
| Producer of the Year |
|---|
|
| Engineer of the Year |
|
| Best Cover Art |
|
References
edit- ^ Kelly, Vivienne (23 September 2020). "ARIA Awards to go ahead in 2020 without live audience". The Music Network. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ a b c "Ash London and Mitch Churi to Host ARIA Pre-Show Presented by Swarovski, A YouTube Exclusive". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 23 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ Brandle, Lars (23 September 2020). "The 2020 ARIA Awards Are Set for Sydney, with Some Changes". Billboard. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Know, Paul (23 September 2020). "ARIA Awards confirm no physical audience". TV Tonight. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
- ^ "Who will be nominated for an ARIA Award in 2020? Watch our announcement next week". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 9 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ^ a b Bond, Nick (25 November 2020). "ARIA Awards 2020: All the best moments as they happen". news.com.au. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "2020 ARIA Awards nominees announced". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 13 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ a b c d Cooper, Nathanael (10 November 2020). "'It is a great honour': Archie Roach to be inducted into ARIA hall of fame". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ a b Harmon, Steph (26 November 2020). "Aria awards 2020: Archie Roach and Sampa the Great electrify as Tame Impala win big". Guardian Australia. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- ^ a b c "Amy Shark, Delta Goodrem, Jessica Mauboy, the McClymonts, Tones and I Lead Tribute to Legendary Helen Reddy". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 23 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d Vrajlal, Alicia (24 November 2020). "ARIA Awards 2020: Sampa the Great Snub Reinforced Aussie Music's Diversity Issue. What Happens Now?". HuffPost. Australia. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- ^ a b c "And the 2020 ARIA Awards Go To…". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- ^ Brandle, Lars (11 November 2020). "Sia to Perform at 2020 ARIA Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ Convery, Stephanie (17 November 2020). "Billie Eilish to headline Aria awards ceremony". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
- ^ Tuccillo, Andrea (18 November 2020). "Billie Eilish, Sam Smith to perform at ARIA Awards - Music News". ABC News Radio. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
- ^ Kelly, Vivienne (16 November 2020). "Delta Goodrem to host 2020 ARIA Awards". The Music Network. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- ^ a b "'Took the Children Away" by Archie Roach". National Sound and Film Archive of Australia. 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ^ a b Price, Kimberley; Howard, Jessica; Gillespie, Kyra (25 November 2020). "Killarney troubadour Archie Roach's life and music honoured by ARIAs Hall of Fame induction". The Standard. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- ^ "Archie Roach: 'Took the Children Away' | 2020 ARIA Awards". ARIA YouTube Channel. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
- ^ "ARIA Awards 2020 Nominees". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.