The winners of the 2009 ARIA Awards were announced last night at a dazzling event held at Sydney's Acer Arena with EMPIRE OF THE SUN storming the winner's scoreboard and LADYHAWKE and AC/DC close behind. Other prestigious winners at the Australian music night of nights were a mix of well established artists and debut winners including JOSH PYKE, SARAH BLASKO, CW STONEKING, THE PRESETS, HILLTOP HOODS, TROY CASSAR-DALEY, THE WIGGLES and more.
Luke Steele (pictured) and Nick Littlemore's EMPIRE OF THE SUN has capped off an incredible year of worldwide chart success and critically acclaimed live appearances by taking home an impressive four ARIA Awards from the 2009 ceremony. They swept the main categories with their instant classic debut album Walking on a Dream which took out the Awards for BEST POP RELEASE, BEST GROUP and the coveted title of ALBUM OF THE YEAR. The effervescent single of the same name garnered the prestigious SINGLE OF THE YEAR. Already awarded BEST VIDEO (Josh Logue for Mathematics), BEST COVER ART (Aaron Hayward & David Homer - Debaser) and PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (with Donnie Sloan and Peter Mayes) at the ARIA Artisan Awards, EMPIRE OF THE SUN's phenomenal success has shown the true creative prowess of these princes of pop!
Multi-instrumentalist LADYHAWKE (aka Pip Brown) has been catapulted into the spotlight in the past year and tonight won the ARIA for BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST ALBUM for the moody electro-pop of her self-titled debut album, and followed up with the ARIA Award for BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST SINGLE for the driving dance anthem My Delirium. Praised for separating "the synths from the sequins" (NME) Ladyhawke has created an 80s pop sound that goes beyond stylings of fashion and fame, and carries its success on the back of striking song writing.
The second dual winner at the 2009 ARIA Awards, AC/DC received the honour for BEST ROCK ALBUM for their sixteenth studio album Black Ice, which was also awarded the triangular trophy for HIGHEST SELLING ALBUM. Black Ice was the band's first album after an eight year absence, and saw them again crack the number one spot on charts around the world, proving this iconic Australian rock'n'roll band is still very much larger than life.
Australian Idol runner up JESSICA MAUBOY snapped up her very first ARIA for HIGHEST SELLING SINGLE for the track Running Back, featuring Flo Rida and taken from her platinum selling debut album Been Waiting.
The ARIA for BEST MALE ARTIST went to R&B singer-songwriter DANIEL MERRIWEATHER for his debut album Love & War, on which he collaborated with Mark Ronson and achieved the astonishing feat of entering the UK Album charts at number two. A previous ARIA Award winner in 2005 (Best Urban Release for She's Got Me), Merriweather's second career ARIA Award recognises his immense creative talent and distinctive take on beats and bluesy soul.
Sydney-based songstress SARAH BLASKO's album, As Day Follows Night, earned her the 2009 ARIA for BEST FEMALE ARTIST. Produced by Bjorn Yttling (Peter Bjorn and John) and described as "equal parts whimsy and heartbreak" (Triple J), Blasko's third long player sees her progress to a new pinnacle of maturity, innovation and synthesis in her song writing career.
The ARIA Award for BEST URBAN RELEASE went to acclaimed South Australian trio, the HILLTOP HOODS for their 5th studio album State of the Art, which also garnered member DJ Debris the ARIA Artisan Award for ENGINEER OF THE YEAR. The Hoods have a solid history of success in this category with previous wins in 2006 (The Hard Road) and 2007 (The Hard Road Restrung). The incredibly successful 2008 ARIA Award winning album Apocalypso by THE PRESETS is still turning over the hits, with their killer, bouncing electro track Talk Like That winning the 2009 ARIA for BEST DANCE RELEASE.
A former ARIA nominee in 2007 for his debut album King Hokum, the extraordinary C.W. STONEKING has received his first ARIA Award in the category BEST BLUES & ROOTS ALBUM for his haunting LP Jungle Blues. With musical influences spanning pre-war blues, jazz, 1920s calypso and folklore, Stoneking's personal experience looms large in the works, with Jungle Blues inspired in part by his experience as a survivor of a shipwreck off Africa's West Coast.
An Award veteran and remarkable country music talent TROY CASSAR-DALEY received his 4th career ARIA Award honour of BEST COUNTRY ALBUM for his LP I Love This Place. Co-produced by Rod McCormack, his album of heartfelt songs delves into a rich history of the Australian bush and celebrates the lives of those living, learning and loving in the outback. With 16 number one singles, 14 Golden Guitars, 7 Deadlys (Indigenous artist awards) and 4 CMAA (Country Music Association of Australia) Entertainer of the Year awards Cassar-Daley is truly one of the most successful artists this country has produced.
An ARIA Award winner in this category in 2007 for his debut album Memories and Dust JOSH PYKE has once again emerged victorious, winning BEST ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM for his acclaimed Chimney's Afire, while BEST INDEPENDENT RELEASE was awarded to BERTIE BLACKMAN for the darkly-tinged electro melodies of her third studio album Secrets and Lies, an album which also won Best Breakthrough Artist at the 2009 AIR Awards.
Her music has been featured on hit US television shows Six Feet Under and Grey's Anatomy, now Adelaide-born artist SIA has been awarded the ARIA for BEST DVD for her very own debut audio visual effort TV Is My Parent, which includes a live concert recorded in New York 2007, plus music videos along with behind the scenes videos from her 2008 North American tour.
Meanwhile, kid's favourite across Australia and the world, THE WIGGLES have won the title of BEST CHILDREN'S ALBUM with their release The Wiggles Go Bananas! bringing the group's tally to a massive eight ARIA Awards in this category over their career history.
And finally in a year where Australia's kings of comedy HAMISH AND ANDY traveled not only across airwaves but across countries, they've finished up 2009 by taking out the category of BEST COMEDY RELEASE with their double album of radio show highlights featuring pranks, sketches, songs and adventures around the world, Unessential Listening.
Again highlighting the depth and diversity of immense talent across all genres of the Australian music community, ARIA congratulates all winners in the 2009 ARIA Awards.
Please see full list of winners below.
The 2009 ARIA AWARDS featured live performances by The Temper Trap, Sarah Blasko, Kate Miller-Heidke, Lisa Mitchell, Empire of The Sun, Ladyhawke, Hilltop Hoods, Jessica Mauboy, Keith Urban and the one and only Robbie Williams. Kate Ritchie and Gyton Grantley hosted the Awards and were joined by special guest presenters: Missy Higgins, Orianthi, Ruby Rose, Powderfinger, Guy Sebastian, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Vanessa Amorosi.
2009 ARIA Awards Winners
Album of the Year
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Capitol/EMI Music Australia)
Single of the Year
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Capitol/EMI Music Australia)
Breakthrough Artist Album
Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke (Modular Recordings)
Breakthrough Artist Single
Ladyhawke - My Delirium (Modular Recordings)
Best Group
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Capitol/EMI Music Australia)
Best Female Artist
Sarah Blasko - As Day Follows Night (Dew Process)
Best Male Artist
Daniel Merriweather - Love & War (Universal Music Australia)
Best Rock Album
AC/DC - Black Ice (Albert Productions/Sony Music Entertainment)
Best Pop Release
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Capitol/EMI Music Australia)
Best Urban Release
Hilltop Hoods - State of the Art (Golden Era/Universal Music Australia)
Best Dance Release
The Presets - Talk Like That (Modular Recordings)
Best Blues & Roots Album
C.W. Stoneking - Jungle Blues (King Hokum Records/Shock)
Best Country Album
Troy Cassar-Daley - I Love This Place (Liberation Music)
Best Independent Release
Bertie Blackman - Secrets and Lies (Forum 5/MGM)
Best Adult Contemporary Album
Josh Pyke - Chimney's Afire (Ivy League Records)
Best DVD
Sia - TV is my Parent (Monkey Puzzle/Inertia)
Best Children's Album
The Wiggles - The Wiggles Go Bananas! (ABC Music)
Best Comedy Release
Hamish and Andy - Unessential Listening (Roadshow Music/Sony Music Entertainment)
Highest Selling Single
Jessica Mauboy - Running Back (Sony)
Highest Selling Album
AC/DC - Black Ice (Albert Productions/Sony Music Entertainment)
2009 ARIA Awards Artisan Winners
Best Cover Art
Aaron Hayward & David Homer - Debaser - Empire Of The Sun, Walking On A Dream (Capitol/EMI Music Australia)
Best Video
Josh Logue for Mathematics - Empire Of The Sun, Walking On A Dream (Capitol/EMI Music Australia)
Engineer of the Year * Note two equal winners *
DJ Debris - Hilltop Hoods, State Of The Art (Golden Era/Universal Music Australia)
Greg Wales - You Am I, Dilettantes (Virgin/EMI Music Australia)
Producer of the Year
Empire Of The Sun and Donnie Sloan with Peter Mayes - Empire Of The Sun, Walking on A Dream (Capitol/EMI Music Australia)
2009 ARIA Fine Arts Awards Winners
Best Classical Album
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra/Paul Dyer - Handel: Concerti Grossi Opus 6 (ABC Classics/Universal Music Australia)
Best Jazz Album
Katie Noonan - Blackbird (Sony Music Entertainment)
Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album
Soundtrack - Balibo (ABC Music/Universal Music Australia)
Best World Music Album
Seaman Dan - Sailing Home (Steady Steady Music/MGM)
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