Australian music legend Colin Hay, who was part of 1980s hitmakers Men At Work (“Down Under”) was Thursday awarded the honorary Ted Albert Award for outstanding services to Australian music at the 2023 APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Music Awards held in Sydney. The annual awards recognize song-writing, sales and airplay performances.
The award, named after music producer behind The Easybeats and AC/DC, was shared with the late trailblazing tour promoter Colleen Ironside who set the groundwork for a Pan-Asian touring network and produced scores of tours in the region.
Hay who has based himself as a solo artist in Los Angeles after Men at Work split in 1986, was in attendance and was feted with video tributes from friends, actor Zach Braff and Ringo Starr.
“To receive the news that APRA wanted to bestow this most prestigious Ted Albert Award is very special indeed,” said Hay.
Other awards were more evenly spread, with nine first-time winners. Grammy Award winning EDM group Rüfüs Du Sol (Jonathon George, James Hunt and Tyrone Lindqvist) was named songwriter of the year. The band also collected the most performed dance/electronic work for “On My Knees.”
Zambian-born, Australian-based songwriter and performer Sampa the Great was named breakthrough songwriter of the year.
The song of the year, decided by the votes of 3000 APRA AMCOS members, was awarded to DJ and producer Flume and co-writer Sarah Aarons for “Say Nothing” (feat. MAY-A).
Sydney-born rapper and singer The Kid Laroi continued his meteoric rise, winning two APRA awards for his worldwide hit “Stay” (co-written with Justin Bieber) – most-performed Australian work for 2023 and most-performed pop work.
The most–performed international work award went to global hit “As It Was” by Harry Styles (with co-writers Thomas Hull and Tyler Johnson).