2024 SoundMerch Australian Music Prize Shortlist Unveiled
The shortlist includes Amyl & The Sniffers’ Cartoon Darkness, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ Wild God and Kankawa Nagarra’s Wirlmarni.
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The shortlist for the 2024 SoundMerch Australian Music Prize (AMP) is in and boy is it a dozy.
The albums selected showcase the diverse range of talent that makes up the Oz music scene, with over 600 eligible entries whittled down to just nine. The albums chosen were released between October 28, 2023, and October 25, 2024, and nominated by a top-notch panel of journalists, musicians and industry figures.
The winner of the AMP takes home a cool $50,000 and is recognised for releasing the best album of the year.
This year’s shortlist comprises Audrey Powne’s From The Fire, Amyl And The Sniffers’ Cartoon Darkness, DOBBY’s Warrangu; River Story, Grace Cummings’ Ramona, Hiatus Kaiyote’s Love Heart Cheat Code, Kankawa Nagarra’s Wirlmarni, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ Wild God, Rowena Wise’s Senseless Acts Of Beauty and The Dirty Three’s Love Changes Everything.
The winner will be announced at The SoundMerch AMP event to be held at APRA AMCOS on Wednesday, December 4.
READ MORE: Amyl And The Sniffers Announce Huge 2025 Australian Tour
Speaking about this year’s shortlist, Scott Murphy, Founder/Prize Director of The Australian Music Prize said: “On behalf of The AMP, SoundMerch, our industry partners - and the Aussie music industry as a whole, I sincerely thank our judges for their donation of time, expertise - and passion! It's no easy task reviewing over 600 albums and choosing to highlight just 9.”
Dec Mehrtens from Amyl & The Sniffers said of the band’s nomination: “We are grateful to be shortlisted for this prize. Australian music is dear to our hearts, and we are incredibly proud to be able to create and perform the music we make.”
Audrey Powne added: “I am deeply honoured my debut album From the Fire has been shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize. Making this album was cathartic on a number of fronts, including the decision to self-produce. This recognition is very meaningful and validating.”
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds commented: “Wild God has made it onto the shortlist. Thank you to everyone for their support. It means a great deal to us to be recognised by AMP.
DOBBY added: “I'm incredibly honoured to be shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize! WARRANGU tells the greater story of "Australia", our land and our rivers. I thank every single person that has listened to this story, because, ultimately, you are part of it - "All these rivers they lead back to you.”
Rowena Wise said: “I'm honoured to be shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize this year with Senseless Acts of Beauty. I had the most fun making this album with Rob Muinos, we got into a deep zone. I put a very real part of me into every moment of its creation and delivery. To know this album sits alongside a high calibre of other wonderful Aussie albums is deeply humbling. I cherish the feeling that people are connecting with my music in any way, so it means even more to me to feel such a tangible connection by being shortlisted for this.”
The winner will be announced at The SoundMerch AMP event to be held at APRA AMCOS on Wednesday, December 4.
