APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) is proud to announce details of the nominees for the 2009 APRA Music Awards, which will be held at the Peninsula in Melbourne on Tuesday June 23rd. These nominees, across 8 categories including the peer voted APRA SONG OF THE YEAR, represent the songwriters behind the most successful works of 2008.

Featuring a record number of first time nominees (45 songwriters across 21 artists and their performed works) covering rock, pop, jazz, dance, urban, blues & roots and country music, the Class of 2009 showcases the depth of writing talent of high profile Australian songwriters such as CHRIS CHENEY from THE LIVING END, ADAM HARVEY, THE VERONICAS, JESSICA MAUBOY, KATE MILLER-HEIDKE, LUKE STEELE and NICK LITTLEMORE from EMPIRE OF THE SUN, BLISS N ESO and THE POTBELLEEZ.

In what is arguably the most eclectic collection of nominees for the coveted APRA SONG OF THE YEAR, this peer-voted category features compositions by songwriters who run the musical gamut. Elder statesman and songwriter extraordinaire NICK CAVE has received a nomination for Dig! Lazarus Dig!, the jaunty title track from the NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS 14th studio album, while the super talented musical duo that is KASEY CHAMBERS and SHANE NICHOLSON have been nominated for Rattlin’ Bones, the highly acclaimed title track of their first musical collaboration together. Receiving her first ever APRA nomination is songbird KATE MILLER-HEIDKE, with co-writer KEIR NUTTALL for the song Can’t Shake It, alongside LUKE STEELE and NICK LITTLEMORE from EMPIRE OF THE SUN with their ethereal, irresistible pop classic Walking On A Dream. And nominated for the first time in his 15 year career is THE LIVING END’s CHRIS CHENEY who penned the scorching rock anthem White Noise. With a 30,000 strong membership of eligible voters, the APRA SONG OF THE YEAR is the single, biggest peer voted music award in Australia.

Four out of five of the songwriters in the category of MOST PLAYED AUSTRALIAN WORK are first time nominees. Dominating the airwaves for the past year has been Sydney outfit FAKER (writer NATHAN HUDSON) with This Heart Attack, THE VERONICAS with Untouched, AXLE WHITEHEAD (and co-writer ROBERT CONLEY JNR) with I Don’t Do Surprises and THE POTBELLEEZ with their smash hit Don’t Hold Back. APRA veteran VANESSA AMOROSI (and co-writer DAVID FRANGIOSA) is also nominated in this category for her song Perfect.

JADE MACRAE, last year’s winner in the URBAN WORK OF THE YEAR category, returns with a nomination for In The Basement (co-written with ARNTHOR BIRGISSON), while JOEL TURNER also makes a comeback with City Of Dreams (co-written with SHAUNN DIAMOND, CHRIS HEINER and KITCHENER WESCHE). JESSICA MAUBOY (with co-writers AUDIUS MTAWARIRA and SEAN MULLINS) receives her maiden APRA nomination for the hit song Running Back that features FLO-RIDA. And also making their APRA nominations debut is BLISS N ESO who appear twice in this category with Woodstock 2008 and The Sea Is Rising.

Leading 2009 APRA nominations tally with a total of 3 nods is THE POTBELLEZ with Are You With Me? and Don’t Hold Back in the DANCE WORK OF THE YEAR category. First time nominee KIM MOYES from THE PRESETS (co-writer JULIAN HAMILTON was nominated in 2008 for his work with Daniel Johns) continue to receive accolades for their critically successful album Apocalypso, this time with This Boy’s In Love. And also nominated are previous nominees ROGUE TRADERS with Don’t You Wanna Feel and SNEAKY SOUND SYSTEM with Kansas City.

In the BLUES AND ROOTS WORK OF THE YEAR category is first time nominee and guitar legend 8 BALL AITKEN who is nominated for his composition Cowboy Movie while LIOR (along with co-writer FRANCOIS TETAZ) is included for Heal Me. THE WAIFS appear twice in this category with Stay (with co-writer BRETT CANNING) and sundirtwater. And OLD MAN RIVER (aka OHAD REIN) is nominated along with co-writers EDO KAHN and NADAV KAHN for the joyous Sunshine.

The COUNTRY WORK OF THE YEAR category features a collection of new and established songwriters including ADAM BRAND (with co-writer SAM HAWKSLEY and DON WALKER for Khe Sanh) for Coming From. First time nominee AMBER LAWRENCE appears with her song Good Girls and previous APRA winner SARA STORER (with co-writer BOH RUNGA) is nominated for Long Live The Girls. ADAM HARVEY with co-writer PHIL BUCKLE is nominated for I’m Doin’ Alright. And making their 2nd appearance on the 2009 nominees list is KASEY CHAMBERS and SHANE NICHOLSON for Rattlin’ Bones. This brings Kasey Chambers’ over all tally for the APRA Music Awards to an astonishing 20 nominations.

The category of JAZZ WORK OF THE YEAR features nominations by Australian jazz legend and accomplished screen composer PAUL GRABOWSKY (Raindrop), and APRA debuts from ELISSA GOODRICH (Beyond Both Worlds), CLARE SHANNON (Sailing Day) and JOE CHINDAMO (Moments and Eternities and Something Will Come To Light).

Ballads have dominated the category of MOST PLAYED FOREIGN WORK kicking off with All Your Reasons by MATCHBOX 20 and the worldwide hit Bleeding Love co-written by JESSE MCCARTNEY and RYAN TEDDER. RYAN TEDDER appears again in this category with his band ONE REPUBLIC for their song Stop and Stare. The final two nominees in this category are THE LAST GOODNIGHT with their composition PICTURES OF YOU and NEWTON FAULKNER (with co-writers CRISPIN HUNT and GORDON MILLS) for Dream Catch Me.

The APRA Board of Writer and Publisher Directors decide the celebrated Songwriter of the Year award and the Ted Albert Award For Outstanding Services to Australian Music. Previous recipients of these prestigious awards include Daniel Johns (2008 APRA Music Award Songwriter of the Year recipients), Bernard Fanning and Neil Finn and Roger Davies (2008 APRA Music Award recipient of Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music), Michael Chugg, Michael McMartin, Don Burrows, and Angus and Malcolm Young.

The APRA Board of Writer and Publisher Directors also decide the Breakthrough Songwriter Award, which recognises emerging songwriter talent.

These three awards, along with the winner of the Most Performed Australian Work Overseas, will be announced at the 2009 APRA Music Awards on Tuesday June 23rd.

The 2009 APRA Music Awards will be hosted by Jonathan Biggins and will feature live performances and special guest presenters. The event will also be captured by subscription television partner MAX for a special that will be broadcast exclusively on MAX, on Sunday 5th July at 8.30pm. MAX is available on FOXTEL and AUSTAR.

Nominees are:

Song of the Year

Can't Shake It - Kate Miller-Heidke
Dig Lazarus Dig - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Rattlin’ Bones - Kasey Chambers / Shane Nicholson
Walking on a Dream - Empire of the Sun
White Noise - The Living End

Most Played Australian Work

Don’t Hold Back - The Potbelleez
I Don’t Do Surprises - Axle Whitehead
Perfect - Vanessa Amorosi
This Heart Attack - Faker
Untouched - The Veronicas

Urban Work of the Year

City of Dreams - Joel Turner featuring C4 and KNO
In The Basement - Jade MacRae
Running Back - Jessica Mauboy featuring Flo Rida
The Sea Is Rising - Bliss N Eso
Woodstock 2008 - Bliss N Eso

Dance Work of the Year

Are You With Me - The Potbelleez
Don’t Hold Back - The Potbelleez
Don’t You Wanna Feel - Rogue Traders
Kansas City - Sneaky Sound System
This Boy’s In Love - The Presets

Most Played Foreign Work

All Your Reasons - Matchbox 20
Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
Dream Catch Me - Newton Faulkner
Pictures of You - The Last Goodnight
Stop and Stare - One Republic