Oztix | News | Tones & I, Dean Lewis, Hilltop Hoods Lead 2020 APRA Music Awards Winners

Results from the 2020 APRA Music Awards are in, with Tones & I continuing to dominate following the global success of Dance Monkey.

The acclaimed track took out the peer-voted APRA Song of the Year award, while the Bryon Bay-based singer-songwriter was named Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year.

This year’s event, which was live-streamed in light of the COVID pandemic, also saw Aussie hip hop legends Hilltop Hoods win big, claiming the Songwriter of the Year award following their 2019 album The Great Expanse and, for the second year in a row, Most Performed Urban Work, this time for Leave Me Lonely.

“We’ve spent our entire lives writing and making music. To be awarded Songwriter of the Year by the APRA Board is an absolute honour. We couldn’t be more thrilled or grateful,” Hilltop Hoods said.

Emerging songwriter KIAN, who won triple j’s Unearthed High competition in 2018, picked up Most Performed Australian Work and Most Performed Alternative Work for Waiting, alongside co-writer Jerome Farah.

Meanwhile, Dean Lewis’ 7 Minutes picked up Most Performed Pop Work as Troy Cassar-Daley’s Shutting Down Our Town (performed by Jimmy Barnes) claimed Most Performed Rock Work and Sia’s Cheap Thrills won Most Performed Australian Work Overseas for the third consecutive year.

The 2020 virtual event was hosted by Briggs and featured performances from John Butler, Mama Kin, Kira Puru, Mo’Ju and more, as curated by Kate Miller-Heidke.