Who will get your vote for the best ever ARIA Song of the Year?
THEY are the songs which have been woven into the Australian soundtrack.
Some are anthems which are embraced across the generations such as John Farnham’s You’re The Voice or Midnight Oil’s Beds Are Burning.
Others were defining moments in long careers — Silverchair’s Tomorrow, Powderfinger’s My Happiness and Delta Goodrem’s Born To Try.
And then there were songs which simply captured the pop flavour of the year such as Madison Avenue’s Don’t Call Me Baby or Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn.
For three decades, the ARIA Song Of The Year, also occasionally awarded as Single of The Year, has been one of the night’s big gongs, a celebration of that perfect marriage of music and lyrics, melody and meaning which strike a resounding chord on the airwaves and the stage.
Check out all the songs below, then scroll down to vote for your favourite
ARIA MEMORIES
The host of the inaugural ARIA Awards in 1987, Elton John, announced the winner of the first Song Of The Year as “him with his single”.
He was referring to Farnham, who had already made a few acceptance speeches by the time the evening’s penultimate award was announced, and You’re The Voice, the aspirational anthem which had rebooted his music career.
“If nothing else happens for me … good,” Farnham joked on stage.
“I am the happiest man in the world and I will fight anyone who says they are happier than me.”
His ability to offer gracious thank yous and commentary on multiple occasions was trumped a decade later by Savage Garden.
They set an almost unassailable benchmark of 10 awards from 13 nominations. Both Truly Madly Deeply and To The Moon and Back won accolades on the big night for Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones, who managed to deliver heartfelt and funny speeches every time they stood at the podium.
“I guess why we are here is because … we love songs, we love writing songs, we love music; it’s the best thing in the world,” Jones said.
Hayes, who loved having the last word, added: “Writing songs is something we would do for free-ish; just don’t tell anybody.”
5 Seconds of Summer hit the red carpet at the 2014 ARIA Awards. Picture: Bradley HunterSource:News Corp Australia
For every artist who found the moment alien and overwhelming — a jetlagged Gabriella Cilmi in 2008 or Matt Corby in 2013, whose thank yous lasted a mere 15 seconds — there is a 5 Seconds of Summer.
When She Looks So Perfect was announced as the Song of the Year for 2014, the four rockers from Sydney’s western suburbs achieved some serious air as they jumped out of their chairs and bounded onto the stage.
It meant everything to four musicians who had spent a couple of years trying to shake off the “boy band” tag and win acceptance from critics even if the Song Of The Year is now a fan-voted affair.
“Do we get to keep it?” an elated Michael Clifford said.
Calum Hood added: “This is the first award our parents have actually seen us get apart from participation in swimming. This is very special.”
Now it’s your turn to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ARIA Awards by choosing your favourite Song Of The Year.
The winner will be announced on the red carpet at the ARIA Awards on November 23.
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