Having recently announced their 56-strong long list, the organisers of the annual Australian Music Prize (AMP) have now completed the weighty task of whittling the list down to just 10 albums, with the shortlist featuring the likes of Tame Impala, Courtney Barnett, and more.
Selected by the expert 16-member industry-judging panel, the 11th AMP Shortlist is the final stage before the winner of the 2016 AMP is announced at ‘Amped Up In Conversation’, where alternative legend Henry Rollins will serve as special guest speaker.
Those who’ve been following the AMP for a while will notice the 11th AMP Shortlist contains 10 albums, rather than nine. According to Chairperson of the Judging Panel, Dave Faulkner, this is simply a reflection of the the strong year Australian music has had.
“As Chairman of the Judging panel I am proud to say that all the AMP judges felt that this was one of the strongest years we’ve ever had in Australian music… As a result, the AMP’s judges decided to increase the Shortlist to ten albums this year instead of the usual nine.”
“This is only the second time this has happened since the Australian Music Prize began eleven years ago,” Faulkner said in a statement. The 11th AMP Shortlist is as follows (in alphabetical order):
Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit And Think, Sometimes I Just Sit
Dan Kelly – Leisure Panic
Dick Diver – Melbourne, Florida
Gold Class – It’s You
Jess Ribeiro – Kill It Yourself
Methyl Ethel – Oh Inhuman Spectacle
My Disco – Severe
Royal Headache – High
Sarah Blasko – Eternal Return
Tame Impala – Currents
“No list of ten albums could ever capture the diversity of music that was produced in the country over the last year and many great albums only narrowly missed making the Shortlist, breaking some AMP judges’ hearts in the process,” Faulkner continued.
“However, these were the ten albums that the sixteen judges agreed were the best of the year. Any one of them will make a worthy winner.” The 11th AMP winner will receive $30,000 in prize money, courtesy of the PPCA.
Meanwhile, Henry Rollins added, “In my opinion, there are so many great bands making great albums in Australia, you would be spoiled for choice to pick out a single best album but it will be interesting to see what happens.”
“A large part of my listening comes from Australia. This has been the case for many years and of course being such a fan, I’m quite honored and excited to be a part of the Australian Music Prize.” Check out some of Rollins’ favourite Aussie acts here.
