ARIA Celebrates 40 Years of Australian Music Excellence in 2026
The ARIA Awards 2026 return on 18 November with a Special Hall Of Fame event on 11 June.
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This year, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the ARIA Awards.
Established in 1987, the ARIA Awards represent the pinnacle of the Australian music industry, with the annual ceremony a celebration of local artists making a difference both here and internationally.
Along with the usual November ceremony, this year the ARIAs are hosting a special ARIA Hall of Fame Anniversary event on Thursday 11 June at Carriageworks in Sydney.
This standalone event will honour some of Australia’s most influential artists of the past 40 years, with six artists handpicked by the ARIA Board to be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, joining the likes of AC/DC, Tina Arena, INXS, Archie Roach and more.
As for the 2026 ARIA Awards, they will return on Wednesday 18 November in partnership with Spotify at Sydney’s Horden Pavilion, on Gadigal land, with the ceremony also returning to 10 and streaming live on Paramount+.
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Last year’s ARIA Awards were another massive success, with Amyl and the Sniffers taking home four awards, including Album of the Year and Best Group, while rising star Ninajirachi was awarded three gongs.
The night also featured an unforgettable performance from Olivia Dean, who took out triple j’s Hottest 100 with her single, ‘Man I Need’, and saw Daniel Johns induct You Am I into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
“Reaching 40 years of the ARIA Awards is a powerful moment to reflect on just how deeply Australian music is woven into our story,” says ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd.
“The 2026 ARIA Hall of Fame anniversary event gives us the chance to properly honour the artists and industry figures whose work has shaped generations, while the 2026 ARIA Awards will continue that story by championing the next wave of Australian talent on an increasingly global stage. This milestone is about legacy but it’s also about backing where Australian music is going next. We can’t wait for what 2026 will bring.”
The ARIA Hall of Fame Anniversary event takes place on Thursday 11 June at Carriageworks in Sydney. The 2026 ARIA Awards return on Wednesday 18 November at Sydney’s Horden Pavilion, on Gadigal land. More information available at aria.com.au.
