ANGUS & JULIA STONE TAKE OUT ALBUM AND SINGLE OF THE YEAR

– Media Release

ANGUS & JULIA STONE TAKE OUT ALBUM AND SINGLE OF THE YEAR, POWDERFINGER, WASHINGTON, DAN SULTAN, THE TEMPER TRAP and SIA ALL WIN ARIA AWARDS

Sydney, Australia

After an exciting lead-up to the 2010 ARIA Awards that has seen the presentation of sixteen ARIA ‘Genre’ Awards, four ARIA Artisan Awards and the induction of five bona fide music legends at a heartfelt ARIA Hall of Fame event, ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) is proud to announce the final winners of the 2010 ARIA Awards season.

Before a capacity audience comprised of members of industry heavy weights and music fans, the final eleven ARIA Awards were presented in style at a dazzling event at Australia’s most iconic venue – the Sydney Opera House on Sunday 7 November 2010 (broadcast on Network Ten).

Capping off an extraordinary year, brother / sister act ANGUS & JULIA STONE have taken out the much coveted ARIA Award in the category of ALBUM OF THE YEAR. With thirteen lovingly crafted songs reflecting a myriad of emotions, the album is Down The Way, which peaked at No. 1 on the ARIA Album Chart and has been an unstoppable force. ANGUS & JULIA STONE have also won the ARIA Award in the category of SINGLE OF THE YEAR for Big Jet Plane, a beautifully understated song with a dreamy string arrangement that has captured hearts. The siblings also won an ARIA Award on Friday night in the category of BEST ADULT ALTERNATIVE
ALBUM and proving that their talent lies beyond writing and performing, ANGUS & JULIA STONE also won two ARIA Artisan Awards in September for PRODUCER OF THE YEAR and BEST COVER ART.

Singer / songwriter WASHINGTON has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that her star is swiftly on the rise. She has taken out her first two ARIA Awards in the categories of BEST FEMALE ARTIST and BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST for her sensational debut album, I Believe You Liar. With wordy, twisty, clever pop lyrics about love she has a voice that has bought grown men to tears. Hailed by songwriters of the calibre of Paul Kelly and Tim Finn, this original troubadour is destined to make hearts sing and faces smile.

If WASHINGTON is the Queen, then her King has been crowned. DAN SULTAN has been named BEST MALE ARTIST on the back of his electrifying album Get Out While You Can. Already
the winner in the BEST BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM category for 2010, Sultan’s second album is a romp through rockabilly, blues, soul, roots, country and swing. The album shot to Number 1 on the Independent Australian album charts and remains one of the highest selling independent releases in the country today. All hail the new King!

Atmospheric pop outfit THE TEMPER TRAP have won their first ever ARIA Award in the category of BEST GROUP for the glittering single Love Lost from their widely acclaimed album Conditions.

Currently taking the world by storm they have also won an Award in the inaugural Public
Voted ARIA Awards presented by V Energy Drink. As voted by the people, THE TEMPER TRAP has won in the category of MOST POPULAR AUSTRALIAN SINGLE for
their majestic anthem Sweet Disposition.

Winning her second ARIA Award for 2010 is the enormously talented artist known as SIA. On Friday night she won the ARIA Award for BEST POP RELEASE. Now SIA has won the ARIA Award in the category of BEST INDEPENDENT RELEASE for her brilliant album We Are Born. With a collection of thirteen pop gems (including the impossibly catchy Clap Your Hands), this is an
upbeat, joyous album that reflects a free spirit and a future so bright, she’ll have to wear shades.

The people have spoken! In the inaugural Public Voted ARIA Awards presented by V Energy Drink music fans have made their voices – and choices – heard!

In a fitting finale to their phenomenal music career, Australia’s biggest band has won two of the four publicly voted ARIA Awards, presented by V Energy Drink. With the sun about to set on one of the most beloved bands in Australian history, the Awards for most MOST POPULAR AUSTRALIAN ARTIST and MOST POPULAR AUSTRALIAN ALBUM, as voted by the Australian people, have gone to POWDERFINGER for their final studio album Golden Rule. With a whopping, grand total of eighteen ARIA Awards under their belt, and too many accolades to list, POWDERFINGER we salute you!

The inaugural ARIA Public Voted Award, presented by V Energy Drink, in the category of MOST POPULAR INTERNATIONAL ARTIST has gone to North London quartet MUMFORD AND SONS. With a gutsy, old-time sound that marries the magic of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young with the might of Kings of Leon, their incredible energy has drawn Australian music fans in to their circle of songs, to the warmth of their stories, and to their magical community of misty-eyed men.

The 2010 ARIA Awards were held for the first time at Australia’s most iconic venue – the Sydney Opera House. NSW Minister for Major Events, Kevin Greene, said the NSW Government through Events NSW is thrilled to support the ARIA Awards, this year for the first time taking place at the iconic Sydney Opera House.

“Sydney Opera House provides a spectacular backdrop to showcase Australia’s best music talent to the world. The ARIAs are a highly anticipated event on Australia’s music calendar and their profile and nation-wide recognition as our country’s premier industry awards reinforces Sydney’s place as the number one destination to stage prestigious and coveted events,” Mr Greene said.

“Our global city is the natural home for the ARIA Awards. We are the hub for Australia’s recording industry with the four major record labels having their headquarters in Sydney. The NSW music sector directly employs around 8,000 people, 42 percent of employment in the sector national,” he said.

Mr Greene added that like the artists receiving Awards tonight, Sydney had also scooped Awards’ accolades. “Last month, Sydney was named Best Festival and Events City in the world by the 2010 International Festivals and Events Association.”

ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) proudly congratulates all the winners in the 2010 ARIA Awards season.

The 2010 ARIA Awards were hosted by NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE and DYLAN LEWIS. In their final live television performance POWDERFINGER shared the performance stage with DAN SULTAN, GUY SEBASTIAN, ANGUS & JULIA STONE, JOHN BUTLER TRIO, SIA, WASHINGTON and BIRDS OF TOKYO. Actor ERIC STONESTREET (from the smash hit Network Ten comedy Modern Family), Silverchair’s CHRIS JOANNOU, OPERATOR PLEASE, RICKI LEE, STAN WALKER, PHIL JAMIESON, JESSICA MAUBOY, CLARE BOWDITCH, JASON DERULO, TIM ROGERS, BOB KATTER (Independent Member for Kennedy), ANDREW HANSENand JULIAN MORROW from THE CHASER, KASEY CHAMBERS, FUZZY, MYF WARHURST, JAMES MATHISON, AXLE WHITEHEAD, RONAN KEATING, YUMI STYNES, GEOFF HUEGILL, KELSEY MARTINOVICH, LARA BINGLE, MTV’s RUBY ROSE and DARREN McMULLEN, STEVE KILBEY, MARCIA HINES, CONNIE MITCHELL and CARMEN ELECTRA took on presenting duties on the night.