Breaking – Today the highly-coveted SoundMerch Australian Music Prize has been awarded to The Avalanches for their acclaimed album We Will Always Love You for the most outstanding creative Australian record of the last year. Not only do they take out the prestigious award but land $20,000 in prize money thanks to SoundMerch. 

Rising above 88 album nominations that were then carefully narrowed down to a shortlist of eight other amazing Australian albums, The Avalanches’ We Will Always Love You was chosen by the panel of 48 judges to be the most important album release of the year.

Melbourne’s own The Avalanches ambitious third album We Will Always Love You overflows with ideas, samples, and guests across their unique blend of blissed-out disco, soul, and psychedelia featuring the voices and sounds of artists such as Blood Orange, Jamie xx, Weezer, Denzel Curry, and more. Continuing to evolve and push the boundaries of their sound across each record, the group remains as forward-thinking and intriguing as they began. 

The Avalanches share, “We’re so thrilled to be the winners of the prestigious AMP Award and be amongst the esteemed winners of the past. We’d love to thank everyone involved in making this award happen especially Sound Merch, also to the many people who helped us put this record together. A truly special day for us and we’re so grateful.“

2020 was another impressive year for Australian music, particularly within an industry that experienced unprecedented struggles and challenges. The art that has been produced throughout and as a result of these times has demonstrated the resilience and power in the craft, and those artists behind it including new and familiar voices bleeding out from all corners of the country, including Miiiesha’s debut recordNyaaringu, Gordan Koang’s Unity, Alice Ivy’s Don’t Sleep, and more. 

The AMP has and continues to rise above genre, popularity, politics or sales, and focuses entirely on artistic merit. Discerned by a panel of over 40 judges comprised of artists, journalists, programmers and presenters, retailers, and more, the group compiles a long-list before heavily debating the AMP shortlist, and eventually finalists. 

The Australian Music Prize founder Scott Murphy shares, “Winning The AMP this time is a ‘mean feat’ as there were plenty of great contenders so I congratulate The Avalanches on winning the 16th AMP, you deserve it. I’d like to thank all our judges and partners for pulling off our 16th prize during difficult times.”

As always, the AMP wishes to thank the industry support from long term champions of the coveted prize, including APRA AMCOS and Mushroom Group, the prize continues to exist not just to celebrate the album as a respected format, but to recognise and celebrate our thriving nation of musicians and their original work.

THE SOUNDMERCH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC PRIZE FINALISTS
Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep
The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You
Blake Scott – Niscitam
Emma Donovan and The Putbacks – Crossover
Fanny Lumsden – Fallow
Gordon Koang – Unity
Miiesha – Nyaaringu
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Ziggy Ramo – Black Thoughts

THE AMP WINNERS
2020 – The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You
2019 – Sampa the Great – The Return 
2018 – Gurrumul – Djarimirri 
2017 – Sampa the Great, Birds and the BEE9
2016 – A.B. Original – Reclaim Australia 
2015 – Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit 
2014 – REMI – Raw X Infinity 
2013 – Big Scary, Not Art
2012 – Hermitude, HyperParadise 
2011 – The Jezabels, Prisoner 
2010 – Cloud Control, Bliss Release 
2009 – Lisa Mitchel, Wonder
2008 – Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Primary Colours
2007 – The Mess Hall, Devils Elbow 
2006 – Augie March, Moo, You Bloody Choir
2005 – The Drones, Wait Long by the River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By