Punk Rockers Amyl and the Sniffers Storm the 2025 ARIA Awards
The 2025 ARIA Awards ceremony witnessed a spectacular triumph for Melbourne's pub rock sensation, Amyl and the Sniffers, as the band secured an impressive four awards. Their acclaimed album, Cartoon Darkness, propelled them to victory in the night's most prestigious categories, including Album of the Year and Best Group.
Frontwoman Amy Taylor provided some of the evening's most unforgettable and politically charged acceptance speeches. Upon accepting the award for Album of the Year, she quipped, "As the new prime minister of Australia, I’d like to say: all immigrants welcome," before adding, "I’d like to say: land back, the dole’s going up, and every pub gets a million dollars." She later confessed the album's success had been life-changing, exclaiming, "Probably won’t have to work at IGA ever again!"
Electronic Breakthrough and Industry Recognition
While Amyl and the Sniffers dominated the rock categories, the electronic music scene celebrated a major breakthrough. Ninajirachi, the 26-year-old producer, emerged as another big winner, claiming three awards from a leading eight nominations. Her victories included Best Solo Artist and Best Independent Release for her debut album, I Love My Computer.
The dance music theme continued with Dom Dolla, who was recognised with the newly introduced Global Impact Award for his international success. He also won the award for Best Dance/Electronic Release for his track Dreamin'.
In response to a challenging climate for live events, the ARIA Awards introduced a new Best Music Festival category, which was awarded to the long-running and highly successful Laneway Festival.
Established Stars and Returning Champions
The ceremony also served as a platform for established artists to add to their accolades. Tame Impala's Kevin Parker secured his 14th and 15th ARIA awards, winning for Best Engineered Release and Best Produced Release.
Other notable winners included:
- The Kid Laroi for Song of the Year (Girls)
- Thelma Plum for Best Pop Album
- Troye Sivan for Best Live Act
- Taylor Swift for International Artist
The 2025 ARIA Awards successfully highlighted the vibrant diversity and immense talent within the Australian music industry, from punk rock anthems to cutting-edge electronic production.
