Minor players rock the boat

Major record companies have lost their grip on the Australian music industry’s highest profile honours, with independent acts Chet Faker, Sheppard, Sia and Dan Sultan dominating the 2014 ARIA Award nominations.

Faker, the stage name for Melbourne electronic artist Nicholas Murphy, leads the charge of newcomers with nine nominations, including best male artist, album of the year for his chart-topping debut Built on Glass and best dance release for Drop the Game, his collaboration with Sydney producer Flume.

Faker and Flume, who won four awards at last year’s awards, are signed to boutique Sydney electronic label Future Classic.

Faker was recently named ARIA producer of the year. Built on Glass received awards for engineer of the year and best cover art.

Four of the five albums jostling for album of the year come from independent artists, with only Sony artist Jessica Mauboy spoiling the party.

Brisbane sibling pop outfit Sheppard follows Faker with seven nominations, including best group and album of the year for debut Bombs Away, while Los Angeles-based star songwriter Sia has six nominations.

Sheppard and Sia are signed to independent labels in Australia.

Indigenous rocker Dan Sultan features in five categories, including album of the year for Blackbird and best male artist, which he won in 2010.

Several artists have been recognised for overseas success, including rapper Iggy Azalea and boy band 5 Seconds of Summer, who each have four nods alongside Brisbane indie rockers Violent Soho.

Household names are few and far between in this year’s ARIA Awards beyond mentions for Australian Idol alumni such as Mauboy and Guy Sebastian or veterans Jimmy Barnes, Paul Kelly, Neil Finn and Nick Cave.

Award magnet John Butler Trio has three nominations to lead a thin WA contingent alongside Perth-born country artist Adam Brand and psych-rockers Tame Impala, who each have one.

The 28th annual ARIA Awards winners will be announced in Sydney tomorrow.

2014 ARIA NOMINATIONS

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Chet Faker: Built On Glass

Dan Sultan: Blackbird

Jessica Mauboy: Beautiful

Sheppard: Bombs Away

Sia: 1000 Forms of Fear

BEST FEMALE ARTIST

Adalita

Iggy Azalea

Jessica Mauboy

Kasey Chambers

Sia

BEST MALE ARTIST

Chet Faker

Dan Sultan

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu

Guy Sebastian

Vance Joy

BEST GROUP

5 Seconds of Summer

Hilltop Hoods

RUFUS

Sheppard

Violent Soho

BEST POP RELEASE

5 Seconds of Summer: 5 Seconds of Summer

Andy Bull: Sea of Approval

Justice Crew: Que Sera

Sheppard: Bombs Away

Sia: 1000 Forms of Fear

BEST ROCK ALBUM

Angus and Julia Stone: Angus and Julia Stone

Ball Park Music: Puddinghead

Dan Sultan: Blackbird

Jimmy Barnes: 30:30 Hindsight

Kingswood: Microscopic Wars