APRA Celebrates a Century of Song

100 years of championing Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand songwriters, composers and music publishers 

Celebrations to include brand new hall of fame-style event, major anthology, expanded awards and digital history timeline 

Image: First APRA Board. Back L-R: George Sutherland, Cecil Darling, Walter Bassett. Front L-R: Ernest Lashmar, Reginald Nathan, Frank Albert, Sidney Edwards. Credit: John Hearder.

100 years ago this month, six music publishers gathered in Sydney to form the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), establishing the fundamental principle that songwriters and composers deserve to be paid when their work is performed.  

That simple idea in 1926 grew into Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest music rights management organisation, APRA AMCOS, which today represents over 128,000 music creators. 

In what will be the most significant celebration of the contribution of songwriting and composition to Australia and New Zealand's culture, identity and economy, APRA will be celebrating with a year-long program of landmark events and initiatives.  

Highlights will include the biggest ever APRA Music Awards in Sydney in April and Silver Scroll Awards/Kaitito Kaiaka in New Zealand in October; an elevated SongHubs collaborative songwriting program in Australia in April and New Zealand in September; the publication of a major anthology book celebrating 100 years of Australian songwriting and a brand-new hall of fame-style event in November. 

“From the licensing of dance and radio broadcasts in the 1920s to protecting creators’ rights in the AI era, APRA has evolved alongside the music it serves,” says APRA AMCOS CEO, Dean Ormston. “This centenary isn’t just about looking back – it’s about celebrating the enduring value of songwriting to our culture, identity and our two nations.” 

The celebrations begin with a digital history timeline launched today - APRA: A Century of Song - capturing 100 years of defining music and cultural moments across both Australian and New Zealand songwriting.  

Jenny Morris MNZM OAM, Chair of APRA, explains: “From the famous Aeroplane Jelly jingle in 1930 to Lorde breaking through to worldwide superstardom in the 2020s, APRA: A Century of Song is a nostalgic and educational walk down memory lane of our songwriting history that’s an absolute must read for any musicophile!” 

Other key milestones highlighted in the timeline include Johnny O’Keefe’s “Wild One” bringing rock ‘n’ roll to Australia in 1958; AC/DC, Cold Chisel, INXS and Midnight Oil taking pub rock to the world in the 1970s; Kylie leaving Neighbours to launch her music career with “Locomotion” in 1987; Countdown first airing on the ABC in 1974; OMC bringing the Urban Pasifika sound worldwide with “How Bizarre” in 1995; and Christine Anu’s version of the Warumpi Band’s “My Island Home” at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. 

This cultural timeline is woven together with the history of APRA, from the formation of the first Board in January 1926 and its earliest licences – including the very first licence provided to a town hall on King Island, Tasmania on New Year’s Eve 1926, which still stands to this day – through to the organisation’s trans-Tasman and global expansion.  

Key moments include the despatch of young solicitor Albert E Rolfe to act on its behalf in New Zealand in 1927, and the first reciprocal agreement signed with APRA’s counterparts in America, ASCAP, in 1948, enabling local music creators to earn internationally for the first time. In 1979, AMCOS was established to administer reproduction royalties from records, tapes and emerging formats, merging with APRA in 1997 to become the modern organisation it is today. 

“Whether it was establishing what it means to communicate music ‘to the public’ in the High Court of Australia or advocating for live music tax offsets and local content, APRA has consistently stood up for creators’ rights to fair payment, providing world-class service to our increasingly global membership,” Ormston adds. “As we confront new challenges around AI and copyright, that founding principle remains as vital as ever. 

“It’s a true honour to reflect on the past 100 years and look forward to the next 100 to ensure we remain as relevant for our members today as we always have been. The timeline is just the beginning of our celebrations of Australian and New Zealand songwriting history for 2026, so stay tuned for more announcements!” 

For more information and to view the timeline, visit apraamcos.com.au/100-years.