WAM Song of the Year

In 2003 there were 1,247 entries and 75 shortlisted nominees in the 15 genre categories. Winners each received $1,000 (Children & Youth winners received $500) and a days recording time at a top Perth studio. The Grand Prize winner received the opportunity to have a promotional single recorded, pressed and released among other select opportunities.

The individual category award winners were:[3]

• Country - "Asbestos Fibro" - ADM Powell
• Easy Listening Pop/R'n'B - "Back 2 those Timez" - Chanelle
• Electronic/Hip Hop - "Boy X Girl Y" - Johnson, Vernie
• Hard Rock/Metal/ Punk - "Reprisal" - Simon Pilkington, Aaron Smith
• Indi Pop/Rock - "Andy Warhol" - Little Birdy
• Jazz/ Funk - "That Hurt" - Myles Wright
• Roots - "Sheba Lane" - Lynn Hazelton
• Soundtrack/ Filmscore/Experimental - "Green Lantern" - Johannes Luebbers
• World/Multicultural - "Day Oh" - Eloy Cardenas
• Indigenous - "Raining on Djilba" - George Walley
• Children - "Something More" - Wesley Fuller
• Youth - "On My Own" - Ryan Blair, Justin Flamer
• Love - "Walking Over Sea" - Sam Dunn, Ben Dunn
• Political - "Georgie Boy" - Andrew Horabin
• Songs For Kids - "Pirlpirltji" - L. Hazelton, A. Ovi, S. Stanford

The WAM Song of the Year for 2004 was announced at the Fly by Night Club in Fremantle on Thursday 16 September 2004. The evening featured performances from past winners including Andrew Horabin and Lynn Hazelton, as well as finalists for the 2005 competition. The WAM Song of the Year was presented by the Minister for the Arts the Hon. Sheila McHale. There was over 1,300 songs entered in the competition with 75 works nominated by the industry panels as finalists in the 15 genre categories.

The individual category award winners were:[4]

• Commercial/Contemporary Pop - "Breathe" - Cassie Swinney, Alistair Watson & Escher
• Country - "Dirty Liar" - Rob Findlay & Haley Mason
• Electronic/Dance Category - "Hit '5'" - Tim Macnamara & Diego Bosco
• Hard Rock/Metal - "Bay of Martyrs" - Mike Sukys
• Indie Rock/Punk Category - "Tread Easy" - James Crombie & The Bank Holidays
• Jazz - "West Bank Moon" - Michael Pigneguy & Sian Brown
• Roots - "Slipping With the Blues" - Gerard Maunick
• Urban - "Wait a Minute" - Tsunami & Nathan Jamieson
• Love - "Blame Me" - Frans Bisschops, Jasmine Yee & Michael Miller
• Gospel - "Take Over" - Chad Blondel
• ASME Upper Secondary (Years 11-12) – "Radio Play" - Melissa Erpen
• ASME Lower Secondary (Years 8-10) – "Home Sweet Home" - Danni Stefanetti
• ASME Primary Category – "Sidewalk Surfer" - The Flairz
• Indigenous - "Hardway" - The Hill (John Bullen, Jarred Wall)
• Outstanding Regional Song - "Time For You To Go" - Lauren Brede[2]

The WAM Song of the Year for 2005 was announced at the Fly By Night Club in Fremantle on Thursday 27 October 2005. The evening featured performances from past winners including Andrew Horabin and Lynn Hazelton, as well as finalists for the 2005 competition. Performing on the night were The Bank Holidays, Lake of Bass, New Rules For Boats, Peter Brandy, The Flairz and the 2004 Song of the Year winner, Lauren Brede. The WAM Song of the Year was presented by the Minister for the Arts the Hon. Sheila McHale. There were close to 1,500 songs entered in the competition with 86 works nominated by the industry panels as finalists in the 17 genre categories.

The individual category award winners were:

• Pop - "Sleepy Little Death Toll Town" - Damian Crosbie (The Panda Band)[5]
• Mixed Bag - "Then You Appear" - Damian Crosbie (The Panda Band)
• Blues & Roots - "4 Men Dead" - Kevin Smith
• Country - "Lord I Want An Exit" - Emily Barker
• Electronic/Dance - "We Gave Colour Away" - Harvey Rae and Hiro? (Thread)
• Love - "Drunkard's Wife" - Pete Stone
• Rock - "Information" - Sascha Ion, Ronan Charles, Stuart Leach (One Horse Town)
• Urban - "Take 5" - Tsunami
• World and Folk - "Long Time Ago" - Peter Brandy
• Jazz - "Storm" - Marnie Kent and Grant Windsor (Ginger Blu Collective)
• Heavy Rock/Metal - "Falling" - Shannon de Bie
• Gospel - "Learning to Say" - Mark Cullen
• Indigenous Song of the Year - "Long Time Ago" - Peter Brandy
• Regional Song of the Year - "Lord I Want An Exit" - Emily Barker
• Primary School Aged - "Holey Cheeses" - Oliver Bradley, Albert Loss
• Lower Secondary School Aged - "Memory Lane" - Wesley Fuller
• Upper Secondary School Aged - "The Best is Yet to Come" - Ben Blondel

The WAM Song of the Year for 2006 was announced on Thursday 19 October 2006 at the Fly By Night Club in Fremantle with awards in 17 different categories. Performing on the night were Kavyen Temperly from Eskimo Joe, The Panda Band, Abbe May and The Rockin' Pneumonia, One Horse Town, the Catherine Noblet Quartet and The Watts.[6][7] Presenters from Xpress Magazine, The West Australian, RTRFM, ABC Radio, Nova 93.7, Drum Media, Network 10, APRA, Perth International Arts Festival and Minister for the Arts, the Honorable Sheila McHale announced the winners. The winners of most categories were awarded $1,000 cash and 1 day of recording time in a leading Perth studio. The winner of the Grand Prize received an additional 3 days recording time with producer Rob Grant at Poons Head Studios and the pressing of 500 promotional singles/EPs through Westlink Multimedia/MGM.[8]

The individual category award winners were:[9]

• Pop - "City Walls and Empires" - Erik Hecht (Institut Polaire)[10]
• Blues/Roots - "Sidewindin'" - Abbe May
• Gospel - "Flowers in the Desert" - Jeremy Dixon
• Electronic/Dance - "These Times" - David McKinney, Rachel Claudio
• Heavy Rock/Metal - "Drag in Drag Out" - Kevin Curran, Todd Fishwick
• Primary - Free - "Matt Larsen"
• Rock - "Red Means Go" - B. Mulvena-Trinder, I. Berney, J. Sher, C. Palmer
• Jazz - "Wanderer" - Catherine Noblet
• Lower Secondary - "Shadows of a City" - E. Hamilton, G. Hutchings, M. Mackintosh, L. Osborn
• Urban - "Lose Control" - S.Roy, C.Wancer (Roy-Al feat. Cristian Alexanda)
• World/Folk - "Mon Ankor Anmourer" - Grace Barbe, James Searle
• Love - "Old Folks, Drunks and Babies" - Sascha Ion
• Upper Secondary - "Happy Birthday Dave" - Matt Gresham
• Regional - "Call of the Wild" - Xavier Brown
• Country - "Live on Love" - Polly (Kylie) Medlen
• Indigenous - "Our Song" - Jason Bartlett and Phillip Bartlett
• Mixed Bag - "It's a PC 21st Century New Millennium Romantic Arrangement..." - Andrew Horabin

The 2007 WAM Song of the Year was announced at the Fly By Night in Fremantle, on Wednesday 31 October 2007. There were eighteen category winners and included for the first year a Professional category where published Western Australian based songwriters are given the chance to enter their works in WA's premier song writing Awards.[11] The Grand Prize for the WAM Song of the Year in 2007 includes a 3-day recording session and a pressing of 500 CDs.

The individual category award winners were:[12][13]

• Gospel - "My Hallelujah" Paul Morrison
• Jazz - "Curious Yellow" Adrian Kelly
• Country - "Take Me With You" Polly Medlen
• Urban - "Get By" Glen Foreman, Scott Griffiths & Alex Plant
• Electronic / Dance - "Hot Property" Hayley McLennan and Simon Sieradzki
• Indigenous - "Kick the Monkey" Jason Bartlett & Phillip Bartlett
• World and Folk - "Moodjebing" Jessie Lloyd & Della Rae Morrison
• Regional - "Two Months" Polly Medlen
• Love - "There is a Room on Hold" James Crombie & Wibekke Reczek (The Bank Holidays)
• Blues 'n' Roots - "Lara Clare" Craig Sinclair
• Primary - "Valley of Flowers" by Madi MacDougall & Erika McKay
• Lower Secondary - "Wishing on a Star" Jordi Davieson
• Upper Secondary - "Overcast Day" Timothy Nelson
• Mixed Bag - "Bring Out Your Dead" Rachael Dease, Tristen Parr, Ant Gray, Tara John & Greg Hosking (Schvendes)
• Rock - "The World or Nothing" Scott Tomlinson, Greg Sanders, Brenton Bell & Dayvid Clark
• Heavy Rock/Metal - "Broken Eyes" Brett Jones, Johnny Kyi & Nigel Watts
• Pop - "Holidayz" Josh Fontaine
• Professional - "Sun Dirt Water" by Vikki Thorn (The Waifs)

The 2008 WAM Song of the Year was announced at the Fly By Night in Fremantle, on Thursday 9 October 2008. The 85 nominees in 17 categories were announced on Monday 22 September. The Grand Prize for the WAM Song of the Year 2008 included a cash prize of $5,000, together with a 3-day recording session at Poons Head Recording Studio and 500 CDs by DiskBank.[14]

For the first time, the public were invited to listen to and vote for a nominee in the Most Popular Song category. Public voting was later cancelled after claims of technical issues allowing multiple votes, it was replaced by judging by Sunday Times and PerthNOW entertainment staff.[15] The professional category was also cancelled due to lack of numbers.

Over 400 songwriters from throughout Western Australia submitted 1640 songs, the second highest number of entries received in the competition's 19-year history.

The 18 award winners were:[16]

• Blues & Roots - "Howl And Moan" by Abbe May
• Café - "Revien" by Cloud Kollektiv
• Country - "Place Where I Belong" by Phyllis Bennell (Warangka Band)
• Electronic/Dance - "Realizing" by Cloud Kollektiv
• Gospel - "Light" by Lindsay Hamminga
• Heavy Rock/Metal - "Refuse The Sickness" by R Felton, S Mitchell, D Anderton, M Kruit & C Mitchell (Chaos Divine)
• Indigenous - "Gundulla - We Dance" by D Stokes, B Stokes, J Masters & R Martinez (The Yabu Band)
• Jazz - "Til Death Does Me Part" by Johannes Luebbers
• Mixed Bag - "The Land" by Abraham Dunovits (Funkalleros)
• Pop - "Feel" by Roly Skender and The Tonics
• Regional - "Kaya" by Charmaine Bennell (Warangka Band), from Bunbury WA
• Rock - "Howl And Moan" by Abbe May
• School, Primary - "Shadows" by Josephine Langford
• School, Secondary Lower - "Smile" by Mike Nutt
• School, Secondary Upper - "The Pony and the Ark" by Lyndon Blue
• Urban - "Behind The Curtain" by Emcee Able
• World & Folk - "Kaya" by Charmaine Bennell (Warangka Band)

2008 Grand Prize
As judged by an independent industry panel from all category winners.
"Feel" by Roly Skender and The Tonics

2008 Most Popular Song
As judged by The Sunday Times and PerthNOW entertainment staff from all nominated songs.
"Give Up Money For Music" by Robert Sazdov (BSYDE)

The 2009 WAM Song of the Year was announced by the Hon. Dr Graham Jacobs MLA – Minister for Mental Health, at the Fly By Night Musicians' Club in Fremantle. There were 80 nominees across 16 categories were chosen from over 1,200 entries. The Grand Prize carried a prize of $5,000 cash, a publishing deal with Shock Music Publishing, a recording and mastering package courtesy of Poons Head Studios and James Hewgill Music, and a run of 500 CDs supplied by Diskbank.

The sixteen award winners were:

• Urban - "Skyhawks" by Mathas
• World/Folk - "Son of a Son of a King" by Michael Strong and The Ghost Anyway
• Regional - "Spirit Calling" by Simon and Tammy London
• Cafe - "Era Quondam" by Minute 36
• Schools 14 Yrs and below - "Everything" - Convict X
• Schools 15-17 Yrs - "Rocket Ship" by King George
• Rock - "Acute" by Sugar Army
• Pop - "Streamers" by Umpire
• Heavy - "Total Existence Failure" by Voyager
• Mentally Healthy - "I'm Not Scared" by Black Board Minds
• Blues and Roots - "Lover Don’t You Wanna" by DivCraft
• Experimental - "A Vexing Predicament" by Tangled Thoughts of Leaving
• Country - "Sleeping Alone" by Timothy Nelson
• Jazz - "Thinking Without Thinking" by Tilman Robinson
• Indigenous - "Here I Go" by Black Poet
• Electronic/Dance - "They Wanna Dance" by Scott Tomlinson

2009 Grand Prize
"Streamers" by Umpire

2009 Popular Vote
"Run for the Hills" by The Words

The 2010 WAM Song of the Year was announced by the Hon. Dr Graham Jacobs MLA – Minister for Mental Health, at the Fly By Night Musicians' Club in Fremantle. The Grand Prize carried a prize of $5,000 cash, a publishing deal with Perfect Pitch Publishing, a recording and mastering package courtesy of Poons Head Studios and James Hewgill Music, and a run of 500 CDs supplied by Diskbank.

The sixteen award winners were:

• Urban - "Nothin 2 Say" by Jarrid Allen (Jakovaull), Andrew Wright & Brooke Wilkie
• World/Folk - "The Silver Yacht" by Rachel & Henry Climb a Hill
• Regional - "Burning" - Simone Keane
• Love - "Take it Slow" by Slackjaw & Episode
• Schools 14 Yrs and below - "This Ground" - Jake Wylde
• Schools 15-17 Yrs - "Breakfast in Bedlam" by Georgi Kay
• Rock - "Mis Adventure" by Sons of Rico
• Pop - "Lay the Noose" by Schvendes
• Heavy - "Behold" by Dsycord
• Mentally Healthy - "Rag Doll" by Simone Keane
• Blues and Roots - "Hoborockabilly" by The Wilderness
• Experimental - "Scene from a Window" by Rachel Dease
• Country - "Juliette" by The Ghost Hotel
• Jazz - "The Deep Fryer" by Chris Sealey
• Indigenous - "I Was Singing for the Good Times" by Azzy Bartlett & Kyle Bartlett (Dardy Azz Productions)
• Electronic/Dance - "Into Another" by Matt Mclean

2010 Grand Prize
"Breakfast in Bedlam" by Georgi Kay

2010 Popular Song
"Take Me Home" by Them Little Secrets and Fred Rea

2011 WAM Song of the Year was announced by Russell Woolf (Presenter - ABC News Weather & 720 ABC Perth Drive program), at the Fly By Night Musicians' Club. The Grand Prize carried a price of $2,000 cash, attendance at the 2012 Song Summit in Sydney, opportunities for a publishing deal, three days recording, mastering, cd pressing. With live performances by the Pop category winners The Panda Band, Indigenous category nominees Bartlett Brothers, The Big Old Bears and 2010's Grand Prize winner, Georgi Kay.

The sixteen award winners were:

• Urban / Hip Hop - "Free" by The Stoops feat. Georgie Kay Prod. Rae
• World/Folk - "Another Sunday Morning" by Rhys Wood
• Regional - " Until the Siren Sounds" by Junior Bowles
• Love - "Speak the Truth in Love" by Timothy Nelson
• Schools 14 Yrs and below - "I Miss Her" by Katharine Penkin
• Schools 15-17 Yrs - "Unkind" by Morgan Bain
• Rock - "Sally" by Sam Carmody
• Pop - "51 Swimsuits" by Damian Crosbie and David Namour (The Panda Band)
• Heavy - "Throw Us to the Wind" by Tangled Thoughts of Leaving
• Mentally Healthy - "Reason to Live" by Complete
• Blues and Roots - "Overdrive" by Matt Cal
• Experimental - "They Found My Skull in the Nest of a Bird" by Tangled Thoughts of Leaving
• Country - "Wheatbelt" by Gary Dobbin (Tank 7even)
• Jazz - "Another New Beginnings Again" by Elliot Hughes
• Indigenous - "Wangkaja" by John Bennett
• Electronic/Dance - "My Love's (Not Good Enough)" by Bastian's Happy Flight

2011 Grand Prize

"Speak the Truth in Love" by Timothy Nelson

2012 WAM Song of the Year was hosted by Darren de Mello from 96FM at the Fly By Night Musicians Club. Rainy Day Women took out the Grand Prize of $2,000 cash, three days recording at Albert Studios in Sydney engineered by Wayne Connolly, a mentoring session from Alberts Creative Services; an album distribution deal to China courtesy of 88tc88, a mastering session with James Hewgill Music, 500 CDs pressed by DiskBank, an opportunity for a publishing deal with Perfect Pitch Publishing, a Berkleemusic online music course and a RØDE Microphones package. They also received the opportunity to perform at the AGWA Nights finale at the 2013 WAMi Festival, and had their song included on the 2013 Kiss My WAMi compilation. Performances included Kucka, Yabu Band, Timothy Nelson & amp; The Infidels, and Boom! Bap! Pow!

The sixteen award winners were:

• Urban / Hip Hop - " The Ego-dystonic Blues" by FG
• World/Folk - " Mother’s Petunias" by Brayden Sibbald
• Regional - "Heart of a Lion" by Codie Sundstrom
• Love - " Falling Outta Love" by Brian Mitra & Jake Webb [Sugarpuss]
• Schools 14 Yrs and below - " Inside and Out" by Lucinda Nicholls
• Schools 15-17 Yrs - " I Think I’ve Got You" by Morgan Bain
• Rock - " Ordinary" by Husband
• Pop - " Sleigh Bed" by Rainy Day Women
• Heavy - " Walk Away" by The Sixth Extinction
• Mentally Healthy - " Petrol Paint & Glue" by Yabu Band
• Blues and Roots - "Driller" by Dilip n the Davs
• Experimental - " Polly (serialkillersundays)" by Kučka
• Country - "Take Me Home" by The Ghost Hotel
• Jazz - "Maelstrom" by Abbey/Foster/Falle
• Indigenous - " Born on the River" by Jarred Wall [Jake and the Cowboys]
• Electronic/Dance - "Slew" by Ylem

2012 Grand Prize

"Sleigh Bed" by Rainy Day Women

2013 WAM Song of the Year was held at Fly By Night Musicians Club. Taking out the Grand Prize, self-made beat producer Mathas, was awarded the Grand Prize for his song Nourishment (also featuring Abbe May) which included $3,000 cash, three days recording at Albert Studios in Sydney (engineered by Wayne Connolly), a mentoring session from Albert's Creative Services Team, a mastering session with James Hewgill Music, 500 CDs pressed by DiskBank, an opportunity for a publishing deal with Perfect Pitch Publishing, a Berklee Music online music course and a RODE microphones package. Performances on the night included Rainy Day Women, country and blues and roots nominees The Ghost Hotel, vocal and electronic maestros Ylem & Deas and Odette Mercy & Her Soul Atomics.

The sixteen award winners were:

• Urban / Hip Hop - "Nourishment" by Mathas feat Abbe May
• World - "ANANTH: The Endless Dance" by 7 Beats
• Folk - " No Such Thing as Waste" by Formidable Vegetable Sound System
• Regional - "Three States" by Minute 36 (Albany)
• Love - " Falling Outta Love" by Brian Mitra & Jake Webb [Sugarpuss]
• Schools 14 Yrs and below - "Listen" by Emmanuel Navarro aka ENAV
• Schools 15-17 Yrs - "Could Love" by Julia Nicholls
• Rock - "Body Unbind" by Eleventh He Reaches London
• Pop - "Suit" by Boom! Bap! Pow!
• Heavy - "Frankenstein" by Sleepfreak
• Mentally Healthy - " Hurting Bird" by Rachel Gorman
• Blues and Roots - "High Tide" by Jordan McRobbie
• Experimental - "So We Beat On, Boats Against The Current" by Cycle~ 440
• Country - "First And Last" by Graphic Fiction Heroes
• Jazz - "Avina" by Nick Abbey of Abbey|Foster|Falle
• Indigenous - "Friends" by Jarred Wall of Jake and the Cowboys
• Electronic/Dance - "Nourishment" by Mathas feat. Abbe May

2013 Grand Prize

"Nourishment" by Mathas feat Abbe May

2014 WAM Song of the Year was held at the B Shed warehouse in Fremantle, with KUČKA taking out the Grand Prize of $3,000 cash, recording time at the hit-making Albert Studios in Sydney, the opportunity for a publishing deal with Perfect Pitch Publishing, two days recording at Sonic Lolly, mastering provided by William Bowden of King Willy Sound (Grammy award recipient for mastering Goyte's Somebody That I Used to Know), a BerkleeOnline music course, 500 CDs pressed by DiskBank, a RØDE Microphones package, plus more. Performances on the night included: Methyl Ethel (Pop) and Grace Barbé (World), plus Lilt and DJ John Safari.

2014 GRAND PRIZE: Unconditional by KUČKA

CATEGORY WINNERS: BLUES/ROOTS: Morgan Bain, Hold On

COUNTRY: Ruby Boots, Wrap Me in a Fever ELECTRONIC: KUČKA, Unconditional

EXPERIMENTAL: Intenso Band, Earthquake FOLK: Winter's Mile, Tell My Lover

HEAVY/METAL: Chaos Divine, Soldiers JAZZ: Trisk, Charon

OUTSTANDING INDIGENOUS: The Merindas, Ready To Love OUTSTANDING REGIONAL: Codee-Lee, Ain’t Got Time For That

POP: Methyl Ethel, Rogues PUNK/HARDCORE: Rag n' Bone, Wood & Wire

ROCK: Tired Lion, I Don’t Think You Like Me SCHOOLS 14 & UNDER: Charlotte Viney, Hurricane

SCHOOLS 15 – 17: Mike Waller, Seasons URBAN/HIP HOP: Coin Banks, Someone

WORLD: Grace Barbé, Fatige

Beni Bjah - with his song Survivor – holding the coveted Grand Prize, the win marking a significant moment in the competition's history, with Beni being the first ever indigenous artist to take the peak honours. Judged by a diverse panel of independent industry heavyweights from the likes of triple j, Inertia, Spinning Top Music, The West Australian, Mudhoney, Lubricated Goat, You Am I, Pendulum, triple j Unearthed, BIGSOUND, Branded/Music Matters Live, 4ZZZ, RRR, Music Row Voice, Maric Media, Earache Records, Xpress Magazine, RTRFM, Live Music Office, Firestarter, TheMusic.com.au, Perfect Pitch Publishing, Pilerats, Association of Artist Managers, Birds of Tokyo, Eskimo Joe, Dave Hole and more. Performances on the night by category winners Rag n' Bone (Rock), Katie J White (Blues/Roots), Beni Bjah.

2015/16 GRAND PRIZE: Survivors by Beni Bjah

CATEGORY WINNERS:

ROCK: Rag n' Bone, Death Rattle Waltz

POP: Joni in the Moon, War And Porn

ELECTRONIC: Tobacco Rat, Trenchtown 2020

FOLK: Galloping Foxleys, My Love Affair With Archer

EXPERIMENTAL: Tangled Thoughts of Leaving, Shaking Off Futility

BLUES/ROOTS: Katie J White, River

COUNTRY: Lynn Hazelton & Bill Chambers, Melita Station

URBAN/HIPHOP: Marksman Lloyd, Pause (Feat. Coin Banks & Nic Di Lena, Prod. Sable)

HEAVY/METAL: Chaos Divine, Badge of Honour

PUNK/HARDCORE: Nerve Quakes, Monarch

WORLD: Eastwinds, Blame Lulu Peanuts – Metsahällilaul

SCHOOL 14 YEARS & UNDER: Madi Henry, Stronger

SCHOOLS 15–17 YEARS: Charlotte Viney, With You

OUTSTANDING INDIGENOUS: Beni Bjah, Survivors

OUTSTANDING REGIONAL: FINGERS Mitchell Cullen, Didge It

JAZZ: Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian Jazz Group, Pius Bartosik