1991 ARIA Music Awards

The Fifth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as the ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs ) was held on 25 March 1991 at the Darling Harbour Convention Centre in Sydney.^{[1] [2]} International host Bob Geldof was assisted by presenters to distribute 24 awards.^{[1] [3]} There were live performances but the awards were not televised and the ceremony was noted for its three-hours plus length with Gary Morris, manager of Midnight Oil providing a 20-minute acceptance speech.^{[1] [4]}

In addition to previous categories, "Lifetime Achievement Award" was created and first awarded posthumously to record producer and Albert Productions label owner, Ted Albert (who died in November 1990);^[5] an "Outstanding Achievement Award" was presented to Midnight Oil.^[1] The ARIA Hall of Fame inducted four artists: Don Burrows, Peter Dawson, Glenn Shorrock and Billy Thorpe.^[1]

Host Bob Geldof found the three-hour plus ceremony to be interminable and threatened to walk out.^[4] Midnight Oil's manager Gary Morris provided the longest acceptance speech of the night at 20 minutes.^{[4] [6]} According to music journalist, Anthony O'Grady, "[he] covered a gambit [sic ] of topics including the downfall of Western Civilization."^[6] Morris later stated that as the ceremony was not televised he decided to speak his mind.^[4] Billy Thorpe's speech on his Hall of Fame induction, "travelled almost as long ... [he] remembered friends and supporters throughout a 30-year career."^[6] According to ARIA spokesperson, Peter Rix, "It was my worst ARIA nightmare come true."^[6] Music commentator, Molly Meldrum, disapproved of Morris' speech length—they had already had a fracas at the ARIAs in 1988—Meldrum provided an even longer acceptance speech in 1993.^[4]

The ARIA Awards ceremony was hosted by Bob Geldof.^[6] Presenters and performers were:

The winners are listed in bold.^[7]

• Album of the Year
  • Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mining
    • The Black Sorrows – Harley and Rose
    • John Farnham – Chain Reaction
    • INXS – X
    • Margaret Urlich – Safety in Numbers
• Single of the Year
  • Absent Friends – "I Don't Want to Be With Nobody But You"
    • Divinyls – "I Touch Myself"
    • John Farnham – "That's Freedom"
    • Hunters and Collectors – "Throw Your Arms Around Me"
    • Midnight Oil – "Blue Sky Mine"
• Highest Selling Album
  • John Farnham – Chain Reaction
• Highest Selling Single
  • Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2 – "Mona"
• Best Group
  • Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mining
    • Boom Crash Opera – Look! Listen!!
    • The Black Sorrows – Harley and Rose
    • Hunters and Collectors – "Throw Your Arms Around Me"
    • INXS – X
• Best Female Artist
  • Wendy Matthews – Émigré
    • Kate Ceberano – Like Now
    • Grace Knight – Come In Spinner
    • Jenny Morris – "Piece of My Heart"
    • Margaret Urlich – Safety in Numbers
• Best Male Artist
  • John Farnham – Chain Reaction
    • Peter Blakeley – Harry's Café De Wheels
    • Jimmy Barnes – Two Fires
    • Daryl Braithwaite – Rise
    • Stephen Cummings – "Hell (You've Put Me Through)"
• Best New Talent
  • Archie Roach – Charcoal Lane
    • Doug Anthony Allstars – Icon
    • Sea Stories – Miller's Pond
    • Mary-Jo Starr – Too Many Movies
    • The Screaming Jets – "C'mon"
• Breakthrough Artist – Album
  • Margaret Urlich – Safety in Numbers
    • Absent Friends – Here's Looking Up Your Address
    • Wendy Matthews – Émigré
    • Archie Roach – Charcoal Lane
    • Southern Sons – Southern Sons
• Breakthrough Artist – Single
  • Wendy Matthews – "Token Angels"
    • Absent Friends – "I Don't Want to Be With Nobody But You"
    • Archie Roach – "Took the Children Away"
    • Seven Stories – "Sleeping Through Another War"
    • Southern Sons – "Heart in Danger"
• Best Country Album
  • James Blundell – Hand It Down
    • Luhrs & Crawford – Midnight In Paradise
    • Norma Murphy – Closer Now
    • Slim Dusty – Coming Home
    • Various Artists – Breaking Ground – New Directions in Country Music
• Best Independent Release
  • The Killjoys – Ruby
    • Blue Ruin – I'm Gonna Smile
    • Girl Monstar – "Joe Cool"
    • Roaring Jack – Through the Smoke of Innocence
    • Various Artists – Rockin Bethlehem: The Second Coming
• Best Indigenous Release
  • Archie Roach – Charcoal Lane
    • Coloured Stone – Crazy Mind
    • Various Artists – Australia All Over Macca's No. 4
    • Various Artists – From the Bush
    • Wild Pumpkins At Midnight – Little Victories
• Best Adult Contemporary Album
  • Vince Jones and Grace Knight – Come in Spinner
    • Andrew Pendlebury – Zing... Went To The Strings
    • Marc Hunter – Night & Day
    • Original Cast Recording – Paris
    • Tommy Emmanuel – Dare to Be Different
• Best Comedy Release
  • John Clarke & Bryan Dawe – Great Interviews of the Twentieth Century
    • The 12th Man – The 12th Man Again
    • The D-Generation – The Breakfast Tapes
    • Doug Anthony All Stars – Icon
    • HG Nelson & Roy Slaven – Wicket to Wicket

• Best Jazz Album^[8]
  • Clarion Fracture Zone – Blue Shift ^[9]
  • The Last Straw – The Last Straw^[9]
    • Dale Barlow – Horn
    • Paul Grabowsky – The Moon and You
    • James Morrison – Snappy Doo
• Best Classical Album
  • Stuart Challender, Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Sculthorpe: Orchestral Works
    • David Helfgott – David Helfgott
    • Geoffrey Simon, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Percy Grainger: Orchestral Works
    • Hartley Newnham & Nicholas Routley – Hermit of Green Light
    • The Choir of Christ Church St Laurence – Victoria: Missa Surge Propera
• Best Children's Album
  • Robyn Archer – Mrs Bottle's Burp^{[note 1]}
    • Agro – The Agro Album
    • Don Spencer – Let's Have Fun
    • Glynn Nicholas & The Funky Fossils – The Dinosaur Album
    • John Williamson – JW's Family Album
• Best Original Soundtrack / Cast / Show Recording
  • Jon English and David Mackay – Paris
    • Brian May – Bloodmoon
    • Bruce Smeaton – Wendy Cracked a Walnut
    • Michael Askill & Nigel Westlake – Road to Xanadu – The Genius That Was China
    • Vince Jones & Grace Knight – Come in Spinner

• Song of the Year
  • Phil Buckle, John Farnham , Ross Fraser – "Burn for You " (John Farnham)
    • Joe Camilleri and Nick Smith – "Harley + Rose" (The Black Sorrows)
    • Roger Mason – "Token Angels" (Wendy Matthews)
    • Midnight Oil – "Blue Sky Mine" (Midnight Oil)
    • Mark Seymour – "Turn a Blind Eye" (Hunters and Collectors)
• Producer of the Year^{[10] [11]}
  • Ross Fraser – "That's Freedom " – John Farnham , "Heart in Danger " – Southern Sons , "The Love We Make" – Girl Overboard , "Jukebox in Siberia " and "Tall Timber" – Skyhooks
    • Martin Armiger – "Sophisticated Lady", "The Man I Love"/"I've Got You Under My Skin"/"She's Not There"/"Nature Boy" – Grace Knight/Vince Jones/Crowded House/Kate Ceberano
    • Ollie Olsen – "Monday Night by Satellite" – Max Q
    • Jeffrey Burstin, Joe Camilleri, Peter Luscombe – "Harley + Rose", "Angel Street", "Never Let Me Go", "Hold It up to the Mirror" – The Black Sorrows
    • Ricky Fataar – "Token Angels", "Woman's Gotta Have It" – Wendy Matthews
• Engineer of the Year
  • David Nicholas – "Blue Sky Mine ", "Forgotten Years ", "King of the Mountain ", "Bedlam Bridge" – Midnight Oil , "Suicide Blonde ", "Disappear " – INXS , "Piece of My Heart " – Jenny Morris
    • "Only You" – Bang the Drum
    • "Mona", "Amanda", "I Almost Felt Like Crying" – Craig McLachlan & Check 1-2
    • Doug Brady – "Strong as Steel", "I Need Your Body", "The Machine's Breaking Down" – Tina Arena, "Jukebox in Siberia" – Skyhooks, "Burn for You", "That's Freedom" – John Farnham, "Heart in Danger", "Always and Ever" – Southern Sons
    • Tony Espie – "Token Angels" – Wendy Matthews, "Somebody to Love" – Bughouse
• Best Video
  • Claudia Castle – "Blue Sky Mine " – Midnight Oil
    • "Permanent Friend" – Girl Overboard
    • "Suicide Blonde" – INXS
    • "That's Freedom" – John Farnham
    • "Dr Dynamite" – Mighty Big Crime
• Best Cover Art
  • Livingstone Clarke, Midnight Oil – Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mining
    • Timothy Eames – Collected Works – Hunters & Collectors
    • Iva Davies and David Barnes – Code Blue – Icehouse
    • Jon Quinn – Chain Reaction – John Farnham
    • Capitol Art / Peter Blakeley – Harry's Café De Wheels – Peter Blakeley

• Ted Albert

• Midnight Oil

The Hall Of Fame inductees were:

• Don Burrows
• Peter Dawson
• Billy Thorpe
• Glenn Shorrock

• ARIA Awards official website
• List of 1991 winners

• ARIA Music Awards
• 1991 music awards
• 1991 in Australian music
• 1990s in Sydney
• Events in Sydney

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