Emerging talent sits alongside some of the most prominent names in New Zealand music in this year’s rich and varied list of Top 20 songs vying for the coveted APRA Silver Scroll Award.

The 2016 APRA Silver Scroll Award Top 20 are: 

Widely considered the most prestigious accolade in New Zealand music, the APRA Silver Scroll Award recognises outstanding achievement in the craft of songwriting. What makes the award unique is that the winner is decided by vote of APRA’s members – more than 10,000 New Zealand songwriters and composers.
 
Top 20 member voting is now open, and closes on Sunday, August 14.
 
Having last year marked the 50th presentation of the APRA Silver Scroll Award, the event is now well and truly woven into the vibrant tapestry that is the New Zealand music scene. 2016’sTop 20 further reinforces that, with a strong list of songs and songwriters that are destined to leave an indelible impact not just on New Zealanders but on those around the world.
 
“It is our pleasure to celebrate the work of New Zealand's songwriters and composers at the APRA Silver Scroll Awards. A song can take an age or a moment to write but the pleasure great songs give us are rewards to treasure” says APRA AMCOS’ Anthony Healey.
 
“These songs come from the new and old, the north and south and span all genre. They are connected only by the fact they've been written here in New Zealand and the fact they are each, in their own unique way, excellent” he adds.
 
Past recipients of the prestigious award include a long list of iconic Kiwi music stalwarts - from Dave Dobbyn, Don McGlashan and Shona Laing to Neil Finn, Bic Runga, and Ray Columbus. They’re joined by a younger generation of music makers that include James Milne & Luke Buda, Ella Yelich-O’Connor (Lorde) & Joel Little, and Aaron Young, Alisa Xayalith & Thom Powers (The Naked and Famous).
 
The APRA Silver Scroll Award will be presented at Vector Arena in Auckland on Thursday 29th September. The other awards presented on the night are:

APRA Maioha Award, celebrating exceptional waiata featuring te reo Māori
SOUNZ Contemporary Award, celebrating excellence in contemporary composition
APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award
APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award

As a part of the celebrations APRA will also be inducting a songwriter/s into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.