Flume dominates 2016 ARIA Awards with eight gongs

24 November 2016

Flume stormed the 2016 ARIA Awards picking up eight awards in total.

Flume

The Australian producer-and-DJ was the recipient of Album of the Year for 'Skin', Best Pop Release, Best Dance Release, Best Cover Art, Best Male Artist, Engineer of the Year, Producer of the Year and Best Independent Release.

The 'Never Be Like You' hitmaker - whose real name is Harley Edward Straiten - used his speech to address Sydney's "lock-out laws" at clubs and venues, which means anyone new trying to enter at 1.30am will be refused entry.

Speaking on stage at The Star theatre in Sydney on Tuesday (22.11.16), he said: "I want to say a big thank you to ... the small venues and the small parties that are doing what they're doing, because that's where music evolves.

"That's where all the exciting stuff happens, and that's what's getting shut down right now.

"To our policy-makers and our politicians, please keep Sydney open so that the young artists of the next generation can have the same opportunities that I had."

Elsewhere, 'Weather With You' hitmakers Crowded House were honoured with the Hall of Fame prize.

Frontman Neil Finn - who is also joined by Nick Seymour and Matt Sherrod in the group- dedicated the award to the group's late drummer, Paul Hester, who tragically died in 2005 of suicide.

A teary-eyed Neil said: "It's been a long time. It's been 30 years, so there's a lot of people to thank.

"We wouldn't have been anywhere near as engaging, and amusing and wonderful as we sometimes were without Paul."

Meanwhile, pop star Troye Sivan, who won Apple Music Song of the Year and Best Video for his single 'Youth', made a stand for marriage equality during his speech.

He said: "This is for every gay Australian kid who wants to go and make music.

"You can totally do it, and win an Aria Award too."

The 21-year-old star was handed his prizes by Australian pop superstar Kylie Minogue and her fiancé Joshua Sasse, who also opened up about the equality battle for LGBT couples.

Donning matching t-shirts with 'Say I Do Down Under' on, the name of Joshua's campaign, he said: "If we all stand together we can bring Australia back on the right side of history and make 2017 the year that we all say 'I do' down under."

The winners of the 2016 ARIA Awards:

Album of the Year: Flume - Skin

Song of the Year: Troye Sivan - Youth

Best Female Artist: Sia

Best Male Artist: Flume

Best Group: Violent Soho

Breakthrough Artist: Montaigne

Best International Artist: One Direction

Best Video: Troye Sivan - Youth (Acoustic)

Best Adult Contemporary Album: Bernard Fanning - Civil Dusk

Best Adult Alternative Album: Sarah Blasko - Eternal Return

Best Australian Live Act: The Hilltop Hoods