# ARIA Award for Best Male Artist

The ARIA Music Award for Best Male Artist, is an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It is handed out by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), an organisation whose aim is "to advance the interests of the Australian record industry." The award is given to an Australian male artist who has had a single or an album appear in the ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart between the eligibility period, and is voted for by a judging academy, which comprises 1000 members from different areas of the music industry.
The award for Best Male Artist was first presented to John Farnham in 1987. Four artists Farnham, Diesel, Alex Lloyd, Gotye and Paul Kelly, hold the record for the most wins, with three each, followed by Jimmy Barnes, Flume and Nick Cave with two. Kelly holds the record for most nominations at 18.
This, and the ARIA Award for Best Female Artist was merged in 2021 to form a single award for Best Artist. The change was designed to ensure that the ARIA Awards reflect and embrace equality and the true diversity of the music industry in 2021. The number of nominees for Best Artist was increased to ten.

## Winners and nominees

In the following table, the winner is highlighted in a separate colour, and in boldface; the nominees are those that are not highlighted or in boldface.
| Year | Winner(s) | Album/Single Title |
| 1987 (1st) | John Farnham | Whispering Jack |
| 1987 (1st) | Jimmy Barnes | "Good Times" |
| 1987 (1st) | Martin Plaza | Plaza Suite |
| 1987 (1st) | Paul Kelly | Gossip |
| 1987 (1st) | Tim Finn | Big Canoe |
| 1988 (2nd) | John Farnham | — |
| 1989 (3rd) |
| 1989 (3rd) | Jimmy Barnes | Barnestorming |
| 1989 (3rd) | Stephen Cummings | A Life Is a Life |
| 1989 (3rd) | John Farnham | Age of Reason |
| 1989 (3rd) | Paul Kelly | "Forty Miles to Saturday Night" |
| 1989 (3rd) | James Reyne | "Motor's Too Fast" |
| 1990 (4th) |
| 1990 (4th) | Ian Moss | Matchbook |
| 1990 (4th) | Peter Blakeley | "Crying in the Chapel" |
| 1990 (4th) | Joe Camilleri | "Angel Dove" |
| 1990 (4th) | Stephen Cummings | A New Kind of Blue |
| 1990 (4th) | Paul Kelly | So Much Water So Close To Home |
| 1991 (5th) |
| 1991 (5th) | John Farnham | Chain Reaction |
| 1991 (5th) | Peter Blakeley | Harry's Café De Wheels |
| 1991 (5th) | Jimmy Barnes | Two Fires |
| 1991 (5th) | Daryl Braithwaite | Rise |
| 1991 (5th) | Stephen Cummings | "Hell (You've Put Me Through)" |
| 1992 (6th) |
| 1992 (6th) | Jimmy Barnes | Soul Deep |
| 1992 (6th) | Daryl Braithwaite | "The Horses" |
| 1992 (6th) | John Farnham | Full House |
| 1992 (6th) | Richard Pleasance | Galleon |
| 1992 (6th) | Tommy Emmanuel | Determination |
| 1993 (7th) |
| 1993 (7th) | Diesel | Hepfidelity |
| 1993 (7th) | Chris Wilson | Landlocked |
| 1993 (7th) | Jimmy Barnes | "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" |
| 1993 (7th) | Jon Stevens | "Superstar" |
| 1993 (7th) | Paul Kelly | Paul Kelly Live |
| 1994 (8th) |
| 1994 (8th) | Diesel | The Lobbyist |
| 1994 (8th) | Jimmy Barnes | Flesh and Wood |
| 1994 (8th) | John Farnham | Then Again |
| 1994 (8th) | Tex Perkins | Sad but True |
| 1994 (8th) | Tim Finn | Before & After |
| 1995 (9th) |
| 1995 (9th) | Diesel | Solid State Rhyme |
| 1995 (9th) | Chris Wilson | Live at the Continental |
| 1995 (9th) | Ed Kuepper | Character Assassination |
| 1995 (9th) | Paul Kelly | Wanted Man |
| 1995 (9th) | Rick Price | "River of Love" |
| 1996 (10th) |
| 1996 (10th) | Dave Graney | The Soft 'n' Sexy Sound |
| 1996 (10th) | Diesel | Short Cool Ones |
| 1996 (10th) | John Farnham | Romeo's Heart |
| 1996 (10th) | Paul Kelly | Deeper Water |
| 1996 (10th) | Tex Perkins | "You're Too Beautiful" |
| 1997 (11th) |
| 1997 (11th) | Paul Kelly | How to Make Gravy |
| 1997 (11th) | Dave Graney | The Devil Drives |
| 1997 (11th) | Jimmy Barnes | "Lover Lover" |
| 1997 (11th) | Mark Seymour | "Last Ditch Cabaret" |
| 1997 (11th) | Tex Perkins | Far Be It From Me |
| 1998 (12th) |
| 1998 (12th) | Paul Kelly | Words and Music |
| 1998 (12th) | Chris Wilson | The Long Weekend |
| 1998 (12th) | Ed Kuepper | Live! |
| 1998 (12th) | Mark Seymour | King Without a Clue |
| 1998 (12th) | Matt Walker | I Listen to the Night |
| 1999 (13th) |
| 1999 (13th) | Tim Rogers | What Rhymes with Cars and Girls |
| 1999 (13th) | Alex Lloyd | "Lucky Star" |
| 1999 (13th) | Ben Lee | Breathing Tornados |
| 1999 (13th) | Josh Abrahams | Sweet Distorted Holiday |
| 1999 (13th) | Paul Kelly | "I'll Be Your Lover" |
| 2000 (14th) |
| 2000 (14th) | Alex Lloyd | Black the Sun |
| 2000 (14th) | David Bridie | Act of Free Choice |
| 2000 (14th) | Endorphin | Skin |
| 2000 (14th) | Groove Terminator | Road Kill |
| 2000 (14th) | Paul Kelly | Smoke |
| 2001 (15th) |
| 2001 (15th) | Nick Cave | No More Shall We Part |
| 2001 (15th) | John Butler | Three |
| 2001 (15th) | Paul Kelly | Roll on Summer EP |
| 2001 (15th) | Paul Mac | "Just the Thing" |
| 2001 (15th) | Tex Perkins | Dark Horses |
| 2002 (16th) |
| 2002 (16th) | Alex Lloyd | Watching Angels Mend |
| 2002 (16th) | Dan Brodie | Empty Arms, Broken Hearts |
| 2002 (16th) | Darren Hayes | Spin |
| 2002 (16th) | Paul Kelly | ...Nothing but a Dream |
| 2002 (16th) | Paul Mac | 3000 Feet High |
| 2003 (17th) |
| 2003 (17th) | Alex Lloyd | "Coming Home" |
| 2003 (17th) | Ben Lee | Hey You. Yes You. |
| 2003 (17th) | John Butler | Living 2001–2002 |
| 2003 (17th) | Nick Cave | Nocturama |
| 2003 (17th) | Tex Perkins | Sweet Nothing |
| 2004 (18th) |
| 2004 (18th) | John Butler | Sunrise Over Sea |
| 2004 (18th) | Alex Lloyd | Distant Light |
| 2004 (18th) | Dan Kelly | Sing the Tabloid Blues |
| 2004 (18th) | Pete Murray | "So Beautiful" |
| 2004 (18th) | Tim Rogers | Spit Polish |
| 2005 (19th) |
| 2005 (19th) | Ben Lee | Awake Is the New Sleep |
| 2005 (19th) | John Butler | "Something's Gotta Give" |
| 2005 (19th) | Keith Urban | Be Here |
| 2005 (19th) | Lior | Autumn Flow |
| 2005 (19th) | Paul Kelly | Foggy Highway |
| 2006 (20th) |
| 2006 (20th) | Bernard Fanning | Tea & Sympathy |
| 2006 (20th) | Ben Lee | "We're All in This Together" |
| 2006 (20th) | Bob Evans | Suburban Songbook |
| 2006 (20th) | Dan Kelly | Pirate Radio |
| 2006 (20th) | Pete Murray | See the Sun |
| 2007 (21st) |
| 2007 (21st) | Gotye | Mixed Blood |
| 2007 (21st) | Dan Kelly | Drowning in the Fountain of Youth |
| 2007 (21st) | John Butler | Grand National |
| 2007 (21st) | Josh Pyke | Memories & Dust |
| 2007 (21st) | Paul Kelly | Stolen Apples |
| 2008 (22nd) |
| 2008 (22nd) | Nick Cave | Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! |
| 2008 (22nd) | Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu | Gurrumul |
| 2008 (22nd) | Paul Kelly | "To Her Door" (Live) |
| 2008 (22nd) | Pete Murray | Summer at Eureka |
| 2008 (22nd) | Sam Sparro | Sam Sparro |
| 2009 (23rd) |
| 2009 (23rd) | Daniel Merriweather | Love & War |
| 2009 (23rd) | Bob Evans | Goodnight, Bull Creek! |
| 2009 (23rd) | C.W. Stoneking | Jungle Blues |
| 2009 (23rd) | Josh Pyke | Chimney's Afire |
| 2009 (23rd) | Paul Dempsey | Everything Is True |
| 2010 (24th) |
| 2010 (24th) | Dan Sultan | Get Out While You Can |
| 2010 (24th) | Dan Kelly | Dan Kelly's Dream |
| 2010 (24th) | Guy Sebastian | Like It Like That |
| 2010 (24th) | John Butler | April Uprising |
| 2010 (24th) | Paul Dempsey | "Fast Friends" |
| 2011 (25th) |
| 2011 (25th) | Gotye | "Somebody That I Used to Know" |
| 2011 (25th) | Drapht | The Life of Riley |
| 2011 (25th) | Gareth Liddiard | Strange Tourist |
| 2011 (25th) | Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu | Rrakala |
| 2011 (25th) | Josh Pyke | "No One Wants a Lover" |
| 2012 (26th) |
| 2012 (26th) | Gotye | Making Mirrors |
| 2012 (26th) | 360 | Falling & Flying |
| 2012 (26th) | Angus Stone | Broken Brights |
| 2012 (26th) | Guy Sebastian | "Battle Scars" |
| 2012 (26th) | Keith Urban | "For You" |
| 2012 (26th) | Matt Corby | Into the Flame |
| 2013 (27th) |
| 2013 (27th) | Flume | Flume |
| 2013 (27th) | Guy Sebastian | Armageddon |
| 2013 (27th) | Keith Urban | "Little Bit of Everything" |
| 2013 (27th) | Matt Corby | "Resolution" |
| 2013 (27th) | Paul Kelly | Spring and Fall |
| 2014 (28th) |
| 2014 (28th) | Chet Faker | Built on Glass |
| 2014 (28th) | Dan Sultan | Blackbird |
| 2014 (28th) | Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu | Gurrumul & The Sydney Symphony Orchestra – His Life and Music |
| 2014 (28th) | Guy Sebastian | "Come Home with Me" |
| 2014 (28th) | Vance Joy | "Mess Is Mine" |
| 2015 (29th) |
| 2015 (29th) | Vance Joy | Dream Your Life Away |
| 2015 (29th) | #1 Dads | "Nominal" |
| 2015 (29th) | Daniel Johns | Talk |
| 2015 (29th) | Guy Sebastian | "Tonight Again" |
| 2015 (29th) | Jarryd James | "Do You Remember" |
| 2016 (30th) |
| 2016 (30th) | Flume | Skin |
| 2016 (30th) | Bernard Fanning | Civil Dusk |
| 2016 (30th) | Guy Sebastian | "Black & Blue" |
| 2016 (30th) | Illy | "Papercuts" (featuring Vera Blue) |
| 2016 (30th) | Troye Sivan | Blue Neighbourhood |
| 2017 (31st) |
| 2017 (31st) | Paul Kelly | Life Is Fine |
| 2017 (31st) | D.D Dumbo | Utopia Defeated |
| 2017 (31st) | Dan Sultan | Killer |
| 2017 (31st) | Illy | Two Degrees |
| 2017 (31st) | Vance Joy | "Lay It on Me" |
| 2018 (32nd) |
| 2018 (32nd) | Gurrumul | Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow) |
| 2018 (32nd) | Dan Sultan | Killer Under a Blood Moon |
| 2018 (32nd) | Dean Lewis | "Be Alright" |
| 2018 (32nd) | Troye Sivan | Bloom |
| 2018 (32nd) | Vance Joy | Nation of Two |
| 2019 (33rd) |
| 2019 (33rd) | Dean Lewis | A Place We Knew |
| 2019 (33rd) | Guy Sebastian | "Choir" |
| 2019 (33rd) | Hayden James | Between Us |
| 2019 (33rd) | Matt Corby | Rainbow Valley |
| 2019 (33rd) | Paul Kelly | Nature |
| 2020 (34th) |
| 2020 (34th) | Archie Roach | Tell Me Why |
| 2020 (34th) | Guy Sebastian | "Standing with You" |
| 2020 (34th) | Ruel | Free Time |
| 2020 (34th) | The Kid Laroi | F*ck Love |
| 2020 (34th) | Troye Sivan | In a Dream |

## Multiple wins and nominations

| Wins | Artist |
| 3 | Diesel |
| 3 | John Farnham |
| 3 | Alex Lloyd |
| 3 | Gotye |
| 3 | Paul Kelly |
| 2 | Jimmy Barnes |
| 2 | Nick Cave |
| 2 | Flume |
| Nominations | Artist |
| 18 | Paul Kelly |
| 7 | John Farnham |
| 7 | Jimmy Barnes |
| 7 | Guy Sebastian |
| 6 | John Butler |
| 5 | Tex Perkins |
| 5 | Alex Lloyd |
| 4 | Diesel |
| 4 | Dan Kelly |
| 4 | Vance Joy |
| 4 | Ben Lee |
| 4 | Dan Sultan |
| 4 | Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu |
| 3 | Nick Cave |
| 3 | Stephen Cummings |
| 3 | Gotye |
| 3 | Pete Murray |
| 3 | Josh Pyke |
| 3 | Troye Sivan |
| 3 | Keith Urban |
| 3 | Chris Wilson |
| 2 | Peter Blakeley |
| 2 | Daryl Braithwaite |
| 2 | Matt Corby |
| 2 | Paul Dempsey |
| 2 | Bob Evans |
| 2 | Bernard Fanning |
| 2 | Tim Finn |
| 2 | Flume |
| 2 | Dave Graney |
| 2 | Illy |
| 2 | Ed Kuepper |
| 2 | Dean Lewis |
| 2 | Paul Mac |
| 2 | Tim Rogers |
| 2 | Mark Seymour |