If country music is your go-to, the 2026 APRA Music Awards have a seriously solid lineup worth clocking. This year’s Most Performed Country Work category is a snapshot of where Aussie country is at in Australia right now.
Leading the pack this year is Casey Barnes with BUY THAT GIRL A BEER, a track that leans into that polished, stadium country vibe. Then there’s Travis Collins’ Dirty Money which brings a bit more grit and edge very much giving modern outlaw energy to Aussie country music.
Brad Cox is in the running with I’m A Boxer which hits that sweet spot between vulnerability and toughness. Meanwhile, Tori Darke and Jay Santilli team up on TROUBLE adding a fresh dynamic to the category with a collaboration that feels both playful and sharp.
Rounding things out is Rachael Fahim’s Who You Are, a track that leans into emotional honesty and showcases the more introspective side of contemporary country pop.
What’s cool here is how broad the category feels. You’ve got everything from radio gloss to raw storytelling, which reflects how the genre’s evolving in Australia right now. It’s less about fitting a mould and more about artists carving out their own lane.
The APRA Music Awards celebrate excellence in contemporary music, honouring songwriters and publishers who have achieved artistic excellence and outstanding success in their fields.
For more information, visit apraamcos.com.au/apramusicawards2026.
The 2026 APRA Music Award Nominees:
Most Performed Country Work
Title: BUY THAT GIRL A BEER
Artist: Casey Barnes
Written by: Casey Barnes* / Andy Skib^ / James Thow
Published by: Mushroom Music Publishing* / Warner Chappell Music^
Title: Dirty Money
Artist: Travis Collins
Written by: Travis Collins* / Jason Duke^ / Christopher Yurchuck
Published by: Universal Music Publishing* / Downtown Music^
Title: I’m A Boxer
Artist: Brad Cox
Written by: Brad Cox / Alexander Burnett*
Published by: Sony Music Publishing / Origin Music Publishing*
Embedded ContentTitle: TROUBLE
Artist: Tori Darke & Jay Santilli
Written by: Victoria Darke* / Jessica Santilli / Michael De Lorenzis^ / Michael Paynter^
Published by: Sentric Music Publishing obo Digital Music Publishing* / Mushroom Music Publishing^
Title: Who You Are
Artist: Rachael Fahim
Written by: Rachael Fahim / Shawn Mayer / Liam Quinn / Vlado Saric / Keenan Te*
Published by: Sentric Music Publishing obo Acts Music Publishing*
Countrytown brings you Australia’s best country music news, interviews, charts and more every week! This post was authored by Countrytown and originally published on the Countrytown website. It has been re-published with permission.
