ARIA Awards 2018: Best and worst moments of Aussie music’s big night over the years

From wardrobe malfunctions to rambling speeches, the ARIAs have given viewers plenty to talk about. Ahead of tonight’s ceremony, we look back on the best — and worst — moments.

THE 2018 ARIA awards showcase some of the biggest artists and homegrown favourites to enjoy chart success in the past year.

From the innovative indie pop of Amy Shark, the world-beating pop rock of 5 Seconds of Summer and literate grunge rock of Courtney Barnett, the awards will highlight how Australia’s musicians are punching above their weight on the world stage.

For every worthy award and scene-stealing performance, there have been many memorable moments created during the ARIAs which went way off script and gave everyone something to talk about the next day, and for years to come.

Here’s some of the best — and worst — of the ARIA’s three-decade history.

PG FOR PM

SILVERCHAIR performed at the induction of Midnight Oil to the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2006, ripping through a version of the Oil’s 1981 hit Don’t Wanna Be The One.

Silverchair rocked out at the 2006 ARIA Awards.

As Peter Garrett and his bandmates rocked out, frontman Daniel Johns spray-painted PG 4 PM on the back wall of the set.

The always surprising Daniel Johns decided to make a political statement.

Garrett, who had entered federal politics two years earlier, wisely chose not to make a move for the leadership during his nine years in parliament.

MADISON AVENUE

THE darlings of the pop charts at the turn of the millennium, Madison Avenue, sold hundreds of thousands of singles with Don’t Call Me Baby and Who The Hell Are You?

Cheyne Coates wasn’t happy with musical partner Andy Van on their big night. Picture: Lindsay Moller

Singer Cheyne Coates wasn’t too happy when musical partner Andy Van stepped on her dress on the way to collect an award. But that was forgotten after her performance.

Halfway through, she signalled off-stage for a glass of water. The refreshment, with a slice of lemon, was delivered and Coates put it on the floor in front of the stage. For the rest of the song, she danced back and forth to the glass trying to take sneaky sips — an impossibility — with cameras capturing every move.

GABRIELLA CILMI

IN 2008, the teenage singer was the darling of the charts courtesy of Sweet About Me.

But the claws came out when she scooped the ARIA awards, picking up six gongs including Best Female Artist.

Gabriella Cilmi dominated the ARIAS with six wins — but copped flak for her speeches.

Most artists struggle to say anything noteworthy in an acceptance speech, but by the time she got to her sixth lot of thank yous, the 17-year-old Cilmi sounded so weary many thought she was drunk. Turns out she was just plain tired and overwhelmed after flying in to Australia the day before. For the record, she claimed she had enjoyed just one glass of wine.

AXLE WHITEHEAD

FROM Australian Idol to ARIA awards flasher.

Whitehead lost his gig as host of Video Hits after he took the stage to present an award to the Hilltop Hoods in 2006. His fly was unzipped and his private parts exposed.

Axle Whitehead hit the red carpet before the infamous wardrobe malfunction.

The incident wasn’t broadcast on Channel 10, but enough people in the room saw it for Whitehead to fall on his sword and offer his resignation as the station’s executives expressed their outrage.

Whitehead’s next single release was cheekily titled I Don’t Do Surprises.

THE ENTIRE 2010 ARIAS

A recipe for disaster from the moment hosts Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Dylan Lewis welcomed viewers from the steps of the Sydney Opera House.

The 2010 event, hosted by Dylan Lewis and Natalie Bassingthwaighte, went from bad to worse.

Poor Jessica Mauboy read ‘debut’ as ‘de-butt’, Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet endured an embarrassing script referencing his gay character and Tim Rogers expressed everyone’s frustrations when he turned to co-presenter Kasey Chambers and asked, “What are we doing here?” And everyone wondered why Bob Katter was at the “Ararias”, as he called them.

Winners had to walk through inebriated VIPs to accept awards, with Powderfinger overheard asking on camera where they were supposed to be.

KEITH URBAN AND JOHN BUTLER

The country superstar and the blues chart-topper joined forces for an epic guitar duel at the 2007 awards which had the entire room, including Nicole Kidman, up on their feet and losing their minds during the performance of Butler’s Funky Tonight.

Nicole Kidman was forced to cover up when her dress proved to be too revealing. Picture: Sam Mooy

Poor Kidman had gracefully dealt with a wardrobe malfunction on the red carpet earlier in the day when it became abundantly clear in the searing sun that her little black dress was completely see-through with her minders quickly securing a jacket to preserve her modesty.

MISSY HIGGINS AND THE HOFF

When Missy Higgins collected the Album of The Year gong for The Sound Of White in 2005, presenter David Hasselhoff got more appreciation than he bargained for when she bolted across the stage and jumped into his arms.

Singer Missy Higgins got excited when she David Hasselhoff.

DARREN DOES DELTA

Recovering from cancer treatment, a brave Delta Goodrem fronted the 2003 ARIA Awards to collect seven gongs for her debut album Innocent Eyes and then joined everyone to bawl buckets when Darren Hayes sang Lost Without You to her.

Delta Goodrem tugged at our heartstrings with her appearanc at the 2003 awards.

PAUL MAC SPEECH

Shocked and not armed with an acceptance speech for the Best Dance Release, Itch-e and Scratch-e’s Paul Mac sparked controversy in 1995 by thanking “Sydney’s ecstasy dealers, without whom this award would not be possible’’ when the national Drug Offensive was an awards sponsor.

Paul Mac raised eyebrows with his risque speech.

MOLLY MELDRUM V GARY MORRIS

The music guru bit back when the Midnight Oil manager made a crack at guest Bryan Ferry’s stylishly crumpled linen suit because he was miffed that international artists were presenting gongs at the 1988 awards saying, “The Poms look at us as being pretty archaic down here, but we’ve got room service. You could have ordered an iron, mate’’

TINA ARENA HALL OF FAME

The legendary singer smashed it out of the park performing Chains with The Veronicas and Jessica Mauboy to mark her overdue induction to the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2015. And then absolutely nailed the ageism and sexism rife in the industry with a brave and unapologetic speech. Not too much has changed in the three years since.

Tina Arena stunned with an incredible performance followed by a powerful speech that exposed the industry’s sexism and ageism.

“A very big thank you to radio, past and present, for supporting my music and continuing to do so. I implore commercial radio to continue to support Australian music and base your playlists on the quality of the song and not the age of the artist,” she said to a standing ovation.

“I want to also acknowledge the ladies over 40, still in the game in a big way.

“My darling friend behind me, Miss Kylie Minogue, the wonderful Madonna, J Lo, Annie Lennox. My lord, the list does go on. Keep doing what you’re doing and keep doing what you do best, ladies, because we will decide when its time for us to stop, thank you.”

Kasey Chambers was as refreshing as ever when she took out an ARIA for Dragonfly at last year's awards.

KASEY CHAMBERS KEEPING IT REAL

Kasey Chambers added to the wall of ARIA Awards amassed over her career, taking out her eighth solo Best Country Album with her Dragonfly record last year.

Chambers was caught backstage and made a quick dash onto the stage to make her acceptance speech.

“My life is so weird and now I am nervous because I had to run in these shoes. My life is so weird, I was literally getting nits out of my kid’s hair this morning and now I’m holding this,” the delightfully down-to-earth star said.

“I know there’s a lot of negative said about being a woman in this industry over 40 years old but I f***ing love it.”