It’s time to gaze into the crystal ball and predict who will win the 2016 ARIA Awards

THE 30th ARIA Awards marks a changing of the guard from our rock roots to chartslayers like Flume, and the irrepressible Sia. Who will win this year?

Electronic music guru Flume is expected to make multiple trips to the winner’s podium next week. Picture: Jason O'Brien

THE 30th ARIA Awards marks a changing of the guard from our rock roots to chartslayers like Flume, and the irrepressible Sia. Who will win this year?

Album Of the Year

Flume — Skin

RÜFÜS — Bloom

Sia — This Is Acting

The Avalanches — Wildflower

Troye Sivan — Blue Neighbourhood

The prevailing dance-flecked pop trend has never been more represented in the ARIA Awards recent history with all five albums not only performing at the top of the charts in Australia but winning thousands of fans around the world. Flume is short odds to be accepting this one.

Best Male Artist

Bernard Fanning — Civil Dusk

Flume — Skin

Guy Sebastian — Black & Blue

Illy — Papercuts (feat. Vera Blue)

Troye Sivan — Blue Neighbourhood

Could you get a more eclectic crew of blokes? The globally popular Troye Sivan certainly fulfils the brief of being an excellent male artist and would have found favour with many of the voting academy. But Harley Streten aka Flume would be wise to have a speech prepared for this gong.

Jessica Cerro (Montaigne) got a lot of love in the ARIA nominations. Picture: Adam Taylor

Best Female Artist

Delta Goodrem — Wings Of the Wild

Jessica Mauboy — This Ain’t Love

Montaigne — Glorious Heights

Sarah Blasko — Eternal Return

Sia — This Is Acting

All stellar women with unique contributions to the Australia soundtrack. Montaigne did indeed reach glorious heights with her unique alt pop debut record while Sia’s reclamation of her songs rejected by other artists proved another chart smash. My bet is the lady in the wig.

Best Group

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard — Nonagon Infinity

RÜFÜS — Bloom

The Avalanches — Wildflower

The Veronicas — In My Blood

Violent Soho — WACO

This award tends to default to a rock band so it was quite a surprise to see it shaken up in 2016 by the presence of production duo The Avalanches, singing sisters The Veronicas and electronic dance pop supremos Rufus. My gut says rock will win out with Violent Soho.

Australian rockers Violent Soho are strong candidates to win best group. Picture: Supplied

Breakthrough Artist

DMA’S — Hills End

L D R U — Keeping Score (feat. Paige IV)

Montaigne — Glorious Heights

Olympia — Self Talk

Safia — Make Them Wheels Roll

Always one of my favourite categories of the ARIAs, Breakthrough Artist turns the spotlight on those who have made good on their early promise. DMA’s have made huge inroads with touring and on the charts with their debut record while Montaigne signalled a new direction for Australian pop. I’m with her.

Originally published as It’s time to gaze into the crystal ball and predict who will win the 2016 ARIA Awards