ARIA awards take place at Sydney's Star casino on December 1

SYDNEY'S casino The Star has been announced as the new home of the ARIA awards night, to take place on December 1.

THIS year's ARIA Awards will take place at Sydney's The Star casino on Sunday December 1.

Channel 9's digital station Go will broadcast the event.

Ironically the venue instantly became the subject of discussion among the music community after rock star Joel Madden was busted when a maid found marijuana in his room in June.

No host or musical performers have been announced for the event yet, and nominations will be announced on November 15.

Eligible for Album of the Year are releases by Flume, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Tame Impala, Birds of Tokyo, Bliss N Eso, Bernard Fanning, Boy & Bear, Russell Morris, Harrison Craig, Troy Cassar-Daley and Adam Harvey, Empire of the Sun, Cloud Control, Guy Sebastian, Paul Kelly, Sarah Blasko, the Presets, the Cat Empire, the Rubens, Josh Pyke, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson and Jagwar Ma.

The timing means several international acts will be in the country and available to act as presenters or performers.

Teen star Justin Bieber will be in Sydney and would be a good choice to try and lure younger viewers to watch the broadcast.

British rockers Muse and rock icons Fleetwood Mac will also be in Australia, however Taylor Swift and Bon Jovi's touring schedule will mean they miss being in Sydney by several days.

Voting for the ARIAs started this week among music industry types, while the public can vote on four awards - Song of the Year, Best International Artist, Best Australian Live Act and Best Video - from October 15 onwards.

ARIA said that over 100,000 public votes were cast in these categories last year.

Ten Australian acts have had No. 1 albums this year - Flume, Nick Cave, Hillsong United, Birds of Tokyo, Bernard Fanning, Harrison Craig, Bliss N Eso, Karnivool, Rufus and Boy & Bear - a feat not achieved since 2004.

The Voice winner Harrison Craig, Guy Sebastian and Sydney electronic producer Flume have the highest-selling albums of the past 12 months, while Riptide by Melbourne newcomer Vance Joy, Resolution by Matt Corby, What You've Done to Me by X Factor winner Samantha Jade and Get Along by Guy Sebastian are among the highest-selling singles since last year's ARIA Awards.

Retail store David Jones will sponsor a red carpet event at this year's event.

The ARIA Hall of Fame will be announced at the event - with soft rock kings Air Supply on tour in Sydney at the time of the awards many are hoping they will finally be given an overdue induction.

Air Supply sold over 100 million albums and scored eight US Top 10 hits including Lost in Love, All Out of Love, The One That You Love, Making Love Out of Nothing At All and Here I Am.

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