APRA Silver Scroll Awards 2007: APRA announces the Top 20 Songs of the year.

20th July 2007

The Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)* is proud to announce the top 20 songs eligible for New Zealand's most prestigious songwriting award.

The Silver Scroll has been presented since 1965, and is the New Zealand music industry's favourite night out. It's an unparalleled chance for musicians, to relax, confer and celebrate with peers and industry alike.

Anthony Healey, APRA's Director of NZ Operations. "This is yet another outstanding year showcasing and celebrating a collection of exceptional talent. The entrants are all to be congratulated and acknowledged for their contribution to the quality of the New Zealand music landscape. It's really an amazing year not just for the songwriters, but it's also the first time APRA members have been able to cast a vote to determine the Scroll recipient. With the beauty of online technology, we can now genuinely let the industry speak for itself!"

Historically, a panel of anonymous writers and industry experts has judged the Silver Scroll. This year, a significant change has occurred in determining the winner. A panel of judges were nominated by APRA to convene the below preliminary list, and now the rest is handed over to
APRA members who can listen to each song, read the lyrics and log on to vote. The 5 finalists are performed on the night of the Awards and the winner of the Silver Scroll 2007 (as decided by APRA members) will be announced.

This highly anticipated evening on the music industry calendar, is guaranteed to yield nothing short of a spectacular result. It's a veritable who's who of New Zealand's most respected songwriters. From old faces to new, the songwriters selected include: Boh Runga, Shayne Carter, Miriam Clancy, Greg Johnson, and it's also the first time father and son, Neil and Liam Finn both vie for this coveted award! Sean Donnelly and Brooke Fraser prove their talent by being nominated with not one, but two songs each!

And is if that's not enough to ensure a sublime evening of performance and celebration; it's also the inauguration of the first members into the newly established APRA New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

Four inaugural inductees will be honoured in 2007 and presentations will be made at the annual APRA Silver Scroll Award evening. Inductees may be songwriters, composers, performing artists or industry champions. They will all however have shaped and influenced New Zealand culture in
a significant way.

Healey points out "The APRA New Zealand Music Hall of Fame will ensure that we're dedicated to preserving and acknowledging the contribution, both musical and cultural, that our colleagues make towards our industry. It's appropriate and right to celebrate such significant people alongside their musical counterparts at an event like the Silver Scroll; the award and the Hall of Fame go hand in hand."

The Top 20 contenders for the 2007 APRA Silver Scroll are listed below. To listen to and read each song's lyrics visit www.apra.co.nz.

Song - Title - Writer(s) - Performed by

Albertine - Brooke Fraser - Brooke Fraser

Anyone Can Say Goodbye - Greg Johnson & Ted Brown - Greg Johnson

Beautiful Haze - Sean Donnelly - SJD

Crawl - Sean Cunningham, Ben Campbell & Beth Campbell - Atlas

Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! - Ruban Nielson - The Mint Chicks

Deciphering Me - Brooke Fraser - Brooke Fraser

Don't Stop Now - Neil Finn - Crowded House

For A While - Boh Runga - stellar*

Girl About Town - Miriam Clancy - Miriam Clancy

I Will Do - Hollie Smith & Jeremy Toy - Hollie Smith

I Will Not Let You Down - Sean Donnelly - Don McGlashan

Light Surrounding You - Dann Hume & Jon Hume - Evermore

Maybe - Jason Kerrison, Bobby Kennedy, Matt Treacy & Clinton Harris - Opshop

One - Redford Grenell, Devin Abrams, Nick Robinson, Sam Trevethick & Paora Apera - Shapeshifter

Rise Up (part 2) - Jeremy Toy, Julien Dyne, Lewis McCallum & Tyra Hammond - Opensouls

Second Chance - Liam Finn - Liam Finn

The Way To Breathe - Julia Deans, Andrew Bain & Simon Braxton - Fur Patrol

This Soldier - Victoria Girling-Butcher - Lucid 3

We're So Lost - Buzz Moller - Voom

What's A Few Tears To the Ocean - Shayne Carter - Dimmer

www.apra.co.nz