ARIA Hall of Fame's 40th anniversary honours Australia's greatest music legends

Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, The Living End and Vika & Linda join the ARIA Hall of Fame. 

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this release contains the name of a person who has died.The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) proudly celebrated a landmark moment in Australian music history tonight, at the ARIA Hall of Fame Special Event held at Carriageworks, Sydney. 

Marking a historic first for the ARIA Hall of Fame, the special standalone event will be broadcast nationally via the ABC at 9.15pm, Saturday 13 June on ABC Entertains and ABC iview.

Hosted by Myf Warhurst, the evening saw six iconic Australian artists officially inducted into the 2026 ARIA Hall of Fame: Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, The Living End, and Vika & Linda. 

The special event brought together artists, industry leaders, peers and music fans to honour the artistic achievement, cultural contribution and remarkable legacies of the inductees and celebrate the evolution of Australian music over the past four decades.

The evening opened with a powerful celebration of the late Gurrumul, where members of his family performed Djarimirri: sharing living culture with dance and continuing the storytelling traditions carried through Gurrumul’s music. Prominent artist and rapper Briggs took to the stage as inductor, reflecting on Gurrumul's profound cultural impact before welcoming his family to accept the honour on his behalf. 

Following closely were The Living End, who delivered an electrifying set featuring some of their most iconic tracks including White Noise, All Torn Down and Prisoner of Society. 

Eddie Perfect inducted Kate Ceberano into the ARIA Hall of Fame, recognising her decades-long impact on Australian culture and entertainment with a career spanning more than four decades, followed by a heartfelt performance from Vika & Linda showcasing their timeless vocal harmonies with Never Let Me Go, When Will You Fall For Me and Where Do You Come From.

Australian Actress, Claudia Karvan welcomed one of Australia’s most enduring and distinctive bands, Spiderbait, into the Hall of Fame to celebrate the band's trailblazing career and enduring influence on Australian rock music. 

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to Jenny Morris, highlighting her extraordinary contribution to music across Australia and New Zealand.

The celebrations continued with a unique Jenny Morris medley performance by Dan Sultan, Mia Wray and Kate Miller-Heidke honouring her extensive catalogue of beloved hits with You I Know, Break in Weather and She's Gotta Be Loved. 

Julia Zemiro inducted Vika & Linda, while dear friend and mentor Jimmy Barnes delivered a recorded induction for The Living End. Kate Ceberano then took to the stage with a powerful performance celebrating her unparalleled contribution to Australian music with Brave - a special moment joined by her daughter Gypsy Lee - and finishing with a Pash where she was joined by her trio.

The epic evening concluded with a rocking performance from Spiderbait with Calypso, Black Betty and Buy Me a Pony whose set brought the audience to its feet and provided a fitting finale to a landmark celebration of Australian music excellence and the 40th anniversary of the ARIA Awards.

The 2026 ARIA Hall of Fame Special Event stands as a defining moment in ARIA's anniversary year, honouring the artists whose contributions continue to inspire audiences and future generations alike.

The ARIA Hall of Fame Special Event has been made possible by the NSW Government through Sound NSW.  This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Office for the Arts and Music Australia.

Photogrpahy credit Chloe Paul

Previous Inductees

Induction criteria

Note that not all of these criteria must be met to be eligible.  

The artist/band has: 

• Released a record at least 15 years prior to the year of the proposed induction, and subsequently amassed a significant body of widely celebrated recorded work. 
• Achieved remarkable commercial and critical success. 
• Achieved success in Australia and/or overseas with global reach and impact. 
• Notably influenced and/or contributed to the growth and success of other artists. 
• Demonstrated a commitment to strengthening Australian music and the broader industry through impactful community involvement. 
• Achieved remarkable success on the ARIA Charts, at the ARIA Awards and/or global charts or major international awards. 

Additionally, the following criteria MUST ALL be met:  

• The artist/s must be willing and available to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the selected year, including attending and performing at the ARIAs.  
• While ARIA will cover the cost of promotion and PR around the Hall of Fame induction, the artist/band must cover the costs associated with a memorable and special performance at the ARIA Awards. Note that the ARIAs broadcast and event team will work with the artist team to ensure efficient costs management so the opportunity is accessible to all artists. 
• The artist/s must be willing and available for promotion and publicity throughout the Hall of Fame campaign which will commence around August on the selected year. 

To apply, complete the form here.