The Melbourne songwriter knocked Adelaide-born Sia off her perch at the awards in Sydney last night.

Sia had won the top gong for the past three years but she didn’t leave empty-handed, with her song “Chandelier” winning the Most Played Australian Work Overseas.

Barnett has been on a winning streak this year, especially at home where she’s been recognised for her debut album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. She won the Australian Music Prize for the album, took home four ARIA Awards and was nominated for a Grammy for Best New Artist.

But it wasn’t just Barnett’s night.

Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker won the Song Of The Year Award for “Let It Happen”, off the band’s third album Currents, while Adelaide hip-hop group Hilltop Hoods’ “Cosby Sweater” was named Urban Work of the Year.

The APRAs, which honour songwriting, are decided by the APRA AMCOS Board of Publisher and Writer Directors.

Many local musicians stepped up to perform songs written by nominated Aussies. Among the highlights were Delta Riggs performing Tame Impala’s “Let It Happen”, San Cisco playing Courtney Barnett’s “Pedestrian at Best”, Guy Sebastian covering blues artist C.W. Stoneking’s “The Zombie” and The Living End ending the night with “Khe Sanh” as a tribute to Cold Chisel.

Chisel were presented the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music by artist Ben Quilty.

APRA MUSIC AWARD WINNERS:

Song Of The Year – Let it Happen, Tame Impala

Songwriter of the Year – Courtney Barnett

Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music – Cold Chisel

Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year – Alex Hope

Overseas Recognition Award – Phil Barton

Most Played Australian Work Overseas – Chandelier, Sia

Most Played Australian Work – Take Me Over, Peking Duk feat. Safia

Country Work of the Year – Spirit of the ANZACs, Lee Kernaghan

Blues & Roots Work of the Year – Days of Gold, Busby Marou

Dance Work of the Year – Take Me Over, Peking Duk feat. Safia

Rock Work of the Year – Anchor, Birds of Tokyo

Pop Work of the Year – Do You Remember, Jarryd James/Joel Little

Urban Work of the Year – Cosby Sweater, Hilltop Hoods

International Work of the Year – Uptown Funk, Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

-AAP