Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano Among Six Inductees Into ARIA Hall of Fame for 40th Anniversary

Key facts

• Six artists will be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame on June 11, 2026, at Carriageworks in Sydney.
• The ceremony is part of the 40th anniversary of the ARIA Awards, in partnership with Spotify.
• Gurrumul, who died in 2017, earned 22 ARIA nominations and 10 wins, and sold more than 500,000 albums worldwide.
• Jenny Morris won back-to-back ARIA Awards for Best Female Artist in 1987 and 1988.
• Kate Ceberano is one of only four Australian artists to achieve top-10 albums across five consecutive decades.
• Spiderbait's 'Buy Me a Pony' was the first Australian song to top the triple J Hottest 100.
• The Living End's self-titled 1998 debut album went four-times platinum and charted for 83 weeks.
• Vika & Linda received the Order of Australia Medal in 2022 and will release their ninth studio album on June 5, 2026.

A Landmark Ceremony for a 40-Year Legacy

The Australian Recording Industry Association has announced the six artists who will be inducted into the 2026 ARIA Hall of Fame: Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, The Living End, and Vika & Linda. The induction will take place at a special standalone event on Thursday, June 11, at Carriageworks in Sydney, ahead of the 2026 ARIA Awards in November. For the first time in more than a decade, multiple acts are being inducted simultaneously, a move that underscores the breadth of talent being recognised as the awards celebrate their 40th anniversary. The event is supported by the NSW Government through Sound NSW and assisted by the Australian Government through the Office for the Arts and Music Australia.

Gurrumul: A Posthumous Honour for a Cultural Icon

Among the inductees is the late Gurrumul, born Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu of the Gumatj clan on Elcho Island in Arnhem Land. Blind from birth, the Indigenous singer-songwriter achieved international acclaim with his 2008 self-titled debut album, which sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide. He performed for Queen Elizabeth II, US President Barack Obama, and was one of only two Australian performers at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace. Across his career, Gurrumul received 22 ARIA Award nominations and 10 wins, along with 16 National Indigenous Music Awards. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 46. His legacy continues through his music and the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation.

Jenny Morris: From Stage to Advocacy

Jenny Morris rose to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, first with QED and INXS before launching a solo career that produced multiple platinum albums, including Body and Soul (1987), Shiver (1989), and Honeychild (1991). She won back-to-back ARIA Awards for Best Female Artist in 1987 and 1988 and toured internationally with Prince, INXS, and Paul McCartney. Beyond performing, Morris has been a significant industry advocate. She served as chair of the board of APRA AMCOS and sat on the board of the music therapy charity NORO for a decade. She founded Art of Music, a charity fundraiser for NORO that celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Despite a neurological issue that ended her singing career, Morris continues to champion Australian artists and songwriters.

Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, The Living End, and Vika & Linda: Diverse Sounds, Enduring Impact

Kate Ceberano first broke through in 1984 as the lead vocalist of I’m Talking before achieving her first platinum solo album, Brave, in 1989. Over four decades, she has released 31 albums and 57 singles, earning 22 ARIA nominations and five wins. She is one of only four Australian artists—alongside AC/DC, Midnight Oil, and Kylie Minogue—to achieve top-10 albums across five consecutive decades. Spiderbait, formed in Finley, New South Wales, in 1989, became a defining force in Australia’s 1990s rock scene. Their 1996 album Ivy & The Big Apples debuted in the ARIA Top 3 and went double platinum. The single “Buy Me a Pony” became the first Australian song to top the triple J Hottest 100. The band’s “Black Betty” later reached No. 1 on the ARIA singles chart. Today, Spiderbait generates more than 100 million streams annually, with over 70% of their listenership outside Australia. The Living End—Chris Cheney, Scott Owen, and Andy Strachan—have been one of Australia’s most significant rock acts since their 1998 self-titled debut, which went four-times platinum, debuted at No. 1, and charted for 83 weeks. Their single “Second Solution / Prisoner of Society” became the biggest Australian single of the 1990s. The band holds the record for most consecutive entries in the triple J Hottest 100 from 1997 to 2006 and has collected five ARIA Awards from 29 nominations. Sisters Vika Bull and Linda Bull rose to prominence as key members of The Black Sorrows before forging a successful career as a duo spanning four decades. Their 1994 self-titled debut reached the ARIA Top 10 and went platinum. Their greatest hits compilation Akilota (Anthology 1993–2006) reached No. 1 in 2020. They have collaborated with Paul Kelly, Kasey Chambers, Archie Roach, and Renée Geyer, and received the Order of Australia Medal in 2022. Their ninth studio album, Where Do You Come From?, is scheduled for release on June 5, 2026.

Government and Industry Praise for the Inductees

ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said the inductees “represent the depth, diversity and enduring influence of Australian music across generations.” She added, “As we mark 40 years of the ARIA Awards, it feels especially meaningful to honour these artists whose work has defined moments in time and continues to resonate with audiences today.” New South Wales Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, John Graham, stated: “These incredible artists have defined the Australian sound, taken it to the world, and inspired the next generation. This is such a fitting way to recognise their service to Australian music.” Federal Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, remarked: “You can’t imagine the soundtrack to life in Australia without these artists. And yeah, I know Jenny was born in New Zealand but we’re claiming her too.”

What Comes Next: The Hall of Fame Event and the 2026 ARIA Awards

The ARIA Hall of Fame Special Event will take place on June 11, 2026, at Carriageworks in Sydney, in partnership with Spotify. The 2026 ARIA Awards are scheduled for November 18 at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, streaming live on Paramount+ and broadcasting on Network 10. The inductees join a distinguished lineage that includes AC/DC, INXS, Kylie Minogue, Crowded House, Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, Archie Roach, Missy Higgins, Kasey Chambers, Olivia Newton-John, Yothu Yindi, and many others. The 40th anniversary celebration aims to highlight the enduring strength and diversity of Australia’s music industry, reinforcing its role on the global stage.

The bottom line

• Six artists—Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, Spiderbait, The Living End, and Vika & Linda—will be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame on June 11, 2026, at Carriageworks in Sydney.
• The induction is part of the 40th anniversary of the ARIA Awards, marking the first time in over a decade that multiple artists have been inducted together.
• Gurrumul, who died in 2017, sold more than 500,000 albums worldwide and performed for Queen Elizabeth II and President Barack Obama.
• Jenny Morris won back-to-back ARIA Awards for Best Female Artist and has been a key industry advocate as chair of APRA AMCOS.
• Kate Ceberano is one of only four Australian artists to achieve top-10 albums across five consecutive decades.
• Spiderbait's 'Buy Me a Pony' was the first Australian song to top the triple J Hottest 100, and the band now generates over 100 million streams annually.
• The Living End's 1998 debut album went four-times platinum and charted for 83 weeks.
• Vika & Linda received the Order of Australia Medal in 2022 and will release their ninth studio album on June 5, 2026.