APRA Celebrates 100 Years of Championing the Songwriters, Composers and Music Publishers of Aotearoa and Australia
APRA Celebrates 100 Years of Championing the Songwriters, Composers and Music Publishers of Aotearoa and Australia
January 28th, 2026
100 years ago this week, six music publishers gathered in Sydney to form the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), establishing the fundamental principle that the songwriters and composers of Australia and New Zealand deserve to be paid when their work is broadcast and performed.
That simple idea in 1926 grew into Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest music rights management organisation, APRA AMCOS, which today represents over 128,000 music creators and is, this year, celebrating a century of songwriting.
In what will be the most significant celebration of the contribution of songwriting and composition to Australia and New Zealand’s culture, identity and economy, APRA will be celebrating throughout 2026 with a series of landmark events alongside flagship organisation events such as the the 61st APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka in October and the APRA Music Awards in Sydney in April.
“From the licensing of radio broadcasts in the 1920s to protecting creators’ rights in the AI era, APRA has evolved alongside the music it serves,” says APRA AMCOS CEO, Dean Ormston. “This centenary isn’t just about looking back – it’s about celebrating the enduring value of songwriting to our culture, identity and our two nations.”
“It’s wonderful to celebrate and reflect on 100 years of music rights in Australasia, remembering that the soulful work of composers is valued for its contribution to time and place. From our unique indigenous music to our worldwide pop hits, APRA has walked this 100-year journey, upholding the value of our nations’ songs. For us songwriters who see many changes through our careers, APRA remains a constant at a time when the rights of creators are more important than ever.” says APRA writer director, Bic Runga.
The year-long celebrations begin with a digital history timeline launched today – APRA: A Century of Song – capturing pivotal cultural moments throughout the 100 years across both Australian and New Zealand songwriting.
Jenny Morris, Chair of APRA, explains: “From the famous ‘Aeroplane Jelly’ jingle in 1930 to Lorde breaking through to worldwide superstardom in the 2010s, APRA: A Century of Song is a nostalgic and educational walk down memory lane of our songwriting history that’s an absolute must read for any musicophile.”
Key highlights in the timeline include Johnny Cooper bringing homegrown rock ‘n’ roll to New Zealand in 1957; Māori showbands such as The Māori Hi-Five taking the culture of Aotearoa to the world in the 1960s; the rise of music as a vehicle for activism in the 1970s and 80s alongside the explosion of festivals; Kylie leaving Neighbours to launch her music career with ‘The Locomotion’ in 1987; OMC bringing the Urban Pasifika sound worldwide with ‘How Bizarre’ in 1995; and the appointment of Dame Hinewehi Mohi as the Director of Māori Membership in 2020, alongside the growth of bilingual music.
This cultural and social timeline is accentuated with the history of APRA, from the formation of the first Board in January 1926, which established the fundamental principles of music rights for the region, and the very first licence provided to the town hall on King Island, Tasmania on New Year’s Eve 1926, which still stands to this day. The licence was the first in a long series of agreements allowing APRA to licence venues for music use so that local songwriters could get paid every time their music was played.
The moment that APRA became trans-Tasman and then global is captured with the arrival of young solicitor Albert E Rolfe to act on its behalf in New Zealand in 1927, and the first reciprocal agreement signed with APRA’s counterparts in America, ASCAP, in 1948, meaning local music creators could earn internationally for the first time. In 1979, AMCOS was established to administer mechanical royalties from records, tapes and emerging formats, merging with APRA in 1997 to become the organisation it is today.
Anthony Healey, APRA’s NZ Head of Operations, adds, “For a century APRA has stood alongside the thousands of New Zealand and Australian songwriters and composers, who have shaped our musical legacy. We have been trusted partners throughout that whole time, amplifying our collective voice around the world. The work continues today and for the next 100 years.”
Check out the timeline here.
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