The ARIA Awards have come and gone for another year, and it's fair to say it was a historic night for Australian music. Genesis Owusu became the first hip-hop artist to win Album Of The Year, receiving the award for his debut album Smiling With No Teeth.

In his acceptance speech, Genesis Owusu said, “This is insane. I used to get side-eyed a lot when I was younger for the way I dressed and the things I did … But all the people I loved and respected always stood firm, immovable, unshakeable because we knew the power in who we were and what we created.

"I’m lost for words honestly. this means so much for me ... It’s not for us to change for people; it’s up to them to catch up, and see what they’ve been missing out on.” He also won the award for Best Hip Hop Release, Best Independent Release and Best Cover Art.

It was also a huge night for The Kid LAROI, who won the Best Artist and Best Pop Release awards. There might be more on the way, too, with LAROI nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. 

Fellow Grammy nominees RÜFÜS DU SOL won ARIAs for Best Dance Release and Best Group, off the back of the release of their fourth album, Surrender. The band's been busy overseas becoming one of the most sought-after live acts worldwide, but they'll be returning for a huge Australian tour in late 2022.

It was a different looking ARIA Awards this year, being live-streamed from Sydney's Taronga Zoo. However, it was also a reminder of the rising stars of Australian music, with Budjerah winning an ARIA for his debut self-titled EP, winning the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist award, introduced by Ed Sheeran. His speech was hands down one of the most heartwarming moments of the night, so if you want to squeal over it, check it out below. 

READ MORE: PREMIERE: Wesley Black's 'Better With You' Video Captures The Aftermath Of A Prom

You can check out all of the ARIA Award winners below. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees - it was a ceremony that proved that Australian music is in a great place heading into 2022 and beyond.

2021 ARIA Award Winners

Album Of The Year
WINNER: GENESIS OWUSU

Amy Shark - Cry Forever 

Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth 

Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators - The Makarrata Project 

The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You  

Tones and I - Welcome to the Madhouse 

Best Artist

WINNER: THE KID LAROI 

Amy Shark - Cry Forever 

Budjerah - Budjerah 

Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth 

Keith Urban - The Speed Of Now Part 1 

Kylie Minogue - Disco 

Masked Wolf  - Astronaut In The Ocean 

Ngaiire - 3 

The Kid LAROI - Stay 

Tones and I - Welcome to the Madhouse 

Vance Joy - Missing Piece 

Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist

WINNER: BUDJERAH

Budjerah - Budjerah 

Gretta Ray - Begin To Look Around 

Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean 

MAY-A -Don't Kiss Ur Friends 

Ngaiire - 3 

Best Pop Release

WINNER: THE KID LAROI 

Amy Shark - Cry Forever 

The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You 

The Kid LAROI - Stay 

Tones and I - Fly Away 

Vance Joy - Missing Piece 

Best Hip Hop Release Presented By Menulog

WINNER: GENESIS OWUSU

B Wise - jamie 

Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth 

Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean 

The Kid LAROI - WITHOUT YOU 

Youngn Lipz - Area Baby 

Best Independent Release Presented by PPCA

WINNER: GENESIS OWUSU

Archie Roach - The Songs Of Charcoal Lane  

Ball Park Music - Ball Park Music 

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover 

Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth 

Vance Joy - Missing Piece 

Best Soul/R&B Release

WINNER: TKAY MAIDZA

Budjerah - Budjerah 

Hiatus Kaiyote - Mood Valiant 

Ngaiire - 3 

Tash Sultana - Terra Firma 

Tkay Maidza - Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3 

Best Dance Release

WINNER: RÜFÜS DU SOL

Cosmo's Midnight - Yesteryear 

Dom Dolla - Pump The Brakes 

Jolyon Petch - Dreams 

KLP & Stace Cadet - People Happy 

RÜFÜS DU SOL - Alive 

Best Group 

WINNER: RÜFÜS DU SOL

AC/DC - Power Up 

Gang Of Youths - The Angel of 8th Ave. 

Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators - The Makarrata Project 

RÜFÜS DU SOL - Alive 

The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You 

Best Rock Album

WINNER: MIDDLE KIDS

AC/DC - Power Up 

Ball Park Music - Ball Park Music 

Holy Holy - Hello My Beautiful World 

Middle Kids - Today We're The Greatest 

Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators - The Makarrata Project 

Best Adult Contemporary Album

WINNER: CROWDED HOUSE

Big Scary – Daisy 

Crowded House - Dreamers Are Waiting 

Kylie Minogue - Disco 

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Carnage 

Odette - Herald 

Best Country Album

WINNER: TROY CASSAR-DALEY

Brad Cox - My Mind's Projection 

Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham - The Song Club 

Shane Nicholson - Living In Colour 

The Wolfe Brothers - Kids On Cassette 

Troy Cassar-Daley - The World Today 

Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album

WINNER: TROPICAL F**K STORM

Alpha Wolf - A Quiet Place To Die 

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound What Reality? 

Tropical F**k Storm - Deep States 

Yours Truly - Self Care 

A. Swayze & the Ghosts - Paid Salvation 

Best Blues & Roots Album

WINNER: ARCHIE ROACH

Archie Roach - The Songs Of Charcoal Lane 

Emma Donovan & The Putbacks – Crossover 

Josh Teskey & Ash Grunwald - Push The Blues Away

Martha Marlow - Medicine Man 

Ziggy Alberts  Searching For Freedom 

Best Children's Album 

WINNER: BLUEY

Amber Lawrence - The Kid's Gone Country 2 

Bluey - Bluey The Album 

Diver City - Dance Silly 

The Wiggles - Lullabies With Love 

Various Artists - The Moon, The Mouse & The Frog: Lullabies from Northern Australia 

PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS

Best Video presented by YouTube Music

WINNER: MISSING PIECE - VANCE JOY, ANNELISE HICKEY
24k - Tkay Maidza, Nicholas Muecke 
Astronaut In The Ocean - Masked Wolf, Daniele Cernera 
could cry just thinkin about you - Troye Sivan & Jesse Gohier-Fleet 
Dance - Julia Stone, Jessie Hill 
First Nation - Midnight Oil 
Higher - Budjerah, Mick Soiza 
Love Songs Ain't for Us - Amy Shark, James Chappell 
Missing Piece - Vance Joy, Annelise Hickey 
The Divine Chord - The Avalanches, Jonathan Zawada 
Won't Sleep - Tones and I, Nick Kozakis, Liam Kelly 

Best Australian Live Act presented by Heaps Normal 

WINNER: LIME CORDIALE

Amy Shark - Cry Forever Tour 2021 

Ball Park Music - The Residency 

Budjerah - Budjerah 2021 Aus Tour 

Genesis Owusu - Smiling With No Teeth Album Tour 

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Micro Tour 

Lime Cordiale - Relapse Tour 

Midnight Oil & First Nations Collaborators - Makarrata Live 

The Avalanches - The Avalanches Live 

The Teskey Brothers - The Teskey Brothers (Headline Shows + Festivals) 

Song of the Year presented by YouTube Music 

WINNER: SPACEY JANE

Amy Shark Feat. Keith Urban - Love Songs Ain't For Us 

Dean Lewis - Falling Up 

Hooligan Hefs - Send It! 

Keith Urban & P!nk - One Too Many 

Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean 

Sam Fischer & Demi Lovato - What Other People Say 

Spacey Jane - Booster Seat 

The Kid LAROI with Miley Cyrus - Without You 

Tones and I - Fly Away 

Vance Joy - Missing Piece 

Most Popular International

WINNER: TAYLOR SWIFT

Ariana Grande - Positions 

Doja Cat - Planet Her 

Justin Bieber - Justice 

Kanye West - Donda 

Luke Combs - What You See Ain't Always What You Get 

Machine Gun Kelly - Tickets To My Downfall 

Miley Cyrus - Plastic Hearts 

Olivia Rodrigo - Sour 

Pop Smoke - Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon 

Taylor Swift - Evermore 

Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award 

WINNER: ZOË BARRY - SACRED HEART SCHOOL, MELBOURNE VIC

Aaron Silver - Wodonga Primary School, Regional VIC

Ashley Baxter - Pimlico State High School, Townsville QLD

Daniel Wilson - Star Struck, Newcastle NSW

Zoë Barry - Sacred Heart School, Melbourne VIC

ARTISAN AWARDS

Best Cover Art

WINNER: KOFI ANSAH & BAILEY HOWARD for GENESIS OWUSU

Ngaiire Joseph & Dan Segal for Ngaiire - 3 

Eben Ejdne for Odette - Herald 

Kofi Ansah & Bailey Howard for Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth 

Jonathan Zawada for The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You 

Giulia Giannini McGauran & Mitchell Eaton for Tones and I - Welcome to the Madhouse 

Engineer Of The Year 

WINNER: KONSTANTIN KERSTING

Chris Collins

Eric J Dubowsky

Konstantin Kersting

Matt Corby

Tony Espie

Producer Of The Year

WINNER: KONSTANTIN KERSTING & THE RUBENS

Andrew Klippel, Dave Hammer

Konstantin Kersting & The Rubens

M-Phazes

Matt Corby

Robert Chater

FINE ARTS AWARDS

Best Classical Album

WINNER: GENEVIEVE LACEY and MARSHALL MCGUIRE

Christian Li - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons 

Emily Sun & Andrea Lam - Nocturnes  

Genevieve Lacey and Marshall McGuire - Bower 

Grigoryan Brothers - This is Us: A Musical Reflection of Australia 

Nat Bartsch - Hope  

Best Jazz Album 

WINNER: MILDLIFE

Australian Art Orchestra, Reuben Lewis, Tariro Mavondo & Peter Knight - Closed Beginnings 

Kristen Beradi, Sean Foran & Rafael Karlen - Haven 

Mildlife - Automatic 

Petra Haden & The Nick Haywood Quintet - Songs from my Father 

Vazesh - The Sacred Key 

Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album

WINNER: ANGUS & JULIA STONE

Angus & Julia Stone - Life Is Strange 

Antony Partos - Rams 

Caitlin Yeo, Maria Alfonsine, Damian de Boos-Smith - Wakefield Season One Official Soundtrack 

Sia - Music Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture 

Yve Blake - Fangirls  

Best World Music Album

WINNER: JOSEPH TAWADROS

Bob Weatherall & Halfway, with William Barton - Restless Dream 

Bukhu - Bukhchuluun Ganburged - The Journey 

Eishan Ensemble - Project Masnavi 

Joseph Tawadros  - Hope In An Empty City  

Kuya James - ISA