Australian pop music awards are a series of inter-related national awards that gave recognition to popular musical artists and have included the Go-Set pop poll (1966–1972); TV Week King of Pop Awards (1967–1978);[1][2][3]TV Week and Countdown Music Awards (1979–1980); the Countdown Awards (1981–1982) and Countdown Music and Video Awards (1983–1987).[4] Early awards were based on popular voting from readers of teenage pop music newspaper Go-Set and television program guide TV Week.[1][3] They were followed by responses from viewers of Countdown, a TV pop music series (1974–1987) on national broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).[5][6] Some of the later award ceremonies incorporated listed nominees and peer-voted awards.[7] From 1987 the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) instituted its own peer-voted ARIA Music Awards.[8]
Teen-oriented pop music newspaper, Go-Set was established in February 1966 and conducted an annual poll during 1966 to 1972 of its readers to determine the most popular personalities.[3][6] Readers were provided with coupons to vote for their choice, with initial categories of 'Male Vocal', 'Female Vocal' and 'Group' for both Australian and International acts – in later years new categories were introduced and old categories renamed or retired.[9]
1966
Printed in Go-Set on 5 October 1966, pages 12 & 13.[9]
Printed in Go-Set on 11 July 1970, pages 6 & 7.[9] New categories introduced: Guitarist, Drummer, Composer.[9] Ceremony for the Australian acts was held at Dallas Brooks Hall, East Melbourne, and was broadcast on 30 June by Seven Network.[9]
Printed in Go-Set on 30 December 1972, pages 5 & 6.[9] New category introduced: Newcomer (only for Australian acts); with old categories retired: Best Guitarist, Best Drummer, Best Bass Guitarist.[9]
Teen-oriented pop music newspaper, Go-Set was established in February 1966 and conducted an annual poll of its readers to determine the most popular personalities.[3][6] In 1967 the most popular performer was Normie Rowe and when the results were televised on the unrelated The Go!! Show there was a crowning of Rowe as 'King of Pop'.[3][6] In the following years, TV Week provided coupons for readers to vote for their choice, a similar system had been in use for TV's Logie Awards since 1960. The 'King of Pop' awards ceremony was broadcast by the 0–10 Network from 1967 to 1975,[1] and from 1976 to 1978 by the Nine Network.[1] On the 0–10 Network, from 1972, it was run by Johnny Young's production company (Lewis-Young Productions) which also provided Young Talent Time.[10][11][12][13][14]
Durbin is often referred to as the 'Queen of Pop',[nb 1] however:
I never in fact won a queen of pop award. the award was called The King of Pop awards, so that's when it was the Go Set [awards]. And it continued on to TV week.
— Allison Durbin[17], 19 October 2003, ABC-TV series Love is in the Air Episode 2: "She's Leaving Home"
Most Popular Australian Single – "Venus" (Jamie Redfern)
1974
King of Pop '74–'75 Shows winners trophy.
Ceremony details: Held on 25 October 1974, guest presenters: David Cassidy, Gary Glitter.[26][27] A compilation album titled King of Pop '74–'75 was released with tracks supplied by previous winners and guest presenters.[26] Next to the list of various artists, the cover depicts the trophy that was presented to award winners.[26]
Award winners:[3][27]
Countdown was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974 to 1987,[5] it presented music awards from 1979 to 1987,[4] initially in conjunction with magazine TV Week which had sponsored the previously existing 'King of Pop' Awards.[1] The TV Week/Countdown Rock Music Awards were a combination of popular-voted and peer-voted awards.[3]
The award year below relates to the year of achievement and not the year they were presented.[34]
Most Outstanding Achievement (for excellence in the presentation or production of Australian rock music by an individual performer, group or group member)[34]
Countdown was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974 to 1987,[15] it presented music awards from 1979 to 1987,[4] initially in conjunction with magazine TV Week which had sponsored the previously existing 'King of Pop' Awards.[1] After Cold Chisel performed at the 1980 awards ceremony, and then trashed their instruments and the set,[38] sponsors TV Week withdrew their support and Countdown held its own awards ceremonies until the 1986 awards which were broadcast in 1987.[1] The awards ceremony was co-produced by Carolyn James (a.k.a. Carolyn Bailey) during 1981–1984 in collaboration with the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA),[41][42][43] which provided peer/industry voting for all awards except for "most popular" awards voted by the public Countdown provided coupons in the related Countdown Magazine for viewers to vote for some awards including 'Most Popular Male Performer', 'Most Popular Female Performer', 'Most Popular Group' and 'Most Popular International Act'.[44] From 1987 ARIA instituted its own entirely peer-voted ARIA Music Awards.[8]
The award year below relates to the year of achievement and not the year they were presented.[34]
Ceremony details: Held on 19 April 1983.[48] The program opened with Goanna performing "Solid Rock". Nomination required product to be released. As Co-producer of the event, Carolyn James programmed The Reels to perform "Quasimodo's Dream" to much objection from Ian Meldrum. Tim Finn as presenter of Best Songwriter award introduced their performance: "Countdown has done some questionable things over the years, but this redeems all..Ladies and Gentlemen Dave Mason and the Reels 'Quasimodo's Dream"
^ 'Outstanding Newcomer' award was called 'Best New Talent' from 1972. Redfern won the TV WeekLogie Award for 'Best New Talent' in 1972 for his performance at the 1971 King of Pop Awards and as an original member of Young Talent Time, Redfern signed a touring/recording contract with guest presenter Liberace.[18][20]
^ abKimball, Duncan (2002). "Media – Television – Countdown". Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. Archived from the original on 25 November 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
^Jon Stratton -"Jews, Race and Popular Music " 1351561693 2017 "The King and Queen of Pop awards were voted by the readers of TV Week. The King of Pop award started in 1967 and the Queen in 1972. They ran through to 1978."
^Billboard – 13 November 1971 – Page 60 SYDNEY— Singer Johnny Farnham crowned Australia's "King of Pop" for his third successive year. His "coronation," which climaxed the V/i hour television spectacular, "T.V. Week – King of Pop Awards," was attended by Liberace, Elton John, Mark Wynter, Anna Neagle and Derek Nimmo. There were few surprises in the announcement of the other section winners, with Tempo's Daddy Cool winning awards for best group and best single, "Eagle Rock," and Russel Morris taking ...
^Billboard – 8 February 1975 – Page 62 JAMIE REDFERN Another former "Young Talent Time" regular, Jamie won this year's "King of Pop" award. Has toured America with Liberace and has been awarded platinum records for his first two L.P.'s with his latest "Hitch A Ride on a Smile" also headed for Gold.
^Parliamentary Papers – Page 92 Australia. Parliament – 1978 – The producer of Countdown, Paul Drane, won a TV Week "King of Pop" award for his direction of a studio segment involving the group Supernaught. The program was awarded four gold records by commercial recording companies in recognition of its contribution to the
^ ab"Redfern is 'King of Pop'". The Canberra Times. Vol. 49, no. 13, 897. 28 October 1974. p. 6. Retrieved 10 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
^ abcde"Farnham sweeps board". The Canberra Times. Vol. 61, no. 18, 917. 20 July 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 26 May 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
