Australia starts a National Songbook, with its first 10 songs inducted in Canberra today

Australia is getting a formal honour roll for its songs. Today, Wednesday 4 November 2026, APRA AMCOS, the body that collects and pays royalties to Australian songwriters and publishers, and the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) induct the first 10 titles into The National Songbook at a ceremony at the NFSA in Canberra. The event also opens Ausmusic Month, Australia's yearly celebration of homegrown music.

What the Songbook is

The Songbook is a joint project that marks APRA's centenary and the NFSA's 90th anniversary. Each year a new batch of culturally significant Australian songs will be added, and the works are preserved so they stay accessible over the long term. Think of it as a living shelf of the songs, and the screen scores, that say something about the country.

The rules are specific. A song must be written or co-written by an Australian APRA member, released at least 10 years ago, original, professionally recorded or published, and have had a significant cultural impact in Australia. Every genre and era counts, and screen compositions and soundtracks are eligible, so a film theme can sit beside a pub-rock anthem.

Who decides

A panel of songwriters, composers, academics and media figures makes the picks. It is chaired by APRA Chair Jenny Morris and NFSA Chair Annette Shun Wah, and each panellist nominates songs to build a long list.

In the launch announcement, APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston said the Songbook "will recognise and celebrate the iconic songs and scores that define who we are as Australians." NFSA Chief Curator Meagan Loader called it "a living collection of Australia's most significant songs."

Why it matters beyond Australia

Archives like this decide which songs get remembered, catalogued and taught. Australian music has long travelled well, from pub rock to global pop, and a national list built by the royalty society and the sound archive together gives overseas listeners a trustworthy map of where to start. It also sits alongside the NFSA's existing Sounds of Australia registry, which has been adding recordings since 2007.

The full list of the first 10 inductees is published on the NFSA's National Songbook page. We will follow the Songbook as new songs are added each year.