2016 Scene Awards - Group of the Year

It's been a really, really good year for Australian music, with our Top 116 songs of 2016 ending with ten Australian songs and now, two incredible group of musicians, from two incredible states in this big incredible land of ours, releasing incredible music and performing incredible shows. Yes. This is Group of the Year. 

GROUP OF THE YEAR

Runner-up: Babaganouj

The 'Nouj. The 'Nouj-nouj-nouj. Our fave Brisbane trio deserve their place here just for the effort they put in to make three EP's in 2016. But they more than earned it with the quality of the music they were putting out into the world. While Babaganouj's music has a sound that's all their own, when you've got three vocalists taking lead at different times, there's always going to be a little something different to take from each track. Sort of like Fleetwood Mac, but without all the drugs and sleeping around... at least that we know of. Maybe 2017 will be the Babaganouj Rumours era that we've all been dreaming of. More awesome tracks than you could shake a stick at, a killer Bigsound showcase and they've won over the Japanese. Yep, Babaganouj are big in Japan. A huge year for Babaganouj and next year will hopefully be even bigger. (Matt Bond)

Winner: Gang Of Youths

This band made me do something this year which I hadn't done in a long time. When they released Let Me Be Clear, the follow up EP to their incredible debut album, I went to a store and purchased a physical copy of it. It was something I wanted to hold in my hands, to feel within my fingertips and to live in my car, my refuge, my safe place of thoughts and dreams. It had all started a couple of years ago, when Matt told me he had developed a minor obsession for a band called Gang Of Youths and he couldn't stop listening to their album. He gave me a brief description and I'll admit I was intrigued, but what I hadn't taken into consideration before I hit play on that album was just how much it would come to mean. The Positions became part of my 2015, a integral part of my thought process and path that year. In 2016, I watched this group of five become a part of more and more people's lives, as they toured extensively and I couldn't be happier, because this is a band that defines what music is for me; a release, a confidante, an integral part of who I am and my friend. Bands like Gang Of Youths are the ones making the loss of all the life defining artists we said farewell to this year a little easier on those of us with the sensitive souls, because where one artist has walked, another follows. I know I'll be following Gang Of Youths for as long as they are creating and with each release, I already look forward to heading to a store, buying, holding, feeling and listening. (Jo Michelmore)

2015 Winner

Little May

Runner-up: Gang Of Youths

2014 Winner

Little May

Runner-up: Kingswood

2013 Winner

Chvrches

Runner-up: Little May

2012 Winner

Texas Tea

Runner-up: Garbage

2011 Winner

Seeker Lover Keeper

Runner-up: Little Dragon

2010 Winner

Arcade Fire