Spiderbait and The Living End Among 2026 ARIA Hall of Fame Inductees

Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers should be aware that this content contains images and names of deceased persons.

Australian rock heavyweights Spiderbait and The Living End are officially headed to the ARIA Hall of Fame as part of the organisation’s landmark 40th anniversary celebrations.

The Hall of Fame recognises careers that have shaped the nation’s musical identity both locally and internationally. Alongside Spiderbait and The Living End, this year, Gurrumul, Jenny Morris, Kate Ceberano, and Vika & Linda are set to be honoured as inductees.

They will be inducted at a special standalone event on Thursday, June 11th at Sydney’s Carriageworks, ahead of the 2026 ARIA Awards in November.

Among this year’s inductees is the late Gurrumul, whose extraordinary body of work made him one of Australia’s most celebrated First Nations artists. Born blind and raised on Elcho Island in Arnhem Land, Gurrumul achieved global acclaim with his 2008 self-titled debut album and performed for figures including Queen Elizabeth II and former US President Barack Obama. Across his career, he earned 22 ARIA nominations and 10 wins before his passing in 2017.

Jenny Morris is also being recognised for a career spanning performance, songwriting, and advocacy. After emerging with bands including QED and touring alongside INXS, Morris established herself as one of Australia’s defining solo artists with albums including Body and Soul and Shiver. Beyond music, she has played a major role within the industry through leadership positions at APRA AMCOS and extensive charity work.

Few artists have remained as consistently influential across generations as Kate Ceberano. From her breakout with I’m Talking in the 1980s through to a solo catalogue spanning pop, jazz, soul, and rock, Ceberano has amassed 31 albums, 57 singles, and five ARIA Awards. She also remains one of only a handful of Australian artists to achieve Top 10 albums across five consecutive decades.

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Alternative rock favourites Spiderbait will enter the Hall of Fame following a career that helped define Australia’s 1990s rock scene. Formed in regional NSW before relocating to Melbourne, the trio scored major success with albums including Ivy & the Big Apples and the iconic single “Buy Me a Pony”, famously becoming the first Australian song to top the Triple J Hottest 100.

Meanwhile, The Living End are being recognised for three decades as one of Australia’s biggest rock exports. Their self-titled 1998 debut became one of the highest-selling Australian rock albums ever, while tracks like “Prisoner of Society” cemented the band as festival and radio staples throughout the late ’90s and 2000s.

Beloved vocal duo Vika & Linda round out this year’s inductees. Rising to prominence through their work with The Black Sorrows before launching a celebrated career as a duo, the sisters have spent decades building a reputation as two of Australia’s most powerful and enduring live performers.

“These incredible artists have defined the Australian sound, taken it to the world, and inspired the next generation. This is such a fitting way to recognise their service to Australian music,” said John Graham, State Minister for Music and the Night-Time Economy.

“The work of these artists shows that Australian music has sounds and stories you won’t hear anywhere else in the world. As the global music scene changes, we have to keep supporting the next wave of talent to carry on that legacy.”

Tony Burke, Federal Minister for the Arts, added: “You can’t imagine the soundtrack to life in Australia without these artists. And yeah, I know Jenny was born in New Zealand but we’re claiming her too.”

They will join a distinguished lineage that includes You Am I, Jet, Missy Higgins, AC/DC, Molly Meldrum, Tina Arena, Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, Olivia Newton John, INXS, Crowded House, Archie Roach, Human Nature, and many more.

Meanwhile, the 2026 ARIA Awards, held in partnership with Spotify, will take place on Wednesday, November 18th at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion. Celebrating the very best of Australian music on its biggest global stage to date, the night of nights will also return to Channel 10 and stream live on Paramount+.