The best songwriters in Western Australia have just been announced

It's almost time again for this year's WAM Song of the Year, the annual event by Music WA that throws a spotlight on the best new and established talent Western Australia has to offer, and this year's list of nominees has just been announced.

The comp has brought the likes of Methyl Ethel, Tired Lion, KUČKA, and Beni Bjah to the fore in recent years, and now the likes of Rag 'n' Bone, Riley Pearce and Lilt are in the running to take out one of the country's biggest songwriting comps.

Singer-songwriter Riley Pearce leads the charge with three nominations, and a share of the $40,000 in prize money would go some way to replacing the acoustic guitar unfortunately smashed on a QANTAS flight several weeks back.

Meanwhile, the acts with two nominations include Bill Lawrie, The Brow, The Decline, Harry Mitchell, The Intenso Band, Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble, Lilt, Morgan Bain, Rag n’ Bone, Scalphunter and The Struggling Kings.

Several new judges have joined this year, with Paul Harding of Pendulum, Fiona Kitschin of The Drones and Rob Younger of Radio Birdman all lending their expertise across 12 different genres, with other categories for regional, Indigenous and under-18 acts.

Nominees will all have to wait a little while longer to find out their fortunes however, with the winners being announced on May 17 at a harbourside party at the WA Maritime Museum, with music by MC Magnus Danger Magnus, DJ Charlie Bucket, The Money War, Ben Matthews Presents LIVEWYRE, and Dan Howls.

Presale tickets are available now, and are $20 + b/f for WAM members, and $25 + b/f otherwise.

WAM SOTY NOMINEES

BLUES/ROOTS

Carus Thompson - Beach Fires Dan Howls - The Prince Jordan McRobbie - Candle Mark Turner - Yes I Do Michael Ellis - Time For Change

COUNTRY

Belle Harvey - Bridges Burn Bill Lawrie - Dalwallinu Hotel Helen Townsend & Bill Chambers - Promised Land Ralway Bell - Caught In The Crossfire The Jackson Roses - Can’t Find You

ELECTRONIC

Lilt - Ghosts Out of the Blue - Vice Shyguy - Had It I’m Hiding Lilt - Wait No More Tobacco Rat - Infra

EXPERIMENTAL

Gravy Murphy - The World Is Your Moisture The Intenso Band - As Steadfast As The Ether Itself Jameson Feakes - A Window In Sicily Samarobryn - The Road Is My River The Intenso Band - A Small Margin of Terror

FOLK

Bill Lawrie - Always Be The Bad Girl In This Town Nicky Sandover - Orange Tree Riley Pearce - Circles Riley Pearce - Seasick These Winter Nights - Heart’s On Fire

HEAVY/METAL

Kimura - Book Of The Dead Nucleust - Of King & Tree Shimmergloom - Smithereens St James Sirens - Empires Fall The Decline - Can’t Have Both

JAZZ

Ben Matthews - Esperanzish Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian Jazz Group - Where Would I Be Without You Harry Mitchell - Gabba The Hut Harry Mitchell - Ignacio Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble - Point Of Departure

OUTSTANDING INDIGENOUS

The Brownley Gospel Singers - The Man Of Calvary Desert Stars - Ngurra Nyangatja (Our Home) The Struggling Kings - Ardyaloon (Guligool) The Struggling Kings - Oceans Platform 2 - Faultline

OUTSTANDING REGIONAL

Codee-Lee - Heart Is A Compass Valentine - Can’t Shake You Kado Muir & LYC Crew feat. KJ - I Choose To Be Free (The Mamu Tjiitjii Song) Julie Kember - Gypsy Woman Like A Thief - Take Me Back

POP

Lucy Peach - Silver Tongue Morgan Bain - Summed It Up Riley Pearce - Outside The Lines Sydnee Carter - When We Were Young The Brow - Circles

PUNK/HARDCORE

Blindspot - Thin Ice Rag N’ Bone - Pissy Flow Scalphunter - Men With Square Eyes Scalphunter - A Lie They Call The Truth The Decline - Can’t Have Both

ROCK

High Horse - Carbon Copy Mt. Mountain - Moon Desire Our Man In Berlin - A Lightbulb Mind Rag N’ Bone - Pissy Flow The Money War - Recall

SCHOOLS 14 & UNDER

Farraday’s Cage - Meaning Of Life Hachi - f i r e e s c a p e Idgie - All Those Lies Fall In Lily Kate - Empty Road Toby Jonah - Cinnamon

SCHOOLS 15 - 17

Belgrade - Me Burdiya Mob - Djarliny Charlotte Viney - Young & Reckless Megan Grace - I Wanna Go Back Siobhan Cotchin - All Night All Right

URBAN/HIP HOP

Bluntfield - The Soap Box Chiseko - Juice Macshane - Meant To Do Morgan Bain - Summed It Up The Brow - Circles

WORLD

56 Hope Road - Justice Barefeet Sojourns - Run Run Brassika - Roll Your Eyes Jere Sosa - Taste Of Honey Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble - Point Of Departure