| 1996 ARIA Music Awards | |
| Venue: | Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Network: | Network Ten |
| Most Wins: | You Am I (6) |
| Most Nominations: | Your Am I (9) |
| Previous: | 1995 |
| Next: | 1997 |
The 10th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as the ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) was held on 30 September 1996 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.[1] [2] Presenters distributed 28 awards with the big winner for the year was You Am I gaining six awards.[1] [3]
In addition to previous categories an Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to Silverchair, which acknowledged "[their] conquering world charts with the single 'Tomorrow' and the debut album album frogstomp."[3] A Special Achievement Award was presented to Slim Dusty.[1] [3] The ARIA Hall of Fame inducted: Australian Crawl and Horrie Dargie.[1] Australian Crawl's founding guitarist Brad Robinson, was unable to attend; he was hospitalised with lymphoma (diagnosed three years earlier) and died two weeks after the ceremony.[4] [5] It was also the final Australian performance by INXS with original frontman Michael Hutchence before his death 14 months later.
Australian music journalist, Anthony O'Grady, observed, "It was the last of the Bigger-Than-Ben-Hur Award nights (for the foreseeable future). Over 4,000 (the largest crowd ever and 8 times the number at the first Awards) flooded into the [venue]... [with a] repast at over 200 tables supplied by a dozen kitchens."[3] Deni Hines won a trophy for Breakthrough Artist – Single for "It's Alright". Her entire acceptance speech was:
The ARIA Awards ceremony was hosted by American musicians Harry Connick Jr. and Chris Isaak.[3] Presenters and performers were:
| Presenter(s) | Performer(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Isaak | Harry Connick Jr. | |
| Harry Connick Jr. | ||
| Jenny Morris | ||
| Glenn A. Baker | David Helfgott | |
| Richard O'Brien | ||
| Michael Hutchence | ||
| Neneh Cherry | Kulcha, CDB | |
| "Ugly" Phil O'Neill | ||
| Christine Anu | ||
| Richard Wilkins | Powderfinger – "Pick You Up" | [6] |
| David Gates | ||
| Anne Kirkpatrick | ||
| Gina Jeffreys | Gina Jeffreys, Keith Urban, Troy Cassar-Daley, Lee Kernaghan, Tommy Emmanuel | |
| Billy Birmingham | ||
| Daryl Braithwaite | ||
| Dave Graney | Jimmy Barnes | |
| Tex Perkins | ||
| Jimmy Barnes | ||
| Helen Razer | Deni Hines | |
| Mikey Robins | ||
| Ash | ||
| Savage Garden | INXS | |
| Shirley Manson | ||
| Chrissy Amphlett | ||
| Cathy Freeman | You Am I | |
| Kieren Perkins | ||
| Molly Meldrum | ||
Final nominees for awards are shown in plain, with winners in bold.
The Hall of Fame inductees were: