The Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) have announced the creation of The National Songbook, a new annual initiative that will recognise and preserve songs that have shaped Australia’s cultural identity.

The project coincides with APRA’s centenary in 2026 and the NFSA’s 90th anniversary. Each year, a selection of culturally significant Australian songs will be inducted into the National Songbook, with the works preserved to ensure their long-term accessibility for future generations.

Photo © Tijs van Leur/UnSplash

An expert panel chaired by APRA Chair Jenny Morris and NFSA Chair Annette Shun Wah will select the inductees. The panel includes songwriters, composers, academics and media representatives drawn from across Australia’s music sector.

To be eligible, songs must have been written or co-written by an Australian APRA member, released at least 10 years ago, be original compositions that have been professionally recorded and/or published, and have demonstrated significant cultural impact in Australia. Works from all genres and eras, including screen compositions and film or television soundtracks, will be considered.

Panel members will independently nominate songs to create a long list from which the inaugural inductees will be chosen.

The first 10 songs will be inducted at a ceremony at the NFSA in Canberra on November 4, launching this year’s Ausmusic Month celebrations.

APRA AMCOS Chief Executive Dean Ormston said the National Songbook would celebrate the songs and scores that “define who we are as Australians” while recognising the diversity of Australian songwriting and ensuring the works are preserved for future generations.

NFSA Chief Curator Meagan Loader said songs were “cultural touchstones” that captured Australia’s shared experiences and identity. She said the National Songbook would become a living collection of the nation’s most significant music while honouring its creators and safeguarding their legacy.