WAM’s Song of the Year contest is back for 2026

West Australian Music (WAM) have announced that entries for their annual Song of the Year competition are now open.

Presented by Healthway, entries are open to WA songwriters and artists of all ages and levels who have written or released a song between March 2025 and February 2026. There are 17 categories to enter this year, including special categories to celebrate First Nations, regional, and under-18 songwriters.

The Song of the Year Awards have been a stepping stone for many of Western Australia’s biggest artists, including Abbe May, Little Birdy and Stella Donnelly.

“These awards are an important moment in time to highlight the incredible music that is created in our state every single year,” said WAM CEO, Owen Whittle.

A new category this year, Healthway Feel It Write It, has been introduced as WAM have been working with Healthway to support the emotional wellbeing of young people through the arts. This partnership draws on SEW–Arts, an arts-driven framework developed by The Kids Research Institute Australia and funded by Healthway.

The ‘A Song for Sophie’ award introduced last year will continue to honour beloved local music artist Sophie Smith, as young songwriters can opt in to be assessed by a specialist panel, with the winner awarded a $2,500 cash prize and an exclusive mentoring program with local artist Noah Dillon.

Last year’s WAM Song of the Year winner was Helena for their song P’s Get Degrees, with Elianie as the runner-up. Previous winners of the award include Dulcie, Dr Tasty and Siobhan Cotchin.

Applications for WAM’s 2026 Song of the Year competition are now open. Entries close on Tuesday, March 3, at 9am. Head to songoftheyear.com.au to enter today.