Following unprecedented entries and industry support in 2020, the Australian Podcast Awards (APAs) will return for its fifth year with the official 2021 program announced on August 24, 2021.

This year’s APAs will feature a total of 31 award categories, including four new categories. New award categories include the Spotify Rising Star Award, recognizing the success of new creators, as well as Best Sales Team, Best Commercial Campaign, and Best Marketing Campaign.

The Awards also announces its first wave of partners, including Gold Partners Spotify, iHeartPodcast Network Australia, Nova Entertainment Podcast Network, Podfollow and Podnews. Omny Studio from Triton Digital joins as a category partner.

Matt Deegan, Director of the Australian Podcast Awards, said:

“2020 was the biggest year ever for the Australian Podcast Awards – and we’re committed to making 2021 even bigger. We know that people are turning to podcasts now more than ever before, and the content coming out of Australia is truly world-class. We’re thrilled to be launching this year’s awards as a way to further the industry’s innovative and emerging podcast content that’s helping push the industry forward.”

The Australian Podcast Awards launched in 2016 as a way to showcase the amazing podcast talent and content Australia has to offer. Now in its fifth year (and second pandemic year), the awards continue to recognize the industry’s most innovative and emerging content across its varied categories.

In 2020 winners includes Bird’s Eye View, Life Uncut with Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne, Matt & Alex’s All Day Breakfast, Spotify’s Search Engine Sex, That’s Incredible from Mamamia, The ABC’s Unravel and 7am amongst others.

Prithi Day, Senior Partner Manager at Spotify, said: “The Australian Podcast Awards is such a great time to celebrate our diverse local talent from across the country and Spotify is excited to support for a second year.”

Corey Layton, Head of Digital Audio for ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network Australia, said: “The Australian Podcast Awards is such a great time to celebrate our diverse local talent from across the country and Spotify is excited to support for a second year.”

While the Covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the creative industry, podcasting content and listen numbers continue to skyrocket in Australia and around the world. Celebrating that content and its creators remains the core focus of the Australian Podcast Awards.

Submissions for the Australian Podcast Awards are now open, find out more at australianpodcastawards.com. Nominees will be selected by a judging panel of industry experts before the category winners are announced in November.