Top 20 NZ songs of the past year revealed

Bic Runga performing with OPOSSOM at their Sundae Sessions performance at York Street Studios. Photo / Matt Gerrrand

The longlist for the country's most prestigious songwriting award has been revealed, the first step towards finding the 2012 APRA Silver Scroll winner.

It includes several artists who made last year's list, such as Ben King (Grand Rapids), Annah MacDonald (Annah Mac), Lisa Crawley, Jesse Sheehan, Kody Nielson, Bic Runga and The Adults' Jon Toogood and Julia Deans.

The list - compiled by an anonymous panel of APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) members - will now be voted on by more than 8000 members of the association, with five finalists being revealed in early August.

The winner will be announced at a gala evening on Thursday September 13, which will also feature the finalist songs covered by other New Zealand artists.

The gala ceremony also includes the APRA Maioha Award and the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, awards for most performed works in New Zealand and overseas, and an induction to the New Zealand Music Hall Of Fame.

APRA Silver Scroll 2012 Longlist

Never Be Without You, written by Ben King. (Grand Rapids)

Everything is Beautiful and New, written by Bic Runga. (Bic Runga)

The Origin Of Slaves, written by Nick Gaffaney and Aaron Tokona. (Cairo Knife Fight)

Lead Me To The Light, written by Hayden Donnell. (Great North)

Datura, written by Tom Scott and Hayden Dick. (Home Brew)

Blind Eyes, written by Lisa Crawley. (Lisa Crawley)

Hibernate, written by Lydia Cole. (Lydia Cole)

Getaway Tonight, written by Kody Nielson. (Opossom)

Water To Ice, written by Jane de Jong. (Ruby Frost)

Fatal Flaw, written by Louis McDonald, Adam Quigley and Levi Heeringa. (Five Mile Town)

Hold On, written by Josh Fountain. (Get Well Soon)

Hopeful Dreamer, written by Jess Chambers. (Jess Chambers)

By Your Side, written by Jesse Sheehan. (Jesse Sheehan)

When It's All Too Much, written by Lauren Mitchell. (LA Mitchell)

Anniversary Day, written by Jon Toogood and Julia Deans. (The Adults)

State Houses By The River, written by Adam McGrath. (The Eastern)

Girl In Stilettos, written by Anna Macdonald. (Annah Mac)

Outta Reach, written by Lindon McCormack. (Lindon Puffin)

Everything To Me, written by Stephanie Brown. (Lips)

Forever, written by Matiu Walters and Marlon Gerbes. (Six60)

*nzherald.co.nz will be live-streaming the APRA Silver Scroll Awards from the Auckland Town Hall on Thursday September 13th

-nzherald.co.nz