Australian hardcore band Speed has won the first-ever New South Wales Music Prize, receiving $80,000 for their debut album Only One Mode. The award recognizes their significant impact in the local music scene amid challenges from streaming platforms favoring international artists. Speed beat out a strong field of nominees including Rüfüs Du Sol and Ninajirachi.
Award Details
Speed, a Sydney-based hardcore band known for incorporating a flute into their intense sound, claimed the top prize in the inaugural New South Wales Music Prize. The $80,000 award honors a local artist with major influence over the past year, based on their 2024 debut album Only One Mode. The prize is part of a $160,000 annual fund split across three categories, introduced by the state government last year to bolster Australian musicians against global streaming biases.
Other Winners
Barkaa, performing as Big Tidda, received the $40,000 NSW First Nations Music Prize for meaningful contributions from a First Nations artist. Ninajirachi took home the $40,000 NSW Breakthrough Artist of the Year for an emerging talent's groundbreaking year. The initiative is managed by Sound NSW, which supports contemporary music through funding and advocacy.
Band Background and Impact
Formed by vocalist Jem Siow, guitarists Joshua Clayton and Dennis Vichidvongsa, bassist Aaron Siow, and drummer Kane Vardon, Speed blends hardcore's harsh elements with unique twists like the trilling flute in their viral single 'The First Test.' This summer, they opened for Turnstile on a major North American tour, where Siow addressed inclusivity, anti-Asian racism, and male suicide during onstage speeches.
In their acceptance speech, Speed shared: 'In 2025, we have a whole new generation of amazing kids all over the country making Sydney and Australian hardcore the sickest it’s ever been. With that being said, this award belongs to them – the people around us who make it what it is – and we’ll take some time to think about the best way we can pay that forward to keep growing this the right way.'
Nominees included Ninajirachi, Rüfüs Du Sol, 3%, Barkaa, Kobie Dee, Onefour, Party Dozen, Shady Nasty, and Vv Pete & Utility, highlighting the vibrant local scene.