Now in its 13th year, the J Awards are our annual recognition of the best Australian Music. Congratulations to the winners of the four award categories, announced at the J Awards ceremony and live on air Thursday November 23.

triple j Australian Album of the Year

WINNER: A.B. Original - Reclaim Australia

A.B. Original’s explosive debut album Reclaim Australia is a state of the nation address that documents the problems facing Australia’s Indigenous peoples with megaphone-level ferocity and musicality.

With a swagger borne of their many years in the rap game and drawing on their heritage as proud Yorta Yorta and Ngarrindjeri men, Briggs and Trials don’t mess around trying to persuade you to a certain perspective. They sit you down and demand you see things their way.

Whether it’s asking tough questions of Australia Day (‘January 26’), critiquing institutionalised racism (‘Call ‘Em Out’), tackling deaths in custody (‘Report To The Mist’), injustice, bigotry – Reclaim Australia is no cakewalk. It’s fiery wordplay balls up anger and attitude into a sonic fist that punches out of the speakers and hits you square in the eardrums.

Helping out the duo’s crushing tag-team flow is a heavyweight guest list including Dan Sultan, Thelma Plum, Archie Roach, Caiti Baker, and Dr G Yunupingu (R.I.P.). All of them bumpin’ to a trunk-thumping backing that emulates not only the sound of ‘90s West Coast rap but also its outspoken spirit of protest.

The music is aggressive, their methods confrontational but ultimately A.B. Original’s message is about unity. Their aim is to educate as well as agitate, schooling you with lessons as loud as war. You don’t have to agree with them but you owe it to them to listen.

Beyond the big beats and brutal lyrics that make it a great hip hop album, Reclaim Australia is a rare and important record that, like all good art, challenges you and makes you see the world in a different way.

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It's the second time in J Awards history a hip hop record has walked away with the gong (after Hilltop Hoods in 2006 with The Hard Road). At the podium with Trials and Dan Sultan, Briggs described the project "career suicide" and later told triple j Drive.

"We thought we were done, thought we were going to put out this hardcore rap album that only we would enjoy."

Trials adds: "We specifically went turbo hard just in case it was our last one and lo and behold you spurred us on to do a second album, so congratulations guys."

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Whatsapp Trials, Dan Sultan, and Briggs celebrating A.B. Original's Australian Album of the Year 2017 J Award

Double J Australian Artist of the Year

WINNER: Jen Cloher

Jen Cloher is more than just a singer-songwriter.

She’s a mentor, a small business owner, a champion for up and coming artists and a voice of reason in a complex and often cruel industry.

With I Manage My Music, she helps artists navigate making a living through their music. With Milk! Records, the label she runs with partner Courtney Barnett, Cloher has released albums from Fraser A Gorman, The Finks and more.

As an advocate for the visibility and success of women in the music industry, she’s a trailblazer. Her speech at One Of One’s Women In Music breakfast was a stark reminder of the challenges, but also a foreshadowing of the exciting future, that women in Australian music face.

As Double J Artist in Residence, she dedicated her month of shows to the 100 Australian women that we need to hear, and reminded us how things need to change.

Let’s not forget she also released a truly brilliant record, her finest yet, which served as part-diary of a crazy few years dealing with life in the shadows of immense fame and part-love letter to this country and the many fine artists who work here.

There was simply no way we couldn’t acknowledge Jen Cloher’s services to Australian music in 2017.

Unearthed Artist of the Year

WINNER: Stella Donnelly

Perth-based perfect human Stella Donnelly has seen things go from zero to a hundred real quick after starting the 2017 with zero solo releases to her name. Once she uploaded her debut track 'Mechanical Bull' to the site in April the Unearthed team took notice, and we weren't the only ones.

As well as booking in live slots with heavy hitters like San Cisco, Ali Barter and Polish Club, Stella put in a star-making turn on the Unearthed stage at Bigsound this year, wowing the crowd of industry bigwigs and punters with her ability to dissect raw subject matter with wit and breathtaking incisiveness.

Stella will pull you in close with her incredible voice before breaking your heart with piercing song writing - no more apparent than on the momentous 'Boys Will Be Boys', Stella's timely confrontation of toxic masculinity and sexual predation which has earned her international praise from Pitchfork and The New York Times too.

“It’s just been a year of doors opening," Stella says of her big win. "I’ve been really lucky to meet so many amazing people from the music scene. Big shout-out to Alex The Astronaut, Confidence Man, Baker Boy, and Ruby Fields - you’re all amazing and been such a strong year. [Let’s] just go bowling, hang out!”

Stella's J Award triumph as the Unearthed Artist of The Year caps off a massive year for the Perth talent and we can't wait to see what comes next.

Australian Music Video of the Year, co-presented by rage

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WINNER: Director Tim White for Client Liaison - A Foreign Affair {Ft. Tina Arena}

Fasten your seat-belt and take off with the 2017 J Award Winner for Australian Music Video Of The Year. Director Tim White and Client Liaison have created the ultimate in-flight video for ‘A Foreign Affair’.

From the cinematic style of the sky-high opening credits, the clip takes you away for four-and-a-half minutes of first-class luxury - the gloriously vibrant aesthetic pairing perfectly with Client Liaison’s signature cool.

‘A Foreign Affair’ cohesively conveys stylistic and technical competence, along with a warm-hearted narrative of love reunited via air travel.

White superbly harnesses campy glamour and montage through the music video’s production design and editing. Soft focus and cross-fades take the audience along for the ride with Monte, Harvey and the perfectly cast (and iconic) Tina Arena.

Monte Morgan said of the win: "We’ve always had a soft spot for Ansett Australia, being kids and flying on the planes so it seemed fitting that we reinstated the airline and got a jet going. The song is all about travel so we wrote the song with the clip in mind. Tina Arena came on board took the song to the next level so we had to take the clip to the next level – definitely her [win] as well."

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Whatsapp Client Liaison singer Monte Morgan onstage at the 2017 J Awards accepting Australian Music Video of the Yeaer