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This year's APRA Silver Scrolls Top 20 songs have been announced. They were chosen by a panel of top NZ songwriters from over 200 entries. It’s another strong and diverse showcase of local songs, spanning hip-hop, folk, reggae and pop.

Karyn Hay is hosting live coverage of The APRA Silver Scroll Award on RNZ National, 101FM from 9pm on Thursday, October 4. Follow our online coverage, including live video of the awards, here on the RNZ website, and follow RNZ Music on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

They are:

Tami Neilson 'A Woman’s Pain' (written by Tami Neilson)

'A Woman’s Pain' (written by Tami Neilson) Cyn 'Alright' (written by Sam de Jong and Cynthia Nabozny)

'Alright' (written by Sam de Jong and Cynthia Nabozny) Troy Kingi 'Aztechknowledgey' (written by Troy Kingi)

'Aztechknowledgey' (written by Troy Kingi) Louis Baker 'Black Crow' (written by Louis Baker and Steve Rusch)

'Black Crow' (written by Louis Baker and Steve Rusch) SWIDT 'Conquer' (written by Isaiah Libeau, Daniel Latu, and Amon McGoram),

'Conquer' (written by Isaiah Libeau, Daniel Latu, and Amon McGoram), Yumi Zouma 'December' (written by Joshua Burgess, Charles Ryder, Christie Simpson, and Samuel Perry)

'December' (written by Joshua Burgess, Charles Ryder, Christie Simpson, and Samuel Perry) The Beths 'Future Me Hates Me' ( written by Elizabeth Stokes)

'Future Me Hates Me' ( written by Elizabeth Stokes) Julien Dyne featuring Ladi6 'Hours' (written by Julien Dyne , Brandon Haru , and Karoline Tamati)

'Hours' (written by Julien Dyne , Brandon Haru , and Karoline Tamati) Unknown Mortal Orchestra 'Hunnybee' (written by Ruban Nielson, Kody Nielson, and Jacob Portrait)

'Hunnybee' (written by Ruban Nielson, Kody Nielson, and Jacob Portrait) Rob Ruha & The Witch Doctor 'Kalega' (written by Rob Ruha and Taina Keelan)

'Kalega' (written by Rob Ruha and Taina Keelan) Chelsea Jade 'Laugh It Off' (written by Chelsea Jade Metcalf and Bradley Hale)

'Laugh It Off' (written by Chelsea Jade Metcalf and Bradley Hale) Seth Haapu ' New Wave' (written by Seth Haapu)

New Wave' (written by Seth Haapu) Marlon Williams featuring Aldous Harding 'Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore' (written by Marlon Williams)

'Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore' (written by Marlon Williams) Robinson 'Nothing To Regret' (written by Anna Robinson, Allison Crystal, and Larzz Principato)

'Nothing To Regret' (written by Anna Robinson, Allison Crystal, and Larzz Principato) Holly Arrowsmith 'Slow Train Creek' (written by Holly Arrowsmith)

'Slow Train Creek' (written by Holly Arrowsmith) KINGS 'Temporary Me' (written by Kingdon Chapple-Wilson)

'Temporary Me' (written by Kingdon Chapple-Wilson) Anthonie Tonnon 'Two Free Hands' written by Anthonie Tonnon

'Two Free Hands' written by Anthonie Tonnon Ha The Unclear 'Wallace Line' (written by Michael Cathro)

'Wallace Line' (written by Michael Cathro) Julia Deans 'We Light Fire' (written by Julia Deans)

'We Light Fire' (written by Julia Deans) Lisa Crawley 'You Got Me' (written by Lisa Crawley)

Listen to the RNZ Music team discuss this years finalists here.

The Silver Scroll Awards are considered the most prestigious accolade in New Zealand music. The main award recognises outstanding achievement in songwriting and the winner is decided by other songwriters and composers - the more than 10,000 New Zealand members of the songwriting industry body APRA.

The top 20 songs were chosen by a panel of nine songwriters: Anji Sami (She’s So Rad/Sami Sisters), Anna Coddington, Cherie Mathieson (Sola Rosa), Jane de Jong (Ruby Frost), Hollie Fullbrook (Tiny Ruins), Nadia Reid, Phil Bell (DJ Sir-vere), Rodney Fisher (Goodshirt), and Simon Gooding (The Map Room).

Voting is now open to APRA members, who will rank their top five songs in order of preference. These scores are all added together to find the five songs with the most points, and these voting scores dictate the five finalists and the winner of the award.

The APRA Silver Scroll Award will be presented at Spark Arena in Auckland on Thursday 4th October.

On the night, the five finalist songs will be covered by different musicians, which highlights the songwriting skill that's gone into them, as opposed to the production of the recorded versions of the songs.

The musical director for the awards and the ceremony host will be announced in a couple of weeks' time.

The awards will include the presentation of the APRA Silver Scroll Award, the SOUNZ Contemporary Award, the APRA Maioha Award, the APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award, and the APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award, as well as an induction of one legendary act into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

Last year Lorde and co-songwriters Jack Antonoff and Joel Little took out the big award, for the song ‘Green Light’.

THE SONGS

Tami Neilson - 'A Woman’s Pain' (written by Tami Neilson)

SASSAFRASS! by Tami Neilson

Cyn - 'Alright' (written by Sam de Jong and Cynthia Nabozny)

Troy Kingi 'Aztechknowledgey' (written by Troy Kingi)

Louis Baker 'Black Crow' (written by Louis Baker and Steve Rusch)

SWIDT 'Conquer' (written by Isaiah Libeau, Daniel Latu, and Amon McGoram),

Yumi Zouma 'December' (written by Joshua Burgess, Charles Ryder, Christie Simpson, and Samuel Perry)

The Beths 'Future Me Hates Me' ( written by Elizabeth Stokes)

Julien Dyne featuring Ladi6 'Hours' (written by Julien Dyne , Brandon Haru , and Karoline Tamati)

Unknown Mortal Orchestra 'Hunnybee' (written by Ruban Nielson, Kody Nielson, and Jacob Portrait)

Rob Ruha & The Witch Doctor 'Kalega' (written by Rob Ruha and Taina Keelan)

Chelsea Jade 'Laugh It Off' (written by Chelsea Jade Metcalf and Bradley Hale)

Seth Haapu 'New Wave' (written by Seth Haapu)

Marlon Williams featuring Aldous Harding - 'Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore' (written by Marlon Williams)

Robinson - 'Nothing To Regret' (written by Anna Robinson, Allison Crystal, and Larzz Principato)

Holly Arrowsmith 'Slow Train Creek' (written by Holly Arrowsmith)

A Dawn I Remember by Holly Arrowsmith

KINGS 'Temporary Me' (written by Kingdon Chapple-Wilson)

Anthonie Tonnon 'Two Free Hands' written by Anthonie Tonnon

Ha The Unclear 'Wallace Line' (written by Michael Cathro)

Julia Deans 'We Light Fire' (written by Julia Deans)

Lisa Crawley 'You Got Me' (written by Lisa Crawley)