Adam Brand Stripped Of ‘Highest Selling Album’ Award In QMAs Blunder

Adam Brand was awarded ‘Highest Selling Album’ for All Or Nothing at the 2023 Queensland Music Awards (QMAs), presented on Tuesday, 28 March, at The Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane. But, as it turns out, due to a blunder, the award actually was meant to go to Casey Barnes’ Light It Up.

“Due to an internal mechanical error in collating data we received from ARIA, we have unfortunately awarded the 'Highest Selling Album' award to the wrong recipient,” the QMAs said in a statement. “Since the award ceremony it has become evident that within the release period, the Highest Selling QLD album was Casey Barnes’ Light It Up. Congratulations Casey Barnes!”

Despite the mistake, there is no bad blood between the two country music artists.

“Sometimes in life mistakes happen and I’ve just been told that last night’s Queensland Music Awards made a bit of a boo boo,” Brand shared on social media. “My mate Casey Barnes actually pipped me for sales and should have won the highest selling album... I kinda thought it was strange coz he won the GG for it last year. Just wanna say a huge congrats mate, keep on kicking butt!”

In which, Barnes replied in comment, “Oh brother… this just shows what a humble and brilliant human you are. I say we should just split it anyway because your album is an absolute ripper.”

Brand responded, “It’s all good bro…. Loving watching you having such a great year! That’s the thing about country, we are all mates and wish each other the best. Catch up for that beer soon.”

Barnes, however, came up with a clever solution for the two to share the award. “I say we split it with Brandy!” he told the QMAs. “It would have been so close either way.”

Released in February 2022, Light It Up features ten original songs all co-written by Casey with his Melbourne-based production team MSquared (Michael Delozrenzis and Michael Paynter) and Nashville songwriters Kaci Brown and Sam Gray.

As well as the QMA, Light It Up took home the ARIA Award for ‘Best Country Album’ as well as ‘Top Selling Australian Album of the Year’ and ‘Toyota Album of the Year’ at the Golden Guitar Awards.

Light It Up debuted at #1 on the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart and features five smash hit singles including Come Turn Me On, God Took His Time On You, Get To Know Ya and Small Town, all of which reached #1 on the Countrytown Hot 50 Country Airplay Chart.

The title track was also used for the AFL season launch TV commercials, while Get To Know Ya featured on the Farmer Wants A Wife 2022 season launch campaign.

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