The 2021 ARIA Awards were clearly like no other. Coming off the back of another difficult year in the music industry for artists, it was an opportunity to celebrate excellence as well as resilience.

It was different, too, because it marked the first time that gender-based awards became a thing of the past.

And the newly minted Best Artist award went to The Kid LAROI, who's had an incredible year internationally, his catalogue attracting more than 3 billion global streams.

He beat out Keith Urban, Tones and I, Kylie Minogue and Vance Joy, as well as Amy Shark, who was nominated for six awards but went home empty-handed. 

The Kid LAROI, whose name is a nod to his Kamilaroi heritage, also won Best Pop Release for his hit Stay, which he performed at the awards. Featuring Justin Bieber, Stay has gone triple platinum.

"A big shout-out to, again, everyone who's supported this song and taken it to what it is," he said.

But the night belonged to independent artist Genesis Owusu, who energetically performed a medley of his latest hits, including Waitin' On Ya and Don't Need You from his celebrated album Smiling With No Teeth.

He took out Album of the Year, Best Hip Hop Release, and Best Independent Release.

Best Cover Art was awarded to Kofi Ansah and Bailey Howard for Smiling With No Teeth.

Genesis Owusu paid tribute to his crew when accepting the award, saying they'd been friends since high school.

"You guys have no idea how hyped I am to be sharing this award with my friend … Bailey Howard," he said, telling Howard to take off his mask.

"I've been friends with Bailey and all of these goons … since I was in high school and they've just been rocking with me since, performing with me when I had no money to pay them."

When he returned to the stage, he paid tribute to the music that's made him.

Genesis Owusu garnered support on social media after picking up his fourth award for the night when he said, "I used to get side-eyed a lot when I was younger for the way I dressed and the things I did".

"But all the people I loved and respected always stood firm, immovable, unshakeable, because we knew the power in who we were and what we created," he added.

"Black people, know that It's not up to us to change for people, but it's up to people to catch up and see what they've been missing out on." 

There was a special tribute video honouring the late music icon Michael Gudinski, while the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist award went to Budjerah.

The singer-songwriter of Bundjalung descent was on the verge of tears as he accepted his award from pop star Ed Sheeran, who appeared via videolink.

Singer-songwriter and rapper, Tkay Maidza, won Best Soul/R&B release for her album Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3.

"It felt like a really fun journey of rediscovery," she said as she accepted her very first ARIA. 

Up until 2004, there wasn't an ARIAs category recognising Hip Hop and R'n'B artists, and even then, both genres were lumped in together under Best Urban Release.

And 2018 was the last year that award was given out, with the introduction in 2019 of the Best Hip Hop Release and Best Soul/R&B Release categories. 

You wouldn't be far off the mark if you dubbed 2021 the Hip Hop and R'n'B ARIAs, with the genres coming out as clear favourites in categories that aren't genre-specific.

Best Blues & Roots album went to the legendary Archie Roach for The Songs of Charcoal Lane. And Troy Cassar-Daley won Best Country Album for The World Today.

Other winners included:

• RUFUS DU SOL for Best Dance Release and Best Group
• Best Rock Album went to Middle Kids
• Tropical F**K Storm won best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
• Crowded House won Best Adult Contemporary Album
• Bluey won Best Children's Album.

There were also a swag of awards handed out and voted on by the public, with Most Popular International Artist going to Taylor Swift ahead of Kanye West and Olivia Rodrigo.

"This is the most wonderful thing," Swift told the audience.

"The fact that its a fan-voted award means the world to me."

Host Brooke Boney urged the audience to take a moment for actor Jake Gyllenhaal. Swift's song All Too Well has been dissected by fans who believe its about their short-lived relationship a decade ago.

And, in a year where live performance was severely restricted, Lime Cordiale won Best Australian Live Act for their 2021 Relapse Tour.

Song of the Year went to Spacey Jane for Booster seat; and Best Music Teacher went to Zoe Barry of Sacred Heart School in Melbourne.

The ARIAs were held at Sydney's Taronga Zoo and broadcast live on YouTube.