The award is given to an Australian group or solo artist who has had an album appear in the ARIA Top 100 Albums Chart between the eligibility period, and is voted for by a judging academy, which comprises 1000 members from different areas of the music industry. However, "artists and groups are not eligible if they, or any member of the group, has previously been a final five (5) nominee in any ARIA Awards category with an album, or if they have been in a group that has previously been a final five (5) nominee with an album, or if they have had a previous Top 50 Album in the ARIA Album Chart."
