QUEENSLAND'S next generation of music stars were celebrated alongside big-name music legends at the state's annual music awards celebration.

The Queensland Music Awards, held for the first time at The Fortitude Music Hall, brought the best of the state's music scene together in one room, changing the lives of up-and-coming musicians.

Thelma Plum, who was unable to attend the QMAs due to a conflict in schedule, took out the top gong for Album of the Year with her critically-acclaimed debut album Better In Blak, which tells the story of a Gamilaraay woman's culture turning trauma into triumph.

In a video message from London, where she is recording her new record, Plum said the award meant a lot to her.

"I'm very proud about being from Queensland," she said.

Brisbane band The Jungle Giants won Song of the Year and the Pop category for their latest hit Heavy Hearted, which came in at number eight for Triple J's Hottest 100 this year.

The Queensland Government's 2020 Billy Thorpe Scholarship, which kicked off the careers of artists including Sam Hales from The Jungle Giants, was awarded to Brisbane-based singer-songwriter Harry Phillips, who will receive the $10,000 grant to record his next release along with career planning advice from Chugg Entertainment.

Winners were last night celebrated by renowned stars in the music industry including Bernard Fanning from Powderfinger and members of rock band Violent Soho.

Fanning was among the artists who presented an award while the ceremony was hosted by Dominic Miller, Jeremy Neale, The Grates singer Patience Hodgson and comedian Mel Buttle.

Queensland's music golden girl Amy Shark surprised the crowd with an appearance to present the QMusic Honorary Award to Sony Music Executive Denis Handlin in recognition for his 50-year tenure.

Shark, who jetted in to Brisbane for the award show, also received an award for Highest Selling Single for her hit Mess Her Up.

She said she had "pissed off a lot of people in LA" by changing her flights to attend the QMAs to present Handlin with his award.

"Denis has changed my life and I've been pretty vocal about that. He continues to change my life daily," she said on stage.

"We've really covered some ground in 3.5 years. He's very rare. I've met people you think are all in and they're not. As an artist having someone like Denis in your corner is an absolute weapon."

"He'll call me on Christmas Eve to talk about a song that's not coming out for months ... to tell me he's really excited about it. That means so much to artists."

"It (the music industry) is not always great and you need someone to challenge you. And Denis challenges me.

In a show of support Queensland's music industry, Handlin revealed last night the opening of the first Sony office in Brisbane, in Fortitude Valley, in April.

"I am extremely proud of the team we have in Brisbane at Sony Music. They are doing an outstanding job. We love breaking Australian talent and putting them on a world stage," Handlin said.

"We have fine Queenslanders on our roster like Amy Shark, Conrad Sewell, The Veronicas, Pete Murray and a tremendous new artist called Marco who is the real deal.

"As a commitment to the local industry, I am thrilled to let you know that we will be opening exciting new premises in Brisbane next month. It will be in the Valley just around the corner and it will be great to be here in this creative precinct.

"The offices will be very artist friendly and include a studio and writer's room."

An icon of Brisbane's punk scene and lead singer for Blowhard, Brentyn 'Rollo' Rollason was posthumously honoured with the Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award.

Rollason died in April last year after suffering a heart attack before going on stage.

Hope D, from Brisbane, said she was "stunned as a mullet" to win the inaugural QMusic Emerging Artist of the Year Award.

The award means the Swim singer will have a one on one songwriting session with Queensland music legend, Powderfinger star Bernard Fanning.

Accepting the award, Hope D said she was not expecting the honour.

"I had no idea this was a thing, thank you it's an absolute honour to be recognised," she said.

" I'm stunned as a mullet right now. My heart is beating - my Fitbit says 91 beats a minute."

The Kite String Tangle took home two awards while other winners included Jaguar Jonze, Busby Marou, Oh Harlow and DZ Deathrays.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Album Of The Year - Presented by APRA AMCOS

THELMA PLUM

'Better In Blak'

Billy Thorpe Scholarship - Presented by Queensland Government through Arts Queensland

HARRY PHILLIPS

QMusic Honorary Award

DENIS HANDLIN

Blues / Roots - Presented by Byron Bay Bluesfest

BUSBY MAROU

'Naba Norem'

Thomas Marou, Jeremy Busby

Country - Presented by CMC Rocks

OH HARLOW

'Give It A Miss'

Tiana Dennis, Briannah Dennis, Nolan Wynne

Electronic / Dance - Presented by The Big Pineapple Music Festival

THE KITE STRING TANGLE

'P () L4R'

Daniel Harley, Bridgette Amofah

QMusic Emerging Artist Of The Year- Presented by Noisegate

HOPE D

Export Achievement Award - Presented by Lyrical Road

NAT DUNN

Grant McLennan Life Achievement Award - Presented by QMusic

BRENTYN 'ROLLO' ROLLASON

Heavy - Presented by The Tshirt Mill

DZ DEATHRAYS

'Still No Change'

Shane Parsons, Simon Ridley, Lachlan Ewbank

Hip-Hop / Rap - Presented by The Sound Garden

CARMOUFLAGE ROSE

'Sele'

Graham Herrington, James Angus, Matthew Khabbaz

Highest Selling Single

AMY SHARK

'Mess Her Up'

Amy Shark

Highest Selling Album

CONRAD SEWELL

'Life'

Indigenous - Presented by TRYP Fortitude Valley Hotel

MAU POWER

'Arrived ft. Marcus Corowa'

Patrick Mau

Jazz - Presented by Running Boards

SEAN FORAN

'Monkey'

Sean Foran

Pop - Presented by Hit Network

THE JUNGLE GIANTS

'Heavy Hearted'

Sam Hales

Rock - Presented by The Triffid

ELIZA & THE DELUSIONALS

'Just Exist'

Eliza Klatt, Kurt Skuse, Ashley Martin

Schools (Grade 6 - 12) - Presented by JMC Academy

HANNI

'Wired'

Hannah Schloman, Marco Ghikas

Singer Songwriter / Folk - Presented by Savannah In The Round

JAGUAR JONZE

'Beijing Baby'

Deena Lynch, Tim Tan

Song Of The Year - Presented by Green Beacon Brewing Co

THE JUNGLE GIANTS

'Heavy Hearted'

Sam Hales

Soul / Funk / RNB - Presented by Katarzyna

PINK MATTER

'Soul Fruit'

Kerry Raywood, Isobel De Leon, Megan Christensen, Elizabeth Scott

World - Presented by Howard Smith Wharves

MATT HSU'S ORCHESTRA

'Make Everything'

Matthew Hsu, Ashleigh Finlay

Regional - Presented by Azentro

LEANNE TENNANT

'Bring It All Back'

Leanne Tennant

Remote - Presented by Telstra

MIIESHA

'Drowning'

Miiesha Young, Stephen Collins, Mohamad Komba

Video - Presented by Nightlife Music

THE KITE STRING TANGLE

'P () L4R'

Caitlin Johnson, Lucs Thyer, LIam Connor & Brian Lowe

People's Choice Awards - Presented by Oztix and The Music

Metro Venue Of The Year

THE TRIFFID

Regional Venue Of The Year

SOLBAR

Festival Of The Year

BIG PINEAPPLE MUSIC FESTIVAL