It is handed out by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), an organisation whose aim is "to advance the interests of the Australian record industry.
"[2] The award is given to an Australian male artist who has had a single or an album appear in the ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart between the eligibility period, and is voted for by a judging academy, which comprises 1000 members from different areas of the music industry.
[3] The award for Best Male Artist was first presented to John Farnham in 1987.
[4] Four artists Farnham, Diesel, Alex Lloyd, Gotye and Paul Kelly, hold the record for the most wins, with three each, followed by Jimmy Barnes, Flume and Nick Cave with two.
The change was designed to ensure that the ARIA Awards reflect and embrace equality and the true diversity of the music industry in 2021.