Pharrell takes out International Work of the Year APRA

Along with the APRA board's announcement today that named music industry pioneer Fifa Riccobono as the 2015 recipient of the Ted Albert Award, Pharrell Williams has picked up an early award.

Williams’ 10-million global seller Happy was announced as International Work of the Year. It was the first time the category winner was announced ahead of the awards night.

The lead single from his ARIA #1 album Girl, which was the fastest-selling album of 2014 in the UK, took the top spot on the TMN Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks. Overall it spent close to a year in the TMN Hot 100, gaining a place for 47 weeks and after debuting in the Top 10, stayed inside the bracket for 14 weeks.

On the ARIA Singles chart it spent 12 weeks at #1 and in still inside the Top 50, at #48.

Williams beat out global hits from Sam Smith, Marshall Mathers and Rihanna.