The J Award of 2012 is the eighth annual J Awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. The announcement comes at the culmination of Ausmusic Month (November). For the fifth year, three awards were presented; Australian Album of the Year, Australian Music Video of the Year and Unearthed Artist of the Year.[1] Winners were announced on 23 November 2012.[2]
Any Australian album released independently or through a record company, or sent to Triple J in consideration for airplay, is eligible for the J Award. The 2012 nominations for Australian Album of the Year and Australian Music Video of the Year were selected from releases received by Triple J between November 2011 and October 2012. For Unearthed Artist of the Year it was open to any artist from the Unearthed (talent contest), who has had a ground breaking and impactful 12 months from November 2011 and October 2012.[1]