She didn’t swing from the Chandelier, she didn’t even make an appearance, yet Sia was still the biggest winner at the 28th ARIA Awards.

The Adelaide singer won four gongs for Best Pop Release, Best Video, Best Female Artist and the biggest award of the night – Album of the Year for 1000 Forms of Fear.

The notoriously shy pop star, whose big hit Chandelier dominated airwaves this year, didn’t make an appearance at the Sydney ceremony but she did draft in Katy Perry to accept Best Female Artist gong on her behalf.

Another no-show was Iggy Azalea, who won the ARIA for Best Breakthrough Artist. She had her Fancy collaborator Charli XCX accept the award.

“I’m going to drop it off to her and she’s going to enjoy it,” Charli XCX said.

Proving they weren’t too big to show their hometown they still cared, Sydney’s 5 Seconds of Summer were there to open the ceremony with their hit song She Looks So Perfect, which earned them the publicly voted ARIA for Song Of The Year.

“Every single Australian has been behind our band and we’re just from Sydney and we can’t believe what’s happened to us,” Ashton Irwin said.

They weren’t the only big boyband to light up the stage. One Direction performed their latest hit Steal My Girl and accepted the award for Best International Artist, to whoops and cheers from the crowd – many of whom had been waiting since the early hours of Wednesday to catch a glimpse of the British stars.

Electronica musician Chet Faker, who had been nominated for nine ARIAs, took home two awards – Best Independent Release and Best Male artist. Faker had already won three awards he won prior to the ceremony.

The Best Group ARIA went to Sheppard.

Music industry legend and Countdown host Molly Meldrum was given a standing ovation as he was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Meldrum became the first non-recording artist to achieve the honour.

“I am just like everyone in this room. I am here because I love music,” he said.

Adelaide artists Hilltop Hoods won Best Urban Album for ‘Walking Under Stars’. Photo: AAP

WINNERS OF THE 2014 ARIA AWARDS:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Sia – 100 Forms of Fear (Inertia Recordings)

BEST ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
Neil Finn & Paul Kelly – Goin’ Your Way (EMI)

BEST BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM
John Butler Trio – Flesh & Blood (Jarrah Records/MGM)

BEST CHILDREN’S ALBUM
The Wiggles – Apples & Bananas (ABC Music/UMA)

BEST COMEDY RELEASE
Buddy Goode – It’s A Buddy Goode Christmas (ABC Music/UMA)

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
Kasey Chambers – Bittersweet (Essence Group)

BEST DANCE RELEASE
Peking Duk feat. Nicole Millar – High (Vicious Bitch/Universal)

BEST FEMALE ARTIST
Sia – 1000 Forms of Fear (Inertia Recordings)

BEST GROUP
Sheppard – Bombs Away (Empire of Song/Chug Music)

BEST HARD ROCK/HEAVY METAL ALBUM
DZ Deathrays – Black Rat (I Oh You/Ilusive/UMA)

BEST INDEPENDENT RELEASE
Chet Faker – Built On Glass (Future Classic)

BEST MALE ARTIST
Chet Faker – Built On Glass (Future Classic)

BEST POP RELEASE
Sia – 100 Forms of Fear (Inertia Recordings)

BEST ROCK ALBUM
Dan Sultan – Blackbird (Liberation Music)

BEST URBAN ALBUM
Hilltop Hoods – Walking Under Stars (Golden Era Records/(Island Records Australia/Universal Music Australia)

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Iggy Azalea – The New Classic (Virgin/Universal Music Australia)

2014 ARIA AWARD PUBLIC VOTED NOMINEES:

BEST AUSTRALIAN LIVE ACT
Keith Urban (EMI)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST
One Direction – Midnight Memories (Syco Music)

BEST VIDEO
Sia Furler and Daniel Askil – Chandelier (Inertia Recordings)

SONG OF THE YEAR
5 Seconds of Summer – She Looks So Perfect (EMI)