The 2008 APRA Silver Scroll Awards were held on Wednesday 10 September 2008 at the Auckland Town Hall, celebrating excellence in New Zealand songwriting. The Silver Scroll Award was presented to Jason Kerrison, Bobby Kennedy, Matt Treacy and Clinton Harris for the Opshop song "One Day", and the country duo Topp Twins were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. The event also paid tribute to singer-songwriter Mahinārangi Tocker who had died earlier in 2008.

The Silver Scroll Award celebrates outstanding achievement in songwriting of original New Zealand pop music. The evening's music performances were produced by Don McGlashan. Each of the nominated songs were covered in a new style by another artist.^[1]

A top-20 long list was announced in July 2008:^[2]

Dave Gibson and Justyn Pilbrow "Baby Come On" (Elemeno P)
Samuel Scott, Luke Buda, Tom Wedde, William Ricketts, Richard Singleton and Warner Emery "Bright Grey" (The Phoenix Foundation)
John Chong Nee and Delani Tuala "Butterflies" (Delani)
Anika Moa "Dreams in my Head" (Anika Moa)
Liam Finn "Gather to the Chapel" (Liam Finn)
Sam Trenwith "If I Say" (Radiator)
Kody Nielson "Life Will Get Better Some Day" (The Mint Chicks)
Jason Kerrison, Bobby Kennedy, Matt Treacy and Clinton Harris ""One Day"" (Opshop)
Jon Toogood, Tom Larkin, Phil Knight, Karl Kippenberger and Barry Palmer "One Will Hear the Other " (Shihad)
Lauren Thomson "Our Love Is Due" (Lauren Thomson)
Brannigan Kaa, Hone Kaa and Jo Paku "Purua" (Brannigan Kaa)
Geoff Maddock "Saying My Name" (Goldenhorse)
Wayne Mason "Sense Got Out" (Wayne Mason)
Steven Mathieson, Tim Van Dammen and James Brennan "Seriously" (Collapsing Cities)
Ryan McPhun "Tane Mahuta" (The Ruby Suns)
Nick Buckton "The Phone Song" (Side Kick Nick)
Gin Wigmore "These Roses" (Gin Wigmore)
Brent Park and Karoline Tamati "Walk Right Up" (Ladi6)
Iva Lamkum, Caleb Robinson and Miles Crayford "White Roses" (Iva Lamkum)
Dave Dobbyn "Wild Kisses Like Rain" (Dave Dobbyn)

Country singers and entertainers Jools Topp and Lynda Topp – collectively known as the Topp Twins – were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. Reb Fountain and Johnny Barker performed a musical tribute to the Topps.^[3]

Four other awards were presented at the Silver Scroll Awards: APRA Maioha Award (for excellence in contemporary Maori music), SOUNZ Contemporary Award (for creativity and inspiration in classical composition) and two awards acknowledging songs with the most radio and television plays in New Zealand and overseas.^[4][5]

Outside of the Silver Scroll Awards, APRA presented four genre awards in 2008. The APRA Best Pacific Song was presented at the Pacific Music Awards, the APRA Best Country Music Song was presented at the New Zealand Country Music Awards and the inaugural APRA Children's Song of the Year and What Now Video of the Year were presented at StarFest.^[6]