Latest news with #MusicAustralia
The Advertiser
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Aussie acts find global listeners but AI worries linger
Australian music is finding its way into more corners of the world than ever before, data from music streaming titan Spotify shows. The company's latest Global Impact Report, launched in Sydney on Wednesday, highlights a 37 per cent rise in overseas streams of Aussie music since March 2021. While the US and UK remain the top destinations for overseas listening, local acts are finding new joy in different markets such as the Philippines and Brazil. Spotify says these emerging markets are characterised by young populations eager for new content, making them the perfect fit for ambitious Australian acts. "What matters to an artist is developing their international audience, because it's important for touring and it allows them to have a broader fan base," Spotify's global head of editorial Sulinna Ong said. Many artists have found it difficult to sustain themselves financially on streaming royalties alone since physical record sales have declined and touring has become a crucial part of their income. Ms Ong insisted Spotify still relied on human taste to curate its playlists, despite the rise of artificial intelligence to determine how people find new music. "We see AI as a tool alongside human creativity, but not a replacement," she said. "AI can't go to the club ... and understand cultural context." The report paints a rosy picture of how Aussie music travels beyond our shores, but research closer to home indicates many local artists struggle to break through domestically because of how AI emphasises certain acts. Music Australia research published in June found engagement with Australian music was declining across the general population and international artists were being prioritised by audiences over local talent. Ms Ong pushed back against the idea of quotas to promote domestic acts, saying it would limit the international appeal of an artist on their platform. "(Artists should) take advantage of the fact that the world is connected. You have an internet connection, you've got social media," she said. "The barrier to entry into a new market is as low as it has ever been." Australian music is finding its way into more corners of the world than ever before, data from music streaming titan Spotify shows. The company's latest Global Impact Report, launched in Sydney on Wednesday, highlights a 37 per cent rise in overseas streams of Aussie music since March 2021. While the US and UK remain the top destinations for overseas listening, local acts are finding new joy in different markets such as the Philippines and Brazil. Spotify says these emerging markets are characterised by young populations eager for new content, making them the perfect fit for ambitious Australian acts. "What matters to an artist is developing their international audience, because it's important for touring and it allows them to have a broader fan base," Spotify's global head of editorial Sulinna Ong said. Many artists have found it difficult to sustain themselves financially on streaming royalties alone since physical record sales have declined and touring has become a crucial part of their income. Ms Ong insisted Spotify still relied on human taste to curate its playlists, despite the rise of artificial intelligence to determine how people find new music. "We see AI as a tool alongside human creativity, but not a replacement," she said. "AI can't go to the club ... and understand cultural context." The report paints a rosy picture of how Aussie music travels beyond our shores, but research closer to home indicates many local artists struggle to break through domestically because of how AI emphasises certain acts. Music Australia research published in June found engagement with Australian music was declining across the general population and international artists were being prioritised by audiences over local talent. Ms Ong pushed back against the idea of quotas to promote domestic acts, saying it would limit the international appeal of an artist on their platform. "(Artists should) take advantage of the fact that the world is connected. You have an internet connection, you've got social media," she said. "The barrier to entry into a new market is as low as it has ever been." Australian music is finding its way into more corners of the world than ever before, data from music streaming titan Spotify shows. The company's latest Global Impact Report, launched in Sydney on Wednesday, highlights a 37 per cent rise in overseas streams of Aussie music since March 2021. While the US and UK remain the top destinations for overseas listening, local acts are finding new joy in different markets such as the Philippines and Brazil. Spotify says these emerging markets are characterised by young populations eager for new content, making them the perfect fit for ambitious Australian acts. "What matters to an artist is developing their international audience, because it's important for touring and it allows them to have a broader fan base," Spotify's global head of editorial Sulinna Ong said. Many artists have found it difficult to sustain themselves financially on streaming royalties alone since physical record sales have declined and touring has become a crucial part of their income. Ms Ong insisted Spotify still relied on human taste to curate its playlists, despite the rise of artificial intelligence to determine how people find new music. "We see AI as a tool alongside human creativity, but not a replacement," she said. "AI can't go to the club ... and understand cultural context." The report paints a rosy picture of how Aussie music travels beyond our shores, but research closer to home indicates many local artists struggle to break through domestically because of how AI emphasises certain acts. Music Australia research published in June found engagement with Australian music was declining across the general population and international artists were being prioritised by audiences over local talent. Ms Ong pushed back against the idea of quotas to promote domestic acts, saying it would limit the international appeal of an artist on their platform. "(Artists should) take advantage of the fact that the world is connected. You have an internet connection, you've got social media," she said. "The barrier to entry into a new market is as low as it has ever been." Australian music is finding its way into more corners of the world than ever before, data from music streaming titan Spotify shows. The company's latest Global Impact Report, launched in Sydney on Wednesday, highlights a 37 per cent rise in overseas streams of Aussie music since March 2021. While the US and UK remain the top destinations for overseas listening, local acts are finding new joy in different markets such as the Philippines and Brazil. Spotify says these emerging markets are characterised by young populations eager for new content, making them the perfect fit for ambitious Australian acts. "What matters to an artist is developing their international audience, because it's important for touring and it allows them to have a broader fan base," Spotify's global head of editorial Sulinna Ong said. Many artists have found it difficult to sustain themselves financially on streaming royalties alone since physical record sales have declined and touring has become a crucial part of their income. Ms Ong insisted Spotify still relied on human taste to curate its playlists, despite the rise of artificial intelligence to determine how people find new music. "We see AI as a tool alongside human creativity, but not a replacement," she said. "AI can't go to the club ... and understand cultural context." The report paints a rosy picture of how Aussie music travels beyond our shores, but research closer to home indicates many local artists struggle to break through domestically because of how AI emphasises certain acts. Music Australia research published in June found engagement with Australian music was declining across the general population and international artists were being prioritised by audiences over local talent. Ms Ong pushed back against the idea of quotas to promote domestic acts, saying it would limit the international appeal of an artist on their platform. "(Artists should) take advantage of the fact that the world is connected. You have an internet connection, you've got social media," she said. "The barrier to entry into a new market is as low as it has ever been."
Perth Now
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Aussie acts find global listeners but AI worries linger
Australian music is finding its way into more corners of the world than ever before, data from music streaming titan Spotify shows. The company's latest Global Impact Report, launched in Sydney on Wednesday, highlights a 37 per cent rise in overseas streams of Aussie music since March 2021. While the US and UK remain the top destinations for overseas listening, local acts are finding new joy in different markets such as the Philippines and Brazil. Spotify says these emerging markets are characterised by young populations eager for new content, making them the perfect fit for ambitious Australian acts. "What matters to an artist is developing their international audience, because it's important for touring and it allows them to have a broader fan base," Spotify's global head of editorial Sulinna Ong said. Many artists have found it difficult to sustain themselves financially on streaming royalties alone since physical record sales have declined and touring has become a crucial part of their income. Ms Ong insisted Spotify still relied on human taste to curate its playlists, despite the rise of artificial intelligence to determine how people find new music. "We see AI as a tool alongside human creativity, but not a replacement," she said. "AI can't go to the club ... and understand cultural context." The report paints a rosy picture of how Aussie music travels beyond our shores, but research closer to home indicates many local artists struggle to break through domestically because of how AI emphasises certain acts. Music Australia research published in June found engagement with Australian music was declining across the general population and international artists were being prioritised by audiences over local talent. Ms Ong pushed back against the idea of quotas to promote domestic acts, saying it would limit the international appeal of an artist on their platform. "(Artists should) take advantage of the fact that the world is connected. You have an internet connection, you've got social media," she said. "The barrier to entry into a new market is as low as it has ever been."
The Advertiser
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Standing firm on Aussie talent in the streaming era
Making it onto a popular Spotify playlist is huge for country musician Sara Storer, who is releasing her eighth solo album. But she puts it down to sheer luck. "You just cross your fingers - you rely on someone to like your music, to get on a playlist that could be heard by millions," she says. This is the kind of scale musicians need to even start making money from recordings in the streaming era. Even solid numbers from Storer's mostly Australian audience don't translate to a viable income. A recent snapshot of the listening habits of Australian music fans show the shift to streaming has resulted in playlists that are dominated by pop from the US and Britain. While Australians say they love local music, only one in three fans will actively look for new songs by Australian artists, research by federal music development and funding agency Music Australia shows. And of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia during 2024, eight per cent were Australian while more than half were from the US, according to entertainment analytics firm Luminate. These are sobering figures but Darwin-based Storer has high hopes for her album titled Worth Your Love, which is being released at the end of June. "This album is a big deal for me," she says. "The songs on it, I just can't wait for everyone to hear the new music. "I feel like this is me getting back into the music industry." It's an industry that has completely transformed since Storer started out, teaching music and singing her own songs by the campfire at outback stations in the remote Northern Territory. When her first album Chasing Buffalo was released in 2001, listeners would hear Storer's tunes on the radio, she made money selling CDs, and her record label had money to spend. More than two decades later, the mother of four boys has to rely on touring to make a living. It's something she describes as a rollercoaster of variable ticket sales and festival slots that often don't eventuate. She wonders about the streaming playlists and radio stations that default to imported tunes, when she believes Australian music is top notch. "People can mock it and say we sound feral or put us down like we're second grade but I love the way Aussies sound," she says. She name checks John Williamson, Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins - each one an authentic storyteller, just like Storer. But a US sub-genre known as bro-country, with lyrics about women, whiskey, pick-up trucks and cowboy boots, is currently in vogue instead, she says. As she prepares to embark on a national tour in July, Storer hopes a more authentic brand of country will soon have a resurgence. "Especially older generations, they're not going to want to hear bro-country," she says. "They're going to be starved for someone singing Aussie stories." As for the future of the industry, Storer is putting her faith in the calibre and originality of Australian music. "At the end of the day it's about the quality of the songs, being true to yourself as an artist, because that's what really shines through," she says. "If you sound like everyone else, it's boring and you'll just get skipped." Making it onto a popular Spotify playlist is huge for country musician Sara Storer, who is releasing her eighth solo album. But she puts it down to sheer luck. "You just cross your fingers - you rely on someone to like your music, to get on a playlist that could be heard by millions," she says. This is the kind of scale musicians need to even start making money from recordings in the streaming era. Even solid numbers from Storer's mostly Australian audience don't translate to a viable income. A recent snapshot of the listening habits of Australian music fans show the shift to streaming has resulted in playlists that are dominated by pop from the US and Britain. While Australians say they love local music, only one in three fans will actively look for new songs by Australian artists, research by federal music development and funding agency Music Australia shows. And of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia during 2024, eight per cent were Australian while more than half were from the US, according to entertainment analytics firm Luminate. These are sobering figures but Darwin-based Storer has high hopes for her album titled Worth Your Love, which is being released at the end of June. "This album is a big deal for me," she says. "The songs on it, I just can't wait for everyone to hear the new music. "I feel like this is me getting back into the music industry." It's an industry that has completely transformed since Storer started out, teaching music and singing her own songs by the campfire at outback stations in the remote Northern Territory. When her first album Chasing Buffalo was released in 2001, listeners would hear Storer's tunes on the radio, she made money selling CDs, and her record label had money to spend. More than two decades later, the mother of four boys has to rely on touring to make a living. It's something she describes as a rollercoaster of variable ticket sales and festival slots that often don't eventuate. She wonders about the streaming playlists and radio stations that default to imported tunes, when she believes Australian music is top notch. "People can mock it and say we sound feral or put us down like we're second grade but I love the way Aussies sound," she says. She name checks John Williamson, Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins - each one an authentic storyteller, just like Storer. But a US sub-genre known as bro-country, with lyrics about women, whiskey, pick-up trucks and cowboy boots, is currently in vogue instead, she says. As she prepares to embark on a national tour in July, Storer hopes a more authentic brand of country will soon have a resurgence. "Especially older generations, they're not going to want to hear bro-country," she says. "They're going to be starved for someone singing Aussie stories." As for the future of the industry, Storer is putting her faith in the calibre and originality of Australian music. "At the end of the day it's about the quality of the songs, being true to yourself as an artist, because that's what really shines through," she says. "If you sound like everyone else, it's boring and you'll just get skipped." Making it onto a popular Spotify playlist is huge for country musician Sara Storer, who is releasing her eighth solo album. But she puts it down to sheer luck. "You just cross your fingers - you rely on someone to like your music, to get on a playlist that could be heard by millions," she says. This is the kind of scale musicians need to even start making money from recordings in the streaming era. Even solid numbers from Storer's mostly Australian audience don't translate to a viable income. A recent snapshot of the listening habits of Australian music fans show the shift to streaming has resulted in playlists that are dominated by pop from the US and Britain. While Australians say they love local music, only one in three fans will actively look for new songs by Australian artists, research by federal music development and funding agency Music Australia shows. And of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia during 2024, eight per cent were Australian while more than half were from the US, according to entertainment analytics firm Luminate. These are sobering figures but Darwin-based Storer has high hopes for her album titled Worth Your Love, which is being released at the end of June. "This album is a big deal for me," she says. "The songs on it, I just can't wait for everyone to hear the new music. "I feel like this is me getting back into the music industry." It's an industry that has completely transformed since Storer started out, teaching music and singing her own songs by the campfire at outback stations in the remote Northern Territory. When her first album Chasing Buffalo was released in 2001, listeners would hear Storer's tunes on the radio, she made money selling CDs, and her record label had money to spend. More than two decades later, the mother of four boys has to rely on touring to make a living. It's something she describes as a rollercoaster of variable ticket sales and festival slots that often don't eventuate. She wonders about the streaming playlists and radio stations that default to imported tunes, when she believes Australian music is top notch. "People can mock it and say we sound feral or put us down like we're second grade but I love the way Aussies sound," she says. She name checks John Williamson, Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins - each one an authentic storyteller, just like Storer. But a US sub-genre known as bro-country, with lyrics about women, whiskey, pick-up trucks and cowboy boots, is currently in vogue instead, she says. As she prepares to embark on a national tour in July, Storer hopes a more authentic brand of country will soon have a resurgence. "Especially older generations, they're not going to want to hear bro-country," she says. "They're going to be starved for someone singing Aussie stories." As for the future of the industry, Storer is putting her faith in the calibre and originality of Australian music. "At the end of the day it's about the quality of the songs, being true to yourself as an artist, because that's what really shines through," she says. "If you sound like everyone else, it's boring and you'll just get skipped." Making it onto a popular Spotify playlist is huge for country musician Sara Storer, who is releasing her eighth solo album. But she puts it down to sheer luck. "You just cross your fingers - you rely on someone to like your music, to get on a playlist that could be heard by millions," she says. This is the kind of scale musicians need to even start making money from recordings in the streaming era. Even solid numbers from Storer's mostly Australian audience don't translate to a viable income. A recent snapshot of the listening habits of Australian music fans show the shift to streaming has resulted in playlists that are dominated by pop from the US and Britain. While Australians say they love local music, only one in three fans will actively look for new songs by Australian artists, research by federal music development and funding agency Music Australia shows. And of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia during 2024, eight per cent were Australian while more than half were from the US, according to entertainment analytics firm Luminate. These are sobering figures but Darwin-based Storer has high hopes for her album titled Worth Your Love, which is being released at the end of June. "This album is a big deal for me," she says. "The songs on it, I just can't wait for everyone to hear the new music. "I feel like this is me getting back into the music industry." It's an industry that has completely transformed since Storer started out, teaching music and singing her own songs by the campfire at outback stations in the remote Northern Territory. When her first album Chasing Buffalo was released in 2001, listeners would hear Storer's tunes on the radio, she made money selling CDs, and her record label had money to spend. More than two decades later, the mother of four boys has to rely on touring to make a living. It's something she describes as a rollercoaster of variable ticket sales and festival slots that often don't eventuate. She wonders about the streaming playlists and radio stations that default to imported tunes, when she believes Australian music is top notch. "People can mock it and say we sound feral or put us down like we're second grade but I love the way Aussies sound," she says. She name checks John Williamson, Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins - each one an authentic storyteller, just like Storer. But a US sub-genre known as bro-country, with lyrics about women, whiskey, pick-up trucks and cowboy boots, is currently in vogue instead, she says. As she prepares to embark on a national tour in July, Storer hopes a more authentic brand of country will soon have a resurgence. "Especially older generations, they're not going to want to hear bro-country," she says. "They're going to be starved for someone singing Aussie stories." As for the future of the industry, Storer is putting her faith in the calibre and originality of Australian music. "At the end of the day it's about the quality of the songs, being true to yourself as an artist, because that's what really shines through," she says. "If you sound like everyone else, it's boring and you'll just get skipped."
Perth Now
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Standing firm on Aussie talent in the streaming era
Making it onto a popular Spotify playlist is huge for country musician Sara Storer, who is releasing her eighth solo album. But she puts it down to sheer luck. "You just cross your fingers - you rely on someone to like your music, to get on a playlist that could be heard by millions," she says. This is the kind of scale musicians need to even start making money from recordings in the streaming era. Even solid numbers from Storer's mostly Australian audience don't translate to a viable income. A recent snapshot of the listening habits of Australian music fans show the shift to streaming has resulted in playlists that are dominated by pop from the US and Britain. While Australians say they love local music, only one in three fans will actively look for new songs by Australian artists, research by federal music development and funding agency Music Australia shows. And of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia during 2024, eight per cent were Australian while more than half were from the US, according to entertainment analytics firm Luminate. These are sobering figures but Darwin-based Storer has high hopes for her album titled Worth Your Love, which is being released at the end of June. "This album is a big deal for me," she says. "The songs on it, I just can't wait for everyone to hear the new music. "I feel like this is me getting back into the music industry." It's an industry that has completely transformed since Storer started out, teaching music and singing her own songs by the campfire at outback stations in the remote Northern Territory. When her first album Chasing Buffalo was released in 2001, listeners would hear Storer's tunes on the radio, she made money selling CDs, and her record label had money to spend. More than two decades later, the mother of four boys has to rely on touring to make a living. It's something she describes as a rollercoaster of variable ticket sales and festival slots that often don't eventuate. She wonders about the streaming playlists and radio stations that default to imported tunes, when she believes Australian music is top notch. "People can mock it and say we sound feral or put us down like we're second grade but I love the way Aussies sound," she says. She name checks John Williamson, Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins - each one an authentic storyteller, just like Storer. But a US sub-genre known as bro-country, with lyrics about women, whiskey, pick-up trucks and cowboy boots, is currently in vogue instead, she says. As she prepares to embark on a national tour in July, Storer hopes a more authentic brand of country will soon have a resurgence. "Especially older generations, they're not going to want to hear bro-country," she says. "They're going to be starved for someone singing Aussie stories." As for the future of the industry, Storer is putting her faith in the calibre and originality of Australian music. "At the end of the day it's about the quality of the songs, being true to yourself as an artist, because that's what really shines through," she says. "If you sound like everyone else, it's boring and you'll just get skipped."
The Advertiser
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
The stark numbers that spell grim news for Aussie musos
Aussie music lovers feel a sense of pride when they hear Australian music, but their playlists are actually dominated by pop from the US and Britain. While 71 per cent of listeners love to hear Australian tunes, and two thirds want to hear more, only one in three music fans make an effort to seek out new Australian music. It's a big contradiction revealed in landmark research by Music Australia, the federal government's music development and funding body. A massive 98 per cent of local listeners discover musicians via streaming, but more than half (51 per cent) don't think about whether an artist is Australian when they are looking for new tunes. Of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia during 2024, just eight per cent were Australian, while more than half were from the US, according to entertainment analytics firm Luminate. It seems the sheer convenience of personalised playlists delivered via an algorithm might be stopping music fans discovering Australian artists - and that's a problem for musicians like Sara Storer. The ARIA-award winning country musician is releasing her eighth solo album titled Worth Your Love, and says the music industry has completely transformed since her first release back in 2001. "For a young person, especially a young Aussie artist trying to get out there, I'd be terrified. Where do you start?" she said. Despite building an inter-generational audience over decades, the Darwin-based musician can no longer rely on album sales, and even solid streaming figures don't add up to a viable income. "There's no income from streaming. It looks good on paper and you think, well, I should be making a few bucks, but you don't see anything," said Storer. "All my money is made through live performance. I rely heavily on ticket sales, which is like a roller coaster." The contradiction between listener sentiment and behaviour could be the basis of a campaign for actively discovering local music - a bit like the 'Life. Be in it' health campaign of the 1980s - suggested Music Australia director Millie Millgate. "We can remind Australian audiences what these bands are doing overseas and encourage them not to miss out - like, don't miss out on your own party," said Millgate. "There's no one single bullet, but if audiences can be mobilised to do their part and really seek out Australian new music, it would go an incredible way." And the Music Australia research suggests we could potentially Aussify Spotify: listeners like the idea of a dedicated Australian music streamer, with 42 per cent saying it's something they would pay for. Melbourne rock band Amyl and the Sniffers are one act making it big on the global stage, and when the band appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon recently, singer Amy Taylor's top was made from two classic Aussie thongs. It's a big effort to demonstrate a sense of national pride - but it seems many Aussie musos are actually getting more love overseas, with more than 80 per cent of royalties for local musicians coming from international listeners in 2024, according to figures from Spotify. The research also found radio still plays a role. A quarter of music fans still tune in to discover new music, with ABC station triple j a popular source. An economic snapshot of the local sector showing a direct contribution of almost $3 billion to the national economy was part of three industry research reports released on Thursday. Aussie music lovers feel a sense of pride when they hear Australian music, but their playlists are actually dominated by pop from the US and Britain. While 71 per cent of listeners love to hear Australian tunes, and two thirds want to hear more, only one in three music fans make an effort to seek out new Australian music. It's a big contradiction revealed in landmark research by Music Australia, the federal government's music development and funding body. A massive 98 per cent of local listeners discover musicians via streaming, but more than half (51 per cent) don't think about whether an artist is Australian when they are looking for new tunes. Of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia during 2024, just eight per cent were Australian, while more than half were from the US, according to entertainment analytics firm Luminate. It seems the sheer convenience of personalised playlists delivered via an algorithm might be stopping music fans discovering Australian artists - and that's a problem for musicians like Sara Storer. The ARIA-award winning country musician is releasing her eighth solo album titled Worth Your Love, and says the music industry has completely transformed since her first release back in 2001. "For a young person, especially a young Aussie artist trying to get out there, I'd be terrified. Where do you start?" she said. Despite building an inter-generational audience over decades, the Darwin-based musician can no longer rely on album sales, and even solid streaming figures don't add up to a viable income. "There's no income from streaming. It looks good on paper and you think, well, I should be making a few bucks, but you don't see anything," said Storer. "All my money is made through live performance. I rely heavily on ticket sales, which is like a roller coaster." The contradiction between listener sentiment and behaviour could be the basis of a campaign for actively discovering local music - a bit like the 'Life. Be in it' health campaign of the 1980s - suggested Music Australia director Millie Millgate. "We can remind Australian audiences what these bands are doing overseas and encourage them not to miss out - like, don't miss out on your own party," said Millgate. "There's no one single bullet, but if audiences can be mobilised to do their part and really seek out Australian new music, it would go an incredible way." And the Music Australia research suggests we could potentially Aussify Spotify: listeners like the idea of a dedicated Australian music streamer, with 42 per cent saying it's something they would pay for. Melbourne rock band Amyl and the Sniffers are one act making it big on the global stage, and when the band appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon recently, singer Amy Taylor's top was made from two classic Aussie thongs. It's a big effort to demonstrate a sense of national pride - but it seems many Aussie musos are actually getting more love overseas, with more than 80 per cent of royalties for local musicians coming from international listeners in 2024, according to figures from Spotify. The research also found radio still plays a role. A quarter of music fans still tune in to discover new music, with ABC station triple j a popular source. An economic snapshot of the local sector showing a direct contribution of almost $3 billion to the national economy was part of three industry research reports released on Thursday. Aussie music lovers feel a sense of pride when they hear Australian music, but their playlists are actually dominated by pop from the US and Britain. While 71 per cent of listeners love to hear Australian tunes, and two thirds want to hear more, only one in three music fans make an effort to seek out new Australian music. It's a big contradiction revealed in landmark research by Music Australia, the federal government's music development and funding body. A massive 98 per cent of local listeners discover musicians via streaming, but more than half (51 per cent) don't think about whether an artist is Australian when they are looking for new tunes. Of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia during 2024, just eight per cent were Australian, while more than half were from the US, according to entertainment analytics firm Luminate. It seems the sheer convenience of personalised playlists delivered via an algorithm might be stopping music fans discovering Australian artists - and that's a problem for musicians like Sara Storer. The ARIA-award winning country musician is releasing her eighth solo album titled Worth Your Love, and says the music industry has completely transformed since her first release back in 2001. "For a young person, especially a young Aussie artist trying to get out there, I'd be terrified. Where do you start?" she said. Despite building an inter-generational audience over decades, the Darwin-based musician can no longer rely on album sales, and even solid streaming figures don't add up to a viable income. "There's no income from streaming. It looks good on paper and you think, well, I should be making a few bucks, but you don't see anything," said Storer. "All my money is made through live performance. I rely heavily on ticket sales, which is like a roller coaster." The contradiction between listener sentiment and behaviour could be the basis of a campaign for actively discovering local music - a bit like the 'Life. Be in it' health campaign of the 1980s - suggested Music Australia director Millie Millgate. "We can remind Australian audiences what these bands are doing overseas and encourage them not to miss out - like, don't miss out on your own party," said Millgate. "There's no one single bullet, but if audiences can be mobilised to do their part and really seek out Australian new music, it would go an incredible way." And the Music Australia research suggests we could potentially Aussify Spotify: listeners like the idea of a dedicated Australian music streamer, with 42 per cent saying it's something they would pay for. Melbourne rock band Amyl and the Sniffers are one act making it big on the global stage, and when the band appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon recently, singer Amy Taylor's top was made from two classic Aussie thongs. It's a big effort to demonstrate a sense of national pride - but it seems many Aussie musos are actually getting more love overseas, with more than 80 per cent of royalties for local musicians coming from international listeners in 2024, according to figures from Spotify. The research also found radio still plays a role. A quarter of music fans still tune in to discover new music, with ABC station triple j a popular source. An economic snapshot of the local sector showing a direct contribution of almost $3 billion to the national economy was part of three industry research reports released on Thursday. Aussie music lovers feel a sense of pride when they hear Australian music, but their playlists are actually dominated by pop from the US and Britain. While 71 per cent of listeners love to hear Australian tunes, and two thirds want to hear more, only one in three music fans make an effort to seek out new Australian music. It's a big contradiction revealed in landmark research by Music Australia, the federal government's music development and funding body. A massive 98 per cent of local listeners discover musicians via streaming, but more than half (51 per cent) don't think about whether an artist is Australian when they are looking for new tunes. Of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia during 2024, just eight per cent were Australian, while more than half were from the US, according to entertainment analytics firm Luminate. It seems the sheer convenience of personalised playlists delivered via an algorithm might be stopping music fans discovering Australian artists - and that's a problem for musicians like Sara Storer. The ARIA-award winning country musician is releasing her eighth solo album titled Worth Your Love, and says the music industry has completely transformed since her first release back in 2001. "For a young person, especially a young Aussie artist trying to get out there, I'd be terrified. Where do you start?" she said. Despite building an inter-generational audience over decades, the Darwin-based musician can no longer rely on album sales, and even solid streaming figures don't add up to a viable income. "There's no income from streaming. It looks good on paper and you think, well, I should be making a few bucks, but you don't see anything," said Storer. "All my money is made through live performance. I rely heavily on ticket sales, which is like a roller coaster." The contradiction between listener sentiment and behaviour could be the basis of a campaign for actively discovering local music - a bit like the 'Life. Be in it' health campaign of the 1980s - suggested Music Australia director Millie Millgate. "We can remind Australian audiences what these bands are doing overseas and encourage them not to miss out - like, don't miss out on your own party," said Millgate. "There's no one single bullet, but if audiences can be mobilised to do their part and really seek out Australian new music, it would go an incredible way." And the Music Australia research suggests we could potentially Aussify Spotify: listeners like the idea of a dedicated Australian music streamer, with 42 per cent saying it's something they would pay for. Melbourne rock band Amyl and the Sniffers are one act making it big on the global stage, and when the band appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon recently, singer Amy Taylor's top was made from two classic Aussie thongs. It's a big effort to demonstrate a sense of national pride - but it seems many Aussie musos are actually getting more love overseas, with more than 80 per cent of royalties for local musicians coming from international listeners in 2024, according to figures from Spotify. The research also found radio still plays a role. A quarter of music fans still tune in to discover new music, with ABC station triple j a popular source. An economic snapshot of the local sector showing a direct contribution of almost $3 billion to the national economy was part of three industry research reports released on Thursday.
