This wrap up covers APRA AMCOS winding down its Live Music Office, Dave Rowntree's unsuccessful royalties appeal and RÜFÜS DU SOL's record-breaking Madison Square Garden run.
Aussie sales up for bass and power amps, drum kits down
Sales in Australia 2025 were up for power amplifiers, bass guitars and wireless microphones. Drum kits were down by 37% (though single drums and electro-drums were up), along with synthesizers and other wind instruments.
This is according to new data from the Australian Music Association (AMA). Cost of living and the effect of the tariff war between the US and China have seen a change in the pattern of consumer spending.
The changes also need to be put in perspective, given sales leapt during the pandemic lockdowns, when people were bored or looking for new interests. Now it’s levelling out.
“The growth in 2025 was largely in the Pro Audio section rather than musical instruments,” said the AMA.
AMA added, “One way to interpret the 2025 result is as a year of stability. The overall year-on-year change in market value for the years 2021 to 2025 has been +15%, +12%, -19%, -10% and now +1%, making 2025 the most stable year of the post-pandemic period.
“The average year-on-year change over the period covered by this report was 3%.”
Catch up on all the latest news here.
Pianos & keyboards
After a 25% decline in value over the last ten years, digital pianos and portable keyboards went up slightly. Estimated retail value of this category: $155 million.
Guitars
Bass guitars were the strongest category (+9.3% in units, +17.7% in value). Acoustic guitars are up slightly (+11.2% in units, +5.4% in value), while electric guitars eased by 1% in value with a 5.2% dip in units. Ukuleles (and other/traditional fretted stringed instruments) and amps (the combo amplifiers category) were down in units. Estimated retail value: $206 million.
Brass, wind & strings
In 2024, the brass, wind & strings section increased in value, but units fell by 23.5%. The 2025 result is the reverse, with units recovering (17.1% higher than 2024) but value easing by 16.3%.
The change is largely in other wind instruments, while the main woodwind instrument (clarinet/flute/sax), brass and orchestral stringed instrument categories held steady. Estimated retail value: $71 million.
Percussion
A notable dip in drum kits (-37.9% in value) was offset by every other category, leading to an overall increase of 3.4% for the percussion section. The data suggests acoustic drum kits are being replaced over time by electronic kits. Estimated retail value: $41 million.
DJ & electronic instruments
Synthesizers eased 31.4% to their lowest units in a decade and were down 23.8% in value. But other electronic instruments (including electronic drums) had a 32.7% increase in units and a 14.5% increase in value. Estimated retail value: $93 million.
Pro audio
Pro audio has grown more than the other sections and remains the largest part of the music products market. Units eased by 19.6%, mostly due to mics. Estimated retail value: $436 million.
Accessories
The section has been stable for the third year in a row, with a 0.3% increase in value (year on year) following 0.4% last year. There was a solid increase in guitar & bass strings (+6.5%), while most other categories increased a little. Estimated retail value: $172 million.
See a more detailed analysis of the figures here.
Artists, music biz unites on AI concerns
Following reports that Australian and New Zealand tracks are being used to train artificial intelligence (AI) models without authorisation, musicians and associations have urged the Federal Government to offer copyright protection, legal recourse and financial compensation to rights holders.
An open letter stated: “The Australian public is asking technology platforms to be accountable, to the environment, to the community, and to our culture. Consent and remuneration are how accountability works for creators.
“What the AI companies want instead is a system where they decide what to pay and when. No rights. No negotiation. No recourse. They want to go from asking permission to asking for gratitude.”
Signatories included APRA AMCOS, ARIA, AIR, The Copyright Agency, Australian Music Centre, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office, Australian Publishers Association, Screenrights and Screen Producers Australia.
At the same time, a group of musicians including Missy Higgins, Jack River, William Barton and Mark Seymour, as well as authors, held a press conference in Canberra to further raise the issue. Missy Higgins said creative types “face enough challenges right now without adding weaker copyright laws to the list”. Author Anna Funder described her own experience as “a victim of crime.”
Meanwhile, the head of Google USA, Kent Walker, has argued that training AI models on publicly available web data should “remain protected” by fair use in the US.
In a 21-page document titled A Pragmatic Approach To AI Governance In America, the company argued, “Using publicly available web data for training models is a transformative, non-expressive use – like an art student taking inspiration from walking through a gallery – that should remain protected under fair use in the U.S. and text-and-data-mining exceptions abroad.”
Artists picked for Mushroom’s First Nations Pathway
In its fifth year, in partnership with Coles, Mushroom Group has announced this year’s recipients of its First Nations Pathway program. In the past, they’ve gone on to play festivals and been invited to showcase abroad.
They are Akala Newman, Djunmili Yunupingu, homebody, KIAH (of The Violet Summers), Miles Nautu, MINTY, MOSS and RIAH. Mentors will be Nooky and Emily Wurramara.
“My father instilled at Mushroom the importance of First Nations talent being heard by the music world, and we’re proud to have worked with artists like Yothu Yindi, Christine Anu, Archie Roach, Dan Sultan and many more throughout our fifty-year history,” Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski said.
Sweat It Out, Central Station expand
After global success with Luude and Dom Dolla, sister labels Sweat It Out and Central Station Records have expanded their team with seven new hires and three key promotions.
At the company for five years, Evie Preston has been promoted to Head of Marketing & Communications. Her new role will oversee global output across both labels and their various imprints.
Building out her team, Preston has brought in Elfira Vania Suginawan as Marketing Manager, who spent 4.5 years at music agency The Annex Creative. Mell Hall also joins as Media & Communications Coordinator.
Matt Nugent expands his role to Chief Operating Officer & A&R, now leading the A&R department for Central Station Records. Over two decades, Nugent has held marketing and A&R roles at Sony Music, onelove and Central Station Records. He is also half of the DJ duo Avon Stringer.
Ben Miller steps into an expanded role as A&R & Club Promotions Manager, taking on the management of events across Sweat It Out. Charlie Shell joins the Central Station Records banner as A&R, while Claire Rayner is appointed as Publishing A&R.
On the creative and events front, New Zealand’s Claudia Riley joins as Design & Creative Manager to lead the visual style for upcoming releases. She is also a producer and DJ.
Lee McDermott and Chloe Azzam have joined the Legal and Business Affairs team for Sweat It Out and Central Station Records.
Blur’s Dave Rowntree unsuccessful in ‘black box’ royalties appeal
Blur drummer and songwriter Dave Rowntree was unsuccessful in his appeal to revive a ‘black box’ royalties claim against PRS for Music.
‘Black box’ royalties are sums PRS collects but cannot allocate to the correct songwriter or publisher because of missing or inaccurate data. PRS distributes them in the same proportion as identified royalties.
Rowntree argued this favoured publishers, as “incorrect” data were far more likely to be supplied by songwriters. Last year a court found that the Blur member had not offered concrete proof this was the case, nor had he come up with an alternative to the black box. The appeals court agreed with that finding.
The case, which was to include a class action by other songwriters, centred on a payout of millions of dollars. The society, which represents 190,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers, paid out £1.07 billion (approx. AU$2.19 billion) to them in 2025.
‘Cheeky’ Starfish doco lands on YouTube
Chocolate Starfish have posted a career-spanning doco for free on YouTube. Over 34 minutes, it draws on rare old footage and candid interviews, tracking the highs of hits and dynamic gigs through to the quieter moments, including the departure of a founding member.
The band dedicated the doco to their fans, posting, “We have always felt we are the people’s band, as it was all of you who have maintained our stamina and given us a reason to believe and continue as a band, when others didn’t.”
The title Between The Cheeks: The Unfinished Story of Chocolate Starfish no doubt comes from the fact that the band name comes from the imprint one leaves on a bed sheet or cushion after not wiping properly after a crap.
Two music venues back with new names
Two venues in two cities seen as destinations for music lovers are back in the spotlight, sporting new names.
Melbourne’s The Gasometer, aka The Gaso, which closed in March 2025 when the former operator decided not to extend the lease, is returning on Friday, July 24. It’s under the new name of Smith St Hotel. Restaurateur Scott Pickett said the Collingwood venue (484 Smith Street) was still showcasing live music. Ben Tillman, of Wollongong’s Yours & Owls festival and booking agency, will run the music program.
South Brisbane’s Fox Hotel has been transformed into The Terminus (its original name in 1927) as a dining destination. New owners Adonis and Nehme Ghanem emphasise it remains an entertainment venue, with a schedule of live acts and DJs in its Vixen Room. The venue had been vacant since 2022 and went through an 18-month renovation.
New signing #1: Keli Holiday at BMG & Bonds
Keli Holiday, created by Peking Duk’s Adam Hyde, is clearly on the up escalator, signing two new deals.
One is a global publishing pact with BMG. “I’ve been lucky enough to know the whole crew for quite a while, and the one thing I know more than anything is that BMG know how to push music but, more importantly, they care about music,” he said.
Holiday is also the new face of Bonds, taking “centre stage to help us celebrate 25 years of the iconic Guyfront Trunk,” they posted.
New signing #2: Chris Cheney sells to BMG
Chris Cheney of The Living End transferred ownership of his back catalogue to BMG. Their relationship goes back ten years. The deal was announced soon after The Living End were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, and their latest album I Only Trust Rock ‘n’ Roll was another hit.
New signing #3: Alexandria @ Warner Music
Warner Music Australia and US-based Warner Records teamed up to sign Perth alt-pop artist Alexandria. The one-time maths teacher had a breakout with “Always An Angel”, a collaboration with Marino on “Lust” and new single “Justice”. She said, “I’ve always been drawn to the fictional world and stories.”
New signing #4: C.O.F.F.I.N. @ p(doom)
Sydney band C.O.F.F.I.N. joined King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s p(doom) Records, alongside the likes of GUM/Kenny Ambrose Smith and CAVS. New single “Sleep In It” comes with a video directed by singer/drummer Ben Ulitzka Portnoy. Also coming is a doco, 10,000 Miles From Oslo, which tracks their career with new interviews and unseen content.
New signing #5: Julian Sudek @ Warner Chappell
Hot-in-demand ARIA-winning songwriter and producer Julian Sudek has inked a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell. Sudek, a one-time drummer with Royel Otis, produced their first EP, and has more recently worked with Owusu, Rum Jungle and Bean Magazine, among others, and runs his own studio in Sydney.
New signing #6: Kayps @ Bad Apple Music
Broome-born, Perth-based rapper and storyteller Kayps is releasing his much-anticipated album BUNUBA BABY through his new label, Bad Apple Music.
Label owner Briggs said of the proud Walmatjarri and Bunuba man, who won triple j Unearthed’s Indigenous Initiative award in 2021, “Kayps is an exciting new artist and unique talent hailing from a strong WA mob. We’re excited for the world to hear his story and honoured to support his vision.”
New signing #7: Wayside @ Memory Music
Melbourne band Wayside have formalised their relationship with Grammy-winning US producer Will Yip – he produced their second album What Does Your Soul Look Like in November 2023 and praised their pop melodies and realness – by signing to his Philadelphia-based label Memory Music. Their new single “Invisible Strings” was recorded at Yip’s studio.
New signing #8: To The Grave @ BLKIIBLK
Sydney deathcore merchants To The Grave continue their global presence. They’ve signed to Italian metal label BLKIIBLK (part of Frontiers Label Group), through which they’ve issued a single “Eyestalk Ablations”. After two years away, they return to North America on tour, before a run of Australian shows in September.
Live Music Office closes
After 13 years, APRA AMCOS is closing the Live Music Office (LMO) and its flagship program Live & Local on July 1. LMO was a partnership between APRA AMCOS and the Federal Government.
Under the original director, jazz guitarist John Wardle, LMO played an essential role in working with governments and councils on updating entertainment regulations and offering policies, while advocating for grassroots venues.
Live and Local saw LMO partner with 40 councils around the country to support over 1,000 music events. It supported local musicians and venue operators, helping build sustainable models with proper payment.
Live and Local Engagement and Program Manager was Lucy Joseph, and the National Program Manager was Bronwyn Adams.
Explaining the decision, APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston said, “In the 13 years since the Live Music Office was established, the landscape has changed dramatically. With government bodies at a federal and state level now doing such an incredible job for live music, and local councils empowered to continue the good work, now feels like the right time to hand back the mantle.
“By doing that, it also allows us to focus more on other important priorities for our members and the broader industry by advocating to the Australian Government for a broad-based tax incentive for live music venues to help build the long-term sustainability of the live ecosystem.”
Rock’n’Crawl
News of Australian Crawl’s reunion to headline the Red Hot Summer tour in October has generated plenty of discussion.
It’s billed as the original lineup, with James Reyne on vocal duties, David Reyne – who left for acting before the band took off – and guitarist Simon Binks, fleshed out with Reyne’s current band.
On March 12 this year, Reyne and Binks took to Federal Court over ownership of the Crawl trademark. That was registered by one-time drummer Bill McDonough (1979 to 1983) in 1990 and 1994. It covers everything from entertainment services to clothing to allowing charities to use the name in their fundraising endeavours.
Reyne and Binks say they don’t want to take the trademark from McDonough, but would like it to be shared by other band members who were not consulted.
At this point a mediation is set for July. If that doesn’t resolve things, it heads to court a month later. How the results will affect what Crawl call themselves on tour remains to be seen. Meantime, well-timed for all this publicity is author Jeff Apter, whose book Reckless – The Saga of Australian Crawl is out on August 4 through Allen & Unwin.
How cost of living could affect arts attendances
Australians are deeply connected to the arts, participating in and attending its events more so than ever. A new survey by Creative Australia shows that growing cost of living is starting to shape this.
In Creative Transformations: Results of the National Arts Participation Survey, 98% of Aussies engage with the arts in some way, whether through music, reading, festivals, creating art, digital engagement or live attendance.
In the past year, 74% attended at least one live arts event or festival. That was equivalent to 15.4 million people, the highest level recorded since the survey began in 2009.
At the same time, 60% cited cost as the biggest barrier to attendance, and more than half (55%) missed out on events they wanted to attend due to cost.
Creative Australia Executive Director Development and Partnerships Lara Wolski said: “Australians continue to engage with arts and creativity in extraordinarily high numbers, even during a period of ongoing financial pressure.
“What this research shows is that Australians still deeply value cultural participation and connection, but cost is increasingly shaping how people participate and what they can afford to attend.”
For the first time, the survey examined the link between being taught artforms at school and engaging with and supporting them as adults.
Creative Australia’s Director Research, Rebecca Mostyn, revealed, “A significant finding in this year’s survey is the relationship between arts education and lifelong participation.
“Those who had opportunities to learn an artform during their school years are significantly more likely to attend arts events, read books, create art and engage with culture, and to recognise the benefits of doing so later in life.”
There were three other trends worthy of note.
(1) The survey found audiences increasingly embracing musical theatre, cabaret and classical music. Attendance at classical music performances rose from 7% in 2022 to 10% in 2025.
(2) There is a mix of views when it comes to artificial intelligence and creativity. Two in five Australians reported using AI tools to create art or generate ideas, while 82% said AI use should be disclosed. Almost three-quarters wondered whether AI-generated content could be considered “real” or authentic art.
(3) Participating in the arts to engage with one’s own cultural background, language group or community rose significantly from 32% in 2022 to 40% in 2025. Attendance at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts events and festivals also increased, with one in three Australians attending in 2025. 71% found First Nations art important.
For the full report, head here.
RÜFÜS DU SOL make history in New York
During their massive North American tour, RÜFÜS DU SOL set a new milestone at the iconic 20,000-seat Madison Square Garden. They became the first EDM act to play four consecutive nights there (starting June 25), and sold the most tickets by an EDM act in the venue’s history.
They’ve been playing some major venues in North America, including to 60,000 in Mexico City and 45,000 in Montreal. Their Inhale/Exhale world tour is the biggest by any EDM act, with 750,000 tickets sold and an estimated 1.5 million fans attending. (Note: these two figures as supplied appear inconsistent – worth confirming with the source before publication.)
Dom Dolla also flew the EDM flag at Madison Square Garden, selling two shows there where he was joined by Kid Cudi. Others who’ve drawn big numbers at MSG include AC/DC, INXS, Kylie Minogue, The Wiggles and Keith Urban.
David Vodicka sets up new entertainment law firm
David Vodicka, who set up Media Arts Law 25 years ago, working with some of the biggest names in the biz, including Kylie Minogue and Tame Impala, has taken another step. On July 1, he launched his new firm, David Vodicka Music & Entertainment Lawyers.
In a post on LinkedIn, he explained, “After 25 years, I found myself asking a simple question… If I were starting again today, what would I build? The answer was surprising. More focused. More selective. More intentional.”
Starting out presenting on community radio, he set up Rubber Records (Underground Lovers, Cordrazine, 1200 Techniques, Icecream Hands), chaired indie association AIR and served on the boards of ARIA, Melbourne International Film Festival and the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA), and was respected for his advocacy for stricter copyright and more royalties from streaming services.
Art Music Awards head to Melbourne
For the 2026 edition of the Art Music Awards, APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre are staging it in Melbourne. It is held on August 19 at The Timber Yard in Port Melbourne. There are 16 categories covering jazz, contemporary classical and experimental music. Arts journalist and broadcaster Namila Benson will host.
Australian spend on games rises to $4.2B
Video games remain a source of income for Australian musicians and composers as the sector continues to grow. Australians’ spend on video games hit $4.2 billion last year, a 12% rise from the year before. Data from the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association showed it was embraced across all formats. Digital sales turned over $1.4 billion, with mobile the biggest segment at $1.7 billion*, physical at just under $1.1 billion and hardware posting a 37% jump over 2024 to $676.1 million.
