In-store gigs for Record Store Day
Record Store Day 2026 unveiled a slew of in-store gigs, topped by Hermitude doing no fewer than eight NSW appearances in 24 hours, to coincide with the release of their album EIGHT.
Joining Hermitude at Bondi Records is Egoism behind their RSD release Trust Me, who are also at TITLE store for a set, while egg-punks Media Puzzle take over Badlands Vinyl off the back of their RSD release New Racehorse.
The free and all ages shows are aplenty in Victoria. Queenie performs at Desert Highways and Rocksteady Records, sharing sounds from Nat Pavlovic, Merpire and more.
Soundmerch continues their day-long live music with Public Figures, Owelu Dreamhouse, The Antics and The Gnomes. Sensible J and Immy Owusu play at Bar Open from 3pm.
Northside Records showcase Kee’ahn, Mokomokai (NZ) and Steppers, plus an exclusive signing from Baker Boy. In Geelong, Popcultcha Records will feature live sets from The Vasco Era, Saint Ergo and Winksy.
Tasmania’s Suffragette Records has an intimate set from Naomi Keyte, who will play songs from her album Milk, Paper, Gold.
Adelaide’s My Dead Grandpa has live DJs all day, and Echo and Bounce in Queensland will host Das Druid and Bradley Zero.
This year’s RSD releases are from Empire of the Sun, Holy Holy, Bluey, Egoism, Kee’ahn, Spacey Jane, Saint Ergo, Ruel, Ninajirachi, You Am I, Pond, The Grogans, Olana Janfa, Beth and Blue, Heavy Moss, Ella Thompson, Ocean Alley, Underground Lovers, Montaigne, Tasman Keith, Confidence Man, Peking Duk x Darren Hayes and The Wiggles.
See ARIA item below for stats on Australia’s love affair with physical records.
Big live numbers from Ed Sheeran, Ocean Alley, Linkin Park, Enz
Aussies are turning out in big numbers for their fave acts. Ed Sheeran’s Loop shows sold 754,000 tickets in Australia and New Zealand (January 16 to March 5), said a recent Pollstar report. The dates grossed US$98.7 million (or AU$138.88 million).
“Fans in Sydney bought the most tickets among the three. Attendance there totalled 192,181 from sold-out shows Feb. 13-15 with a gross of $26.1 million. Then, the Melbourne venue sold 173,387 tickets, Feb. 26-28, while Brisbane fans numbered 116,273 at concerts Feb. 20-22.”
In 2023, Sheeran’s two shows at the Melbourne Cricket Ground had 215,000 attendees. This was quite a contrast to his first show in Melbourne, in 2011, in a small club to under 100.
Ocean Alley reached over 80,000 fans on their latest run, 11 shows through Australia and New Zealand. The band then head off mid-year to North America for 20 dates.
Linkin Park’s eight shows in Australia and NZ in March sold more than 110,000. It was their biggest visit to this part of the world. The Links also set a new record for a single show at Auckland’s Spark Arena with 12,736 ticket sales.
Split Enz’s Forever Enz reunion, which got off to a strong start before 45,000 at the Electric Avenue festival in NZ in February, is also pulling good numbers for their headliner May dates. “Due to overwhelming demand”, according to Live Nation, extra shows were added in Hamilton, Christchurch and Brisbane. Of the 13 shows, four are sell-outs two months out.
Add Radiohead to the list
Radiohead are eyeing a return to Australia, but just exactly when they’ll be trotting through the entry terminal is unknown. In March, the band’s Ed O’Brien, in an interview with Rolling Stone, outlined their touring plan.
“Every year, we’re going to do a different continent, and we’re going to do 20 shows each year. No more, no less.” They did 20 shows in Europe last year, and after a break this year, head back on the road in 2027. They last toured here in 2012 for a run of five shows and were heavily rumoured to headline Splendour.
Australia slips further down world ranking
With greater competition from emerging markets, Australia keeps dropping down as a major music market. Ten years ago, it was steadily battling with Canada for #6 and #7 position. This column forecast/warned back then taht the Australian music industry had to work harder to keep its position.
Two years ago, Australia fell out of the Top 10 for the first time ever, to #11. In the IFPI Global Music Report 2026, published last month (March) and covering 2025, it fell further to #13.
The music markets now rank:
- USA
- Japan
- UK
- China (+1)
- Germany (-1)
- France
- South Korea
- Brazil (+1)
- Canada (-1)
- Mexico (+2)
ARIA figures show Aussie music industry grows for seventh year
Mind you, the good news is that the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)’s new figures for 2025, also published in March, show the Aussie market posted its seventh year of growth. Wholesale sales rose 1.4% to $727 million.
Physical was the standout performer, surging 10.97% to $67.8 million, with unit sales of 2.80 million representing an 8.79% rise.
CD revenue climbed 29.6% to $21.0 million – its strongest level since 2021 – with unit sales rising to more than 1.5 million discs (up 4.09%), suggesting renewed consumer appetite for the format.
Vinyl album revenue grew 4.1% to $46.3 million on the back of more than 1.2 million unit sales. It makes up 68.2% of physical revenue.
Subscription services make up 71% of the domestic total music market at $517 million. Ad-supported streaming and video streaming contributed a combined $130 million. Digital download revenue continued to fall, now at $11.6 million. The digital market represents $659 million, or 90.7% of total revenue.
Two record stores close after three years
Two record stores have closed, both coincidentally having run for three years.
Gordy Boy Records in Adelaide’s CBD (Adelaide Arcade) is bringing down the shutters. Ed Rooney, who had “a life dream” to run a record store and named it after his pet dog, said, “It’s a tough time to run a business and with the lease coming to an end, I had to make a personal and financial decision to kick on or not.”
Brisbane metal records, merch and videos store Blackened Records in Woolloongabba’s Trafalgar St closed on April 11. Simon Irvine, who set it up in July 2023, said he would find other ways to support the metal scene.
Sydney misses out on hosting Eurovision Asia
Sydney has missed out on being the first host city of the Eurovision Asia Song Contest. Ten years ago, when the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) began pow-wowing with SBS, the idea was it would be held in Sydney in 2017. Singapore and Hong Kong also pushed for it.
After fits and starts, it got pushed back to 2019. Two years later, SBS shelved the project, and the initiative went to Asian companies.
On March 31, it was announced the first Eurovision Asia will be in Bangkok on November 14. It is organised by EBU and Voxovation with S2O Productions serving as partners, and Thailand’s Channel 3 the host broadcaster.
In the comp are South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. More countries, including presumably Australia, “are expected to join as the competition expands.”
VMDO holds Music Data & Insights Summit
As a way for local music executives to spot trends and devise future strategies, the Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO) is holding its Music Data and Insights Summit on Monday, May 18 at 8.30am and Tuesday, May 19 at 4.30pm at CY Venue (formerly Music Market) 35 Johnston Street, Collingwood.
The summit features panels, new research and sessions covering audience behaviour, live music trends, workforce development and the changing economics of the sector.
It includes an international keynote by Marlen Hüllbrock from Europe marketer Music Ally and the launch of the second edition of Music Australia’s The Bass Line.
Hüllbrock will deliver Marketing to Gen Alpha In The Age of Social Media Bans, on how to reach under-16s despite the new social media restrictions.
The next edition of Music Australia’s The Bass Line research provides a comprehensive snapshot of the industry’s economic contribution and impact for FY2024–2025. There will be a session at the summit that unpacks the key findings plus discussions with industry leaders.
New research from the Australian Research Council Linkage project Community Music Radio: Building the Music-Media Ecosystem, led by Associate Professor Shane Homan (Monash University) and Professor Susan Forde (Griffith University), reveals how community broadcasters create economic value while supporting emerging and First Nations artists.
The Supporting First Nations Led Music Business report, led by Kaleena Smith (MusicNSW), emphasises the importance of culturally led programs shaped by First Nations artists, businesses and communities.
More speakers and sessions will be announced soon. Visit vmdo.com.au.
Australia featured in Uganda conference
Australia and Uganda are official focus countries at this year’s Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) in Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 22 and 23. Curated delegations of artists, execs and cultural practitioners will participate.
Now in its sixth edition, the female-led conference’s speakers include those associated with the emerging Lekompo & Maskandi regional sounds and the importance of mental well-being. Go to quicket.co.za/events/321748-africa-rising-music-conference-2026.
Out on the Weekend on hiatus…
Love Police’s alt-country/Australiana Out on the Weekend is on hiatus. Promoter Brian “BT” Taranto cited “rising costs and increasing pressures across the live music industry.”
He said it had “always been a true labour of love for us. But the reality is, sometimes it doesn’t all come together, and you just get sick of reaching into your pockets for funds to make it all happen. We’ve just got to hang up our boots for the year and take a breath and see if we can’t bring back the magic in 2027.”
…While fuel crisis delays Out2Lunch
One of the most anticipated festivals of the year, DJ Fisher’s Out2Lunch, has had to be pushed back from May to 2027. Promoter TEG Live blamed “severe pressures on fuel supplies and consumer sentiment right now.”
In the last few years, when Out2Lunch was held on the Gold Coast, it drew 30,000 and was enough of a spectacle to generate $50 million to the local economy.
But this year it went national, which would have put its attendance right up there with other Aussie EDM blockbusters such as Stereophonic, Right Said Fred and Dom Dolla, which ranged between 170,000 to 200,000.
TEG Live maintains “the critical period … will be most acute during the next 6-8 weeks.” Meanwhile, Live Performance Australia has asked politicians to consider helping the industry financially until circumstances change.
Biz applauds strengthening of copyright
Creator groups welcomed the April 1 passage of the Copyright Amendment Bill, saying, “Australia’s world-leading copyright licensing framework remains modern, balanced and fit for purpose.”
These included AMPAL, APRA AMCOS, ARIA PPCA, Australian Publishers Association, Australian Society of Authors, Australian Writers’ Guild, AWG Authorship Collecting Society, Copyright Agency, National Association for the Visual Arts and Screenrights.
The Bill delivers two important reforms. First, it introduces the country’s first “orphan works” scheme. It provides certainty with materials where copyright owners cannot be identified or located, benefiting researchers, educators, cultural institutions and the broader community.
Secondly, there was the clarification that existing exceptions for the use of copyright material in classrooms apply equally in online settings.
Support Act secures funding for First Nations music industry
Support Act has secured funding for a national review into the experiences of Indigenous music workers and is seeking an independent First Nations-led research partner to carry out the work. Backed by Sound NSW’s Contemporary Music Development Grants, the review, titled ‘Raising Our Voices’, will examine cultural safety, systematic inequities, racism and cultural harm across the contemporary music industry.
The project is led by Pertame, Arrernte and Mirning women and Support Act First Nations Program Manager Catherine Satour.
She has support from a First Nations Steering Committee which includes Kaleena Smith (Wiradjuri/Yorta Yorta) from Music NSW, Travis De Vries (Gamilaroi) from Awesome Blak, Matty Mills (Gamilaroi) from SBS/NITV and NOVA FM, Genise Williams (Western Arrarnta) from Clapsticks Productions, Kelly Hellmrich (Mineng Noongar) from Bad Apples, Jared Wall (Noongar) from Boox Kid, Letisha Ackland (Kokatha, Wirangu and Mirning) from Balya Productions, Nancy Bates from Deadly Management, Leah Flanagan (Alyawarre) or Nathaniel Andrew (Yorta Yorta, Wurundjeri, South Sea Islander) from NATSIMO, Julia Robinson from ARIA and PPCA, and Mayella Dewis-Koroi (Boigu, Mer, and St Pauls Islands and Wuthathi), an artist and producer.
Hilltop Hoods charity auction raises $95K
An online charity auction by Hilltop Hoods of signed merchandise, memorabilia, rarities and other one-of-a-kind items raised $95,000 for South Australian charity Lion Hearts Learning.
It supports children and families impacted by cancer, and children with low immunity following health challenges.
Wild Thing signs Italy’s Hand of Juno
Melbourne-based Wild Thing Music Group’s latest management signing is Italy’s alt/industrial metal act Hand of Juno, also signed to Berlin’s Out Of Line Music. The band is going to be extremely busy playing the European festival circuit over the northern summer.
Wild Thing director Eli Chamravi said, “Hand Of Juno are an extremely exciting band, who have a massive future ahead of them. Their sound is bold, modern, and genuinely unique. Beyond the music itself, Melissa, Helly, Francesca, and Marco each bring something special to the table, and together they have all the ingredients to become a truly global force.”
Wild Thing Music Group’s management roster also features Australian acts The Omnific and Future Static, Tel Aviv’s Walkways and London’s DeVere. The company also runs progressive/alternative rock and metal record label Wild Thing Records.
Mick Harvey gets French honour
Australian musician Mick Harvey was awarded one of France’s highest cultural honours. He was named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his role in translating and recording the music of French songwriter and icon Serge Gainsbourg over 30 years.
Pillar Talent Agency launches
Promoter Lucky Group has launched a new agency, Pillar Talent, bringing in New World Artists booking agent Liam Saunders to run it as well as overseeing the Lucky Agency.
The agency will feed off Lucky Group’s touring and management divisions. Its roster at launch was rapper 360, comedian Frenchy, DJs CYRIL and Ben Gerrans, and emerging acts such as Darcie Haven, Mid Drift and harrykirby.
Digital radio stations supporting local music
Radio website Radioinfo reported that two new digital radio stations have clicked on to support artists from Australia and New Zealand.
GLOW RADIO started last month to give voice to under-represented artists such as women artists aged 35+, gender-diverse and First Nations talent.
A second station is coming at the end of April from 2BB Creative Pty Ltd, which will have “a commercially disciplined format across smart devices to allow for growth beyond traditional geographic limitations.”
Headsend signed to EMI / Universal
Byron Bay power trio Headsend, who opened for AC/DC and Tool, signed with EMI / Universal Music Australia in partnership with American Recordings / Republic Records in the US. They are released in the UK through Polydor.
Headsend comprise professional surfer brothers Rasmus and Kyuss King, joined by drummer Bon Sori, who was recommended to the band by their grandmother.
They are signed with TAP Music for global management and WME for live bookings. Mark Holland, EMI Music Australia Managing Director, called them “one of the most exciting live acts” in Australia.
They released their debut EP Angel Glands on March 27, and after Aussie tours until May, head to the UK to showcase at the Great Escape on May 15.
GYRO Group sets up in Brazil
Brisbane-based GYRO Group is expanding into the Latin American market, setting up a physical office in São Paulo, Brazil to service the region. It was done via a deal with leading local operator Music Stream, whose CEO Samuel Fernandes will run the office.
GYRO operates white-label distribution platform DistroDirect and DIY platform G.Y.R.O. – Get Your Record Out. Latin America was the world’s fastest-growing region in 2025, up 17.1% year-on-year. Brazil expanded 14.1% and is now the #8 biggest music market in the world.
Summersault doco gets screening
One of the docos getting a show at the 73rd Sydney Film Festival (June 3–14) is The Best Summer, about the Summersault Festival. In the summer of 1995/1996, it had a bill with the powerhouses of 90s alt-rock including the Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth and Foo Fighters.
Director Tamra Davis recovered the tapes from her garage while fleeing from the Malibu fires.
Spotify paid $330M to Aussie right holders
Spotify reckons it paid out AU$330 million to Australian music rightsholders in 2025, up 7% year-on-year. More than 370 Aussie artists earned $100,000 from the platform – double the number of acts from 2017.
In January, Spotify said it globally paid out over US$11 billion to the music industry in 2025.
Spotify also claims Australian music consumers streamed Australian artists 223 million more times on Spotify in 2025 than in 2024. Australian artists were also discovered for the first time by global listeners 2.7 billion times last year.
As part of its presence in this market, Spotify invested $200,000 in a multi-year partnership with youth organisation The Push, and has a three-year sponsorship deal with November’s ARIA awards.
Love Song study on Gen Z includes Aussie input
Promoter Live Nation’s latest Love Song study on music fans’ behaviour reports, “84% of Gen Z are increasingly selective about where they focus their attention, seeking deeper, more meaningful real-world connections than any other generation.”
In its largest study of Gen Z to date, Love Song surveyed 5,692 Australians, including 1,411 Gen Zers, providing deep dives for local brands.
Over half of Gen Z rely on curated spaces – such as playlists, creators or events – to navigate culture. 86% seek experiences that make them feel part of something bigger than themselves.
The report relays: “Live music, in particular, has emerged as today’s social hub, so about 89% would consider attending concerts solo to connect with others or forging friendships online through shared music fandom.”
Kristy Rosser, Senior Vice President and Head of Media & Sponsorship at Live Nation Australia and New Zealand says, “At its core, Love Song shows that music ‘fandom’ is central to Gen Z’s identity.
“They actively seek out live experiences to create their own cultural moments and be fully present, with 86% of Gen Z saying they feel most themselves, away from everyday pressures.”
This engagement extends far beyond the live event itself, “reflecting a shift from one-off interactions to an always-on fan journey.”
Nearly all Gen Z (96%) say pre- and post-event moments are just as important as the event itself – from artist-themed parties (73%) to in-person fan meet-ups (74%), and offering exclusive VIP or behind-the-scenes access.
Among other takeaways:
- Self-expression is a key driver of participation, with 86% saying fashion aligned to the artist plays a central role.
- Physical touchpoints, from merchandise (81%) to ticket stubs and wristbands (87%), are increasingly valued as tangible extensions of the event, with fans preserving these in physical scrapbooks to relive and share their experiences long after the show ends.
- While Gen Z may be the first fully connected generation, 76% are returning to vinyl and other “old-school” technologies for a sense of stability, saying it “feels more real” than today’s digital experiences.
- “Gen Z’s engagement with live experiences isn’t confined to a single moment – it’s an ongoing lifecycle,” said Rosser. “Physical merchandise has never been more important, and participatory elements such as posters and autographs are making a strong comeback. They’re blending the best of past and present to shape their own culture.”
To access the study, visit connectbylivenation.com.au.
Vassy’s dance show busts more moves
Darwin-raised global DJ and producer Vassy (3 billion global streams and counting) has expanded the reach of her Vox radio show highlighting Australian EDM on its latest season.
Co-hosted with DJ Bust-R, it now syndicates to 16+ stations nationwide and streams on Apple Podcasts, Pandora and iHeartRadio.
The 16+ include Massive Dance, Dance Hits, iHeartRadio, KIIS 1065, ARN, Nova Nation, Starter FM, VIBE NATION, TUNE 1 RADIO, Joy 94.9, CADA, Darwin FM, Switch and RADIO METRO 105.7.
NFSA adds music tracks to history
The National Film & Sound Archive announced the 2026 Sounds of Australia, a capsule collection of sound recordings over ten years old “with cultural, historical and aesthetic significance and relevance, which inform or reflect life in Australia.”
The music tracks included Missy Higgins’ “Scar”, Marcia Hines’ “You”, Joe Dolce’s “Shaddap You Face” and pioneering world music collaboration Tabaran by Not Drowning, Waving and the musicians of Rabaul featuring Telek.
Other records were Rosie Batty’s 2015 Australian of the Year speech following her advocacy after the murder of her son Luke, the Federal Court’s Native Title Determination at Noonkanbah Station, and the jingle from the Reading Writing Hotline.
The Democracy Manifest / Succulent Chinese Meal viral video from 1991 took place in a Brisbane Chinese restaurant. When Jack Karlson was arrested, he “performed” a speech, part theatre, part mock-outrage: “Gentleman! This is democracy manifest!” and “What is the charge? Eating a meal? A succulent Chinese meal?”
Vale
- Ron Tremaine leaves behind a remarkable legacy in Adelaide music, having shaped the city’s scene from the 1950s through venues such as The Princeton Club, Old Lion and Komotion, the pop magazine Young Modern, and his work managing artists such as Bev Harrell.
- Ken Payne was a pioneering figure in Melbourne’s gay club scene, founding Mandate as its first gay disco, along with Precinct 3182 and 3 Faces. For a time he was also co-publisher of queer lifestyle magazine City Rhythm.
- Ian “Beazo” Beazley dedicated much of his life to putting Newcastle and Lake Macquarie on the national touring map through his General Booking Agency, while nurturing young bands and DJs at venues such as Jack On King, Mawson Hotel, Cardiff Workers Club and The Venue at the Bel-Air Hotel.
- Guitarist and songwriter Bernie Lynch, best known for forming Eurogliders in Perth alongside singer Grace Knight, leaves behind a rich musical legacy. The band found enormous success in the 1980s with singles such as “Heaven (Must Be There)” and “We Will Together” and Top 5 albums This Island and Absolutely. Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2024, Bernie fought hard and returned to touring before passing away. Those who knew him remembered above all else his extraordinary kindness – to fans and fellow musicians alike.
- Rhoda Roberts, a Widjabul Wieybal woman of the Bundjalung nation, was a towering figure in First Nations arts and culture. An award-winning producer, director, writer, broadcaster, performer and festival founder, she brought black culture to mainstream Australia with grace and determination. She is also credited with coining the term Welcome to Country – a contribution that will resonate for generations. She was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2016.
- Classically trained pianist Eric Scott began his radio career in the mid-1950s and went on to become one of the most important figures in Australian country music. Through Hadley Records, a recording studio he built, and his presidency of the Australian Country Music Foundation and Hall of Fame, he gave the genre a lasting home. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2019.
- Jim Blackfoot, California-born member of the Blackfoot tribe, was a warmly respected presence in the Australian music industry as a studio owner and live sound engineer. His studio, Blackfoot Sound in St Peters, Sydney, became a trusted space for many artists. Mental As Anything remembered him as an “elder brother” who was “brilliant at his job, a calm, kind, sturdy presence and made it look easy when he extricated us from more than one jam.”
- Ronnie Te Rongopai Ransfield, born in New Zealand and later based on the Gold Coast, was a pioneer of the Māori Showband era in Australia, touring extensively with his band The Sheratons from the 1960s onward.
