Australian music: Yeah, but nah …

Australians say they love homegrown music, but when it comes to what they actually listen to or see live, the numbers tell another story.

That’s the key finding of the final instalment of Listening In, a major research initiative from Music Australia released today.

The three-part series, delivered by Creative Australia and sector stakeholders explores Australians’ engagement with music across live attendance, discovery and consumption.

Drawing on thousands of survey responses, Nielsen data, and focus groups, the series reveals a consistent gap between audience sentiment and behaviour. As Music Australia Director Millie Millgate puts it, “Australian audiences are telling us they want more local music. If we want a thriving and sustainable music industry, then we all really need to seek out and support local artists.”

Photo © Tijs van Leur/Unsplash

The research finds 71 percent of music-engaged audiences say they feel pride when they hear Australian music, and two in three (66 percent) want to hear more. But only one in three actively seek it out with over half of respondents admitting they “don’t know where to find out about it.”

Almost all music-engaged survey respondents are discovering new music and new artists on streaming services, but the convenience of listening to algorithmic playlists may be inhibiting the discovery of new Australian music, the report concludes. Just 8 percent of the top 10,000 artists streamed in 2024 were Australian and more than half of music-engaged listeners say they don’t consider an artist’s nationality when choosing what to stream.

The report also finds that while radio, with triple j and triple j Unearthed are still important platforms for finding emerging Australian artists, streaming platforms dominate discovery overall.

Live attendance patterns also underscore a disconnect between sympathy and spending. While demand for gigs is strong – almost half of all Australians attended at least one live music event in the past year – audiences are prioritising big-ticket international tours and ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ events over emerging local acts. Major venues remain popular, but attendance at pubs and clubs, which often support rising Australian talent, has declined since 2019.

In one sign of hope, 42 percent of those surveyed said they would pay for a dedicated Australian music streaming service – an idea that found particularly strong support among First Nations, regional and younger Australians.

The report notes that despite feeling less financially secure overall, young Australians are spending larger sums on entertainment and leisure in 2024 than they were in 2019. The most obvious barriers to engagement with live music are financial, however. The research found that 94 percent of music-engaged respondents say the cost of living affects their ability to attend live gigs. Associated expenses – including travel, accommodation and food and drinks at the venue – further impacted the accessibility of many live music events.

The full Listening In report series is available to download at creative.gov.au.

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