Australian music artists: Down and under pressure

New analysis of top-selling singles and albums in Australia from 2000 to 2023 shows a significant decline in Australian artists and artists from non-English speaking countries over that time.

The study, led by Tim Kelly, a former music executive and PhD candidate at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), suggests that music streaming, together with its algorithmic recommendations, is creating a monoculture dominated by US and UK artists.

“Building a strong local music industry is important not just for supporting diverse cultural expression, but also for creating jobs – Australia's recorded music industry was worth $676 million in 2023 – and boosting Australia's reputation on the global stage,” Kelly said.

“When local artists succeed, it attracts global investment, which in turn stimulates and benefits the Australian music industry and consumers. However, the emergence of streaming correlates with an acceleration in the decline of both local and non-Anglo music in the charts.” 

The paper, Down, and Under Pressure: The Decline of Local and Non-Anglo Best-Selling Recording Artists in Australia 2000–2023, has just been published in the International Journal of Music Business Research. 

It shows that Australian and New Zealand artists in the top 100 singles chart declined from an average of 16% in 2000–2016, to around 10% in 2017–2023 and just 2.5% in 2023. Album share declined from an average of 29% in 2000–2016, to 18% in 2017–2023 and 4% in 2023.

Australian and New Zealand artists in the top 100 singles chart declined from an average of 16% in 2000–2016, to around 10% in 2017–2023 and just 2.5% in 2023.

The peak year of diversity by nationality on the ARIA singles chart was 2000, with hit singles from fourteen countries. By contrast only seven countries were represented on the best-selling singles chart in 2023.

“Some people predicted that easier access to independent recording and global distribution via streaming platforms would lead to greater diversity. However, that has not been the case. Instead, global consolidation of the music industry has led to homogenised consumption.”

In the early 2000s there were five major music labels, however currently there are three: Universal, Sony, and Warner. These labels control more than 90% of the annual top 100 chart share. Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube make up an estimated 97% of the streaming market.

“Consolidation has led to a concentration of power among a few major labels and music distributers. This gives them a disproportionate influence over music production, distribution design, and licensing deals, stifling competition and limiting opportunities for diversity and independent artists,” Kelly said.

“The triopoly of music distribution combines with the triad of major record labels to produce a highly concentrated Australian recorded music market.

“Playlists and algorithmic design on streaming platforms are an important way to communicate new music to audiences. However, the influential playlists are, for the most part, based outside of Australia, in the US and the UK, creating further access challenges for Australian artists.”

The crisis in Australia's live music industry recently came under scrutiny at a federal government inquiry. It highlighted the significant power imbalance between artists and multi-national distributors, and the lack of income from streaming.

The study highlights the need for cultural policy intervention to combat the highly concentrated and North American-dependent market, to preserve and promote Australian musical cultural identity and support a sustainable music ecosystem.