Australian Music Needs a Boost: Music Australia Launches New Campaign to Put Local Artists Back in the Spotlight
Australian artists Ben Lee, Missy Higgins, Ruel and Budjerah are backing the return of Ausify, a national campaign encouraging fans to publicly celebrate and support homegrown music as its streaming share continues to decline.
Launched on November 2, the month-long initiative enters its second year with a playful theme: PDA (Public Displays of Ausify). The campaign urges Australians to show their appreciation through artist merchandise, social media posts, song recommendations and other everyday displays of support.
The initiative comes amid concerning figures from APRA AMCOS’ latest Year in Review, which reveals that Australian-made music accounts for just 8.5% of domestic audio streams, marking a record low. The figure could fall further to 5% by 2030. Australians are also streaming local music 31% less than they did five years ago.
Despite the decline, interest in homegrown music remains strong. Music Australia research found that 84% of Australians associate a significant life moment with an Australian song, while 71% feel proud when listening to local music.
Alongside Lee, Higgins, Ruel and Budjerah, the campaign features artists including Fanny Lumsden, Georgia Maq, Nooky, Becca Hatch, Ayesha Madon and aleksiah.
The launch featured seven Australian artists performing a karaoke rendition of John Paul Young’s classic Love Is In The Air. Throughout November, Ausify will encourage fans to turn their appreciation into visible support.
Spearheaded by Music Australia, the initiative aims to improve local artists’ visibility and strengthen their connection with audiences amid growing competition from international music.
Ausify’s message is refreshingly simple:
You don’t have to work in the music industry to make a difference.
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An entity of flesh and bones in pursuit of becoming a higher being. A connoisseur of the mystic arts and everything musical. His origins are unknown, and so are his true motives.
