Let’s Get Something Straight

Australian artists aren’t being left behind because they lack talent.

They’re being locked out—by an airplay system built on outdated rules, vague quotas, and global industry bias. And unless we speak up now, the next generation of artists won’t just struggle to break through. They’ll vanish entirely.

The Commercial Radio Code of Practice is currently under review for the first time in years. This is the chance we’ve been waiting for. But only if the industryand the publicdemand real reform. Not tweaks. Not tokenism. Change.​

What’s Broken

The Quota System Is a Loophole Factory

Commercial radio stations are required to play between 10%–25% Australian music, depending on their format. However, only formats A–C must play 25%, 20%, or 15% local content—and even then, just 25% of that quota must be “new” (meaning released in the past 12 months). That’s only 6% of overall airplay at best—and “new” doesn’t necessarily mean emerging. Legacy acts like INXS or Cold Chisel releasing a remastered track count, while emerging, regional, First Nations, or independent artists trying to break in receive 0% allocation.​

Commercial Radio Plays It Safe And Global

Airplay decisions are heavily influenced by global music giants—Universal, Sony, and Warner—who flood playlists with international content backed by major promotional budgets. Meanwhile, independent or emerging Australian artists often get zero exposure, no matter the quality of the song.​

The Money Excuse Doesn’t Stack Up

Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) argues that increasing quotas would hurt their bottom line. However, radio already pays blanket licenses for music—to APRA AMCOS (songwriting) and PPCA (recordings). There’s a 1% cap on what stations have to pay in recording royalties—a cap that’s been frozen since 1968. Removing that cap would give artists a fairer share, but CRA contends that would force them to cut Aussie airplay. This stance is more about control than cost.​

Follow the Money: Who Really Benefits from Airplay

Commercial radio earns over $1 billion in annual ad revenue, yet only pays around $4.4 million in recording royalties through PPCA. A significant portion of those royalties go to multinational record labels, as they own the master rights to most of the songs in rotation. Even when stations play music with Australian voices, if those voices are signed to a global major, the money still flows offshore.​

The Quiet Deals Behind the Playlist

While pay-for-play (“payola”) is technically illegal, the system has evolved. Major labels maintain close relationships with commercial networks through soft incentives: exclusive interviews, co-branded events, sponsored competitions, and first-look access to international artists or tours. These benefits make international acts the low-risk, high-reward option—locking independent Aussie artists out of the airwaves.​

Radio operates in a protected zone: limited costs, massive profits, and little incentive to diversify playlists or invest in new talent. The cap protects profit, not culture.​

Canada Does It Better And So Can We

Canada mandates that 35% of all music broadcast on commercial radio must be Canadian content, with at least 35% of popular music played between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday being Canadian content. The result is a thriving local music scene and international success stories like Drake, The Weeknd, Feist, and Arcade Fire. If Canada can value its music enough to legislate for it, what’s stopping us?​

The Streaming Mirage

The myth that streaming has levelled the playing field is just that — a myth. Without label backing, an artist’s song can be algorithmically invisible, regardless of its merit.

Streaming was supposed to democratise music. Instead, it has introduced a different kind of gatekeeper. Algorithms favour those who already have reach. Major label-backed artists dominate curated playlists, while independent voices are buried beneath an ocean of noise. For most artists, streaming offers limited exposure without income. A million plays might earn just a few hundred dollars. Spotify pays between $0.003 and $0.005 per stream. What’s more, these platforms reward popularity, not quality. Their curated playlists are heavily influenced by major labels who can afford promotional campaigns, playlist pitching consultants, and data-boosting strategies.

The myth that streaming has levelled the playing field is just that, a myth. Without label backing, an artist’s song can be algorithmically invisible, regardless of its merit.

The Live Music Illusion

Aussie artists have no platform for exposure. Without Exposure, There Is No Audience

Live music was long seen as the last lifeline for musicians. But post-COVID, the live circuit is crumbling:

  • Over 1,300 music venues have closed across Australia since 2020.

  • Rising costs (fuel, accommodation, staffing, insurance) have made national tours financially unfeasible.

  • Regional and remote tours are particularly rare due to lack of infrastructure and support.

Pay-to-play schemes are rampant, where bands are asked to sell tickets or pay to be on stage. Many are expected to bring their own gear, handle promotion, and even sell tickets themselves — all for a chance to perform for free or for 'exposure'.

This isn’t sustainable. It’s exploitative. And it’s forcing artists out of the industry.

The Diversity Deficit

Despite Australia's multicultural reality, its music industry remains shockingly homogenous.

A 2023 report by APRA AMCOS revealed:

  • Only 29% of commercial radio airplay was for songs with female or non-binary lead artists.

  • First Nations artists accounted for just 2% of total airplay.

  • Less than 5% of funding from major music grants went to regional artists or artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

These aren’t just gaps, they are evidence of systemic exclusion. We can’t talk about industry reform without centring equity, accessibility, and representation at every level: artist rosters, radio playlists, festival lineups, and leadership boards.

As someone who witnesses the impact of this neglect, I see an urgent need for change. Without action, we risk losing an entire generation of Australian icons before they even have a chance to be heard.

To Every Artist Reading This

You are not invisible. You are not disposable.

Your struggles are valid. Your voice matters.

Every verse you write, every show you play, and every track you release is a quiet act of rebellion against an industry built to silence you. Keep going. Keep pushing.

The system may be broken, but together, we can remake it.

Let this article be not the final word, but the opening note in a new chorus of change.