The Power 50: Stephen Wade

Prior to starting Select Music with business partner Rob Giovannoni in 2005, Stephen Wade was a venue booker and touring musician with The Fergies.

Select Music’s roster never fails to deliver. Amy Shark’s national tour - which saw her play some of her biggest venues to date - scored her an ARIA nomination for Best Australian Live Act, while acts like The Teskey Brothers, Thelma Plum, Skegss and Lime Cordiale toured heavily throughout the year and The Veronicas featured on the Australian festival circuit. 

There was the return of Boy & Bear after a four-year hiatus due to illness, and RÜFÜS DU SOL played their biggest ever Australian shows, selling out venues like Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Brisbane's Riverstage within days of announcing.  

In December, Select Music announced a partnership with social impact platform PLUS1, with $1 from purchased show tickets going to “effective non-profits addressing our most pressing social and environmental issues”, while Wade also continued his involvement with Support Act.

New signings for the year included Brisbane group VOIID and country artist Casey Barnes, and touring entity SBM Presents (the partnership between Select Music and Blue Murder Touring) hosted tours from the likes of The Dandy Warhols, Happy Mondays, They Might Be Giants, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes and more.  

"RÜFÜS DU SOL's all conquering national tour that sold over 85,000 tickets across Australia - the largest self-promoted tour on record. A record that I don't think will ever be broken."