POWER 50 2025: Katie Hardwick (Apple Music)

BACKGROUND CHECK:

A career music industry professional, Katie Hardwick has spent two decades in the business. Having launched into the world of publicity (with roles as Publicity Manager for Ferris Davies PRM and Universal, and PR Projects Manager for Thinking Loud), a stint with Vivid LIVE led to a decade at Apple Music.

Coming on board in the world of Label & Artist Relations and music business partnerships, Hardwick took the coveted position of Head of Apple Music for Australia and New Zealand in 2024, overseeing the local operations of the ubiquitous platform.

THE YEAR IN AUSTRALIAN MUSIC:

There’s no denying that Katie has had a big year, especially given the importance of focusing on Australian music in a landscape that is increasingly dependent on algorithms. Taking on the role with a plan to focus on initiatives to continue to grow Apple Music, 2025 has seen Apple continue to showcase local content at every turn, while Katie herself has largely stayed out of the spotlight, instead ensuring a strengthening of artist and label partnerships throughout the region, while executing local campaigns and driving growth where possible.

While subscriber numbers are not public, it is estimated that Apple has 10-15% of the Australian market; however, it pays artists up to twice the royalty rate of other platforms, largely based on its subscription-only model. 

THE MUSIC SPEAKS:

A quiet achiever, Hardwick doesn’t have the budgets, profile or user base of Spotify, but uses the platform she does have to showcase Australian artists wherever possible. In editorial playlists like New Music Daily, Australian artists consistently make up high proportions of entries, and while the team here is small, the international championing of Australian artists has an outsized impact. With an estimated global user base of around 100 million users, the platform cannot be underestimated.