Music Australia has conducted new research for its Ausify campaign, bridging the gap between how much Aussies say they love local music and how often that gets translated into direct support.
Ausify, the national campaign to support Australian music, returns for a second year this month: Ausmusic Month. This time around, the message is simple: Public Displays of Ausify (PDA) – sing the praises of artists you love, and loudly.
The report, the first PDA Pulse, found that 84% of Aussies associate a homegrown song with defining life moments, and two-thirds of participants surveyed could name the song.
However, that love isn’t always translated day-to-day – just 27% of participants said they’ve streamed an Australian artist in the past 12 months.
This year’s Ausify campaign responds to the challenges facing the local music industry.
APRA AMCOS’ recent Year in Review report found that the audience for Australian-made music declined to just 8.5% of streaming audio, and by 2030, the figure is expected to fall to 5%.
In 2026, Aussies are streaming local music 31% less than five years ago, while homegrown artists’ share of the 10,000 most-streamed acts in Australia has reduced from 12% to 8% between 2021 and 2024. The number of Australian acts on the list fell from 932 to 773.
According to the PDA Pulse report, a lack of public love for Australian music is cringe. 55% of surveyed Aussies said a dating red flag is being unable to name a single Australian artist or go out to watch live local music.
Women between the ages of 18 to their 30s even consider skipping Australian songs a hindrance or dealbreaker for romantic relationships. Nearly 80% of young Aussies did something to support local music in the past year, according to the report, while 38% of those over 60 did the same.
Meanwhile, 49% of Aussies want to hear more homegrown music on the radio, with one in three people surveyed suggesting bars, shops and sporting events as other sites to hear Australian music.
Australian singer Gordi said, “The PDA Pulse results offer a clear invitation to businesses, venues, broadcasters and Australians themselves. People are calling out to hear more Aussie music in the places they spend their time, and this November, there’s a real opportunity for all of us to make that happen.
“That’s what a Public Display of Ausify is all about. Whether it’s playing more local music on the radio, in a bar or at the shops, every one of those day-to-day moments is a chance to show some love for Australian music and put local artists in front of more audiences.”
Ausify ambassador Ayesha Madon added, “Ausify’s PDA Pulse shows Australian music is the soundtrack to pivotal life moments for so many of us.
“We have to make sure we show that love for local music every day - listening to local artists, sharing their music, going to shows and shouting about local recommendations are easy ways of turning love into true real-life support. Show Aussie artists the same sort of support we show our favourite sports team… or our favourite international artists.”
