Whispers & Shouts: Your Daily Music Industry Wrap For July

Got an industry announcement, tip off or rumour? Email it to us at industry@themusic.com.au. 

JULY 31

• West Australian Music (WAM) have announced the first three keynote speakers for this year’s WAMCon, running over Saturday November 4 and Sunday 5 across Boorloo/Perth venues Planet Royale, The Bird and the SAE Institute. The speakers include Sub Pop CEO Megan Jasper, multidisciplinary artist Ta-ku and synth-metal band Voyager. Head here for more info on all the newly announced speakers, here for info on WAMCon itself, and here for tickets.

• The Australian Government’s Council For The Arts have announced three new international investment programs: the International Engagement Fund (which will allocate up to $30,000 for “exchange-based activity such as creative collaboration; cultural exchange; research and experimentation; residencies and labs”), the International Touring and Presentation Fund (up to $50,000 “to support confirmed touring, showcasing, and presentation opportunities, whether in-person, online, or a combination of both”) and the International Travel Fund (up to $20,000 to “to support travel costs associated with attending key market development and cultural exchange platforms and gatherings”). More information will be shared in a webinar hosted on August 15 – see more on that here.

• Congratulations to Melbourne’s own Dom Dolla, who played the mainstage at Tomorrowland in Belgium – one of the biggest EDM festivals in the world – yesterday. What a huge achievement for him (and Australian music as a whole). ICYMI, Dom was recently featured on the cover of The Music.

JULY 28

• Congratulations to Liana Cassidy, who is relocating to Kaurna/Adelaide to take up the position of Marketing Director at the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Cassidy was previously Marketing Director of the Queensland Music Festival.

• The Gold Coast Music Network have announced the finalists for this year’s Gold Coast Music Awards, going down at Home Of The Arts (HOTA) on Thursday August 31. The final list of finalists was narrowed down from 937 nominations – the most they’ve ever received in one year – to exactly 100 names spanning 11 categories. Head here to see the full list for yourself.

• Thanks to recent jumps up in subscription prices for all the major streaming services, Universal Music saw a 6.4 percent rise in revenue for the second quarter of 2023, raking in $2.94 billion USD.

• Twitch streamers are about to have a lot more options for licensed music (that won’t land them a copyright strike), thanks to a partnership with music licensing company Songtradr. Linking the platform with their bespoke music service Pretzel, the company says it offers Twitch users “a treasure trove of licensed music to enhance their streams”.

• Following the news that Spotify’s share price has sunk a bit (14 percent on Wednesday), CEO Daniel Ek has decided to part with a few of his... Well, 675,000 to be exact. According to an SEC filing (via Music Business Worldwide), the shares are worth some $100 million USD ($149.2 million AUD), with the majority of them (471,565) being acquired by Ek last May when they were valued at $104.68 ($156.18) each. At the time of writing, Spotify shares run at $144.52 ($215.62) apiece.

JULY 27

• Congratulations to the team at The Fortitude Music Hall in Meanjin/Brisbane, celebrating four years since the venue opened in Fortitude Valley. What a massive four years it’s been!

• Kita Alexander has singed a worldwide management deal with Lemon Tree Music (who also manage the likes of Tones And I, Tash Sultana and Budjerah), announced today alongside the release of Date Night, her collaborative single with country star Morgan Evans. Head here for more info and to hear the new track.

• Live Nation have extended their partnership with Australian youth music organisation The Push. Together – in tandem with Moshtix, Secret Sounds and the Australian Festivals Association – they’re launching the Music Industry Mentoring Program to assist young people interested in exploring a career in the live entertainment industry. According to a press release, it will connect “emerging talent with established industry trailblazers”, with “mentoring for roles across all facets of the industry including production and logistics, tour operations, marketing, ticketing, booking, back of house, public relations, promotion, and many more at a number of Live Nation concerts, festivals and venues”. Mentees will be honoured as official staffers of Live Nation, Moshtix and Secret Sounds. In a statement, The Push CEO Kate Duncan said the org is “committed to supporting our next generation of industry practitioners to develop the skills, confidence and networks needed for successful career pathways”.

• Congratulations are in order for Kylie Minogue, who has reached #1 on the UK Airplay charts with Padam Padam.

• The Association of Artist Managers (AAM) have announced the 2023 edition of their Co-Pilot mentoring program, coming as part of a partnership between themselves, Spotify and MMF Aotearoa. The program will run from November of this year to April of 2024, supporting ten music artist managers – eight from AAM and two from New Zealand via MMF Aotearoa – who are in the early-to-middle stages of their careers. You can head here to see the full program details, key dates and activities, eligibility criteria and forms to apply.

• The Folk Federation of NSW have revealed their Young Folk Artists for 2023! Sibling duo Tristan and Millicent White have been honoured as the joint recipients of the main award, while Rory Phillips has been named this year’s Senior Young Folk Artist. They’ll all perform at the Sydney Folk Festival in a few weeks. Read more about them here.

• Mushroom Group have announced the launch of another new division, MG Live, to expand their presence in the live entertainment sector. See the full story here.

JULY 26

• Congratulations to US-based duo Australian O'Shea, who have joined Will Orsland for label management and consulting. Orsland said: “It's going to be a fantastic ride with these guys, and there's a bunch of cool announcements coming soon. I even find most of Mark's jokes funny, even when Jay doesn’t!”

• Billboard reports that Spotify are going through some wild ups and downs: revenue is up by 11 percent thanks to an unprecedented surge in subscribers, but their stock price has nevertheless plummeted by 14 percent. You win some and you lose some, right?

JULY 25

• Spotify have confirmed a $1 price increase for Australian users subscribed to their Premium tier; a personal membership will now cost $12.99 per month. See here for more details.

• Congratulations to Poppy Reid – Editor In Chief at The Brag Media – who is nominated for the Nine-sponsored ‘Champion Of Change’ trophy at this year’s B&T Women In Media Awards. The ceremony will take place in Eora/Sydney on Friday August 25 – see the full list of nominees here, and find tickets to the ceremony here.

• Cult ‘80s and ‘90s indie band Even As We Speak have landed in the UK for a tour, three decades after the release of their first album Feral Pop Frenzy.

• Lindsay Waddington Music and the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) have announced the inaugural Thornton Young Award, which the agencies said in a joint press statement aims “to nurture the talent of an Australian bush/heritage artist”. Named in honour of country music legends Barry Thornton and Brian Young, the award’s recipient will receive the funding to produce an original song and accompanying music video, as well as a yearlong membership with the CMAA, an opportunity to perform at next year’s Back To The Bush concert in Tamworth, and an actual physical trophy. Applications for the award opened yesterday (July 24) and close on Friday October 27 – more details can be found here.

• Expressions of interest are now open for “artists, musicians, thought leaders and culinary creatives” to present at the next edition of Sydney’s Vivid festival, running from May 24 to June 15, 2024. In a press statement, festival director Gill Minervini said: “With the creative direction of ‘Humanity’ at the core, Vivid Sydney 2024 will explore what makes us human and how we can make a better world. We invite artists and visionaries from around the globe to join us in creating another incredible festival next year.” Head here to put yourself in the running.

• John Farnham’s official documentary, Finding The Voice, made its TV premiere on the Seven Network yesterday (July 24), pulling in an impressive 866,000 viewers across the five major metro cities (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth). It was most popular in Farnham’s hometown of Melbourne – where 271,000 fans tuned in to watch the film – followed closely by Sydney (with 232,000 viewers). The film was released theatrically on May 18, and is now streaming on the 7+ service. A Blu-Ray and DVD release will follow on August 23. Also yesterday, Farnham revealed he’s officially cancer-free and feeling “really, really good”.

JULY 24

• According to The Wall Street Journal, Spotify will be raising the price of Premium subscription in the US – from $9.99 (AUD $14.85) to $10.99 ($16.34) – as of this week. This brings Spotify in line with Apple Music (which made the same price hike last October) and YouTube Music (which also leaped $1 up just last week). For subscribers in Australia, a Spotify Premium account costs $11.99 per month – we have it pretty sweet compared to our mates in the States, but could we also see a bump up in price on the cards? Head here for more info.

• Just last Monday (July 17), Tones And I hit an enormous milestone with her breakout hit, Dance Monkey, racking up ten billion streams across all platforms (making it the highest streaming song of all time by a female artist). She’s not done crushing it, though, having just announced a tie-in with the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Her upcoming single The Greatest (due out August 4) will be a somewhat of a theme song for the tournament – this year co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand – and The Music Network reports that snippets of it will be synced to Channel 10 for broadcast.

JULY 21

• NME has announced the relaunch of its print edition as a bi-monthly magazine distributed exclusively through music retailer Dawsons (owned by the same parent company as NME, Caldecott Music Group). Limited releases will also be made available by “artists, record stores and select partners”, according to Caldecott (per Music Business Worldwide). A rep for NME Networks says the newly relaunched title will “provide music and pop culture obsessives, and the wider entertainment industry, with a bible that showcases the best new artists and bands on earth”. The first edition will be headlined by rising star D4VD, with cover stories continuing to be published online. No word yet on whether NME Australia will return to print, after it was axed earlier this year. Since its global relaunch a few months ago, NME’s digital cover story has featured one Australian artist, up-and-coming Eora/Sydney pop singer Peach PRC.

• Huge congrats to Eora/Sydney indie-folk trio Sons Of The East, who played a SOLD-OUT show in London last night. Touring off the back of their debut album, Palomar Parade (which arrived independently last September), they played to some 2,000 fans at the O2 in Shepherd’s Bush. Incredible effort!

• Naarm/Melbourne’s Bodies Of Divine Infinite And Eternal Spirit (also known by the much more succinct name of Bodies) have signed to Dinosaur City Records to release their debut album, All The Songs I Know About Fire, on October 6. To coincide with the news, the experimental post-punk quartet – who also play live and record with “a revolving door of collaborators and performers” – have shared a stellar new single called Song For Fear. You can give it a spin in this week’s Hit List.

JULY 20

• Tickets are selling fast for this year’s Indie-Con, running over August 2-4 at the Mercury Cinema in Adelaide. Among the program’s highlights are presentations on how to navigate the ever-evolving world of DSPs (featuring representatives of iconic US label Polyvinyl, TheOrchard, Virgin Music and Xelon), how to make the most of catalogue releasing (with figures from The Numero Group, ABC Music, Spotify and more) and how to use showcase events to your advantage as an artist (with members of the Folk Alliance, ATCLive, Sounds Australia, I OH YOU and Sundowner Artists). Head here to read all about the first announcement.

• Support Act have announced William Oui as its new First Nations Program Lead, taking over from Cerisa Benjamin. Oui is a Meriam man from Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait Islands) and has strong connections to the Samsep peoples from Erub (Darnley Island). He says in a press statement: “I feel so privileged to receive this opportunity. Through Support Act, I'm looking forward to harmonising voices and empowering First Nations artists and music workers on their transformative [journeys] of healing and artistic development.”

• Jacinta Parsons – longstanding host for the Afternoons program on ABC Radio Melbourne – has announced her departure from the role as of next week. The move comes as she gears up to focus on some of her non-ABC responsibilities, however she’ll continue to co-host The Friday Revue with Brian Nankervis. Parsons says in a statement: “Like so many, my life has gone through some changes over the past couple of months, which has meant I’ve had to make some changes to the way I can work. I’m desperately sad to say I’m needing to scale back from the Afternoons show so I can keep up with my other responsibilities. I’m grateful to the ABC for their support and very excited to say that I’m not leaving entirely – and will continue to join Brian Nankervis every single Friday for The Friday Revue.”

• Fender have launched their third annual Art Guitar Auction – once again teaming up with Dan Sultan and First Nations nonprofit Children’s Ground – this time recruiting multidisciplinary artist David Cragg to mint an original artwork on an American Professional II Stratocaster. The auction is currently live (check it out here) with bids running until 11:59pm on Monday July 24. Sultan says of the effort: “I’m so proud to be working alongside my Uncle William Tilmouth and the team at Children’s Ground on the third edition of this project. Working with such an important organisation as Children’s Ground, alongside the iconic Fender brand, is something very special to me. This campaign helps raise essential funds and, just as importantly, awareness of Children’s Ground and the outstanding work they do. It also highlights brilliant and talented First Nations Artists who donate their time and effort. The whole project is all about creativity and positivity, and for it to be going strong in its third year is a beautiful thing.” 

• After being taken over by Live Nation last month, Anita’s Theatre in Thirroul, NSW has undergone some major renovations, including new sound and lighting systems, and a foyer retrofitted with the equipment needed to make it a new space for smaller shows and private events. Head here to read all about the upgrades.

JULY 19

• At 8am AEST tomorrow morning (July 20), every station on the NOVA Network across Australia will be synced to play Ricki-Lee’s new single Point Of No Return, coinciding with its global release across all DSPs and streaming services. It’s a unique move from NOVA, echoing the days of old when radio premieres were one of the biggest tools for artists to get new songs out into the mainstream consensus. Ricki-Lee says of the tune itself: “It’s not like anything I’ve ever done before which I think is really cool... that almost 20 years into a music career you can explore and discover new sounds and go places you haven’t before musically.”

• Spilt Milk has sold out its 2023 edition in Ballarat (scheduled for Saturday December 2), breaking the all-time record for Moshtix’s biggest ticket sale. Presale tickets sold out everywhere, however general sales are still available for the Canberra (Saturday November 25), Gold Coast (Sunday November 26) and Perth (Sunday December 3) editions. This year’s festival is headlined by Post Malone and Dom Dolla, with acts like Budjerah, Cub Sport, Lime Cordiale, Tkay Maidza and Peach PRC also featured. See here for all the info on Spilt Milk 2023.

• Warner Music Group (WMG) have inked a “first of its kind” licensing agreement with TikTok, bolstering the former music giant’s roster on the latter social video app. WMG CEO Robert Kyncl says in a statement: “We are happy and excited for our next chapter together with TikTok. Through this expanded and significantly improved partnership for both companies, we can jointly deliver greater value to WMG’s artists and songwriters and TikTok’s users.” The sentiment was shared by TikTok CEO Shou Chew, who adds: “We are very excited to partner with Warner Music Group to create a shared vision for the future in which artists, songwriters, music fans, and the industry can all benefit from the power of discovery on TikTok platforms.”

JULY 18

• Kate Ceberano has shared a moving statement on her nomination for the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Australian Women In Music Awards, writing that she’s “seen the industry of music in this country change so much and the education and delivery of music through the eyes and hearts of Australian women”. Giving props to some of her contemporaries and peers from throughout the years, Ceberano added, “It has been an education and at times a baptism by fire. But we are hardy and the Australian singers that are striking notes globally, not only with their music but with their minds, is outstanding!” See her full statement here.

• Congratulations to Sunshine Coast folk duo The Dreggs, who have picked up a Gold certification for their song Give Myself To You. The single comes from the duo’s 2018 EP Seas Embrace, and in celebrating the honour on social media, they wrote: “Well this happened!?! Give Myself To You has gone gold in Australia! We never thought we’d ever have a gold record!! So to get one is pretty surreal!! We are so fkn grateful.” See the full story here.

• Taylor Swift has, unsurprisingly, crushed the charts with her just-released redux album Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). In addition to 15 tracks from it hitting the ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart, the album itself has come in at #1 in Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, the Netherlands and the US (so far). With its entry at the top of the US’ Billboard 200, Swift has become the first living artist in nearly 60 years to have four albums in the Top Ten – Midnights is currently sitting at #5, while Lover is #7 and Folklore is #10. The last time such a feat was achieved, was April 2, 1966 and the reigning artist was Herb Alpert.

• Congratulations to Will Orsland and the team at Checked Label Services, delving into management for the first time with the signing of Rhinestoned and Kirsty Lee Akers. They have also announced a deal with Megan Rose's Connect Agency for branding representation.

• Listen Up Music have announced the semi-finalists for the 2023 edition of The Songwriting Prize. This year��s competition – Australia’s “only mental health songwriting competition”, according to a press release – is based on the theme of ‘belonging’, and received over 300 submissions. The semi-finals will begin at The Stag & Hunter in Newcastle on Friday August 25, with performers including Bree Rusev, Carrot Bowen & The Collective, Chloe Gill, Ehryn Bala, Jacob Ridgeway, Little Green, Peter Money, Piper Butcher, Saralyn and The Wooden. Sydney is up next on Thursday September 7, with Alyssa Cavaleri, Ash Morse, Dande And The Lion, Drab Liberties, Elaska Young, FVNERAL, Kas Caeda, Rue Tiay, Tina Rez and Voye taking to the stage at Mary’s Underground. Melbourne will follow with two semi-finals at the Bergy Bandroom, first on Thursday September 21 with Abbey Rose, Altria, Dan Vogl, Dylan Pinkerton, Gaia Scarf, Jessica Lorraine, Leela Misel, Oceanique, Scott Bakker and Tartie, then again the following night (September 22) with Ally Row, Charlie Needs Braces, Emma Yue, Kitty Rae, Mareya, Parallax, Peak Park & Charlie Wilde, Saint Victoire, Sidney and Strictly D.T. The semi-final in Wagga Wagga is scheduled for Saturday September 30 at Tilly’s, where punters will catch sets from A.D.O.L.F.O & Kayne Lyndon, Brent Shirley, Daniel Tooze, Eden Plenty, Frances Lee, Isaac Staines, Rory Phillips, Smartcasual, Sophie Edwards and Tom Harrington. A venue for Brisbane’s semi-final is yet to be confirmed, but it’ll happen on Friday October 6 and feature Cedarsmoke, Deon Powter, Hayley Moore, Jaylien, Lisa De Angelis, Maddison Kate, Miss Elm & Nate Eggins, Serendipiti, Talitha Jae and Tom Harrison. And lastly, the Gold Coast semi-final will go down on Friday October 20 at Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, featuring Amber Rose, Eleea, Katie Brooke, Lisa Jane Spencer, Son Jnr, Sunny Luwe, Tanisha, Taylah, Temperate and Thenear. Tickets are on sale now – find them here, and use the code ‘GENERAL15’ for a discount.

• Coodjinburra singer-songwriter Budjerah has inked a deal with the US-based United Talent Agency (UTA), where he’ll be represented by the renowned Noah Simon (whose roster also includes the likes of Ms. Lauryn Hill, Masego, Jacob Collier and Post Malone). “I am thrilled to represent Budjerah and proudly welcome him to the UTA family,” Simon said in a statement (per The Music Network). “He is undoubtedly a singular talent with a timeless voice and in close collaboration with Lemon Tree, we’re excited to introduce his exceptional artistry to the Americas.” The news comes hot on the heels of Budjerah’s new single Video Game, which also arrived today (July 18).

JULY 17

• Music charity Support Act have unveiled THE BUNKR, a new program offering “support, connection and refuge” to those working backstage at music festivals across Australia. It’ll be launched at Splendour In The Grass this weekend (running over July 21-23 in Byron Bay), allowing artists, crew and staff to access free mental health and wellbeing resources. The program, co-developed with CrewCare (whose “wellbeing officers” will be onground to provide their services) is being described in-house as “a grounding haven amidst the backstage bustle of a busy music festival”.

• Bon Voyage to Sydney singer-songwriter Patrick James, who’s heading off to the UK and Europe for a two-month tour kicking off this week. He’s got 29 dates on the itinerary, running into the first week of September and ending with three sets at the Pilsen Busking Fest in the Czech Republic.

• Congratulations to Tones And I for racking up an incredible TEN BILLION streams on Dance Monkey. The latest milestone for Toni Watson’s breakout hit (which we first heard in 2019) makes it the highest streaming song of all time by a female artist. So far, it’s racked up 42 Platinum certifications across six territories (including 19 certifications in Australia) and an additional seven Gold certifications in Germany.

• Announced today were the finalists for this year’s Australian Women In Music Awards, which will take place in Meanjin/Brisbane on September 27. Among those highlighted are the nominees for the inaugural ARIA Executive Leader Game Changer Award – Emily Collins, Nazlican Eren and Sophie Galaise – as well as Kate Ceberano, Jeannie Lewis and Clare Moore for the Lifetime Achievement Award. See here for more info on the full list of finalists.

• Huge congrats are in order for Western Sydney-native R&B artist SAHXL, who’s become the first Australian to sign with iconic US label Def Jam. He was poached directly by CEO/chairman Tunji Balogun, launching him into the same circles as industry-leading megastars like Rihanna, Jay-Z and Justin Bieber. Celebrating with the release of a new single, REDO @ LUV, SAHXL said in a statement: “With the Def Jam team behind me, I am really excited to start sharing my music and I hope I can help put on for my city and show the world all of the incredible creatives we have out here in Australia.”

• Marketing giant Bolster has joined forces with Common State – one of the leading names in PR for the arts and entertainment industry – to launch their new Bolster Group agency. As reported by Media Week, the new company will serve its clients – artists and creatives (and of course their teams) as well as brands looking to bolster their footing in the entertainment industry (pun intended) – a “full-service offer incorporating communications; creative; media; PR; talent and influencer management; events; and digital and commercial rights services”.

JULY 14

• Sofar Sounds – a collective ��born out of frustrations with the typical concert-going experience”, hosting highly exclusive, community-focused events – have announced their expansion into five new cities across Australia, adding Geelong, Wollongong, Newcastle, Canberra and the Sunshine Coast to the itinerary alongside existing pillars in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. To celebrate, a national tour featuring Hayden Calnin, Hazlett and Paige Valentine will take place next month; find dates and details here.

• Everyone knows that NZ’s arts funding is pretty great. A reminder today as NZ On Air announces the 35 artists that have been funded – with up to $10,000 each – to record a single or video clip, or cover promo costs. Music Australia, take note…

• WHISPER: Which upstart promoter that’s been going fishing for a parent may well have found their shark?

• Earlier this week, the UNIFIED Music Group office was visited by Minister for the Arts Tony Burke. Per CEO and founder Jaddan Comerford: “It was great to get a chance to sit down and talk about the importance of Australian Music with someone that truly cares about what we are doing. We talked about the challenges, but more importantly, we talked about the opportunities, and what we can be doing to truly amplify the voices of Australian artists both here and around the globe.”

• The NSW Government has launched their national cultural policy Revive, aiming to establish “an inclusive, sustainable and ambitious approach to arts and culture”. For it, Create NSW are calling on artists, creative industry practitioners, musicians, organisations and community members to “contribute their insights and ideas to inform a new policy”. You can throw your voice into the mix by heading here.

• Byron Bay psych-rock outfit Babe Rainbow had the highest debut on this week’s North American College & Community Radio Chart, coming in at #17 with their crash-hot new EP, Fresh A Head Of Lettuce. Congratulations to the band and their team for breaking the Top 20 in such a cutthroat market!

JULY 13

• Chugg Music are on the hunt for a new Touring Assistant, who the Sydney-based company will scout to “provide essential admin, production and marketing support for our artists' live performances, events, touring and tour merchandising activities”. If this sounds like your bag, you can read more about the role here.

• Sydney band The Rions have inked a global publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing (SMP) Australia. The news comes ahead of their debut EP, Minivan, which is scheduled for release on August 11 and features the single Scary Movies. The band were poached by SMP managing director Damian Trotter, who fans also have to thank for signing Tame Impala; in a statement, Trotter said of The Rions, “They’re a brilliant young band with a lot of heart and soul, writing great songs and we have no doubt they will be captivating audiences for a long time.”

• iHeartRadio have launched the world’s first 24/7 music trivia radio station, iHeartTrivia, streaming digitally on the iHeartRadio and DAB+ services. It’s hosted by renowned podcaster Yumi Styles and reality TV magnate Osher Günsberg.

• RTRFM have detailed their 2023 Radiothon party, with live performances and DJ sets from a stack of local legends. It’s set to go down on Saturday August 12 at four venues across Northbridge in WA: The Rechabite, Ezra Pound, The Bird and Astral Weeks. All proceeds raised from ticket sales, subscriptions and donations will be used to keep the independent broadcaster alive for another year; you can get the full scoop on the party and its lineup here.

• Dinosaur City Records have signed Naarm act bodies of divine infinite and eternal spirit. Their debut album all the songs i know about fire is out Friday, October 6, digitally and on limited-edition recycled 12" vinyl. 

• QMusic have revealed this year’s presenting partners, long-time supporters Oztix and Brick Lane Brewing

JULY 12

• Brett Oaten Solicitors has announced the retirement of much-loved office manager Mary Oomens. Congratulations on a great innings.

• There are just two days left until the release of a collaborative cover of Michael Hutchence's Rooms For The Memory to help raise money for its composer Ollie Olsen. Read the full story here.

• Congratulations to music journalist Nathan Jolly, who has scored the Deputy Editor position at Mumbrella.

• APRA AMCOS have announced the finalists for this year’s Art Music Awards, the ceremony for which will take place at Carriageworks in Sydney (Eora) on Tuesday August 15. See the full list here.

• Music Victoria have launched their Live Music For Flood Recovery program, teaming up with Creative Victoria to host 30 live music events at local venues across flood-impacted regions of Victoria this spring. The aim, according to a press release, is to give these communities a chance to “revive and gather” through entertainment. Shows will run from Sunday July 30 to Saturday October 28 – see the program here.

JULY 11

• Sydney label Astral People have relaunched today with the appointment of Chris Rigney in the position of Head of Label. The announcement follows their sold-out annual VIVID 2023 party and a spate of hotly-hyped recent releases from the likes of Club Angel & Becca Hatch, Bumpy, Skeleten and more. Rigney has been working in music for over 15 years, starting as an A&R assistant at Modular and most recently working with Mushroom’s electronic imprint Soothsayer which he helped launch in 2016.

• Courtney Barnett’s Milk! Records has announced its closure. Check out the full story here. 

• Jack Nigro has announced a new studio complex Sonora Studios on the Central Coast. Jack has worked with an array of incredible established & emerging Australian artists, including DMA’s, Dune Rats, The Amity Affliction, The Terrys, Pacific Avenue, Middle Kids & more. The studio hosts a collection of world-class recording equipment, including hardware from Neumann, Avalon, SSL & Universal Audio, as well as a range of in-house backline from Orange, VOX, Fender, Ampeg & a 1975 Ludwig drum kit.

• Congratulations to Anthony Albrecht, Simone Slattery and The Bowerbird Collective for their #1 ARIA Classical Albums Chart debut with Life On Land’s Edge. The Bowerbird Collective is the creative team behind the Songs of Disappearance albums of Frog and Bird calls that have become a staple of the ARIA Albums chart over the last two Christmases. 

July 10

* William Barton has joined the Board of Directors at the Australian Music Centre. Chair Marshall McGuire says in a statement: "We are thrilled to welcome William Barton to our Board. He is a true visionary with immense experience as a performer and composer. We are fortunate to have his inspirational thought leadership in steering the organisation in the support of contemporary Australian art music and its creators."

* Tones and I has announced a partnership with Football Australia which will see her song The Greatest featuring on their channels, becoming the anthem for The Matildas. She said: "Joining forces with the CommBank Matildas is a dream come true. This incredible team is a source of true inspiration for me and so many other Australians. Music has the power to bring people together, and football does the same. I can't wait to witness the magic that unfolds when these two worlds collide. Let's make history together. Go Tillies!"

* Hottest 100 Like A Version closes today at midday! Get your votes in. They've also launched a new station today 'Triple J Hottest'. Read the whole story here. 

* Ikea Kallax cubes not quite up to scratch for your vinyl storage needs? Melbourne's Vinyl Station has an acrylic plastic alternative that, to be honest, does look sick. If you've got a lazy $3300 and a vinyl addition, head here to check them out. 

* Taylor Swift has created a new chart record taking out the top five albums in this week's ARIA Chart. Read the full story here. 

* Fresh from cinemas, the John Farnham: Finding the Voice documentary hits free-to-air TV on Monday, July 24. Check out the ratings on that one to reaffirm how much the audience DOES want Australian music. Read the full story here. 

July 7

* Huge night at Brisbane's The Triffid last night as TheMusic.com.au celebrated the launch of Mountain Goat's Full Flower Moon Beer. The event was the culmination of the Underground Hidden Gems competition which saw Full Flower Moon Band receive $10,000 to help their career and their very own beer. Around 300 industry descended on the event last night to hear great music, meet great people and sample the beer.... and a great new Mountain Goat Gin. There will be photo galleries coming.... once we wake up properly. 

* The Australian Music Prize is back for 2023 with some changes. Read the full story here. 

* London Topaz has inked a deal with Sweat It Out. Read the full story here. 

* Live Nation have launched a new mindfulness app called Mindful Nation which 'seamlessly incorporates music into the practice of meditation'. Apparently Noel Gallagher already uses it (despite it only releasing today), stating: “Writing music and albums is one kind of meditation, you have to go into a particular state to do it. Music is meditation to me so for Niamh to create MINDFUL NATION makes so much sense. Music is the gateway to finding that higher place of peace and this platform will allow for more people to access meditation in a way that makes sense to them. It’s really cool.” 

* The Push Music Careers Expo is happening this August in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. If you're a young person looking for a career in the industry, check out the details here. 

* 12 emerging and unsigned artists have been selected to showcase at MusicSA’s Scouted 2023, with Chloe Veronica, Emerauld, INFINITIES, Molly Rocket, Mum Thinks Blue, Purée, Stormy-Lou, Sunsick Daisy, Tonix, The Tullamarines, TUSHAR and Twine set to take over Adelaide venues Jive, The Lab, and Nexus Arts on August 4. The annual live music showcase event once again coincides with Indie-Con.

July 6

* Meta's new Twitter-killing app Threads has launched, meaning the music industry is spending the rest of the day staring at their phones. More than usual. 

* QMusic has announced that the $15,000 Dennis 'Mop' Conlon Scholarship has been awarded to Dean Brady. Accepting the award Brady said, “I am proud to be the first recipient of the Dennis ‘Mop’ Conlon Scholarship. I’d like to thank QMusic and Arts Queensland for this opportunity and for their support, it really means so much to me, and in years to come, will be such a great opportunity for many other First Nations artists and bands. Dennis ‘Mop’ Conlon was a legend and pioneer to all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people, particularly to my father JUNGAJI who played his first ever gig in 1990 with Mop and the Dropouts but also their close affiliation with my Brady family in the SEQ regions. So, it is an absolute honour to be a recipient of this deadly scholarship and to have the opportunity to create new music, represent this legacy and showcase it to the world.”

* The Music Industry Masters golf tournament pitting artists against industry is back in Byron, this year in aid of charities Musicians Making a Difference and Hi Neighbour. Check out all the details here. 

* Accessible Arts is excited to announce that applications are now open for ArtScreen 2023. Now in its fourth year, ArtScreen supports video artists with disability to develop new works to be screened at the Museum of Contemporary Art in celebration of International Day of People with Disability. This prestigious program creates unique opportunities for underrepresented artists, providing support through a professional mentorship and up to $22,500 of funding and industry support towards the production of their work. More details here. 

July 5

* Perth producer Howevever has been named as the recipient of the final Josh Pyke Partnership. As the winner of the partnership, Howevever receives a $7,500 grant as well as mentorship from Pyke, as well as meetings with experienced artist manager Sarah McMillan from UNIFIED Music Group and Select Music’s owner and booking agent Stephen Wade. 

* A new report shows that 60% of Melbourne concertgoers feel unsafe at live events. Read the full story here. 

* Congratulations to Garrwa and Butchulla songman Fred Leone, who is on his first tour of Europe right now supporting Xavier Rudd.

* Music SA has announced 'Good Music Month' creating a hive of live events and activity in Adelaide in November. In addition the organisation has announced their 2023-2025 strategic plan. You can read the whole plan here. 

* Brisbane's Music Industry College founder Brett Wood has started a Kickstarter for a new photography book. 

* Music Victoria Awards are now open for nominations. The event will be held on October 31 in Melbourne. 

July 4

* Australian startup RELEASR has made its debut. A music tech platform designed to streamline the music release process for indies, the platform is the brainchild of artist manager and podcast host Jaz Yates. 

*ARIA are on the search for a new Senior Marketing and Communications Manager for Great Southern Nights. Check out more here. 

* The Australian Music Vault have launched a new display, Strength in Sound, celebrating Australian music communities. Vault ambassador Jane Gazzo said, "Pre-2000s, there were no camera phones or social media to capture those precious moments at gigs, in-stores or festivals. Strength in Sound reminds us of those innocent days when music lovers immersed themselves into those times; when record stores were the hub of gossip, magazines and street press were our bibles, and radio made local heroes of our artists."

* The BIGSOUND artist lineup has dropped, with over 140 artists ready to blow your mind. Check out the full story here. 

* Happy Birthday to ONErpm's A&R and Commercial Strategy Manager Tristan Berry

* Our m8s Luke Girgis and Poppy Reid from The Music Network have posted this great episode of their Fear At The Top Podcast featuring Live Nation's Roger Field. 

* Warner Music Group and independent aggregator Merlin have inked a deal with Canva, with users of the design platform able to access thousands of song clips for use in their social graphics. The clips will be available to users from this Spring.