Not One Australian Artist In The Top 20 Most Played On Radio

The Australian mid-year radio airplay charts have been revealed and local talent does not fare well.

Compiled by Radio Monitor, the industry standard in music monitoring across the globe, the report has not one Australian artist in the Top 20, which boasts mainly pop superstars such as Ed Sheeran, Adele, Justin Bieber and more. 

Topping the most-played list is Lost Frequencies with Calum Scott collab, Where Are You Now.

They’re followed by GAYLE’s abcdefu, Latto’s Big Energy, ACRAZE’s Do It To It (feat. Cherish) and Lil Nas X’s THATS WHAT I WANT in places #2 - #5.

Meanwhile, UK singer Becky Hill claims two places, with Topic collab My Heart Goes (La Di Da) landing at #7 as David Guetta team up Remember places #15. Sheeran also claims multiple spots in the Top 20: Shivers at #10, Overpass Graffiti at #12.

1          Lost Frequencies feat. Calum Scott - Where Are You Now

2          GAYLE - abcdefu

3          Latto - Big Energy

4          ACRAZE feat. Cherish - Do It To It

5          Lil Nas X - THAT'S WHAT I WANT

6          SUPER-Hi feat. Neeka - Following The Sun

7          Becky Hill feat. Topic - My Heart Goes (La Di Da)

8          Justin Bieber - Ghost

9          Jax Jones feat. MNEK - Where Did You Go?

10        Ed Sheeran - Shivers

11        Niall Horan And Anne-Marie - Everywhere

12        Ed Sheeran - Overpass Graffiti

13        Adele - Oh My God

14        Elton John & Dua Lipa - Cold Heart

15        Harry Styles - As It Was

16        Becky Hill & David Guetta - Remember

17        Camila Cabello feat. Ed Sheeran - Bam Bam

18        Whitney Houston x Clean Bandit - How Will I Know

19        Coldplay X BTS  - My Universe

20        ALTEGO, Britney Spears & Ginuwine - Toxic Pony

When compared to the 50 hottest songs on Australian radio in 2021, it’s a disappointing result for the first half of this year.

Local superstar The Kid LAROI not only topped the 2021 end-of-year chart with Without You, but landed at #4 with his Justin Bieber effort, STAY.

Adding to that Jolyon Petch, Tones & I and Vance Joy also made the Top 20.

The mid-year results arrive as the industry continues its recovery from COVID and pushes for more visibility in mainstream media.

Last month, the Australian Communications and Media Authority launched the ‘What Audiences Want’ position paper, which would see them review codes of practice across TV, radio and more as “Australians currently enjoy an unprecedented level of access to media content”.

In response, ARIA and PPCA CEO Annabelle Herd said: “It is encouraging to see ACMA address the fact that Australians are currently consuming more content, across a wider array of sources, than ever before. In this environment, it’s critical we ensure Australian voices and stories are still heard and seen.

“Channels like radio are still critical for the discoverability of local music, now is an ideal time to examine the way current quotas on homegrown content are working and whether they are meeting their intended purpose.”

Earlier this year, a number of high-profile Australian artists began a petition to have Double J shifted to FM in order to give older female musicians a platform to be heard.

An open letter to Minister for the Arts Paul Fletcher, from Missy Higgins, Kasey Chambers, Kate Miller-Heidke, Sarah Blasko, Vikki Thorn and Deborah Conway, highlighted inequality on the Australian radio landscape.

Ahead of the 2022 election, Labor stated it would commission the ABC to “undertake a feasibility study into the expansion of Double J on radio as the next logical next step in helping great Aussie artists reach more ears”.

At the time, Anthony Albanese said: “It’s no secret I’ve always been a huge music fan. I want more people in regional Australia to experience the joy I have of listening to Double J, singing along to songs they love or maybe discovering something new.”

Tony Burke, Shadow Minister for the Arts, added: “Australian musicians were left behind by the Morrison Government during the pandemic. Having them heard by more Australians in more towns is only going to be a good thing for artists and a good thing for listeners.”

The Music's radio airplay charts, compiled by Radio Monitor, are published every week at www.themusic.com.au/charts.