Background: Australian artists have created some of the country’s biggest cultural hits — from Horses by Daryl Braithwaite to You’re the Voice by John Farnham, alongside a long list of Powderfinger classics. Local music has always played an outsized role in shaping Australia’s cultural identity.

What happened: New data from the Australian Performing Right Association (APRA) shows Australian music now accounts for just 9.5% of all streams in Australia. That’s down from 31% just five years ago.

What else: Streaming platforms are now the main way Australians discover new music, according to a 2025 Creative Australia report. But algorithm-driven recommendations on streaming platforms tend to favour big global artists, putting local acts at a disadvantage. As a result, many Australian artists are increasingly concerned about the long-term health of the local music industry.

What's the key learning?

💡Algorithmic bias happens when automated systems consistently favour certain outcomes. Streaming was meant to remove traditional gatekeepers like radio programmers and record label executives. Instead, the gatekeeper has shifted into code, with algorithms now deciding what gets surfaced, repeated and rewarded.

💡Digital sales through platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music account for more than 91% of total music sales, representing over $650 million in revenue, according to ARIA. As a result, algorithmic decisions carry significant financial weight.

💡Spotify’s algorithm tends to favour US and UK artists with existing momentum. For Aussie artists, this is a vicious cycle. Reduced exposure leads to fewer streams, which then leads to even less exposure... gradually squeezing Australian music out of its own market.