Whether you’re a musician, manager, venue operator, educator, promoter, label, publisher, technician, agent, producer, festival worker, or part of the broader music ecosystem, your contribution helps build the most complete picture of our industry.

Even if you’ve completed The Bass Line survey in the past, it’s important that you take part again this year.

The music industry is constantly evolving, and annual participation helps Music Australia track changes, identify emerging trends, and ensure the data reflects the realities of the sector today.

To complete The Bass Line survey, head to this website.

What is The Bass Line?
The Bass Line is the first nationally consistent analysis of the economic contribution of Australia’s music industry. It provides critical evidence about the size, value and impact of music across the country, informing industry advocacy, policy development and future investment.

The Bass Line 2nd edition was published in May 2026 and found that in the previous financial year, the Australian music industry:
• generated $10.76 billion in revenue
• contributed $4.28 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) to the Australian economy
• delivered $1.08 billion in music export revenue.

These findings were only possible because more than 1,000 individuals and businesses shared their experiences and data.

Now, Music Australia is inviting all musicians, music businesses and music workers to contribute to The Bass Line Survey – Edition 3, covering the period from July 2025 to June 2026 (FY2025-26).

This project can only succeed with broad industry participation.

Every response helps ensure the results accurately represent the diverse experiences of people working across Australia’s music industry, from established businesses to emerging practitioners, and from metropolitan centres to regional and remote communities.

The core survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete, although it may take a little longer for those working across multiple areas of the industry.

You’ll also have the opportunity to answer additional questions if you have time.

The survey is anonymous and confidential, and you will not be asked to provide your name.

As Australia’s national music export office, we build pathways into global markets and create long-term trade outcomes for Australian music. Through showcases and trade missions, global networking, professional development, digital initiatives and inbound programs, we work to create sustainable export opportunities for Australian artists and the businesses that support them.

Australia is one of the world’s leading music-exporting nations. Alongside industries such as food, agriculture, wine and tourism, music is a powerful export, generating economic value, creating jobs, strengthening international relationships and sharing Australian voices and stories with the world.

This recognition belongs to the artists, managers, crew, labels, publishers, agents, venues, festivals and music businesses taking Australian music to the world, and to our partners across government and industry, Music Australia, APRA AMCOS, ARIA, PPCA, Sound NSW and the South Australian Music Development Office, whose support makes this work possible.

The Country Music Association has announced the finalists for three eligibility period-based categories of the 2026 CMA International Awards, recognising artists and broadcasters whose achievements during the eligibility period (May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026) have contributed to the continued growth and reach of Country Music around the world.

There are Australian finalists in two of the categories:

INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY BROADCASTER AWARD 
Recognises outstanding achievement by a radio broadcaster or syndicated radio reporter outside the United States who has made important contributions to the development of Country Music in their country. Syndicated, Short-Form, Hub Voice-Tracking, Digital Service Providers and Satellite broadcast personalities are eligible for this award.

• Shannon Ella, iHeartRadio/Pure Country (Canada) 
• Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2 (United Kingdom) 
• Baylen Leonard, Absolute Radio Country (United Kingdom) 
• Justin Thomson, iHeartCountry AU (Australia)

JEFF WALKER GLOBAL COUNTRY ARTIST AWARD 
Recognises outstanding achievements by a Country Music artist who is originally based internationally. The artist must have furthered the popularity of Country Music as well as brought attention to the Country Music format in their foreign based territory during the eligibility period.

• Wade Forster (Australia) 
• Gareth (United Kingdom) 
• James Johnston (Australia) 
• Tami Neilson (New Zealand) 

CMA’s remaining International Awards – the Jo Walker Meador International Award, Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award and Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award – recognise career-based contributions and do not include a finalist round.

Recipients across all six categories will be announced later this year.

With funding from Music Australia, the program offers up to $5000 per applicant to attend relevant international conferences that support export development.

Congratulations to the latest recipients of MAICC funding:

ASSOCIATION OF ARTIST MANAGERS
Anthony Gray – AI Remote Pty Ltd T/A Bapa Gajah
Beau Somers – BASE LEVEL ONE
Caleb Williams – UNIFIED Music Group
Callum Minutoli – 188 Naarm
Chris Bettiol – Calibre
Chris O’Hearn – Thrillhill Music
Daniel Morgan – Untitled Group
Elliott Harper – Look Alive Agency / Seismic Talent Agency
Fiona Duncan – Loog Management
Gillian Dunn – Soul Sound Management Pty Ltd
Greg Carey – Grow Yourself Up
Jane Slingo – Young Strangers
Jordan Acker – Ivy Music Group
Leesa Snider – Achord Agency
Leon Rogovoy – FRNDS MGMT
Luke Giannoukas – Lucky Group / Teamwrk Music Group
Paul Stickings – UNDR Ctrl
Rachel Whitford – 27 Music
Samuel Clark – Leisurely
Susan Knapp – Snap Creative Agency
Tayla Carlaw – Pretty Good Thanks
Taylor James – Gigantic Management
Wally Maloney – Major Lift Music
Will Stoeckel – UNIFIED Music Group

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL ASSOCIATION
Bradley Steven Watson – Elated Music Records
Caisa Tottszer – Commonfolk Records
Chris Fraser – TMRW Music
Daniel Nascimento – Community Music
Lee Imperatrice – Sounds of Mayhem
Luke Jamieson – Global League
Luke Woods – Cheatin Hearts Records
Thomas Honeywill – Medium Rare Recordings
Will Tinkler – Mandatory Music

AUSTRALIAN LIVE MUSIC BUSINESS COUNCIL
Adam Montgomery – Lonely Lands Agency
Amelia Jenner – WAT Artists
Manish Chandnani – blaide.live
Phillip Burriel – Sounds Like & OLX Entertainment
Thorsten Hertog – Soft Centre Arts Ltd

The latest round of the MAICC funding program is now open, covering conferences taking place in January, February and March 2027. For more information, visit our FUNDING page.

With funding from Music Australia, the program offers up to $5000 per applicant to attend relevant international conferences that support export development.

Congratulations to the latest recipients of MAICC funding:

ASSOCIATION OF ARTIST MANAGERS
Andy Bryan – Six Boroughs Group
Arwen Hunt – Various Artists Management Australia
Ashleigh Hills – UNIFIED Artist Management
Beau Somers – BASE LEVEL ONE
Ben O’Connor
Calogero Algeri – Balloon Music
Cathy Nguyen – New Gen Artistry
Chloe Melick – as ONE
Dayna Wright – DWM Entertainment
Edvard Hakansson – COHORT
Evie Steer – Loamy
Jade Nazareth – One Louder
Jai Sparks – Hello Gardener
Jamila Grace – No Time To Impress
Jessica Thornhill
Joe Miles – Weird Fishes
Ken Dinsdale – Goldspur Entertainment
Lorrae McKenna – Our Golden Friend
Luanne Shneier – LUUP Music
Maia Bilyk – 23 PR & MGMT
Mary Mihelakos – MARY MIHELAKOS
Max Thomas – Reason Why Management
Nikki Crogan – clover mgmt
Rick Bridgman – Good Intent
Sebastian James – 27 Music
Simone Ubaldi – Sundowner
Summer King – September
Troy Barrott – Corner Soul
Vincent McIntyre – Fan Girl

AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL ASSOCIATION
Ethan Pisani – Headnoiz
Huw Nolan – Good Manners
Jamie Raeburn – Central Station
Natasha Shehata – Ourness
Nathalie Pavlovic – Blossom Rot Records
Patrick Cleary – Resound
Patrick Ryan – Dune Castle
Sam Dutch – Low Key Source
Stephen Green – SGC Media
Sweetie Zamora – Remote Control Records

AUSTRALIAN LIVE MUSIC BUSINESS COUNCIL
Alyse Newman – AANTHOLOGIES
Chris Langenberg – The Tivoli Group / GRAIN
Fraser Falconer – Finely Tuned
Gabe Cramb – Scrabble PR
Greg Mathew – HOWLIN’ Country
Harris Waters – ARRIVAL
James Power – Social State Pty Ltd
Kaya Blum – Adelaide International Jazz Festival

The new policy will address gaps, respond to emerging priorities, and provide a clear framework to support a vibrant and sustainable cultural future. It will set a clear direction for the coming years and guide how the Australian government supports creativity, cultural expression and participation across the nation.

The new policy will build on the 5 pillars of Revive:

1. First Nations first: recognising and respecting the crucial place of these stories at the centre of our arts and culture.
2. A place for every story: reflecting the diversity of our stories and the contribution of all Australians as the creators of culture.
3. The centrality of the artist: supporting the artist as worker and celebrating their role as the creators of culture.
4. Strong institutions: providing support across the spectrum of institutions — funded, philanthropic and commercial — which sustain our arts and culture.
5. Reaching the audience: ensuring our stories reach the people at home and abroad.

The governments wants to hear your views on:

• the challenges and opportunities you see in the pillar or pillars most relevant to you
• why the 5 pillars matter to you and your practice, and/or
• what you would like to see reflected in the next National Cultural Policy.

Read the public consultation paper and share your views by providing a written statement of up to 500 words or uploading your submission (preferred formats are .docx (Word) and .pdf). Visit the Have your say page to find out how to make a submission.

For more information, visit www.arts.gov.au/culturalpolicy

The consultation closes at 11:59pm AEST on Sunday 24 May.

Dubbed Ausify, it’s a drive for Australians to fill their playlists with local sounds and influence the music that gets recommended to them – to “Ausify the algo”.

Each day in November will be dedicated to promoting artists starting with a different letter of the alphabet, kicking off with the As on Monday 3 November. Sounds Australia is getting involved too: throughout the month on our Instagram Stories we’re digging into our archives and posting photos from the last 16 years of our showcases, with each day corresponding to the feature letter from Ausify.

To give you a taste of what we’ll posting, scroll through our A-Z of Australians acts below. See if you can name the artist in each photo. And if you’re after more Australian music to listen to, why not check out our Sounds Australia Selects playlist, updated each week with new music from acts who’ve showcased with us at international events.

Darker Than Wax FM – a weekly show hosted by Marco Weibel, who co-runs the Darker Than Wax record label – will play two hours of music from Australia and Southeast Asia this Saturday 1 November from 10:00pm – 12:00pm EST (Sunday 2 November 1:00pm – 3:00pm AEDT).

The set was recorded live during Sounds Australia’s mixer last Thursday night in Australia House at Box Sociaal Jordaan at Amsterdam Dance Event. To see a full recap of our events at ADE last week, visit our News page.

To listen to Darker Than Wax FM this week, head to thelotradio.com.

Update (Wednesday 5 November): You can now stream the full set on YouTube