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After falling out of the top 10 of the world's largest music markets last year, Australia's industry now faces the challenge of young consumers prioritising their diminishing purchasing power in favour of international acts over local ones.
The Listening In report released today by Creative Australia and Music Australia shows 51 per cent of existing live music audiences want to attend more local gigs but don't know where to find out about them.
The report, which is the first in a three-part publication, illustrates a disconnect between Australians’ strong support for Australian artists and actual attendance at Australian acts.
Two-thirds of engaged respondents in surveys wanted to listen to more Australian music, but many have prioritised international artists due to their rarity and an unwillingness to miss what they see as ‘once-in-a-lifetime' opportunities.
Most music-engaged respondents attend three to five live music events ever year, with 72 per cent saving up money to attend one or more major event in the past 12 months.
The report shows that despite cost-of-living factors, with rising costs being the primary barrier to live music attendance, Australians are still spending more on arts and leisure than 2019.
"We know Australians value live music, and they continue to seek out the chance to experience it, even when times are tough," says Music Australia director Millie Millgate.
"People still save for gigs that matter to them, showing there’s still strong appetite for live music - especially experiences that feel rare and bring people together. This report builds on the insights of our Soundcheck reports and helps to provide a clearer picture of how Australians discover and engage with Australian music.
"This research provides valuable insights into how Australians are responding to the multiple changes impacting the sector. It will help guide our work and give the industry insights to better connect with audiences."
The report notes that the public's engagement with Australian music has been declining in recent years, with a significant drop in the number of Australian musicians featured on Australia’s ARIA charts and triple j’s hottest 100.
"While there has been an overall increase in live music attendance and industry revenue, this growth has mostly been driven by international tours presented at major venues," the authors explain.
"Some small music venues, which are particularly important to the career progression of Australian local artists, have reported facing difficulties staying viable in a changing market.
"Australian music festivals are also moving through a period of significant adaptation, facing changing patterns of audience behaviour and later purchasing of tickets.
"Operating models for live music events appear to be changing, and new insights are needed to identify where the best opportunities for encouraging more Australians to seek out and find local, contemporary music, might lie."
Research for Listening In included a desktop review of existing research, data purchased from Nielsen with a sample size of approximately 30,000 Australians aged over 14, and four surveys conducted by Australia’s largest independently-owned music and events company Untitled Group.
Untitled's surveys, two of which garnered more than 3,500 respondents each, were conducted via the group's database and social media, as well as the social media networks of The Daily Aus, which it partly owns, as well as Music
Australia and youth arts organisation The Push.
The report's authors note that its live attendance report draws on two of these Untitled surveys in particular, for which most respondents resided in Victoria, were aged 18-24, and identified as women or female.
"At Untitled Group, we see firsthand the power of live music to create unforgettable moments and connection - especially among young Australians," says the company's co-founder and managing partner Michael Christidis.
"This research confirms what we experience on the ground: even in tough economic times, people prioritise live music for its emotional and social value.
"We’re proud to have partnered with Music Australia and The Daily Aus, in collaboration with The Push, to help bring these insights to light. It’s a call to action for the industry to ensure that live music remains a shared, accessible cultural experience."
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