Australian artists are facing a steep decline in local music consumption on streaming platforms, with data showing a 31 percent drop over the past five years. Homegrown content now accounts for just 9.5 percent of all streams in Australia, according to the Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (APRA AMCOS).
APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston attributes the decline to algorithms that prioritize English-language content from larger markets like the United States. 'We are competing against all the other English-speaking territories and the algorithms are driven on language,' he said. 'The algorithm will be pulling US content and it's dominant, and it often swamps out Australian content.'
The trend extends beyond streaming, with fewer Australian artists appearing on ARIA charts, radio playlists, and even triple j's Hottest 100. In 2024, only 18 Australian artists made the countdown, the lowest representation since 1996. However, the 2025 Hottest 100 saw a rebound, with 54 percent of tracks from Australian artists.
Artists like Thelma Plum, Keli Holiday, and Ben Lee have backed a campaign to 'Ausify' streaming algorithms. Meanwhile, calls are growing for the federal government to introduce local content quotas for music streaming platforms, similar to those recently applied to video streaming services.
Adelaide-born R&B artist Adrian Eagle described the streaming world as a 'beast,' noting that top-tier artists often require significant financial backing to maintain their positions. Artist manager Sebastian James said the shift has empowered artists but also fragmented audiences, making it harder to break through the noise.
