Local Artists Getting Edged Out of AUS/NZ Streaming Platforms

Photo Credit: APRA AMCOS

Rights management org APRA AMCOS says the number of local artists streamed in Australia and New Zealand has fallen drastically over the past five years — at least as a percentage of total plays. Local artists now account for less than 10% of all plays, according to the eye-opening data.

Sydney-based rights management organization APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Rights Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) has released its “Year in Review.” These statistics have shone the spotlight on how digital service providers (DSPs) algorithmically recommend songs; APRA AMCOS’ data shows a steep decline in the amount of local music being streamed.

According to APRA AMCOS, the percentage of locally written or composed music streamed in Australia and New Zealand has dropped by a whopping 31% over the last five years. Local music in the region now accounts for just 9.5% of music streams between 2024 and 2025.

However, the overall consumption of music on streaming and user-generated content (UGC) platforms has increased by 50% during that time. As a result, APRA AMCOS’ revenue is up 6.5% year-over-year to AUD $787.9 million (USD $513.3 million), while distributions toward rights holders increased 7.8% year-over-year to AUD $683.4 million (USD $445.3 million).

So why, despite the massive increase in consumption and revenue, have streams of local music fallen so flat? APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston thinks the problem lies with streaming platforms’ algorithms.

“Australians and New Zealanders are world-leading music fans. We consume more music per capita than almost anywhere else on the planet, yet the ability for our members to be seen and heard is becoming more difficult every year,” said Ormston.

“This isn’t happening because our music isn’t good enough, and our surging export revenues prove our artists are among the best in the world. They’re writing hits, filling venues internationally, and competing at the highest level. The talent is undeniable. Our platforms are borderless, but algorithms favor scale, and international repertoire dominate by default.”

That theory tracks, as the lack of local talent being represented has also been called out in parts of Europe. Believe founder and CEO Denis Ladegaillerie posited that lawmakers in the EU should look into why algorithm-based recommendations are creating an “Anglo-American monoculture” in European markets.

Meanwhile, music economist Will Page released research that found countries including France, Germany, and Italy are benefitting from their artists topping the charts on a local level—but that’s a little misleading.

While those artists are dominating the top of the charts, they are almost nonexistent in the middle. According to Luminate data, eight of the top 10 acts in Germany last year were local acts, but local acts made up only 43% of the top 1,000 streams.