The past year has been one of growth, achievement and reflection at APRA AMCOS. It’s a time when the music industry has faced tremendous challenges, yet we’ve seen record-breaking success and momentum across key areas.
Our group revenue hit a remarkable $740 million this year, driven by solid digital revenue and the continued strength of our OneMusic licensing programs. Overseas, live performance submissions increased 30% year-on-year (YoY) on a trajectory to pre-pandemic numbers.
Our members have had an incredible 12 months, gracing some of the world’s biggest stages and screens, both here and overseas; receiving multiple Grammy nominations; and co-writing some of this year’s biggest hits.
Our extensive data, the most comprehensive in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, highlights the top streaming and User Generated Content (UGC) songs by new members. This data offers a glimpse into the future of both homegrown and international success, showcasing a rich diversity of backgrounds, ethnicities, and musical genres.
But while we celebrate this success, the live music sector is still in a critical recovery phase.
Since 2019, Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand artists have lost over $600 million in income from live performances due to the pandemic, and the road to full recovery remains long.
Our aggregated data also shows a year-on-year decline in the percentage of local content consumed across streaming services, highlighting the continued need for local content obligations for local music to be seen and heard across all platforms.
Our new three-year strategy is all about creating the best possible environment for our members to thrive. It's a strategy grounded in providing world-class support, technology and career development, while ensuring our services stay ahead of the curve. We’re here to support our members, helping them navigate the big challenges of today’s industry and embrace the opportunities of tomorrow.
A major highlight of this past year has been our continued investment in technology and innovation. For our live concert creators, we’ve cut the time it takes to process royalties in half, ensuring composers, publishers and affiliates are paid faster than ever before. We have enhanced our mobile app and Writer and Publisher Portals to streamline submissions, simplify work registrations, and have introduced Earnings Insights for AMCOS members.
Our new Cue Sheet Portal has made reporting for film, TV and gaming projects easier, with features like Indigenous cultural content inclusion, better data validation and faster processing times - showing how technology can directly support our members’ creative output.
Creative Programs have continued to serve as a key priority of APRA AMCOS. This year alone, we delivered more than 240 events, seminars and presentations to over 6,000 attendees, whilst awarding 113 grants and prizes valued at AU$150,000 and NZ$80,000. These programs don’t just provide funding, they offer opportunities for skills development, mentorship and deep creative connections.
Now in its sixth year, APRA AMCOS’s ‘23%’ mentoring program aims to address gender disparity in the music industry by providing professional guidance and funding directly to successful applicants. To date, 84 mentees in Australia have participated in the program, and Aotearoa's program is making an impact in its second year.
The Victorian Government also invested an unprecedented $2 million in our SongMakers program. Similarly, Music Australia’s $200,000 investment into the Live and Local program is helping revitalise live music at the grassroots level. Through the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office (NATSIMO), we’re seeing the impact that culturally connected, community-driven initiatives can have for our members.
We’re also proud to champion international collaboration. In March, we hosted the first Māori/Cymraeg SongHubs, a project that brought together songwriters from Aotearoa and Wales to collaborate on revitalising their heritage languages. It’s a shining example of how music can bridge cultures and help preserve important traditions while fostering new creative synergies.
Whilst we’ve seen recovery in the live music sector with a 19% YoY increase in licensed venues, the stage count is still 13% lower in Australia and 17% in New Zealand than before the pandemic, and average licence fees are 25% below pre-Covid levels.
This is why advocacy remains a cornerstone of our work. We’re pushing hard for a live music tax offset, stronger local content quotas for radio and streaming services, and better music education to ensure our future creators have the skills and support they need. Our local music is world class, but too often it’s forced to wait for international validation. We need to reclaim our spirit of innovation, ensuring Australian and New Zealand music is championed both here and abroad.
One of the most pressing concerns for members is the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, which are reliant on the industrial scale copying of artists’ intellectual property. We’re advocating that the Australian and New Zealand Governments implement strong, enforceable regulations so the principles of transparency, consent, credit and fair remuneration are the foundation for the fair development of AI.
As we look ahead, we’re more committed than ever to ensuring our members get the support they deserve. With the right support, all our members - whether performing live, writing for film or crafting songs in a bedroom studio - can thrive in a landscape that celebrates and values their work. Together, we are shaping the future of music in Australia and New Zealand for the globe.
Digital remains solid and there is strong growth in International and OneMusic public performance revenue
7.2% increase
6.5% increase
8.4% increase
4.3% increase
12.4% increase
Photos clockwise: Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers at AAMI Stadium (photo: @the.james.adams), Tones and I supporting P!nk (photo: Giulia Giannini McGauran), Dick Move supporting Foo Fighters (photo: Jack Mensah)
All-time high international result.
Creative Programs invests in members through a variety of opportunities, while also connecting and supporting the broader industry.
Supporting a diverse membership through Digital Services, on-the-go Performance Reports and more.
APRA AMCOS takes its leadership position and responsibility seriously, securing good relations with political parties across the spectrum and collaborating with creative industry colleagues to find agreed policy positions to advocate.