Here is the official statement about the cancellation of Bluesfest 2026.

After more than three decades as one of Australia's most significant music gatherings, Bluesfest will not return over Easter 2026, the Byron Bay event has been cancelled due to weak ticket sales.

Lainey Wilson inducts Jelly Roll, celebrating his journey from Nashville streets to country music stardom

Celebrating five decades since its release, Status Quo's Blue For You remains a defining moment in the band's career, cementing their reputation in British rock history.

Ross Wilson joins the latest instalment of the Bob “Bongo” Starkie memorial concert series, delivering powerful performances of Come Back Again and Eagle Rock in honour of the late Skyhooks guitarist.

Photographer Jamie Nelson says a Los Angeles court has declined to issue a civil harassment restraining order against Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor as the wider copyright dispute between Nelson and Amy Taylor continues in federal court.

SongHubs Academy will make its Townsville debut with Cameron Deyell leading a six week collaborative songwriting program in partnership with the North Australian Festival Of Arts.

A decade after the passing of Jon English, Australia continues to celebrate the extraordinary career of the singer, songwriter and actor whose work stretched from rock stages to theatre and television, and whose songs including Turn The Page and Six Ribbons remain part of the country's musical history.

Country Joe McDonald, the singer, songwriter and activist whose anthem I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag became one of the defining protest songs of the Vietnam War era and whose performance at Woodstock remains one of the most iconic moments of the festival, has died aged 84.

APRA AMCOS and SOCAN have issued a joint statement during the visit of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to Australia, urging governments to ensure songwriters and composers are protected as Artificial Intelligence reshapes the global creative economy.

XMusic celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2026 with special live shows, limited-edition spirits and a growing roster of Australian rock artists built under the guidance of founder Tim McLean-Smith.

Ritchie Blackmore, the co-founder of Deep Purple and architect of Rainbow and Blackmore's Night, has been honoured with the National Guitar Museum's Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising more than six decades of influence on the evolution of the electric guitar.

APRA and CISAC unite in Sydney to celebrate a century of creators' rights advocacy, with APRA and CISAC confronting the accelerating impact of Generative AI on the global creative economy.

Newly released footage from the Bob ‘Bongo' Starkie memorial show at Archie's Creek Hotel captures more of the Skyhooks guitarist's enduring legacy and the community that celebrated his life

Influential American blues artist JOHN HAMMOND, whose six-decade career preserved and reinterpreted traditional blues for modern audiences, has died at the age of 83.

Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka, whose timeless pop catalogue shaped early rock and roll and powered a remarkable career revival in the 1970s, has died aged 86, leaving behind one of popular music's most enduring songbooks.

Australian hip-hop group Bliss N Eso have postponed their upcoming Perth performance after Eso was hospitalised, with the band confirming the rapper is expected to recover but requires time to rest.

The family of Soul legend Isaac Hayes has reached a resolution with Donald Trump over the unauthorized use of the classic track Hold On, I'm Coming.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office, NATSIMO, has launched the 2026 round of Lifecycle Grants to support marketing, recording, and touring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music creators.

International entertainment consultancy Anthem has bolstered its executive leadership with the arrival of Phil Day as Executive Director Strategy and Ben Birchall as Executive Director Brand.

A landmark moment in the legacy of Jon English sees the Australian singer, actor and stage icon celebrated with three major album releases, revisiting and reimagining his extraordinary career

The 2026 Lighthouse Award, honouring Linda Gebar, offers a $5,000 grant to support the next generation of Australian music managers

Legendary trombonist, composer, and social activist Willie Colón has passed away, leaving behind a monumental legacy that defined the New York salsa sound and transformed Latin music into a global cultural force.

British Songwriter Elvis Costello Reaches A Milestone For His Landmark Americana Transformation

Photographer Jamie Nelson takes legal action against Amy Taylor and Amyl & The Sniffers, challenging alleged misuse of her work

Ability Fest, founded by Dylan Alcott, embraces a new warehouse venue and fully electronic lineup for 2026

Amanda Pelman explores family, four marriages and a front-row view of the music industry from the 1980s to today

Billy Steinberg, the American songwriter whose words defined some of the most enduring pop hits of the past four decades including Divinyls’ I Touch Myself, has died aged 75.

Melbourne witnessed a spectacular night of pop-rock mastery as OneRepublic brought their Sweet Escape tour to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on 15 February 2026, delivering a set that celebrated over a decade of chart-topping hits. Frontman Ryan Tedder led the American band through a career-spanning journey, mixing high-energy anthems with intimate storytelling that left fans both awestruck and deeply connected.

Thousands Of Fans Will Celebrate At We Are The Voice In Melbourne This March, As The Farnham Band Reunites To Attempt A World Record And Support Head And Neck Cancer Australia