Festival Announcement

Australian music fans have delivered another brutal message to local artists in 2025, with streaming figures revealing that only one genuinely new Australian song cracked the Top 10 most streamed Australian tracks of the year.

Brisbane metal punk institution Dreamkillers have marked what would have been the 74th birthday of Skyhooks frontman Shirley Strachan with a new song simply titled Shirley, a heartfelt and deliberately raw tribute to one of Australia's most recognisable and influential rock voices.

Melbourne punk provocateurs Private Function have announced they will be breaking up after nearly a decade of high-energy performances, larrikin humour and unorthodox releases. The news came as a surprise to fans worldwide in a Christmas Day post from the band, who described the last nine years as “the best time of all our lives.”

Australian indie rock favourites DMA'S are marking a decade since their breakthrough debut album Hills End with a special limited-edition vinyl release, announced today by I OH YOU. The 10th anniversary edition offers fans both nostalgia and rare insights into the band's early creative process.

The Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition has unveiled its 2025 Top 50 Finalists, marking a historic year for the prestigious initiative named for legendary Australian writers Harry Vanda and George Young. More than 4,000 songs were submitted from 52 countries, a milestone that confirms the competition's position as one of the most recognised international platforms for contemporary songwriters.

Fresh from a stirring starring turn as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, acclaimed Australian vocalist Michael Paynter is stripping back the theatrics and volume for a deeply personal new tour. Dubbed the Great Australian Songbook Tour 2026, the run promises intimate performances that re-imagine the nation's most iconic songs with just guitar and piano, alongside a few surprise special guests drawn from Paynter's long career in music.

Bleak Squad, the Melbourne collective formed by Adalita, Mick Harvey, Mick Turner and Marty Brown, have released a new single as they prepare for their largest national run to date. Black & White arrives ahead of an extensive February and March 2026 tour and offers another glimpse of the group's growing creative force, following a breakout year centred on their debut album Strange Love.