AGP Executive Report

Australian music spotlight: Neeru (Neeharika Shyju) talks about her concept album Moonbow, a 12-track, dusk-to-dawn journey blending Indian classical, Western classical, Celtic folk, jazz and cinematic sounds. New music + live: Hard rock band Airbourne drops “Kid In A Candy Store” ahead of their self-titled album, while Large Mirage releases “Wildfire” with a September 19 stop at Wamberal Surf Club. Collabs to watch: Melanie C says she’s “thinking” about another collaboration with Aussie rock trio DMA’s after meeting them backstage. ARIA momentum: Alex Warren’s WILDCHILD keeps climbing, landing another UK Number 1 and topping ARIA charts. Big-screen music culture: Oasis’ reunion documentary Don’t Look Back in Anger gets an eight-minute standing ovation in Venice, with Liam and Noel front and centre. Local live review: Cat Empire and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra bring their classics to life in a symphonic rework tour.

ARIA Charts: Alex Warren’s Wildchild has hit No. 1 on Australia’s ARIA Albums Chart, also leading the ARIA Vinyl Albums Chart, while You’ll Be Alright, Kid climbs back into the top five and “Ordinary” keeps trucking on the singles chart. Live Music Buzz: Warren also shared clips from Melbourne shows after two scary onstage tumbles, joking “They told me to break a leg before the show,” as fans react to the near-misses. International Pop Moment: Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour got a star-powered surprise when Camila Cabello joined him onstage in New Jersey for “Bam Bam,” with Cabello closing the duet with an “I love you” shout-out. Rock Screen Spotlight: Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher turned up in Venice for a documentary premiere on their reunion, with the film tracing the slow repair of their famous split. Australian Music Industry Angle: Dhee’s “Vari Vari” gets a new remix featuring KATSEYE’s Lara Raj, pushing the Tamil hit further into global dance playlists after 33m streams.

Australian Pop & Touring Buzz: Alex Warren posted footage of a scary tumble at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne during his set, but says he’s OK and kept the tour moving. Chart & Release Watch: Warren’s WILDCHILD continues to make waves, including a UK No.1 run. Big International Music News (Australia-linked): Evanescence released the official video for “Tell Me When You’ve Had Enough,” with Australian fans likely to track the band’s ongoing touring momentum. Local Radio & Community: LGBTQIA+ station JOY 94.9 scored ten Community Broadcasting Association of Australia Award nominations across programming, production and more. Craft & Culture: A country Victoria music shop story spotlights handcrafted violins made with Australian hardwood, showing how live music culture keeps feeding local makers. Music in Film (Australia): Nicole Kidman surprised fans at a Sydney screening of Practical Magic 2, ahead of its Australian cinema release.

Australian live & screen culture: Suzie Miller’s AFLW-origin play Strong Is the New Pretty is opening in Brisbane before a national tour, adding another big screen-and-stage chapter to her run of high-profile releases. International music TV: Austin City Limits returns for season 52 with Olivia Rodrigo, Miguel, Sienna Spiro and Brandi Carlile among the lineup. Touring & new music (AU-relevant): Colin Hay is hitting the road with Men at Work and a new Men @ Work Volume 2 release, while Kodaline preview their fifth and final album We Were Only Young with single “Vultures” ahead of final Australian dates. Chart momentum: Alex Warren’s WILDCHILD lands a second straight UK Number 1 album, with fans celebrating the milestone while he tours Australia. Mental health & music: Natalie Imbruglia opens up about perimenopause pushing her close to quitting music, inspiring her new album Algorithm. Industry/tech debate: A report questions why Australia’s music industry banned AI music in chart listings. Big-name headlines: Katy Perry reflects on the “hardest time” after Orlando Bloom split, then finding romance with Justin Trudeau.

ARIA AI Chart Ban: ARIA says songs “wholly made using AI” won’t be eligible for chart listing, while still leaving room for “substantially human made” tracks—after Josh Fawaz’s viral Madonna AI remix sparked backlash. Festival Harm Reduction: NSW makes pill testing permanent at music festivals, with free anonymous drug testing via forensic chemists at up to 15 events a year. Big Tour Demand: Bruno Mars adds a fourth Sydney Accor Stadium date for March 9, after ticket demand wiped out most allocations fast; Tyla joins as special guest. Live Music on Screen: John Farnham’s All-Star Concert Celebration lands in cinemas nationwide via a live broadcast deal with HOYTS. Industry Expansion: Melbourne distributor Xelon opens a UK office in Camden, adding key hires and a new London-based music supervision/licensing push. Local Scene & Culture: Cairns Festival’s final weekend lines up Casey Barnes and Blusher, while SLICK’s Melbourne Rubber titleholder contest kicks off at The Laird. New Music Releases: Sparks announce live album Live On The Moon; Polaris returns with “Without You.”

Big Tour News (Australia): Megan Moroney has announced the Australian leg of her Cloud 9 Tour for May 2027, landing in Melbourne (May 8, Rod Laver Arena), Sydney (May 11, Afterpay Arena) and Brisbane (May 14, Entertainment Centre), with general sales opening 12pm Sept 9. Arena Co-Headliners: +LIVE+, Stone Temple Pilots and 4 Non Blondes will co-headline the 2027 Lookout Tour across multiple cities from March 7–24, with Magic Dirt supporting. New Music From Home: Australian duo Armlock released “Half Time,” a track about the gap between what’s happening and what you can actually feel. Festival/Live Culture: NSW is pushing to make pill testing permanent at music festivals after a successful trial, with funding also flagged in recent coverage. International Buzz (Still Relevant): Oasis fans are decoding a cryptic teaser that could signal new tour dates soon. Community Spotlight: Stan Walker launches the Family Tree School Challenge in Aotearoa, inviting tamariki and rangatahi to compete for a chance to perform with him on stage.

AI & Charts: ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd says Australia’s chart rules aren’t an outright ban on AI music, but require key creative parts like lead vocals and lead instruments to be human-made, after an AI remix sparked global backlash. Drug Checking at Festivals: NSW will make pill testing/drug checking permanent at up to 15 music festivals, backed by a year-long trial showing fewer drug-related hospital presentations; $4.3m is set aside from October, while sniffer dogs and searches remain. New Music (Heavy): Sydney metalcore band Polaris return with “Without You,” their first release in three years and a tribute to late guitarist Ryan Siew, with a cathedral-set video. Touring (Pop): Bruno Mars expands his 2027 Australia/NZ stadium run with extra dates across Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland, with Tyla and Anderson .Paak (DJ Pee .Wee) joining. Industry & Culture: BIGSOUND’s Trials delivers a full keynote transcript on identity and his album hendle, while Scribe makes a surprise BIGSOUND appearance with 3% and teases a remix tied to the 2026 NRL finals. Live/Local Venues: Sydney’s Trainscendence turns decommissioned train carriages into a multi-room creative venue, and Paris Cat continues to anchor Melbourne’s jazz scene.

Metal & Gaming Crossover: Avenged Sevenfold has teamed up with “World of Tanks: Modern Armor” for this year’s in-game “Metal Fest,” running Sept 1–21, with A7X-themed cosmetics and tanks; the band also has Sydney (Oct 16), Brisbane (Oct 18) and Melbourne (Oct 20) dates. Australian Heavy Music: To The Grave drops “Life Among The Septics” (video by Colin Jeffs) ahead of “Liberation Front” (Oct 2) and kicks off its “Nail Australia To The Walls” tour with Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane stops. Pop Spotlight: Kacey Musgraves brought Troye Sivan out at Madison Square Garden for the live debut of “Easy,” while also launching the Heart of the Woods Foundation. Album News: The Avalanches announce “No Bad Memories” (Oct 16), a 31-track record featuring Jamie xx, Panda Bear, Rivers Cuomo, Mike Patton, Haruomi Hosono and Haley Joel Osment. Live Music Partnerships: Fabric signs a four-year deal with London’s St Paul’s Cathedral for contemporary gigs through 2030, starting Oct 29. Documentary Buzz: Netflix’s “Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly” returns to Rachael Gunn’s Olympic fallout with a new look at her aftermath.

NSW Drug Checking: NSW will commit $4.3m to keep pill testing/drug checking at selected music festivals, starting October, after a year-long trial showed strong uptake and fewer urgent hospital presentations. Harm Reduction Debate: Advocacy groups want the service expanded beyond festivals, arguing most overdoses happen elsewhere. Raygun on Netflix: Rachael Gunn’s Olympic backlash gets a new chapter with Netflix’s Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly, where she recalls panic before Paris 2024 and how the memes turned from jokes to something darker. Local Release Spotlight: Rising singer-songwriter Jenzen Guino drops his first all-English EP TO:U ahead of a September tour with Jack Gray. Tour News (Pop): Bruno Mars adds a second 2027 Australia stadium date (Brisbane) due to demand, with Tyla and Anderson .Paak joining. AI & Small Business: COSBOA urges the federal government to help SMEs adopt AI safely and move past basic experimentation. Festival Culture (Outback): The Mundi Mundi Bash undie run goes viral for all the wrong reasons—mud, bogged camps, and a Flying Doctor fundraiser vibe.

Festival Health Policy: NSW has committed $4.3m to continue drug checking at selected music festivals from October, after a trial showed fewer urgent hospital presentations and strong uptake (about 1,800 users and 1,500 samples tested). Tour Demand: Noah Kahan has added extra dates to The Last Of The Bugs tour, including a second Dublin Aviva Stadium show (July 18) and more London Wembley dates (July 23–25) as he heads to Australia and New Zealand this autumn. Live Music Releases: Yeah Yeah Yeahs announce Hidden in Pieces Live at the Royal Albert Hall, recorded during their 2025 tour, with a physical release set for Oct. 23. Industry/Charts & AI: Australia moves to ban fully AI-generated music from official charts, adding pressure on how streaming platforms and labels handle AI-made tracks. International Spotlight: Iron Maiden confirms major fall touring plans while Bruce Dickinson continues solo scheduling alongside the band’s ongoing run.

Screen Music Awards: APRA AMCOS and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers will bring the 2026 Screen Music Awards back to Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on Wed Oct 28, with actor Rob Collins hosting and Claudia Karvan and Ayesha Madon joining as presenters; nominees drop Sept 22. Festival economics debate: Field Day’s New Year’s at the Domain 2027 is offering $99.90 tickets to 18–25-year-olds via a ballot, sparking backlash over “cheap tickets” that only target a narrow age group. Live music calendar: Triple M Fest returns to Melbourne’s Corner Hotel on Thu Sept 24 with Bush headlining, plus The Superjesus and You Am I, alongside a full-day live broadcast. New electronic event: SIDEPIECE will headline Echoes of Us, launching in Melbourne (Nov 7) and Sydney (Nov 8) at major venues including Graham Street Bridge and White Bay Power Station. Australian music abroad: Perth violinist Elisa Vasilas is finally taking Australian musicians to Greece for the Chalki Music Festival as Music Liaison/Manager for the Darlington String Quartet. Industry/rights & AI: Australia moves to ban fully AI-generated music from official charts, while major labels and platforms continue pushing back on AI training and monetisation.

Rose Tattoo Health Update: Australian hard rock icon Angry Anderson has been admitted to hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest, with Rose Tattoo confirming the medical emergency and asking for privacy as he receives treatment. AI & Music Rights: Sony and Warner Music have sued Anthropic in California, alleging its Claude AI was trained using copyrighted song lyrics and sheet music from major artists including The Beatles and Taylor Swift. Australian Chart Crackdown: Australia has moved to bar fully AI-generated music from official charts after a Madonna-related AI remix controversy. Streaming/Platform Security: Spotify and YouTube artist profiles have reportedly been hijacked by AI “waifu spam,” pushing fake releases onto music pages. Live Music Safety: Ed Sheeran’s Detroit show led to six concert workers being injured during load-out, with Ford Field saying it’s reviewing the incident. New Album: Alfi have announced their second album No More A’ Roving, due September 4. Industry Leadership (Australia-linked): Craig Tiley is set to take over as CEO of the USTA, aiming to grow tennis participation in the US.

Health Update (Rock): Rose Tattoo frontman Angry Anderson, 79, has suffered a cardiac arrest and is in hospital receiving treatment, with the band asking fans to respect the family’s privacy while he recovers. Physical Releases (Hip-hop): Home Brew’s cult-classic Last Week (2008) is getting a vinyl and CD reissue for Oct 2, ahead of an 11-date NZ and Australia run. Live & Streaming (Radio): triple j’s One Night Stand in Griffith on Sept 5 will be broadcast from 2pm and livestreamed from 6pm on triple j’s YouTube, featuring Ninajirachi, DMA’S and Genesis Owusu. Industry (Queensland Screen): Screen Queensland has handed out $200,000 across four projects in its third round of online production grants, backing creator-led series with global reach. Music Business (Media): Vinyl Group reports an $8.6m FY26 loss as it integrates acquisitions, with revenue up but weaker-than-expected performance in the second half. Events (Regional Music): Queensland’s Gympie Music Muster is locked in for three more years to 2029, targeting 220,000 visitor nights and $51m+ for the state economy. Jazz (Nambour): Professor Rob McWilliams brings his band to The Presynct for a Jazz Sessions performance on Sept 17.

AI & Charts: ARIA is tightening rules so fully AI-generated tracks can’t qualify for Australia’s official charts/awards, after an AI-altered Madonna “Like a Prayer” version surged into the top 20 (peaking at No. 2). Streaming Tools: Spotify rolls out Playlist Notes so listeners and editors can add written context to songs, podcasts and audiobooks, with Editor Profiles also debuting. Pop Milestone: Kylie Minogue celebrates one billion Spotify streams for “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head,” marking another major streaming landmark for the Aussie icon. Local Music Culture: Young Aussies are buying back into physical media—vinyl, CDs and DVDs—as a way to “own” music and slow down consumption. Live & Touring: Iron Maiden continues its 2026 run with a North America set built across their early albums, with Australia dates still on the horizon. Industry Talk: FEAR FACTORY debuts new era single “Roboticist” live with new vocalist Milo Silvestro.

Australian music collaboration: Greek Australian filmmaker Stavros Kazantzidis is teaming up with Sydney singer-songwriter Viktoria Seléne as she develops her debut album Celestial, blending his storytelling instincts with her move between opera and indie-pop. Local live music: Blues outfit the Backsliders (led by Dom Turner) return for a Central Coast show on Sept 5 in a reinvented lineup after drummer Rob Hirst’s passing, with an all-original set and limited tickets. Music industry policy: The ATO has updated guidance on how superannuation works for musicians, clarifying who is responsible for paying it when bands are hired to perform. Streaming milestone: Kylie Minogue celebrates Can’t Get You Out Of My Head hitting one billion Spotify streams, sharing throwback wardrobe and glam test photos from the 2001 era. Music on screen: MIFF spotlights music documentaries including a world premiere on Perth alt-rock icons, plus Tina Arena’s Unravel Me and a Hedwig and the Angry Inch anniversary screening. Artist spotlight: Natalie Imbruglia opens up about being “exploited” as a teenager during auditions and a lingerie shoot she says she didn’t feel able to refuse.

Golden Guitar Sobriety Spotlight: Tom Wolfe says giving up alcohol has brought him a “brand new lease on life” after winning five awards at Tamworth’s 2026 Golden Guitar Awards, crediting clearer creativity and better touring and family life. International Festival Moment: Turnstile brought Faye Webster out during ‘I Care’ at London’s All Points East, with the guest appearance tied to Webster’s reworked ‘Never Enough: Versions’ release. Australian Live Music Pick: Ella Hooper is set to bring Linda Ronstadt’s catalogue to Ararat Town Hall in September, fronting an all-star band for a country/rock/folk celebration. Industry Opportunity (PNG): ABC Radio Australia’s Pacific Break returns for 2026, searching for Papua New Guinea’s next original talent with an all-expenses-paid trip to perform at WOMADelaide. New Release (Metal): FEAR FACTORY has launched ‘Roboticist’, the first single with new singer Milo Silvestro, kicking off a fresh era. Chart Policy Watch: Australia is moving to bar fully AI-generated tracks from official charts after recent controversy over AI music performance.