24-25
YEAR
IN
REVIEW
Introduction
DEAN ORMSTON (APRA AMCOS CEO) &JENNY MORRIS OAM MNZM (APRA CHAIR)
CEO MESSAGE
By Dean Ormston
In today's increasingly complex world it has never been more important for APRA AMCOS to be the trusted partner and advocate for our members and affiliate societies.
As Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest music rights organisation, we take our position in the music and wider creative industries seriously. We’re a bridge between culture and the economy, and our profit-for-purpose mantra keeps service at the absolute centre of everything we do.
We celebrate the incredible diversity of music creation while respectfully acknowledging that, in the case of Australia, we operate on the lands of the world’s oldest continuing cultures and in Aotearoa New Zealand, we respect the partnership between cultures, expressed in the Treaty of Waitangi.
This 2025 Year in Review tells the story of record-breaking results driven by our focus on service – growing revenue across nearly every channel, sharpening our operational efficiency, deploying smart technology, delivering meaningful creative programs, and advocating fiercely for our members’ rights.
The numbers speak volumes: we’ve delivered an all-time high gross revenue of $787.9 million, up 6.5%. But here’s what really matters – we achieved record payments to our members and rightsholders, with net distributable revenue exceeding revenue growth and jumping 7.8% to $683.4 million. That’s more money in creators’ pockets, faster than ever before.
Digital (both audio and video streaming) now generates over 51% of Group revenue, underscoring just how critical our relationships with global platforms have become – not just locally, but through our multi-territory business.
A shared success story for Australia and New Zealand is the growth in exports – the value of local works performed globally. Our overseas revenue hit an all-time high of $98.8 million. That’s local songwriters and composers making their mark on the world stage.
A key strategic objective was achieved this year in the launch of the new OneMusic e-commerce platform in Australia and New Zealand – delivering a seamless, one-stop-shop ‘buying’ experience for small business licensees.
Facilitating connection and development across the industry, our Creative Programs delivered over 250 events, seminars and presentations and with over 10,000 attendees across Australia, New Zealand and international locations.
We continue to bang the drum, advocating the rights of our members and the opportunity for Australia and New Zealand’s creative industries, culture and economy. The importance of being seen and heard – on local stages, commercial radio and streaming services isn’t just nice to have – it’s essential for our cultural identity and economic future.
We have long advocated the benefit of a rebatable tax offset for live music venues, festivals and artists and we are cautiously optimistic about this opportunity in this term of government.
The good, bad and ugly of AI has been a primary focus. Positively, creative industries have come together as a united voice to advocate to policymakers, MPs and governments. We’ve been crystal clear with policymakers: we will not accept any weakening of the Copyright Act, and we will fight relentlessly for transparency, consent and fair remuneration when our members' intellectual property is used. This battle is far from over, and success will require unprecedented global coordination and cooperation.
Lastly, I want to call out an important achievement with regard to Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) sustainability. As of this financial year, the entire operations of the APRA AMCOS Group across all sites are carbon neutral in terms of our Scope 1 (Direct) and Scope 2 (Indirect) emissions. We have achieved this neutrality by reducing our footprint and by purchasing Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs).
Globally, we are facing complex issues. The year ahead demands vigilance, unity and our unwavering commitment to the creators who trust us with their life’s work.
Revenue
New high for Group, APRA and AMCOS
International revenue surges. Digital dominates. Payouts hit all-time high.
APRA AMCOS Group revenue $787.9m, up 6.5% from $740.0m
$521.3m - APRA surpasses $500m for the first time (previous year $498.6m)
$266.6m - AMCOS surpasses $250m for the first time (previous year $241.4m)
Net Distributable Revenue (NDR): $683.4m paid to members and rightsholders. NDR grew by 7.8%, outpacing last year’s 6.5% growth and $634.1 million in payouts, and this year’s Group revenue 6.5% increase.
APRA AMCOS expense to revenue ratio: 13.26%, reduced from 14.32%
APRA AMCOS
group revenue
$787.9m
6.5% ↑
APRA AMCOS
net distributable revenue
$683.4m
7.8% ↑
APRA Revenue
$521.3m 4.6% ↑AMCOS Revenue
$266.6m 10.4% ↑
Unique songs and
compositions paid
1,841,035
0.6% ↑
Digital
- The segment remains the largest revenue source, with a 51.3% share overall. It has nearly doubled in value from FY20-25 and includes both Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand revenue, and also Multi Territory Licensing revenue from other territories.
- Standout growth in domestic Subscription Video On Demand, up 15.7% to $88.2m driven by a mix of subscription price rises and to some extent, movements in subscriber numbers.
OneMusic Public Performance
- Concerts and Events revenue increased 12.9% from FY24, accounting for 30.0% of Public Performance income. Consumer spending remains consistent as do high-value ticket price purchases.
- Major international tours: Coldplay, Luke Combs, Pearl Jam.
- Australian crowds came out for Cold Chisel (Sony Music Publishing/Mushroom Music Publishing), Dom Dolla (Sony Music Publishing), Kylie Minogue (Mushroom Music Publishing), and The Kid LAROI (Sony Music Publishing).
- Kiwis rallied for 'L.A.B with Stan Walker & Friends', Synthony and Shihad (Mushroom Music Publishing).
- Despite the challenges facing the industry, there are definitely festival success stories: NZ’s massive Electric Avenue, established players Laneway, Birdsville Big Red Bash, Port Fairy Folk Festival and Good Things.
- OneMusic launched its new e-commerce platform, providing the world’s best experience for our licensing clients, streamlining the experience of purchasing a licence to play music and ultimately getting more money into the pockets of members, more efficiently.
- Whilst NZ public performance sales remain strong, revenue reporting in this year is disrupted due to a change in accounting treatment.
L.A.B’s Joel Shadbolt and Stan Walker
L.A.B. are published by Kobalt Music Publishing; Stan Walker by Sony Music Publishing. Photo: Reed Reif
Skeggs (Kobalt Music Publishing) performs at Laneway Sydney.
Photo: Maclay Heriot
International
- Group International revenue is the most notable growth category, up 14.8% to $98.8m (APRA = $94.8m, AMCOS = $4.0m)
- APRA’s International Live Performance accounted for nearly 16% of revenue, a substantial growth from last year’s 6% share.
- Members on tour and making major festival appearances included: AC/DC (Sony Music Publishing), Amyl & The Sniffers, Ecca Vandal (Universal Music Publishing), Parcels (Warner Chappell Music), Marlon Williams (Concord Music Publishing), The Beths (Concord Music Publishing), Dom Dolla, and Rüfüs Du Sol (Kobalt Music Publishing).
AC/DC Power Up Tour
Photo: Scott Legato (Getty Images)
Ecca Vandal supported Limp Bizkit on the band's Europe and Latin America "Loserville 2025" dates.
Photo: Ecca Vandal Facebook
Bluey
#1 US streaming show 2024: 55.6b minutes
#1 US streaming show 2025 (Jan-June): 25.1b mins
Composers (L-R): Joff Bush, Jazz D’Arcy, Joe Twist, Daniel O’Brien (all published by Universal Music Publishing). Photo: Lucinda Goodwin
Moana 2
#1 US streaming feature film 2025 (Jan-June) 7.23B minutes so far in 2025.
Composers: Opetaia Foaʻi and Matatia Foa'i (Both published by Universal Music Publishing). Photo: courtesy Olivia Foa'i
Service
Tech and automation enable focus on high-value work
Frequency
- In March 2024, Major Concerts and Events moved from quarterly payments to monthly payments. We continued to see the benefits of this in FY25, with major concerts paid out 1.5x faster this year compared to FY24.
International
- International royalties paid 3x faster by employing new, scalable technology that automates ingestion, matching and processing. The majority of payments from our main affiliate societies are now being processed within thirty days.
- While International income totalled $98.8m from affiliates, our proprietary technology automated the ingestion, matching and processing of international payments, eliminating manual delays and enabling more timely member payments leading to $117.5m being paid to songwriter, composer and music publisher members. In FY25 more royalties from international sources were paid to more members than ever before.
International Performance Reports integrated into the app and portal
- 46.8% increase in members submitting for period December-June year-on-year
- Set lists are processed 8 times faster
WATCH: Indie folk duo Flora Falls show us how to submit an International Performance Report
AU/NZ Performance Reports
In Australia and New Zealand, this year 7,401 members (↑0.6%) submitted 160,155 Performance Reports (↑2.1%), resulting in 18,965 (↑11.9%) members - of those 15,122 (79.7%) unpublished - paid a total of $6.9m (↑9.9%).
Versace Boys. Photo: Supplied
Creative Programs
that engage, educate, elevate, celebrate
Hannah Cameron at Melbourne’s EQUALIZE session. Photo: Lucinda Goodwin
Over 250 events, seminars and presentations given in FY25, with 10,000+ attendees across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally.
- 85 awards, grants & prizes to members
- 37 organisations and programs sponsored
Aotearoa New Zealand
Tāmaki Makaurau SongHubs curated by 9th Wonder
Held at Roundhead Studios with 9th Wonder, “One of the top 25 rap producers of all time” (Billboard). L-R: Phil 'DJ Sir-Vere' Bell ONZM. 9th Wonder, Mona Khoshoi, and Bantu at the 9th Wonder SongHubs Seminar. Photo: Chontalle Musson
Kastom Konnect Solomon Islands SongHubs
The creative collaboration and cultural learning exchange program culminated with musician/lawyer/activist William Kadi traveling to The Hague to be present for ICJ hearings from an unprecedented 110 nations and international non-governmental organisations. There he performed “Ocean Cries” during the opening ceremony - a song composed only a few days earlier at Kastom Konnect SongHub. Photo: Mike Hall
AfroLink SongHubs curated by JessB
Aoetearoa’s first songwriting retreat for AU and NZ artists of black diasporic identity, held in Tāmaki Makaurau this May. Tusekah performs at the Afro Link SongHubs Showcase at Big Fan, Tāmaki Makaurau. Photo: Elise Cautley.
Aotearoa Mentorship Program
Matching 14 artists with industry mentors.
Kapa Haka SongHubs – Te Tairāwhiti
A songwriting workshop for kapa haka (Māori cultural group) songwriters; creating and recording nine new compositions released as a compilation album in July 2024. Photo: Rangi Rangitukunoa
Waiata Anthems Taumata Program
Mentoring program for nine Māori artists to create, produce and promote new waiata released in September 2024, as well as guidance on how to navigate the music industry. L-R: Henare Kaa, Mārei, Chase Woods, Whirimako Black, TAWAZ, Tame Iti, KINGS, MĀ, Jordyn with a Why, Tonisha Rohe, and Stormie Kereopa-Lloyd take part in the Manu Taupunga ki Ruātoki Songwriting Wānanga. Photo: Karetai Williams Paul
Manu Tāiko
KINGS, Te Kura Huia, ARAHI, Leonardo Coghini, RIIKI REID, Kwest, Starce O'Neill, Diaz Grimm, Hope, Stormie Kereopa-Lloyd, Christian Tjandrawinata, Maumahara Horsfall, and Nic Manders take part in the Manu Tāiko Producer Wānanga at Big Fan Studios in Tāmaki Makaurau. Photo: Chontalle Musson
Aotearoa Songbook
An online and digital resource of 22 classic waiata including lyrics, musical scores, lyric videos and audio recordings. Image: Kaaterama Pou, Awhimai Fraser, Tuakoi Ohia and Metotagivale Schmidt-Peke recording Tōku Reo Tōku Ohooho for the Aotearoa Songbook.
Guinness World Record for the Largest Haka
Support to stage the Guinness World Record event at Eden Park stadium, Auckland; including performances from 14 bilingual music acts such as Tami Neilson, the Topp Twins (Published by Songbroker), SIX60, Alien Weaponry, Kings (BMG), Hollie Smith (Concord Music Publishing), and Shepherds Reign.
Image: Hinewehi Mohi, with MCs Stacey Morrison and Matai Smith, along with representatives of Ngāti Toa, at the world record performance of the haka at Eden Park. Photo: Rawhitiroa Photography
Australia
Writing Sessions
595 writing sessions – 190 internationally – in our writing spaces in Sydney, Melbourne, Nashville, Los Angeles and London.
Melbourne Writer Room collage: Top - BARAKA The Kid, Kapsize, Jasmine Matthews, dœgægé (Mushroom Music Publishing), Annabelle Scobie (Mushroom Music Publishing), Kédu Carlö (Big Pop Music Publishing). Bottom - Rudy Sandapa, R.F.P., REYKO (Kobalt Music Publishing), Gordon's Grandson Photos: APRA AMCOS Melbourne Office
SongMakers
1,000 young people
300 original songs
36 workshops in Victoria, in first year of two-year investment
34 workshops nationally, outside of Victoria
Albert Park College, Victoria, December 2024. Photo: @rcstills
EQUALIZE
175 attendees across capital cities
78.6% survey respondents rated the workshops Excellent or Very Good
Photo: Lucinda Goodwin
Live & Local
15 community grassroots music activations
Live and Local in Cairns, QLD. Photo: Toby Stanley
MIC*Check
The publisher member MIC*Check event series, held in Sydney, Melbourne and online, continued in FY25, with presentations focused on copyright, royalties and finance and deep dives into specific areas of the business.
Mingling at the Melbourne March MIC*Check. Photo: Supplied
SongHubs celebrates 100 sessions
SongHubs’s centenary session coincided with SXSW Sydney 2024, with curators Peach PRC (Kobalt Music Publishing), Konstantin Kersting and Dann Hume (Sony Music Publishing) at the helm.
That was just the beginning of a big, big year, which included:
- Launch of SongHubs documentary
- SongHubs Academy launched new weekly sessions format – inaugural sessions with Chelsea Warner (Universal Music Publishing)
- 24-25 curators included a list of standout talent: Caitlin Yeo, Kito (Sony Music Publishing), Sony Music, Allysha Joy (Concord Music Publishing), Jordan Dozzi (Warner Chappell Music), 9th Wonder, JessB (Concord Music Publishing), David Dallas
- Live events with Club Kito at BIGSOUND, Allysha Joy at Night Cat, Writers’ Round at Listening Room Nashville
RESONATE
A highlight from RESONATE, the suite of songwriting intensives for mid-career and established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music creators, was RESONATE Country in January.
The groundbreaking initiative was designed to strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music community within the Australian country music industry. Held over four days in January, the RESONATE Country took place at the Aboriginal-owned and operated Mad Proppa Deadly studios in Armidale, resulting in 14 new works being created.
Participants and the team attended the 53rd Tamworth Golden Guitar Awards to wrap up the experience.
The program was funded by APRA AMCOS and Sound NSW.
Photo: Front row L-R: Leah Flanagan (NATSIMO), Danielle Fogg, Clover Hersant (NATSIMO).
Middle row L-R: Kevin Summers, Sue Ray, Madi Coleville-Walker, Kyarna Cruse, Quarralia Knox, Kieren Waters, Katie Aspel, Lorrelle Munro.
Back row L-R: Gling Hunt, Will Schaetzl, Matt Fell, Phil Barton (Published by Mushroom Music Publishing), Gillian Dunn (APRA AMCOS), Nathaniel Andrew (NATSIMO). Luke Daniel Peacock, Joey Leigh Wagtail and Athol Munro
International
30 member events
LA and London writer rooms opened
Georgia Maq, Elle Graham, Angie McMahon (Kobalt Music Publishing) at the LA Writers Room launch. Photo: Amber Nguyen
SOUNDS AUSTRALIA
16 showcase events with 168 performance opportunities
53 networking events, 5 trade missions, and 4 trade show stands
10 international panels and forums
1,114 one-on-one speed networking meetings
5 trade missions
Photo: Battlesnake at Reeperbahn Festival 2024 . Photo: Cordula Ditz
Awards
In Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, we celebrated across genres, styles and communities.
Australia:
· APRA Music Awards
· Art Music Awards
· Screen Music Awards
· Professional Development Awards
Aoetearoa:
· Silver Scrolls
· NZ Music Hall of Fame
· Best Jazz Composition Award
· Best Country Song Award
· Children’s Music Awards
· Pacific Music Awards
· Professional Development Awards
AU and NZ:
· Art Music Fund
2024 APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka Mihi Whakatau, courtesy of HIWA. Photo: Stijl Photography
Dual winner Genevieve Lacey accepts the award for Work of the Year: Electroacoustic/Sound Art at Art Music Awards 2024. Photo: @rcstills
Holly Arrowsmith accepting the 2025 APRA Best Country Music Song Award at the Country Music Honours in Gore. Photo: Caleb Lay
Most Performed R&B / Soul Work winner Kaiit at the 2025 APRA Award Music Awards. She co-wrote the song with Jake Amy, Anthony Liddell, Jaydean Miranda, Justin Smith. Photo: @rcstills
Demographics – who we serve
APRA members
128,837 3.6% ↑AMCOS members
35,257 8.5% ↑
Aboriginal & Torres Strait
Islander members (APRA)
2,555
19.8% ↑
Māori (APRA)
3,303 4.4% ↑APRA songwriter and composer members by gender
Female 23.2%
Male 75.7%
Not stated 0.8%
* Note: rounding discrepancy
APRA new songwriter members by gender
Female 27.24%
Male 70.21%
Not Stated 0.24%
Non-binary 1.47%
Self described 0.26%
Trans Female 0.33%
Trans Male 0.24%
There is steady growth of women and gender-diverse music creators joining, close to 5% year-on-year. Through programs and initiatives,23% Mentorships and EQUALIZE, and our work at the SongMakers secondary school level, our focus is on providing skills development, professional networking and funding to help women and gender-diverse music creators foster sustainable careers.
True Originals
King Stingray’s hyper-local songwriting:
from Yirrkala to Australia to the world
A closer look
Pictured: King Stingray's Dimathaya Burarrwanga and Roy Kellaway at the 2025 APRA Music Awards. Photo: Lucinda Goodwin
The independent, self-described ‘Yolŋu surf-rock band’ of close friends from North East Arnhem Land, went from buzzy new artist with 2020 debut “Hey Wanhaka” to APRA Music Award-winner by writing songs that ‘merge ancient indigenous melodies with a fresh new sound’, incorporating lyrics in Yolŋu Matha and English.
Key repertoire:
Over four consecutive APRA Music Awards, the band has had a song (or two!) on the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year shortlist. In 2023, Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu and Roy Kellaway were jointly nominated for Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year.
“Milkumana”
Credit: Roy Kellaway and Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu (Both published by Sony Music Publishing)
· 2022 APRA Song of the Year – Shortlist
· 2023 Most Performed Rock Work of the Year - Nominee
“Lupa”
Credit: Gotjiringu Jerome Yunupingu (Sony Music Publishing)
· 2023 APRA Song of the Year - Finalist
“Through the Trees”
Credits: Dimathaya Burarrwanga, Roy Kellaway (Sony Music Publishing), Campbell Messer, Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu (Sony Music Publishing), Yimila Gurruwiwi, Lewis Stiles
2025 APRA Song of the Year – Shortlist
2025 Most Performed Rock Work – Winner
King Stingray: A Roadmap of Local Impact
"We are a band from a small place, and we’re singing about big things!" - Roy Kellaway, 2023
- National Airplay: Strong support from ABC, especially triple j and rage. Multiple Hottest 100 appearances.
- Big Screen Moments: NRL/NRLW Grand Final pre-game, ABC NYE, Fox Sports NRL promo featuring “Let’s Go”, written by Roy Kellaway (Sony Music Publishing), Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu (Sony Music Publishing) and Stu Kellaway.
- Connection to Country: Yolŋu Matha and Indigenous Culture and Indigenous Copyright woven into originals like “Through the Trees”, their cover of Coldplay’s “Yellow” and Men Down Under's “Down Under (Under One Sun)” collab for Tourism Australia’s global campaign. The latter is written by Colin Hay (Sony Music Publishing), Ron Strykert (Sony Music Publishing), Roy Kellaway (Sony Music Publishing), Dimathaya Burarrwanga.
- Cross-genre collab: Featured on Bluey with “Octopus”! Writers: Joff Bush (Universal Music Publishing), Roy Kellaway (Sony Music Publishing), Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu (Sony Music Publishing), Dimathaya Burarrwanga, Lewis Stiles, Campbell Messer.
- Global touring: Supported King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard in US, UK, EU; first international headline shows.
King Stingray’s royalty sources get more colourful from breakthrough in FY21 to FY25
Sustainability through diversified earnings.
Early support from triple j and community radio (left), and then a steady release schedule and rising profile expanded both their audience and diversified their songwriting revenue streams.
The growth of Māori music
2019
Waiata Anthems Compilation album debuted at #1 in the NZ Album Charts
November 2020
Reo Maori SongHubs. Waimārama Marae, Hawkes Bay
September 2022
Reo Māori SongHubs Tāmaki Makaurau (AKL) Roundhead Studios
· "He Rei Niho" by Jordyn with a Why won APRA's Maioha Award 2024
· Anna Coddington's waiata "Kātuarehe" won the APRA Silver Scroll Awards 2024
FY21
· More than 40 new or translated waiata reo Māori releases
· Largest number of waiata reo Māori to ever populate the Official Aotearoa Music Charts at any one time
· Te reo Māori and English language versions of the same waiata featuring at the same time on the Official Aotearoa Music Charts
· "35" by Ka Hao feat. Rob Ruha peaked at #2 on Tik Tok's Top Trending Charts. Written by Ainsley Tai, Daniel Martin, Kaea Hills, Rob Ruha, Te Amorutu Broughton, Whenua Patuwai.
· "Pepeha" by SIX60 featured in multiple Official Aotearoa Music Charts, including Top Reo Māori Single in 2022. Written by Jeremy Tātere MacLeod, Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper, Marlon "Te Marino" Gerbes (Kobalt Music Publishing), Matiu Walters (Kobalt Music Publishing), Sir Timoti Kāretu.
June 2023
Reo Māori SongHubs Pōneke. Image: MĀ recording at Massey University, Wellington. Photo: Rawhitiroa Photography.
July 2023
Kapa Haka Songhubs Te Tairāwhiti, Gisborne
March 2024
Māori x Cymraeg (Welsh) SongHubs, Auckland
February 2024
Manu Taupunga (mentoring series), Ōhope
April 2024
Manu Tāiko. (producer series), Big Fan Studios, Auckland
September 2024
Aotearoa Songbook launched. The compilation of classic waiata has remained on the Official Aotearoa Music Charts for 12 months.
Te Wiki o Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) marked the release of new contemporary waiata (songs) for participants of the Waiata Anthems Taumata Program.
New Zealand successfully reclaimed the Guinness World Record for the Largest Haka, with 6,531 participants performing the Ngāti Toa Rangatira haka "Ka Mate" at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland.
HITMAKERS
Lorde (Universal Music Publishing) returned with “What Was That?” as the lead single to her fourth album, Virgin. The song went to #1 in New Zealand and held the Spotify US Chart #1 on release. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200.
AU-based producers who contributed to Playboi Carti’s long-awaited I Am Music LP:
- Keanu Beats (Sony Music Publishing) “FINE SHIT,” “BACKDOOR” ft Kendrick Lamar and Jhené Aiko and “MUNYUN”.
- 99hurts (aka Kelvin Tang) also contributed to “FINE SHIT”.
- And Melbourne’s Nagra (aka Jugraj Nagra) also worked on “BACKDOOR”
Nashville-based Aussie Jordan Dozzi (Warner Chappell Music) was a writer on Morgan Whallen's “Man Made a Bar” one of BMI’s Most Played Song at the BMI Country Awards and his cut for Post Malone and Blake Sheltons’ “Pour Me a Drink”, reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
Lindsay Rimes (Sony Music Publishing) was a writer on Nate Smith’s “World On Fire”, which was the most-played song on country radio in 2024, according to Billboard's year-end Country Airplay Songs.
Aotearoa-born, London-based producer and guitar master Ashton Sellars co-wrote Danny Ocean's "AMOR", which was nominated for the 2024 Latin Grammy Best Pop Song.
K-Pop via Australia
KATSEYE (캣츠아이) "Touch" Official MV
From SongMakers to SongHubs and beyond, Taka Perry’s (Concord Music Publishing) catalog has amassed over 1 billion streams worldwide. On “Touch”, he teamed up with Kota Banks (Gaga Music Publishing), and the Katseye hit made it to the Spotify Global Viral Top 10.
Loser (feat. YENA(최예나)) Jin of BTS – “LOSER”
Stockholm-based Australian songwriter and go-to topliner Ciara Muscat (Concord Music Publishing) is credited on “Loser” from the #3 Billboard Top 200 Album Echo.
태민 (TAEMIN) - 'Horizon' MV
Taemin of SHINee “Horizon”
Versatile Melbourne and Seoul-based producer Laurent Marc Louis has a number of K-Pop works to his credit, notably “Horizon” from Taemin.
Spotlight on streaming and short-form video stars
Sean Rii, Jenieo & Young Davie - "Baka Baya"
An established star in the Solomon Islands, singer and songwriter Sean Rii’s (Sentric Music Publishing) signature dancehall, reggae and pop-tinged songs have accumulated millions of streams and views across both his solo releases and as lead singer of the group Dezine.
Go-Jo – “Mrs. Hollywood”
Go-Jo’s “Mrs. Hollywood” helped him get all the way to Eurovision, where he performed “Milkshake Man” for the world. Both songs are published by Kobalt Music Publishing.
SXMPRA - "COWBELL WARRIORS!"
Aotearoa rap artist SXMPRA’s (Kobalt Music Publishing) productions clock up the streams from around the world, building a global audience.
Princess Chelsea - "Cigarette Duet"
The 2011 release "Cigarette Duet" (Downtown Music Publishing) is riding a second ‘viral’ wave following its 2013 YouTube success and then becoming a TikTok trend in the last few years. Princess Chelsea AKA Chelsea Nikkel told RNZ, “…it's happened again, but an even bigger scale, 10-fold.”
Screen
Score Kissa
Cornel Wilczek’s music for horror-romance Together, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival and opened the Sydney Film Festival, was the feature score for the inaugural ‘Score Kissa’, a high-quality audio listening session inspired by Japan’s Jazz Kissa tradition.
Photo: Jack Moran
A Netflix hit with an NZ score
Aotearoa’s Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper composed the score to the Nickelodeon’s Netflix hit, Plankton the Movie, which comes from the storyverse of SpongeBob SquarePants. Fellow Kiwis contributing including Finn Scholes, Bret McKenzie and Princess Chelsea. Published by Universal Music Publishing.
Photo: Jen Raoult
Advocacy
Local Content
Local content matters because the music ecosystem starts with the song.
We advocate for local content codes and quotas to ensure a fairer and more representative musical landscape in Australia and Aotearoa.
Music consumption has grown extraordinarily across streaming services and user-generated content (UGC) shortform platforms, yet the share of works by local songwriters and composers has steadily declined.
Australia
Music Streaming
in the last 5 years
51%
↑ growth
Australian content
31% ↓ streams
UGC
Last 3 years
121%
↑ in plays
Australian content
25.4% ↓ playsThe decline is stark. On streaming services, local content's share of total streams fell from 13.6% in FY21 to 9.5% in FY25 – a 31% reduction in local content consumption.
This aligns with data from Music Australia's Listening In report, which found that only 8% of the top 10,000 artists streamed in 2024 were Australian, while 56% were from the US.
The trend continues across UGC and short-form video platforms. Between FY23 and FY25, the share of local content plays decreased from 6.7% to 5.0%—a 25.4% reduction in local content consumption.
Aotearoa New Zealand
Music Streaming
in the last 5 years
9%
↑ growth
NZ content
33% ↓ streamsUGC FY24-FY25
63.5% ↑ in playsNZ content
23.1% ↓ in playsNew Zealand faces a similar challenge. The share of local content music streams decreased from 5.6% in FY21 to 3.8% in FY25, representing a 33.1% reduction in local content consumption. However, it's important to note that Māori music consumption continues to increase.
UGC data for FY24 to FY25 reveals rapid platform growth — all plays increased substantially, up 63.5%, and local plays more than doubled. Yet the share of local content still decreased from 4.8% to 3.0%, indicating a 23.1% reduction in local content consumption.
Live Music venues
Both Australia and New Zealand face similar economic pressures: rising production and insurance costs, inflationary impacts on audiences, and zoning and compliance challenges with inconsistent regulatory frameworks.
The situation remains fragile. In Australia, the number of licensed live music venues has only just returned to the pre-COVID 2018 figure, with a 13% year-on-year increase. In our 2024 Year in Review, we reported the loss of more than 1,300 venues and an estimated $600m in lost income for artists.
New Zealand remains 18.9% behind its FY18 figures.
Looking at the bigger picture, attendance for large-scale concerts and festivals – especially those featuring international acts – remains strong. Yet Music Australia's Listening In report found that engaged music fans aren't readily seeking out local music, despite feeling pride and wanting to discover more Australian music.
Live performance royalties tell a sobering story. While the amount paid this year – $6.9m – is just shy of FY19's all-time high of $7.1m, it's taken six years to return to similar figures. In real terms however, and accounting for cost of living increases over this period, this represents a significant decline in what members are actually receiving.
Image: North East Party House @ Great Southern Nights 2025. Photo: Jye Talbot
AI and Music Report
In August 2024, we released our landmark AI and Music report – a watershed moment for our industry and the largest member consultation in our 100-year history.
Key findings and impact:
- More than 4,200 members participated in the survey, examining their concerns about the threat generative AI poses to their livelihoods
- By 2028, 23% of music creators' revenues will be at risk due to Generative AI – an estimated cumulative total damage of over half a billion Australian dollars
- The report generated over 400 articles across 10 countries with a combined reach of 620 million people
- This global attention sparked international discussion and directly informed the Australian Government's development of draft AI regulations and guardrails
- Our advocacy continues as we work with governments, platforms, and international partners to ensure members are fairly compensated when their works are used to train or generate AI content
The people of
APRA AMCOS
43 different languages
are spoken by staff
Afrikaans, Arabic, Arabic (Egyptian Dialect), Bengali, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, Fijian, Filipino, French, German, Greek, Gujerati, Hindi, Kannada, Tulu, Telugu, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Farsi, Macedonian, Malay, Mandarin, Māori, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Pangasinan (receptive bilingualism), Tamil, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese
Read our full WGEA reporting.
90
Staff who are APRA AMCOS members and/or musos
L-R: Phil Eaton (Writer Representative), Hannah Karkkainen (Strategic Planning Lead) Leah Flanagan (Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Programs & Strategy). Photo: Chloe Lal
54%
Management roles held by women, surpassing the industry comparison group (Motion Picture and Sound Recording Activities) average of 40%.
38%
Representation of women in the Upper Quartile (Gender Pay Equity) has improved by four percentage points on the previous year, up from 34%.
We are carbon neutral
We are pleased to share that as of the end of FY24-25, the entire operations of APRA and AMCOS across all sites are carbon neutral in terms of our Scope 1 (Direct) and Scope 2 (Indirect) emissions.
As a large-scale membership group, APRA and AMCOS acknowledge its responsibility with regard to Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) sustainability. In the future, we will be required to report our sustainability practices and policies by statute; however both APRA and AMCOS have voluntarily undertaken to address those matters across the 2025 financial year.
We have achieved this neutrality by first reducing our footprint and, ultimately, by purchasing Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU’s) from the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation.
Weekly Waiata at Aotearoa office
For close to 6 years, every Wednesday at 10:15am the Aotearoa office gathers for waiata practice. We sing together for 10-15 minutes, from the half a dozen waiata in our repertoire.
Chip Matthews (APRA Member since the 1990s) started with us May 2025 – here is what he has to say:
Waiata practice does many things.
- It eliminates hierarchy. It's whanaungatanga, it's a small way that we come together to be together as one
- It exposes staff who may not be engaged with waiata Māori to those beautiful tunes
- It rightfully acknowledges the beauty of our indigenous language through waiata, and is one small way to affirm commitments to te tiriti o waitangi
- It's good to stand, to put the shoulders back and let the lungs and diaphragm do some work
- In many ways it moves in a space toward Whare Tapa Wha if one wants to get majestically picturesque on it.
