Chart File: Peach PRC’s 'Porcelain' Becomes 36th Aussie Debut Album To Top ARIA Chart Peach PRC’s Porcelain this week became the 36th Australian debut album to make it to #1 on the ARIA chart. Porcelain aced it on the Australian Albums Chart and #4 on both the Albums and Vinyl Albums charts. Hailed as a loving and intimate freeze frame of young queer culture, the Adelaide performer took to social media to thank fans. “This could only have happened with you guys, my silver cans, my peach pit, my faeries!!” she wrote. “You’ve always allowed me the space to grow and change and that feels so rare and special so I will honour that grace you’ve given me.  “Thank you for loving the art that I pour so much into, it’s magical and joyful to make even when it’s hard. so the fact that I get to make it because there’s people who want to hear it is something too deep for me to even touch. I can’t thank you enough.” It’s Peach’s second time at the top spot, but first time with an album. In 2023, her EP Manic Dream Pixie spent a week atop the Top 50. The ARIA Charts came into being in 1983. Before that, there was a mix of The Kent Report, in-house calculations by magazines as Go-Set and Juke, and listings by radio stations. So none of the ARIA Charts acknowledge earlier totem pole debut albums as Skyhooks’ Living In The ‘70s (1974) and Men At Work’s Business As Usual (1981). Here is a post-ARIA list. Jimmy Barnes – Bodyswerve (Top for 2 weeks, October 1984) After Cold Chisel’s first split, Barnes scooped together songs meant for Cold Chisel – including No Second Prize about the truck deaths of their roadies Alan Dallow and Billy Rowe – and Sam Cooke and Janis Joplin covers with tough blues-rock players. Barnes called it “so rough ..I was jumping in the deep end. I didn't have a clue, but I thought that was the best way to go." Crowded House – Crowded House (Top for 1 week, June 1987) After Split Enz split in Melbourne, Neil Finn and Paul Hester decided to stay together. Originally Bones Hillman of The Swingers was to be bassist, but Nick Seymour got the gig. Made in Los Angeles with Mitchell Froom, critics drooled over the hooks of Don't Dream It's Over, Mean To Me, World Where You Live, Now We're Getting Somewhere, and Something So Strong.  But Crowded House made another milestone. It ranks as one of the longest to take to the top spot – 45 weeks. It entered the charts on July 28, 1986, and took spot on June 8 the next year. 1927 – …Ish (Top for 4 weeks, early 1989) With a name derived from main songwriter Garry Frost’s saying “I haven’t done that since 1927!” and a record title to denote a blend of styles, there was a buzz about the pop hooks of That's When I Think Of You and Compulsory Hero. But after a year of trying to nail a record deal for them, producer Charles Fisher put it through his own Trafalgar Productions. Result: one of the biggest selling local debut albums. It went 6x Platinum (sales of 350,000) and stayed in the Top 100 for 71 weeks. The 12th Man – Wired World Of Sports (Top for 3 weeks, from January 24, 1988) Master impressionist Billy Birmingham sent up Wide World Of Sports hosts Mike Gibson and Ian Chappell, and commentators Richie Benaud, Darrell Eastlake, Jack Gibson, and Max Walker and won an ARIA for best comedy release. Ian Moss – Matchbox (Top for 3 weeks, from August 20, 1989) When Ian Moss started work on Matchbook he knew what he wanted – R&B with a guitar tidal wave, and touches of soul on the fringe.  The challenge was to keep the sound distinctive from Cold Chisel’s – especially since Chisel’s Don Walker wrote six of the ten tracks, and three were a collab between the two. The first sessions were in Nashville, but he pressed the destructo button and decided to make it in Australia. Two weeks before sessions began, he’d finished the melody to Tucker’s Daughter and whop-whooped around the house knowing he had a hit. He sent the cassette to Walker to finish off. The only lyric Moss had was, “Hey there, motherfucker!” which Walker knew had to go. After Matchbook peaked at #1, it stayed in the Top 10 for a further 14 weeks. It sold 200,000 copies. He won five ARIAs for Best Australian Debut Single, Best Australian Debut Album, Australian Song of the Year, Best Australian Album, and Best Australian Male Artist which gave him runs on the board to tour overseas. Baby Animals – Baby Animals (Top for 6 weeks, from February 1992) With the uber-charismatic dangeresque Suze DeMarchi grabbing listeners into the band’s whirring rifferamas, it was not surprising that Eddie Van Halen, Robert Plant, and Bryan Adams begged them to join their tours. Certified 8x Platinum, Baby Animals was the best selling debut Australian rock album until Jet's Get Born album 12 years later. Diesel – Hepfidelity (Top for 4 weeks, from March 22, 1992) To open up to his solo possibilities, Diesel’s approach to Hepfidelity was to take it back to square one. He explained, “Growing up, I would spend hours on the floor listening to records with headphones, dissecting every element. The second half of the recording process in LA for Hep was a product of that time.  “It was in that city that I got to work with maestro Phil Shenale on the under currents: the loops, pads, whistles, and bells from the sessions. We’d spend hours every morning mapping out what I was hearing in my head, with Phil bringing something to the studio for us to record on later in the day. That was always an exciting time: I was a kid in a musical candy store.” At the consoles Terry Manning, Don Gehman, and Rick Will tapped into Diesel’s head. So did Bernie Worrell (Parliament Funkadelic), Wayne Jackson & Andrew Love (The Memphis Horns), Al Green’s backing singers Rhodes, Chalmers & Rhodes, and Tommy Simms on bass and Yak Sherrit on drums. Diesel himself came up with some cracker songs as Love Junk, Come To Me, Tip Of My Tongue, Man Alive, and One More Time. Hepfidelity was certified 3× Platinum in Australia, and set the tone for Diesel’s heavy decade. Silverchair – Frogstomp (Top for 3 weeks, from April 1995) In 1994, both Mushroom and Sony Music’s new alt-rock imprint Murmur, were chasing Australia’s best known 15-year olds.  Murmur’s John O’Donnell clinched the pitch by casually mentioning he’d interviewed Nirvana as a journalist, and John Watson gave them a rare Pearl Jam live album which meant they were the only ones in Newcastle to have a copy. This sums up Frogstomp: its rawness came from being recorded in nine days with grabs as Tomorrow, Pure Massacre, and Israel's Son. Daniel Johns would reflect on what he liked about the record, “It sounds exactly like we sounded. The songwriting might not be genius, but I think sonically, the performances are really good. It's really honest; it's just three Australian kids thrashing it out in the studio and that's exactly how it sounds.” Savage Garden – Savage Garden (Top for 12 weeks, April 1997) In 1995, two unknowns from Brisbane calling themselves Bliss sent out a demo cassette tape covered with glitter to 150 music executives. They wrote great pop songs but grunge was ruling at the time, and only three replied. One wanted to put them in pirate costumes. John Woodruff got jazzed by songs such as Truly Madly Deeply, I Want You, and To The Moon And Back and got in touch immediately. Using his international contacts and radio-friendly instincts, he pulled off a masterstroke. Financing the album by extending the mortgage on his house and using international advances, he ensured it made money from day one. Australian record companies turned them down, so he went for the hungry Roadshow Music set up by a major film company of the same name. Savage Garden, which cost $150,000 to make, sold 12 million worldwide. It entered the ARIA chart at #1 and was certified 12x Platinum. It reached #3 in the US, and went Platinum in the UK, New Zealand and Singapore. Natalie Imbruglia – Left Of The Middle (Top for 1 week, August 23, 1998) Working with UK songwriters and producers, electro-pop Left Of The Middle had an awesome lead-off single Torn. It sold 7 million copies, going Top 5 in the UK and Top 10 in the US, and was nominated for a Grammy. Neil Finn – Try Whistling This (Top for 2 weeks, June 1998) For his debut solo record, Neil Finn was inspired by Beck’s Mutations album. "I wasn't pretending to make a record like that, but I did like the fact that he was using computers and loops yet somehow it sounded like a garage band—there's a real skill to that." It also topped the charts in New Zealand and went Top 5 in the UK, also charting in the US and throughout Europe. The Living End – The Living End (Top for 1 week, October 19, 1998) With a dynamic mix of punk and rockabilly, The Living End stormed out of Melbourne with the Top 5 double A-side single Second Solution/Prisoner Of Society as a rebellious calling card. They developed into a massive live act, with fist clenchers Save The Day, Monday, Have They Forgotten, West End Riot, and All Torn Down. The Living End, made in Melbourne’s Sing Sing Studios, with producer Lindsay Gravina, had within a year sold close to 300,000 units. Even after soaring to the top, it stayed in the Top 50 for 63 weeks. Taxiride – Imaginate (Top for 1 week, October 25, 1999) Melbourne band Taxiride’s first single Get Set was the signpost: with a sitar intro that broke into West Coast harmonies, off they went: “Get set everybody, we’re on our way to meet you…” It was used before soccer matches, in the Hollywood movie Election, a tourist ad for Melbourne, and for Village Cinemas. “But it was actually about Taxiride,” band member Jason Singh told The Music. “We were ready to start our journey and we were excited although we didn't know what was ahead.” What was ahead were eleven global executives (including Seymour Stein who signed Madonna) flapping open their cheque books.  Imaginate sold 200,000 copies around the world, opening the door for them to ARIA wins, double Platinum certifications, 80,000-strong crowds in France, Japanese fans hanging outside their hotel for ten days straight, chart success in America and radio and TV playlists in India. Imaginate also had an abundance of hit material such as Everywhere You Go, Can You Feel, and Nothing In This World. Killing Heidi – Reflector (Top for 7 weeks, from March 2000) Siblings Jesse and Ella Hooper from country Victoria had the songs and dreadlocks. Their svengali Paul Kosky was their investor, record label, publisher, producer and fashion stylist.  Reflector was fastest selling album in Australian music history, selling 350,000 copies, landing an ARIA for Album Of The Year and yielding hit singles Weir (#6), Mascara (#1) and Live Without It (#5). Vanessa Amorosi – The Power (Top for 1 week, April 10, 2000) Long before she owned the Sydney Olympics, a 13-year old Vanessa Amorosi and her remarkable voice were impressing at shows in a Russian restaurant in outer Melbourne. She signed her first record contract at 16, under the tutelage of execs Mark Holden and Jack Strom who rumouredly spent $350,000 to $500,000 on building up her art.  Major record companies turned her down, and new indie label Transistor took a chance and was rewarded when The Power sold 500,000 through the world. She stormed the Sydney Olympics with global hit Absolutely Everybody and Heroes Live Forever. Afterwards, Italian superstar tenor Andrea Bocelli wanted to meet to suggest a duet and Barbra Streisand’s manager rang to give Strom his home number and told him to call if they needed assistance with the US market. Bardot – Bardot (Top for 1 week, May 8, 2000) On the back of reality show Popstars on the making of a girl band, Bardot debuted at #1 and went double Platinum.  However as member Belinda Chapple revealed in her book The Girl In The Band: A Cautionary Tale the dramas backstage, the “ruthlessness” of the industry and being paid $33 a day, brought it to a crash. george – Polyserena (Top for 2 weeks, from March 11, 2002) Brisbane band george started out in 1996 as a regular hippie jam band of guitars, harmonica and cello on the deck of a student drop-in.  On a whim they entered the National Campus Bands Competition and chose george as a name. They won the heats but lost out to Canberra’s 78 Saab. They decided to keep going, developing a blend of blues, folk, and pop around the sublime songwriting and singing opera singer Maggie Noonan’s children Katie and Tyrone Noonan. With songs as Special Ones, Breaking It Slowly, and Release picked up by triple j they expanded their live following. An early label collapse owing them $30,000 delayed their first album.  Festival Mushroom agreed to their demands for artistic control, and george went off to The Grove in Gosford, NSW, for two weeks to make the record.  It was a magic time, Tyrone said. "We were just trying to create the most original music that we could — that was the central aim of the project.” Polyserena went gold in the first week and ultimately double Platinum for 150,000 sales. Delta Goodrem – Innocent Eyes (Top for 29 non-consecutive weeks, from March 31, 2003) Delta Goodrem’s first manager Glenn Wheatley pulled off a great music triumph. He landed her a role in Neighbours (when the soap still mattered) as aspiring star Nina Tucker writing songs for her first album. The show’s 1 million-per episode fell in love with 18-year old Goodrem and her songs. Five singles Born To Try, Lost With You, Innocent Eyes, Not Me Not I, and Predictable hit the top.  The album debuted at #1, staying there for 29 consecutive weeks (a record for an Australian) and selling 1.4 million here. World sales were 4.5 million. Goodrem’s success paved the way for generations of female singer songwriters who had her skills and ambition to identify with. Jet – Get Born (Top for 2 weeks, from May 17, 2004) Their influences were blatantly showing on that first record, but the Melbourne band clicked right into the guitar revival happening around the world.  A swathe of killer riffs and teen anthems as Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Rollover DJ, Look What You've Done, Cold Hard Bitch, and Get Me Outta Here – delivered gloriously by Nick Cester’s “rock” voice – saw them expand from being a staple diet on triple j to global attention on iPod ads and The O.C. soundtrack. Recorded in Los Angeles, some reviews sniffed at Get Born’s join-the-dots approach. But it went on to sell 5 million around the world. In Australia it was certified Platinum nine times and won 6 ARIAs, Top 20 in the UK and hit #26 in the US. Talking about the record’s strong dose of attitude, Cester told Songwriting Magazine, “We were still really young then, we were excited and pretty naïve, I guess. “But we were cocky and very much a gang. We had a good relationship with (producer) Dave Sardy… but it was us against him, us against the label, us against the managers.  “Maybe we didn’t need to be so aggressive with our opinions, but it was a bit of a defence mechanism at the time, because we were pretty overwhelmed with the situation that we’d found ourselves in.” Missy Higgins – The Sound Of White (Top for 4 weeks, from January 17, 2005) For someone who was thrown into the deep end of the music scene, Melissa “Missy” Higgins rose to the challenge. A song the 17-year-old wrote for a class project, All For Believing, was sneakily sent off by her sister to triple j Unearthed. An Unearthed concert had labels and managers gizzing over her. Among them was John Watson who heard the show on CD in his car and thought, “If this girl is halfway sane, I’m so doing this!” But headstrong and free-spirited, Higgins insisted rather than ride her wave in, she stick to her plan to hitch-hike through Europe with her best mate after her school years ended.  Most labels wanting a record out by Christmas pulled out of the running at this news.  But to the sound of applause from the media, Watson encouraged her to go overseas and grow as a person. He threw some money for the trip and a portable studio to write. She signed management with him and headed off. The plan didn’t work as expected. Higgins lost her guitar on a train in Spain, so only wrote one song. But more so, the Unearthed tape made its way to Los Angeles radio station KCRW, which broke Coldplay and Macy Gray. Seven American executives, including the legendary Clive Davis, wanted to meet her, so she had to divert to the US on the way to and from Europe wearing her business cap. The Sound Of White was recorded with producer John Porter. Aided with the singles success of Scar, Ten Days, and The Special Two, it was accredited 12x Platinum. It marked her as a ‘real thing’ songwriter whose subject matter reached a generation of women. Gordi, Amy Shark, Gretta Ray, and Alice Skye were just some who were inspired by her. Anthony Callea – Anthony Callea (Top for 3 weeks, from April 4, 2005) Ticked off by an 2004 Australian Idol judge for sounding “plastic”, Anthony Callea blasted back with a poignant cover of Celine Dion & Andrea Bocelli's The Prayer.  It gave him runner-up on the grand finale to Casey Donovan, and was fastest-selling single by an Australian act, occupying the penthouse slot for five weeks. The album entered at #1 and helped with more singles Rain/Bridge Over Troubled Water and Hurts So Bad, went double Platinum. It allowed him to continue his career as a songwriter, music theatre performer and touring artist. Natalie Bassingthwaighte – 1,000 Stars (Top for 1 week, March 2, 2009) Starting out in music theatre and a Neighbours stint as Izzy Hoyland, Natalie Bassingthwaighte made her name with electro-pop Rogue Traders. The single Voodoo Child was a hit in Australia, New Zealand, England, and Ireland. That opened the door for her debut solo album to be written and made over three months in London, Los Angeles and Sweden. It debuted at #1 with two hit singles going Platinum. Bassingthwaighte used its success, and her dynamic personality, to expand her career. Karise Eden – My Journey (Top for 6 weeks, from July 2, 2012) After suffering a traumatic childhood where she was fostered out because her single mother couldn’t cope and began self-harming, Karise Eden dropped out of school at age 12. A Janis Joplin documentary on TV shifted her priorities. Winning a season of The Voice Australia in 2012, four singles occupied the ARIA Singles Chart Top 5 – not done since The Beatles in 1964 – while My Journey debuted at #1 and was certified double Platinum. Flume – Flume (Top for 1 Week on February 4, 2013) Recognised globally as a future bass pioneer, Harley Streten’s composing career began at age 11 via a CD mixing and DJ program he found packaged in a box of Kelloggs' Nutrigrain. His 15-track 49-minute debut was made on the first laptop he got. His stage name was adopted from the Bon Iver song. The album was certified double Platinum in Australia and helped him sell 40,000 tickets on his first tour. Under guidance of manager and Future Classic founder Nathan McLay, it had a global release. The breakthrough and a Grammy win followed with 2016’s Skin. Harrison Craig – More Than A Dream (Top for 1 Week, July 1, 2013) Already a Music Captain at Sandringham College in Melbourne, Harrison Craig’s mother enrolled him in the Victorian Boys Choir and started private voice lessons to increase his confidence. Winning the second series of The Voice Australia where he was coached by Seal, decreased the stutter. The album went Platinum. RÜFÜS DU SOL – Atlas (Top for 1 week, August 19, 2013) After the three members met at school (their wider audio-visual collective also came from family and school), RÜFÜS DU SOL told Speaker TV “We made songs we wanted to hear and we got lucky it connected with people.” The title Atlas was apt. RÜFÜS DU SOL always had their eye on the world. Atlas (Sweat It Out) was made in Sydney but its tracks especially Desert Night and Sundream conveyed the spirit of exotic locations, with later albums made in Berlin and Los Angeles’ Venice Beach.  It was a good start to their journey to selling 750,000 tickets on their world tour last year. Taylor Henderson – Taylor Henderson (Top for 1 week, December 9, 2013) Although finishing second in the fifth season of The X Factor Australia in 2013, Sony Music Australia gave him a deal anyway. The album debuted at #1 and quickly went Platinum. The album contains his debut single Borrow My Heart along with ten versions of songs he did on the show, including those by Passenger, Mumford & Sons, and Rickie Lee Jones. Chet Faker – Built On Glass (Top for 2 weeks, from April 21, 2014) Nick Murphy didn’t release the first Chet Faker album Built On Glass until 2014. But he’d already become public property two years earlier via an album with Flume, and seeing his viral cover of Blackstreet’s No Diggity used in a Super Bowl ad. Built On Glass couldn't fail to strike. Based on the Motown and chill-out collections of his parents, it oozed emotion delivered through a weary voice. He told Interview that he learned something from the album. “If you write really personal songs, people are going to ask you even more personal questions about them.  “Some person was like, ‘What’s the story behind To Me.’ It’s the most fucking personal song on the record—I’m not answering that. I’m not a jukebox.” 5 Seconds Of Summer – 5 Seconds Of Summer (Top for 1 week, from July 7, 2014) When One Direction started tweeting about new music from Sydney’s 5 Seconds Of Summer (5SOS) it was more than plugs because both shared London-based Modest Management, founded by biz veteran Richard Griffiths. The UK media quickly sniffed out that ID own a share of London-based company 5SOS LLP. Its registered partners were the four 5SOSers and One Mode Productions, whose directors include 1D and Modest’s Griffiths and Will Bloomfield. With such connections, 5SOS delivered their brand of power-pop on their first album, in particular the four singles She Looks So Perfect, Don't Stop, Amnesia, and Good Girls. Matt Corby – Telluric (Top for 1 week, March 21, 2016) Released in 2015, Matt Corby’s first album was supposed to have come two years before. He’d gone to Los Angeles and cut 22 tracks. Then his sense of perfectionism kicked in and he scrapped the record and returned to Australia. The strategy was to reboot himself as a musician who was in charge of every aspect of his skills. He told triple j this included living in a shared house in Brisbane “full of really interesting characters", learning new instruments from scratch, then six months of isolation in Tweed River, and renting a cottage in Berry, NSW with producer Dann Hume and friend Alex Henrickson. The results, he said, were close to what he wanted, including, triple j reported, “the gospel-tinged Monday, oozing '70s jam Sooth Lady Wine (and) the ‘junktronica’ of Knife Edge.” Huskii – Antihero (Top for 1 week, February 21, 2020) Wollongong-born Sydney-based rapper Huskii had one good reason why Antihero only had seven tracks and ran 19 minutes long: after spending two years “in and out of jail” he had little time to write more. Jail time was just one result of a turbulent childhood when he lived in houses around NSW, separated from his siblings and exposed to violence, drug addiction and prostitution, with both parents spending time in jail. It also led to his own addiction and depression. The title of the record: “Feeling an outcast all my life, I am drawn to anti-heroes.” Antihero, he says, was the start of his return, when people began to love and support himself. On Ruin My Life he strutted, “It’s the fact I’m a GOAT!” The Kid LAROI – F*ck Love (Savage) (Top for 1 week, February 8, 2021) Made up of four mixtapes, The Kid LAROI’s F*ck Love (Savage) used producers as Benny Blanco, Bobby Raps, Cashmere Cat, and Taz Taylor while the original tracklist had cameos from Lil Mosey, Corbin Smidzik, and his late mentor Juice WRLD. A reissue had Machine Gun Kelly, Marshmello, Internet Money, and YoungBoy Never Broke Again. If there was a theme on the album, it was "...the messy breakdown of a destructive relationship that didn't sound too great to start with.” The Kid’s age of 17 years, 5 months, and 22 days when the record hit #1 in Australia made him the youngest solo artist to achieve it, and the second male First Nations act to top the chart after Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. In the United States, F*ck Love debuted at #8 with 49.3 million streams that week, and eventually rose to #1. Tones And I – Welcome To The Madhouse (Top for 1 week, July 26, 2021) Having become a grand wazoo with Dance Monkey, Toni Watson set out to prove on her first long player she was no novelty act. She told MTV News it would be self-produced, emphasising "These songs are completely me and my own production. It's not swayed by other songwriters or by anyone that's trying to help me get a hit, because that's never been important to me." The madhouse vibe came from the fact that Melbourne was a city with the most severe COVID-19 lockdowns. "I couldn't record a lot of the time in Melbourne; I wasn't allowed to leave the house. The music I wrote before I had to stop, because of the really intense lockdown, was really weird!  “I wrote this song called Welcome To The Madhouse; I just wrote three or four really weird songs, that I'd never written like that before. I explained it like trying to pull inspiration from living groundhog day over and over again!" Calum Hood – ORDER chaos ORDER (Top for 1 week, June 23, 2025) Being bassist with 5 Seconds Of Summer took Calum Hood from an unglamorous upbringing in Sydney’s western suburbs and an option of a professional career in soccer to a home in the Hollywood Hills and a reported fortune of US $20 million. Already known for writing for other acts such as the Black Veil Brides and Makeout, ORDER chaos ORDER showed off a wider array of Hood’s interests, including new wave and alt-rock, and songs as Don't Forget You Love Me and Call Me When You Know Better. It debuted at #1 in Australia.

ICYMI: Chart File: Peach PRC’s 'Porcelain' Becomes 36th Aussie Debut Album To Top ARIA Chart

Aussie Artists Score Post-Coachella Boost To Streaming Numbers Coachella has wrapped two sold-out weekends in the California desert. While it’s big-name headliners, Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G delighted fans at the festival and millions of viewers tuning in from home, a handful of Australian artists made a huge impact at the 2026 event. The impact of their performances was so serious that the artists racked up a significant streaming boost and made the stage their own. Sydney DJ and producer Ninajirachi – born Nina Wilson – leads the charge. In addition to delivering breakout solo sets across both weekends that featured special guest performers, Porter Robinson and underscores, and live debuts of their collaborations, she also took to the stage with PinkPantheress and Madeon. As a result, the iPod Touch hitmaker’s global Spotify streams have surged by 20%. Embedded Content Embedded Content So, the festival became Ninachella, but she wasn’t the only Australian artist to dominate online discourse and receive new fans. Queensland punk trio The Chats tore up the stage – and showcased NRL on the screen behind them – building to a 22% increase in global streams 24 hours after their performance at Coachella. Embedded Content Elsewhere, Gamilaroi singer, rapper, and songwriter The Kid LAROI received a massive global uptick in streams after Justin Bieber brought him on stage to perform their worldwide 2021 hit, STAY. Streams of the single leapt up by an incredible 56% globally. Embedded Content Another Australian punk rocker – Ecca Vandal – also performed at the festival ahead of her return home next month, when she opens for Deftones across the East Coast. Embedded Content Spotify AU/NZ’s Artist & Label Partnerships Lead, Leah Harris, said of Aussie artists who dominated Coachella, “Fans are discovering artists in real time, whether through live sets or viral collabs, and we’re seeing those moments quickly translate into global streams.” Ecca Vandal isn’t the only one touring in Australia soon. In July, Ninajirachi will bring her album, I Love My Computer, to fans across Australia. The tour is completely sold out. Last year, Ninajirachi became the most nominated artist at the ARIA Awards following the release of her debut album, I Love My Computer. She went on to win Best Solo Artist, Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist and Best Independent Release. She also won the prestigious 21st Soundmerch Australian Music Prize.

ICYMI: Aussie Artists Score Post-Coachella Boost To Streaming Numbers

Selve Detail 2026 Australian Tour Dates, 'Breaking Outta Heaven' EP It’s a big day for multi-award-winning Gold Coast-based alternative six-piece SELVE. Today, they’ve announced a companion EP to their recent album Breaking Into Heaven, plus headline tour dates along the East Coast. Today’s announcements arrive following a support slot with Playlunch and a festival season that included appearances at Spilt Milk, Lost Paradise, and St. Kilda Festival. They also come ahead of the group’s previously announced 20-date tour across Europe and the UK, which begins next week. SELVE have launched their new EP, Breaking Outta Heaven, with the fan-favourite, Desire, which you can check out below. The EP drops on Friday, 19 June – you can pre-order/pre-save it here. “Desire is an absolute favourite of ours; we play it at almost every gig despite it not being on [Breaking Into Heaven], and it’s often a crowd favourite,” frontman Loki Liddle explained. “It rocks, it is really fun, and it is basically just about that fire that gets you going out there in the world - fighting for what you value and believe in, fighting to bring a dream to life, or maybe giving absolutely everything for the person you love.” He continued, “Far from being the root of all suffering, desire is life force and the fire of the spirit. I hope Desire gives people full permission to drop into their highest frequency and just fucking go for it. Chase your dreams despite your parents’ concern, ask that cute person out on a date, be who you are loudly and proudly and be willing to burn the hedges of the maze down on your way to your answer.” SELVE will celebrate the release of Breaking Outta Heaven with a run of headline shows this winter. They’re set to perform at Brisbane’s Against The Grain festival on Saturday, 20 June, followed by Wollongong’s TBH Fridays on Friday, 10 July, Melbourne’s Lulie’s Tavern on Friday, 14 August, and Brunswick Heads’ Hotel Brunswick on Saturday, 22 August. Tickets are available via the band’s website. Last year, SELVE made history when they unveiled the first-ever full-length album recorded by an Aboriginal artist at the iconic Abbey Road Studios. The Breaking Outta Heaven EP was recorded between Midnight Special Records in the French countryside and during their recording stint at Abbey Road’s infamous Studio 3. Liddle explained, “Despite the awe of it all, I was gripped every day with the knowledge that I was only there because of those who have come before me, that I was sent there by my ancestors and my community because something bigger than myself was happening, and that my job was to devote myself to the music & story - and not get in its way so that it could communicate itself.” To find out more about Breaking Into Heaven, check out The Music’s recent cover story with SELVE. SELVE BREAKING OUTTA HEAVEN TOUR Saturday 20 June - Against The Grain, Turrbal Country, Magan-djin/Brisbane QLD Friday 10 July - TBH Fridays, Dharawal Country, Woolyungah/Wollongong NSW Friday 14 August - Lulies Tavern, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, Naarm/Melbourne VIC Saturday 22 August - Hotel Brunswick, Bundjalung Country, Brunswick Heads NSW Embedded Content

ICYMI: Selve Detail 2026 Australian Tour Dates, 'Breaking Outta Heaven' EP

Spiderbait Expand 'Ivy & The Big Apples' 30th Anniversary Australian Tour Beloved ‘90s rockers Spiderbait are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their seminal third album, Ivy & the big apples, with an epic tour across the country. Since the tour was announced last week, the shows have been met with phenomenal demand. Today, Spiderbait have added a second and final Melbourne show to their itinerary after their first sold out in record time. The show will take place on Thursday, 23 July, at Melbourne’s Forum. For both nights at the Forum, the band will be joined by special guests Magic Dirt. Pre-sale tickets for the newly announced Melbourne show will be available from 12 pm AEST on Thursday, 23 April, followed by the general sale at 1 pm AEST on Friday, 24 April. You can find more ticketing information on the Frontier Touring website. Tickets for all other shows are available now. This July, Spiderbait will perform their iconic 1996 album Ivy & the big apples in full, along with songs from their extensive catalogue. In addition to Magic Dirt, other special guests locked in for the tour include Custard, The Meanies, Tumbleweed, and The Gnomes. Ivy & the big apples marked a significant breakthrough for the band, not only propelling their music to a more polished sound but also taking them to new commercial heights. The record debuted at #3 in Australia, went double Platinum, and stayed in the ARIA Charts’ Top 50 for almost a year. While the singles Calypso and Hot Water & Milk were successful, it was Buy Me A Pony that cemented Spiderbait’s legacy, becoming the first homegrown song ever to win the triple j Hottest 100. The album also won the award for Best Alternative Release at the 1997 ARIA Awards. In a statement, the band described Ivy & the big apples as “Such an important album for us with lots of epic memories.” Presented by Frontier Touring SPIDERBAIT ​IVY & THE BIG APPLES 30TH ANNIVERSARY AUSTRALIAN TOUR - JULY 2026 ​WITH SPECIAL GUESTS CUSTARD, MAGIC DIRT, THE MEANIES, TUMBLEWEED (SELECT SHOWS ONLY) + THE GNOMES (PLAYING ALL SHOWS) SATURDAY 4 JULY - ​The Tivoli | Brisbane QLD (18+) ​With special guests Custard + The Gnomes ​ticketmaster.com.au SATURDAY 11 JULY - Ice Cream Factory | Perth WA (18+) ​With special guests The Meanies + The Gnomes ​eventbrite.com.au THURSDAY 23 JULY - ​Forum | Melbourne VIC (18+) | NEW SHOW ​With special guests Magic Dirt + The Gnomes ​ticketek.com.au FRIDAY 24 JULY - ​Forum | Melbourne VIC (18+) | SOLD OUT ​With special guests Magic Dirt + The Gnomes SATURDAY 25 JULY - ​Hindley Street Music Hall | Adelaide SA (Lic. All Ages) ​With special guests The Meanies + The Gnomes ​moshtix.com.au FRIDAY 31 JULY - ​Enmore Theatre | Sydney NSW (Lic. All Ages) ​With special guests Tumbleweed + The Gnomes ​ticketek.com.au Embedded Content

ICYMI: Spiderbait Expand 'Ivy & The Big Apples' 30th Anniversary Australian Tour

US Photographer's Court Case Against Amy Taylor Goes To Judicial Ruling Following Settlement Rejection The ongoing court case between US photographer Jamie Nelson and Amy Taylor of Amyl And The Sniffers is heading to a judicial ruling, with both sides reportedly rejecting a settlement offer. The case has been bubbling away for a few months now, with the dispute itself tracing back 2024, when Nelson had initially been recruited by Amyl And The Sniffers’ manager with the intent of securing her services for a shoot regarding the band's then-upcoming Cartoon Darkness album. Though this photoshoot reportedly fell through due to an alleged disagreement of terms, it is claimed that Nelson made contact with Taylor to organise another photoshoot, with the images to exclusively appear in the July 2025 edition of Vogue Portugal as part of a series titled Champagne Problems. It is alleged that Nelson made contact with Taylor in the hopes of obtaining permission to sell the images as art prints, but was told by the band’s manager that she did not have license or permission to do so. Despite this, a lawsuit filed by Taylor in December claimed that the images were offered and promoted on Nelson’s website and social platforms regardless, with the photographer allegedly refusing to comply with requests to remove all images from her website and social media accounts. Nelson refutes this, instead having claimed that she had received “responses [that] escalated in a way that [she] experienced as harassment," and having filed a restraining order prior to Taylor's lawsuit. In February, Nelson filed a counterclaim against Taylor for copyright infringement, and expanding her lawsuit to include "the band entity, Amyl and the Sniffers, and John Angus Stewart of PHC Films—Amy Taylor’s husband—who I contend published defamatory and untrue statements alongside one of my copyrighted images." While a Los Angeles Superior Court judge declined Nelson’s appeal for a restraining order last month, the copyright case continued, with court-ordered mediation resulting in both sides declining settlement offers this week. In a statement provided to The Music, Nelson has noted that she will now proceed toward a "judicial ruling on key legal issues involving copyright and publicity rights," adding that the Court had previously "dismissed Taylor’s federal false endorsement claim under the Lanham Act as legally insufficient," and denying Taylor's motion for default against Nelson on March 30th. “While I remain open to reasonable resolution, this case raises broader questions about how photographers’ rights are treated when creative work intersects with public figures and the music industry,” Nelson said in a statement.  “I am prepared to proceed and seek clarity from the Court.” The next hearing in relation to these matters will take place on April 27th, with the Court expected to issue further rulings.

ICYMI: US Photographer's Court Case Against Amy Taylor Goes To Judicial Ruling Following Settlement Rejection

Matt Corby Adds Second & Final Melbourne Date To 2026 Australian Tour Matt Corby’s upcoming Tragic Magic tour has been met with incredible demand, with the soul music troubadour adding another night for especially keen fans in Melbourne. Due to overwhelming demand for tickets, Corby’s Newcastle show immediately sold out. Tickets are also selling fast in Melbourne, with a second and final show at the Forum announced today. Corby will present tracks from his latest album, Tragic Magic, as well as fan-favourites from across his discography, when he tours across the country this June. Joining him on all dates is special guest Gretta Ray. The Brother hitmaker will now perform for two nights, back-to-back, at Melbourne’s Forum. There’s a low-ticket warning for the first night, Tuesday, 9 June, and a new show added for Wednesday, 10 June.  Tickets for the new date will be available on Friday, 24 April, at 11 am local time. You can find more ticketing information on the Frontier Touring website. Tickets to all other shows are now available. Matt Corby is touring in support of his just-released new album, Tragic Magic, which arrived last week. The album was listed as one of The Music’s Most Anticipated Australian Albums of 2026. Tragic Magic has been described as a “deeply personal and soul-soaked collection” of music by Corby, highlighting a “new chapter” in his private life and artistry. Throughout the record, he played most of the instruments and co-produced every track. To find out more about the album, check out The Music’s recent cover story interview with Matt Corby. Presented by Frontier Touring and triple j MATT CORBY + special guest Gretta Ray THE TRAGIC MAGIC TOUR - JUNE 2026 Wednesday 3 June - Thebarton Theatre | Adelaide, SA | Lic. All Ages ​ticketmaster.com.au Thursday 4 June - Riverside Theatre | Perth, WA | Lic. All Ages ​ticketek.com.au ​ Tuesday 9 June - The Forum | Melbourne, VIC | 18+ | FINAL TICKETS! ​ticketek.com.au Wednesday 10 June - The Forum | Melbourne, VIC | 18+ | NEW SHOW! ​ticketek.com.au Friday 12 June - Civic Theatre | Newcastle, NSW | SOLD OUT Sunday 14 June - The Fortitude Music Hall | Brisbane, QLD | 18+ ​ticketmaster.com.au  **Also playing - not a Frontier show: Saturday 6 June - Winter Wine Festival | Gerringong, NSW Saturday 13 June - VIVID, Tumbalong Park | Sydney, NSW Embedded Content

ICYMI: Matt Corby Adds Second & Final Melbourne Date To 2026 Australian Tour

Eye-watering Coachella Merch Sales Revealed Coachella might have been and gone already, but the rolling impacts of the annual Californian festival continue. Vogue Business has reported that headliner Justin Bieber smashed merchandise records at this year’s festival, taking home an eye-watering figure of $15 million via his brand, Skylrk. Bieber was recently announced as the highest-paid artist in Coachella history, receiving $10 million across two weekends, and he sold more merch in the first weekend than any other artist who’s played at the festival. By selling $15 million worth of merchandise over two weekends, Bieber has easily beaten Coachella’s previous artist merch sale record of $1.7 million. The Sorry hitmaker made $5.04 million in sales over the first weekend, but the second weekend blew it out of the water, selling an additional $10 million to punters at the festival and via the online Skylrk website. At the festival, Bieber sold Skylrk-produced SWAG merchandise at the festival’s merch tent, as well as the brand’s own shop in a resting spot at the festival. Complex Style has also shared the prices of Bieber’s SWAG merchandise. Hoodies ended up being sold between $140 to $240 USD – that’s $195 and $335 AUD, while t-shirts sold for $90 ($125 AUD) and beanies were sold for $50 ($69 AUD). If they were the merch prices for Bieber, we can only imagine the prices for other artists and for festival-branded merchandise. You can see more of the SWAG merchandise below. Bieber made headlines on both weekends of the festival – the first for a more intimate, stripped-back vibe that included revisiting his older material by exploring videos on YouTube and singing along, and the second for the special guests he brought on stage. At the end of his first suite of songs, Bieber debuted his SWAG song SWEET SPOT alongside special guest Sexyy Red. The special guests didn’t stop there. After an acoustic-focused Act II, he was joined by back-to-back special guests. During a performance of One Less Lonely Girl – his first since 2020 – Bieber’s wife, Hailey, pushed a seemingly unsuspecting Billie Eilish onto the stage, and she promptly burst into tears. Eilish later took to her Instagram Stories to share a photo of herself with red, teary eyes and wrote, “can’t stop crying.” After Eilish joined Bieber on stage, it was Big Sean’s turn to join him for some throwbacks, such as 2012’s As Long as You Love Me and 2015’s No Pressure, both performed for the first time since 2017. While Bieber did briefly boot up the laptop to showcase an old YouTube acoustic cover of Justin Timberlake’s classic, Cry Me a River, his set came to a close with Dijon coming on stage for the SWAG track, DEVOTION, and SZA with a performance of her SOS song, SNOOZE. Embedded Content

ICYMI: Eye-watering Coachella Merch Sales Revealed

Split Enz Reveal Special Guests For 2026 Australia & New Zealand Tour Split Enz’ Forever Enz tour begins in their home country of New Zealand next week (2 May), and today, the band have announced the special guests opening the shows in New Zealand and Australia. For the Australian shows, Vika & Linda will open proceedings. The celebrated family duo will perform their hits as well as tracks from their forthcoming album, Where Do You Come From?, which marks their first album of predominantly original material since Princess Tabu, released 30 years ago. Embedded Content With the new record, Vika & Linda return to songwriting influenced by the writing of their 2022 memoir, No Bull. Having toured alongside and received praise from Paul Kelly, Kasey Chambers, Mark Seymour, and many others, these shows provide a unique opportunity to witness Split Enz and Vika & Linda in the same rooms. In New Zealand, Wellington’s own Hans Pucket will open the shows. The indie rock four-piece is promoting their latest album, No Drama – a collection of songs that’s confident yet danceable and introspective. Expect good vibes when they hit the stage. Embedded Content Split Enz – featuring classic members Tim Finn, Eddie Rayner, Neil Finn, and Noel Crombie, alongside Matt Eccles on drums and James Milne on bass – will tour across New Zealand and Australia next month. Due to phenomenal demand, extra dates have been announced ahead of the tour, and following Bluesfest’s cancellation, the band will now play a headline show in Brisbane. The shows follow Split Enz’s reunion performance at Christchurch’s Electric Avenue festival, which they headlined in February. The festival set marked their first performance in 18 years. Following six nights in New Zealand, Split Enz will bring their Forever Enz tour to Australia. The Australian leg of the tour commences with two nights at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, 13 and Thursday, 14 May. They’ll then perform at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Saturday, 16 May, Sydney’s TikTok Entertainment Centre on Monday, 18 and Tuesday, 19 May, Perth’s RAC Arena on Friday, 22 May, and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Monday, 25 May. Remaining tickets to the shows are now available via the Live Nation Australia and New Zealand websites. Presented by Live Nation by arrangement with WME SPLIT ENZ FOREVER ENZ TOUR - New Zealand / Australia 2026 With special guests Hans Pucket (NZ) + Vika & Linda (AU)   Saturday 2 May – Claudelands Arena, Hamilton – NEW SHOW Monday 4 May – Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch – NEW SHOW Wednesday 6 May – TSB Arena, Wellington SOLD OUT Thursday 7 May – TSB Arena, Wellington - LIMITED TICKETS Saturday 9 May – Spark Arena, Auckland – SOLD OUT Sunday 10 May – Spark Arena, Auckland - LIMITED TICKETS Wednesday 13 May - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne SOLD OUT Thursday 14 May - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Saturday 16 May – Entertainment Centre, Brisbane NEW SHOW Monday 18 May - TikTok Entertainment Centre, Sydney SOLD OUT Tuesday 19 May - TikTok Entertainment Centre, Sydney Friday 22 May - RAC Arena, Perth Monday 25 May - Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Embedded Content

Split Enz Reveal Special Guests For 2026 Australia & New Zealand Tour

Are Matt Corby & Teddy Swims Forming A Boy Band? Matt Corby is a fan of and good friend with Teddy Swims after opening for him on his recent Australian tour – so much so that he’d be keen to start a boy band with him. Yes, you read that correctly. On Wednesday (22 April), the Brother singer was interviewed on NOVA’s The Maddy Rowe Show, where he reflected on touring with Teddy Swims and the possibility of starting a boy band. Describing Swims as “the best,” Corby recalled the moment he was introduced to Swims when collaborator Meg Mac opened for him in July 2024. At the time, Corby joined Mac on stage to perform their song, Bricks. “After our soundcheck, the manager came up to me and was like, ‘Teddy really wants to meet you, he’s been a fan of yours since he was in high school,’” Corby explained. He continued, “I was like, ‘High school? How old is he? How old am I?’ So, I went and had a good chat with him and he started rifling off all these songs of mine that helped him through certain parts of his life and stuff. “We ended up going out until about three in the morning that night... then, the next time he came to Australia, he asked if I wanted to do the run with him, and we had a very good time. His band and everyone... the whole crew, they’re just the best humans. It was a bit special.” Opening up about the pair’s plans to start a boy band – after Rowe suggested it mid-interview – Corby said, “We’ve been talking about it... and I’m not joking... we have a bit of a roadmap for it.” After Rowe asked if they had a name or songs for said boy band, Corby replied, “No... It’s just getting us all in a room together in one place that’s the hard bit.” You can listen to the interview here. Reviewing Corby’s performance ahead of Teddy Swims’ headline set in October, The Music’s Michael Prebeg wrote, “With minimal staging and an emphasis on musicianship, he guides the crowd from quiet introspection to full-bodied soul. His voice is rich, smoky and fluid and fills the arena with warmth.” Prebeg continued, “By the time Corby’s final song rings out, the crowd are on their feet with a standing ovation. He leaves the audience grounded yet buzzing, perfectly primed for the main event.” Matt Corby’s latest album, Tragic Magic, is out now. He’s embarking on a headline tour of Australia in July. Embedded Content

Are Matt Corby & Teddy Swims Forming A Boy Band?

Boards Of Canada Detail First New Album In 13 Years, 'Inferno' Enigmatic Scottish electronic icons Boards Of Canada have officially returned, announcing the release of Inferno – their first studio album in 13 years. The familial duo – comprising brothers Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin – announced the news today, revealing their fifth album will arrive via Warp Records on May 29th. The 18-track record is their first since 2013’s Tomorrow’s Harvest, and comes following weeks of speculation as to whether the duo would be releasing new music. Back in 2013, Tomorrow’s Harvest was promoted by way of an immersive campaign which saw a handful of rare vinyl records issued at independent record stores, with the discs containing coded messages that led to a promotional website for the album. Though a series of reissues and remixes emerged in the years since, the elusive pair ignited speculation about a return in 2025 when the Tomorrow’s Harvest website was reported to now feature the words “nobody home...” Earlier this month, however, fans of Boards Of Canada began receiving VHS tapes branded with the duo’s logo. The enigmatic footage was soon followed by a batch of promotional posters appearing in cities around the world, and last week, a track titled Tape 05 was uploaded to YouTube – their first piece of original music in 13 years. Embedded Content It’s currently unclear as to whether Tape 05 will feature on the forthcoming Inferno album, or whether it will remain a standalone preview. Boards Of Canada first began making music in the mid '80s, with the pair utilising vintage synthesisers and analogue equipment to craft a prolific catalogue of music alongside a revolving cast of collaborators. While much of these early creations were distributed to family and friends, a pair of official EP releases in 1995 and 1996 gave way to the release of 1998’s Music Has The Right To Children, a warmly-nostalgic piece of electronica which has seen been considered one of the genre’s most beloved albums. The pair further retreated from the public eye during this time, playing their last live show in 2001. They returned with new music in 2002 with Geogaddi, following things up again with 2005's The Campfire Headphase before an eight-year wait gave rise to the critically-acclaimed Tomorrow's Harvest in 2013. Boards Of Canada’s Inferno is available for pre-order now. Embedded Content

Boards Of Canada Detail First New Album In 13 Years, 'Inferno'

Critics Have Their Say: Is The 'Michael' Biopic A Thriller, Or Just Plain Bad? This past week has seen the wide release of the long-awaited Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, and as one may expect, it’s a film which appears to have swiftly divided critics. First teased back in 2019, the film wasn’t officially announced until 2022, with Antoine Fuqua revealed as director the following year, and Jackson’s nephew – Jaafar Jackson – cast as the eponymous superstar. Of course, questions soon arose as to how one could accurately and faithfully depict the life of The King Of Pop. After all, Jackson packed more into his 50 years than most performers could in 100 years, so the question of how much content would be included was floated. So too was the topic of the controversial aspects of Jackson’s life brought into the mix, including the allegations of child sexual abuse that were brought against him during his lifetime. For the former topic, that was one which ultimately necessitated a last-minute change. As Variety reported earlier this month, the film was supposed to begin with a focus on Jackson as he navigated life in the midst of the 1993 allegations of child molestation, with the majority of the film’s third act set to focus on the scandal. However, lawyers for Jackson’s estate (which also served as a producer on the film) realised there was a clause in the settlement between Jackson and his accuser, Jordan Chandler, which forbade any mention of him in the film. As a result, a new ending was shot last year at the cost of an additional US$10-15 million. The final product now captures just over half of Jackson’s life, focusing on his early years, his debut as a member of the Jackson 5, his burgeoning solo career, massive success, and ultimately ending in the midst of his Bad Tour in 1988. Embedded Content Following the film’s premiere in Berlin earlier this month, the film this week receives its wider release, but already the reviews are in, and for the most part, they’ve been largely negative. Currently, Michael sits at an unenviable 36% on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, with critics largely praising Jaafar Jackson’s role in portraying his uncle, but labelling the film itself shallow and lacking in wider substance. While the likes of Dionar Hidalgo described the film as more of an exercise in PR than cinema, the Rotten Tomatoes’ site consensus notes “this musical biopic mostly plays like a ‘greatest hits’ album that could've benefitted from including liner notes to give actual insight into the icon.” Likewise, some critics have since also pointed to the fact that the absence of any mention of the sexual abuse allegations made against Jackson are a jarring omission, with critic Kate Erbland stating that “the final film has been mostly stripped of any humanity, good and bad” as a result. While the film strips away the controversy, others have pointed out the fact that it also removes a sense of humanity from Jackson himself, with no mention of the abuse the singer suffered at the hands of his father, and how his own childhood was stripped away as a result of his being pushed into the world of show business. However, the praise that the film has attracted has largely been centred around Jaafar’s performance, with USA Today stating he went above and beyond in his preparation for the role. “Jaafar may share his late uncle’s megawatt smile, lithe frame and Bambi eyelashes,” they write. “But his liquid dance moves – highlighted as he teaches gang members the footwork in the Beat It video − and soft-spoken cadence are studied to perfection. This is not about nepotism. Despite divided opinions, as one may expect, the film’s premature ending results in – as Double J put it – “the laziest sequel set-up in recent memory.” So, while it seems that there will indeed be a sequel, it raises a handful of new questions. How will Jackson’s continued rise be tackled? Will the latter batch of allegations against Jackson receive an airing? Will there be a focus on the shift in public perception these allegations caused? Will it faithfully (and respectfully) cover his premature passing in 2009? Will it focus on the legacy left in the wake of his death? And most importantly, will a completed biopic that covers the remainder of the pop icon’s life result in a retrospective re-evaluation for this film? Time will tell, but currently, opinions are divided as to whether Michael is a thriller or if it’s just plain bad. Embedded Content

Critics Have Their Say: Is The 'Michael' Biopic A Thriller, Or Just Plain Bad?

XG Announce 2026 Australian Tour Dates XG (Xtraordinary Genes) will return to Australia this October, today announcing shows across Asia and Australia. Comprising JURIN, CHISA, HINATA, HARVEY, JURIA, MAYA, and COCONA, the seven-member group has built a global fanbase since launching with Tippy Toes in 2022. Blending elements of pop, hip-hop, R&B, EDM, and psychedelic music, XG aren’t your typical J-pop or K-pop group. XG made their Australian debut in 2023, delivering an unforgettable concert experience at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion as part of the inaugural SXSW Sydney. They returned last February, performing at ICC Sydney and Margaret Court Arena. This time, the venues have been majorly upgraded. Hitting stages on their XG WORLD TOUR: THE CORE, Australian fans can see the iconic Japanese group at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Monday, 12 October, and Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on Wednesday, 14 October. Frontier Members can access pre-sale tickets on Wednesday, 6 May, at 12 pm local time, followed by the general sale on Thursday, 7 May, at 1 pm local time. You can find more ticketing information on the Frontier Touring website. Alphaz Members can access pre-sale tickets even earlier. Subscribers of the paid tier can access tickets on Monday, 4 May, at 11 am local time, followed by the paid and free tiers having access on Tuesday. 5 May, at 11 am local time. You can find more details here. Since their last visit to Australia, XG made their Coachella debut last year. Being the only Japanese act to perform at last year’s festival, the group impressed and gathered thousands of fans to the Sahara stage. The group’s upcoming tour celebrates their debut full-length album, THE CORE – 核. Released in January, the record received plenty of praise from fans and critics and kickstarted a world tour which began in February. In October, fans will witness XG performing hits such as LEFT RIGHT, WOKE UP, HYPNOTIZE, and ROCK THE BOAT, and many more. Presented by Frontier Touring and AEG Presents XG XG WORLD TOUR: THE CORE - OCTOBER 2026 ALL SHOWS ALL AGES   Monday 12 October - Rod Laver Arena | Melbourne, VIC ticketek.com.au Wednesday 14 October - Qudos Bank Arena | Sydney, NSW ticketek.com.au Embedded Content

XG Announce 2026 Australian Tour Dates

JB Hi-Fi Responds To Speculation Around Removal Of Physical Media JB Hi-Fi have responded to viral claims that the stores are axing their stock of physical media in an increasingly-digital age. Earlier this week, YouTuber and filmmaker Dave Lee Down Under shared a video on his social media account which showed him visiting a Victorian JB Hi-Fi with a cordoned-off aisle and an empty shelf which once held 4K Blu-Rays. Describing it as the day that “all physical media advocates absolutely dread”, Lee also showed a notice on the shelves which advertised a "new look, [and a] new space" which advised, "sadly CDs, vinyls & DVDs are leaving our store". “Here in Australia at least, this is pretty much the only brick and mortar store which is still selling – or was still selling – physical media brand new,” Lee added. “And I've heard reports of stores sort of slowly getting rid of them over the last four or five years.” As his video continued, he showed that these shelves instead appeared to be now dedicated to holding Pop! Vinyl figurines and T-shirts, while the areas in which shelves once stood were now hosting boxes of consumer goods. Embedded Content These claims soon went viral online, with a number of social media accounts – including the Australian 90s 00s Nostalgia page, which boasts 312k followers – citing this video and reporting on the removal of physical media in JB Hi-Fi stores. Understandably, the general reaction from lovers of physical media was one of disappointment, especially given the recent reports of upward trends in physical media in the streaming age. Just last month, the International Federation Of The Phonographic Industry (IFPI) unveiled its latest Global Music Report, and while it noted that streaming is still the most popular method of musical consumption (featuring revenues of US$22 billion, representing 69.6% of total recorded music revenues), it stated that physical media had rebounded and became the fastest-growing format in music, generating US$390 million in revenue. The popularity of vinyl was the key driver of physical media’s success last year. Vinyl alone increased revenues by 13.7%, marking its 19th consecutive year of growth. Meanwhile, CD revenues grew by 3.7% – reversing its decline in some markets but continuing to decline in many Western markets – while revenues from downloads and other digital media remained in decline for a 13th consecutive year. In a statement given to The Music, a spokesperson for JB Hi-Fi claimed that the company, “continues to support physical media in movies, music and games available in over 150 of our JB Hi-Fi stores, which is the majority of our network.” “From time to time, we rebalance the mix in our stores to introduce new categories and that may impact some others,” the statement continued. “We have and will continue to support Australian consumers with physical content on movies and music in stores and online.” Most notably, the notice posted by staff the JB Hi-Fi location in which Lee’s video was filmed actually pointed customers toward the nearest locations which did stock these formats, indicating that this removal is not a widespread one, and specific to the store in question. Though anecdotal evidence has appeared online that certain stores have reduced what they carry, it’s also important to note the distinction between a standard JB Hi-Fi store (which carries the majority of items, including physical media) and their JB Hi-Fi Home stores (which do not typically carry physical media), to which some of the former have been converted. Most importantly, it doesn’t appear as though the alarm bells need to start ringing just yet for those who yearn for a physical product in the streaming age.

JB Hi-Fi Responds To Speculation Around Removal Of Physical Media

'I’m Trying To Be A Bit Easier On Myself': Ruby Fields Is Celebrating The 'Small Achievements' Talking to Ruby Fields is like having a yarn with an old friend.  She is sitting in her car, phone propped up against the windshield (internet trouble). The scene is very reminiscent of P Plates, her beloved 2018 single. “Which is so funny because you’re on your P Plates when you’re 17, and I’m literally 28 now,” she jokes. If Fields is 28 now, that means 11 years have passed since she burst onto the scene with her debut single I Want. Success and acclaim followed. She was hailed as the Next Big Thing, a new Australian voice characterised by wry self-awareness and gritty honesty. She charted on the triple j Hottest 100, played The Plot in 2017, South by Southwest in 2018, and then went on to support Ball Park Music and San Cisco on tour in 2018 before playing Laneway in 2019. Then came her triumphant single Dinosaurs – the anthem of disaffected teenagers everywhere – and her celebrated debut album Been Doin’ It For A Bit. A whirlwind handful of years. Embedded Content It was then that she took a step back and ensconced herself in the rugged beauty of the Northern Rivers, navigating a pandemic, intense floods, breakups, death, and career ups-and-downs. And now she is set to release her long-awaited sophomore album, Small Achievements. The latest single from the upcoming album, Muscle, is unequivocally her: introspective but catchy, raw and pulsating. “Overpriced tobacco, everywhere that you go,” she croons, and again, she could simply be a friend venting about the cost-of-living crisis. “I think it’s a great representation of the feeling of the album, a summation of all of the album’s parts,” she says of the single. Going on to discuss the album as a whole, she speaks in breathless run-on sentences. “It’s all about the Northern Rivers, it’s about the job I had up there, my partner and my dog, it’s about how scared I am. I still have this intrinsic fear that I’m not letting go of as an adult – how I don’t think I’m ever going to be a fully-formed person. But I’m just going to try.” What does she think it is that she is scared of? “It’s funny, I was trying to identify it the other day,” she says, hiking up her left knee to her chest. “I was driving, and I was like, ‘Why am I so full of fear?’” Embedded Content She hypothesises that the fear helps to keep her alive, helps to keep her guessing, helps to keep her asking questions. Whatever it is, though, it is starting to dissipate. “Maybe you just go through periods of your life where you’re more scared than other periods,” she muses. “I mean, there’s things I used to do as a kid that I would never consider doing now as an adult, that I used to not be scared of.” Part of her fear, she realised, came from the possibility that her album would be considered a failure. “And then I was like, ‘Am I really going to let that stop me from putting an album out?’ No. Then why am I wasting all this energy on it, why am I letting this fear take over?” Every song on Small Achievements was written after she moved up to the Northern Rivers five years ago. The title was inspired by one of the locals at the pub. “He got a trophy for playing golf and everyone treated it like it was the biggest celebration in the world, and for him it was,” she says. “And that’s all that matters.” The idea was to allow – indeed, to encourage – the celebration of small achievements. “Those achievements can be anything from having a hard conversation with someone to writing an album to getting a promotion to meal-prepping for the week,” Fields notes. “Anything that you can do that supports a happier version of yourself is an achievement and should be celebrated.” Embedded Content Celebrating the small achievements, however, is not something that comes naturally to her. But amidst indulging in what she calls her “grandma hobbies” – which include doing punchcards, vision-boards, and learning how to sew – she is finally learning to do so. “I definitely need a reminder that putting an album together is a big deal,” she explains. “This time around I’m trying to be a bit easier on myself, I think.” A debut album like Been Doin’ It For A Bit – which debuted at number one on the ARIA charts – is surely not an easy project to follow up.  “I definitely do feel the pressure. I don’t think we’ll ever nab a No. 9 spot on the Hottest 100 again,” she says referring to the stellar performance of Dinosaurs. The year that followed was “humbling” she admits, with admirable honesty.  “I think that’s something that a lot of people outside of the music industry don’t know,” she explains. “To get a number one spot at anything, you have to campaign behind it. “It’s not just a completely organic thing, you know – it comes from advertisement and shameless self-promotion.” Not that she begrudges anyone for campaigning hard. “Everyone’s just trying to make a living and trying to promote something they’re proud of. But it is a lot of money and a lot of work. “So I think there’s a part of me that’s trying to be really realistic and ask myself, ‘How much energy do you want to pour into this? Are you happy with it not being number one?’” Embedded Content At the end of the day, she explains, numbers don’t matter. What matters is how the music personally impacts people. That being said, she smiles sweetly as she admits “it would be very cool and nice if it got number one.” But she has picked up enough wisdom from cutting her teeth in the business when she was still a teenager to allow herself to go with the flow. The way Fields was living back then was not sustainable and “very 18,” she says, laughing affectionately at her former self. “I was sleeping in, I wasn’t very healthy, I was drinking a lot because it was new and cool. I was an absolute mess, but I look back on it all fondly.” Now, however, she is firmly a self-described Boring Adult. “I like to think that I spend a lot of time nurturing myself and my relationships and my emotions. And there is so much value in that that you just don’t understand when you’re young. “Mind you,” she snorts, “it’s ten years later and I’m doing an interview in my car because I couldn’t make my internet work. So there are still parts of me that are the same and underprepared.” Ahead of the release of Small Achievements, Fields is now officially making her way as an independent artist – a feat that is equal parts challenging and rewarding. “I love having the creative freedom and knowing what’s going on, having total honesty and transparency in my relationships with all of the people who work with me,” she explains. “I feel very in control of it. I can proudly say that everyone feels valued. It’s a really beautiful system, and I wish it could be more like that for other artists.” What denotes a Ruby Fields song is honesty, wit, and an Australian accent. “I heard Courtney Barnett sing, and I thought it still sounded beautiful even with an Australian accent,” she explains. “And then that made me want to shift the ideas or feelings we have towards accents, I suppose. “We all usually sing in an American accent, that’s what everybody does. But I wanted to sing in the voice that I speak in. And it used to be a conscious decision to sing that way, but after about a year I couldn’t imagine singing with any other accent.” Embedded Content Fields is, quite frankly, sick of the cultural cringe attached to Australian art. “It’s something that is such a focal point of my life right now, and is at the crux of a lot of conversations I’ve been having with artists, people in the industry, friends, family. I think, as Australians, we need to really pull our socks up.” She was having a conversation along these lines with an American friend of hers recently. “I think Aussie artists definitely have this idea that to love what you do and to really shamelessly promote it is cringe, and American artists don’t have that,” she muses. “Or maybe they just have the understanding that if you want to be a performer of music, you are an entertainer, and therefore you have to entertain. Australian artists don’t want to accept that.” She sighs, “It would be cool if Australians could accept what they do, see that it means something to people, it matters, and it’s okay to acknowledge that. It’s good to not think everything is lame or cringe. I mean, there’s definitely a way to go about it so that it doesn’t feel conceited, but I think Australian artists need to be more proud of what they’re doing.” It isn’t surprising that she craves this openness from other Australian artists, given that she herself deals in such unguarded emotion in her music.  “I started out writing these rat-baggy little songs about drinking and not caring about my ATAR. I still talk about funny things in my songs, but now I’m so much more open to being vulnerable about who I am.” Music is how she shares what is inside her “All my songs feel like a diary entry. I don’t think there’s a single song about something that I haven’t lived.” Being open about one’s emotions, she says, is “cool and necessary,” something that she feels lucky to be able to do. “I’m a sensitive person.” She admits she cries constantly – but specifies, importantly, that these days, there are lots of happy tears too. Ruby Fields’ Small Achievements releases on Friday, April 24th. Tickets to her accompanying launch tour are on sale now. Embedded Content Ruby Fields – Small Achievements Tour Supported by Mac The Knife, Platonic Sex* & Smol Fish** Friday, April 24th – The Croxton, Melbourne, VIC* Saturday, May 2nd – Manning Bar, Sydney, NSW* Saturday, May 9th – Princess Theatre, Brisbane, QLD* Thursday, May 14th – The Gov, Adelaide, SA* Saturday, May 16th – Freo Social, Fremantle, WA**

'I’m Trying To Be A Bit Easier On Myself': Ruby Fields Is Celebrating The 'Small Achievements'

Drake’s ‘Iceman’ Ice Structure Brought Down By Firefighters Drake has made headlines after a mammoth ice structure was erected in Toronto to promote his upcoming album, Iceman. The structure attracted so many people – including fans trying to climb the 25-foot-tall behemoth – that the Toronto Fire Services worked to bring it down. The Canadian rapper’s team indicated that the album’s release date could be found within the structure, prompting fans to climb its walls and teams of people to use blowtorches in an attempt to melt it. Crowds of fans, curious onlookers and influencers gathered in Toronto this week after Drake revealed that the ice installation contained the release date of his forthcoming album on his Instagram. Embedded Content Hours after the structure was completed on Monday (20 April), people hacked at the ice with different gardening and house tools. Drake himself made a cameo at the site as fans tried to break into the ice structure and discover the album’s release date. The New York Times reports that after a whirlwind couple of days of the structure promoting Drake’s album, firefighters brought it down on Wednesday (22 April). In a statement, Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop said the events of the last few days posed an “immediate threat to life,” leading to the structure being taken down. “Large numbers of individuals have gathered to attempt to melt the ice using flammable liquids and open flames in an uncontrolled environment, which results in an immediate threat to life,” Jim Jessop said. The Iceman structure followed another incident in a north Toronto suburb, in which Drake terrified fans with a “controlled pyrotechnic blast” he used for a new music video. Drake has since confirmed that his forthcoming album will be released on Friday, 15 May. Iceman is the rapper’s ninth album and his first since entering a feud with Kendrick Lamar in 2024. The latter ended up winning said beef in the eyes of fans and the Grammy Awards. Embedded Content

Drake’s ‘Iceman’ Ice Structure Brought Down By Firefighters

'We Were Inspired To Get Loud': Silversun Pickups On 'Tenterhooks' & Their Long-Awaited Return To Australia “Part of it is dumb luck,” Silversun Pickups vocalist Brian Aubert muses when he’s asked about the secret to the band’s longevity. But we think there’s a little bit more to it than that. This July, the Los Angeles alternative rockers return to Australia for the first time in 14 years and will make their New Zealand debut. While it’s been a long time since fans Down Under have witnessed the band in action, it’s not that they’ve been quiet or gone on hiatus and reunited in between drinks. In fact, since their last visit in November 2012 – where they also performed at Harvest Festival – Silversun Pickups have released another four albums. Their latest, Tenterhooks, arrived in February 2026. 20 years ago this July, Silversun Pickups released their debut album, Carnavas, with two of the record’s singles, Lazy Eye and Well Thought Out Twinkles, making an immediate, sizeable impact. Lazy Eye was featured in the video games Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero World Tour, one of only 13 songs to be heard in both games. Plus, Millennial TV viewers heard the song in early episodes of Criminal Minds, Veronica Mars, The Hills, and The OC. Defined by Aubert’s one-of-a-kind, distinctively androgynous vocal and catchy guitar melodies, Nikki Monninger’s consistently entrancing, earworm bass lines, drummer Christopher Guanlao knowing when to provide the tension and when to let the songs breathe, and keyboardist Joe Lester’s sense for melancholy, Silversun Pickups have always sounded unique and retained a loyal fanbase. Even with the success of their early work, which led to tours alongside Foo Fighters and Muse, plus many a festival appearance, the band has never rested on their laurels or come close to becoming a nostalgia act. It would be easy to embark on anniversary tours of some of their most beloved records, but Silversun Pickups are always laser-focused on the future. Since the release of Carnavas, the band have regularly released more albums: Swoon followed in 2009, Neck of the Woods in 2012, Better Nature in 2015, Widows Weeds in 2019, Physical Thrills in 2022, and Tenterhooks earlier this year. Embedded Content “On tenterhooks” means “waiting nervously for something to happen,” and album #7 from the rock veterans certainly does teeter on the edges of an anxiety-ridden tightrope. Their third album to be produced by Butch Vig (Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins) marks the most records the acclaimed producer has worked on with a band other than his main act, Garbage. Tenterhooks is a cinematic album, capturing the sounds of the band’s previous records while expanding even further. It tests quiet and loud dynamics, and there are stunning melodic moments (Witness Mark, Thorns and All, Long Gone) balanced with the gritty, high-energy tracks (The Wreckage, Wakey Wakey). It’s also tight and punchy – a deliberate move from the band. “That’s what we said with Butch Vig,” Aubert comments. “I said, ‘Well, if we can do a 10-song thing, if we can stay the path’… he helped us stay the path and I’m so happy that we did because I really love it. It’s just this [enthuses] chunk of a thing – I love playing these songs. It’s not as mischievous as the previous stuff, but it’s antsy.” Explaining the decision to release a tight ten-track album further, Aubert reveals that the band were inspired by the frenetic energy of younger acts they were taking on tour—including Australia’s own Eliza & The Delusionals. By sharing the stage with that youthful, fiery energy, Silversun Pickups felt revitalised in realising that they still had more to explore by plugging their guitars into amplifiers and playing them loudly. “We were taking some incredible young bands on tour. It’s a luxury to have access to people who could be 20 years old and be able to be peers with them and exchange ideas and talk about music and tour together,” Aubert shares. “I think it’s a really interesting perspective—they’re looking at us for certain things, but I’m also looking at them and feeling a certain energy, and I’m grateful to have access to it.” He adds, “I just saw the aggression and how loud these bands were getting, you know? I was inspired by them to think that there’s something still beautiful in the loud aggressiveness that’s not spent for us yet.” While he ponders the band’s sound—Aubert doesn’t believe it’s been watered down over the years, but he realised that they needed to embrace discomfort and anxiety, musically, as they witnessed “everybody lose their minds, especially here in the States. We’re in a funky, pretty wild time. It’s hard not to let all that in.” And by touring with younger bands, incensed by an increasingly inhabitable planet due to preventable disasters accelerated by climate change and the increase of fascism across the West, Silversun Pickups picked up on that rage, too. “It’s weird when people say, ‘Stay in your lane’ and all that kind of shit, because what does that mean?” Aubert exclaims. “They’re interrupting our lives. They’re in our lane all day long! So, that and then these young kids playing music that are pissed off and they should be pissed off because they’re getting a world that people who are older just want to destroy before they hand it to them... I really fed off that. We were inspired to get loud.” Embedded Content With their previous record, Physical Thrills, Silversun Pickups sounded grand. Again, an intentional decision. Their sixth record was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the last thing the band wanted was for a collection of songs to sound like they were recorded simply because they had time. “I wanted it to feel very purposeful and there was a lot of musicality in it,” Aubert tells. “After touring that record and being at that for such a long time, the only answer was to do something that was the opposite of that. “I immediately wanted ten songs. That was one vinyl: the shortest record we’ve ever done. We’re not chintzing out on ideas and stuff, but it just felt like an impatient time, and I wanted actually an impatient record. If you’re into it, you just have to hear it again, you know, because it just comes in like a chunk.” Adding that he wasn’t ever going to write songs about Donald Trump or the current US Republican administration, Aubert believes that it’s the band’s job to “represent the difference” to the opinions spouted and actions taken. “There was that uncertainty with the way the world was moving, and also, I could just tell that there was a certain point in my life where things were about to change,” Aubert adds. “I think my relationships are all evolving, like my relationship with my son as he’s getting older is evolving. Like, things were changing, not for a worse scenario! They just started changing. “So, I was lamenting a of all the stability that I’ve had and what’s coming next, even though what’s coming next can be great. I was just a little apprehensive, hence the title Tenterhooks.” Embedded Content In the lead-up to the release of Tenterhooks, Butch Vig revealed in an interview that he played the record to Dave Grohl. The Foo Fighters’ frontman’s reaction? He described Silversun Pickups as “the most bitchin’ drum-and-bass group I’ve heard in a fucking long time.” The band have developed a special bond with Vig, one that runs deep between the producer and Aubert. “He’s my favourite. We’re very close,” Aubert says warmly. “I’m close with his family, and we do this benefit with him in Madison, Wisconsin every January for epilepsy. His friendship has been one of the most meaningful things in my life, and our creative partnership together wildly works.” Delving into the successful creative partnership, Aubert continues, “His quickness and my quickness and the way we operate is just a way to get a lot of hard things done in a way that feels joyful. “We always understand what we’re doing, and we can’t take it too seriously because we just know how lucky we are that this is something we can get to do. And it is lucky, you know, being in 2026 and still putting out music you’re proud of. I think our biggest fear would be that we just walked through one of these things… but I don’t think we could.” Embedded Content “I would hate to think that one day, we’d look back and go, ‘Oh, we could have tried something different.’ And it’s like, I don’t know, we get the opportunity to make another record. You gotta go for it, otherwise, what’s the point? What’s the point if we’re not still interested in things?” Aubert adds, “As you have the luxury of being older, you’ve got to keep checking in on what it is or why you’re doing this or what you’re interested in or where your wanderlust lies. And if you keep doing that and keep being honest, then you’re always going to have something to chase. And when that doesn’t happen, well, that’ll be a different story. That’s when all the anniversary tours start.” Despite his aversion to anniversary tours, Aubert still sings the old songs every night. Recent setlists have included classics such as Panic Switch, The Royal We, Well Thought Out Twinkles, Lazy Eye, Mean Spirits, and It Doesn’t Matter Why, alongside the new tracks from Tenterhooks. Embedded Content And the band don’t plan on retiring those tracks anytime soon. While their relationship to those songs is different to casual and devoted fans, Aubert recognises their reputation as fan-favourites and enjoys jamming to them, night after night. “Well, we don’t really have a relationship with those songs more than the others, do you know what I mean? They’re just part of our world,” he says. “I think that’s important for us – you know, somebody was like, ‘Wow, so you play Lazy Eye all the time?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, what kind of monster would I be to not do that!?’ That song is really important to people, and I’m not going to keep it from them. “Of course, I’m going to play it or Panic Switch because it means a lot to people. There’s just some songs that cross further than your group. Sometimes, these songs go further than that and touch people out there. And I think that when we play our sets, we want to hit on all of the things.  “So, we’re going to do as much as we can to kind of deep cut it and play some stuff for the record, like play Mean Spirits for more of an album track. But then, we’ll also dump in the things that are on the radio and stuff, because there’s people there that are also just kind of curious about that. I think we are lucky that we have songs that people know like that, and so, of course, we’re going to try and play them. “We never can play them all because it’s just gotten to a point where we have so many songs [laughs]. Our songs are long! We’re up there for as long as we should be.” Embedded Content Aubert continues, “I feel that to get up there and just do obscure things has a little bit of an antagonistic point of view that we don’t carry. It’s lucky that we have songs that casual people know, and we don’t take that lightly. We’re not going to play them all, but we’ll play some. You know, we don’t reject those songs. “The people that are coming to our shows are hardcore fans, casual fans, and people who have just been curious. I think that setlist dance is something that we find fun. It’s fun to be playing a couple of new songs and there’s people into it, but some people just like checking it out. And then you go into The Royal We and you see some light bulbs go off, like, ‘Oh, yeah, this band! I know this song. Wait a minute, they sang that?’” So, Australian and New Zealand fans can take comfort in Aubert’s setlist musings—there’s something for everyone coming to these shows. It’s been a long time between visits, and the band is grateful that fans are still showing up, 14 years after their last tour. “We’re always looking to play overseas, and we’ve done three different tours in Australia,” Aubert recalls. “Snow Patrol brought us for one, and they allowed us to do our own shows. And then I remember Birds Of Tokyo brought us out and we were allowed to do our own shows as well. “And then this other festival brought us out and we did co-headlines with The Dandy Warhols and it’s just, the lack of being there, we feel it, you know? And logistics, yeah, logistics are crazy all over and it’s one of those things like, ‘Okay, we didn’t make it this time, or we didn’t make it this time,’ but somehow, all the stars aligned this time without us being brought there by a bigger band.” This is a Silversun Pickups headline tour, and Aubert – a self-proclaimed “huge fan” of Lord Of The Rings – is thrilled that they’re even taking their show to New Zealand for the first time, plus finally returning to Australia. Embedded Content “We’ve never played there before, so that’s really exciting. It feels like, oh my God, I can’t believe it. The first time we were in Australia, we were just like, ‘Okay, we’ll soak it in. Let’s go do everything we can. Let’s go to take pictures with the koalas in Brisbane, because we’re probably never going to be allowed to come back here again,’ right?  “The second time we came back there, we went, ‘Okay, I can’t believe we’re here again. Let’s go take more pictures with those koalas.’ And the third time was the same! And now it just feels… We’re really excited. “It’s a loud world out there, and we’ve been doing this for quite some time. I don’t know what we did to be able to keep this sort of attention, but we’ll take it.” Circling back to the mystery behind Silversun Pickups’ longevity in a scene and era that’s seen many bands come and go, Aubert’s statement that “dumb luck” is behind it can’t be the only factor at play. “We’re a lucky band, you know? I think the thing that makes us the happiest is that even after all these years, we’re a band you still have to kind of find out about, and we’re not really shoved down your throat or top of the lists or these big things,” Aubert says. “We’re kind of like, if you know about us, then you know about us.” The fans’ best-kept secret, then? “Yeah, I like it! That’s how you’d hope to be. Like, you never want to live and die by someone’s word or a scene or a fad or anything,” he concurs. “You kind of want to just keep quietly moving along.  “We always notice that when we play festivals, now that we’ve been playing festivals for almost 20 years, we notice that our station in the festival is in the same spot, and a lot of the bands we remembered before the spot or after the spot have all disappeared. So, we’re just kind of like, ‘Let’s just stay quietly in this spot. Let’s not make it big.’” Embedded Content Elaborating on what’s kept Silversun Pickups such a strong unit over the years, Aubert credits making records without outside influence, no pressure from labels, and being consistent in what they want to do. He explains, “How we operate is nothing gets in when we’re making records—nothing in the world. I mean, we know we’re not in a hobbit hole, but we don’t really pay attention [chuckles].  “So, the only thing you can really do is the thing you want. You know, all we have is control of what the music is. We just do what it is that’s tickling our fancies and making us motivated to make music, and that’s all we can really think about. And then we deal with explaining ourselves later [laughs]. “That’s why I always tell bands, ‘At the end of the day, do you like this? Do you want to do this? Do you feel an outside source making you do this? Don’t listen to the outside sources. How are you going to do that? How are you going to listen? If you get a good review or a bad review, what does that matter? Does that change your mind?’ “Like, all that should have zero interest to you. You should literally be like, ‘I want to make this, and I want to do this. And this gets something out of our system, and this feels right. This feels like the correct soil for our feet to be in.’” Even with having control of what the music turns out like, Aubert admits that sometimes even that’s outside of bands’ control. “Sometimes, it’s just limited from what we’re able to pull off,” he shares. “You just always try to be.” “We always laugh because our band feels the same from the beginning. Now, I know after touring all this time and making records, I know we’ve gotten better, and I know we’re technically better than we were, but it always still feels out of reach.  “It feels like we’re in the same place, but because we’re constantly trying to move forward to a place that’s barely in our control. We’re up for 20 years in a perpetual position where, at any second, everything can come tumbling down,” Aubert trails off before he concedes with a laugh, “I think we like it that way.” Silversun Pickups will tour Australia this July with special guests Coast Arcade. Tickets are available now. SILVERSUN PICKUPS 2026 AUSTRALIAN TOUR With special guests Coast Arcade Tuesday 21 July – Astor Theatre, Perth, WA Wednesday 22 July – The Gov, Adelaide, SA Friday 24 July – The Tivoli, Brisbane, QLD Saturday 25 July – Odeon, Hobart, TAS Tuesday 28 July – Forum Melbourne, VIC Wednesday 29 July – Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW Embedded Content

'We Were Inspired To Get Loud': Silversun Pickups On 'Tenterhooks' & Their Long-Awaited Return To Australia

Kylie Minogue Documentary Series Confirmed At Netflix Kylie Minogue will be the subject of a forthcoming Netflix documentary series, the major streamer has confirmed. Netflix will explore how Kylie has “defied the odds” and enjoyed a five-decade career in entertainment in an intimate, three-part documentary. The series will, of course, visit her breakthrough role as Charlene in Neighbours before becoming a chart-topping musical success with a penchant for reinvention. The documentary, KYLIE, will not only examine her successes and career milestones but also how she became one of music’s most enduring artists, influencing generations of pop stars. No release date has been confirmed. But, it’s been announced that Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning director Michael Harte (Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, BECKHAM) will direct the documentary series. It will also be produced by John Battsek’s Ventureland, the team behind WHAM! and other documentaries. In addition to spotlighting Kylie herself, the series will feature interviews with Dannii Minogue, Jason Donovan, Nick Cave, and Pete Waterman. A press release notes that Kylie has opened her personal archives for the documentary and that she’ll reflect on an incredible life that’s inspired and soundtracked generations of fans. Her personal archive includes home movies and personal photographs, while Netflix will have access to brand-new interviews with Kylie herself, sharing a first-look image with fans. Set to showcase the woman behind the classic songs, KYLIE will dig into how the singer has dealt with public scrutiny throughout her career, as well as personal loss and illness. Embedded Content Last month, it was announced that Kylie Minogue would headline this year’s AFL Grand Final pre-game entertainment. “The AFL Grand Final at Melbourne’s one and only, forever iconic MCG? Yes please,” Kylie shared in a statement. “As a Melburnian, I’m so excited to be coming home for the biggest day in the Aussie sporting calendar. I’ll not only be performing, but I’ll be one of 100,000 fans at the ‘G, watching the wonder that is footy.” AFL CEO Andrew Dillon added that Kylie has been on the organisation’s wish list “for a long time.” “The Toyota AFL Grand Final is the biggest event on the Australian sporting calendar - and this year, we welcome home an Australian icon,” Dillon said. He continued, “Kylie has been on our wish list for a long time, and there is no better artist [to] headline the performance prior to our biggest game of the season.” Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski echoed Dillon’s statement, revealing that the record company has “tried for some time” to make the news a reality. “Kylie is one of the most successful Australian artists of all time. She’s not just a global superstar, she’s an icon and an obvious choice to headline the 2026 Telstra Pre-game entertainment,” Gudinski said.

Kylie Minogue Documentary Series Confirmed At Netflix

Ball Park Music, Jem Cassar-Daley & More Take Home Prestigious 2026 Queensland Music Awards Another edition of the Queensland Music Awards (QMAs) has been and gone, with the state’s most-loved artists, festivals and local institutions honoured at Miami Marketta on the Gold Coast on Wednesday (22 April). This year’s award ceremony saw Ball Park Music make history, taking home the coveted Album of the Year and Highest Selling Album for last year’s Like Love. Meanwhile, Jem-Cassar Daley won the prestigious Song of the Year award for Kiss Me Like You’re Leaving, winning the award for a second time. She also won the pop category. Winning Music Video of the Year was SELVE with Breaking Into Heaven. Embedded Content Last year’s Song of the Year winner, Young Franco, won the Electronic Award, as EDM star FISHER was awarded the Highest Selling Single for Stay. Other genres shone throughout the night, too. Tori Darke won in the country category with Remember Me Like That, The Dreggs won in folk with We Don’t Talk, Upsetter dominated the heavy category with Best Years of My Life, Say True God? took home the hip-hop win with COUNT US IN, and Dami Im dominated the jazz category with Bubble. Indie folk outfit Hollow Coves also won a prestigious award, being named Export Artist of the Year. Elsewhere, 4ZZZ was named the Lifetime Achievement winner, Odd Mob was named the Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and Mallrat was named Producer of the Year. 4ZZZ presenter, Quentin Ellison of Friday Neon, said of the win, “This award is a testament to every artist we’ve ever played before anyone else would, every volunteer who showed up on a Sunday morning and every listener who tuned in because they wanted something real. “Queensland music has always been world-class, and we’ve just been lucky enough to have a front row seat.” The People’s Choice Awards, co-presented by The Music, winners showcased the venues that keep Queensland music alive. Maleny Music Festival was named Festival of the Year; The Tivoli took Metro Venue of the Year, and Miami Marketta, the awards’ host venue, was voted Regional Venue of the Year. You can find the full list of winners below. Chair of the QMusic Board, Jake Challenor, said of this year’s award ceremony, “We love that we’ve been able to celebrate the 20th QMA in the People’s Choice Regional Venue of the Year, and we’re excited to see where we might end up in 2027. “Sharing these Awards with the broader Queensland community, as part of our commitment to putting the Q back in Queensland Music, not only allows us to return to our rock-n-roll roots but also helps us to connect industry throughout our state.” Embedded Content Full list of the 2026 Queensland Music Award Winners Category Award Winners Blues/Roots - Lontano, Way Too Long Children's Music - Joff Bush, I Don't Have a Chimney (ft. Emma Dean) Contemporary Classical presented by Griffith University - Abigail Lui & Camerata, Memory in the Distant Hills Country - Tori Darke, Remember Me Like That Electronic presented by Comiskey Group - Young Franco, Lose Control Folk - The Dreggs, We Don't Talk Heavy presented by The Lanes Fortitude Valley Festival - Upsetter, Best Years of My Life Hip Hop presented by Eumundi Brewery - Say True God?, COUNT US IN Jazz - Dami Im, Bubble Music for Screen - Georgia D'Arcy, Creek Music Video of the Year presented by PixelFrame - Loki Liddle & Joshua Tate, Breaking Into Heaven – Selve Pop presented by ARUGA - Jem Cassar-Daley, Kiss Me Like You're Leaving Rock presented by Miami Marketta - DZ Deathrays, Skyline Soul/Funk/RnB - BADASSMUTHA, BUB World Award presented by 612 ABC Brisbane - Tenzin Choegyal, Snow Flower People's Choice Awards presented by Oztix and The Music Festival of the Year - Maleny Music Festival  Metro Venue of the Year - The Tivoli Regional Venue of the Year - Miami Marketta Major Awards Album of the Year presented by Gold Coast Music Awards - Ball Park Music Highest Selling Album presented by QMusic - Ball Park Music  Highest Selling Single presented by QMusic - Fisher, Stay Export Artist presented by Sounds Australia - Hollow Coves Song of the Year, presented by City of Gold Coast through Invest Gold Coast - Jem Cassar-Daley, Kiss Me Like You're Leaving Lifetime Achievement presented by Hutchies - 4ZZZ  Industry Excellence Accessible & Inclusive Venue - Den Devine Breakthrough Artist presented by SAE University College - Odd Mob Indigenous Artist of the Year - JUNGAJI Producer of the Year, presented by APRA AMCOS – Mallrat Regional Artist of the Year - Djawarray Scholarships, Fellowships, and Awards – supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland The awards were presented at the Queensland Parliamentary Friends of Music event in March. Billy Thorpe Scholarship - Frank and Louis Carol Lloyd Awards - Paulina Dennis Mop Conlon Scholarship - Dubbzone Grant McLennan Fellowship - Banff Embedded Content

Ball Park Music, Jem Cassar-Daley & More Take Home Prestigious 2026 Queensland Music Awards

Respected Musician And Broadcaster James Valentine Passes Away, Aged 64 James Valentine, a respected figure in the worlds of music, broadcasting, and journalism, has passed away at the age of 64, the ABC have reported. Confirmed in a statement issued by his family, Valentine’s passing was aided by voluntary assisted dying, more than two years after he was first diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. "James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him," the statement read. "Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying." "Both he and his family are grateful he was given the option to go out on his own terms,” the statement concluded. “He was calm, dignified as always and somehow still making us laugh." Born in Ballarat, Valentine first rose to prominence in his late teens at the start of the '80s as a saxophonist, having moved to Melbourne to study jazz at Melbourne State College. By the age of 19, he found himself performing with groups such as Kids In The Kitchen and Pseudo Echo on Countdown, and was touring with the likes of Joe Camilleri, Kate Ceberano, and Sharon O'Neill. Joining Jo Jo Zep And The Falcons in 1982, Valentine would later become a member of the Models in 1984, performing on their most successful record, 1985’s Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight, whose title track topped the Australian charts and resulted in US tour dates alongside Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark. Embedded Content Performing as a member of Absent Friends in the late ‘90s, Valentine had by this point already launched a career as a television presenter, hosting the ABC's children's series The Afternoon Show from 1987 until 1990, and the short-lived TVTV in the mid-'90s. Turning his focus towards radio broadcasting, Valentine was a constant presence on the airwaves over the ensuing decades, appearing on the likes of ABC Radio Canberra and Sydney, and presenting the station's Afternoons show for 22 years. Following stints on the Breakfast show, Valentine returned to Afternoons in 2023. In March 2024, Valentine announced he had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, and in February 2026, he announced his retirement from the airwaves. The ABC’s managing director, Hugh Marks, paid tribute to the late broadcaster, describing him as "more than a presenter". "He has been a trusted companion for so many people, part of the rhythm of everyday life for generations of our Sydney audience," Marks said. "James brought warmth, wit, and humanity to radio as an exemplar of radio craft. His style was never about confrontation or noise — it was always about connection." Embedded Content

Respected Musician And Broadcaster James Valentine Passes Away, Aged 64

Chart File: Peach PRC’s 'Porcelain' Becomes 36th Aussie Debut Album To Top ARIA Chart Peach PRC’s Porcelain this week became the 36th Australian debut album to make it to #1 on the ARIA chart. Porcelain aced it on the Australian Albums Chart and #4 on both the Albums and Vinyl Albums charts. Hailed as a loving and intimate freeze frame of young queer culture, the Adelaide performer took to social media to thank fans. “This could only have happened with you guys, my silver cans, my peach pit, my faeries!!” she wrote. “You’ve always allowed me the space to grow and change and that feels so rare and special so I will honour that grace you’ve given me.  “Thank you for loving the art that I pour so much into, it’s magical and joyful to make even when it’s hard. so the fact that I get to make it because there’s people who want to hear it is something too deep for me to even touch. I can’t thank you enough.” It’s Peach’s second time at the top spot, but first time with an album. In 2023, her EP Manic Dream Pixie spent a week atop the Top 50. The ARIA Charts came into being in 1983. Before that, there was a mix of The Kent Report, in-house calculations by magazines as Go-Set and Juke, and listings by radio stations. So none of the ARIA Charts acknowledge earlier totem pole debut albums as Skyhooks’ Living In The ‘70s (1974) and Men At Work’s Business As Usual (1981). Here is a post-ARIA list. Jimmy Barnes – Bodyswerve (Top for 2 weeks, October 1984) After Cold Chisel’s first split, Barnes scooped together songs meant for Cold Chisel – including No Second Prize about the truck deaths of their roadies Alan Dallow and Billy Rowe – and Sam Cooke and Janis Joplin covers with tough blues-rock players. Barnes called it “so rough ..I was jumping in the deep end. I didn't have a clue, but I thought that was the best way to go." Crowded House – Crowded House (Top for 1 week, June 1987) After Split Enz split in Melbourne, Neil Finn and Paul Hester decided to stay together. Originally Bones Hillman of The Swingers was to be bassist, but Nick Seymour got the gig. Made in Los Angeles with Mitchell Froom, critics drooled over the hooks of Don't Dream It's Over, Mean To Me, World Where You Live, Now We're Getting Somewhere, and Something So Strong.  But Crowded House made another milestone. It ranks as one of the longest to take to the top spot – 45 weeks. It entered the charts on July 28, 1986, and took spot on June 8 the next year. 1927 – …Ish (Top for 4 weeks, early 1989) With a name derived from main songwriter Garry Frost’s saying “I haven’t done that since 1927!” and a record title to denote a blend of styles, there was a buzz about the pop hooks of That's When I Think Of You and Compulsory Hero. But after a year of trying to nail a record deal for them, producer Charles Fisher put it through his own Trafalgar Productions. Result: one of the biggest selling local debut albums. It went 6x Platinum (sales of 350,000) and stayed in the Top 100 for 71 weeks. The 12th Man – Wired World Of Sports (Top for 3 weeks, from January 24, 1988) Master impressionist Billy Birmingham sent up Wide World Of Sports hosts Mike Gibson and Ian Chappell, and commentators Richie Benaud, Darrell Eastlake, Jack Gibson, and Max Walker and won an ARIA for best comedy release. Ian Moss – Matchbox (Top for 3 weeks, from August 20, 1989) When Ian Moss started work on Matchbook he knew what he wanted – R&B with a guitar tidal wave, and touches of soul on the fringe.  The challenge was to keep the sound distinctive from Cold Chisel’s – especially since Chisel’s Don Walker wrote six of the ten tracks, and three were a collab between the two. The first sessions were in Nashville, but he pressed the destructo button and decided to make it in Australia. Two weeks before sessions began, he’d finished the melody to Tucker’s Daughter and whop-whooped around the house knowing he had a hit. He sent the cassette to Walker to finish off. The only lyric Moss had was, “Hey there, motherfucker!” which Walker knew had to go. After Matchbook peaked at #1, it stayed in the Top 10 for a further 14 weeks. It sold 200,000 copies. He won five ARIAs for Best Australian Debut Single, Best Australian Debut Album, Australian Song of the Year, Best Australian Album, and Best Australian Male Artist which gave him runs on the board to tour overseas. Baby Animals – Baby Animals (Top for 6 weeks, from February 1992) With the uber-charismatic dangeresque Suze DeMarchi grabbing listeners into the band’s whirring rifferamas, it was not surprising that Eddie Van Halen, Robert Plant, and Bryan Adams begged them to join their tours. Certified 8x Platinum, Baby Animals was the best selling debut Australian rock album until Jet's Get Born album 12 years later. Diesel – Hepfidelity (Top for 4 weeks, from March 22, 1992) To open up to his solo possibilities, Diesel’s approach to Hepfidelity was to take it back to square one. He explained, “Growing up, I would spend hours on the floor listening to records with headphones, dissecting every element. The second half of the recording process in LA for Hep was a product of that time.  “It was in that city that I got to work with maestro Phil Shenale on the under currents: the loops, pads, whistles, and bells from the sessions. We’d spend hours every morning mapping out what I was hearing in my head, with Phil bringing something to the studio for us to record on later in the day. That was always an exciting time: I was a kid in a musical candy store.” At the consoles Terry Manning, Don Gehman, and Rick Will tapped into Diesel’s head. So did Bernie Worrell (Parliament Funkadelic), Wayne Jackson & Andrew Love (The Memphis Horns), Al Green’s backing singers Rhodes, Chalmers & Rhodes, and Tommy Simms on bass and Yak Sherrit on drums. Diesel himself came up with some cracker songs as Love Junk, Come To Me, Tip Of My Tongue, Man Alive, and One More Time. Hepfidelity was certified 3× Platinum in Australia, and set the tone for Diesel’s heavy decade. Silverchair – Frogstomp (Top for 3 weeks, from April 1995) In 1994, both Mushroom and Sony Music’s new alt-rock imprint Murmur, were chasing Australia’s best known 15-year olds.  Murmur’s John O’Donnell clinched the pitch by casually mentioning he’d interviewed Nirvana as a journalist, and John Watson gave them a rare Pearl Jam live album which meant they were the only ones in Newcastle to have a copy. This sums up Frogstomp: its rawness came from being recorded in nine days with grabs as Tomorrow, Pure Massacre, and Israel's Son. Daniel Johns would reflect on what he liked about the record, “It sounds exactly like we sounded. The songwriting might not be genius, but I think sonically, the performances are really good. It's really honest; it's just three Australian kids thrashing it out in the studio and that's exactly how it sounds.” Savage Garden – Savage Garden (Top for 12 weeks, April 1997) In 1995, two unknowns from Brisbane calling themselves Bliss sent out a demo cassette tape covered with glitter to 150 music executives. They wrote great pop songs but grunge was ruling at the time, and only three replied. One wanted to put them in pirate costumes. John Woodruff got jazzed by songs such as Truly Madly Deeply, I Want You, and To The Moon And Back and got in touch immediately. Using his international contacts and radio-friendly instincts, he pulled off a masterstroke. Financing the album by extending the mortgage on his house and using international advances, he ensured it made money from day one. Australian record companies turned them down, so he went for the hungry Roadshow Music set up by a major film company of the same name. Savage Garden, which cost $150,000 to make, sold 12 million worldwide. It entered the ARIA chart at #1 and was certified 12x Platinum. It reached #3 in the US, and went Platinum in the UK, New Zealand and Singapore. Natalie Imbruglia – Left Of The Middle (Top for 1 week, August 23, 1998) Working with UK songwriters and producers, electro-pop Left Of The Middle had an awesome lead-off single Torn. It sold 7 million copies, going Top 5 in the UK and Top 10 in the US, and was nominated for a Grammy. Neil Finn – Try Whistling This (Top for 2 weeks, June 1998) For his debut solo record, Neil Finn was inspired by Beck’s Mutations album. "I wasn't pretending to make a record like that, but I did like the fact that he was using computers and loops yet somehow it sounded like a garage band—there's a real skill to that." It also topped the charts in New Zealand and went Top 5 in the UK, also charting in the US and throughout Europe. The Living End – The Living End (Top for 1 week, October 19, 1998) With a dynamic mix of punk and rockabilly, The Living End stormed out of Melbourne with the Top 5 double A-side single Second Solution/Prisoner Of Society as a rebellious calling card. They developed into a massive live act, with fist clenchers Save The Day, Monday, Have They Forgotten, West End Riot, and All Torn Down. The Living End, made in Melbourne’s Sing Sing Studios, with producer Lindsay Gravina, had within a year sold close to 300,000 units. Even after soaring to the top, it stayed in the Top 50 for 63 weeks. Taxiride – Imaginate (Top for 1 week, October 25, 1999) Melbourne band Taxiride’s first single Get Set was the signpost: with a sitar intro that broke into West Coast harmonies, off they went: “Get set everybody, we’re on our way to meet you…” It was used before soccer matches, in the Hollywood movie Election, a tourist ad for Melbourne, and for Village Cinemas. “But it was actually about Taxiride,” band member Jason Singh told The Music. “We were ready to start our journey and we were excited although we didn't know what was ahead.” What was ahead were eleven global executives (including Seymour Stein who signed Madonna) flapping open their cheque books.  Imaginate sold 200,000 copies around the world, opening the door for them to ARIA wins, double Platinum certifications, 80,000-strong crowds in France, Japanese fans hanging outside their hotel for ten days straight, chart success in America and radio and TV playlists in India. Imaginate also had an abundance of hit material such as Everywhere You Go, Can You Feel, and Nothing In This World. Killing Heidi – Reflector (Top for 7 weeks, from March 2000) Siblings Jesse and Ella Hooper from country Victoria had the songs and dreadlocks. Their svengali Paul Kosky was their investor, record label, publisher, producer and fashion stylist.  Reflector was fastest selling album in Australian music history, selling 350,000 copies, landing an ARIA for Album Of The Year and yielding hit singles Weir (#6), Mascara (#1) and Live Without It (#5). Vanessa Amorosi – The Power (Top for 1 week, April 10, 2000) Long before she owned the Sydney Olympics, a 13-year old Vanessa Amorosi and her remarkable voice were impressing at shows in a Russian restaurant in outer Melbourne. She signed her first record contract at 16, under the tutelage of execs Mark Holden and Jack Strom who rumouredly spent $350,000 to $500,000 on building up her art.  Major record companies turned her down, and new indie label Transistor took a chance and was rewarded when The Power sold 500,000 through the world. She stormed the Sydney Olympics with global hit Absolutely Everybody and Heroes Live Forever. Afterwards, Italian superstar tenor Andrea Bocelli wanted to meet to suggest a duet and Barbra Streisand’s manager rang to give Strom his home number and told him to call if they needed assistance with the US market. Bardot – Bardot (Top for 1 week, May 8, 2000) On the back of reality show Popstars on the making of a girl band, Bardot debuted at #1 and went double Platinum.  However as member Belinda Chapple revealed in her book The Girl In The Band: A Cautionary Tale the dramas backstage, the “ruthlessness” of the industry and being paid $33 a day, brought it to a crash. george – Polyserena (Top for 2 weeks, from March 11, 2002) Brisbane band george started out in 1996 as a regular hippie jam band of guitars, harmonica and cello on the deck of a student drop-in.  On a whim they entered the National Campus Bands Competition and chose george as a name. They won the heats but lost out to Canberra’s 78 Saab. They decided to keep going, developing a blend of blues, folk, and pop around the sublime songwriting and singing opera singer Maggie Noonan’s children Katie and Tyrone Noonan. With songs as Special Ones, Breaking It Slowly, and Release picked up by triple j they expanded their live following. An early label collapse owing them $30,000 delayed their first album.  Festival Mushroom agreed to their demands for artistic control, and george went off to The Grove in Gosford, NSW, for two weeks to make the record.  It was a magic time, Tyrone said. "We were just trying to create the most original music that we could — that was the central aim of the project.” Polyserena went gold in the first week and ultimately double Platinum for 150,000 sales. Delta Goodrem – Innocent Eyes (Top for 29 non-consecutive weeks, from March 31, 2003) Delta Goodrem’s first manager Glenn Wheatley pulled off a great music triumph. He landed her a role in Neighbours (when the soap still mattered) as aspiring star Nina Tucker writing songs for her first album. The show’s 1 million-per episode fell in love with 18-year old Goodrem and her songs. Five singles Born To Try, Lost With You, Innocent Eyes, Not Me Not I, and Predictable hit the top.  The album debuted at #1, staying there for 29 consecutive weeks (a record for an Australian) and selling 1.4 million here. World sales were 4.5 million. Goodrem’s success paved the way for generations of female singer songwriters who had her skills and ambition to identify with. Jet – Get Born (Top for 2 weeks, from May 17, 2004) Their influences were blatantly showing on that first record, but the Melbourne band clicked right into the guitar revival happening around the world.  A swathe of killer riffs and teen anthems as Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Rollover DJ, Look What You've Done, Cold Hard Bitch, and Get Me Outta Here – delivered gloriously by Nick Cester’s “rock” voice – saw them expand from being a staple diet on triple j to global attention on iPod ads and The O.C. soundtrack. Recorded in Los Angeles, some reviews sniffed at Get Born’s join-the-dots approach. But it went on to sell 5 million around the world. In Australia it was certified Platinum nine times and won 6 ARIAs, Top 20 in the UK and hit #26 in the US. Talking about the record’s strong dose of attitude, Cester told Songwriting Magazine, “We were still really young then, we were excited and pretty naïve, I guess. “But we were cocky and very much a gang. We had a good relationship with (producer) Dave Sardy… but it was us against him, us against the label, us against the managers.  “Maybe we didn’t need to be so aggressive with our opinions, but it was a bit of a defence mechanism at the time, because we were pretty overwhelmed with the situation that we’d found ourselves in.” Missy Higgins – The Sound Of White (Top for 4 weeks, from January 17, 2005) For someone who was thrown into the deep end of the music scene, Melissa “Missy” Higgins rose to the challenge. A song the 17-year-old wrote for a class project, All For Believing, was sneakily sent off by her sister to triple j Unearthed. An Unearthed concert had labels and managers gizzing over her. Among them was John Watson who heard the show on CD in his car and thought, “If this girl is halfway sane, I’m so doing this!” But headstrong and free-spirited, Higgins insisted rather than ride her wave in, she stick to her plan to hitch-hike through Europe with her best mate after her school years ended.  Most labels wanting a record out by Christmas pulled out of the running at this news.  But to the sound of applause from the media, Watson encouraged her to go overseas and grow as a person. He threw some money for the trip and a portable studio to write. She signed management with him and headed off. The plan didn’t work as expected. Higgins lost her guitar on a train in Spain, so only wrote one song. But more so, the Unearthed tape made its way to Los Angeles radio station KCRW, which broke Coldplay and Macy Gray. Seven American executives, including the legendary Clive Davis, wanted to meet her, so she had to divert to the US on the way to and from Europe wearing her business cap. The Sound Of White was recorded with producer John Porter. Aided with the singles success of Scar, Ten Days, and The Special Two, it was accredited 12x Platinum. It marked her as a ‘real thing’ songwriter whose subject matter reached a generation of women. Gordi, Amy Shark, Gretta Ray, and Alice Skye were just some who were inspired by her. Anthony Callea – Anthony Callea (Top for 3 weeks, from April 4, 2005) Ticked off by an 2004 Australian Idol judge for sounding “plastic”, Anthony Callea blasted back with a poignant cover of Celine Dion & Andrea Bocelli's The Prayer.  It gave him runner-up on the grand finale to Casey Donovan, and was fastest-selling single by an Australian act, occupying the penthouse slot for five weeks. The album entered at #1 and helped with more singles Rain/Bridge Over Troubled Water and Hurts So Bad, went double Platinum. It allowed him to continue his career as a songwriter, music theatre performer and touring artist. Natalie Bassingthwaighte – 1,000 Stars (Top for 1 week, March 2, 2009) Starting out in music theatre and a Neighbours stint as Izzy Hoyland, Natalie Bassingthwaighte made her name with electro-pop Rogue Traders. The single Voodoo Child was a hit in Australia, New Zealand, England, and Ireland. That opened the door for her debut solo album to be written and made over three months in London, Los Angeles and Sweden. It debuted at #1 with two hit singles going Platinum. Bassingthwaighte used its success, and her dynamic personality, to expand her career. Karise Eden – My Journey (Top for 6 weeks, from July 2, 2012) After suffering a traumatic childhood where she was fostered out because her single mother couldn’t cope and began self-harming, Karise Eden dropped out of school at age 12. A Janis Joplin documentary on TV shifted her priorities. Winning a season of The Voice Australia in 2012, four singles occupied the ARIA Singles Chart Top 5 – not done since The Beatles in 1964 – while My Journey debuted at #1 and was certified double Platinum. Flume – Flume (Top for 1 Week on February 4, 2013) Recognised globally as a future bass pioneer, Harley Streten’s composing career began at age 11 via a CD mixing and DJ program he found packaged in a box of Kelloggs' Nutrigrain. His 15-track 49-minute debut was made on the first laptop he got. His stage name was adopted from the Bon Iver song. The album was certified double Platinum in Australia and helped him sell 40,000 tickets on his first tour. Under guidance of manager and Future Classic founder Nathan McLay, it had a global release. The breakthrough and a Grammy win followed with 2016’s Skin. Harrison Craig – More Than A Dream (Top for 1 Week, July 1, 2013) Already a Music Captain at Sandringham College in Melbourne, Harrison Craig’s mother enrolled him in the Victorian Boys Choir and started private voice lessons to increase his confidence. Winning the second series of The Voice Australia where he was coached by Seal, decreased the stutter. The album went Platinum. RÜFÜS DU SOL – Atlas (Top for 1 week, August 19, 2013) After the three members met at school (their wider audio-visual collective also came from family and school), RÜFÜS DU SOL told Speaker TV “We made songs we wanted to hear and we got lucky it connected with people.” The title Atlas was apt. RÜFÜS DU SOL always had their eye on the world. Atlas (Sweat It Out) was made in Sydney but its tracks especially Desert Night and Sundream conveyed the spirit of exotic locations, with later albums made in Berlin and Los Angeles’ Venice Beach.  It was a good start to their journey to selling 750,000 tickets on their world tour last year. Taylor Henderson – Taylor Henderson (Top for 1 week, December 9, 2013) Although finishing second in the fifth season of The X Factor Australia in 2013, Sony Music Australia gave him a deal anyway. The album debuted at #1 and quickly went Platinum. The album contains his debut single Borrow My Heart along with ten versions of songs he did on the show, including those by Passenger, Mumford & Sons, and Rickie Lee Jones. Chet Faker – Built On Glass (Top for 2 weeks, from April 21, 2014) Nick Murphy didn’t release the first Chet Faker album Built On Glass until 2014. But he’d already become public property two years earlier via an album with Flume, and seeing his viral cover of Blackstreet’s No Diggity used in a Super Bowl ad. Built On Glass couldn't fail to strike. Based on the Motown and chill-out collections of his parents, it oozed emotion delivered through a weary voice. He told Interview that he learned something from the album. “If you write really personal songs, people are going to ask you even more personal questions about them.  “Some person was like, ‘What’s the story behind To Me.’ It’s the most fucking personal song on the record—I’m not answering that. I’m not a jukebox.” 5 Seconds Of Summer – 5 Seconds Of Summer (Top for 1 week, from July 7, 2014) When One Direction started tweeting about new music from Sydney’s 5 Seconds Of Summer (5SOS) it was more than plugs because both shared London-based Modest Management, founded by biz veteran Richard Griffiths. The UK media quickly sniffed out that ID own a share of London-based company 5SOS LLP. Its registered partners were the four 5SOSers and One Mode Productions, whose directors include 1D and Modest’s Griffiths and Will Bloomfield. With such connections, 5SOS delivered their brand of power-pop on their first album, in particular the four singles She Looks So Perfect, Don't Stop, Amnesia, and Good Girls. Matt Corby – Telluric (Top for 1 week, March 21, 2016) Released in 2015, Matt Corby’s first album was supposed to have come two years before. He’d gone to Los Angeles and cut 22 tracks. Then his sense of perfectionism kicked in and he scrapped the record and returned to Australia. The strategy was to reboot himself as a musician who was in charge of every aspect of his skills. He told triple j this included living in a shared house in Brisbane “full of really interesting characters", learning new instruments from scratch, then six months of isolation in Tweed River, and renting a cottage in Berry, NSW with producer Dann Hume and friend Alex Henrickson. The results, he said, were close to what he wanted, including, triple j reported, “the gospel-tinged Monday, oozing '70s jam Sooth Lady Wine (and) the ‘junktronica’ of Knife Edge.” Huskii – Antihero (Top for 1 week, February 21, 2020) Wollongong-born Sydney-based rapper Huskii had one good reason why Antihero only had seven tracks and ran 19 minutes long: after spending two years “in and out of jail” he had little time to write more. Jail time was just one result of a turbulent childhood when he lived in houses around NSW, separated from his siblings and exposed to violence, drug addiction and prostitution, with both parents spending time in jail. It also led to his own addiction and depression. The title of the record: “Feeling an outcast all my life, I am drawn to anti-heroes.” Antihero, he says, was the start of his return, when people began to love and support himself. On Ruin My Life he strutted, “It’s the fact I’m a GOAT!” The Kid LAROI – F*ck Love (Savage) (Top for 1 week, February 8, 2021) Made up of four mixtapes, The Kid LAROI’s F*ck Love (Savage) used producers as Benny Blanco, Bobby Raps, Cashmere Cat, and Taz Taylor while the original tracklist had cameos from Lil Mosey, Corbin Smidzik, and his late mentor Juice WRLD. A reissue had Machine Gun Kelly, Marshmello, Internet Money, and YoungBoy Never Broke Again. If there was a theme on the album, it was "...the messy breakdown of a destructive relationship that didn't sound too great to start with.” The Kid’s age of 17 years, 5 months, and 22 days when the record hit #1 in Australia made him the youngest solo artist to achieve it, and the second male First Nations act to top the chart after Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. In the United States, F*ck Love debuted at #8 with 49.3 million streams that week, and eventually rose to #1. Tones And I – Welcome To The Madhouse (Top for 1 week, July 26, 2021) Having become a grand wazoo with Dance Monkey, Toni Watson set out to prove on her first long player she was no novelty act. She told MTV News it would be self-produced, emphasising "These songs are completely me and my own production. It's not swayed by other songwriters or by anyone that's trying to help me get a hit, because that's never been important to me." The madhouse vibe came from the fact that Melbourne was a city with the most severe COVID-19 lockdowns. "I couldn't record a lot of the time in Melbourne; I wasn't allowed to leave the house. The music I wrote before I had to stop, because of the really intense lockdown, was really weird!  “I wrote this song called Welcome To The Madhouse; I just wrote three or four really weird songs, that I'd never written like that before. I explained it like trying to pull inspiration from living groundhog day over and over again!" Calum Hood – ORDER chaos ORDER (Top for 1 week, June 23, 2025) Being bassist with 5 Seconds Of Summer took Calum Hood from an unglamorous upbringing in Sydney’s western suburbs and an option of a professional career in soccer to a home in the Hollywood Hills and a reported fortune of US $20 million. Already known for writing for other acts such as the Black Veil Brides and Makeout, ORDER chaos ORDER showed off a wider array of Hood’s interests, including new wave and alt-rock, and songs as Don't Forget You Love Me and Call Me When You Know Better. It debuted at #1 in Australia.

Chart File: Peach PRC’s 'Porcelain' Becomes 36th Aussie Debut Album To Top ARIA Chart

Aussie Artists Score Post-Coachella Boost To Streaming Numbers Coachella has wrapped two sold-out weekends in the California desert. While it’s big-name headliners, Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G delighted fans at the festival and millions of viewers tuning in from home, a handful of Australian artists made a huge impact at the 2026 event. The impact of their performances was so serious that the artists racked up a significant streaming boost and made the stage their own. Sydney DJ and producer Ninajirachi – born Nina Wilson – leads the charge. In addition to delivering breakout solo sets across both weekends that featured special guest performers, Porter Robinson and underscores, and live debuts of their collaborations, she also took to the stage with PinkPantheress and Madeon. As a result, the iPod Touch hitmaker’s global Spotify streams have surged by 20%. Embedded Content Embedded Content So, the festival became Ninachella, but she wasn’t the only Australian artist to dominate online discourse and receive new fans. Queensland punk trio The Chats tore up the stage – and showcased NRL on the screen behind them – building to a 22% increase in global streams 24 hours after their performance at Coachella. Embedded Content Elsewhere, Gamilaroi singer, rapper, and songwriter The Kid LAROI received a massive global uptick in streams after Justin Bieber brought him on stage to perform their worldwide 2021 hit, STAY. Streams of the single leapt up by an incredible 56% globally. Embedded Content Another Australian punk rocker – Ecca Vandal – also performed at the festival ahead of her return home next month, when she opens for Deftones across the East Coast. Embedded Content Spotify AU/NZ’s Artist & Label Partnerships Lead, Leah Harris, said of Aussie artists who dominated Coachella, “Fans are discovering artists in real time, whether through live sets or viral collabs, and we’re seeing those moments quickly translate into global streams.” Ecca Vandal isn’t the only one touring in Australia soon. In July, Ninajirachi will bring her album, I Love My Computer, to fans across Australia. The tour is completely sold out. Last year, Ninajirachi became the most nominated artist at the ARIA Awards following the release of her debut album, I Love My Computer. She went on to win Best Solo Artist, Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist and Best Independent Release. She also won the prestigious 21st Soundmerch Australian Music Prize.

Aussie Artists Score Post-Coachella Boost To Streaming Numbers

Selve Detail 2026 Australian Tour Dates, 'Breaking Outta Heaven' EP It’s a big day for multi-award-winning Gold Coast-based alternative six-piece SELVE. Today, they’ve announced a companion EP to their recent album Breaking Into Heaven, plus headline tour dates along the East Coast. Today’s announcements arrive following a support slot with Playlunch and a festival season that included appearances at Spilt Milk, Lost Paradise, and St. Kilda Festival. They also come ahead of the group’s previously announced 20-date tour across Europe and the UK, which begins next week. SELVE have launched their new EP, Breaking Outta Heaven, with the fan-favourite, Desire, which you can check out below. The EP drops on Friday, 19 June – you can pre-order/pre-save it here. “Desire is an absolute favourite of ours; we play it at almost every gig despite it not being on [Breaking Into Heaven], and it’s often a crowd favourite,” frontman Loki Liddle explained. “It rocks, it is really fun, and it is basically just about that fire that gets you going out there in the world - fighting for what you value and believe in, fighting to bring a dream to life, or maybe giving absolutely everything for the person you love.” He continued, “Far from being the root of all suffering, desire is life force and the fire of the spirit. I hope Desire gives people full permission to drop into their highest frequency and just fucking go for it. Chase your dreams despite your parents’ concern, ask that cute person out on a date, be who you are loudly and proudly and be willing to burn the hedges of the maze down on your way to your answer.” SELVE will celebrate the release of Breaking Outta Heaven with a run of headline shows this winter. They’re set to perform at Brisbane’s Against The Grain festival on Saturday, 20 June, followed by Wollongong’s TBH Fridays on Friday, 10 July, Melbourne’s Lulie’s Tavern on Friday, 14 August, and Brunswick Heads’ Hotel Brunswick on Saturday, 22 August. Tickets are available via the band’s website. Last year, SELVE made history when they unveiled the first-ever full-length album recorded by an Aboriginal artist at the iconic Abbey Road Studios. The Breaking Outta Heaven EP was recorded between Midnight Special Records in the French countryside and during their recording stint at Abbey Road’s infamous Studio 3. Liddle explained, “Despite the awe of it all, I was gripped every day with the knowledge that I was only there because of those who have come before me, that I was sent there by my ancestors and my community because something bigger than myself was happening, and that my job was to devote myself to the music & story - and not get in its way so that it could communicate itself.” To find out more about Breaking Into Heaven, check out The Music’s recent cover story with SELVE. SELVE BREAKING OUTTA HEAVEN TOUR Saturday 20 June - Against The Grain, Turrbal Country, Magan-djin/Brisbane QLD Friday 10 July - TBH Fridays, Dharawal Country, Woolyungah/Wollongong NSW Friday 14 August - Lulies Tavern, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, Naarm/Melbourne VIC Saturday 22 August - Hotel Brunswick, Bundjalung Country, Brunswick Heads NSW Embedded Content

Selve Detail 2026 Australian Tour Dates, 'Breaking Outta Heaven' EP

Spiderbait Expand 'Ivy & The Big Apples' 30th Anniversary Australian Tour Beloved ‘90s rockers Spiderbait are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their seminal third album, Ivy & the big apples, with an epic tour across the country. Since the tour was announced last week, the shows have been met with phenomenal demand. Today, Spiderbait have added a second and final Melbourne show to their itinerary after their first sold out in record time. The show will take place on Thursday, 23 July, at Melbourne’s Forum. For both nights at the Forum, the band will be joined by special guests Magic Dirt. Pre-sale tickets for the newly announced Melbourne show will be available from 12 pm AEST on Thursday, 23 April, followed by the general sale at 1 pm AEST on Friday, 24 April. You can find more ticketing information on the Frontier Touring website. Tickets for all other shows are available now. This July, Spiderbait will perform their iconic 1996 album Ivy & the big apples in full, along with songs from their extensive catalogue. In addition to Magic Dirt, other special guests locked in for the tour include Custard, The Meanies, Tumbleweed, and The Gnomes. Ivy & the big apples marked a significant breakthrough for the band, not only propelling their music to a more polished sound but also taking them to new commercial heights. The record debuted at #3 in Australia, went double Platinum, and stayed in the ARIA Charts’ Top 50 for almost a year. While the singles Calypso and Hot Water & Milk were successful, it was Buy Me A Pony that cemented Spiderbait’s legacy, becoming the first homegrown song ever to win the triple j Hottest 100. The album also won the award for Best Alternative Release at the 1997 ARIA Awards. In a statement, the band described Ivy & the big apples as “Such an important album for us with lots of epic memories.” Presented by Frontier Touring SPIDERBAIT ​IVY & THE BIG APPLES 30TH ANNIVERSARY AUSTRALIAN TOUR - JULY 2026 ​WITH SPECIAL GUESTS CUSTARD, MAGIC DIRT, THE MEANIES, TUMBLEWEED (SELECT SHOWS ONLY) + THE GNOMES (PLAYING ALL SHOWS) SATURDAY 4 JULY - ​The Tivoli | Brisbane QLD (18+) ​With special guests Custard + The Gnomes ​ticketmaster.com.au SATURDAY 11 JULY - Ice Cream Factory | Perth WA (18+) ​With special guests The Meanies + The Gnomes ​eventbrite.com.au THURSDAY 23 JULY - ​Forum | Melbourne VIC (18+) | NEW SHOW ​With special guests Magic Dirt + The Gnomes ​ticketek.com.au FRIDAY 24 JULY - ​Forum | Melbourne VIC (18+) | SOLD OUT ​With special guests Magic Dirt + The Gnomes SATURDAY 25 JULY - ​Hindley Street Music Hall | Adelaide SA (Lic. All Ages) ​With special guests The Meanies + The Gnomes ​moshtix.com.au FRIDAY 31 JULY - ​Enmore Theatre | Sydney NSW (Lic. All Ages) ​With special guests Tumbleweed + The Gnomes ​ticketek.com.au Embedded Content

Spiderbait Expand 'Ivy & The Big Apples' 30th Anniversary Australian Tour

US Photographer's Court Case Against Amy Taylor Goes To Judicial Ruling Following Settlement Rejection The ongoing court case between US photographer Jamie Nelson and Amy Taylor of Amyl And The Sniffers is heading to a judicial ruling, with both sides reportedly rejecting a settlement offer. The case has been bubbling away for a few months now, with the dispute itself tracing back 2024, when Nelson had initially been recruited by Amyl And The Sniffers’ manager with the intent of securing her services for a shoot regarding the band's then-upcoming Cartoon Darkness album. Though this photoshoot reportedly fell through due to an alleged disagreement of terms, it is claimed that Nelson made contact with Taylor to organise another photoshoot, with the images to exclusively appear in the July 2025 edition of Vogue Portugal as part of a series titled Champagne Problems. It is alleged that Nelson made contact with Taylor in the hopes of obtaining permission to sell the images as art prints, but was told by the band’s manager that she did not have license or permission to do so. Despite this, a lawsuit filed by Taylor in December claimed that the images were offered and promoted on Nelson’s website and social platforms regardless, with the photographer allegedly refusing to comply with requests to remove all images from her website and social media accounts. Nelson refutes this, instead having claimed that she had received “responses [that] escalated in a way that [she] experienced as harassment," and having filed a restraining order prior to Taylor's lawsuit. In February, Nelson filed a counterclaim against Taylor for copyright infringement, and expanding her lawsuit to include "the band entity, Amyl and the Sniffers, and John Angus Stewart of PHC Films—Amy Taylor’s husband—who I contend published defamatory and untrue statements alongside one of my copyrighted images." While a Los Angeles Superior Court judge declined Nelson’s appeal for a restraining order last month, the copyright case continued, with court-ordered mediation resulting in both sides declining settlement offers this week. In a statement provided to The Music, Nelson has noted that she will now proceed toward a "judicial ruling on key legal issues involving copyright and publicity rights," adding that the Court had previously "dismissed Taylor’s federal false endorsement claim under the Lanham Act as legally insufficient," and denying Taylor's motion for default against Nelson on March 30th. “While I remain open to reasonable resolution, this case raises broader questions about how photographers’ rights are treated when creative work intersects with public figures and the music industry,” Nelson said in a statement.  “I am prepared to proceed and seek clarity from the Court.” The next hearing in relation to these matters will take place on April 27th, with the Court expected to issue further rulings.

US Photographer's Court Case Against Amy Taylor Goes To Judicial Ruling Following Settlement Rejection

Matt Corby Adds Second & Final Melbourne Date To 2026 Australian Tour Matt Corby’s upcoming Tragic Magic tour has been met with incredible demand, with the soul music troubadour adding another night for especially keen fans in Melbourne. Due to overwhelming demand for tickets, Corby’s Newcastle show immediately sold out. Tickets are also selling fast in Melbourne, with a second and final show at the Forum announced today. Corby will present tracks from his latest album, Tragic Magic, as well as fan-favourites from across his discography, when he tours across the country this June. Joining him on all dates is special guest Gretta Ray. The Brother hitmaker will now perform for two nights, back-to-back, at Melbourne’s Forum. There’s a low-ticket warning for the first night, Tuesday, 9 June, and a new show added for Wednesday, 10 June.  Tickets for the new date will be available on Friday, 24 April, at 11 am local time. You can find more ticketing information on the Frontier Touring website. Tickets to all other shows are now available. Matt Corby is touring in support of his just-released new album, Tragic Magic, which arrived last week. The album was listed as one of The Music’s Most Anticipated Australian Albums of 2026. Tragic Magic has been described as a “deeply personal and soul-soaked collection” of music by Corby, highlighting a “new chapter” in his private life and artistry. Throughout the record, he played most of the instruments and co-produced every track. To find out more about the album, check out The Music’s recent cover story interview with Matt Corby. Presented by Frontier Touring and triple j MATT CORBY + special guest Gretta Ray THE TRAGIC MAGIC TOUR - JUNE 2026 Wednesday 3 June - Thebarton Theatre | Adelaide, SA | Lic. All Ages ​ticketmaster.com.au Thursday 4 June - Riverside Theatre | Perth, WA | Lic. All Ages ​ticketek.com.au ​ Tuesday 9 June - The Forum | Melbourne, VIC | 18+ | FINAL TICKETS! ​ticketek.com.au Wednesday 10 June - The Forum | Melbourne, VIC | 18+ | NEW SHOW! ​ticketek.com.au Friday 12 June - Civic Theatre | Newcastle, NSW | SOLD OUT Sunday 14 June - The Fortitude Music Hall | Brisbane, QLD | 18+ ​ticketmaster.com.au  **Also playing - not a Frontier show: Saturday 6 June - Winter Wine Festival | Gerringong, NSW Saturday 13 June - VIVID, Tumbalong Park | Sydney, NSW Embedded Content

Matt Corby Adds Second & Final Melbourne Date To 2026 Australian Tour

Eye-watering Coachella Merch Sales Revealed Coachella might have been and gone already, but the rolling impacts of the annual Californian festival continue. Vogue Business has reported that headliner Justin Bieber smashed merchandise records at this year’s festival, taking home an eye-watering figure of $15 million via his brand, Skylrk. Bieber was recently announced as the highest-paid artist in Coachella history, receiving $10 million across two weekends, and he sold more merch in the first weekend than any other artist who’s played at the festival. By selling $15 million worth of merchandise over two weekends, Bieber has easily beaten Coachella’s previous artist merch sale record of $1.7 million. The Sorry hitmaker made $5.04 million in sales over the first weekend, but the second weekend blew it out of the water, selling an additional $10 million to punters at the festival and via the online Skylrk website. At the festival, Bieber sold Skylrk-produced SWAG merchandise at the festival’s merch tent, as well as the brand’s own shop in a resting spot at the festival. Complex Style has also shared the prices of Bieber’s SWAG merchandise. Hoodies ended up being sold between $140 to $240 USD – that’s $195 and $335 AUD, while t-shirts sold for $90 ($125 AUD) and beanies were sold for $50 ($69 AUD). If they were the merch prices for Bieber, we can only imagine the prices for other artists and for festival-branded merchandise. You can see more of the SWAG merchandise below. Bieber made headlines on both weekends of the festival – the first for a more intimate, stripped-back vibe that included revisiting his older material by exploring videos on YouTube and singing along, and the second for the special guests he brought on stage. At the end of his first suite of songs, Bieber debuted his SWAG song SWEET SPOT alongside special guest Sexyy Red. The special guests didn’t stop there. After an acoustic-focused Act II, he was joined by back-to-back special guests. During a performance of One Less Lonely Girl – his first since 2020 – Bieber’s wife, Hailey, pushed a seemingly unsuspecting Billie Eilish onto the stage, and she promptly burst into tears. Eilish later took to her Instagram Stories to share a photo of herself with red, teary eyes and wrote, “can’t stop crying.” After Eilish joined Bieber on stage, it was Big Sean’s turn to join him for some throwbacks, such as 2012’s As Long as You Love Me and 2015’s No Pressure, both performed for the first time since 2017. While Bieber did briefly boot up the laptop to showcase an old YouTube acoustic cover of Justin Timberlake’s classic, Cry Me a River, his set came to a close with Dijon coming on stage for the SWAG track, DEVOTION, and SZA with a performance of her SOS song, SNOOZE. Embedded Content

Eye-watering Coachella Merch Sales Revealed

'A Beautiful Full-Circle Celebration': Madonna's Manager Praises Sabrina Carpenter For Surprise Coachella Performance On Friday (17 April), Sabrina Carpenter returned to the Coachella stage, headlining the Californian festival for its second weekend. And while special guests were included during her Weekend One set, for Weekend Two, she welcomed the Queen of Pop, Madonna, to the stage—winning the approval of the singer’s longtime manager. The moment arrived during the fifth act of Carpenter’s set – towards the end of the show. As a performance of Juno came to a close, the screens on the stage (and the YouTube stream) turned to black-and-white, heralding Madonna’s entrance to the intro of Vogue. Madonna rose to the occasion, holding Carpenter’s hand as she appeared on a Coachella stage for the first time in two decades – her last performance at the festival was on an EDM stage. Together, the pair performed Vogue, Madonna and Carpenter unveiled the live premiere of her upcoming song, Bring Your Love, then they performed Get Together and the timeless Like a Prayer. While she was on stage, Madonna also discussed her last appearance at Coachella and delved into astrology. Embedded Content Embedded Content Embedded Content Following the performance, Madonna’s manager, Guy Oseary, praised Carpenter for showing her respect and appreciation for the Queen of Pop and recalled his first time meeting the Espresso hitmaker. “20 years since @madonna first performance at @coachella, a beautiful full-circle celebration,” Oseary wrote in an Instagram post, where he also shared a video of Madonna and Carpenter on stage. “On behalf of @saramariezam and I at @maverick, thank you to the very kind and talented @volaramgmt team. And most of all, @sabrinacarpenter.” Remembering the first time he met Carpenter—at the SNL 50 party last February—Oseary continued: “I first met Sabrina at the SNL 50 party, where we bumped into each other walking thru the party. “She told me how much she loved Madonna. Minutes later, she was asked to join the house band at that party to sing an impromptu song: the song she chose: ‘Like A Virgin.’” He concluded his post, “She has always shown love for the Queen, repeatedly… and last night the mutual love was shown and shared with the world.” After her Coachella Weekend Two headline performance, Carpenter took to Instagram and reflected on the moments shared with Madonna. “Coachella weekend 2 might take the damn cake,” she wrote. “Madonna …..I’ve got something i wanna talk about! thank you for coming out, bringing your love, and gracing the audience with everything you are + astrology knowledge + the greatest songs of all time. Last night was straight out of a dream. spending so much time laughing with you and then above all sharing the stage with you is a privilege I’ll never forget.” Embedded Content

ICYMI: 'A Beautiful Full-Circle Celebration': Madonna's Manager Praises Sabrina Carpenter For Surprise Coachella Performance

Blur's Alex James Announces 'Britpop Classical' 2026 Australian Tour Blur’s Alex James is heading to Australia in November, today announcing a different kind of tour than what fans are used to from the bassist. After a run of sold-out shows across the UK, Mellen Events is bringing Alex James’ Britpop Classical tour to Australia. The shows feature James, special guest performers, and classical arrangements that bring hit Britpop-era songs to life alongside a full, live orchestra. “Somehow all of these songs mean more to people now than they did when they were first released,” James commented in a statement. He added, “Bringing them back to life with a symphony orchestra, a kick-ass band, some old friends and very special guests have been brilliant – and I absolutely cannot wait to get this show to Australian audiences.” Embedded Content James leads the shows, which will take place at Gold Coast’s The Star on Tuesday, 3 November, the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on Wednesday, 4 November, Melbourne’s Palais Theatre on Friday, 6 November, the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Sunday, 8 November, Sydney’s State Theatre on Tuesday, 10 November, and Perth’s Riverside Theatre on Thursday, 12 November. Mastercard cardholders and Mellen Events subscribers can access pre-sale tickets on Wednesday, 22 April, at 11 am local time. The general sale follows on Friday, 24 April, at 11 am local time. You can find more ticketing information on the Mellen Events website. Britpop Classical is created and performed by Alex James. The show spotlights the golden age of Britpop, featuring classic tunes by Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Supergrass, and The Verve, reimagined in a symphonic format starring a live band, guest vocalists, and local orchestras. The unique show transforms familiar anthems into something fresh, ambitious and emotionally resonant, making for an unforgettable night for fans of Britpop. ALEX JAMES’ BRITPOP CLASSICAL AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES 2026:   Tuesday 3 November - The Star, Gold Coast, QLD Wednesday 4 November - Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, QLD Friday 6 November - Palais Theatre, Melbourne, VIC Sunday 8 November - Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, SA Tuesday 10 November - State Theatre, Sydney, NSW Thursday 12 November - Riverside Theatre, Perth, WA Embedded Content

ICYMI: Blur's Alex James Announces 'Britpop Classical' 2026 Australian Tour

Justin Bieber Invites Billie Eilish, SZA & More On Stage At Coachella Weekend Two Justin Bieber’s headline performance at Coachella weekend one last Saturday (11 April) received mixed reviews after he brought out a laptop and essentially delivered karaoke performances of some of his older songs. However, this weekend (18 April), he did something a little bit different. At the end of his first suite of songs, Bieber debuted his SWAG song SWEET SPOT alongside special guest Sexyy Red. The special guests didn’t stop there. After an acoustic-focused Act II, he was joined by back-to-back special guests. As Bieber fans revelled in nostalgia of tracks like Baby and U Smile, Bieber surprised fans when he launched into a performance of One Less Lonely Girl – his first since 2020. Originally released in 2009, the track became known for its ritual where the singer would bring a female fan on stage. For his Coachella performance, Bieber’s wife, Hailey, pushed a seemingly unsuspecting Billie Eilish onto the stage, and she promptly burst into tears. Eilish later took to her Instagram Stories to share a photo of herself with red, teary eyes and wrote, “can’t stop crying.” Embedded Content After Eilish joined Bieber on stage, it was Big Sean’s turn to join him for some throwbacks, such as 2012’s As Long as You Love Me and 2015’s No Pressure, both performed for the first time since 2017. Embedded Content The Line of Best Fit notes that before leaving the stage, Big Sean had the following to say about his collaborator: “I’ve seen a lot of the things you’ve gone through. I’ve seen you at times when it wasn’t always beautiful, but you fought through it, and in a world where everyone’s trying to take over the world, you give over the world, bro.” While Bieber did briefly boot up the laptop to showcase an old YouTube acoustic cover of Justin Timberlake’s classic, Cry Me a River, his set came to a close with Dijon coming on stage for the SWAG track, DEVOTION, and SZA with a performance of her SOS song, SNOOZE. Bieber concluded his set with new single DAISIES. Rewind the Coachella replay to check out the highlights from the performance below. Embedded Content

ICYMI: Justin Bieber Invites Billie Eilish, SZA & More On Stage At Coachella Weekend Two

The Damned Announce Farewell Australian Tour After returning to Australia for a “final” tour in early 2024, The Damned have announced more shows for this September. When they visited in 2024, the shows marked the first tour since 1989 to feature the band’s classic line-up of Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies and Paul Gray. The band are often regarded alongside The Clash and The Sex Pistols as a seminal force in music, thanks to their frenetic fusion of punk rock, gothic influences, and dark lyrics. Formed in 1976, The Damned’s career spans over four decades and includes numerous acclaimed albums, including Damned Damned Damned, Machine Gun Etiquette, and Phantasmagoria.  Performing as part of their 50th anniversary farewell celebrations – the Final Damnation 50 tour – this year’s run of shows is centred around a landmark show at the Sydney Opera House. To this day, The Damned continue to deliver chaotic, theatrical, and unforgettable performances. And this year, they’ll perform the most definitive shows of their career. Beginning the trek in New Zealand at Auckland’s Powerstation on Tuesday, 8 September, the band will then journey to Australia, performing at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday, 10 September, Brisbane’s The Tivoli on Friday, 11 September, and Melbourne’s Forum on Sunday, 13 September. Pre-sale tickets will be available on Wednesday, 22 April, at 9 am local time, followed by the general sale on Friday, 24 April, at 9 am local time. You can find more ticketing information on The Phoenix. “Half a century on and who’d have thought we would still be upright and breathing?” asked Rat Scabies. “We never thought we’d make it this far, and neither did you! But here we are. A finely tuned engine. The Damned still has the power and finesse to excite, entertain and accelerate into our 50th year.” Captain Sensible added, “With 50 years of catalogue to choose from, only the best songs from our chequered history will be performed - and with the passion and commitment all good music lovers deserve. You know we won’t disappoint.” THE DAMNED FINAL DAMNATION 50 - AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND 2026 TOUR DATES   Tuesday 8 September - Powerstation, Auckland Thursday 10 September - Sydney Opera House, Sydney Friday 11 September - The Tivoli, Brisbane Sunday 13 September - Forum, Melbourne Embedded Content

ICYMI: The Damned Announce Farewell Australian Tour