Music Industry Facts

Music is One of Australia's Most Important Industries

Industry Statistics

• The global market for Live Music was estimated at US$28.1 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach US$79.7 Billion by 2030, growing 16.1% from 2023 to 2030.
  
  
• The Australian recorded music industry posted its sixth consecutive year of growth in 2024, with wholesale sales rising 6.1% to $717 million according to ARIA.
  
  
• The sector employs well over 40,000 people in Australia as well as the thousands of sole traders and micro-businesses involved in the industry.
  
  
• Creative industry contributes more than ⅔ higher GDP than the coal mining, accommodation and finance industries and employs 194,000 Australians. This is higher than finance (190,600), accommodation (97,500), electricity supply (65,000) and coal mining (49,600) (Australia Institute – Browne, April 2020).
  
  
• Subscription services represent 71.0% of Australia’s total music market, or $509 million, a figure 8.9% larger than 2023. Ad supported streaming models slowed dramatically however, from a 15.3% jump in revenue in 2023 to just 1.9% growth in 2024.
  
  
• Vinyl albums continue to be the star of the show for physical sales, growing 5.6% in revenue despite a very slight decline in the quantity of sales of 0.5%. Vinyl represented 72.8% of total physical sales in 2024 by dollar value and 45.7% of physical sales by volume.
  
  
• The Creative Australia Sound Check Insights into Australia’s music festival sector report states that 535 music festivals were presented across Australia in the 2022–23 financial year, with Victoria and New South Wales presenting the highest number of festivals – 149 each.
  
  
• Almost one in four music festivals in Australia is an electronic music festival (23% of festivals). Other popular genres are rock (21%), country (19%) and indie (17%). 
  
  
• More than one in three music festivals reported a deficit (35%, with a median deficit of $470,000).
  
  
• 18–24-year-olds are purchasing tickets at lower rates than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
  
  
• In 2018–19, before the COVID-19 pandemic, young Australians aged 18–24 were the primary consumer group for music festivals. However in 2022–23, those in their mid-to-late 20s were purchasing tickets at greater rates.
  
  
• There are between 2,000 and 3,000 live music venues in Australia, with each providing significant employment opportunities for their local community as well as maintaining vital regional touring circuits.

Health & Wellbeing

The music industry has previously benefited from research studies into the mental and physical health of industry workers. A 2016 study commissioned by Entertainment Assist and conducted by Victoria University revealed exponentially high rates of mental health problems within the industry.  

The findings presented a concerning picture surrounding the health and wellbeing for anyone working in the Australian Entertainment Industry.

• Suicide attempts for Australian Entertainment Industry workers are more than double that of the general population.
  
• The levels of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms are 10 times higher than in the general population.
  
• The levels of depression symptoms are five times higher than in the general population.
  
• In the last twelve months, Australian Entertainment Industry Workers experienced suicide ideation 5-7 times more than the general population and 2-3 times more over a lifetime.
  
• In the last twelve months, Road Crew members experienced suicide ideation almost 9 times more than the general population.
  
• One in twelve CURRENT working technicians has contemplated suicide.
  
  

Support Act is the music industry’s charity, delivering crisis relief services to musicians, managers, crew and music workers across all genres who are unable to work due to ill health, injury, a mental health problem or some other crisis. The organisation has played a crucial role in supoprting individuals in need.

In the last financial year alone, they’ve distributed over $770,000 in short term financial support to music workers battling serious medical issues, mental health concerns and other problems impacting their ability to work.

In March 2025, the Parliamentary Inquiry Into Live Music in Australia report was released with some important recommendations including many supported by the Joint Statement on this website.