smh.com.au
Booming Country Music in Australia: A $1.11 Billion Industry
Australia's country music scene is experiencing a significant surge in popularity, generating \$1.11 billion in revenue in 2024-25 and attracting millions of attendees, driven by factors including social media trends and mainstream artist collaborations.
- What is the extent of the recent growth in Australia's country music industry, and what are its key drivers?
- The country music industry in Australia generated \$1.11 billion in revenue in 2024-25, a 79% increase from 2019. This boom is fueled by increased attendance (3.26 million people), higher spending per attendee (57% more than other genres), and the genre's rising popularity on social media platforms like TikTok.
- What are the potential future implications of this country music surge, considering current trends and artist behaviors?
- The continuing growth of country music in Australia suggests a sustainable industry expansion. The genre's mainstream adoption by pop artists and its organic growth through grassroots events suggest a long-term trend. Future revenue could further increase with potential re-engagement of artists like Taylor Swift in the genre.
- How has the growth of country music impacted the live music sector in Australia, and which demographics are most involved?
- Country music fans attend more live events and spend significantly more at these events than fans of other genres. Much of the growth is coming from young people in capital cities, with artists like Luke Combs selling out stadiums. The increased revenue and attendance have had a substantial positive impact on the overall live music industry.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article presents a largely positive framing of the resurgence of country music in Australia. The headline and opening paragraphs immediately establish the genre's booming popularity, using phrases like "riding high" and "unprecedented surge." While acknowledging the overall struggles of the live music industry, the focus remains heavily on country music's success. The inclusion of statistics about increased attendance and spending further reinforces this positive narrative. However, the article does include some counterpoints, such as the fact that country music still sits behind pop, rock, and EDM in overall popularity, providing a degree of balance. The article also mentions the exclusion of Taylor Swift from the country music statistics due to her self-classification outside of the genre.
Language Bias
The language used is generally positive and enthusiastic towards the country music resurgence. Words like "booming," "unprecedented surge," and "exploded" are used to describe the growth of the genre. While these terms are descriptive, they could be perceived as overly enthusiastic and lack the neutrality of terms like "increased" or "expanded." The article also quotes fans using subjective terms to describe the genre such as, "It makes you happy when you're sad." While this personal experience is valuable, it's important to recognize its subjective nature and potential to influence readers' perceptions. The use of terms like "hipster" to describe fans of country music carries a certain connotation, potentially influencing perceptions of what being a country music fan entails. However, the article attempts to balance this positive language by including the observations and data from industry professionals. Neutral alternative language might include replacing hyperbolic descriptors with more objective measurements and replacing subjective descriptions with data.
Bias by Omission
The article primarily focuses on the positive aspects of country music's growth in Australia. While it mentions the overall struggles of the live music industry, it does not delve deeply into those challenges or the potential negative impacts of the surge in popularity (such as increased ticket prices, venue capacity issues, or environmental concerns associated with large events). There is a lack of critical analysis on the broader implications of country music's rise. The article also largely omits discussion about the musical characteristics of this specific wave of popularity within the country genre. The article does, however, mention the different subgenres present in modern country music and hints at a variety of cultural factors influencing the rise in popularity. This does present some balanced context regarding the article's focus, thus preventing it from becoming overly positive.
Gender Bias
The article features a relatively balanced representation of genders in its sources. Both male and female figures from the music industry are quoted, providing different perspectives. However, the inclusion of Bella Bown's personal story might be considered to have disproportionate attention focused on personal experiences compared to other industry contributors. More detailed demographic data across fans of the genre could have been presented to avoid possible generalizations about gender representation. Additionally, there's little direct analysis or mention of gender representation in lyrics or imagery used within modern country music.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights a significant surge in popularity of country music in Australia, leading to substantial economic growth within the industry. This includes increased revenue, higher ticket sales, more attendees at events, and increased spending on related goods and services (food, drinks, merchandise). The growth is impacting various sectors, from artists and venues to related businesses. The substantial increase in revenue (79% increase from $619 million to $1.11 billion) directly demonstrates positive economic impact.