AMRAP RADIO RESEARCH: Community Radio Delivers $153 Million to Australian Music Economy, Landmark Study Finds
“Community radio is doing the heavy lifting in Australian music discovery and development."
Associate Professor Shane Homan (Monash University)
New Australian Research Council (ARC) funded research reveals community stations are the lifeblood of Australian music discovery, artist development and cultural connection
Australian community radio stations contribute more than $153 million annually to the national music economy, according to groundbreaking new research led by Monash University and Griffith University.
Launched the Victorian Music Development Office's (VMDO) Music and Data Insights Summit, the three-year Australian Research study, the first economic analysis of Australian community radio, found that 292 community radio stations are driving music discovery, artist development, live music attendance and audience engagement across the country, largely powered by volunteers.
Led by Associate Professor Shane Homan (Monash University), Professor Susan Forde (Griffith University) and Professor Heather M Anderson (Monash University), the research establishes for the first time the scale of community radio’s economic, cultural and social contribution to Australia’s music ecosystem.
The report found that the top 39 high-intensity music stations alone contribute more than $105 million annually through artist promotion, live performance opportunities, studio access and music industry training.
Researchers found that community radio is one of the nation’s most important pathways for discovering and developing Australian artists, especially emerging, independent, diverse and First Nations musicians. For every $1 invested in community music radio, stations generate returns of up to $5.55, with a median return of $2.47 across high-intensity stations.
Associate Professor Shane Homan said the findings confirmed what artists and audiences have understood for decades: “These stations provide critical first exposure for artists who are often overlooked elsewhere, while also creating direct economic benefits for the wider music industries.”
The study found community radio stations broadcast 390,960 hours of Australian music in 12 months, more than double the amount played by all commercial radio stations combined.
Community radio’s influence extends well beyond airplay. The research found that approximately 1.3 million Australians each year purchase gig tickets, merchandise or music after hearing artists on community radio.
L-FRESH The LION said community radio delivered direct audience outcomes for emerging artists, “if we went and did a live performance on air at a community radio station the day before the show, we were selling a minimum of 20 to 30 tickets the next night. And that’s huge when you’re trying to break into new spaces,” he said.
Among weekly listeners, 30 per cent, approximately 1.6 million Australians, discovered a local or emerging artist through community radio, while 19 per cent recommended an Australian artist to friends or shared their music online after hearing them broadcast.
Artists including Sarah Blasko, Courtney Barnett, Amyl and the Sniffers, and Sampa the Great, all built early momentum through community radio support. “I’ve had almost no commercial airplay. So my whole career has been built on community radio and ABC stations,” said Sarah Blasko.
The report also highlights the critical role of Indigenous community radio stations, identifying them as among the most music-intensive broadcasters in the sector and deeply embedded within their communities.
First Nations stations account for one-third of the top 39 most music-intensive stations nationally, with audiences reporting strong feelings of ownership, representation and belonging through dedicated First Nations music programming and artist-focused content.
“Seeing is believing. Representation matters,” said First Nations rapper DOBBY
Researchers say the findings provide governments and industry bodies with the strongest evidence yet that community broadcasting is a vital part of Australia’s creative industries infrastructure and deserves long-term strategic investment.
KEY FINDINGS
• 292 Australian community radio stations contribute $153.1 million annually to the Australian music economy
• The top 39 high-intensity stations contribute more than $105 million annually
• Up to $5.55 returned for every $1 invested (median return of $2.47 for the top 39 high-intensity stations)
• 390,960 hours of Australian music broadcast annually across the sector
• 30% of weekly listeners discovered a local or emerging artist through community radio
• Approximately 1.3 million Australians buy tickets, merchandise or music after hearing artists on community radio
• First Nations stations make up one-third of the most music-intensive stations nationally
The research was conducted in partnership with the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia, the Community Broadcasting Foundation, Creative Australia and APRA AMCOS.