Australia rises as a global leader in electronic music

Australia is rapidly establishing itself as a leading force in the global electronic music industry. As revealed in the IMS Business Report, Australia is the third largest market in the world for electronic music – and an Australian fan, on average, streams more of the genre than anyone else on the planet.

In light of Amsterdam Dance Event, additional statistics further underscore the country’s explosive market growth. SoundCloud today reveals electronic music makes up a third of all streams on the platform in Australia—50% higher than the global average of 22%. Australian fans also engage with electronic music (liking, sharing, adding to playlists, and listening on repeat) more frequently than fans of other genres. The share of electronic music uploads in Australia continues to grow, rising to 35% of all uploads in 2024, compared to 28% in 2023.

According to Pollstar, Australia is home to some of the world’s best promoters, with three Australian brands ranking in the top 50 global list, including Untitled Group, Handsome Tours (TEG) and Frontier Touring among those selling the most tickets worldwide. The representation of Australian artists at Europe's premier electronic music festivals like Tomorrowland, Creamfields, Ultra Miami and Dekmantel has steadily increased over the past decade.

Australia is swiftly becoming an incubator for a new frontier of talent for global export, with electronic music as the country’s most prominent genre. This growth is creating significant opportunities for international collaboration. In 2023, royalties generated by Australian artists on Spotify reached nearly AUD 275 million, a 10% increase from the previous year. Notably, over 80% of these royalties came from listeners outside Australia, with Brazil, Mexico, and Germany emerging as key new markets. Last year, Australian artists were discovered by first-time listeners over 2.7 billion times on Spotify, and more than 4,000 local artists were featured on the platform's editorial playlists.

Australia boasts a dynamic electronic music scene, with techno and dubstep leading in the number of uploads by Australian artists on SoundCloud. Other prominent genres include House, Trance, and UK/Irish Dance. Australian electronic music has a significant international presence; house, techno, and hardstyle tracks from Australian artists have the widest global reach. While House commands the most listeners and total listening time among Australian fans, Hardcore music secures the most streams, and Trance ranks third in total listening time.

As a vital and growing part of the international music market, Australia is increasingly recognized as a destination for electronic music talent, with many acclaimed international artists touring Australia each year. Almost one in four music festivals in Australia (23%) is dedicated to electronic music, highlighting its central role in the country’s music culture.

These developments highlight Australia's burgeoning influence in the global electronic music scene and its role as a key player in shaping the future of the genre worldwide.

The 2024 edition of Amsterdam Dance Event will welcomes Australia House, situated in the heart of the city at Box Sociaal Jordaan. Bringing together influential industry players and trailblazers from around the world, the house served as an industry meeting hub with free Aussie coffee in the morning. From lunch and into the evening, Australia House will provides an opportunity to celebrate Australian talent with a series of exclusive events on Wednesday October 16 and Thursday October.