This week in the music industry, Tasmania’s hugely successful midwinter festival Dark Mofo has received a new five year funding agreement from the Tasmanian Government, the finalists for the 2016 Art Music Awards have been announced and the National Live Music Awards announces its launch.
New funding for Dark Mofo
The Tasmanian Government, through Events Tasmania, have announced a new five year funding agreement with Mona, the organisers behind the popular Dark Mofo festival. The funding will total up to $10.5 million and is set to support the hugely successful festival until the year 2021.
Launched back in 2013, Dark Mofo is a midwinter festival held across the city of Hobart, featuring large-scale public art installations, live musical performances, as well as food and film events. In 2015, it was estimated that the festival returned around $46million to the local economy and created up to 400 new jobs.
The festival is set to return next year from June 8-21st.
National Live Music Awards
Due to the success of the AU Live Music Awards held in 2014 and 2015, this year Heath Media will be launching the National Live Music Awards. Coinciding with ARIA week, the awards will be presented at a gala event in Sydney on November 29, 2016.
Currently, it is estimated that local live music performances generate around $1.5-$2 billion annually and is the main source of income for many artists. The National Live Music Awards will be the first awards ceremony in Australia to solely focus on recognising the importance of live performance within the music industry. The awards will consist of national and state focused categories that are voted on by people involved with the live music industry including musicians, media, venues and bookers. The awards will also include a select category voted by the public.
More information on the National Live Music Awards can be found HERE.
2016 Art Music Awards finalists announced
Organised by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre (AMC), the Art Music Awards is an annual event focused on recognising the achievements in the composition, performance, education and presentation of Australian music. The awards consist of 11 different categories for music written, composed and performed within the past year.
The full list of finalists for the 2016 Art Music Awards can be found HERE.
The Roundup
Glen Shorrock from the Little River Band has signed a solo deal with Australian indie label Social Family Records and announced a new album Rise Again, due September 9, 2016. The upcoming album’s first single “Hear My Voice” is available now.
Melbourne indie label Our Golden Friend have signed Melbourne musician Jade Imagine, and released her new single “Stay Awake”.
Critically acclaimed Malaysian-Australian rapper, poet and author Oma Musa has signed on to Big Village Records. Musa’s debut EP Dead Centre is due August 5, 2016.
AIR 100% Independent Singles Chart
- Flume feat. Tove Lo – Say It
- Sia – Cheap Thrills
- Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You
- Hayden James – Just a Lover
- Sia – Alive
- Sia – Chandelier
- Sia – Elastic Heart
- Vance Joy – Riptide
- Vance Joy – Fire and the Flood
- Client Liaison – World Of Our Love
AIR 100% Independent Albums Chart
- Sia – This Is Acting
- Russell Morris – Red Dirt Red Heart
- King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity
- Sia – 1000 Forms Of Fear
- The Cat Empire – Rising With The Sun
- Luca Brasi – If This Is All We’re Going To Be
- Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
- Sticky Fingers – Caress Your Soul
- Camp Cope – Camp Cope
- Seth Sentry – Strange New Past
ARIA Singles Chart
- The Veronicas – In My Blood
- Drake feat. Wizkid & Kyla – One Dance
- Calvin Harris & Rihanna – This Is What You Came For
- Shawn Mendes – Treat You Better
- Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop the Feeling!
- Drake feat. Rihanna – Too Good
- The Chainsmokers feat. Daya – Don’t Let Me Down
- Meghan Trainor – Me Too
- Imany – Don’t Be So Shy
- Charlie Puth feat. Selena Gomez – We Don’t Talk Anymore
ARIA Albums Chart
- The Avalanches – Wildflower
- Delta Goodrem – Wings Of The Wild
- Blink-182 – California
- Adele – 25
- Beyonce – Lemonade
- Red Hot Chili Peppers – The Getaway
- Keith Urban – Ripcord
- Hillsong United – Of Dirt And Grace – Live From The Land
- ScHoolboy Q – Blank Face LP
- Drake – Views
———-