Spotify Celebrates a Thriving Australian Music Industry With Pop Sensation Tones And I

Around the world, the shift toward streaming has completely transformed the music industry, and Spotify has led that charge. That includes in Australia, where Spotify is helping artists grow their revenues and audiences in big ways. Just ask Tones And I, the busker turned international pop star.

Tones And I joined Spotify’s Loud & Clear event at Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra to celebrate the growth of the country’s music industry, as well as the discoverability and global stage presence of Australian artists. Tones delivered a surprise performance for attendees including Minister for the Arts The Hon Tony Burke MP, representatives from Music Australia (a dedicated body to support and invest in the Australian contemporary music industry), and members of Parliament. The showcase included a stripped-back version of her 2019 smash hit, “Dance Monkey,” which reached 3 billion streams on Spotify earlier this year—making her the first woman to reach that milestone for a single track.

“Since I joined the industry, Spotify has really almost been a part of my core team,” said Tones. “I remember being on Spotify’s Front Left playlist when I was just coming up. It’s such a great platform for small artists to showcase their music and [connect] with people that otherwise may never hear their songs.”

Tones is just one example of how Australian artists are finding success on the global stage through streaming. Earlier this year, Spotify released our annual music economics report, Loud & Clear, which provides a valuable, fact-driven resource for artists, fans, and the industry.

In 2023, more than 80% of all royalties generated by Australian artists on Spotify were from listeners outside of the country, with Brazil, Mexico, and Germany emerging as new export markets for local artists. Globally on Spotify, Australian artists were discovered by first-time listeners more than 2.7 billion times last year, and more than 4,000 local artists were added to our editorial playlists.

“The opportunities that exist [for Australian artists] with Spotify are phenomenal,” said Minister Burke. “I’m very grateful to the Australian [Spotify] team for everything that’s being done to promote Australian artists—there is an extraordinary story there, with Tones And I in particular.”

With more artists having a seat at the table and the ability to make money from their art, Australia’s music industry is bigger than ever. In 2023, royalties generated by Australian artists from Spotify reached nearly 275M AUD, up almost 10% since 2022. Approximately half of these royalties were generated by independent artists.

“Every day at Spotify we have the privilege of shining a light on the incredible talent in this country, so we are thrilled to put a spotlight on these artists and talk about Australian music discovery through Loud & Clear,” said Spotify Australia Managing Director Mikaela Lancaster. “Today on Spotify, listeners are discovering more music than ever before—and Australian artists are right up there on the global stage. Make no mistake, Australia is a music export powerhouse. We also recognize the work of Music Australia as part of the government’s National Cultural Policy in this space and engaging with industry.”

For more insights on the economics of music streaming, head to Loud & Clear.