Community Radio Drives $153 Million Into Australia’s Music Economy Annually, Study Finds

Australian community radio stations contribute more than $153 million annually to the national music economy, according to a landmark new study that positions the sector as one of the country’s most vital engines for artist discovery and development.

The three-year Australian Research Council-funded study, led by researchers from Monash University and Griffith University (Associate Professor Shane Homan, Professor Susan Forde, and Professor Heather M Anderson), marks the first comprehensive economic analysis of Australia’s community radio sector. 

It found that 292 community radio stations are generating significant cultural and economic value through music discovery, artist promotion, live performance opportunities, training, and audience engagement.

According to the report, the top 39 “high-intensity” music stations alone contribute more than $105 million annually through artist promotion, studio access, live performance support and industry training initiatives. Researchers also found that for every dollar invested in community music radio, stations generate returns of up to $5.55, with a median return of $2.47 across those leading stations.

“Community radio is doing the heavy lifting in Australian music discovery and development,” Homan said. "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 that community radio stations broadcast 390,960 hours of Australian music over a 12-month period - more than double the amount played by all commercial radio stations combined.

Researchers also found that around 1.3 million Australians purchase gig tickets, merchandise or music each year after hearing artists on community radio. Among weekly listeners, 30% said they had discovered a local or emerging artist through the sector, while 19% had recommended or shared Australian music after hearing it broadcast.

Artists including Sarah Blasko, Courtney Barnett, Amyl and the Sniffers, and Sampa the Great were highlighted in the report as acts who 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,” Blasko said.

The report also highlighted the outsized role of Indigenous community broadcasters, with First Nations stations accounting for one-third of the top 39 most music-intensive stations nationally. Researchers found these broadcasters were deeply embedded within their communities and played a major role in representation, belonging and artist development.

First Nations rapper DOBBY said the importance of representation within community broadcasting could not be understated. “Seeing is believing. Representation matters,” he said.

Researchers said the findings provide strong evidence that community broadcasting should be recognised as essential infrastructure within Australia’s creative industries sector, calling for long-term strategic investment from government and industry bodies.