I’m obsessed with podcasts, in general, and the ones about music and the music business, in particular. There – I said it.
Anybody who shares my opinion will know they’re an invaluable source for discovering up-and-coming acts, refreshing one’s playlists, and staying on top of industry news and trends.
So today, let me share a few shows made in Oz or covering the scene in the Land Down Under that are particularly worth Aussie music fans’ while.
ART 256 OF “AM I EVER GONNA SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN?” A RANDOM COLLECTION OF UNKNOWINGLY OBVIOUS FACTS ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE
There’s a plethora of international shows run by iconic music outlets in the virtual world. While they’re of great quality and hosted by prominent media personalities who frequently invite Grammy-winning artists for chats about pretty much anything, I’m more drawn to niche, low-key pods covering less-discussed scenes and local music communities.
I featured some of my favourite Aussie music shows on this blog a few years ago, claiming they can make you the local scene’s expert. And I stand by that claim today as well. You’ll find there a pod about a significant part of Australian music’s history, as well as conversations with acts currently making waves in the music scene Down Under.
The Aussie music podcast landscape has changed quite a bit since I blogged about the topic for the first time, though. Some hosts have continued to deliver insightful content (like Tim Blackwell with his “Introducing” project). And some promising ones have, quite unexpectedly, stopped releasing new episodes/seasons (i.e. “180 Degrees” with Mikey Cahill).
Luckily, some fun new ones have emerged along the way. And I’ve come across some cool older ones, too. So, let’s dive into the realm of Aussie music podcasting, with the shows that have caught my eye this year, in order of their longevity, starting with the one that started the earliest.
Homebrewed: An Australian Music Podcast
Podcast launch: November 2017
Podcast format: The hosts break down what’s happening in the Aussie and global music scenes and interview local musos.
Podcast theme: Episodes are not usually linked to one another, but they are often a pretty on-point commentary on recent industry developments.
Podcast frequency: Weekly on Wednesdays, but if there’s a chat with an artist, also on Sundays.
Episode length: In the range of 30-90 minutes
The hosts: Cameron Smith and Eamonn Snow are schoolmates, passionate music lovers, music journos and radio broadcasters from the Central Coast, NSW (and proud of it).
Some Aussie acts featured on the show: WILSN, Art vs Science, Playlunch, Little Quirks, Old Mervs
Some industry topics covered on the pod: Has streaming cheapened our relationship with music? + Principles protecting musicians against the threat of AI + Climate change impacting live music events + Pill testing at festivals
Why it’s worth your while: As a music fan first and foremost myself, I’m all for supporting hosts who are not afraid to fan out sometimes. What I also appreciate is that they have the balls to share unpopular opinions when the occasion calls for it. Aaaand they always do it with humour, respect and backed up by research.
Silly Talks Music by Silly McWiggles
Podcast launch: December 2021
Podcast format: Conversations with people working in different capacities in the music biz, like musos, managers, event organisers, publicists, journalists, etc.
Podcast theme: No overarching theme, but each episode comes with an industry-specific topic that frequently surfaces during the conversation with the guest.
Podcast frequency: As interviews happen.
Episode length: Anywhere from 15 minutes to over 1 hour, depending on the depth of the interview
The host: Silly McWiggles – that’s right, ladies and gents – it’s yours truly, writing these words. I’m a Europe-based music fan, curator and creative who – pretty unexpectedly – fell in love with the Aussie music scene while living in Melbourne some time ago.
Some Aussie acts featured on the show: Caiti Baker, Bella Amor, Fanny Lumsden, Newgate Crowd, DEVAURA
Some industry topics covered on the pod: The challenges of sustainable vinyl pressing + Managing a virtual band + How Oz fares in the world as an accessible music scene + First Nations’ artists’ place in the music biz in Australia
Why it’s worth your while: It’s tricky to brag about your own music show, but I’ll do my best. This is a DIY pod for any (Aussie) music fan interested in topics close to the host’s (my) heart that are often overlooked in the biz. The chats focus on the “real talk”: actual case studies and music industry experiences told first-hand by people who have something meaningful to say (even if it’s sometimes a critique).
Behind the Rolling Stone Cover
Podcast launch: April 2023
Podcast format: The host reads from the mag’s articles, occasionally interviews a muso or shares a live panel discussion.
Podcast theme: No overarching theme, but – as the show’s name suggests – most episodes are centred around the mag’s covers.
Podcast frequency: Hard to say, really – I guess episodes drop when they’re ready.
Episode length: Sometimes 25 minutes, sometimes an hour
The host: Poppy Reid a journalist, editor and co-founder of various Australian publications, including Rolling Stone and Variety AU.
Some Aussie acts featured on the show: Kate Ceberano, Cold Chisel, Tash Sultana, Amy Shark, The Amity Affliction
Some industry topics covered on the pod: Making a Rolling Stone cover + Behind the scenes of iconic photoshoots + Addiction and recovery
Why it’s worth your while: While I have the impression that Poppy is still trying to figure out what exactly she wants the show to be, who doesn’t love going behind the scenes of legendary events or memorable interviews?! Better yet – it’s all about hearing some proper insider’s goss.
Listen Up with Ash McGregor
Podcast launch: October 2025
Podcast format: Conversations with musos and the host’s tips, opinions, and recommendations about the local and international music scenes
Podcast theme: No overarching theme – episodes are not linked to one another.
Podcast frequency: Most likely, it is meant to be a weekly show. But the episodes seem to drop pretty irregularly, sometimes once and sometimes twice a week.
Episode length: Anything from 6.5 mins to 1 hour
The host: Ash McGregor is a music presenter, radio personality and programmer. Most notably, she’s a former host of triple j’s ‘Home & Hosed’ segment.
Some Aussie acts featured on the show: Boy Soda, Royel Otis, The Temper Trap, Cyril, Yng Martyr
Some industry topics covered on the pod: Humble beginnings vs global success + Returning after a longer hiatus + Saying yes to every opportunity + Redefining Australian pop
Why it’s worth your while: Having worked in the local music biz for quite some time, in various outlets and in different capacities, Ash brings a wealth of knowledge about the scene to the show. But her “music hub” also means laid-back vibes. Most episodes feel like regular banter with your best friends on the sofa in the living room. And I like stuff that feels just a little bit more authentic.
Fan to Fan
Podcast launch: November 2025
Podcast format: The hosts exchange their opinions on various music and non-music-related topics. Plus, they chat to musos sometimes.
Podcast theme: No overarching theme – episodes are not linked to one another.
Podcast frequency: At the beginning, it looked like it was going to be a weekly Monday show. Now, it looks like episodes drop a bit more randomly.
ns Episode length: Mostly 30 to 60 minutes
The hosts: Alex Pearce is a footy player, and Bridget Hustwaite is a multi-hyphenate entertainment personality: a radio/TV presenter (also ex-triple j), book author, event MC, etc.
Some Aussie acts featured on the show: Stella Donnelly, Paul Kelly, Spacey Jane (they haven’t released too many episodes yet, so I’m sure more are lined up.)
Some industry topics covered on the pod: Building a festival brand + Fanning out + Hottest 100 debrief + Local acts not to sleep on
Why it’s worth your while: This is an interesting pair of hosts with an original idea. While Alex is an outsider to the music biz, he brings a fresh perspective to the show. On the other hand, Bridget is a biz veteran, so she knows when to dig deeper if needed. I see it as a good balance between genuine curiosity and professionalism, which is my favourite mix when it comes to podcasting.
MUSICBible Australia
Podcast launch: November 2025
Podcast format: Conversations with musos
Podcast theme: No overarching theme, but each episode highlights a timely industry topic.
Podcast frequency: Weekly on Tuesdays
Episode length: The “to-the-point” mark: 25 – 35 minutes
The host: Jackson Langford is a journalist and editor who specialises in pop culture, broadly speaking. He’s collaborated, in some capacity, with prominent music outlets like MTV Australia, NME Australia, Music Feeds, Purple Sneakers, and Junkee.
Some Aussie acts featured on the show: Keli Holiday, SoSo, Anna Lunoe, Blusher, Mansionair
Some industry topics covered on the pod: Where should tall people stand at concerts? + Why are songs only 2 minutes now? + What makes someone a “real” fan? + Are we too tired to party now?
Why it’s worth your while: There are a few reasons why I dig this show, so it’s best to put them in bullet points. 1. It’s part of the LADbible family -> IYKYK. 2. It’s clearly structured, so you know what to expect. You’ll get both a convo about the guest’s music biz journey and/or their latest project, and an insightful, well-researched chat about a relevant, pressing industry-pertaining question. 3. I love how Jackson turned an object repping the show’s sponsor (Jack Daniels) into a cool segment (Message in a Bottle) without it feeling tacky or desperate. 4. Practically all his guests are on my interviewing bucket list. 5. Launching the show with a Keli Holiday interview was the best decision ever, which – coincidentally – was confirmed by this year’s triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown’s results. And it tells me heaps about the host’s intuition when it comes to featuring trending local developments.
That’s it, ladies and gents. But I assure you that with these six shows, you will get a pretty good overview of the Aussie music scene in 2026.
And if there’s a pod you can’t get enough of that’s not on my list, hit me up. I’m always down for sussing out what my fellow hosts have up their sleeves.
Cover image by Daniel Robert Dinu on Unsplash
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