Silly Digest got held up for a couple of months — I admit it.
And once again, a lot has happened since the last edition. August and September have been quite eventful in Aussie music, so it was twice as difficult to choose the relevant headlines to share with you.
Nevertheless, here is the news from the last two months that I find particularly impactful for the scene from the Land Down Under.
PART 279 OF “AM I EVER GONNA SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN?” A RANDOM COLLECTION OF UNKNOWINGLY OBVIOUS FACTS ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE
First things first – here are some quick updates and brief announcements.
You might have heard that First Nations hip-hop artist Yung Milla (who, by the way, I have been rooting for since the beginning) has been crowned The Voice Australia season 15 winner. And Australia has finally started paying attention to the talented rapper – my stats went through the roof when newly gained fans began sussing out his story. He’s just dropped a new, highly anticipated single, “Lethal”, that references his experience on The Voice. So mark my words, big things are coming for Yung Milla in the near future.
John Farnham‘s mid-September tribute concert was also one for the books. Sadly, the celebrated musician couldn’t attend due to poor health. But the number of stars that showed up to pay their (musical) respects was pretty impressive. From virtual appearances by Celine Dion, Hugh Jackman and Coldplay’s Chris Martin to the locals who held the fort on site in Melbourne, Keith Urban, Jessica Mauboy, or Jimmy Barnes. There’s more good news: the first cinema run was so successful, more screenings have been announced. Details are yet to be revealed.
Lastly, in a rather heartbreaking turn of events, Nick Littlemore has announced he is planning to retire from touring altogether. So both Empire of the Sun and PNAU fans will now be deprived of seeing the muso live. Fingers crossed he’ll stay on as a songwriter for both bands, though.
Now, let’s dig a little deeper into some other announcements. This time, they’re all presented in alphabetical order.
AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS (TEMPORARILY) WENT COUNTRY
Who would have thought an Aussie garage band making waves overseas (precisely for the genre they represent) could so easily convert to country music? Well, its lead singer did.
Amy Taylor once revealed that since Amyl and the Sniffers has “had three really successful punk and rock albums”, she’d “love to make an Aussie country album.” And because the Melbourne-based band are all about doing crazy sh*t, that’s exactly what happened.
It originally went down in April 2025 in LA’s El Coyote Mexican Restaurant (but it was revealed this year in August). The group played a few reimagined covers (mostly their own songs, but Slim Dusty’s “Lights on the Hill” rendition, too, for example) and some originals. “They paired it with full country styling (check out Amy’s makeup!), sped up a few tracks (like “Big Dreams”), slowed down others (like “Hertz”), and threw in the odd “yeehaw” for good measure.
In a true Amy Taylor fashion, the singer also gave the audience a piece of her mind on the current state of affairs in politics. She described it as “The world is so full right now – full of arseholes”, saying that she was “sick of biting my tongue all the time, and especially with certain leaders in certain countries”. A statement which was appropriately followed by the song “Jerkin'”, whose lyrics are… very direct, to say the least.
The result of that intimate gig is a live album and a movie, both called Truth or Consequence. The film was screened in Australian cinemas at the end of August, for now.
It was probably just a one-night (country) stand from the beloved Aussie punk rockers. But the band proved yet again that they can pull off even the most outrageous ideas. So what’s next on the Amyl and The Sniffers‘ agenda? Perhaps a rap feature? Or maybe a collab with an electronic music producer?
A NEW A.B. ORIGINAL ALBUM IS — APPARENTLY — NEARLY DONE
Let’s start from the beginning. Because this news is a very welcome yet pretty unexpected spin-off.
A.B. Original is hands down one of Australia’s most significant First Nations projects. The superduo, composed of influential rappers Briggs (the Bad Apples Music boss) and trials (who has produced for the likes of Gurrumul, Archie Roach and Paul Kelly), burst onto the Australian music scene in 2016. Their highly praised album, Reclaim Australia, cleaned up at most music awards ceremonies back then. But after stirring things up significantly in the biz, the project has been dormant since.
In the meantime, both members have been quite busy – separately.
Last year, Briggs launched his new hardcore punk project, BIG NOTER, while trials recorded a groundbreaking, autobiographical solo album, hendle. This year, Briggs and his new band have been touring their SONGS IN THE KEY OF WRESTLING, featuring Chuck D and Tom Morello. Meanwhile, trials delivered an eye-opening keynote on identity, ownership and purpose at this year’s BIGSOUND.
The Brisbane conference provided the context for the big news. While being interviewed for Rolling Stone AU about his speech, trials casually dropped the bombshell that the new A.B. Original album is actually in the works.
And that, ladies and gents, is definitely a record worth waiting for. #IYKYK
A SONG ABOUT BIRDS CHARTED ON ARIA
Until quite recently, Australia’s two most famous bird species were the magpie and the kookaburra. But that all changed when a song about “Eastern Rosellas” went viral in July 2026.
And no, it’s not from a David Attenborough environmental doco series. Nor is it a purely educational children’s song.
It’s actually a legitimate banger, written and performed by a boy named Miles Phillips alongside his dad, Joel. Not only is it melodic AF, but the young singer belts it out like a proper rock star. Which is exactly why it racked up some crazy numbers already: over 1.2 million streams on Spotify alone.
YouTube’s comment section pretty much sums up the general reaction to the song so far. From “It’s stuff like this that makes me like the internet again” and “I played this on the radio in Ireland today” to “This will win the Hottest 100” and “This should be our national anthem.”
But that’s not all. Due to the track’s virality, Miles has become the youngest Aussie artist to enter the ARIA charts. At 7. YEARS. OLD.
So if you’ve ever thought music education or a musical household is not something you should pay attention to, think again.
MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT AT SPORTS EVENTS MADE HEADLINES (AGAIN!)
The Super Bowl Halftime Show is the most coveted spot for any act – and it’s not even a music occasion, strictly speaking. But Americans are not the only ones providing (pre-, post- or mid-match) entertainment at annual finals games. The AFL (Australian Football League) and NRL (National Rugby League) in Australia put on their own gigs, booking both local and international stars.
There’s always a lot of hype in Oz before the acts are revealed. I remember seeing The Killers at the AFL final in 2017, and it was quite a show. This year, Kylie Minogue (with a little help from G Flip, William Barton, and Dom Dolla) entertained the footy fans at the MCG. And, despite a few grumpy people who thought the artist’s vocal delivery was underwhelming, die-hard fans and industry reps alike seemed to love it.
In the rugby realm, Kelly Clarkson performed at the 2011 NRL final. Plus, the beloved local band, Gang of Youths, nailed their performance in 2018.
In 2026, additional drama played out in this department. Tones And I was reportedly booked for the NRL final, but the whole thing fell through when she allegedly refused to play “Dance Monkey.”
We’ll probably never know if that was true, but the show eventually turned into a tribute to retired players. A valid question materialised, though: Should artists be told what they should or should not play at those gigs? My IG followers don’t think so.
After the Tones And I withdrawal, the speculation game about possible replacement reached new heights when Silverchair‘s reunion was thrown into the mix (since the team from their hometown, Newcastle Knights, was competing in the final for the first time since 2001). But the Aussie grunge legends cut fans’ expectations short with the “No can do” announcement on the respective members’ socials. And it’s the first time “in ages” when the three band members did agree on something.
PARKWAY DRIVE ARE COMING ‘HOME’ TO AUSSIE CINEMAS
They are, without a doubt, one of the biggest metal bands in the world. With 1.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and over 750k followers on IG, they are making Australia and their genre proud.
Before it was cancelled this year, they were also one of the few heavy bands booked to perform at the legendary Bluesfest in Byron Bay – their hometown.
They’ve also just finished a pretty special tour of Australia, including two of their iconic albums, Killing With A Smile and Horizons, played in full, on two nights in one city, one album each night. And they don’t seem to be slowing down, always coming up with new ideas and innovative ways to reach new fans.
Last year, they staged a special black-tie ‘Home’ show at the Sydney Opera House, with an orchestra and the whole shebang. Thankfully, for those of us who couldn’t be there, that unusual performance has been well documented. And it’s going to be released as a live album and a movie very soon.
It’s not the first time Parkway Drive have made a film documenting part of their musical journey. But this is an extra special occasion. The band will do a Q&A after the World Premiere Screening on November 10 in Sydney.
So grab the tickets here while you still can. I’m pretty certain they won’t last for long.
YOUNG PEOPLE’S ACCESS TO LIVE MUSIC IS (SADLY) NOT A GIVEN
Here is something you’ll surely agree with if you’re a music fan, too: Most people love gigs and festivals. But it’s not as common and/or easy to attend one these days as it used to be. And one group is being affected the most.
There’s a music charity for young people in Australia, The Push, which frequently researches its demographics’ needs and expectations. This year, they turned their attention to access to live music. And the poll’s results are definitely not optimistic.
Despite being one of the biggest sources of wellbeing and happiness, a few reasons prevent young people from attending live music events.
Unsurprisingly, ticket prices are one of them. Nearly half of the under-18s polled labelled it as a problem. This is a broader industry challenge, but government grants could be a potential solution here. Nearly the same percentage of respondents mentioned venue licensing as another obstacle. This means there’s a significant market for all-ages gigs.
Interestingly, Australian youth are really into supporting local acts. But – surprise, surprise – they don’t really know how to find them. So there’s room for improvement when it comes to music discovery in the Land Down Under, too.
According to Jamison Kehl, Artist and Youth Lead, Training and Operations at The Push: “Going to see local bands should be an essential part of growing up, but right now it feels like the system is built to keep us out. (…) Young people are forced to miss out on the experiences that help us cope with stress and feel connected.” That is a truly worrying observation. Fingers crossed the music industry itself, and the Australian government, will treat this matter seriously.
Before you go, I’ve got some last-minute news. Cryptic messages have started to appear in different capital cities in Oz. Rumour has it it might have something to do with the beloved Brisbane band Powderfinger reuniting. We’ll surely find out by the time the new Silly Digest drops. Watch this space to stay in the know!
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