Hello and welcome back to our weekly wrap of music industry shenanigans that have happened around Australia (and the world). It’s been a few sleepy weeks with Santa bringing all kinds of things for everyone. Everyone seems to now be busily making tunes or wheeling’ deals again, so let’s get into the thick of things.

This week: ARIA action for 2012 and in the last week, more Australian acts announced for SXSW, and a new crowd-funding site specifically for musicians to fund albums, projects and videos.

In the column this week: the Jagermeister Independent Music Awards are announced, Richard Branson and Paul Dainty team up, and is Songi happening soon?

After a week away, it’s time now to delve into what’s been happening in the world of industry once again. This week: conferences ahoy! The ARIA Week announces its events prior to its big awards show, and Gossling gets signed to Dew Process, plus more.

There was a notable uncertainty surrounding who would create the theme-song for the 23rd James Bond film. Muse hoped that their edgy rock track “Supremacy” would be chosen, and there were rumours that Michael Bublé was vying for the opportunity. However, the honour has fallen into the hands of English songstress Adele.

In this weeks issue: Bluesfest racks up a "major win", Gotye continues to win with his US sales, Marty Smiley wins a TV hosting gig, and your opportunity to win by taking part in a competition run by Telstra. Who knows, you may become their new hold music!

In this weeks issue: We see the finalists for the Grant McLennan Memorial Fellowship, a chart for powerful musical figures, as well as action on the good ol’ ARIA charts. Plus Rave Magazine closes down, and a whole heap of record label signings for a bunch of Australian artists.

In This Issue:Vice’s Youtube Channel, Adele and Flo Rida hold strong in the ARIA charts, WAM Hall of Fame inductees announced, EMI Australia signs worldwide publishing deal with Timomatic, Mutemath to pay your rent, Tonight Alive nominated for Kerrang! Awards, Perisher Snowy Mountains of Music Busking competition, AMRAP funding cut, Jagermeister charts, The International Space Time Concerto competition, Daniel Smallman launches new label Battle, Triple J’s Tom and Alexercise programme, International Songwriting Competition winners, performance opportunities for Folk and Blues musicians, and much more…

In this issue: Opportunities galore with applications open for Unsigned Only, Bigsound and the Red Bull Music Academy, while opportunities are dwindling in venues at St Kilda. Adele still holds onto the number one spot on the ARIA charts, and Song Summit adds more acts to it's conference. All in this weeks Industry round up.

In This Issue: Gotye reaches #1 in the UK Charts and around the world, the latest ARIA chart toppers, Fuse Festival announces special guest Seth Godin, John Butler adds more tour dates, the 2012 Grammy Award Winners revealed, Channel V’s 4 hour Future Music Special, and The Annandale announces SLAM Day gigs and "Buy A Brick" Campaign.

The Grammy Awards are typically a night to celebrate the music industry’s biggest and brightest. However, there are always turning points that make the viewing experience that tiny bit more exciting. Here's our top 10 noteworthy moments from the night...

1. Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt's tribute to Etta James with “Sunday Kind of Love.”

In This Issue: Broken Stone Records Showcase tour, Bob Laine to receive Allan Waters Broadcast Lifetime Achievement Award, 2012 Canadian Radio Conference, Hard Rock Café gigs, Laughing Outlaw Records Showcase, Refused to play Coachella and Way Out West Festival, Riot Act tours and releases, Steve Smyth release debut album, GENERATE invests in small music businesses, Halestorm signs to Roadrunner Records, Kylie Minogue signs on for 2012 Mardi Gras Parade, Music Managers Forum celebrates its 15th year, UNFD signs Buried in Verona, Adele and Flo Rida dominate the ARIA charts and more..

Welcome back to "The State Of Affairs", where we fill you in on what's been happening of late in the local and international music and arts industries. From break ups to make ups, from firings to hirings... you'll read it all here.

In This Issue: Strike Hard Bookings shuts shop, Hilltop Hoods sign to Fontana U.S, Nada Surfs sign with Stop Start,the ARIA Charts, James Vincent McMorrow joins Dew Process. Livescene launches App to promote live music, Adele holds her position at #1 in the ARIA charts, Inertia records introduces "Inertia Access" to help unsigned artists start out, Shock Records sign "While She Sleeps", Basick records partners with Prosthetic Records, Pressed And sign to Mush records, APRA AMCOS Song Summit announces key speakers, The Riff is back on Channel V!, The Holding Pattern helps launch undiscovered musicians. Katy Perry joins forces with The Sims, National Slam Day, Unsigned Only Music Competition, The 2011 Smac Awards, PBS 'Drive Alive 2012', Elefant Traks sign Sky'High, and Inpress organise a 'fun raiser' for Genny B.

Let's dive right into the final batch of favourite tracks of 2011, as voted by AU review contributors! The number one choice won by a landslide and we reckon this is a pretty good indication of what's to come for the Hottest 100... does anyone else really stand a chance? Read on!

We're back with the top half of our top 20 countdown albums of 2011 list, and like all those before it, it's an electic pile of music from around the world that our contributors have been loving over the last 12 months. Let's get it started!

XL Recordings and Remote Control will release Adele's Live At The Royal Albert Hall concert film in two formats, DVD and Blu-Ray, accompanied by a CD of the entire performance, on Friday 25 November 2011.