This time last year we divulged our top twelve Australian artists and top five international artists to watch over the following twelve months. So we figured now was as good a time as any to have a look back and see how they all fared...

This country on this far end of the world has it’s own little vibrant scene, and if you are reading this from overseas, then the below tours is one good ‘ol reason to come on down here. These gigs aren’t necessarily at your high-end billion dollar venues like Sydney’s Opera House or some seated entertainment centre, but in dark dank pubs to evocative art spaces (although we won’t dare diss those high-end places – the wine they serve in those places is exquisite).

In the column this week, it's all about ARIA's and opportunities. You can get yourself to another award show over in the states, with a chance to perform at the Grammy's, AMRAP also fights to survive so that it can continue to distribute music to community radio, and Allens Billy Hyde are saved.

Arguably the biggest night of the Australian music industry, the ARIA Awards, took place in Sydney overnight and brought some of the country's heavy hitters in music out, as well as some international guests. From Taylor Swift's performance through to Russell Brand presenting Gotye with his umpteenth award of the night, the ARIAs of 2012 seemed to go smoother than the ceremony did last year.

Melbourne four piece Dancing Heals recently returned to Australia after an expedition to the USA to play CMJ... among other things. The band have exclusively shared with the AU review their tour diaries detailing their adventures... The talk about drinking with Das Racist, seeing The Jezabels explode on the international stage, of course their own shows and plenty of drinking in between and much more...

First days in New York

Big Scary are one of the Australian acts to score a spot as part of the second round of announcements for New York’s CMJ Music marathon. The five day festival takes place throughout various pubs, clubs and almost any venue which can hold a crowd throughout the city.

Sitting up there with Austin’s South by Southwest and the UK’s Great Escape as

The nominations for the 2012 Jagermeister Independent Music Awards have been announced, with Chet Faker leading the pack with five nominantions! The Jagermeister Independent Music Awards is returning for its seventh year in 2012, acknowledging Australia's brightest emerging artists alongside established and well-respected performers. Check out the full list of nominations below!

2012 JAGERMEISTER INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES

One of the biggest music festivals in the world is the CMJ Music Marathon, which hosts 1,300 live performances across over 80 nightclubs and venues scattered around Manhattan and Brooklyn. Yesterday the festival unveiled its first lineup and as is usually the case, many Australian bands will be taking part, with The Presets topping the bill.

This is what success looks like. Witness Sydney kids The Jezabels returning home to a heroes welcome, selling out the massive Hordern Pavilion (that's 5,500 people!) - with Canada's Lights and Melbourne's Snakadaktal (not pictured) in tote. Mikki Gomez brings us photos from the night.

The Jezabels national tour hit the Brisbane Convention Centre, with a little help from Canadian electro rock sensation LIGHTS and Melbourne's triple j Unearthed High darlings Snakadaktal.

Day two of Song Summit brought with it some fantastic panels, and closed up with an amazing night of music. The talk which brought the masses in was a surprisingly insightful conversation with Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden, who’s in town as part of the immensely successful TV show The Voice.

Brimming with a genuine passion for independent Australian artists, MusicOZ Awards are moving from strength to strength. Held this year at the Sydney Opera House, the awards night played host to a wonderfully vast caliber of speakers and performers, rendering the night anything but predictable – and a far cry from being dull or overly formal.