In a world of so much division, WOMAD gave me hope. 4 days of embracing nature and culture gave me and other attendees an opportunity to switch off from the never-ending bad news erupting from our screens. I found an incredible sense of community was fostered at WOMAD, and connections between the patrons, the earth,…
L.A. comedy rapper Afroman hasn’t been in the headlines since his 2001 hits “Because I Got High” and “Crazy Rap”, both of which were taken from the self-produced The Good Times, a surprisingly potent major label debut that netted him a Grammy nod. He hasn’t had a recognisable hit since. And yet, this week, almost…
After what feels like an age of radio silence, Muse, this past week, have emerged from the beyond with a series of rather awesome teasers for their new single, “Be With You”. In one of the clips, the date ‘August 15, 1977’ appears on the screen over the top of an eerie monologue by actress…
Ten new tracks land on the Discovery Playlist this week, including two which we premiered earlier in the week. But, it’s DMA’S who take out Track of the Week with their long-awaited return, “My Baby’s Place”. Opening with hazy psych-rock textures before launching into an emotive, arena-ready rush, the track finds frontman Tommy O’Dell in…
You know you’re getting on when the band that soundtracked your late high school years announces a 15-year anniversary tour of their debut album. Hitting our shores in November of this year, Northern Ireland legends Two Door Cinema Club have announced a six date tour of Australia and New Zealand in support of their acclaimed…
Lloyd Cole the former lead vocalist of legendary English band Lloyd Cole and the Commotions played an intimate solo show at Sydney’s Factory Theatre the first of two sold out nights. With just guitar, voice and a dry, understated stage presence, he held the room through his classic early songs including “Perfect Skin”, “Rattlesnakes”, “Lost…
There’s a quiet confidence running through F.I.G that immediately reframes expectations. This is not the glossy, hyper-engineered pop pivot some might anticipate from a former Disney Channel breakout, nor is it a continuation of the darker, urban-leaning textures flirted with as Skye Riley in Smile 2. Instead, Naomi Scott delivers one of the most assured…
Ahead of its release on Thursday, we are absolutely pumped to be premiering the new single “Winterlude” from Perth-based New Zealand songwriter Damien Binder. We also have its official video, directed by New Zealand filmmaker Jonathan King (the cult horror-comedy Black Sheep). The track arrives as the first in a series of new singles Binder…
Naarm/Melbourne alt-rock artist MUKI continues to explore the emotional core of his songwriting on his latest single “Reflections”, which we’re premiering today on the AU review ahead of its official release on Wednesday, March 18. Introspective yet quietly powerful, “Reflections” follows his debut single “Gasoline”, released earlier this year. Both tracks find MUKI leaning into…
This is not a drill! That’s right, in the last few hours American rockers and supergroup A Perfect Circle announced they are heading back ‘down under’ this December. Formed in 1999 by Billy Howerdel and Tool ‘s Maynard James Keenan, you already know that’s a special setlist. And as the best attracts the best undoubtably…
Melanie C is heading back to Australia in 2026, bringing the euphoric dancefloor energy of her new album Sweat to stages across the country this November. Best known to millions as Sporty Spice from the Spice Girls, Melanie C has carved out one of the most enduring careers in pop. With over 85 million records…
It’s probably safe to say more than a handful of people heading to the Qudos Bank Arena last night, might have been feeling curious, maybe even sceptical about the gig they were heading to. You can almost hear the conversations playing out. “So, if there is a new lead singer, is it like a tribute…
Linkin Park returned to Sydney with a thunderous arena show at Qudos Bank Arena, delivering a slick, high-impact set that balanced new material with the band’s defining nu-metal classics. With the band now fronted by vocalist Emily Armstrong bringing a fierce edge to the band’s catalogue, pushing the choruses into full-throated crowd sing-alongs. Pete Dovgan…
As a Victorian-based girl with a pretty strong pop music bias, attending WOMADelaide was always going to be an interesting experience. I’d never been to South Australia before, and I’ve never attended anything quite like this. Known for its global music programming, sprawling site and a deeply loyal crowd, WOMADelaide has built quite a reputation-…
Melbourne’s RISING festival returns this May/June, once again lighting up the city with a sprawling program of music, art and late-night mischief. As always, the music lineup spans generations and scenes, pulling together legends, cult favourites and some of the most interesting artists working right now. With shows spread across Melbourne Town Hall, Hamer Hall,…
Story Of The Year are rediscovering their prime, having just released their best record in recent times, A.R.S.O.N. Serving as a real return to form with an obvious natural progression of sound and talent, A.R.S.O.N is the result of a band with no agendas and nothing to prove, making the music that they want to…
Today, rising Australian singer, songwriter and actress Charlotte MacInnes steps into the spotlight with the release of her debut single “Struck,” an electrifying and emotionally charged first offering out now via Atlantic Records, accompanied by a striking visualiser. The track marks the beginning of a new chapter for MacInnes, and the first release under her…
When people talk about pop reinvention, the conversation almost always circles back to names like Madonna or Kylie Minogue. Artists who continually reshape their sound, their image, and their relationship with the dance floor. But there’s another pop icon who deserves to be part of that conversation: Melanie C. As she releases “Undefeated Champion”, the…
It’s not every Tuesday that you get to see a one-man blues band and a captivating soul performance from a few feet away in your hometown, but that’s exactly what a handful of Fantastic Negrito fans were treated to at the Crowbar in Brisbane on Tuesday night. This was the first headline show on his…
North Carolina alt-rockers, Wednesday has announced a perfect return to Australian shores attached to Melbourne’s Rising Festival. Touring with music from Bleeds, songs like “Elderberry Wine”, an ode to pickled eggs and the scorned “Townies”, secured the 2025 album a place on many ‘best of the year’ lists. The band made a huge impact with…
Ten new tracks land in the the AU review playlist this week, with the pick of the bunch coming from Naarm outfit Jeane and their punchy new single “Cash”. Featuring Jazz Johnston (Butternut Sweetheart) alongside Luke Moseley and a rotating cast of collaborators, Jeane brings together some familiar faces from the Naarm scene — and…
It’s official: the Pussycat Dolls have returned. After years of speculation, legal drama, and solo projects, Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, and Ashley Roberts are reunited, and they’re kicking things off in style with a new single, “Club Song“, and a massive international tour. “Club Song” is everything you’d hope for from a PCD comeback: brassy,…
Every May, Liverpool — one of the UK’s most historic music cities — becomes a launchpad for the next generation of artists as Liverpool Sound City returns with another stacked lineup of rising talent. Now firmly established as one of the UK’s most important new-music festivals, Sound City transforms venues across Liverpool into a buzzing…
Tucked away in the beautiful woodland surrounds of Larmer Tree Gardens in Dorset, the End of the Road Festival has quietly built a reputation as one of the UK’s most beloved boutique festivals. Returning from 3–6 September 2026, the event caps off the European festival season with a carefully curated lineup spanning indie, folk, Americana…
Many feel that 2026 has already been a difficult year, with global tensions on the rise. This affected even WOMADelaide with some acts not able to attend this year due to travel disruptions and other issues. However, a feeling of hope and resilience was front and foremost for this year’s event. Celebrating cultural diversity, honouring…
Melbourne has always been a city where bands quietly evolve out of long musical histories. Musicians move between projects, scenes shift, venues come and go, but the through-line is the players who keep writing songs. The Droptails are very much part of that tradition. This incarnation, formed during Melbourne’s extended COVID lockdowns, brings together musicians…
The fact that women are such a big part of the WOMADelaide Festival is no accident. With women on the management team, and as decision makers, artists and presenters, made celebrating International Women’s Day such a natural and beautiful thing. The mood of the day was one of nurturing and celebrating the beauty inside whilst…
It was a glorious autumn day in Adelaide’s Botanic Park for the second day of WOMADelaide, the world’s music, arts and dance festival. Families have set up picnic rugs, whilst roving performers, Born in a Taxi pranced around as zebras and kids exercised their creativity in Studio Ruby Chew‘s pop-up wonderland. The event hosts a…
When Jennifer Lopez released Rebirth in March 2005, expectations were enormous – perhaps impossibly so. The album arrived in the long shadow of two pop-cultural juggernauts: J.Lo (2001) and This Is Me… Then (2002), records that helped define early-2000s pop and R&B. Both albums produced major hits, iconic imagery, and a public persona that blurred…
Irish pop-rock outfit Picture This are about to play their first ever headline Australian shows this May, and they’re bringing Perth artist Sam McGovern along with them. Having just recently released their latest single, “Giants”, which follows their 2025 single “Yours Forever”, Picture This are rediscovering their own sound while playing some of their biggest…
