‘No Signs of Slowing Down’: Country Music Is Going Gangbusters in Australia (REPORT)

Australia loves country music, it’s locked in with Gen Z, and the buzz isn’t slowing down.

Those are some of the takeaways from “Step Into Country”, a new report from Live Nation.

Published today, July 3rd, the 30-page document drills into the mass influence of country music in Australia, which is recognised as the third largest country music market in the world, behind the United States and Canada, respectively.

Researchers found that Gen Z in metropolitan areas are leading this “incredible surge,” noting that Spotify, the market-leading streamer, found that 92% of country music streams are from residents in Australia’s main cities.

Digital media and superstar artists are lassoing new fans.

In the past year, TikTok captured some 196 million video views of country music content in Australia, according to the report, and 68% of respondents are now listening to more country music than ever before.

In the past three years, the volume of country music streams in Australia has lifted by 115%, according to Spotify data published in the report, while two-thirds of respondents are said to follow at least one country music artist on social media.

Some 78% of Australian music fans say that country music is now “mainstream.”

Part of the boom can be attributed to the country crossover of US megastars Beyoncé and Post Malone, Shaboozey’s chart-topping 2024 hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”, and the global breakthroughs of Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs.

Australian brands can form a line. One in two respondents say they’ve worn or purchased country-inspired fashion in the past year, with 40% buying country-inspired decor or furnishings.

“What we are seeing is a shift in perception for traditional country music from ‘nostalgic’ and ‘emotional’ to ‘on the rise’, ‘diverse’ and ‘progressive’,” says Kristy Rosser, Senior Vice President and Head of Media and Sponsorship at Live Nation Australia & New Zealand.

“These new fans located in urban areas didn’t grow up with country music, they’ve found it through mainstream channels, influencing their lifestyle preferences and driving growth across the retail, FMCG and entertainment categories.”

From 2019 to 2024, LN recorded 746% growth in live music tickets sales with “no signs of slowing down,” thanks to multiple sold-out shows and frontline artists touring Australia and New Zealand including Chris Stapleton and Post Malone, and others.

Live Nation’s touring data was the culmination of 257 interviews with Australian music fans, conducted in 2025. The concerts giant also leaned on an expert panel, including ABC Music CMA and ARIA chair Natalie Waller, TikTok ANZ’s Ollie Wards, and Spotify ANZ’s Marty Doyle.

The country story is playing out across the industry. Earlier this week, UNIFIED Artist Management announced it was strengthening its focus on the genre through its partnership with Nick Lynagh, who boasts a “proven success in building country audiences” with artists including Brad Cox, part of the Mirror Music Group roster. UAM has signed Wade Forster, a rising star from the Australian outback, notes Lynagh, who is “making noise in America.”

And last year, Destroy All Lines announced it was doubling down with the creation of a country music division, led by promoter Danny Keenan.

Australia’s podium standing in country music was separately confirmed by Luminate, which, based on streaming data for the first half of 2023, found that Aussies clicked play on country music 1.1 billion times during that period, based on the top 500 songs in the genre.

“Step Into Country” is part of the “Future Sound” series of research reports presented by Connect by Live Nation, which explores emerging genres in mainstream music culture.

The first research report highlighted the explosion of Asia Pop across Australia and New Zealand, and was presented at BIGSOUND 2024.

Formerly known as Secret Sounds Connect, Connect by Live Nation is a full-service agency that helps brands connect with fans through live music experiences. Visit connectbylivenation.com.au for more.