Author: Rap Hooks

SYDNEY, Australia — For all the column inches devoted to the resurgence of country, the dominance of pop and the steady strength of rock, it’s dance music that has the place jumping in Australia.

Of the hundreds of music festivals that sprawl out across Australia’s warmer months, roughly one in four pump out dance music — the most popular genre, according to data presented in Soundcheck, published in late 2024 by Creative Australia.

On the streaming side of the story, the IMS Business Report found Australia to be the third-largest market in the world for electronic music, trailing only the United States and Germany. Australians stream, on average, more of the genre than any other nation, the publication’s authors explain. In just one month last year, Spotify revealed Aussie dance cuts were streamed more than 1 billion times internationally on its platform, making the genre the most popular music export from the land down under.

TMRW Music is leading the charge. In one remarkable week in April, the Sydney-based music group, which includes the etcetc label, nabbed 60% of the tracks in ARIA’s Top Australian Dance Singles Chart, including four from FISHER (including the Gold Coast producer and DJ’s collaboration with Tones And I, “Favour,” new at No. 3); the Dom Dolla remix of Puretone’s “Addicted To Bass” at No. 4; and Yes Boone’s “All I Really Want” at No. 7. All six tracks appeared in the overall Top 20 Australian Singles Chart.

A couple of those TMRW tracks also made the leap to the Music Week Club Chart in the United Kingdom: Supafly & Greg Stainer’s “Girls” featuring Ca$h X at No. 16, and Jessi Lowkey x Cristiano Fry’s “I Know” at No. 20.

FISHER went on to collect the highest-selling single award for his track “Stay,” presented April 22 in the artist’s hometown.

The hits should keep coming with PNAU, the Sydney electronic pairing of Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes, whose 2012 collaborative remix album with Elton John, Good Morning to the Night, went to No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart — a feat they repeated in 2021 with the remix of “Cold Heart” (with Dua Lipa), which topped charts globally. PNAU will release its new album AHHCade on July 31 via etcetc worldwide, a fresh collection that features the previously released single “Tu Corazon” with Mexican sister act The Warning.

Billboard caught up with TMRW Music Group CEO Tim McGee, etcetc Music general manager Aden Mullens, TMRW Music Group’s head of A&R Chris Fraser and TMRW Music Group senior marketing manager, labels, Lana Howlett, for a closer look at Australia’s vibrant dance space and how the Sydney label group is lifting the tempo.

Broadly speaking, Australian dance music is having a “moment” both here and internationally. What’s behind that?

Mullens: Dance music has become recognized and accepted as part of the mainstream globally. It’s now a multigenerational and multilingual genre, which has had a compounding effect on consumption.

Howlett: The Australian dance acts that are breaking through are not only incredibly talented, they understand how to build culture around their music in a way that feels distinctly local, uplifting, authentic and community-driven. As online platforms such as TikTok, Discord and Twitch amplify these communities, that spirit is reaching the masses in a way we, as an isolated country, weren’t previously able to. That’s now turning connection into momentum.

Fraser: Dance music has always been strong in Australia, whether the broader industry has recognized it or not. The culture, the community, the collaborative nature of the ecosystem — these things have been quietly compounding for years, and what you’re seeing now is part of the payoff.

Dance music has always had to work harder, build its own infrastructure, create its own pathways. And because the Australian market is genuinely tough to break out of and not naturally predisposed to support one-off commercial dance moments, it puts the onus firmly on real artist development and organic growth. The artists who cut through here have usually earned it, and DSPs locally are providing focused support that is helping give projects a platform domestically and on a global level.

And on that subject, what’s behind the success of TMRW/etcetc’s ARIA chart bonanza? Can you identify some special sauce?

Fraser: We’d been working with Puretone for a number of years on ideas to bring “Addicted To Bass” back to life, and when Dom’s version emerged, starting as a bootleg he made for his own stadium show in Sydney, it was one of those moments you hope for but can never plan.

That organic origin gave the record something you can’t manufacture. Luckily, the timing lined up, and working with Dom and [manager] James Fava and the team to bring it to a proper release was one of the most creatively rewarding experiences we’ve had as a team in a long time.

The fact that audiences are responding to it the way they are makes complete sense. It was a special record 28 years ago, and Dom breathed new life into it in a way we’d never imagined. I don’t know if any other artist would have committed as hard as he did to the brilliant bass/fish angle seen in the music video.

Yes Boone is a perfect example of artist development in practice. Three and a half years of patient development, helping him build a real community around his work, before the moment arrived where everything lined up. The way Australian radio got behind the record over summer was genuinely heartening, and that kind of championing from local broadcasters means everything for an artist at his stage. It’s not often you’ll see commercial radio championing a new artist in lock step with triple j, so to see that belief from day one is a moment we don’t take for granted. Now that momentum has started to pick up steam internationally, which we’re actively working to build on. Boone’s a remarkable talent, and audiences finding him here and abroad are recognizing that.

Despite the structural challenges around Australian artists and charts, the broader environment and institutional and government support is probably the best it’s been in a long time, which also makes a real difference. Bodies like Creative Australia are adding much-needed firepower to our ability to push for more meaningful global cut-through on projects, and hopefully, that support continues to grow for Australian artists over time.

Mullens: The wider TMRW team are really humming right now. From sell-out national Ministry of Sound shows, 150-plus unique tours in 2025, alongside 200-plus releases, we are working with a lot of experience and data to propel our artists’ careers, not just in Australia, but globally.

The group nabbed 12 of the top 20 on the ARIA dance chart. How does this rank among the label’s all-time success stories?

Fraser: We haven’t seen success converge like this all at once before, with multiple distinct entries near the top of the charts; that’s just the honest answer. But I think what makes it possible now, beyond the music itself, is that the company is in a genuinely great place operationally. The team is resourced and structured to execute across multiple projects simultaneously, which matters enormously when you have a range of developed and still-developing projects or opportunities all finding their moment at the same time. A few years ago, we might have had the music but not the capacity to maximize it. Right now we have both, and that feels like a meaningful difference.

How are you feeling about the landscape for indie labels here in Australia?

McGee: Twenty-five years in, the landscape for independent labels in Australia has shifted dramatically, particularly as traditional pathways to success evolve and they always will. The cycles of change are getting smaller, but electronic music has proven uniquely resilient. Constantly adapting and finding new ways to connect with audiences.

While the ARIA Singles Chart may not reflect the depth of local talent, the strength of the dance space tells a different story, driven in part by a great ecosystem of local events and festivals that are creating real viral moments for emerging artists who may not be touring internationally. Part of our strength is that we’re not just a recordings company. As the landscape of traditional radio and media changes, we have persevered within our own ecosystem, rather than rely on traditional means of support.

Whether it’s across recordings, agency, events, publishing or management, we have the means to support ourselves when these shifts occur.

For us, it’s an exciting time, and the future looks bright. In addition to our larger artists, we’re focused on developing artists with genuine global potential. Amongst them artists like Djanaba, Carter Walsh, Sumner and Alexa Leary and so many more of which we’re super excited to be working alongside.

Composer Mark Smythe, who was nominated in 2023 for a Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL) Award and World Soundtrack Award for scoring The Reef: Stalked, died May 9 after collapsing while hiking on Mt. Wilson in Los Angeles. He was 53.

Smythe was a beloved member of the film and TV composing community and in addition to his work as a musician, he served as the Society of Composers and Lyricists’ chief operating officer from 2018-2021, after a stint as Los Angeles administrator.

“To say that his loss comes as a profound shock to our community, especially to his students, collaborators, and friends, is an understatement,” said SCL president Ashley Irwin.

Smythe was born in New Zealand, then moved to Australia before coming to Los Angeles in 2013. In addition to the SCL and World Soundtrack nominations, he received three Hollywood Music in Media Award nominations for scoring films Unfallen, Flying South and The Things She Did. His score for Daddy’s Little Girl earned him the Australian Screen Industry Network award for best composer in 2012.

“Beyond his professional accomplishments, people genuinely enjoyed Mark’s company, as evidenced by the current outpouring of love for him on social media,” said SCL president Ashley Irwin. “He had a wry sense of humor and an infectious laugh that could light up a room. Exceptionally generous with his time and energy, he had a way of making everyone feel welcome, whether they were longtime SCL members or attending their initial event. For many, Mark was the first friend they made at the SCL. Those who knew Mark will never forget being greeted with his favorite line: ‘I’m all the better for seeing your smiling face.’”

Australian music rights management organization APRA AMCOS also paid tribute to Smythe on its Instagram page. Smythe “became an APRA member in 2004 and was also a beloved colleague to many in our Melbourne office, where he worked as client and legal liaison for four years in the early 2000s before heading to Los Angeles to pursue film and concert composing full-time,” posted the organization.”

APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston added, “Mark’s passing is a great loss to the screen composing world and to the musical communities he was such a meaningful part of. He is remembered very fondly by his former APRA AMCOS colleagues for the positive spirit he brought to work every day – both at the office and in his music.

In addition to composing, at the time of his death, Smythe was teaching media composition at California State University, Northridge, as well as Department Head of Composing for Visual Media at the Los Angeles College of Music.

“Many composers in our community had the privilege of learning from Mark, and remember him not only as a great teacher, but as someone who believed in them personally,” Irwin said.

Smythe was also composing choral works and had collaborated with the LA Choral Lab on several projects.

Among the survivors are Smythe’s sister, Kate Ward-Smythe.

The highly anticipated return of the Irish band U2 to Mexico City this week to film the music video for their single “Street of Dreams” has resulted in an official invitation from the capital’s head of government, Clara Brugada, for the group to perform at the iconic Zócalo, the country’s main public square.

On Tuesday (May 13), Brugada met with the members of the famous quartet during the filming of their music video in the streets of the city’s Historic Center. There, the official handed the band a document, as shown in a video posted on her social media. The letter was received by Bono, vocalist and leader of the renowned group.

“This is an invitation for you to play in our wonderful square, which is the Zócalo,” Brugada said in Spanish, as shown in the video. “You are welcome, and we would love it very much.”

Previously, Bono had expressed to Brugada his desire to kick off their next world tour in Mexico City, a place that holds a special place in the hearts of the quartet, which also includes The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.

“We’re working on that,” the singer said in English. “In our dreams, we could begin our tour here.”

He added: “We love the city.”

The Zócalo is considered an emblematic location of great significance — a plaza filled with symbolism where politics, social movements, culture and religion converge. It is the second-largest public square in the world, only behind Tiananmen Square in Beijing. In March, Colombian superstar Shakira set a new record for the largest audience ever gathered for a free concert at the Plaza de la Constitución (the Zócalo’s official name), drawing 400,000 attendees.

The meeting between Brugada and U2 took place at the Casino Metropolitano in the Historic Center of the capital, a spokesperson for the city government confirmed to Billboard Español. During the meeting, the official presented each member of the band with a figure of an axolotl, an amphibian species native to central Mexico, as seen in the video.

Later, Brugada shared a message on her social media accounts with photos alongside the band. “Welcoming U2 to our capital is a celebration of music, connection and the excitement that is felt in every corner of this city,” she wrote in her post. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories that are shared from the stage to the streets.”

The band participated on Wednesday in the second day of filming for the “Street of Dreams” music video, a song that will be part of their upcoming album, set to be released later this year.

The day before, performing atop the roof of a school bus decorated with graffiti by artist Chavis Mármol, the quartet played their new song — featuring choruses in Spanish — surrounded by a large crowd in the city’s Historic Center. The occasion also marked the first appearance of drummer Larry Mullen Jr. alongside his bandmates after years offstage recovering from neck and back surgeries.

Mexico holds a special place in the hearts of U2’s members, as it’s where they’ve delivered some of their most celebrated performances, including the concert captured in the video Popmart: Live From Mexico City, recorded in 1997 during the Popmart Tour.

The last time U2 performed in Mexico City was during the 30th-anniversary tour of their iconic album The Joshua Tree in October 2017, just three weeks after the powerful earthquake that struck central Mexico.

Madonna, Shakira and BTS will perform during halftime of the World Cup final game, Global Citizen announced first thing Thursday (May 14).

The Sunday, July 19, match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will mark the first time the FIFA World Cup final has ever featured a halftime show. Billboard understands that the show will clock in at 11 minutes.

The news was announced in a social video starring Coldplay’s Chris Martin alongside Sesame Street‘s Elmo and Cookie Monster, as well as Kermit, Miss Piggie and more from The Muppets. The unlikely crew even calls up BTS on FaceTime in the video — watch below.

Shakira’s name had already been linked to this year’s World Cup – hosted in North America, with tournament games across the United States, Canada and Mexico – with the announcement of “Dai Dai,” her official 2026 World Cup song with Burna Boy. It will be Shak’s second official FIFA World Cup song following “Waka, Waka (This Time for Africa)” recorded for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The Colombian superstar kicks off her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour 2026 dates in June, with July 14 and July 20 in New Jersey and New York, respectively, surrounding the World Cup final at MetLife.

Madonna is also gearing up for a busy July, with the Queen of Pop’s Confessions II album – the sequel to her 2005 classic Confessions on a Dance Floor – arriving July 3. She’s so far released lead single “Bring Your Love,” her duet with Sabrina Carpenter, which they live-debuted during weekend 2 of Coachella last month, as well as “I Feel So Free.”

BTS made a major return to music earlier this year with the March 20 release of their sixth studio album ARIRANG, the South Korean group’s first project since they went on hiatus for each member to complete their military service. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 and stayed there for three straight weeks – their first multi-week No. 1 on the chart. Last month, they kicked off their ARIRANG WORLD TOUR in Goyang, South Korea, before bringing the trek to the U.S. on April 25. They have international dates scheduled through next March.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show is being curated by Global Citizen along with Coldplay’s Martin, with plans to raise money for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is working to raise $100 million to expand access to education and football for children worldwide. The fund has already raised more than $30 million, with $1 from every ticket sold to World Cup matches being donated throughout the tournament. The advocacy organization and Martin similarly teamed up for last year’s Club World Cup final halftime show, which was headlined by Doja Cat, J Balvin and Tems.

Last week, FIFA announced that Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, LISA and Anitta are slated to perform during the 2026 World Cup opening ceremonies set for the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Perry will headline the opening ceremony in Los Angeles ahead of the U.S. men’s national team’s first game against Paraguay on June 12. Future will also take the SoFi Stadium stage for a performance along with DJ Sanjoy.

While this marks the first time the World Cup final has had a halftime show, two of the July performers have previously headlined the Super Bowl halftime show; Madonna took center field at the 2012 Super Bowl, while Shakira co-headlined with Jennifer Lopez in 2020.

The late, disgraced Australian entertainer Rolf Harris is the subject of a new two-part documentary, commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The film, Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator, will debut Tuesday, June 9, and will feature interviews with survivors who’ve never before spoken publicly of his crimes. The series is said to capture the full story of Harris’ double life, charting his rise from suburban Perth, Australia to the heights of fame and influence in the United Kingdom, while revealing the pattern of abuse that unfolded behind the scenes for decades.

Prior to his downfall, Harris was a popular figure on TV, the airwaves, and charts across the U.K., the U.S. (“Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963) and his homeland, Australia. In the mid-2000s, he was once commissioned to paint Queen Elizabeth II, a sitting that was turned into a documentary.

His U.K. chart hits included “Two Little Boys” (Columbia), which has the distinction of being the very last No. 1 in that market in the 1960s. “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” reached No. 9 in the U.K. back in 1960, and he had a No. 3 hit with “Sun Arise” in 1962. Decades later, in 1993, he enjoyed another U.K. top 10 appearance, when his cover of “Stairway to Heaven,” a spin-off from the Australian TV show Money or the Gun, reached No. 7.

Harris’ spectacular fall from grace began in 2013, when he was questioned and arrested police under Operation Yewtree, the investigation into sexual abuse among members of the English media elite, including the late Jimmy Savile. Following a trial in 2014, Harris was found guilty of various indecent assaults on women and young girls between 1968 and 1986, and was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison. He was released in 2017, but denied any wrongdoing and never issued an apology to his victims.

He died in 2023 at the age of 93. “In the years since, the silence that once protected him has begun to lift,” reads a statement from the ABC, announcing the new series, which “gives voice to those who were previously unable to, as they share their experience on their own terms.” Harris’ death “has finally lifted a veil of fear once cast by this powerful figure, and survivors who long feared retribution are at last able to speak.”

Prior to the Yewtree investigation, Harris moved within the highest circles in Britain, his adopted home. Along the way, he was named as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

It was a similar scenario in his country of his birth, where Harris was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. ARIA has since scratched his name from the record books.

Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator will air 8.30pm AEST on ABC TV, with both episodes available to stream on ABC iView.