New music is one of the best parts of the inevitable passage of time. Every day, new artists are releasing their specific brand of music to the world, and every once in a while, it catches like fire.
In Australia, there is a thriving musical scene spanning a multitude of genres. There have been many domestic and international hit songs and bands from the Land Down Under over the past few decades, but what about recent music?
We’ve rounded up the best new Australian artists you need to check out in 2026!
Civic Video
📍Sydney, NSW
🎵 Indie, rock, folk, pop
🎸 “Interstate 95,” “Melbourne,” “Shaky Hands”
With powerful instruments and soaring vocals, Civic Video creates charged tracks that resonate emotionally based on sound and lyrics.
The authentic sound of their songs creates an alluring experience, reminiscent of youthful days and carefree times.
Though, that doesn’t mean the songs don’t cover serious, sometimes devastating, topics. Listen to their music for an upbeat music session that might have you thinking about life.
Will Baker
📍Sydney, NSW
🎵 Pop, indie, rock
🎸 “Runaway,” “The Plan,” “Springboard”
Based on his age (22) with his sound and budding success, Will Baker seems to be what one might consider a massive talent. His songs feel personal, evocative, and timeless with a touch of cinema to create a feel-good atmosphere encompassing a range of emotions. Discover honest and open lyrics with catchy, approachable tunes with Will Baker.
Brad Cox
📍Jindabyne, NSW
🎵 Country, americana, pop, dance
🎸 “Acres,” “Sunset Psalm,” “Wait on the Day”
Brad Cox’s initial foray into released music involved more fun contemporary country pop themes, but he has created a new era in his music with the 2024 release of the album Endemic Intelligence in Multiple Dimensions. He states wanting to pivot into more meaningful material about things he really cares about as a reason for the shift. And it paid off: at the 2026 Country Music Awards of Australia, the album was nominated for two different Album of the Year categories. Experience something profound with the honest, intimate-sounding vocals and instruments found in Brad Cox’s music.
Learn about more of Australia's best country singers.
total tommy
📍 Sydney, NSW
🎵 Indie, lo-fi, grunge, rock, pop
🎸 “SPIDER,” “Butterknife,” “ADELINE”
Experience the full range of human emotions through Jess Holt’s (total tommy) body of work. Her music feels just the right amount of infectious, mixed with novelty and familiarity all at once. The release of her debut album Bruises brought many raving reviews, with the different tracks highlighting very specific yet relatable experiences.
Five Buck Kid
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 “A Beautiful Life,” “Blue Light Band,” “Gun-Shy (Girl Like You)”
🎸 “A Beautiful Life,” “Blue Light Band,” “Gun-Shy (Girl Like You)”
With a vintage rock flair, Five Buck Kid’s various songs combine rich vocals with enamouring instruments. Discover a romantic, rock-star quality in both lyricism and delivery featuring Jacob Fitzgerald, formerly of Jacob Fitzgerald & The Electric City. Their music balances energetic anthems with introspective ballads, appealing to those who crave authenticity and depth in their listening experiences.
Ruby Cannon
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Indie, rock, garage-rock, surf
🎸 “Annabella,” “Love Machine,” “On The Boulevard”
Transcending the decades, Ruby Cannon’s 70s-inspired sound is full of airy vocals and steely guitar. The dreamy, summery tone conveys the type of energy Ruby says she wants to convey: radiant delight. Discover a new artist creating nostalgic tunes everyone can enjoy with critically-acclaimed surf-rock star Ruby Cannon.
MACËY
📍 Adelaide, SA
🎵 Metal, electronic, punk, rock, hip-hop, hyperpunk
🎸 “idontlikethewayoulookatme,” “cheekbones,” “Nihilistic by Design”
Pulling inspiration from a variety of genres (namely, hyperpop, metalcore, industrial, dance, and alt-rock), MACËY creates attractive tracks full of gritty, emotional rawness. Listening to their music is only half the experience. The group has garnered a cult following for creating unforgettable experiences at their live performances. Don’t miss this new name in metal!
Ecca Vandal
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Electronic, punk, rock, grunge
🎸 “CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE,” “Future Heroine,” “BLEED BUT NEVER DIE”
After a partial hiatus from releasing music in 2019, Ecca Vandal returned in full with the release of “Bleed But Never Die” in 2024. Her newest single, “Bleach,” is the latest in a string of well-received singles. Her music is hailed as a masterful demonstration of raw yet controlled intensity.
Jack Spencer
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Folk, rock, experimental, country, acoustic
🎸 “Dirty Faced,” “Free Time Lane,” “Trillion Love”
With a nostalgic quality, Jack Spencer’s music evokes the feeling of a simpler time and suggests the present can be a simple time, too. His music displays inspiration from 60s psychedelic rock and lo-fi elements. Listen for a break from the intensity of life.
Olivia C. Dacal
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Jazz, pop, R&B, indie
🎸 “I’ll Come Back To You,” “Dream,” “Lover Where’d You Go”
Olivia C. Dacal creates a new way to experience jazz and R&B through complete infusion with other genre influences. Her incorporation of omnichord covers in her discography add another flavour to your listening sessions. The smooth and alluring timbre of her voice creates an irresistible atmosphere.
Dumbhead
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Trip-hop, IDM, experimental, jazz
🎸 “want light!,” “Rabbit in Pants (It’s up to you),” “Problem Dog”
The current music scene in Australia favours electronic beats, and Dumbhead sits in a very specific point within the genre. Combining interesting beats with instrumentals and relaxed vocals creates a new electro-beat experience. Each track offers a different sound environment while still carrying over the band’s signature style for cohesion.
Discover some of Australia's best bands.
Kee'ahn
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Soul, R&B, pop, jazz
🎸 “the way i love,” “this is not the end,” “heavy”
She may be a newer face in the music scene, but the mastery found in each song feels like she’s been in the business for much, much longer. Kee’ahn makes it a point to honour her Kuku Yalanji, Jirrbal and Torres Strait Islander ancestry though her work. Her soulful and flawless voice offers a safe haven, musically and lyrically.
nabii
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Electronic, EDM, dance, pop, trance
🎸 “Alone,” “BETTER OFF ON MY OWN,” “The Sky”
A hypnotic blend of hyperpop, trance and storytelling, nabii’s music breaks through your emotional barriers in the best way. Her beats, electric sparkles, and ethereal vocals create an atmosphere that is simultaneously euphoric and cathartic. If there ever was an artist who could make you smile-cry on the dancefloor, it’ll be nabii. Plus, keep an ear out for tracks from her secondary project, Second Skin, which will incorporate more downtempo musical stylings.
Rita Bass
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Dance, electronic, pop, instrumental, bass
🎸 “Bassbassbass,” “Reimagining,” “Shaped Curve”
Another entrant in the rising world of electronic music, Rita Bass uses layered beats and synth melodies to create unique tracks. Her songs range from more ambient selections to tracks that demand your full attention to soak up each element properly. Attending a live performance is second to none, so make sure you attend a show if you ever get the chance!
Milly Strange
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Rock, folk, indie, alt-rock, grunge
🎸 “Diane,” “Horses,” “Ghost”
Masterful in delivering evocative lyrics with precision, Milly Strange’s resonant voice pulls you in to listen closely. She cites being inspired by dichotomy, bringing opposing forces into a harmonic dance in the music. Her tracks evoke deep, dark emotion with resolution and catharsis enough to leave you feeling rather balanced after the last note ends.
Find out which are the best songs from Australia.
Hannah McKittrick
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Folk, indie, ambient, rock, pop
🎸 “Crowd Scene,” “Utensil,” “Big Plan”
With an electro-acoustic dissonance, McKittrick’s entrancing voice pulls for attention with a steady magnetism. One can imagine attending a live concert full of people soaking up the pure, radiating connection from the stage, rather than cheering or trying to catch the whole thing on their individual phones. Her music is like a helping hand, a smile, a hug; a human connection ready to hold space for your emotions.
Notably, she also recorded a collaborative track for the horror film “Together.”
Inanna Indigo
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Folk, indie, soul, R&B
🎸 “Honey,” “Not Just For Me,” “Healing Old Wounds”
With a strong and delicate voice not unlike spidersilk, and backed by the warm tones of her band in voice and instrument, Inanna Indigo’s songs create inviting emotional experiences. Her latest single, “Honey,” makes you feel like you can actually taste the sweetness of love with your ears. Each track feels like an immersive experience.
The Buoys
📍 Sydney, NSW
🎵 Indie, pop, rock
🎸 “I Want You,” “Red Flags,” “Lie To Me Again”
Indie rock with a splash of the emo-pop-punk energy of the early-to-mid 2000s, The Buoys have been around for a while but hit a new stride in recent years.
The band’s sound is full of energy inviting listeners to sing and dance along.
Their 2024 debut album, Lustre, was well received and even nominated for Australian Album of the Year by the J Awards.
Find out more about some of Australia's most famous singers.
SPEEED
📍 Sydney, NSW
🎵 Hardcore, metal, punk
🎸 “REAL LIFE LOVE,” “One Blood We Bleed,” “Not That Nice”
Find a new headbanging favourite with SPEED, a well-recognised hardcore metal group ready to rock you to your core. Not confined to Australia, the band has toured internationally, even stirring up some good old-fashioned moshing and stage-diving at Coachella 2025. Since then, their song “The First Test” was used in the 2026 AEW Grand Slam Australia pro-wrestling TV special.
Delivery
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Garage-punk, rock, indie
🎸 “The New Alphabet,” “Digging The Hole,” “Baader Meinhof”
While forming a band in 2020 was more difficult, it wasn’t impossible, as proven by the members of Delivery. The charming and refreshing garage-band sound is a breath of fresh air, full of a specific kind of youthful energy. Rock out with the hype-y guitars, drums, and vocals contained in each track.
Ayesha Madon
📍 Sydney, VIC
🎵 Pop, R&B, acoustic
🎸 “Fish & Chips,” “Goldfish,” “Michelle Obama”
Madon co-starred in the hit Netflix series Heartbreak High, bringing more awareness to her music and earning deserved popularity. Her voice and energy are immediately on par with any big-name pop star you’ll hear on the radio. For a fresh take on moody, bright, cool pop options, give Ayesha Madon a listen.
King Stingray
📍 Darwin, NT
🎵 Indie, pop, rock, surf-rock, dance, groove
🎸 “Let’s Go,” “Camp Dog,” “Milkumana”
Looking for a confident band that sings in both English and Yolŋu Matha? Look no further. Their mixed-language song “Milkumana” won the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, which is just one of their recent recognitions. The catchy, jammy, surfy sound is a perfect entry in the indie rock genre.
Ninajirachi
📍 Central Coast, NSW
🎵 Dance, electronic, pop, experimental, EDM, glitch-pop
🎸 “iPod Touch,” “All I Am,” “Delete”
Known for her DJ sets and intricate EDM sound, Nina Wilson, aka Ninajairachi, often sings about technology in our everyday lives with candour. Her tracks balance bouncy hyperpop, vibey vocals, and just the right amount of techno bass to create an exciting atmosphere from start to finish. Get ready to dance when you put on a Ninajirachi track!
Grace Cummings
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Alternative, indie, folk, rock
🎸 “On and On,” “Ramona,” “A Precious Thing”
Described as a “devastating force,” Grace Cummings’ voice is simply unforgettable. Her music has a deeply “real” and visceral quality, like a spotlight on your soul. In 2025, she was nominated for Emerging Songwriter of the Year by the APRA Music Awards, following the release of her album Ramona. Get entranced for a while; put on a Grace Cummings song.
Discover more of Australia's best female singers.
Mia Wray
📍 Melbourne, VIC
🎵 Pop, blues, folk, soul
🎸 “Needs,” “Nice to Meet Me,” “Work For Me”
Mia Wray’s talent was recognised at a young age, and she was signed with a label at just 16 years old.
Though she’s been releasing music since 2014, her newest iteration has been picking up traction since 2020.
With a soulful, confident voice, listening to Mia Wray’s powerful vocals remind you how to stand up for yourself. Her music is a force for empowerment, especially for girls and women.
Hopefully, that should give you some new Aussie artists to listen to. Some of them are brand new whereas others have been around for a couple of years, but the one thing they all have in common is that we think they're going to continue to grow in popularity. It's always fun discovering new music so if you have any suggestions, feel free to share them in the comments.
If you'd like to learn more about the best new music in Australia, you can always discover new artists on the radio, via Spotify or YouTube, or from any musician who's quite active in the local music scene. Almost every sizeable town in the country has a music scene and the best way to discover new music is by being in the places where it'll be heard!
Do you want to hone your vocal talents for your own singing career? Find amazing singing lessons in Sydney or your city on Superprof!
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