The Music Power Pick has launched, where a panel of radio and podcast local music advocates shine a light on one song every week which they feel has the potential to become a big Australian hit.
This initiative ties in with Ausmusic Month, Ausmusic T-Shirt Day which this year all the radio networks have gotten behind, the upcoming ARIA Awards, the local industry asking us to Ausify your Algorithm and 2025 being the worst year in ARIA Chart history for Australian singles.
The Power Pick isn’t created to tell programmers what to do. It’s about one song with that special ‘gut feel’ to add to their, and your, consideration pile.
The Power Pick panel includes:
Ash McGregor – Host of podcast Listen Up with Ash McGregor, and former triple j Home & Hosed host
Irene Hulme – Content & Music Strategist, co-host of Game Changers Radio podcast, formerly a programmer with Nova, the Hit Network & ARN and creator of R&B Fridays
Maddy Rowe – Host of The Maddy Rowe Show on the Nova Network
Nic Kelly – Host of The Hot Hits on the Hit Network
Richard Kingsmill – Music & Media Consultant & Curator, ex-triple j Group Music Director
And there’s more to come.
The inaugural Power Pick is Tame Impala’s Dracula, a song that is already #37 on the Spotify daily Top 50 (Australia), #18 on Shazam, #50 on the ARIA Singles Chart and an incredible 65 million global streams since it was released a month ago.
Power Pick panelist Ash McGregor said:
“Dracula is already resonating globally, proving once again that Tame Impala operates on a level few can touch. It’s a world-class release – cinematic, hypnotic, and impossible to ignore; an undeniable reminder that Australian music continues to shape the world stage, and we should be amplifying that momentum locally.”
The panel will also include input from other sources but with a singular focus on finding commercial hits.
The Music publisher Stephen Green said:
“The Power Pick isn’t about changing the world overnight, but it is about creating an environment where regular commercial Australian music success is expected, not surprising.
I am humbled by the calibre of the panel that have agreed to come together to make a difference to the visibility of Australian hits in our local culture. The Music is proud of our mission to platform initiatives that drive our local industry forward and get our artists heard.”
Main image L-R: Richard Kingsmill, Ash McGregor, Maddy Rowe, Irene Hulme and Nic Kelly.