Time for $9 billion industry to ‘pay up’ and stop exploiting professional musicians

Almost half the nation’s musicians are earning less than $15,000 a year in an industry where underpayment and broken contracts are rife, and the emergence of artificial intelligence is threatening the future viability of work.

Fresh data released by Musicians Australia, a division of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), has detailed the widespread exploitation of professional musicians by an industry that generates almost $9 billion in revenue each year.

The survey of more than 300 musicians revealed that 44% reported earning less than $250 per gig — the minimum pay benchmark set by MEAA — sparking calls for music companies, promoters, streaming services, and venues to pay up and support artists.

“These findings paint a clear picture: musicians are overworked, underpaid, and undervalued,” said MEAA Chief Executive Erin Madeley.

“This situation is unacceptable and untenable, made dramatically worse by generative artificial intelligence systems that are threatening to displace musicians by producing synthetic work based on theft of recordings and compositions.

“MEAA is calling on the music industry to pay up and provide fair wages, safe conditions, and sustainable careers for working musicians in Australia.”

According to the 2025 Musicians Australia survey, nearly half of all musicians earned less than $15,000 a year, with 31% earning under $6,900. A majority of gigs (59%) did not pay superannuation, and one-in-four performances violated contract terms.

Promisingly, however, 68% of musicians reported being paid for every gig they played, which was an increase from 53% in 2020.

The survey also identified widespread concerns about AI. Almost three-quarters of musicians described copyright protections as inadequate, while 85% were concerned about unauthorised licensing deals with AI companies.

MEAA Musicians Federal President and folk artist Kimberley Wheeler said Australia’s musicians were highly skilled and experienced workers, with the survey confirming that more than 70% hold formal music qualifications.

“Despite their qualifications, experience, and significant contributions to the economy, the reality for most musicians is one of systemic exploitation, income insecurity, relentless unrewarded effort, and chronic undervaluation,” she said.

“The majority of survey respondents told us that they rely on their music to survive, meaning it is their primary source of income, yet they barely make enough to get by.”

Ms Wheeler said the survey results underpinned the case for the $250 minimum fee provision for performers, which has already been adopted by most state and territory governments for publicly funded live performances.

She called on commercial operations to do the same so that musicians could share in the profits generated.

“The music industry has been structured in such a way that it effectively steals from those at its very heart, and that’s musicians,” Ms Wheeler said.

“Whether it’s live performance, recording, streaming, or now AI, musicians are being systematically ripped off.

“It’s time for the big music and tech monopolies to pay up — pay up by paying minimum fees, pay up on streaming, and pay up when you’re stealing the copyrighted materials of professional musicians.”

In addition to an extension of the $250 minimum fee for commercial live performances, MEAA is calling for the industry to come to the table and negotiate a Code of Conduct for commercial live performances that includes minimum pay, while also addressing bullying, harassment, and exploitation.

MEAA is also urgently calling for stronger frameworks to prevent AI theft and unauthorised licensing, with regulation on AI to ensure control, compensation, and consent for creative and media workers.

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Rebecca 0411 790 304