Overview
Fast facts
International innovations
International collaborations
Industry contacts
Overview
New Zealand's music industry is primed to capitalise on the growing profile of New Zealand creativity.
Hundreds of artists make up the industry, producing music across all genres including rock, pop, alternative, electronic, hip hop, Maori, folk, classical, and Polynesian/Pacific.
A significant factor in attracting the world’s attention is the sounds of the Pacific. Young Maori and Pacific Island musicians are producing fresh musical hybrids that combine their indigenous cultures with international styles.
The New Zealand Government is a significant supporter of the music industry through its agencies: New Zealand On Air; New Zealand Music Industry Commission; New Zealand Trade and Enterprise; Creative New Zealand; and Te Mangai Paho.
Through these agencies, the government supports the creation, production and promotion of New Zealand music, music videos, and radio and television music shows. It also supports the professional development of musicians, the New Zealand presence at a range of international trade shows, and developing the music curriculum.
New Zealand artists who have made it on the world stage over the past three decades range from opera diva Kiri Te Kanawa and songmaster Neil Finn (and Crowded House), to comedy duo Flight of the Conchords and crossover artist Hayley Westenra.
Fast facts
- Domestic retail sales of music in New Zealand were $147 million in 2006 (source Recording Industry Association of New Zealand).
- 2007 saw the inclusion of digital downloads on the official New Zealand music charts from New Zealand’s legal, digital music retailers. The charts now represent the full spectrum of New Zealand music sales. Tiki Taane was the first New Zealand act to land a digital-only number one single in July 2008.
- The percentage of New Zealand music sales in the retail market was 11.5 percent in 2005, up from 5.8 percent in 2000. (source Recording Industry Association of New Zealand).
- New Zealand music accounts for about 20 percent of the music played on commercial radio. This figure has nearly quadrupled since monitoring began in June 1997.
- On a market-size basis, New Zealand is ranked 26th in the world. The US is number one and Australia is ranked number eight.
International innovations
Savage
Following the synchronisation of his track Swing into Judd Apatow’s smash hit comedy movie, Knocked Up, New Zealand hip hop artist Savage was signed by New York’s Universal Republic Records for a worldwide deal. Swing swept the US market with a word-of-mouth digital buzz – leaping from number 77 to number 17 in one week on the iTunes Hip Hop chart with virtually no promotion. The song has sparked more than 300 user-generated videos currently on YouTube.
Various
Songs by New Zealand artists have been used in leading US television, film and games properties including Brothers and Sisters, FIFA, the CSI franchise, The Simpsons, Failure to Launch and Weeds. A Chris Knox song was licensed for use in a US-wide campaign for Heineken Premium Light, directed by Todd Haynes for Wieden and Kennedy, Portland.
Brooke Fraser
Brooke Fraser is establishing a sizeable fan base in the US market. In 2008, her album Albertine was an iTunes top five album and Editor’s Pick for several weeks, and it debuted on Billboard Top 200 at number 90. The four videos from Albertine have notched up over a 1,000,000 views on Youtube.
Liam Finn
Liam Finn’s debut solo album I’ll Be Lightning has been a critical success. Liam was the featured musical guest on CBS' Late Show with David Letterman in February 2008 where he played Second Chance. He he also performed this song on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Later with Jools Holland. His song Gather to the Chapel made the finals of 2008’s APRA Silver Scroll Awards.
Collapsing Cities
Collapsing Cities are being cited as “ones to watch” in the UK market by supporters such as Zane Lowe and Steve Lamacq (BBC). So far in 2008, Steve Lamacq has had them on his show as his 'New Favourite Band'; they have performed live to air on XFM, played the Great Escape festival and the Levis Ones to Watch tour as well as the Reading and Leeds festivals.
Te Vaka
Te Vaka has established a stellar reputation on the world music circuit. The band represented the South Pacific with five performances at the Olympic Games in Beijing. It also performed at the Coronation of King George Tupou V (Kingdom of Tonga) at which guests included the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester (UK), the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Japan and Princess Sirinhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand.
International collaborations
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords won the Grammy award for best comedy album in 2008 for The Distant Future. Their HBO TV series has been nominated for several Emmy awards and a second series is in production in the US.
OE Brazil
Six leading Wellington musicians - P Digsss (Shapeshifter), Barnaby Weir (Black Seeds, Fly My Pretties), Hollie Smith, Recloose, Maaka McGregor and Alda Rezende - travelled to Brazil in 2006 to meet and record with dozens of their Brazilian counterparts. An experiment for Wellington music label LOOP Recordings, the trip resulted in an album OE: Brazil which had a top 10 debut in the New Zealand music charts.
Industry contacts
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) represents the interests of major and independent record producers, distributors and recording artists throughout New Zealand.
Independent Music New Zealand
Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) provides a voice for the interests of New Zealand independent recording labels and distributors, which make up a large proportion of the New Zealand music industry.
New Zealand On Air
New Zealand On Air is a government organisation that, among other broadcasting initiatives, funds New Zealand music videos and music shows on commercial and student radio stations. www.kiwihits.co.nz is New Zealand On Air’s website for New Zealand music.
New Zealand Music Industry Commission
The New Zealand Music Industry Commission is a government-funded arts agencies, committed to growing New Zealand music business, both at home and overseas.
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australiasion Performing Right Association (APRA) is the body in New Zealand that administers the performing rights in music.
The Music Managers’ Forum
The Music Managers' Forum is a national not-for-profit organisation formed in 2003 for music managers, self-managed artists and anyone with an interest in becoming a manager.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is the New Zealand government’s economic development agency and works with the music industry to build up its capability and increase its international connections.
