{"id":821757,"date":"2026-07-24T22:35:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T22:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/821757\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T22:35:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T22:35:14","slug":"australias-country-music-boom-why-these-festivals-thrive-where-others-fail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/821757\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia\u2019s country music boom: Why these festivals thrive where others fail"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exclusive: Cancellations and postponements have plagued Australia\u2019s music festival scene<\/a> for going on five years now, and at least three more events have been scrapped in recent weeks.<\/p>\n

But as rock, jazz and hip-hop offerings burn out in the face of rising costs and changing consumer behaviour, another genre is rising from the ashes: country.<\/p>\n

\"Country<\/p>\n

Country music fans are driving demand for music festivals.\u00a0Getty Images<\/p>\n

Music festivals<\/a> catering exclusively to country fans have surged in popularity, bolstering mainstays like Tamworth Country Music Festival<\/a> and paving the way for new additions.<\/p>\n

Ridin\u2019 Hearts and Strummingbird, which kicked off in 2023 and 2025 respectively, are going strong and just this week Ticketek Entertainment Group announced Longhaul, a new offering with Kane Brown and Kacey Musgraves<\/a> headlining.<\/p>\n

These successes have left many Australians wondering why country music festivals are thriving while legacy events like Bluesfest<\/a>, Groovin\u2019 the Moo, and Splendour in the Grass are dying.<\/p>\n

Have you got a story? Contact\u00a0reporter Maddison Skipper:\u00a0mskipper@nine.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n

RMIT music industry lecturer Ben Green told nine.com.au the old mixed-genre festival model isn\u2019t what it used to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat big \u2018something for everyone\u2019 festival hasn\u2019t been doing so well in recent years, compared to the festivals that have a specific culture or identity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFestivals where they\u2019re not just presenting a list of artists, there\u2019s a culture associated with them, they\u2019re the ones that we\u2019ve seen doing well.\u201d<\/p>\n

And what genre has a stronger culture attached to it than country?<\/p>\n

About one in five nine.com.au readers said they\u2019d pay to attend a country music festival in the next 12 months in an exclusive reader survey.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s great news for one sector of Australia\u2019s live music industry, and for local artists like Sara Berki, who went from sweeping hair to playing some of the nation\u2019s biggest stages in just a few years.<\/p>\n

\"Sara<\/p>\n

Five years ago, Sara Berki was a hairdresser. Now she plays to crowds of thousands.\u00a0@saraberkimusic<\/p>\n

Live music under pressure<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s live music industry has struggled on many fronts since the pandemic.<\/p>\n

The cost of transport, fuel, energy, and insurance has skyrocketed, making festivals much more expensive to run year after year.<\/p>\n

Consumer spending is also down due to the cost-of-living crisis<\/a> and 41 per cent of nine.com.au readers said they wouldn\u2019t be willing to spend more than $50 on a festival ticket, making the events difficult to sell out.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Getting international artists like Chappell Roan to perform Down Under is no small feat for festival organisers.\u00a0Richard Clifford<\/p>\n

Streaming data shows that Aussies are listening to local artists at record low numbers, putting additional pressure on festival organisers to secure costly international acts.<\/p>\n

Severe weather events<\/a> like fires and floods are also becoming more frequent, presenting an additional challenge for the many festivals hosted outdoors.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of it comes down to the financial reality, the bottom line of the cost of putting something on versus the returns,\u201d Green said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd when it comes to festivals, the costs side has gone up a great deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Almost 45 per cent of nine.com.au readers believe governments should invest more in Australia\u2019s live music industry to help offset these challenges.<\/p>\n

But while the live music sector has been struggling, country music specifically has been enjoying an unprecedented boom.<\/p>\n

Country goes mainstream<\/p>\n

Once relegated to dad\u2019s dusty old CD collection<\/a>, country music has become cool again. That\u2019s been a blessing for Berki.<\/p>\n

Five years ago she was a hairdresser; now she\u2019s played festivals like CMC Rocks and Ridin\u2019 Hearts alongside some of the genre\u2019s biggest names.<\/p>\n

\u201cCountry music is sincere. It\u2019s feel-good, and people want that right now,\u201d she told nine.com.au.<\/p>\n

Spotify reported that Australia was the third-largest and the fastest growing country music market on the planet in 2025.<\/p>\n

Live Nation reported a nearly five-fold increase in country shows booked in Australia in 2024-25, and said ticket sales have grown by nearly 750 per cent in the last five years.<\/p>\n

The genre generated $1.11 billion in revenue in Australia in the 2024-25 financial year, and country music festivals specifically employed 15,000 people and generated more than 500 full-time equivalent jobs in that period.<\/p>\n

More Aussies than ever are listening to country music, so it\u2019s no wonder there\u2019s more interest in country festivals.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is undeniable that country music has gone mainstream, with live music fans drawn to the genuine, relatable storytelling the genre delivers,\u201d a TEG spokesperson told nine.com.au.<\/p>\n

\u201cAustralia is now one of the world\u2019s fastest-growing markets for country music, and its audience is broadening fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

But popularity isn\u2019t the only reason fans are turning up in the tens of thousands. <\/p>\n

A Live Nation spokesperson told nine.com.au \u201cfestival success ultimately depends on the strength of each event\u2019s line-up, identity and overall fan experience\u201d.<\/p>\n

The culture of country <\/p>\n

Berki believes the culture, fashion and lifestyle that goes hand-in-hand with country music is what draws Aussies in and makes them willing to spend.<\/p>\n

She grew up between Bundaberg in Queensland and NSW\u2019s Southern Highlands, so she understands the appeal of the country lifestyle. <\/p>\n

\"Sara<\/p>\n

Berki is grateful for the country boom but believes it goes far beyond music.\u00a0@saraberkimusic<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone wants to adapt to this lifestyle in some sort of way,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou see people out wanting to be on property, [and] there\u2019s nothing quite like dressing up and putting on a pair of cowgirl boots or like a western hat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike the old \u201csomething for everyone\u201d festival model, country music festivals are immersive experiences focused on one culture, complete with line-dancing lessons, vendor booths, and an unspoken dress code of denim and boots<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It all comes together to foster social connections, community spirit and identity, according to Green, and those are things many Aussies are craving right now.<\/p>\n

Millennials and Gen Z are increasingly prioritising live experiences in the digital age, seeking connection to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.<\/p>\n

One in six Aussies over the age of 15 reported often feeling lonely in 2023, according to the ABS, and feelings of social cohesion and belonging have declined significantly in the last five years, per the AIHW.<\/p>\n

Country music festivals offer a sense of connection that may give them an edge over other festivals, and can help attendees justify ticket costs.<\/p>\n

\u201cUs Aussies, we thrive on connection,\u201d Berki said, and that \u2013 combined with country\u2019s soaring popularity and the culture that surrounds it \u2013 is powerful.<\/p>\n

Green can\u2019t say how long the country music boom will last, nor how long country music festivals will remain resilient to challenges plaguing the live music industry.<\/p>\n

But for now, demand shows no signs of slowing down. <\/p>\n

\"Fans<\/p>\n

Fans flock to country music festivals like Ridin\u2019 Hearts for the culture and connection as much as the music.\u00a0Maddison Skipper<\/p>\n

Strummingbird will bring Post Malone to Aussie shores in October, Longhaul\u2019s inaugural shows have been set for January 2027, and plenty of other country music events are in the calendar for the next 12 months.<\/p>\n

Berki will be playing Gympie Music Muster next month, as well as all three of Strummingbird\u2019s 2026 dates, and a solo show in Tamworth early next year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s absolutely no doubt that country music is just taking off,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Exclusive: Cancellations and postponements have plagued Australia\u2019s music festival scene for going on five years now, and at…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":821758,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[64,63,134],"class_list":["post-821757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/821757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=821757"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/821757\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/821758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=821757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=821757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=821757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}