13 hours ago
Australians don't care enough about Aussie music says Ben Lee in self-described ‘rant'
Australian musician Ben Lee says the local music industry keeps making the same mistake when it comes to supporting homegrown talent— and he's not the only one who thinks so.
Lee, who has been making music since 1993, said he has watched countless Australian artists struggle for recognition at home, only to find success overseas.
In a self-described 'rant' during his Weirder Together podcast with wife and co-host, actress Ione Skye, Lee said it's an experience he knows firsthand.
'I'm not hearing people in the Australian music industry talking about it,' he said.
'It really highlights for me how this is such an ongoing issue we go through over and over, where Aussie artists that don't fit the pop mainstream get discovered by overseas audiences and overseas parts of the industry.'
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The Sydney-born singer-songwriter, whose career took off as a teenager with indie band Noise Addict, has enjoyed international success with hits such as Catch My Disease and We're All In This Together.
He famously didn't have a commercial hit until his fourth album — and says it was overseas support, largely from the US, that got him there.
'The support that got me there all came internationally,' Lee said.
'Australia needs a pathway where we can get behind artists.'
Lee pointed to Melbourne musician Ecca Vandal as a current example of Australia's 'blind spot' for its own talent.
Vandal, known for blending rock, funk and hip hop, is recording her next release at New York's legendary Electric Lady Studios with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker.
But Lee says her achievements are barely discussed back home.
He also highlighted how bands such as 2025 BRIT Award nominees Amyl & The Sniffers and post-punk act Radio Free Alice struggled to get traction in Australia before building audiences in the UK.
'Aussie artists that don't fit the pop mainstream get discovered by overseas audiences and overseas parts of the industry. And Australia doesn't get behind them,' Lee said.
He warns that unless this changes, Australia risks losing its 'most radical and interesting artists' to international markets; unless they conform to the pop mainstream.
'I felt that in my own career,' he said.
While Lee admits there isn't a simple fix, he believes independent platforms need to play a bigger role in showcasing diverse Australian artists.
'We just need more of these grassroots platforms that have a different goal in mind,' he said.
'Australia needs a pathway where we can get behind artists that actually offer alternatives and aren't designed to be funnelled into the top 10.'
Lee's comments have sparked a wave of support from within the Australian music community.
Ecca Vandal herself thanked Lee for speaking out, while Ella Hooper — best known for her work with Killing Heidi — weighed in, writing: 'Aus is criminally slow in supporting their own tastemakers.'
Jet drummer and backing vocalist Chris Cester echoed the sentiment, reminding fans his own band was 'ignored' in Australia until they landed on the cover of iconic UK music magazine NME.
