[New MV] LILLI - O Philosopher

australian christian Radio:
Supporting Aussie Artists

Australian christian music news

September 2025

In partnership with Australia's largest Christian news site The Daily Declaration, Australian Christian Records shares a monthly Christian music column featuring the official OZ 5 Top Tunes chart, artist stories, new releases, upcoming music events, and local Christian music news.

If you have a new release or suggested story then send through to: news@ozchristianrecords.com.au.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Limoblaze / Young & Chosen Oct 2-5 (QLD, NSW, VIC, WA)
Heart Song Festival 8, Oct 25 (SA)

OZ 5 CHART
1. YES - S.MALCOLM / FOR KING & COUNTRY

2. Weight of the World - Kate Westwood

3. Hallelujah (If Not For Your Love) - Aodhan King

4. Child of God - Taya

5. First Love - Youth Alive

*Compiled by TCM based on Australian Christian radio airplay from the preceding month.

Shine Jesus Shine: Australian Christian Radio & Supporting Emerging Artists

Aaron Duff, September 5, 2025

Do you tune into your Christian radio station to discover your next favourite local artist? And if not, why not? More than ever, Australia needs to support our Christian artists to be the salt of the earth, contrasting against worldly influence, and instead help build a strong Kingdom culture.

This past week, Christian radio and media representatives from around Australia and New Zealand have been gathering in the Gold Coast for Christian Media & Arts Australia (CMAA)'s Connect25 Conference.

In addition to industry seminars on hot topics like AI and digital ministry, Connect25 has also been shining the spotlight on some local Australian music artists with performances by 2023 Voice winner Tarryn Stokes, as well as Ethan Beer, Tekoa, Southland & Lilli.

With more young people coming to faith in recent years, this focus on our homegrown Christian talent is critically important.

Music is a fundamental part of our Western culture and over the years, artists like Bob Dylan, Paul Kelly and Nick Cave have notably influenced countless numbers of people with their musings on life, God and religion.

Today, music remains intertwined with politics, spirituality and activism. A look at this year's Glastonbury Festival shows this to the extreme. In addition to being described by the LGBT community as the 'queerest ever', there was a mainstage artist leading crowds with anti-Semitic death chants. However in a different timeslot, we also saw thousands go wild for classic kids worship songs like 'Shine Jesus Shine' and 'He's Got the Whole World In His Hands'.

CMAA is the peak industry body that includes Australian Christian Radio Stations and their annual CONNECT Conference was held between Sept 2-4, 2025.

Christians are called to reject worldly temptations and be the salt of the earth, and now it's more important than ever to build up the right type of role models for our youth that can shine their light as confident and relatable Christians.

In recent years, we have seen the Christian music scenes in the UK and USA explode. Streaming of Christian music has grown by 60% in 5 years and the meteoric growth is particularly true amongst young people with artists like Forrest Frank and Brandon Lake charting in the Billboard Hot 100.

While it's welcome to see international Christian artists gaining this level exposure and influence, it's vital Australia also builds up our local Christian musicians so they too can authentically contribute to our own culture.

Unfortunately, there is still some way to go with TCM reporting in May of this year that there were no Australian acts in its weekly Top 30 Countdown for the first time in its 25 year history.

CMAA's Connect Conference is an annual opportunity for Christian music leaders from Australia & New Zealand to come together.

Considering that Australia is blessed with hundreds of (hopefully tight-knit) church communities; each with worship musicians playing every week and a venue unused up to 6.5 days of a week replete with stage and sound system, what actually are the disadvantages that Australian Christian artists need to overcome to break through and connect with Australians?

Looking to certain elements of Australia's music infrastructure, unlike the US and UK, Australia's peak music body in the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) nor the independents peak body (AIR) have a Christian chart, nor an awards category for the 'genre'. This in turn certainly affects artist exposure, opportunity and even motivation - especially within the broader secular scene.

Even something seemingly simple like advertising is affected with Meta not allowing Christian artists to target their advertising dollars to fans of Christian movies, TV shows, pastors, authors or other artists on either Facebook or Instagram since 2021 so as to prevent discrimination or potential misuse.

Moreover, with some exceptions, Australia's musical landscape is saturated with artists and administrators that share ultra progressive ideologies. A look at the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia's Australia Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP) shows there are just 119 artists who have tagged themselves as Christian. Compare this to 1264 artists proudly labelling themselves as LGBTQI+, and it seems there is a significant underrepresentation (or reticence) of Christian artists. But why?

One theory is that by identifying as a Christian artist, you may lessen your chance in receiving government grants, or being championed by secular media and/or festivals.

Yet, perhaps now more than ever is not the time to 'hide one's light under a bushel'. Artists being proud of their faith is one thing, but even Marketing 101 will tell you that by joining Australia's small pool of openly Christian artists, it is a differentiator in today's saturated music landscape.

So, what is being done to grow this artist pool?

Lilli, Ethan Beer and Tekoa on stage at CMAA Connect25

Australian artists like LILLI, Ethan Beer and Tekoa (Pictured L-R) featured at Connect25 as well as a special performance by Tarryn Stokes on Sept 3.

Conferences like Connect25 where industry leaders can get together and discuss issues like these are so important, as is their initiative to champion emerging local talent with performance showcases and their expanded CMAA People's Choice Awards, which covered Australian Artist of the Year (Darlene Zschech), Australian Emerging Artist of the Year (Revolution Worship) and Australian Song of the Year (For King & Country's Unsung Hero).

Another recent initiative has been the OZ 5 Top Tunes national chart introduced by Australian Christian Records and Today's Christian Music (TCM) that exclusively tracks Christian artists based on radio airplay.

But with nearly 40 Christian radio stations in all major towns and cities across Australia, it's fair to question the role community Christian radio can and does play in this conversation.

While there is a legislated quota for stations to play a minimum of 25% Australian music, Christian radio stations all have differing practices in playing music regarded as 'Christian'. Some choose to exclusively air Christian music, while other stations have playlists nearly unrecognisable from the major secular stations. Some stations choose to play much of their required Australian music at night when less people are listening so that they are not restricted in their playlisting during the day.

OZ5 Top Tunes Christian Music Chart September 2025

OZ 5 Top Tunes is the national chart exclusively tracking Australian Christian artists .

In some ways the choice on how much Christian music to play comes down to the values and vision of the station. Most of Australia's Christian radio stations are licensed as community stations rather than commercial. In this way, they operate as a not-for-profit, with lower licensing fees (and royalty fees paid to artists) and with a purpose to serve specialised, Christian content to a certain community group.

While many community stations rely on volunteers, a number of them feel the need to compete with the major secular stations and reach the largest audience possible - particularly those located in large urban centres.

This herein lies the conflict for many Christian radio stations. Whereas some stations are wholly volunteer-run and serve smaller communities, there are some; particularly in the major urban centres, that actively compete for listeners with their neighbour secular stations. In this way, they can reach the largest audience possible, which is not only important in spreading God's word, but is helpful for advertising dollars too, which in turn pay for professional staff, high-end equipment and worthwhile community initiatives.

In my conversations with radio content directors, nearly all do want to play more local Christian artists but for the most part, the quality gap in recordings is too great, or the discovery process takes significant effort.

Ironically, sometimes it's also the fact that there aren't that many Australian Christian artists with a strong name recognition or fanbase compared to international secular artists.

There are however so many stations and announcers that have a real heart for Australian Christian music. Some help sponsor the local Christian music festival, and others dedicate segements and airtime to uncovering artists from within their local communities.

There are also shows like the Aussie Grown Radio's longstanding 'Aussie Grown Across the Nation' and Positive Media's Aus Music Showcase launched just this year which are syndicated weekly across Australia and highlight and champion Australian Christian music.

Kate Westwood hosts the 3 hour Aus Music Showcase each week on Melbourne's The Light and across the country

But it's not just radio that needs to do the heavy lifting. What about the listeners?

It might be an uncomfortable question. But ask yourself who your favourite Australian Christian artist is. Now ask who has been your new favourite artist(s) from the past 5 years, last 12 months or even this week?

If this raises more questions than answers, take action.

Don't let Spotify's algorithm take control over the listening lives of you and your family. Listen to your local Christian radio station, sign up and attend your local Christian music festival and go discover your new favourite local Christian artist.

Images courtesy of CMAA, Kate Westwood & Australian Christian Records

https://dailydeclaration.org.au/2025/09/05/australia-christian-artists/

Google Sites

Report abuse

australian christian Radio: Supporting Aussie Artists