Journalist/Editor. Mostly music and culture. Words for @billboard, Grammys / @RecordingAcad, @RedBullMusic, @guardian etc.
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Articles by Jack Tregoning
Bugs’ Jordan Brunoli is 30 and may have weeks to live – but the band are making the most of their time together
For most bands, releasing a new album is cause for celebration. For Brisbane band Bugs, the moment is much more bittersweet. Last month, before the release of their fourth album, Head Noise, bass guitarist Jordan Brunoli took to Instagram with a devastating update. Diagnosed with stage-four colorectal cancer at just 29, Brunoli revealed that his treatments had been unable to stop the disease from spreading.
Adapt or die: the Australian live music lovers trying to reinvent an ‘ancient’, ‘unviable’ industry
On a cold, rainy Tuesday night in Sydney’s Dulwich Hill, most of the shopfronts are dark, but one is shaking. A small crowd is absorbed in a set by local band Entertainment Quarter, performing behind a shelf of records and T-shirts, in a space that used to be a butcher’s shop. It is so intimate that the band greets new arrivals with a friendly “hello” as they step through the door.
why Australian music is soundtracking so much TV right now
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why Australian music is soundtracking so much TV right now
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From G-Flip to Tame Impala: why Australian music is soundtracking so much TV right now
Last month, a new Amazon Prime series, Off Campus, fought its way to the top of the streaming TV pile. Releasing its first season all at once, the glossy campus drama – set around an elite hockey team at a fictional US university – racked up 36 million viewers in its first 12 days, becoming the platform’s biggest debut among women aged 18 to 34. Its star attraction is the sweet-and-steamy romance between music major Hannah (Ella Bright) and brooding hockey star Garrett (Belmont Cameli).
Lil’ Kim review – formidable rap legend delivers mostly vibes, but the crowd is here for it
Lil’ Kim in 2020 at the Hip Hop Smackdown in Michigan. Her show in Sydney on 29 May marked the first time the artist has played in Australia in 15 years. Photograph: Aaron J Thornton/Getty Images Of all the acts announced on this year’s Vivid Sydney lineup, Lil’ Kim jumped off the poster. The New York rapper’s return, 15 years after her last Australian appearance at the Winterbeatz festival, was framed as a celebration of her 1996 debut Hard Core and its 2000 follow-up The Notorious K.I.M..
'It constantly spins me out'
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Ecca Vandal, the genre-defying punk-rap star on getting offline and having tea with Flea: ‘It constantly spins me out’
Jack Tregoning Mon, 18 May 2026 at 3:00 pm UTC 6 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. ‘I had a lot of people saying, “You’ll be really successful if you just pick a lane”’: Ecca Vandal.Photograph: Sean McDonald (Photograph: Sean McDonald) On the first Friday in May, a procession of tattooed, pierced and mostly 20-something devotees crowded into a beers-and-burgers dive bar in Sydney’s Newtown.
Genesis Owusu: Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge review – political fury and propulsive fun
‘His best and most complete album to date’: Genesis Owusu’s third LP, Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge, arrives with significant expectation.Photograph: Isaac Brown/Ourness (Photograph: Isaac Brown/Ourness) Last September, Genesis Owusu road-tested material from his then-untitled third album at three intimate gigs at Sydney Opera House. Performing in the round for adoring fans, he radiated the confidence of an artist sharing music he deeply believes in.
Peach PRC on stardom, synaesthesia and sexuality: ‘There was so much joy and fun in stripping’ Original
Having lived much of her adult life online, Shaylee Curnow – better known as Peach PRC (or just Peach) – is now in her back-to-nature era.
‘For us, it’s like Christmas’: Bad Bunny gets rapturous welcome at first-ever Australian show
Bad Bunny onstage at Engie Stadium, at Olympic Park in Sydney, Australia on Saturday night. Photograph: Maira Troncoso Few Australian tours carry the weight of Bad Bunny’s first-ever shows in the country.
May-a: ‘I was not in a good place - no one’s in a good place when they get a neck tattoo’
At just 24, the Australian singer-songwriter Maya Cumming – known to fans as May-a – has already experienced the promise and heartache of Los Angeles as a star-making town. In 2021, she signed with Atlantic Records in the US ahead of her debut EP, Don’t Kiss Ur Friends – a moment she described at the time as “a dream”. The following February, she featured on Flume’s precision-made festival anthem Say Nothing, which went on to win the 2022 Triple J Hottest 100.
Olivia Dean's Man I Need wins Triple J's Hottest 100
British pop sensation Olivia Dean has taken out the number one spot in Australia's largest music poll, Triple J's Hottest 100, with her single Man I Need. The breezy neo-soul hit, which has spent 10 consecutive weeks atop the Aria singles chart, was widely tipped as the favourite to win the 2025 vote, in which 2.1m votes were cast. Dean finished ahead of Australian artist Keli Holiday, whose TikTok-fuelled earworm Dancing2 claimed No 2.
Olivia Dean’s Man I Need wins Triple J’s Hottest 100
Olivia Dean pictured perforning at the 2025 Austin City Limits Music Festival in Texas. Her song Man I Need has won the 2025 Triple J Hottest 100 in Australia, the world’s biggest music poll. Photograph: Erika Goldring/WireImage British pop sensation Olivia Dean has taken out the number one spot in Australia’s largest music poll, Triple J’s Hottest 100, with her single Man I Need.
Triple J's Hottest 100: More than 2m votes have been cast – but who will win?
Inside the offices of Australian youth broadcaster Triple J, the results of the Hottest 100 – which will be counted down on Saturday – are a closely guarded secret. Mornings host Lucy Smith says presenters don't see their section of the countdown until an hour before going live, with only a select few staffers ensuring the votes and statistics are tallied correctly inside a private “Triple J bunker” that is occupied from the day voting closes. “Sometimes there's no windows.
Triple J’s Hottest 100: more than 2m votes have been cast – but who will win?
From left to right: Keli Holiday, Ninajirachi, Olivia Dean and Spacey Jane, all contenders for high spots in the 2026 Hottest 100. Composite: Guardian Design/Getty images/Sam Hendel Inside the offices of Australian youth broadcaster Triple J, the results of the Hottest 100 – which will be counted down on Saturday – are a closely guarded secret.
The 16 best Australian albums of 2025
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Composite: Guardian Design This year was a great year for Australian music, with several outstanding debuts and confident sophomore albums released, alongside a surprise supergroup and big names returning to the studio.
By Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen Verified, Ben Beaumont Thomas Verified, Sian Cain Verified, Caitlin Welsh Verified, Jared Richards, Nick Buckley Verified, Andrew Stafford Verified, Joseph Earp, Jack Tregoning, Shaad D’Souza Verified
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Inkl
‘Why are all these twentysomethings at a Killing Heidi show?’ How nostalgia tours took over Australian music
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‘Why are all these twentysomethings at a Killing Heidi show?’ How nostalgia tours took over Australian music
Jack Tregoning Tue, September 30, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. UTC 7 min read Last year, Australian pop-rock band Killing Heidi planned to celebrate their multi-platinum 2000 debut album Reflector by performing it in full on the Good Things festival tour, but technical issues got in the way. So when the festival’s promoter pitched a 25th anniversary tour of the album for this year, the band jumped at the chance. The gambit was rewarded with a string of sold-out dates in June.
‘Why are all these twentysomethings at a Killing Heidi show?’ How nostalgia tours took over Australian music
Last year, Australian pop-rock band Killing Heidi planned to celebrate their multi-platinum 2000 debut album, Reflector, by performing it in full on the Good Things festival tour, but technical issues got in the way. So when the festival’s promoter pitched a 25th anniversary tour of the album for this year, the band jumped at the chance. The gambit was rewarded with a string of sold-out dates in June.
Musicians v the climate crisis: ‘We’re trying to put on the greenest show in Australia’
Oliver and Louis Leimbach of Lime Cordiale. The brothers – longtime environmental activists –are planning a 5,000-capacity festival powered entirely by green energy. Photograph: Oliver Begg In 2023 the Australian indie-pop band Lime Cordiale tested a pair of electric tour vans, driving from Sydney to a festival in the Hunter Valley via gigs in Wollongong and Canberra.
How 1995 Became A Blockbuster Year For Movie Soundtracks
Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz in 'Clueless' Photo: CBS via Getty Images From 'Clueless' to 'Dangerous Minds,' soundtracks were big business in 1995, but the year's hits offered no clear formula for success. |GRAMMYs/Jul 17, 2025 - 03:41 pm Mariah Carey, Alanis Morissette, 2Pac and the Smashing Pumpkins all had No. 1 albums in 1995. Despite such hallowed competition, four movie soundtracks also topped the Billboard 200 chart that year.
‘It’s unfeasible to run this model much longer’: is this the end of the Australian regional tour?
‘It’s unfeasible to run this model much longer’: is this the end of the Australian regional tour? DZ Deathrays performing in the Koala Tavern in Capalaba, Queensland in March 2025 as part of their regional tour. The band were advised to cancel regional shows due to low ticket sales. DZ Deathrays performing in the Koala Tavern in Capalaba, Queensland in March 2025 as part of their regional tour. The band were advised to cancel regional shows due to low ticket sales.
SXSW Sydney: now in its second year, has the festival found its feet?
Rap prodigy The Kid Laroi gave a keynote at SXSW Sydney – and delighted the crowd when a delivery from local chicken shop Clem’s was brought out on stage.Photograph: Nina Franova/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney To get the most out of the SXSW music program, you have to make peace with some dissonance.
Critic’s pick: Haai, the DJ making euphoric electronica with Kylie, Fred Again and Jon Hopkins
‘Part psychedelic, part sleepless weekend in Berlin’ … Haai. Photograph: Imogene Barron Teneil Throssell’s origin story as Haai goes a long way to explaining her dense and tactile club music. Born in Karratha, Western Australia, and spending her formative gig-going years in Sydney, Throssell relocated to London in her 20s as part of psych-rock outfit Dark Bells. Initially turned off by what she saw as the strictures of dance music, her scepticism was undone by a chance trip to Berlin’s Berghain.
why are Australia’s music festivals falling over?
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First Groovin the Moo, now Splendour: why are Australia’s music festivals falling over?
The crowd at last year’s Splendour in the Grass. The 2024 festival has been cancelled and organisers have not committed to returning in 2025. Photograph: Matt Jelonek/Getty Images On Wednesday, after a day of fevered speculation, Splendour in the Grass announced it was cancelling this year’s festival, just a week after tickets went on sale. The long-running camping festival was set to return to the North Byron Parklands in New South Wales in July, headlined by Kylie Minogue, Future and Arcade Fire.
Pnau: Hyperbolic review - comeback from kings of kitsch can sound overly polished
Within the ranks of Australian dance music, Pnau has always gone for the big swing. The duo-turned-trio – formed by Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes in the mid-1990s, and joined by Nick’s brother Sam in 2016 – is unconcerned with looking cool, reliably choosing ostentatious production flourishes and bold, brassy vocal performances. Their sixth album, titled – fittingly – Hyperbolic, happily cranks the dial even further.
Logic1000: one of dance music’s most intriguing artists enters a new era
If there’s one word that could encompass all of Samantha Poulter’s output as Logic1000, it’s warmth. Over six productive years, the Sydney-born, Berlin-based DJ and producer has evolved into one of dance music’s most intriguing talents, with a refined, enveloping sound that’s indebted to decades of house music history. Her 2018 debut EP, Logic1000, was released in December 2018, when she briefly went by the name DJ Logic.
Fred Again at Sydney Opera House review – a record-breaking, turbocharged night
Microsoft Cares About Your Privacy Microsoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
Fred Again at Sydney Opera House review – a record-breaking, turbocharged night
Microsoft Cares About Your Privacy Microsoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
Fred Again at Sydney Opera House review - a record-breaking, turbocharged night
It’s 9pm on an otherwise unremarkable Tuesday, and the foyer of the Sydney Opera House is a crush of slightly smug excitement. Friends run to each other and whoop, then fall into selfie formation. Outside under the famous sails, groups vape in anticipation while cradling three cans apiece. Inside the moodily smoke-filled Concert Hall, a simple test of a lighting cue is met by a headliner-worthy cheer.
6 Reasons Why Fred Again.. Was Dance Music's Rookie Of The Year
Fred again... Photo: Photo by Kieran Frost / Redferns / GettyImages Arguably dance music's buzziest star in 2023, Fred again.. topped off a breakout year with four nominations at the 2024 GRAMMYs, including Best New Artist. Take a look at some of the producer/songwriter's biggest feats that helped him get there. |GRAMMYs/Jan 30, 2024 - 05:06 pm By any measure, 2023 was a remarkable year for electronic wunderkind Fred again..
25 Artists To Watch In 2024: Chappell Roan, VCHA, Teezo Touchdown & More
(Clockwise from left) Gabito Ballesteros, RIIZE, Chappel Roan, James Smith of Yard Act, Natalie Jane, Emilia, Dylan Marlowe, Teezo Touchdown Photos: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images; Han Myung-Gu/WireImage; Burak Cingi/Redferns; Matthew Baker/Getty Images; Alberto E.
2023 In Review: 5 Trends That Defined Dance Music
(From left) Dom Dolla, David Guetta, Charli XCX, Charlotte de Witte, Eliza Rose Photos: Barry Brecheisen/WireImage, Karwai Tang/WireImage, Matthew Baker/Getty Images, Pablo Gallardo/Redferns, Kate Green/Getty Images From nostalgia-tinged bangers and genre-blurring releases made by women, to massive tours and high-tech performances, dance music was expansive as ever in 2023.
Here Are The Nominees For Best Pop Dance Recording At The 2024 GRAMMYs
Take a look at the inaugural list of nominees for Best Pop Dance Recording — one of three new categories at the 2024 GRAMMYs — which features hits from dance legends and pop superstars. |GRAMMYs/Nov 12, 2023 - 05:31 pm One of three new categories debuting at the 2024 GRAMMYs, Best Pop Dance Recording will be hotly contested in its first year.
How Skrillex & Fred Again.. Became Dance Music's Favorite Friendship: A Timeline
Fred Again (L) & Skrillex (R) in 2023 Photos: Kate Green/Getty Images & Venla Shalin/Redferns Before they both play Ill Points in Miami this October, journey back through the highlights of Skrillex and Fred again..'s party-starting bromance. |GRAMMYs/Oct 9, 2023 - 07:13 pm Few friendships in dance music have burned as brightly as the bromance between Fred Gibson, aka Fred again.., and Sonny Moore, a.k.a. Skrillex.
Olivia Rodrigo Releases New Album 'Guts': Social Media Obsesses
Olivia Rodrigo Photo: Debra L Rothenberg/WireImage via Getty Images Olivia Rodrigo just released her new album, 'GUTS' — and social media is reacting positively to this coming-of-age document. |GRAMMYs/Sep 8, 2023 - 04:23 pm Olivia Rodrigo has officially returned with the release of her sophomore album, GUTS. With punky anthems like "bad idea right?" and complex emotional ballads like "lacy," this genre-spanning album seems to bring out all the feels for teenagers, who are in their twenties.
15 Must-Hear Albums This September: Olivia Rodrigo, Kylie Minogue, (G)I-DLE, James Blake & More
(Clockwise) (G)I-DLE, Bakar, Olivia Rodrigo, Demi Lovato, Chrissie Hynde, Jalen Ngonda, Kylie Minogue, Mitski Photos: Steve Jennings/GettyImages; Antoine Flament/Getty Images; Amy Sussman/WireImage; Santiago Felipe/GettyImages; Ki Price; Rosie Cohe; Edward Cooke; Mauricio Santana/Getty Images Get your fall playlist ready. From pop blockbusters to the return of rock icons, check out 15 genre-spanning albums dropping in September.
8 Times Dance Stars Channeled Their Inner Punk Kid, From Deadmau5 & Gerard Way To Rezz & Silverstein
With the release of Rezz's new emo-loving EP, 'It's Not A Phase,' dig into eight songs that saw the dance and rock worlds collide. |GRAMMYs/Jul 27, 2023 - 08:53 pm At first glance, the worlds of rock and dance music might appear diametrically opposed. Dig a little deeper, though, and the two genres share more than just a love for all-black outfits.
8 Movie Scenes That Got Airports Very, Very Wrong
For anyone existing in the real world, airports are not exactly enchanting. Unless you’re living it up in the lounge, the fun starts at the long customs and security queues and ends with $9 coffee and bad WiFi. The movie version of an airport is a little different. In movies, a missed flight means meeting the life of your life over cocktails. In movies, you can slide through security with a heartfelt plea or conveniently board the wrong flight in first class.
A History Of Casablanca Records In 10 Songs, From Kiss To Donna Summer To Lindsay Lohan
As the Casablanca Records story hits the big screen with ‘Spinning Gold’ on March 31, revisit some of the hits that have defined the now-reinvented label’s legacy.
30 Albums You Should Listen To In 2022
30 Albums You Should Listen To In 2022 30-must-hear-albums-2022-kendrick-lamar-cardi-b-rosalia-mitski-machine-gun-kelly-charli-xcx-enhypen Editor's Note: This piece has been updated to reflect release dates and album titles announced after publishing. While it may feel like there's not much to look forward to during yet another wave of COVID-19, music fans around the world are eagerly waiting to load their playlists with new releases as 2022 gets underway.
Trevor Noah Returns To Host 2022 GRAMMYs Awards
Best Music Video Nominees | 2022 GRAMMYs best-music-video-nominees-nominations-2022-grammys-awards-64th-ac-dc-jon-batiste-tony-bennett-lady-gaga-justin-bieber-daniel-caesar-giveon-billie-eilish-lil-nas-x-olivia-rodrigo After another year of awe-inspiring and conversation-starting visuals, AC/DC, Jon Batiste, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber (with Daniel Caesar and Giveon), Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, and Olivia Rodrigo compete for the night's music video honor These days, a song's...
Best Global Music Performance Noms | 2022 GRAMMYs
Best Music Video Nominees | 2022 GRAMMYs best-music-video-nominees-nominations-2022-grammys-awards-64th-ac-dc-jon-batiste-tony-bennett-lady-gaga-justin-bieber-daniel-caesar-giveon-billie-eilish-lil-nas-x-olivia-rodrigo After another year of awe-inspiring and conversation-starting visuals, AC/DC, Jon Batiste, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber (with Daniel Caesar and Giveon), Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, and Olivia Rodrigo compete for the night's music video honor These days, a song's...
Best Music Video Nominees | 2022 GRAMMYs
Best Music Video Nominees | 2022 GRAMMYs best-music-video-nominees-nominations-2022-grammys-awards-64th-ac-dc-jon-batiste-tony-bennett-lady-gaga-justin-bieber-daniel-caesar-giveon-billie-eilish-lil-nas-x-olivia-rodrigo After another year of awe-inspiring and conversation-starting visuals, AC/DC, Jon Batiste, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber (with Daniel Caesar and Giveon), Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, and Olivia Rodrigo compete for the night's music video honor Nov 26, 2021 - 9:33 am...
Best Music Video Nominees | 2022 GRAMMYs
Best Music Video Nominees | 2022 GRAMMYs best-music-videos-nominees-nominations-2022-grammys-awards-64th-ac-dc-jon-batiste-tony-bennett-lady-gaga-justin-bieber-daniel-caesar-giveon-billie-eilish-lil-nas-x-olivia-rodrigo After another year of conversation-starting music videos, AC/DC, Jon Batiste, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber (with Daniel Caesar and Giveon), Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, and Olivia Rodrigo compete for the night's music video honor Nov 26, 2021 - 9:33 am These days, a...
Best Pop Vocal Album Nominations | 2022 GRAMMYs
Who's Up For ROTY At The 2022 GRAMMYs Awards?
Here Are The Pop Duo/Group Performance Nominees
2022 GRAMMYs Awards: Complete Nominations List 2022-grammys-complete-winners-nominees-nominations-list The 2022 GRAMMYs Awards show, officially known as the 64th GRAMMY Awards, is just around the corner. Today, the Recording Academy announced the nominations for each of the 86 categories. See below to see who's nominated at the 64th GRAMMY Awards. The Recording Academy will present the 2022 GRAMMY Awards on Mon, Jan.
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