New Zealand lost its music media, and what we're building to replace it

In mid-June 2026, Auckland’s Karangahape Road faced a dual blow to its music culture as two cornerstone institutions announced closures within hours. Flying Out, a record store that had been a fixture for 11 years, declared its end. Shortly after, Neck of the Woods, a basement venue instrumental in launching electronic music careers over the past decade, revealed it was shutting down due to overwhelming debt. However, the latter closure galvanized community support, with nearly 3,000 contributors—including notable bands like The Beths—raising $150,000 in under a week, enabling the venue to reopen the following month.

This episode, while heartening in its community response, underscores a broader crisis facing New Zealand’s music infrastructure. Over recent years, several iconic venues and events have ceased operations: Verona entered liquidation after 34 years in April; Charlie’s shuttered in February; Bar Celeste closed the year prior; and K Road’s own Others Way Festival was indefinitely cancelled. These closures reflect more than economic hardship—they expose the erosion of the media ecosystem that once chronicled and supported the nation’s music landscapes.

Historically, New Zealand’s music media was anchored by outlets such as the NZ Herald’s Time Out magazine and dedicated publications like Rip It Up and Real Groove. These platforms provided consistent coverage and critical discourse, sustaining public engagement with local music. Today, these have all but vanished, leaving a void in music journalism. Esteemed journalist Chris Schulz, recognized with the Taite Award for Outstanding Music Journalism in 2025, has documented this steep decline, noting that only a handful of music journalists remain in the country, and no major publication maintains a full-time music critic.

The decline of music media coverage is not isolated to New Zealand but reflects a global trend. Internationally influential outlets like Pitchfork have seen significant downsizing and integration into broader lifestyle publications, while local music press has diminished in other English-speaking countries. New Zealand, however, has felt these effects more acutely, partly due to its smaller market size.

This media silence comes at a paradoxical time for New Zealand’s music industry, which remains economically vibrant. In 2023, the sector contributed $451 million directly to the GDP, a notable increase from $350 million the previous year, and when including indirect effects, the total contribution exceeded $900 million. Live music revenue soared to $329 million, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, and artists continue to release new work regularly.

Despite this vitality, local artists struggle for visibility and market share. In 2024, New Zealand music accounted for just 9 percent of domestic streaming, downloads, and physical sales revenue. Moreover, the official year-end Top 50 singles chart featured only one New Zealand track. Radio support is similarly limited; only two nationwide commercial stations reached the 20 percent local content quota. This disparity reveals a critical issue: the local industry thrives but lacks the media spotlight necessary to amplify its presence.

The absence of dedicated music journalism means that key stories around artist breakthroughs, venue closures, and industry trends go untold. This invisibility hinders artists’ ability to attract audiences, bookings, and revenue, perpetuating a cycle that limits growth despite artistic and economic potential.

In response to this void, new initiatives like Propel have emerged with the mission to restore comprehensive coverage of New Zealand’s electronic music scene. Since its inception, Propel has published over 225 articles, including scene reports, artist profiles, and event coverage, with a marked increase in output in recent months. The platform not only documents the scene but also provides practical tools—such as artist profiles, press kits, and booking pages—free of charge, democratizing access to resources traditionally controlled by labels or agencies.

Propel’s approach recognizes the interconnectedness of local and global music networks by featuring over 2,700 venues worldwide and highlighting collaborations between New Zealand artists and international scenes. This strategy aims to contextualize local talent within the broader industry and foster opportunities beyond national borders.

While these developments represent progress, the challenge remains to translate increased visibility into tangible career advancements for artists. Propel’s founder, an active DJ who has grown within the scene, emphasizes the ongoing work to convert media presence into bookings, press recognition, and sustainable careers.

In sum, New Zealand’s music ecosystem is at a crossroads. The erosion of traditional music media has left a gap in the narrative that once supported the sector’s growth. However, grassroots efforts and innovative platforms are beginning to reconstruct this foundation, offering hope that the country’s vibrant musical culture will regain its deserved visibility and influence.