Michael’s Rule

AAM Senior Managers Call For Reinstatement of 'Michael's Rule' To Help Promote Australian Music (May 2024)

At last year’s AAM Awards, legendary Australian manager Michael McMartin OAM was presented with the Legacy Award for lifetime achievement. In his speech that day, Michael called for the reinstatement of a policy for which he and others had campaigned in earlier decades which made it compulsory for at least one local artist to be among the support acts on every international tour that visits Australia.
 
Michael passed away last month after a long illness. In his memory, at this week’s AAM Awards, the organisation and its members, representing essentially every major artist in the country, called on Australian concert promoters to reinstate what they are now calling 'Michael’s Rule' under which:

1. Every International artist must include an Australian artist among their opening acts

2. The Australian artist must appear on the same stage at the International artist using reasonable sound and lighting

3. The Australian artist must be announced at the same time as the tour so that they benefit from all the marketing and promotion

“Everybody knows that there are less Australian songs on the charts right now that at any time since the early 1960’s. Local artists and their managers are also facing other historic challenges including a slew of recent festival cancellations”, said Maggie Collins, Executive Director of the AAM. “These challenges have been recognised by governments across Australia in recent years. Promoters received significant public funding during the pandemic and they understandably continue to receive public support for some of their major events. We think it is only reasonable that, in return, they should ‘do their bit’ to help give Australian artists a leg up by the simple means of including at least one local act on every international tour.” 

‘Michael’s Rule’ used to be a widely accepted industry code after much lobbying by artist managers in the early 2000’s. Senior managers and the AAM are calling for this voluntary code to be brought back now at this time of crisis for Australian music. If promoters are not willing to agree to this, then the AAM will call on the federal government to step in and make it a condition of issuing visas that international artists touring Australia must agree to comply with ‘Michael’s Rule’. The AAM also noted that while local media are required to include local content quotas, major international tours such as SZA, Taylor Swift and Niall Horan are free to proceed without featuring one note of Australian music.

“Every time this happens it is a major missed opportunity to allow local audiences to discover local artists. In memory of Michael McMartin OAM we are therefore making this public request today to every major promoter and we eagerly await their reply. If they are unwilling to reinstate ‘Michael’s Rule’ as a voluntary code then we will be making formal representations to government to use the visa system instead.” – Alastair Burns and Jess Keely, AAM Co-chairs.

Some of the artists represented by the AAM members that endorse the reinstatement of Michael’s Rule: Tame Impala, Vance Joy, Amyl & The Sniffers, Budjerah, G Flip, Powderfinger, Teskey Brothers, Paul Kelly, Spiderbait, Alex the Astronaut, Kate Miller-Heidke, Graace, Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Birds of Tokyo, Gotye, Missy Higgins, The Presets, Panama, Touch Sensitive, Ta-Ku, Chillinit, George Alice, One Four, Telenova, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Bodyjar, Boy & Bear, Dan Sultan, Jack River, Ocean Alley, Tash Sultana, The Amity Afflication, The Rions, Violent Soho, Styalz Fuego, Ball Park Music, Kasey Chambers, Andy Golledge, Miss Kaninna, John Butler Trio, The Waifs, San Cisco, Thelma Plum, Karnivool, The Paper Kites, Grinspoon, Electric Fields, Dobby, Grievous Bodily Calm, Ngaiire, Wallace, Eleanor Dixon, RVG, Good Morning, The Avalanches, Sampology, The Living End, Something For Kate, Paul Dempsey, Baker Boy, Vika & Linda, Liz Stringer, Vacations, Alex Lahey, Folk Bitch Trio, breathe, WALKER, Yb and hundreds more.

In a virtually unprecedented moment of consensus, leaders from the music industry’s peak bodies and major organisations have publicly voiced support for the reinstatement of Michael’s Rule. In alphabetical order, leaders from The Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC), The Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA), The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and the newly formed Music Australia have all got behind this initiative. Leading concert promoters Michael Chugg, Danny Rogers and Ben Turnbull have also already expressed their support. See quotes below.

AAM Members can add their name to the list of managers who support the reinstating of ‘Michael’s Rule’ below:

AAM Executive Director Maggie Collins at the 2024 AAM Awards, with background photograph of Michael McMartin OAM. (Photo by Jess Glesson)

Industry Support for Michael’s Rule:

“Since the seventies I have been involved with Australian talent & this continues today. I have been a strong advocate for our homegrown talent being on international tours. Through my involvement with Michael Gudinski at Frontier touring for 20 years and as Chugg Entertainment since 2001 and in my JV with Frontier Touring present day, I’m proud to say we have helped many local  acts careers in this way. There are instances where local talent can’t be involved but they are in a low percentage of tours.
It’s great to see the Australian music industry standing together here and I fully support Michael’s Rule.”

– Michael Chugg AM, Chugg Entertainment

“Michael’s rule is imperative. We need unequivocal support at all levels of touring and festivals to ensure that we can find avenues and growth opportunities for our local talent. From 500 cap venues to stadiums, offering up these opening slots to Australian artists is a way for international artists to help celebrate and foster the local community which keeps the eco-system alive and gives the country its cultural leaders, critical in maintaining long term creative identity.”

- Danny Rogers, Lunatic Entertainment / St Jerome’s Laneway Festival

“The Australian music industry has taken a huge hit since Covid and we need change at the top in order for things to improve. Over the last 12 months 97% of Destroy All Lines tours featured an Australian act, so we know it can be done. We wholeheartedly support Michael’s Rule being reinstated.”

– Ben Turnbull, Destroy All Lines

“Repairing our industry and increasing the prominence of Australian artists is going to require teamwork and many steps. Michael’s Rule is one such step that will make a huge difference.”

– Millie Millgate, Music Australia 

“Tours play massive roles in discovery and provide important support slots for Aussie artists to connect with new fans. Taylor Swift, the 1975, Harry Styles and Ed Sheehan all rocketed up the charts with multiple albums the weeks they were in the country recently. At the local level, these tours provide huge opportunities for Australian artist via support slots, which can connect our artists with whole new fan bases. Doing whatever we can to get our local artists in front of new audiences is the most important issue facing our local industry, and as such the Michael’s Rule is a fantastic initiative, which we are confident can be implemented in a way that doesn’t impact the viability of international touring.  
Other initiatives, including looking to broaden venues like sports stadiums to multi-use facilities in NSW is a really important step to increase the availability of entertainment for everyone outside of sport, and continue to increase opportunities to see local artists alongside global icons.”

- Annabelle Herd, ARIA & PPCA CEO
 
“The AAM initiative to reinstate 'Michael's Rule' is an exciting and important step towards nurturing Australia’s extraordinary music talent. With international tours to Australia increasing, it's critical we also provide local artists the platform they deserve. This homage to Michael’s legacy isn't just about honouring a giant of the industry, but to also ensure his legacy includes securing the future vibrancy of Australian music. APRA AMCOS unites with the AAM and the broader industry in support of this initiative so we can all truly celebrate the depth and breadth of Australian music.”

- Dean Ormston, APRA AMCOS

“The Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC) understands that the many micro and small businesses that make up the lifeblood of the Australian live music industry are in crisis and we support the Association of Artist Managers (AAM) statement released today calling for major touring artists to engage local support acts.”

- Ant McKenna, ALMBC

“Select Music Agency is 100% behind the introduction of Michaels rule. This is not a power play or a shot across the bow of the incredible major promoters that operate in Australia but an opportunity for them to get behind and support the industry that is responsible for developing the live careers of every current major headlining Australian act in the world. Many of which work with the major promoters to tour Australia currently. Fans are won through connection to the artist when performing. Discovery is the most exciting aspect of hundreds of thousands of people who attend live music events. Australian artists need and deserve these high profile support slots. As an agency who works at the coal face of developing artists careers we know how hard it is for acts to break through & how much of a difference playing on big stages with a major international name can change that.”

- Stephen Wade, Select Music 

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