Signing into Uncertainty: How Record Deals Leave Australian artists Exposed

Lead

When Chappell Roan took the Grammy stage and called out record labels for failing to provide artists with fair pay, healthcare, and protections, her words resonated with music artists in Australia who have faced similar struggles for years.

Story Topic and Angle

This feature investigates how Australian music artists are often left without stable income, sick leave, or long-term protections, even if they signed with a label, through the career of Jem Siow, a member of the Australian hardcore band SPEED. While offering a salary might seem like a natural solution, doing so would typically reclassify an artist’s work as ‘work for hire’, meaning the label could claim full ownership of their music. This story focuses on that industry-wide paradox: artists sign contracts for opportunity, but often end up sacrificing basic rights in the process.

This story carries strong news value. In terms of currency, the feature exposes these structural issues in the music industry, which have the potential to influence how contracts are written and how industry policy is discussed in the future. It also reflects conflict by highlighting the power imbalance between musicians and record labels.

Source of Information

The story draws from the 2022 industry report Raising Their Voices by MAPN Consulting, which investigated sexual harassment and discrimination in Australia’s contemporary music industry. 

The report also highlighted deep structural issues around music artists’ income insecurity. It noted that most artists operate without sick leave or income guarantees, and that emerging artists are especially vulnerable when signing their first contracts without legal or union guidance.

To bring this issue to life, the story ideally will feature interviews with:

• Jeremy (Jem) Siow, a member of the Australian hardcore band SPEED. Siow spent over a decade working his way through the Australian music industry.
• A member from MEAA.
• A lawyer specialising in contract law.

Publication and Target Audience

The feature is pitched to The Guardian Australia, whose readers are culturally engaged and responsive to stories about labour justice and structural inequality. 

As an independent, globally visible outlet, The Guardian offers both the editorial freedom and the international reach to push this issue into broader discussion than government-funded media like the ABC. Its culture section regularly features music industry feature stories, making it an ideal fit.

Online Delivery

Multimedia

• An image of SPEED performing live, accompanied by a caption and proper attribution.
• A simple infographic visualising how income is split between artists and labels in typical contract models.
• Embedded audio snippet from the Jem Siow interview (if permitted).

Hypertext

Embedded links will direct readers to:

• The Raising Their Voices report 
• MEAA Website 
• Related prior coverage on artist protections (e.g. Rolling Stone)

Interactivity

Since The Guardian does not allow comments, a Call to Action at the end of the story will encourage readers to:

• Sign relevant petitions promoting fair pay and protections for artists
• If you’re an artist or know someone who is, find out more about your rights or take action to support a fairer industry