One of Australia’s most exciting musical exports, rock outfit Ocean Alley have taken the world by storm with their dynamic live performances, infectious melodies and faultless musicianship. Across four critically acclaimed albums, the six-piece - comprised of Baden Donegal (vocals), Angus Goodwin (guitar), Lach Galbraith (keys/vocals), Mitch Galbraith (guitar), Tom O’Brien (drums) and Nic Blom (bass) - have never wavered in their dedication to their craft, always grounded by a genuine passion for the creative exploration of music. Their catalogue amounts to more than 800 million streams, with nine singles accredited in Australia and New Zealand with sales certified Gold or higher.

Across five years, two studio albums and an EP, Windang’s Hockey Dad achieved more than two coastal kids could ever collectively dream of. Their last effort, 2018’s Blend Inn, ended up being one of the year’s biggest successes for independent Australian music. Not only did it crack the top 10 of the ARIA album charts, but it also notched up four spots in triple j’s Hottest 100, two sold-out national tours and accrued nearly 24 million streams on Spotify alone. Not bad for a pair of kids from a town where its previous biggest musical export was a jingle for a computer store.

Genre-expanding outfit The Grogans are a trio of best friends from Melbourne who explore nuanced manoeuvres in surf, punk, blues, garage, psych, rockabilly and reggae. Banding together in high school playing backyard gigs and weekly jam nights, seasoned musicians Quin Grunden, Angus Vasic and Jordan Lewis shared their first official release Cacteyed in the summer of ‘16. The EP’s instantaneous and lasting reception was matched by the band’s playful successor Twangs n’ Cans the following year. Their third EP Grogan Grove (2018) featured the outfit’s still lauded live favourite ‘Lemon To My Lime’ which has now clocked over four million Spotify streams and subsequently catapulted The Grogans to the top of the nation’s ones-to-watch list. Cutting the ribbon on their debut album Just What You Want in 2019 and the year following, The Grogans dropped their self-recorded and mixed magnum opus Day / To / Day resulting in a completely sold out National AUS Tour.

It’s been a steady and relentless rise for Great Gable who began jamming together after meeting at uni in Perth. They quickly started making waves with their dynamic sound and energetic live show, honed by consistent touring across Australia and New Zealand. With a blend of early 2000s NYC rock and UK-influenced indie, Great Gable have crafted a sound that is uniquely their own. Their music is characterised by catchy hooks, heartfelt lyrics, and an overall sense of warmth and positivity. The band's ability to create anthemic, feel-good tunes has earned them a loyal and rapidly growing fan base.

Hailing from the steel city, Newcastle, Rum Jungle are one of Australia's go-to sun soaked bands with their mixture of surf rock and alt-pop, they float pop melodies on psych guitars and chilled groove beats. With a plethora of sounds and styles, the band create something which is distinctly their own. Rum Jungle have established themselves in the tour circuit with sold out shows around the country and quickly propelling in all areas, Rum Jungle are certainly ones to watch.

While the grounding force of her home state of Lutruwita, Tasmania is ever-present, Bec Stevens has made homes for herself everywhere from Tarntanya, Adelaide to Naarm, Melbourne, each one hosting music communities that have welcomed her powerful voice with open arms. Rigorous touring Australia-wide cemented Bec Stevens as an artist known for sharing big feelings with big sounds. Now off the back of a National Tour with Unearthed High winners Teenage Joans (SA), and the success of her most recent single ‘Big Worry’, she’s grabbing the proverbial bull by the horns ahead of the release of her debut album, with no signs of slowing down.

Emerging from the sparkling waters of Byron Bay, Seaside are an indie band penning music that makes you feel, and offering a soundtrack to their listeners to make memories with wherever they are. Seaside burst onto our musical landscape in 2018 with their effortlessly sublime single ‘Golden Girl’ which immediately propelled them onto the national festival and touring circuit. From the early days of dream-pop – to their newly evolved sound, Seaside’s music always makes you sway freely in a haze …. not realizing where you visited until you wake up. In 2023, the tide is most certainly high for Seaside.

Bonsai is a five piece Indie/soft rock band from lutruwita/Tassie.