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

In June 2026, two significant music events in Auckland came to an end. The record store Flying Out closed after 11 years on Karangahape Road, followed by the basement venue Neck of the Woods, which had launched a decade of electronic careers. Despite facing increasing debt, Neck of the Woods was saved by a crowdfunding campaign led by the local community.

Earlier, Verona, Neck of the Woods' parent company, went into liquidation after 34 years, and Charlie's closed in February. Other notable closures included Bar Celeste and the cancellation of K Road's street festival. The local music press had already started to dwindle, with major publications like the NZ Herald's Time Out magazine discontinuing their entertainment section.

Chris Schulz, a journalist who documented this decline, noted that there were only a handful of music journalists left in Aotearoa, with no full-time music critics at major publications. The Spinoff saw New Zealand's music scene as being "off" and arts and culture receiving a mere 13% of media coverage compared to 25% for sport.

The global collapse of local music press was a stark reality, as Pitchfork was folded into GQ, and other influential publications faced similar fates. Despite the closure of local venues and loss of press coverage, the New Zealand music sector remained economically significant, contributing $451 million to the GDP in 2023. Live performances generated over $329 million in revenue, surpassing pre-Covid levels.

However, local artists only captured 9% of streaming, download, and physical sales revenue in 2024, with only one New Zealand track appearing in the Top 50 singles chart. Radio stations played local music but only exceeded 20% local content on two nationwide commercial stations. The lack of a dedicated media presence meant that the scene became invisible, and artists lost out on visibility, bookings, and opportunities.

Propel, a platform created by local artists and for the scene, aimed to fill this gap by providing exposure, tools, and resources for artists and venues. With over 225 articles published in 2025, Propel covered electronic music in Aotearoa, from scene reports to artist features and event coverage. The platform mapped more than 2,700 venues worldwide and offered free tools, such as proper profiles, press kits, and booking pages for artists and venues.

By increasing visibility and providing resources, Propel sought to empower the local music scene and create opportunities for artists.