This Week In Music News 12 September 2025

This week in music news brings the passing of yet another rock legend, legal troubles for an Aussie icon, major changes to how the ARIA Charts are calculated and a stack of tour announcements.

This week in music news, Rick Davies, the lead singer and songwriter for British rock band Supertramp has died aged 81 years old. Davies had spent more than a decade battling a type of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma.

“As co-writer, along with partner Roger Hodgson, he was the voice and pianist behind Supertramp’s most iconic songs, leaving an indelible mark on rock music history,” a statement from the band reads.

“His soulful vocals and unmistakable touch on the Wurlitzer became the heartbeat of the band’s sound.”

Davies co-wrote many of the band’s hits, including ‘The Logical Song’, ‘Take The Long Way Home’, ‘Breakfast In America’ and ‘Goodbye Stranger’. Supertramp’s 1979 Grammy Award-winning record ‘Breakfast In America’ remains one of popular rock’s essential albums.

Beloved Australian children’s entertainers The Wiggles have driven their Big Red Car into some big bad legal dramas. Former CEO of The Wiggles Luke O’Neill has launched an extraordinary lawsuit that has now reached the Australian Federal Courts.

O’Neill is suing Wiggles Holdings Pty Ltd, co-founder and Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, and General Counsel Matthew Salgo. He alleges he was “undermined” by Field in front of staff and excluded from crucial sales meetings before he was fired. O’Neill was appointed the first-ever CEO of the company in 2024 only to be dismissed a year later.

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has implemented major changes to the ARIA Charts calculation methodology, which came into effect on 1 September. The ARIA Main Charts (Singles and Albums) and the Australian Artist Singles and Albums Charts will focus exclusively on music released within the last two years, while the ARIA On Replay Charts will showcase titles released more than two years ago.

ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said: “These updates ensure the ARIA Charts continue to evolve in step with the listening habits of Australian music fans. We’re creating clear space to spotlight exciting new music while recognising the lasting impact and relevance of timeless classics through our ARIA On Replay Charts. Our aim is to support the discovery and celebration of great Australian music at every stage of its life.”

Aussie EDM fans should gear up on glow sticks for the Australian launch of Tomorrowland’s CORE stage in Melbourne next November. Organisers have confirmed the CORE stage is coming to Australia for the first time ever, after hosting successful editions in Medellín, (Colombia) and Los Angeles.

Rumours of an Australian expansion for Tomorrowland surfaced in July when Belgium festivalgoers noticed a poster advertising the Melbourne event. A product of Tomorrowland’s in-house creative team, the CORE stage offers a unique, scaled-down version of the festival, immersing audiences in a multi-sensory live EDM experience. CORE stage hits Melbourne on 28 November 2026.

And the good news just keeps on coming, with tour announcements from the likes of goth-pop favourites Evanescence, indie rockers The Temper Trap, adored singer-songwriter Amy Shark and EDM giants Pendulum.

Last in Australia in 2023 for their ’20 Years Of Fallen’ tour celebrating, Evanescence return for a string of intimate shows that will showcase the band outside of an arena setup at Metro City (Perth) on 30 October, 170 Russell (Melbourne) on 7 November and Metro Theatre (Sydney) on 14 November.

The Temper Trap are headlining shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney following the release of their new single ‘Lucky Dimes’, their first new music in nine years. It’s a welcome resurgence for the Aussie indie rockers, who found huge popularity in the late ‘00s and ‘10s with tracks like ‘Sweet Disposition’ and ‘Love Lost’. The Temper Trap perform at The Princess Theatre (Brisbane) 24 October, ​Northcote Theatre (Melbourne) 25 October and ​Liberty Hall (Sydney) 26 October.

Singer-songwriter Amy Shark is hitting the road on a 26-show regional tour, capping off another remarkable year for the Aussie artist. The ‘Songs & Stories’ concert tour features Amy performing acoustic renditions of her songs, supported by stories about each track. Amy begins the expansive tour through NSW, QLD, SA and VIC at Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre on 30 October, finishing up at Horsham Town Hall on 21 December. Check website for full dates and ticket information.

Looking ahead to next year, Aussie EDM lords Pendulum will be on tour in 2026. Following the release of their latest album ‘Inertia’, are back on stage for a short run of local dates next March. Pendulum play at The Riverstage (Brisbane) on 3 March, Hordern Pavilion (Sydney) 5 March, Palace Foreshore (Melbourne) 6 March and Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre on 10 March.

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