I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, mostly because I just finished rearranging the shop and realised that Australian independent labels take up maybe fifteen percent of my floor space despite being responsible for about forty percent of the music I actually recommend to people.

That’s a problem I created, and I’m fixing it.

The Labels Doing the Real Work

Let’s talk about who’s actually keeping Australian music interesting right now. Not the majors — they’re busy signing TikTok acts and wondering why album sales keep declining. I’m talking about the labels running on passion, small teams, and an almost irrational commitment to quality.

Flightless Records out of Melbourne have been on an absolute tear. Yes, they’re best known as the King Gizzard label, but their roster goes much deeper. Leah Senior, The Murlocs, Traffik Island — these are artists getting proper vinyl releases with gorgeous artwork and quality pressings. Eric and the team actually care about the physical product.

Poison City Records remain the backbone of Australian punk and hardcore. They’ve been at it since 2003, and their consistency is remarkable. If it’s on Poison City, you know it’s going to be honest, loud, and worth your time.

Chapter Music in Melbourne might be the most important archival label in the country. Their reissue program alone — pulling obscure Australian post-punk, synth, and experimental records back from the dead — is an invaluable service to music history.

Bedroom Suck Records continue to find the weirdest, most wonderful artists nobody else would touch. Their vinyl releases are always interesting, and they’re not afraid to back an artist who might sell 300 copies. That takes guts.

Why They Get Overlooked

The distribution game in Australia is stacked against independent labels. The major distributors prioritise their parent companies’ catalogues, which means indie releases often arrive later, in smaller quantities, and with less promotional support.

For a shop like mine, ordering from indie labels sometimes means dealing with five different distributors instead of one. It’s more work. More invoices. More tracking numbers. Some shop owners just can’t be bothered, and I get it — the margins are thin enough already.

But here’s the thing: those indie releases are exactly what makes an independent record store different from JB Hi-Fi. If all I’m stocking is the same major label catalogue you can find anywhere, why would you come to my shop?

The Quality Argument

I’ll put this plainly. The average pressing quality from Australian indie labels is better than what the majors are putting out. Full stop.

Flightless does their vinyl at Zenith Pressing in Melbourne. Chapter Music uses a mix of local and European plants. These labels care about the weight of the vinyl, the quality of the masters, the paper stock on the sleeves. They’re making objects that are worth owning.

Meanwhile, the major labels are cranking out thin, warped pressings from overloaded plants and charging premium prices for the privilege. I’ve had to return more major label stock this year than in any previous year because the quality control has been shocking.

What Shops Can Do

If you run a record store, here’s my challenge: next time you’re placing orders, swap out five major label catalogue titles for five Australian indie releases. See what happens. I’ll bet you those indie records generate more conversations, more repeat customers, and more genuine excitement than another repress of Dark Side of the Moon.

Dedicate a section of your shop to Australian independents. Put it somewhere visible. Hand-write some staff picks. Actually talk to customers about these records.

What Listeners Can Do

Next time you’re browsing, ask your local shop what’s good from Australian labels. Most of us have strong opinions and we’re dying to share them. Check Bandcamp for Australian indie label pages — most of them sell direct and the artists get a much bigger cut.

Follow the labels on social media. Go to the shows. Buy the merch. This ecosystem only works if people actually support it, and the support doesn’t have to be expensive. A $30 record from Poison City does more for Australian music than a $60 import reissue of something you already own.

The music being made in this country right now is extraordinary. The labels putting it out deserve to be front and centre, not hidden in the back corner of the shop. I’m rearranging my shelves accordingly.