4 Australian Indie Artists Worth Adding to Your Playlist

Australia’s independent music scene is full of artists making bold, distinctive music. At Find Aussie Music, I spotlight Australian artists worth hearing. Here are three artists to discover.

Artist: Stumps

  Formed in 2017, they have released two excellent albums. In 2024, their second album, Arcadia was at the top of my list for the year. The album climbed to number 4 on the Aria Australian Charts. The album is full of great tunes. Listen to, Life's Moving Past You, David Byrne, and Parkway. They just released a new single in Sept 2026, The Local Drug Front. Add them to your playlist.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5VTNPMxFc3xPrKZsUzSvsM?si=yRThti6BTvOfWCGZVCve1g

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@stumpstheband

Artist: Floodlights 

Formed in 2018 from Melbourne. I saw many of their performances at SXSW in 2023. At SXSW, Virgin Music UK signed them to release their second album, Painting Of My Time, in the UK.   Their entire catalogue is worth a listen. Listen to, The Light Won’t Shine Forever, Wide Open Land, and Tricky. Hopefully, they will make it back to US.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5gQvIK95LKrgtgkBPlH3XI?si=20CXV4F-QXeL9QKzaRZI2Q

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Floodlights88

Artist: Darren Gillis 

Darren, from Western Australia, has won numerous awards at Australian Festivals, including a People’s Choice Award.  With much anticipation, his debut album, Rise and Fall is expected to be released in Sept 26. Listen to Rise & Fall, Lovin Up On You, and Hell Of A Time.  His management is working on getting the Album released in the US and Canada in the coming months. For those who follow the country music scene, this is a must listen.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0PTmDyHIjfk8ecdwBB4PLs?si=GBXq2vjrQlePNt6yEJbPrA

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@darrengillismusic

Artist: Total Tommy 

Sydney performer Total Tommy, Jess Holt, Released her debut album, bruises, in November 2024. She has received praise across a variety of publications including being named as Apple Music’s “Up Next”. New album, Trapazoid, was released Oct 23, 2026. It immediately moved to one of my top albums this year. Listen to Winona Foreve, Pretty Little Mouth and Trapazoid.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2dbSR7CwWSGsMkuKVITKRc?si=UEgOVkFAScSzOMXZDbOHMg

Watch on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@total_tommy

These are only four of the many independent artists helping shape Australia’s music landscape. Explore the Find Aussie Music directory to discover more Australian artists, browse by genre or location, and find your next favourite listen.