Sound+Music Alive in 2025: industry leaders emphasise that creativity and collaboration remain the foundation of effective sound

The Australian sound production industry has entered a pivotal moment in 2025. The sector has undergone rapid transformation driven by changes in consumer media habits, tech disruption, and economic pressure. Short-form content, immersive audio, and branded experiences dominate, with AI and cloud tools speeding production. Yet industry leaders emphasise that creativity and collaboration remain the foundation of effective sound.

 

Over the past year, sound has become an increasingly central component of campaigns in Australia. Short-form formats, branded podcasts, and immersive experiences have gained traction, forcing studios to adapt both creatively and technically.

Audio Network Creative Licensing Manager Alex Sharkey described the shift clearly: “Short-form content and podcasts have continued to expand as key avenues for our clients. The industry has seen a positive move toward adaptive, immersive formats aimed at streaming platforms and branded experiences. Brands are placing greater emphasis on bespoke, high-quality sound design to strengthen their identity across digital campaigns.”

The shift is closely tied to platform-specific needs says Gusto Studios Sound Engineer, Sound Designer and Composer Colin Simkins: “Australia’s commercial sound production sector has shifted toward immersive audio workflows, growing demand for branded content and podcasts, and the creation of ultra-short, platform-specific mixes to serve the boom in social media markets, reels, and other short-form media.”

Bang Bang Studios Senior Sound Designer Justin Bodanac added: “Over the past few years, we have seen a marked increase in sound production for online-only content. We are also seeing an increase in more open-ended content which isn’t restricted to traditional broadcast lengths, which means we’re getting to work on some longer and more creative work. We’ve also been mixing some really interesting immersive audio and sound for experiential product launches.”

Not every change is revolutionary. Klang Studios Producer Analese Cahill reflected on the cyclical nature of the industry: “Sound production is always shifting. Some low hanging fruit leaves facilities and goes to small in-house studios. New delivery formats (immersive etc) come and go. Different parts of the market shrink while others grow. Some shifts are rapid, others more nuanced. It’s our job to stay on top of all the facility workflows, production and tech requirements that enable us to make great audio no matter the shifts in the industry.”

Music supervision has also been transformed. Level Two Music Head of Supervision and Brands Marcus Brooke-Smith has seen new opportunities arise: “The music supervision landscape has absolutely shifted alongside the changes in branded content and media. We are helping more and more clients navigate things like user generated content campaigns for example but also at the other, longer-form, end of the scale we’re also seeing brands collaborating on TV shows which open up fresh lines of conversation.”

Squeak E. Clean, Executive Creative Director Simon Lister summed up the overall trajectory: “Over the past year, commercial sound production in Australia has been reshaped by shorter-format commercials for social platforms, smaller budgets for large-scale brand campaigns, and growing experimentation with immersive experiences.”

Heckler Sound partner and creative director Johnny Green emphasised agility: “Commercial music and sound production in Australia has become more agile and inventive over the past year. With immersive formats, branded content, and short-form media on the rise, clients are looking for greater impact within tighter budgets and timelines. This has encouraged us to be more versatile and solutions-driven, finding creative ways to deliver high-quality work efficiently while adapting seamlessly across a wide range of formats.”

Technology shifts: AI and cloud collaboration

Technological change has been a defining force in 2025, particularly the rise of AI-driven tools and improvements in collaborative workflows.

Audio Network Vice President for APAC Lefroy Verghese highlighted the practical benefits of AI: “We pride ourselves on being human led, creatively – something that’s at the core of our work. That being said, we always look to how we can integrate new technologies into our workflow, and AI search tools have had a hugely positive impact for our clients when looking for the right piece of music. Whether it be with simple musical descriptors or fully describing a scene, AI Search can then go and find music best suited to those prompts. It makes finding the perfect track hyper-efficient, in a world where speed is key.”

Gusto Studios Sound Engineer, Sound Designer and Composer Cameron Giles-Webb pointed to a trio of innovations that have shaped the studio’s work: “AI-powered composition, spatial audio, and cloud-based collaboration have been the most impactful technologies transforming sound creation and delivery over the past year.”

Bang Bang Studios’ Bodanac struck a note of caution: “AI is undoubtedly on everyone’s minds. I personally think that there is a big difference between creation and generation. But the most important question for me, is how do we position AI to serve the craft, rather than letting it run away down a path of quick fixes and cheap deliverables? For every monetary cost saving it generates, there is a human cost – and part of fostering a connection between a brand and a customer is that magic human element.”

Klang Studios Founder and Creative Director Brendan Woithe added: “The field is constantly changing. Day to day we might not feel it to the extent of the hype seen all over the media, but there are constant shifts. AI is of course there – temp voices and even models of instruments for music. There’s plenty of companies out there offering ‘complete creative’ through AI in music and increasingly sound, but that isn’t really impacting the types of jobs that go through a creative facility.”

Klang Studios Producer Cahill reflected: “There’s a great quote that I see popping up often… ‘AI handles the ordinary and we bring the extraordinary’. I think this really speaks to the current technology shift, highlighting how AI manages routine allowing human creativity to flourish.”

For Level Two Music, the conversation around AI is also one of caution. Brooke-Smith explained: “AI is a constant topic of conversation in the industry. For us, there are certain AI tools that help us on a functional level (such as generating instrumentals), but we are very clear that AI generated music is not something we recommend to clients. The legal risks are very real but also, on a creative level, there is no shortage of amazing human created music at every price point, which will give a campaign infinitely more depth and credibility.”

Squeak E. Clean is using AI to increase efficiency. Lister observed: “AI voice and music generators, along with stem-separation and mastering tools are speeding up edits and giving producers quick scratch tracks or alternate versions. We are using AI as a tool to process sound in ways that weren’t achievable in the past, while also allowing us to offer new skills and opportunities to our clients.”

Heckler Sound’s Green confirmed AI is now embedded in workflows: “Over the past year especially, AI has gone from trial to live use in music and sound production, increasingly acting as an assistive creative tool. There’s still a great deal of craft and human input required behind the scenes, but the technology is reaching a point where it’s becoming far more efficient.” He said this balance of human artistry with AI-driven support is helping studios deliver high-quality work faster, more cost-effectively, and with fresh creative possibilities. “On Menulog’s ‘What’s Good In Your Hood’, we combined an endorsed performer with an AI-trained clone of the artist to create a hyper-localised campaign spanning hundreds of locations, restaurants, and stores. The result was the world’s first truly scalable local campaign that still felt deeply personal and community focused.”

 

Bold moves within boundaries

Creativity in sound has taken new forms over the past year, though studios diverge on how bold the industry has truly become. The overall picture is one of cautious boldness: brands want to surprise audiences, but always within a framework that guarantees connection and familiarity.

Level Two Music reported that the appetite for the “unexpected” is still strong. Brooke-Smith explained: “We’ve certainly seen a very welcome increase of Australian brands looking to use Australian music, be it familiar hits or emerging fresh sounds, and of course there is the powerful combination of an emerging artist reimagining a classic song. A brief that we’ve been getting for decades but which changes its definition with every job is ‘unexpected’.”

At Audio Network, Sharkey saw clear evidence of risk-taking: “Brands and agencies are taking bolder approaches to sound, using unique branding and original compositions to deliver standout experiences.”

For Gusto Studios, Simkins noted that the trend is toward a blend of innovation and tradition: “In the past year, brands and agencies in Australia have grown bolder with sound – experimenting with immersive formats, sonic branding, and podcast integrations – while still anchoring campaigns in familiar, proven audio strategies for broad reach.”

Bang Bang Studio’s Bodanac agreed: “Recently, agencies and brands have started taking big swings again, perhaps not unrelated to lower interest rates and a reduction in economic pressures. Offbeat and edgy creative is back. It’s a welcome change to twelve months ago.”

In contrast, Klang Studios’ Grogan saw budget constraints as the real limiting factor: “I’m not seeing the creative that would say anyone is any bolder than they’ve been in the past. We’re far more likely to be constrained by budgets than good ideas. Having said that, like most years, there’s been some really super ideas across the desk this year. But not always the means or desire to bring them to life.”

Heckler Sound’s Green described a balance of safe and adventurous approaches: “Tighter budgets often lead brands toward more familiar, proven choices, but at the same time, the efficiency of new technology has opened the door for bolder experimentation. As a result, we’re seeing campaigns balance reliability with fresh uses of music and sound.”

Finally, Squeak E. Clean’s Lister highlighted the sensory power of sound as a creative differentiator: “We love experimenting with sound, especially when it plays an important role in a campaign. It allows creatives to approach marketing from a different angle – in the sonic space – which inherently helps the brand stand out and differentiate itself. Sound is one of our most powerful senses and using it in a creative way can add depth, impact, and reach to a campaign.”

Stretching Budgets Without Losing Impact

Tighter marketing budgets have not reduced the importance of high-quality audio; however, they have required more strategic allocation of resources. And whilst economic pressures may be challenging, they have spurred new forms of creativity and reinforced the importance of early integration of sound in campaign planning.

At Audio Network, Client Partner Jess Bonney explained how budget constraints have shaped new opportunities: “We’ve certainly shared the journey with our clients through the tighter budgets of the past year. For us, it’s also opened up exciting new opportunities to demonstrate the value and versatility of production music within our extensive catalogue.”

Heckler Sound’s Green said: “Economic pressures haven’t lessened the value of high-quality sound. Instead, brands and agencies now expect more with less, driving studios to work smarter, leaner, and more versatile in their delivery. This has fostered efficient workflows and inventive problem-solving, ensuring that craft and impact remain strong even under financial constraints.”

At Squeak E. Clean, the pressure is most visible in mid and lower-tier jobs. Head of Sound Paul Le Couteur observed: “The middle and lower-level budget jobs where the combination of tighter budgets and accessibility to AI tools add pressure, are where these factors are playing a bigger role. The risk clients take, of course, is that lower quality leads to less effective outcomes for them. And that is the balancing job that the industry is doing right now.”

At Gusto Studios, Giles-Webb emphasised efficiency: “Tighter marketing budgets over the past year have led to more selective investment in high-quality audio production, with studios focusing on efficiency and technologies that maximize creative impact for every dollar spent.”

Bang Bang Studio’s Bodanac noted: “Our bread and butter is advertising, and we undoubtedly saw a contraction in that space over the past 12 months. With increases in the basic cost of living, brands were always going to react to that drop in disposable income – less chances taken, more sticking with tried-and-tested formulas. However, in line with lower interest rates and the new financial year, it feels like the wheels of the industry are starting to spin again. Creative is starting to get edgier, funnier and riskier.”

For Klang Studios, the challenge often lies in when budgets are allocated, not just how much. Woithe argued: “It’s not always the tighter budget that gets in the way, but the structuring of budgets. Delaying sound work until after editorial and reallocating the budget to address other issues inevitably diminishes the quality of the audio and the overall creative.”

Level Two Music maintains that quality sound is always achievable, even at lower budgets. Brooke-Smith explained: “We’re firm believers that there is always quality music for every budget. Of course, if there aren’t mega bucks on a job then you won’t be able to license global smash hit songs, but a good client understands that. Often a campaign with a smaller budget will be more likely to end up with some bold creative decisions simply because the more typically in-demand approaches, which can be a safer option, may not be in budget.”

 

Global Versus Local: Expanding Horizons

The balance between local and international work remains a defining characteristic of the Australian sound production industry.

At Audio Network, Sharkey confirmed that local projects dominate: “There remains strong demand for sound production on our international campaigns, but local projects continue to make up the majority of our work.”

At Gusto Studios, Simkins saw a similar trend with a subtle shift: “As a boutique studio based in Cremorne, most commercial sound production work has remained locally focused, but there’s been a noticeable uptick in demand for international campaign support – especially where global brands require localized audio, immersive mixes, or short-form adaptations tailored to the Australian market.”

Bang Bang Studio’s Bodanac added: “With regard to audio in the advertising industry, we are seeing more demand for deliverables outside of Australia – New Zealand and the UK especially. This has more to do with Australian brands expanding operations internationally rather than brands in those regions seeking out Australian audio post operators.”

Heckler Sound’s Green highlighted international growth: “We’ve seen a healthy mix of both local and international work, with demand steadily growing for global campaigns. While local projects remain a strong foundation of the industry, opportunities abroad are becoming more significant, particularly in regions like the Middle East and North Africa.”

For Klang Studios, international work has been central to growth. Grogan explained: “Our business grew largely through international work, however, that is rapidly changing now that we have our new facility here in Camperdown that is better set-up to attract local agencies and brands.”

At Squeak E. Clean, Lister described a dual focus: “Over the past year, most sound production in Australia has stayed local, with the bulk of briefs coming from local agencies for TV, digital, and social campaigns. At the same time, because we have multiple studios in different regions, especially in the US, we have strengthened our international reach, allowing us to take on work directly from the US and we are seeing some larger brand campaigns come out of Asia as well. While local projects still dominate in volume, we’re seeing steady growth in high-quality international campaigns, giving our team the chance to deliver soundtracks that reach audiences around the world.”

Collaboration Models: Remote, Hybrid, In-Person

The ways studios work with agencies and production companies have also evolved. Remote and hybrid workflows remain widespread, though many see a resurgence of in-person collaboration.

Heckler Sound’s Green noted deeper integration: “With hybrid and remote workflows now the norm, sound studios are increasingly involved earlier in the process, assisting agencies in pre-production as well as post. This shift has encouraged closer creative partnerships and greater versatility, with sound teams working alongside directors, editors, and designers collaboratively and bring more holistic ideas to life.”

For Gusto Studios, hybrid workflows have created efficiencies. Giles-Webb explained: “Hybrid and remote workflows over the past 12 months have reshaped collaboration with agencies and production companies, fostering more flexible, efficient, and real-time creative partnerships.”

At Klang Studios, Grogan stressed the permanence of hybrid models: “100% in-person sessions have almost become a thing of the past with clients expecting to be able to attend remotely when they need to. We have spent considerable time and effort in creating a remote/hybrid workflow system that is absolutely seamless as an experience between us, our clients and talent wherever they are in the world. It’s an absolute necessity in this day and age.”

Level Two Music has noticed an opposite trend – more in-person meetings. Brooke-Smith observed: “Our team of music supervisors are always ready to jump on a client call, and it feels like the remote/hybrid/interstate/overseas collaborative models are second nature for adland these days which brings a lot of value. That being said, we’ve seen an increase of in-person briefings and meetings this last year. Maybe because a lot of companies now have fixed days in the office or perhaps zoom fatigue is kicking in.”

Bang Bang Studio’s Bodanac has also welcomed a return to in-person: “Performers, agencies and clients are coming back into the studio – we were hit the hardest in Melbourne with lockdowns and remote working, so this is a breath of fresh air. It’s a great feeling when you can riff ideas in real-time, gauge people’s genuine reactions, and follow the energy in the room. Remote communication and recording will always be a part of the landscape, but working together in real life is certainly becoming more of a regular occurrence.”

Audio Network’s Bonney emphasised consistency: “Our support remains consistent whether we’re working remotely, in a hybrid setup, or in person. One of our key strengths is our ability to deliver quick, collaborative music searches, even while clients are mid-studio session.”

At Squeak E. Clean, Sound Designer Dee Gjedsted highlighted both the benefits and drawbacks of remote working: “Creatives can now remotely ‘dial in’ to audio sessions enabling them to multi-task on various projects simultaneously. Whilst this can enable greater productivity for agencies and production houses, there are inherent drawbacks for the collaborative creative process that is valued in a face-to-face studio setting.”

Talent Pipeline: Opportunities and Risks

The nurturing of new talent is a pressing issue across the sector. Level Two Music has taken a proactive role in mentoring. Brooke-Smith explained: “Music supervision is a very niche industry and while Level Two has a good-sized team of supervisors we are an exception in that regard, especially for this territory. Because of this, there isn’t a lot of staff turnover in the industry, and not many places are growing or hiring. Organisations like The Push do amazing work getting young people into the music industry and it was a pleasure to be involved in their recent Careers Expo in Melbourne.”

At Squeak E. Clean, Lister reinforced the importance of mentorship: “We believe it’s important to nurture young talent in our industry by giving new sound designers, composers, and producers the opportunity to work alongside our senior creatives at our facilities.”

Heckler Sound’s Green underscored depth-focused opportunities: “A key challenge over the past year has been creating meaningful opportunities for emerging talent in an environment dominated by quick-turnover, often ‘throw-away’ consumption of music and sound. At the same time, there’s a real opportunity to involve the next wave of Australian sound designers, composers, and audio engineers in projects with greater depth and longevity.”

Audio Network’s Verghese struck an optimistic note: “Young Aust-ralian (and more broadly APAC) composer talent is blossoming at the moment, in a multitude of fields. Musicians are realising more and more that sync is one of the most secure ways of staying creative and making significant income, more are focussed on this part of the industry. Helping them find their sound and developing them (like any good label should) is paramount. These things take time.”

At Gusto Studios, Giles-Webb acknowledged both challenges and new pathways: “Our studio producer Brigid Giles-Webb notes that the past year has brought challenges in sustaining pathways for emerging Australian sound designers, composers, and audio engineers amid tighter budgets, but also new opportunities through remote mentorship, AI-driven creative tools, and more accessible production technologies that are opening doors for fresh talent.”

At Klang Studios, Cahill offered a stark warning: “We are sleepwalking into a future where our industry is less open to developing and nurturing younger talent. Tasks that were once the domain of juniors and assistants, which provide the invaluable skills needed to become strong midweights and seniors, might become redundant due to an over-reliance on AI.”

Bang Bang Studio’s Bodanac also warned: “An apprentice chef might spend a morning peeling hundreds of potatoes and gaining valuable experience through that repetition of technique. The equivalent opportunities for junior audio engineers are evaporating due to the rise in AI audio generation. I think we might eventually see a cohort of young engineers that, through no fault of their own, are more fluent in prompt-generation than audio creation.”

Standout Work

The past year has delivered a wide range of standout projects, from global advertising campaigns to museum installations…..

 

Read the full Sound+Music Report + The Work 2015 Winners + annual Post Production Report and more in the latest print edition of Campaign Brief.