The Music
The Music is an Australian online music magazine that developed from the Sydney street press title Drum Media.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Music is an Australian music-media brand whose roots lie in Drum Media, a free weekly Sydney street press founded in 1990. It began as a locally focused publication covering concerts, recordings, artists and the broader Australian music scene, and later became a national title through the consolidation of several established street-press publications. Drum Media was created after the staff of the long-running Sydney publication On The Street left following a dispute with its owner concerning working conditions and pay. Margaret Cott and her sister Jennifer Cott organized the new publication, with initial financial support from their father, Mac Cott. The first issue appeared on 16 September 1990, ten days after the walkout, and featured Midnight Oil on its cover. The free tabloid was distributed through music shops, entertainment venues, hotels, cafés, universities and other locations used by music audiences. Its principal circulation area covered Sydney and surrounding parts of New South Wales, including Newcastle, Wollongong, Canberra, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains. The title expanded beyond its original Sydney base during the 2000s. A Perth edition began circulating in 2006 after publishers Craig and Leigh Treweek acquired Drum Media and brought it under the Street Press Australia banner alongside Melbourne's Inpress. The group subsequently operated several influential Australian street-press titles, including Time Off in Brisbane. This structure allowed the publications to retain local editorial identities while sharing ownership and commercial infrastructure. On 14 August 2013, Street Press Australia replaced the separate Drum Media, Inpress and Time Off identities with The Music, incorporating the three titles into a free national music magazine. The new publication produced Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane editions and broadened its subject matter beyond music to include selected popular-culture coverage. The last Sydney issue under the Drum Media name was dated 7 August 2013, while the final Perth edition was dated 8 August 2013. The first issue of The Music followed the next week. The printed edition was suspended in 2020. Its final print editions were published in March of that year, after which the brand continued as an online publication rather than as a regularly distributed physical street paper. In 2021, Street Press Australia, which had subsequently been rebranded as Handshake, sold The Music to SGC Media. SGC Media also owns music publications including Purple Sneakers and Countrytown. The transaction was accompanied by an announcement that the print edition was on hold. The brand's role has therefore shifted from free weekly street press to digital music journalism. Its editorial heritage is associated with long-form criticism, music news, artist interviews, concert and release coverage, and support for Australia's grassroots music ecosystem. The website also provides access to archives of The Music and its predecessor publications. A readership measurement cited for February 2026 reported an Australian digital audience of 330,000 and more than 20 million monthly social views; these figures are audience claims or survey-based measures rather than financial results.
History
The Music's history begins with Drum Media, a Sydney free weekly music newspaper established in 1990. The publication emerged from a collective departure by the staff of On The Street after a dispute over employment conditions and pay. Margaret Cott and Jennifer Cott led the creation of the new title, with initial capital supplied by their father, Mac Cott. Drum Media's first issue was published on 16 September 1990, carrying Midnight Oil on its cover and distributing approximately 40,000 copies. The paper operated from an early office in Orwell Street, Potts Point, and developed a distribution model centered on places where music audiences gathered. Copies were available in music retailers, hotels, clubs and other entertainment venues, cafés and university campuses. Its New South Wales network extended beyond Sydney to Newcastle, Wollongong, Canberra and nearby regional areas. By September 2007, an audited readership figure for the New South Wales distribution area was 125,000. A separate Perth edition began in 2006 and eventually served locations including Perth, Bunbury, Margaret River, Geraldton and Albany. In February 2006, Craig and Leigh Treweek acquired Drum Media and consolidated it with Melbourne's Inpress under Street Press Australia. The group also controlled Brisbane's Time Off. The expansion gave Street Press Australia a network of city-based music publications while preserving the local street-press tradition. In 2013, the company unified the identities: the final Sydney Drum Media issue was dated 7 August, the final Perth issue 8 August, and the first issue of The Music was launched on 14 August. The new title incorporated Drum Media, Inpress and Time Off and was published in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane editions. It also included selected popular-culture material alongside music journalism. The Music continued the editorial functions associated with its predecessors, including reviews, artist interviews, music news, cultural commentary and coverage of Australia's live and recorded music industries. It remained free in its printed form and served both audiences and advertisers connected with concerts, releases and entertainment venues. The print edition was paused in 2020, with the final issues appearing in March. The brand retained an online presence and maintained digital access to archives from The Music and its predecessor titles. Street Press Australia later changed its corporate identity to Handshake. In October 2021, Handshake sold The Music to SGC Media, whose portfolio also included Purple Sneakers and Countrytown. The print edition was described as being on hold at the time of the sale. The brand is now best understood as a digital Australian music publication with a substantial street-press legacy. Its historical importance derives from its role in documenting local artists and scenes, providing free access to music journalism, and connecting audiences, performers, venues and advertisers across several Australian cities.
- 2021
SGC Media acquisition
[1]SGC Media acquires The Music from Handshake.
- 2020
Print publication is paused
[1]The final printed editions are published in March, while online publishing continues.
- 2013
The Music launches
[1]Street Press Australia launches The Music, incorporating Drum Media, Inpress and Time Off, with editions for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
- 2006
Treweek ownership and Street Press Australia consolidation
[1]Craig and Leigh Treweek acquire Drum Media and consolidate it with Inpress under Street Press Australia.
- 2006
Perth edition expands distribution
[1]A separate weekly Drum Media edition begins circulation in Perth.
- 1990
Drum Media is founded
[1]Drum Media is established in Sydney after a staff walkout from On The Street. Its first issue appears on 16 September with Midnight Oil on the cover.
Products and positioning
An Australian music-media brand focused on independent and mainstream music journalism, artist coverage, commentary and support for the local live-music ecosystem. Its historical positioning was that of a free, accessible street press distributed in music and entertainment venues; its current format is primarily digital.
Online music magazine · 2013
The Music
The current digital publication covering Australian and international music through news, interviews, criticism, features and cultural commentary. It continues the editorial identity created when Drum Media, Inpress and Time Off were brought together in 2013.
Free street-press magazine · 2013
The Music print magazine
The former printed version of The Music was distributed through music and entertainment venues and published city editions for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The print edition ended in March 2020 and was subsequently described as on hold.
Legacy music magazine · 1990
Drum Media
The Sydney street-press predecessor founded in 1990. Drum Media focused on music news, reviews, interviews and local-scene coverage and later developed editions or distribution in Perth and other Australian locations.
Brand decisions
2021
Sale to SGC MediaM&ABackground
Street Press Australia had been rebranded as Handshake after the consolidation of its publication assets.
Action taken
Handshake sold The Music to SGC Media, a publisher associated with Purple Sneakers and Countrytown.
Aftermath
The Music remained an online-focused brand, while its print edition was described as on hold.
2020
Suspension of the print editionStrategyBackground
The Music had operated as a free printed street-press publication since its 2013 launch.
Action taken
The publisher paused the print edition after the final issues appeared in March 2020 and continued publishing online.
Aftermath
The brand's activity shifted toward digital publishing and online archives.
2013
Unification under The MusicStrategyBackground
Street Press Australia operated several established city-based music publications, including Drum Media, Inpress and Time Off.
Action taken
The company replaced the separate identities with The Music, incorporating the predecessor titles into a national free magazine.
Aftermath
The Music published Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane editions while retaining the predecessors' music-journalism role.
Sources2 sources
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