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Lauren McNamara

Joined 2025 • 515 posts
Lauren McNamara

Lauren McNamara is a Sydney-based journalist covering music, film, TV, media and pop culture. She began writing for Vinyl Media in mid-2025 and joined the team full time in August 2026. 

Latest stories

Strummingbird Festival Confirms 2027 Return Following Successful Second Year

Strummingbird Festival Confirms 2027 Return Following Successful Second Year

Kicks Entertainment's Strummingbird Festival will return in 2027, following a second edition that attracted tens of thousands of country music fans.

By Lauren McNamara - 17 hours ago
Strummingbird Festival Confirms 2027 Return Following Successful Second Year

News

Strummingbird Festival Confirms 2027 Return Following Successful Second Year

Kicks Entertainment's Strummingbird Festival will return in 2027, following a second edition that attracted tens of thousands of country music fans.

By Lauren McNamara - 17 hours ago
Spotify Removes Millions of Song in Crackdown on AI 'Slop' and 'Spam'

Spotify Removes Millions of Song in Crackdown on AI 'Slop' and 'Spam'

Spotify has removed more than 75 million tracks from its platform as part of an ongoing crackdown on AI-generated spam and low-quality music.

By Lauren McNamara - 23 hours ago
Spotify Removes Millions of Song in Crackdown on AI 'Slop' and 'Spam'

News

Spotify Removes Millions of Song in Crackdown on AI 'Slop' and 'Spam'

Spotify has removed more than 75 million tracks from its platform as part of an ongoing crackdown on AI-generated spam and low-quality music.

By Lauren McNamara - 23 hours ago
Splendour in the Grass Veterans Bet on the 'In-Between' With Sydney Summertime

Splendour in the Grass Veterans Bet on the 'In-Between' With Sydney Summertime

Splendour in the Grass veteran Elise Huntley sat down with The Music Network to talk Sydney Summertime, post-Covid audiences, and why scale isn’t necessarily the goal.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 19, 2026
Splendour in the Grass Veterans Bet on the 'In-Between' With Sydney Summertime

Features

Splendour in the Grass Veterans Bet on the 'In-Between' With Sydney Summertime

Splendour in the Grass veteran Elise Huntley sat down with The Music Network to talk Sydney Summertime, post-Covid audiences, and why scale isn’t necessarily the goal.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 19, 2026
Rob Hirst's Life and Songwriting Career Explored in New Book

Rob Hirst's Life and Songwriting Career Explored in New Book

The late Midnight Oil drummer and songwriter Rob Hirst's nearly 50-year contribution to music will be documented in a new book out for release this month.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 19, 2026
Rob Hirst's Life and Songwriting Career Explored in New Book

News

Rob Hirst's Life and Songwriting Career Explored in New Book

The late Midnight Oil drummer and songwriter Rob Hirst's nearly 50-year contribution to music will be documented in a new book out for release this month.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 19, 2026
Powderfinger Could Add NRL Grand Final to 2027 Reunion Schedule

Powderfinger Could Add NRL Grand Final to 2027 Reunion Schedule

Powderfinger have expressed interest in performing at the 2027 NRL Grand Final, with frontman Bernard Fanning inviting NRL head Peter V’landys to get in touch.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 19, 2026
Powderfinger Could Add NRL Grand Final to 2027 Reunion Schedule

News

Powderfinger Could Add NRL Grand Final to 2027 Reunion Schedule

Powderfinger have expressed interest in performing at the 2027 NRL Grand Final, with frontman Bernard Fanning inviting NRL head Peter V’landys to get in touch.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 19, 2026
UMPG Promotes Maree Hamblion to Executive Vice President, A&R and Creative

UMPG Promotes Maree Hamblion to Executive Vice President, A&R and Creative

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has expanded Maree Hamblion’s responsibilities across Australia and New Zealand.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 18, 2026
UMPG Promotes Maree Hamblion to Executive Vice President, A&R and Creative

News

UMPG Promotes Maree Hamblion to Executive Vice President, A&R and Creative

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has expanded Maree Hamblion’s responsibilities across Australia and New Zealand.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 18, 2026
LEAO Make History with Top Honour at 2026 APRA Silver Scroll Awards

LEAO Make History with Top Honour at 2026 APRA Silver Scroll Awards

LEAO have made history at the 2026 APRA Silver Scroll Awards, becoming the first act to win the prestigious songwriting prize with a song written entirely in Gagana Samoa.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 14, 2026
LEAO Make History with Top Honour at 2026 APRA Silver Scroll Awards

News

LEAO Make History with Top Honour at 2026 APRA Silver Scroll Awards

LEAO have made history at the 2026 APRA Silver Scroll Awards, becoming the first act to win the prestigious songwriting prize with a song written entirely in Gagana Samoa.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 14, 2026
ARIA and PPCA Push Back Against Parliamentary Committee's AI Copyright Claims

ARIA and PPCA Push Back Against Parliamentary Committee's AI Copyright Claims

Australia's peak recorded music bodies have challenged claims that existing copyright laws could leave local creators behind in the growing AI market.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 13, 2026
ARIA and PPCA Push Back Against Parliamentary Committee's AI Copyright Claims

News

ARIA and PPCA Push Back Against Parliamentary Committee's AI Copyright Claims

Australia's peak recorded music bodies have challenged claims that existing copyright laws could leave local creators behind in the growing AI market.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 13, 2026
Frontier Touring Launches New Festival to Showcase Fresh Australian Acts

Frontier Touring Launches New Festival to Showcase Fresh Australian Acts

Melbourne is getting a brand new festival with a key focus on spotlighting fresh Australian talent.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 12, 2026
Frontier Touring Launches New Festival to Showcase Fresh Australian Acts

News

Frontier Touring Launches New Festival to Showcase Fresh Australian Acts

Melbourne is getting a brand new festival with a key focus on spotlighting fresh Australian talent.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 12, 2026
Amyl and The Sniffers Announce Huge 2027 Australian Headline Shows

Amyl and The Sniffers Announce Huge 2027 Australian Headline Shows

Amyl and The Sniffers are returning home for four outdoor headline shows across Australia in early 2027.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 12, 2026
Amyl and The Sniffers Announce Huge 2027 Australian Headline Shows

News

Amyl and The Sniffers Announce Huge 2027 Australian Headline Shows

Amyl and The Sniffers are returning home for four outdoor headline shows across Australia in early 2027.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 12, 2026
Powderfinger Fuel Reunion Rumours With New Social Media Post

Powderfinger Fuel Reunion Rumours With New Social Media Post

Powderfinger have fuelled rumours of an impending reunion with a new social media post today.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 8, 2026
Powderfinger Fuel Reunion Rumours With New Social Media Post

News

Powderfinger Fuel Reunion Rumours With New Social Media Post

Powderfinger have fuelled rumours of an impending reunion with a new social media post today.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 8, 2026
ARIA Boss Annabelle Herd Warns Australia Against Giving AI Giants a ‘Free Ride’

ARIA Boss Annabelle Herd Warns Australia Against Giving AI Giants a ‘Free Ride’

Appearing before the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence this week, ARIA and PPCA CEO Annabelle Herd pushed back against proposals to loosen copyright rules for AI companies.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 6, 2026
ARIA Boss Annabelle Herd Warns Australia Against Giving AI Giants a ‘Free Ride’

News

ARIA Boss Annabelle Herd Warns Australia Against Giving AI Giants a ‘Free Ride’

Appearing before the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence this week, ARIA and PPCA CEO Annabelle Herd pushed back against proposals to loosen copyright rules for AI companies.

By Lauren McNamara - Oct 6, 2026
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