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Owen Whittle’s argument is that Western Australia produces strong music but does not receive national recognition to match. In an opinion article published on 30 December 2024, the West Australian Music (WAM) chief executive pointed to Hottest 100 results, the expense of touring from WA and the pull of moving east for work. Those are his explanations for the gap, not proof of a measured causal link.
Whittle’s case for greater recognition
Whittle frames the issue as a mismatch between WA’s music output and its visibility beyond the state. The Hottest 100 is his prominent example: he argues that WA acts have struggled to convert a strong local scene into comparable national attention. His memorable conclusion is that “WA hasn’t always gotten the recognition it deserves.”
That claim is an opinion about recognition, not a statistical finding that the state is underrepresented by a particular percentage. The article gives selected placements, but no analysis of voting patterns or a comparison of WA’s share of eligible songs with its share of the countdown.
Which WA artists did Whittle cite in the 2023 Hottest 100?
In his 30 December 2024 article, Whittle names these examples from the 2023 countdown:
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- Spacey Jane at No. 20, which he identifies as the highest-ranked WA artist in that edition.
- The Old Mervs at No. 47.
- Perth-based DICE at No. 72.
- Troye Sivan, whom Whittle notes no longer lives in WA, with three songs in the top 40.
Whittle also says the highest a WA band has finished is second, a position reached by both Spacey Jane and Eskimo Joe. These placements and historical comparisons are reported in his opinion article; the figures have not been independently confirmed here against an official results archive. They are useful examples of his argument, but should not be read as a complete tally or as an independently audited account of WA artists’ performance.
Why does Whittle say WA artists face a harder path?
Distance and touring costs
Whittle points to the practical cost of reaching audiences outside WA. Flights, local transport and accommodation add expense for artists travelling from the state, whether they are established or emerging. He writes: “Barriers to touring and accessing the national stage is a perennial problem for WA musicians.”
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He names the WA Government’s Contemporary Music Fund as assistance, while arguing that support does not remove the broader difficulty and expense of gaining exposure. The article does not provide current eligibility or application details for the fund.
Audience geography and career choices
Whittle argues that Hottest 100 voters are concentrated on the eastern seaboard, which he sees as a disadvantage for WA acts seeking national attention. He also points to artists leaving WA for work in eastern cities. These are his proposed explanations; the article does not offer voter-location data or a study tracing artists’ moves and chart outcomes.
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What does the later 2025 discussion add?
In a 4 February 2025 report on WAM Song of the Year, The Music quoted Whittle saying that “only two local songs” made the 2025 Hottest 100, despite WA “consistently produc[ing] the best music in the country.” Both statements are his assessment as reported by The Music, not independently verified counts or measures of musical quality. The same report says the competition accepted songs written between March 2024 and February 2025 and that its A Song For Sophie Award carried a $2,500 cash prize; those are historical details of that 2025 competition, not current entry rules.
A separate X-Press Magazine report dated 18 November 2025 says nearly 1,000 submissions across 26 categories were reviewed for the 2025 WAM Awards. That indicates the scale of the state awards process, but it does not establish how WA artists fare in the Hottest 100.
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How can listeners support WA artists?
Whittle’s practical response is local support: listen to WA artists and go to their shows. His original article invited readers to attend gigs in January, a time-specific appeal from its publication period. For a current show, check the artist’s or venue’s latest listing rather than relying on that old invitation. The wider point remains simple: attending local gigs and sharing the music helps artists reach audiences at home, even if it does not resolve the national barriers Whittle describes.
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