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| Company type | Trade group |
| Founded | 1970s |
| Headquarters | Sydney, New South Wales |
Number of locations | Australia |
| Website | www |
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers (AARM) which was formed in 1956.[1] It oversees the collection, administration and distribution of music licences and royalties.
ARIA in its first 25 years sought to control the importation of music to Australia in a way that served the interests of the major labels it represented. They colluded with censors and police to have independent record stores raided due to offensive content, they struggled to find any. ARIA worked to exclude Australian artists on independent labels from access to retail outlets and mainstream broadcasting. Since the late 1990s ARIA realised it could not control importation, nor the rise of independent labels accross all genres of music. ARIA ultimately had to adapt to a world dominated by streaming services and the porous nature overseas purchasing. It changed in order to remain relevant.
The association now has more than 190 members, including small labels typically run by one to five people, medium size organisations and very large companies with international affiliates. ARIA is administered by a board of directors comprising senior executives from record companies, both large and small.
- ^ Siobhan O'Connor, ed. (1997) [1990]. The book of Australia : almanac 1997–98. Balmain, NSW: Ken Fin: Watermark Press for Social Club Books. p. 515. ISBN 1-875973-71-0.