Aussie musician Pete Murray reveals the pitiful amount of money he is making despite selling over a million records – and how he’s following in Taylor Swift’s footsteps

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Singer Pete Murray has discussed the difficulties musicians face earning money from streaming services, and revealed he’s taking a similar approach to Taylor Swift to generate income.

I’m so excited for this Aussie singer! He’s taking back ownership of his original recordings, becoming fully independent, and I really think this is going to help him finally achieve the success his classic songs deserve. It feels like a new chapter, and I’m rooting for him to hit it big!

Even though he’s released three number-one albums and sold 1.2 million records, the 56-year-old artist told news.com.au that musical success doesn’t always guarantee a steady income.

He wasn’t earning much from his music. Most of his income went to his old record label, Sony, and other parties involved, and streaming services paid far less than the sales of CDs and vinyl records used to.

He recalled receiving a large royalty check shortly after the release of ‘Feeler,’ which was a huge success. They hadn’t spent much money making the album, so he thought he could maintain that level of income. However, those payments stopped for almost two decades, he explained.

‘And then I got a payment for three grand and it’s like, OK, that’s not good.

Pete feels optimistic about the future and now has more control over his music and the money it earns him.

Inspired by Taylor Swift’s success with independent music, Pete is hoping that leaving Sony and making music on his own will revitalize his career and increase his earnings.

Pete has kicked off his effort to revive his popular songs by releasing a new version of his 2005 hit, “Better Days (Pete’s Version).” The original song reached number 13 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart.

He explained that the new catalogue wasn’t a perfect replica of the original, but he’d approached it in his own style. He aimed to make the recordings sound as lively as his concerts by matching the energy of his live performances.

Following the release of his seventh studio album, Longing, in October – which became his first number one album in 17 years – he’s now releasing updated versions of his most popular songs.

Pete shared on Instagram how thrilled he is with the positive reaction to their new album. He expressed deep gratitude to fans for helping them reach a major milestone: topping the Australian album charts!

He continued, saying he was incredibly grateful for all the support. He thanked everyone who had listened to his music, shared it with others, bought a copy, or simply spread the word, explaining it meant a lot to him.

Okay, I’m seriously losing it right now! This album… it’s HUGE because it’s the first time in twenty years they’ve done something completely on their own. Like, no label interference, just pure, unadulterated them! It makes everything feel so much more personal and… perfect. I’ve been waiting for this moment forever!

Reaching the top of the Australian album charts as an independent musician is incredibly difficult, and I’m proud to still be creating music that resonates with so many people, even after all this time.

‘To reach this milestone is a very special (and awesome!) thing,’ he finished off the post. 

And he’s taking his new album on tour over the summer, stopping at locations across Australia.

I’m so excited for Pete’s new tour, ‘The Longing Tour’! He’s hitting some amazing spots – I know he’ll be performing in Newcastle, on the Sunshine Coast, and even Frankston, and I can’t wait to see him live!

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2025-12-17 12:18