Lume, a New Zealand-based music service built around albums rather than singles, is expanding into Australia with new artist releases, official chart eligibility and a new hire. The service positions itself as a place for album enthusiasts and dedicated fans.
Australian launch and artist releases#
Days after Ecca Vandal won the 2026 Australian Music Prize for her second album, Looking For People to Unfollow, she is one of several artists releasing enhanced versions of their albums on Lume. Other Australian acts releasing albums through the platform on Nov. 13 include:
- Ocean Alley
- DZ Deathrays
- The Rubens
- The Tullamarines
The albums are available to purchase, and the release list includes other artists as well.
Lume was founded in 2025 and launched in July 2026. Its releases are eligible for charts run by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and it has also received certification from its New Zealand counterpart, Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ). The company reached an agreement with Brisbane-based distributor G.Y.R.O. to support the Australian expansion.
Direct-to-fan model#
Lume uses a direct-to-fan ownership model rather than a streaming subscription plan. According to company representatives, it pays 80% of revenue directly to artists and rightsholders.
For some albums, customers can access exclusive video, audio and photography. Co-founder Duncan Greive describes the offering as “the most complete and immersive version of an album available anywhere.”
Founders and investors#
Lume was co-founded by New Zealand music and media professionals Duncan Greive, Tim Harper, Sacha Judd and Justin Warren. The company has secured seed investment from a group that includes:
- Lorde (real name Ella Yelich-O’Connor)
- Hamish McKenzie, co-founder of Substack
- Karl von Randow, co-founder and chief technology officer (CTO) of Letterboxd
Lorde said in a statement: “I think Lume is really smart. It’s a missing piece in the puzzle of modern album-sharing, giving artists an opportunity for deep intimacy with their core listeners while dictating what their work is truly worth.”
Substack and Australian push#
Lume is launching its own Substack, which will cover the artists and albums featured on the platform as well as key stories in music. The newsletter is led by Conor Lochrie, a new recruit and renowned music journalist who was formerly deputy editor of a music publication covering Australia and New Zealand.
Co-CEO (co-chief executive officer) Tim Harper said: “Australia is our closest neighbour and our primary priority market following our NZ [New Zealand] launch. We have made three trips over in recent months and found substantial interest in what we’re building. We are thrilled to have partnered with so many respected and popular Australian artists already and look forward to expanding our roster in the coming months.”
One of those trips included the 2026 Indie-Con in Adelaide, where Harper and Greive presented Lume to the independent music community.
Additional releases and availability#
Today’s release slate also includes the 25th anniversary edition of Fat Freddy’s Drop’s debut album, Based on a True Story, and the complete Flying Nun catalog of New Zealand band The Bats. The digital box set offering is available worldwide on iOS and Android and at lumemusic.com.
