Phase Five

The Phase Five Program, led by NZ On Air’s Mike McClung and Brendan Smyth, is exposing international audiences to up and coming New Zealand bands. The Program pairs a Phase Five NZ Music Sampler with the American CMJ New Music Report four times a year to build exposure for New Zealand artists, and provide insight into the New Zealand music community. The pairing has worked well so far, as four New Zealand bands have showcased two sold out parties at New York’s The Delancey Lounge as part of CMJ’s Music Marathon, one of the largest annual American music festivals. This year the showcase was hosted by Flight of the Conchords’ Rhys Darby, and featured The Ruby Suns, the Naked and Famous, Bang Bang Eche, and Cut Off Your Hands. Phase Five has seen two Kiwi acts pick up US management as result of their involvement with American College radio, as well as continued acclaim for bands like Liam Finn, The Brunettes, The Mint Chicks, Chris Knox, Coco Solid, Collapsing Cities, Die! Die! Die!, Pitch Black, and Battle Circus. At home on the islands, Smyth, McClung and NZ On Air make sure local bands get their fair share of air time by funding albums by bands with good airplay prospects, funding almost 200 music videos a year, maintaining a new artist discovery program that funds debut radio singles, funding New Zealand music shows for radio, and producing the Kiwi Hit Disc, which samples new New Zealand music to every radio station in the country, every month. All told, the program spends more than $5.5 million a year on promoting New Zealand Music.