New Voices, New Sounds: Kōkako Takes Flight for NZ Music Month

May is here, and you know what that means; time to crank up your local sound. NZ Music Month is turning 25 this year, and while the rest of the world might be cranking out the same hits, we’re over here celebrating our sound. That’s right, 25 years of gently reminding radio, that yes, New Zealand has a lot more music beyond Lorde and Six60.

But before it was a full month-long celebration, NZ music month started as a week in 1997. The idea? A local radio guy named Josh Easby stood up at a conference and asked, “Why doesn’t commercial radio play more New Zealand music?” Cue the awkward silence. Because, honestly, that was a question no one was prepared to answer back then.

From that silence emerged the Kiwi Music Action Group. Not a committee (They were very clear on that), but an action group. They weren’t messing around. Radio execs, record labels, APRA, NZ On Air – all came together with one mission: to get local music more airtime. The result? New Zealand Music Week. It was part “Please play more local music” and part “how dare you ignore our artists.” But it worked.

Fast forward to the 2000’s, and with the establishment of the New Zealand Music commission, Music Week was officially extended to a full month. And now, here we are: 25 years of NZ Music Month. It’s not just about the industry anymore – it’s a full-blown public celebration. Gigs, live sessions, festivals, you name it. And the best part? You don’t need a major label to get heard anymore. Just a laptop, a mic, and a few locals willing to listen.

Which brings us to Kōkako 96.1

We’re not on air yet, but we’re coming. A new kind of station built on ‘local heat and indie beat,” No ad breaks every three songs. No recycled Top 40. Just a steady stream of Aotearoa artists, underground and alternative music, and slamming discoveries worth tuning in for.

We’re here to celebrate the full spectrum, not just the chart-toppers, but the flat mates making music in bedrooms, the noisy garage gigs, and the loop-pedal freaks

So yeah, New Zealand Music Month is having a moment, and so are we.