A pioneer of the Australian music industry, Michael Chugg or Chuggi as he is affectionately known, has garnered a reputation both locally and internationally as one of the country’s most prominent music promoters, and is a name synonymous with some of biggest tours to have come through Australia and New Zealand over the past 50 years.
In 1979 together with Michael Gudinski, Chugg co-founded the Frontier Touring Company, which went on to become the biggest promoter in Australia at the time, touring the likes of Frank Sinatra, Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Guns N’ Roses, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and more.
In 2000, Chugg went out on his own to launch Chugg Entertainment. Over the past twenty years, the company has toured over 800 Australian and international artists, making Chugg one of the most prominent and respected promoters not only in Australia, but also around the world.
The numerous industry accolades that Michael Chugg has picked up over the years are testament to his incredible impact on the Australian music industry; he has been named as Pollstar’s International Promoter of the Year four times, has twice picked up the Best Promoter gong at the International Live Music Conference, received the prestigious ARIA Icon Award in 2019, and has a multitude of Billboard Awards, Helpmann Awards, Country Music Awards, Musexpo Awards and many more under his belt. In June 1998, Michael was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia on the Queen’s birthday, in recognition of his contribution to the Australian music industry and his philanthropic involvement with various charities.
Chugg’s philanthropic undertakings are extensive; he has been heavily involved in developing and co-promoting some of the country’s biggest charity events to date, launching Wave Aid (2005), Live Earth (2007) and Sound Relief (2009), which raised millions of dollars toward respective charities. He was a Board Member of the Prince of Wales Children’s Hospital Foundation and Support Act Ltd. Additionally, Chugg is a trustee of the Golden Stave Foundation committee, which has over the years raised millions for children’s charities.
AWARDS
1997 – Performance Magazine – International Promoter of the Year
1998 – Appointed Member of the Order of Australia
2000 – Pollstar International Promoter of the Year
2000 – Performance Magazine – International Promoter of the Year
2002 – Australian Live Music Awards – Best Promoter of the Year
2005 – APRA Awards – Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music
2005 – Helpmann Awards – Best Contemporary Concert (Bette Midler ‘Kiss My Brass’ Tour) & Best Contemporary Music Festival (East Coast Blues & Roots Festival, Co-Promoter)
2006 – International Live Music Conference – Best Promoter
2006 – Gentleman Jack Award for service to live music in Australia – 3rd Annual Jack Awards
2006 – Nordoff Robins Award – 26th Golden Stave Luncheon
2007 – Country Music Association (USA) – International Talent Buyer/Promoter Award
2008 – International Live Music Conference – Bottle Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to live music
2008 – Sydney Theatre Awards – Best Production of a Musical (Priscilla Queen of the Desert)
2009 – Country Music Association (USA) – Jo Walker Meador International Award
2009 – Billboard – #1 Australian Box Office and #4 International Box Office
2009 – Pollstar – International Promoter of the Year
2010 – Rolling Stone Awards – The Immortal
2010 – Billboard – Top Boxscore Award (AC/DC)
2010 – Pollstar – International Promoter of the Year
2012 – Musexpo – International Music Person of the Year
2014 – Musexpo – Festival Promoter of the Year
2016 – Pollstar – International Promoter of the Year
2016 – International Entertainment Buyers Association (IEBA) – International Buyer of the Year
2017 – Nominated – Pollstar – International Promoter of the Year
2018 – Nominated – Helpmann Awards – Best Contemporary Music Festival, CMC Rocks QLD
2019 – Nominated – Helpmann Awards – Best Contemporary Music Festival, CMC Rocks QLD
2019 – Nominated – Pollstar International Promoter of the Year
2019 – ARIA – Icon Award