The Australian music industry is holding a mass protest in Sydney next Thursday over the introduction of restrictive new festival rules.

The Don't Kill Live Music rally will take place at Hyde Park on Thursday, February 21 from 6 pm to 8 pm.

Close to 500+ (and rising) artists and organisations have signed an open letter to "music and culture lovers of Australia" urging them to attend the rally and sign a petition to demand reform to the NSW government's new music festival and live music regulations.

The letter comes after the cancellation of Mountain Sounds and PSYFARI earlier this month as well as the recent launch of Keep Sydney Open Party's own festival policy against the state government, including plans to repeal the license regulations, initiate a music festival regulations roundtable, amend drug penalties and more.

Artists included in the open letter include Birds of Tokyo, Courtney Barnett, Bernard Fanning, The Cat Empire, Dan Sultan, Peking Duk, REMI, Hermitude, Henry Rollins, Dune Rats, RUFUS DU SOUL and DZ Deathrays.

Among the huge list of musicians were also large music organisations and event organisers including Live Nation, Frontier Touring, Chugg Entertainment Association of Artist Managers, BIGSOUND, Fair Go 4 Live Music, Moshtix, Harbour Agency, Select Music, Eventbrite Australia and Secret Sounds.

So what can you do, you ask?

Join the Don't Kill Live Music Rally from 6 pm - 8 pm Thursday, Feb 21st, Hyde Park Sydney.

For those unable to attend the rally, Don't Kill Live Music organisers have set up a petition that individuals can sign via http://dontkilllivemusic.org/