It’s true – Australia really is the lucky country, and these 13 artists prove just why. From our undisputed queen of pop to classic 80’s rockers, we’re incredibly fortunate to call these musicians and vocalists our own.
Get your Australia Day playlist ready with these top tracks:
1. Crowded House – Better Be Home Soon
Released: July 1988
Nick Seymour said of the music video “It’s basically a film clip just makes people see things that the song’s not really about. This song is definitely not about being in a theatre stuck out in the desert! It’s about being home, how it’s better being home.”
2. Silverchair – Miss You Love
Released: September 1999
In an interview with Kerrang! Magazine, Daniel Johns said that the song was “about not being able to establish a relationship with anyone, not being able to experience love outside of family”.
3.INXS – Don’t Change
Released: October 1982
The song orginally debuted at #18 on the ARIA charts in 1982. In February 2014, after the Channel 7 screening of INXS: Never Tear Us Apart mini-series, “Don’t Change” charted again in Australia via download sales. It peaked at #92 on the ARIA Singles Chart.
4. Divinyls – I Touch Myself
Released: December 1990
After five weeks of being under the radar in the ARIA charts, the song jumped to No. 1 knocking Vanilla Ice’s debut single “Ice Ice Baby” off the top spot and stayed there for another week.
5. Jessica Mauboy – Can I Get A Moment?
Released: October 2014
Mauboy was gifted the song by Babyface after she was given the rare opportunity to write and work with him in Los Angeles. On working with Babyface, Jessica said: “Working with someone like him is something I have always dreamt with and we had had three good writing sessions when he played me ‘Can I Get a Moment?’.
6. John Farnham – You’re the Voice
Released: September 1986
The song was awarded the 1987 ARIA Award for “Single of the Year”. You’re the Voice was also the biggest hit of 1986 in Australia, topping the Kent Music Report Singles Chart for seven weeks from 3 November to 21 December.
7. AC/DC – It’s a Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’ Roll)
Released: 1975
The actual studio recording of the song features a synthesized bagpipe sound and is not exactly playable on a set of real bagpipes. Most tribute acts playing with a live bagpiper or bagpipers mimick the sound of the synthesizer.
8. Hunters & Collectors – Throw Your Arms Around Me
Released: November 1984
Mark Seymour described writing for the album it appeared on: “I was in a relationship with a woman I was very much in love with and she was the inspiration. I wrote virtually all the lyrics on Human Frailty about my relationship with her… Throw Your Arms Around Me was the first song I wrote that wasn’t angry.”
9. Kylie Minogue – Love at First Sight
Released: June 2002
Hunter Felt from PopMatters said of the song in 2005: “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and “Love at First Sight” are two of the best songs of the last five years, they both provide a perfect synthesis of Kylie’s pop princess appeal and her admirable exploration of experimental electronic music.”
10. Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know
Released: July 2011
Before its official premiere, the iconic music video was leaked on Take 40 Australia’s website. “It was stolen out of our system. I guess it’s always wanted to get out there. Within five minutes it was everywhere”.
11. Missy Higgins – Scar
Released: August 2004
‘Scar’ won Best Pop Release at the 2004 ARIA Awards and was also nominated for Single of the Year, but lost to Jet’s ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’. This however, didn’t stop the track from going platinum after entering the ARIA charts at #1.
12. Men at Work – Who Can It Be Now?
Released: Spring 1981
Heather Phares of AllMusic reviewed the song specifically and summed up by saying “In keeping with current trends but just quirky enough to be instantly memorable, the song seems custom-built for repeated play; it’s easy to see why it became one of 1982’s biggest hits, as well as a definitive new wave single.”
13. Natalie Imbruglia – Torn
Released: September 1997
Originally by American Alternative Rock band Ednaswap, Imbuglia’s version was by far the most popular of all it’s covers. Her version also peaked at number one on singles charts in Belgium, Denmark, Canada, Spain and Sweden.
For the Top 100 Australian Songs, tune into Apple’s iTunes Radio Playlist.