“I come from a land down under” proclaimed Men At Work in their one-hit wonder from 1981. Being an Australian band, this was an astute observation.
Music has a richer-than-your-average cultural history in Australia and it’s not all didgeridoos. The nation’s love of different types of music is reflected in the enduring popularity of Triple J – a radio station that eschews the usual rigid playlists and encourages listeners to suggest tracks for the Hottest 100, the biggest yearly music poll in the world.
Melbourne
Melbourne is seen as the most culturally important (or pretentious, depending on your perspective!) city in Australia.
It’s where some of the most famous musical acts got started including Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and that Gotye fellow – yes, the one who made that Somebody I Used To Know song that just got stuck in your head again (sorry about that).
Most importantly, Melbourne gave the world Danni and Kylie Minogue. We should be so lucky.
Adelaide
The capital of Southern Australia is where many of Australia’s most popular hip hop acts come from, such as the Hilltop Hoods and the Funkoars.
Australian hip hop is sometimes seen as an acquired taste but the Aussies themselves go nuts for it.
Perth
Seen as the edge of the world due to its isolation, the capital of Western Australia is also the capital of the country’s mining industry and is a rich, modern city well-known for its relaxed atmosphere.
Perth bands that have seen massive global success include dance-act-cum-heavy-rockers Pendulum, and Tame Impala who have been lighting up the modern psychedelic rock scene over the last few years. Yes, that is a thing.
Sydney
The glamorous capital of New South Wales is not only home to much of Australia’s film and television industry, but also some of its most famous rock acts.
Legendary band AC/DC first fired up their Big Gun and TNT in Sydney back in the 1970s, while more recently Wolfmother were reinvigorating Australia’s rock reputation.
Sydney is also where INXS hailed from, famous for their 80s and 90s hits such as Need You Tonight, Elegantly Wasted and Never Tear Us Apart.
Makes you wonder if guitars are even more Australian than boomerangs.
(Featured image: Looking Glass)
