Enjoy the best of Australian music within four walls.
It’s time to throw your hands up in the air or sway to the music in home comforts. Yes, we may not be able to enjoy live music (for now) but you can savour the very best of Australian music across all genres and relive the cult classics in your living room with these playlists, videos and live streams.
Triple J Hottest 100, Like A Version and Unearthed
Each year, Australian radio station Triple J hosts Australia’s most anticipated annual poll – the Triple J Hottest 100, which determines the ‘hottest’ tunes of the previous year. Online you can listen to each year’s top 100 and indulge in nostalgia from the last three decades. Or, tune into the recently announced ‘Hottest 100 of the Decade’ that features Aussie icons Tame Impala, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Gotye and many more. While you’re in Triple J heaven, treat your ears to ‘Like A Version‘ playlists featuring iconic Aussie bands such as Gang of Youths performing renditions of their favourite songs. Check out the DMA’s covering Cher’s “Believe”, or Tash Sultana’s phenomenal loop cover of MGMT’s “Electric Feel” – then watch the rest on Spotify and Apple Music and YouTube.
Triple J Unearthed is also a hive for incredible Indigenous Australian music, having uncovered famous Aboriginal artists such as Baker Boy from Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. Check out their list of the five new Indigenous artists you need to hear, including acoustic folk musician Emily Wurramara who comes from Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory.
Sounds Australia
Sounds Australia supports Australian artists on the international stage, sharing their tunes with the world. In partnership with Guardian Australia, the “Australian music for isolated times” playlist was created to soundtrack your physical distancing – and, most importantly, help artists get paid. Each week, 15 new songs are added to the playlist making it easy for you to discover new artists and songs. Also worth subscribing to is their “Sounds Australia Selects”, which is updated every Friday and available on Apple Music, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.
Fire Fight Australia Concert
Relive one of Australia’s biggest star-studded concerts. The Fire Fight Australia Concert saw 75,000 people come together to raise much-needed funds for bushfire relief earlier this year. International and local music icons from Michael Buble and Ronan Keating to John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John united on stage for an amazing day of performances. You can basically pretend you’re right there in the crowd chanting “We Will Rock You” while from the comfort of your couch! You can also purchase the album online with all proceeds from the sale of the album donated to Sony Foundation Australia.
Aussie’s Princess of Pop
Australian pop royalty Kylie Minogue is currently working on a new original album. While we wait for the magic to be released, tune into the “This Is: Kylie Minogue” playlist on Spotify to relish in all her hits from the 80s through to the 2000s. Even better, you can now listen to her recent hit ‘Dancing’ for 1-hour straight on repeat, cleverly created on YouTube by an avid fan.
Love a throw-back?
For a solid playlist of hits from Australian bands, check out Australian Classics on Spotify — starting off strong with Daryl Braithwaite’s ‘The Horses’, the playlist then moves into the best of Jimmy Barnes, Powderfinger, Crowded House and of course, John Farnham. Legendary Australian DJ Hot Dub Time Machine has also released his biggest podcast yet, an 80-minute journey from 1990 to 2015 called ‘Rave’. The entire show and individual tracklist can be streamed online.
Create your own living room dance party
Bring on your best dance moves as Australian DJ Hayden James has revealed he will be streaming a live DJ set each Saturday from 12pm AEDT from his backyard instead – a virtual house party, from his actual house! After having shows cancelled, Nai Palm and Swooping Duck of Hiatus Kaiyot, announced a Patreon page where they will host a series of live-streaming sessions. For $5 a month, fans will get access to “music made by us that you won’t hear anywhere else”, 1-on-1 chats, a breakdown of songs, sleepover parties, jams, backstage passes and live-streamed concerts. Friday night plans sorted!
Related reads: 10 Australian Podcasts To Satisfy Your Wanderlust
Transport yourself into nature
Can’t escape to the wilderness? Let it come to you instead. Natural sounds have been found to lower stress levels, increase productivity and help you sleep. Need an escape from the indoor craziness? Check out Australian Nature Sounds’ playlists on Spotify where you can doze off to “Sunrise At Douglas Hot Springs”, or concentrate to “Wind Chimes and the Ocean”.
For lovers of classical music
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is hosting live streams of their scheduled performances so you can enjoy the works of Beethoven, Bach and Mendelsson live from the comfort of your own home. Sydney Symphony Orchestra has a huge catalogue of live concert videos to explore. West Australian Symphony Orchestra has some fantastic webcast concerts for the entire family to enjoy, from classical to jazz and pop as well as Maximus Musicus Visits the Orchestra.
Keep an eye out for upcoming live streams
Australia’s most famous house, the Sydney Opera House has launched an online platform – From Our House To Yours, which will see full-length performances, talks, long-form articles, podcasts and behind-the-scenes content brought to your screens. New weekly schedules will be announced on Tuesdays and will include performances by Aussie icon Missy Higgins as well as The Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Reminisce on “So Fresh” albums
Anyone who grew up in the 2000s in Australia would know the exhilarating feeling of getting their hands on a ‘So Fresh’ CD, which consisted of the Top 40 hit songs of the season. If you don’t have the original CDs, don’t worry because you can listen to each edition on Spotify and relive your teenage years. Enjoy some of Delta Goodrem, Jessica Mauboy and The Veronicas’ biggest hits and of course, Shannon Noll’s unforgettable hit song from 2001 and cult classic, ‘What About Me’.
Feature image: Rakhmat suwandi on Unsplash
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