Australian anthems A new series exploring Australia's greatest and most culturally significant songs of all time
Silverchair’s Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou on rifts, Daniel Johns and finding closure: ‘We’re still in indefinite hibernation’ The two former bandmates reflect on their ‘brutally honest’ memoir, life after superstardom and why grievances about songwriting credits remain unresolved
Blackfella/Whitefella by Warumpi Band – Australia's seminal reconciliation song Australian Anthems Fronted by the charismatic George Rrurrambu, the Warumpi Band was the country’s first rock act to sing in an Indigenous Australian language
The Real Thing by Russell Morris – ambitious 60s psychedelia opus Before there was Tame Impala, there was Morris and a psych-pop song that marked a new high point in terms of Australia’s studio experimentation
Treaty by Yothu Yindi – a Trojan horse in the culture wars The Yolngu song never quite achieved what it set out to in the lifetime of its author, but it gave reconciliation in Australia an anthem
Looking Through a Window by Wendy Saddington – Australia's first lady of soul The singer only put out one single and one live album, but made a lasting impression on both music and the feminist movement in Australia
Back in Town by Cosmic Psychos – unapologetic yobbo-rural punk Tailor-made for smashing down beers after a hard day’s work, Back in Town is emblematic of the band’s unique place in Australian punk rock history
Love Is in the Air by John Paul Young – slightly daggy, dreamy disco love ballad JPY’s infinitely romantic love song found a new generation of fans when it was paired with Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom
Degenerate Boy by X – a cocky, cacophonous rumble Punk band X put a snarling anti-hero at the centre of its rallying cry for all those estranged from polite Australia
Berlin Chair by You Am I – much loved relic from the 90s indie-rock pub circuit The Sydney band’s energetic song about the frustrations of love gone wrong slowly worked itself into the Australian psyche
A Pub With No Beer by Slim Dusty – a metaphor for the Australian nanny state Here’s what happens when contemporary Slovenian psycho-philosopher Slavoj Zizek and the late outback balladeer Slim Dusty walk into a beer-free pub
Cigarettes Will Kill You by Ben Lee – a food song for the broken hearted With its infusion of electronica, Lee’s solo hit became a signpost for where Australian alternative rock was heading in the new millennium
I’ll Be Gone by Spectrum – a reminder of carefree Australian summer days Aussie anthem: For Clem Bastow , Spectrum’s runaway hit I’ll Be Gone will be forever wrapped up in hot January evenings and the tree-lined track to the beach
Shark Fin Blues by the Drones – a brutally honest account of depression Feeling the loss of his mother’s passing, Gareth Liddiard wrote an ode to depression filled with imagery of hunting sharks and murky seas
White Wine in the Sun by Tim Minchin – a Christmas song for the non-believers Australian pop singers have a bit of a tradition of going against the grain when it comes to Christmas songs, with Minchin’s contrarian carol no exception
Sanvean by Dead Can Dance – pining after Australia in an invented language Living overseas and missing her family, Dead Can Dance’s Lisa Gerrard pays tribute to the cultural melting pot of Australia
Friday on my Mind by the Easybeats – bristling with pent-up frustration George Young and Harry Vanda’s legendary 1966 mod anthem was a working person’s call to arms that bust open doors for Australian pop the world over
Breakaway by Big Pig – fighting fate and longing for freedom Opening the film Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Breakaway is a punk-funk mutation of an obscure soul track from the 60s
Greg! The Stop Sign!! by TISM – a metaphor for our collective mortality Adam Woolcock Timeless wisdom and the thrillingly bizarre come together for a TISM track inspired by road safety ads
Nude School by Painters and Dockers – the cheeky bravado of youth Robert Fedele Australian Anthems: this underground hit captured the simple pleasure derived from taking the piss
! (The Song Formerly Known As) by Regurgitator – towering electronic fuzz It’s hard to find a sound system worthy of this confessional love song cum shut-in manifesto, writes Clem Bastow
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