18 Aussie Bands We Adore
Life is better with music but right now life seems to be quite hard.
Usually I’d consider myself quite a positive human but recently it all just feels a bit overwhelming. In these situations, I tend to read books or listen to music, preferably horizontally in the sun on the grass. During these grass laying sessions, for the most part, the paragraphs or the songs pull me out of whatever depressive state I am in and I am reminded over and over again how lucky we are to have these little vessels of joy in words or music. It is Aus Music Month right now so in the spirit of making life better, we’d like to shout out some Aussie bands who have soundtracked us out of the hard times as well as the good. We adore them, and we hope you do too.
Photo: Maclay Heriot.
Floodlights
I first was introduced to Floodlights a few years ago by my mates down in Wollongong when they played an intimate show at Wombarra Bowlo and wondered why I hadn’t heard of them earlier the moment they started playing. Their song Nullarbor is arguably the best Australian roadtrip song ever. Floodlights sing about stuff that matters and they play it with so much heart. Since interviewing them sometime last year (you can read that here) every time we have crossed paths, either for interviews or shows, they have all been nothing but the sweetest lot. Hard not to fall in love with a band like this.
Photo: Sam Hetherington.
Royel Otis
Obviously we have to shout out the duo that is Royel Otis. Having been apart of our 2022 Class of Bright Young Things, then playing out a stage far too small for them at Splendour In The Grass in 2023 and then now onto live shows on Jimmy Kimmel - these two have got to be one of our most popular exports at the moment. They are the two funniest, kindest people in the game (proof of evidence here) with lyrics that just absolutely break your heart and put you back together at the same time.
Photo: Campbell Milligan.
Amyl and the Sniffers
Cmon, obviously we love Amyl and the Sniffers. We just interviewed them for god’s sake (read here). But if for some reason you have only just emerged from the rock today, we will just quietly inform you that Amyl and the Sniffers are Australia’s best punk band. Actually Australia’s best band, full stop. Loud, one of a kind and unabashedly themselves.
Said photo by Campbell Milligan from 2003.
Tame Impala
What would the Australian music scene, or the international music scene for that matter, be without Tame Impala? I mean is there really anyone else that has come to define the pinnacle of Australian music better in the last decade than this band? Fun fact: Tame Impala played the launch party of Monster Children magazine way back in 2003. They got up on stage and said ‘We don’t actually know what Monster Children is.’ Probably still don’t.
DMA’s
Up there as well with a Aussie defining band is our very own DMA’s. I’m pretty certain the entire nation stopped in its tracks when Delete first aired. Since then they’ve gone on to release some of the most emotional songs ever produced, somehow balancing nostalgia and nothing you’ve ever heard before at the same time within a song. I interviewed Johnny last year for their most recent album which you can read about here.
Pist Idiots
While this lot haven’t put new music out for a while now they are still my number one go to when I am travelling long distances. I have the entire Pist Idiots playlist downloaded on my phone offline and nothing else. The perfect soundtrack for running away from whatever the fuck you are running away from. Pist Idiots remain the anthem to my youth with heavy guitar riffs and sentimental lyrics that just might heal your broken heart. Here’s something dumb we did with them a while back.
Photo by Dougal Gorman from his European Musical Odyssey.
Mini Skirt
Raucous, raw, and a god damn lot of fun. I first saw Mini Skirt play in someone’s backyard in Byron a long time ago and whenever I see their name pop up on a gig sheet it always makes me smile. A perfect pub punk band that captures the heart of Australia.
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Whenever I listen to An Air Conditioned Man I am reminded of my first love in the nicest way possible. Any band that mentions Jacaranda’s is a band worth knowing and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever is one of them. When we took Pavement record shopping last year, they picked out Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s Hope Downs as one of their record picks (see here).If that doesn’t give you insight into Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s talent then I don’t know what will.
Ruby Fields
The beloved songwriter that is Ruby Fields, the darling of Australian music. Her song Dinosaurs was released the same year my best mate died and the lyrics ‘I’ve been to more funerals in my life than weddings, yeah I’ve lost some close mates of mine’ resonated with me at a time when I was still a kid trying to make sense of a lot of pain as I imagine she did for a lot of others. We love you Ruby.
King Stingray
King Stringray, the iconic Yolŋu surf rock band, have brought First Nation music front and centre once more to Australian ears and for good reason. Performing in both English and Yolŋu Matha, King Stringray bring a sound that is so damn unique and fun, it’s hard not to be proud of them. See our latest episode of Love & Hate with the band here.
HighSchool
Dreamy, synthy and just the right amount of dark, HighSchool came to our attention earlier this year and have remained on steady rotation on the office playlist. If you haven’t heard of them, get to know them here when we interviewed them a couple of months back. They’re making waves over in London but will be well worth the wait when they return home for shows or drop that album they’ve been working on.
Sex Mask
Still flying under the radar, Sex Mask were bought to our attention by someone in the music industry who certainly knows how to pick them. A super unique sound and only a handful of shows under their belt - if there was one band to keep your eye on this would be them.
The Belair Lip Bombs
Sitting somewhere between jangly punk, post-punk, jangle pop and new wave are The Belair Lip Bombs. Another number we took over to the SXSW showcase in Texas earlier in the year who well and truly impressed us (see our interview here) . About to launch on their very own Europe tour, we just know there are big things coming for this band.
Photo: Alfie Barton.
Radio Free Alice
Radio Free Alice are a five piece post-punk band from Melbourne that we simply adore. We adore them so much they were apart of this year’s Bright Young Things (read here). Known for their intellectual lyrics, catchy riffs and a synergy that feels like the band has been playing forever, made even more impressive by the fact they are still fresh to the game.
C.O.F.F.I.N
Children of Finland Fighting in Norway (C.O.F.F.I.N) are a four piece hard rock and roll band from the ocean shores of Sydney. Frenzied, high-voltage guitars with clever, captivating lyrics that exhibit an unmistakable C.O.F.F.I.N sound.
The Murlocs
When I was putting together this list I actually forgot The Murlocs were from Australia because whenever I play them I feel like I am on a surf check in California or something far more exciting than the desk and chair I am currently chained to. The power of damn good music hey, and this is a band that do just that.
The Chats
What would an Aussie band list be without The Chats? Irrelevant that’s what. It doesn’t matter where you come from, you’ve definitely sung along to one of their ballads and that’s something not a lot of bands can say.