Monday, August 27, 2007

Supplemental: Music Top 10

I couldn't go too long without a top 10 list, now could I? I was thinking how three of my favorite newer bands - John Butler Trio, The Cat Empire, and Augie March - are all from Australia. So I started compiling a list of Australian bands (not individual artists, which would include folks like Ozzy Osborne, Kylie Minogue and Olivia Newton-John). There were quite a few excellent and influential bands over the years from Down Under. Here are ten of the best, in alphabetical order:

AC/DC
The Bee Gees
The Church
Crowded House
The Go-Betweens
INXS
Men at Work
Midnight Oil
Split Enz
The Vines

Also worth mentioning: Air Supply, Architecture in Helsinki, Divinyls, The Easybeats, Hoodoo Gurus, Hunters and Collectors, Jet, Little River Band, Mental as Anything, The Seekers, Silverchair, The Wiggles(!), Wolfmother, and the three bands I cited above. Quite a diversity, mate!

I almost lumped Split Enz and Crowded House together because they were both founded by the Finn brothers (who I know are from New Zealand), but both bands have strong Australian connections, and they were, after all, two distinct bands from distinct musical periods, each influential in their own right.

Have I left anyone out? Let me know! Comments, people, give me comments!

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