Portal:Music of Australia
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Wikipedia portals: Culture · Geography · Health · History · Mathematics · Natural sciences · Philosophy · Religion · Society · Technology  Australian music is the name given to music originating in Australia. Whilst most modern trends in Australian music are based on similar trends from the United States or United Kingdom, traditional indigenous music dates back more than 60,000 years to the prehistory of Australia, and continues the ancient songlines through contemporary artists as diverse as Jimmy Little, Warumpi Band, Yothu Yindi, Tiddas, Wild Water, Christine Anu, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Saltwater Band, Nabarlek, Nokturnl, the Pigram Brothers, Coloured Stone, Blek Bala Mujik, Kev Carmody, Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter. Rock music in Australia first became popular in the 1950s, with artists including Johnny O'Keefe topping charts around the world. This tradition was continued into the 1960s, by groups such as Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, The Easybeats, and The Bee Gees. Throughout this time, Indigenous Australian music and Australian jazz remained consistently popular. Pub rock was immensely popular in the 1980s, and the era was typified by Mental As Anything, Midnight Oil, The Angels, Cold Chisel and Icehouse. INXS and Men at Work also achieved fame worldwide, and the song "Down Under" became an unofficial anthem for Australia. Australian hip hop began in the early 1980s, primarily influenced by overseas works, but by the 1990s a distinctive local style had emerged, with Hilltop Hoods achieving international acclaim for their work. The 90s saw an increase in the popularity of indie rock in Australia. AC/DC and INXS continued to achieve commercial success in the United States, whilst a multitude of local bands, including Regurgitator, You Am I, Powderfinger, Silverchair and Something for Kate, were popular throughout the country. A small electronic music scene emerged around Sydney and Melbourne, with Severed Heads, Ollie Olsen's No, and Foil all peaking in the 90s. Australian music experienced somewhat of a rock renaissance in the 2000s with groups such as The Vines, Jet and Wolfmother charting internationally. Hilltop Hoods were the first Australian hip-hop group to reach the top of the ARIA chart. Channel 10's Australian Idol program was highly popular locally, as were the many "idols" produced.  Hoodoo Gurus (referred to as the Gurus by fans) are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner (songwriter, lead singer and guitarist) and later joined by Richard Grossman (bass), Mark Kingsmill (drums), and Brad Shepherd (guitar, vocals, harmonica). Their popularity peaked in the mid to late 1980s with albums Mars Needs Guitars!, Blow Your Cool! and Magnum Cum Louder displaying their New Wave style. Hoodoo Gurus had a string of acclaimed pop-rock singles including "Leilani" (1982), "Tojo" (1983), "My Girl" (1983), "I Want You Back" (1984), "Bittersweet", "Like Wow - Wipeout!", and "What's My Scene?". After touring the United States from 1984 onwards they gained popularity on the U.S. college rock circuit[1] with singles "Come Anytime" (1989) reaching #1 and "Miss Freelove '69" (1991) reaching #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. Gurus’ best-performed Australian single was their 1987 Top 3 hit song "What's My Scene?" or, as modified for the National Rugby League 2000s theme, "That's My Team". Hoodoo Gurus iconic status on the Australian rock scene was acknowledged when they were inducted into the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame. Their induction announcement stated that the Gurus were one of the most "inventive, lyrically smart and exciting" bands from Australia. From 1960s power pop, and wild garage punk to hard driving rock and funky psychedelic kitsch their music stood out from Sydney's Detroit-inspired bands. (more...) 
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