Your mission: create a 74 minute CD (yes, I realise that’s dated; but not as dated as a D90) of the best Australian tracks ever, for an alien (or maybe an American) that has never heard them before.
At four minutes each, that’s 18 tracks, but no-one’s going to check times.
And Australian is whatever you say it is
Go.
I realise it’s an impossible task.
My first thoughts are…
Shout
(Maybe but not definitely Georgie Girl)
The Real Thing
Eagle Rock
Horror Movie
Edit: lol…already forgot Evie.
When I think about this, I think you have to go what bands/artists deserve representation, then pick a song from them.
Men at Work need a song on there - it probably (almost certainly) has to be Land Down Under, but personally I’d go Overkill
AC/DC need representation - hard because while Johnson era had more global success, I think the true AC/DC as the Scott era. Probably Long Way To The Top, but I’d go Jailbreak or High Voltage personally.
Edit: I just realized that line of thinking means The Wiggles probably get a spot too (I know they are a kids band, but has Australia produced a more successful musical act?)
I think I’d do this entirely differently.
There’s no way in 74 minutes you can got every band who “deserves representation” so you just have to go with individual tracks.
I was going to go with some “defining Australia” stuff, but then I re-read the task, so 18 killer tracks it is.
So where do I start…I’ll just go with a stream of consciousness and come back later when I realise I’ve missed some that I have to include
Treaty
Flame Trees
Streets of your town
Under the Milky way
You’re the voice
Somebody the I used to know
Solid Rock
Most people I know think that I’m crazy
Sounds of then (This is Australia)
Great Southern Land
Beds are Burning
Friday on my mind
Berlin chair
Down Under
Holding On
Into my arms
Can’t get you out of my head
Dance Monkey
That’s 18…let’s see how many of them I change for my final edit…
I Am Australian (Judith Durhma & the Seekers)
Holy Grail - Hunters and collectors
Kryptonite - 3 doors down
Great Southern Land
Tomorrow - Silverchair
Khe Sahn - Cold Chisel
Run to paradise - Choirboys
The Horses - Daryl Braithwaite
Wish you well - Bernard Fanning
I was only 19 - Redgum
Treaty - Yothu Yindi
Torn - Natalie Imbruglia
Chains - Tina Arena
Scar - Missy Higgins
Whats my scene - hoodoo goorus
Weather with you - crowded house
So Beautiful - Pete Murray
in the summertime - Thirsty merc
I love it - Hilltop Hoods
18 tracks, could have added a lot more, tried to get a mix of bands, male/female artists
Haha your really going all out on the troll this week. Just left this nugget for bakes to find 
Probably should have included The Kid Laroi or Iggy Azalea
I’m just trying to work out how many Butterfingers songs I should include.
I’m trying but I’m struggling to work out the Australian connection with 3 doors down 
Yeah, I looked that up. They are from Mississippi.
Maybe substitute it in with a Grinspoon song
The thread does lack Grinners.
Well, if it wasn’t evident beforehand, now I really know you’re trolling…
Silverchair - Straight Lines
Hahaha. Really I was just trying to think up some Aus songs from the last decade or so. I just have 0 idea about the last decade of Aus music. But it seemed doubtful that all of the best Australian music was written before 1990.
Before 2000 at the very least. I suspect we lost our uniquely Australian-ness as pub culture died off. So much great, great Oz music came from pub acts.
just threw it in there to see if anyone was paying attention.
will replace with Great Southern land
Is drinking beer really something that made us unique? And there’s still a pub rock culture. You can still go to the Tote, or the Gaso or whatever. And you can still see Cable Ties or Sandy Dish or whatever current rock band is pumping out great rock tracks.
This is harder than it looks, but I’ll give it a go.
The Seekers - The Carnival Is Over
The Easybeats - Friday On My Mind
The Loved Ones - The Loved One
Daddy Cool - Eagle Rock
Russell Morris - The Real Thing
Skyhooks - Living In The 70s
AC/DC - It’s A Long Way To The Top
The Saints - I’m Stranded
The Boys Next Door - Shivers
Radio Birdman - Aloha Steve And Danno
Men At Work - Downunder
Mental As Anything - The Nips Are Getting Bigger
Hunters & Collectors - Throw Your Arms Around Me
Icehouse - Great Southern Land
Go-Betweens - Cattle And Cane
Paul Kelly - Leaps And Bounds
Triffids - Wide Open Road
The Cruel Sea - This Is Not The Way Home
Lee Harding - Wasabi