The Top 10 Australian Songs of 2023
I spent 2023 driving around this glorious country known as Australia with my wife and four-year-old son. Having racked up 26,000kms worth of time on the road, in a van I cannot drive and therefore fill the dual roles as children’s entertainer and DJ, there’s been plenty of time to listen to the best and worst of the new music from the year (in between constant repeats of ‘You’re Welcome’ from Moana and ‘I Can’t Wait To Be King’ from The Lion King).
Here are the absolute best Australian songs of the year (and some honourable mentions):
10. ‘Radio On’ by Sophisticated Dingo
A power punch of a track from Melbourne pop-punk duo Sophisticated Dingo. A song about persistence, about the frustrations and pain that can come from pursuing your dreams, and making sure you don’t lose the joy of your passions along the way. It’s a song meant to be shouted at the top of your lungs, though vocalist Lewis Matte punched out a brilliant acoustic version at the launch for my book, and it was maybe just as affecting.
9. ‘Kinda Famous’ by Peach PRC
Peach PRC has become an expert of the scathing dance-pop takedown. Following her musical eviscerations of toxic ex-boyfriends (‘Josh’) and institutional religion (‘God Is A Freak’), she now trains her sights on obsessive fans. What results is another highly danceable, totally hilarious banger of the highest order.
8. ‘Superglue’ by Teenage Joans
Long time readers will no doubt be aware I’m a massive fan of Teenage Joans, ever since their 2019 debut ‘Three Leaf Clover’. They are the only artist to have made all three of my year-end lists, having previously appeared in 2021 and 2022. ‘Superglue’ was my most played song this year, according to Spotify Wrapped, and fair enough. It’s another killer from the Adelaide duo, lacerating lyrics in a thrashy garage rock package.
7. ‘King of Disappointment’ by Jem Cassar-Daley
Jem Cassar-Daley’s voice is one of my favourite discoveries of the year - its lilting and subtle, but the depth of feeling underneath is unmistakeable. ‘King of Disappointment’ is her breakout hit, and feels like a modernised version of another Australian indie-country-pop crossover classic – ‘The Captain’ by Kasey Chambers. Big difference is, this time the girl realises the boy is nothing but a scrub.
6. ‘Just Like You’ by South Summit
One of the musical highlights of this year was getting to see South Summit perform live in Margaret River, as they toured this very song. It’s an awesome departure for them from their work to date, which has been a more Ocean Alley-esque coastal psych-rock. ‘Just Like You’ is super fun and boppy, the kind of song that gets a crowd bouncing up and down together. About lead singer Zaya’s relationship with his big brother, it’s beautiful and sincere and joyous.
5. ‘Getaway’ by Squid The Kid (feat. Infuschia and Nesh)
Some tunes are just surging with kinetic energy – the spirit of shimmy, the burst of boogie, the drive of disco. Squid The Kid’s flow is fun and freewheeling, and ‘Getaway’ is vibrant and funky, enlivened by a deep and powerful groove as inescapable as gravity. If you’re not floating up into the air, then prepare to lose yourself to dance.
4. ‘The Sky Is Melting’ by Alex Lahey
Alex Lahey is a rock star – one of the most impressive true rock voices to have come out of Australia in the last decade, whose music is typically hard and fast. So this track may have caught some by surprise. It’s gorgeous, and soft, and funny, and unexpectedly poignant for a song depicting a single night of edibles in LA. Imagine if Pineapple Express was shot as a sombre relationship drama. It’s Half Baked meets Marriage Story. It’s probably my favourite exercise in musical storytelling from 2023.
3. ‘Rain’ by JK-47 (feat. Adrian Eagle and Jay Orient)
Australia has a lot of contenders for our most underrated MC right now: Tasman Keith, Dallas Woods, Miss Kaninna… But JK-47 remains criminally overlooked, a brilliant storyteller with a compelling flow that fluctuates comfortably between authoritative and conversational. In a year where the place of Indigenous Australians within our society was front and centre, and subject to some truly abysmal public discourse, JK-47 cuts through with passion, clarity and optimism. Admirable assist from Adrian Eagle with an excellent hook.
2. ‘Good Enough’ by G Flip
This has been a transformational year for me personally, and so this song resonated with me hard. But on repeat listens, I’m certain this is the peak of the G Flip experience to date, the point that it’s all been building to. ‘About You’, ‘Drink Too Much’, ‘Waste Of Space’… all of it was leading here. To this enormous, heartwrenching, magnificent moment of catharsis. The drumming is outstanding, as you might expect, and the lyrics are vulnerable and raw, but what truly carries the song is the most towering and intense vocal performance of G Flip’s entire career.
1. ‘For Once’ by Vallis Alps
In 2016 I got to Groovin the Moon in Canberra early, specifically to see the opening act on the small stage, a little known band called Vallis Alps. From the moment I had heard their debut track ‘Young’ a year earlier, I had been entranced. And now, eight years later, they finally released their debut album, Cleave. Thankfully, and unsurprisingly, it’s absolutely brilliant.
‘For Once’ is the standout track on the record, arguably their best song ever. Parisa Tosef is one of Australia’s most gifted vocalists, a heavenly voice of astonishing range and precision that soars and dips as if it were being piloted by a weathered Tom Crise in Top Gun: Maverick. ‘For Once’ is stunningly beautiful, a tranquil dreamlike trip with the hope of self-acceptance and growth as its beating heart.
And a few honourable mentions: ‘Therapy’ by Budjerah, ‘Mrs Hollywood’ by Go-Jo, ‘Nothing’s Stopping Me Now’ by Dear Seattle, ‘OUR PEOPLE’ by 3% (feat The Presets), and ‘Salt’ by Teen Jesus and The Jean Teasers (feat The Grogans)