Arcadia Australia

What better way to really get to know your new country than getting into the local culture. Culture is represented in many varied ways, so it would take many posts to cover; however, today we want to go right to the heart and soul of Australians and that is through Australian music. You see Australians have a love affair with music - they love festivals, live music at the local bar, and most of all they love Australian musicians.

Every year on Australia Day (the 26^th January), Australia hosts the world’s largest music poll where a national radio station, Triple J, does a countdown of the top 100 songs released in the previous year. It is always amazing to see the number of Australian artists who get in the top 100, let alone the top 10. Australians are very proud of their homegrown talent.

One of the things that really makes Australian music unique is the use of the didgeridoo. The didgeridoo is considered by some to be the world’s oldest instrument. For a great indigenous artist who plays the didgeridoo check out Xavier Rudd. You will really appreciate just how talented he really is if you ever attempt to play the didgeridoo yourself. Xavier is one Australian artist you’ll need to add to your bucket list, as you will want to catch him live if you can.

Often Australian artists make huge headlines around the world, but people give very little thought to where they are from. For example in 2013, Goyte was thrust into the international spotlight after his song ‘Someone that I used to know’ catapulted him to international stardom. What very few people realise is that, that song was actually recorded in his apartment in Melbourne. Some of the other Australian artists that you might recognise are ACDC, INXS, Regurgitator, Wolfmother, Cut Copy, The Presets, The Vines, Stafford Brothers, Powderfinger, Grinspoon and Jet – they are all Australian made produce.

Australian music is vast and varied and you will notice that it can be quite different from the music in the States. Australians even have their own version of hip hop referred to as “skip hop”. Bands like the Hill Top Hoods, Bliss N Eso, 360 and the Herd have all brought Australian Skip Hop onto the world stage in recent years. Although not quite the same as American hip hop it has a definite Australian tweak that you will either love or hate.

There are so many ways you can check out Australian music whether it is down at your local bar, buskers on the street, going to one of Australia’s many music festivals or even steaming it online. We recommend listening to Triple J radio station, which supports local Australian music. They have a segment four times a week called “Home and Hosed’ dedicated to new Australian music only. What ever music style you like and how ever you like to experience music we encourage you to get amongst it. Your new Australian friends will be impressed you know of Australian bands and they will no doubt be excited to educate some more. Enjoy everything Australia has to offer – especially the sounds.