Australian music 2021

As 2021 draws to a close, we take a look at a selection of Australian releases over the year.

INXS founding member Andrew Farriss released his long-awaited solo album
Void of Vision shared a vital message
Yours Truly contemplated a living ghost
Redhook recovered with Sentimental Surgery
Dune Rats choreographed a tax back banger
Sticky Fingers‘ unexpected success
Thornhill premiered their new sound on Triple J

INXS founding member Andrew Farriss released his long-awaited solo album

After a decade perfecting his passion project, Andrew Farriss was finally ready to release his outlaw-country inspired solo record. He performed during the 2021 virtual AMA-UK Americana showcase event too.

Although Farriss recorded the record in Nashville, the video for Run Baby Run was filmed at the Amamoor State Forest and National Park in Queensland, Australia. Farris explained that “the song is about being liberated. You always want to feel like you are young, and may the young forever run free.”

Void of Vision shared a vital message

Void of Vision’s heavy, dark video for Vampyr was designed to spread a heavy but important message. Vocalist Jack Bergin explained: “We are all a part of the mission to fight against the inappropriate behaviour in the Australian music industry, every one of us… I know for a fact that I have stood idle before amongst a world full of dangerous men and their sycophants that will do whatever it takes to protect their unstable world… but this isn’t about me, this is about how much more we can all be doing in our positions to actively create a safe space for women. You can neglect accountability or wake up and ask yourself how it is all still happening in this day and age.”

Yours Truly contemplated a living ghost

Yours Truly vocalist Mikaila Delgado explained: “I shiver a lot, and when I’d shiver this person [who later left abruptly] would say ‘someone must be walking over your grave’, and that was just a thought that kept coming back to me after we weren’t close anymore. I shivered one day as I was driving and I remember pulling over and writing lyrics. I was wondering, did anything I ever said stick with them? Were they thinking about me too?”

Redhook recovered with Sentimental Surgery

During lockdown, Redhook invited their fans to hold their own socially distanced emo parties and share the footage. Lead singer Emma Mack explained: “We hoped that, by embracing their sadboi/sadgirl roots, partying like it’s 2007 and celebrating how fun it once was be to be sad, it might help bring them some cheer and break up the monotony of lockdown. What we didn’t foresee was that watching all the fan footage back would actually bring us ridiculous amounts of joy at a time when we ourselves were really struggling.”

Dune Rats choreographed a tax back banger

Dune Rats decided to write a banger while they were staying in a South Coast town called Eden: “It was bloody freezing at the time, so it felt necessary to write a summer tune! We stumbled across the song while having a good time fucking around and cracking each other up. At first, we were reluctant to show anyone because of how different it sounded but eventually thought fuck it and embraced the tuneski!”

They leaned into the vibe fully with a technicolour, fully choreographed video to match the bright song. The larger-than-life video was filmed around the band’s hometown, Brisbane.

Sticky Fingers’ unexpected success

Sticky Fingers racked up a billion streams (and they don’t know why). They’re not signed, they don’t have radio support, they don’t rehearse much, and until September 2021 they hadn’t released any new music in years. Yet, somehow, their songs have been streamed over a billion times!

Thornhill premiered their new sound on Triple J

Thornhill’s debut album has been streamed over 27 million times. Two years on, Australian alternative radio station Triple J gave their comeback song the seal of approval too.