From one of the first women to have a hit song in the Australian charts, Pilita Corrales, to the highest selling Aboriginal album by Gurrumul, 10 essential sounds that helped define Australian history and culture have been added to the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia's (NFSA) Sounds of Australia.
Other inductees include Goanna's track about Aboriginal land rights, Solid Rock; Margret RoadKnight's empowering Girls In Our Town; Powderfinger's hit These Days; the popular tongue-twisting song I've Been Everywhere by Lucky Starr; and Binny Lum's extensive collection of celebrity interviews.
The 2018 Sounds of Australia are, in chronological order:
1905 Caro Mio Ben - Ada Crossley: A prominent turn-of-the century opera singer.
1926 Freshie/After the Dawn - Sydney Simpson and his Wentworth Café Orchestra: After the Dawn is the first entirely Australian recording, composed, performed, recorded and pressed by Australians.
1955-1967 Binny Lum Collection - Binny Lum and interviewees: The Melbourne broadcaster's collection of interviews includes exclusives with The Beatles, Barbra Streisand and countless Australian and global stars.
1959 Come Closer to Me - Pilita Corrales: A Filipino woman singing in Spanish was one of the first female singers to make the Australian charts with a locally produced record!
1962 I've Been Everywhere - Lucky Starr: More than 131 versions of this tongue-twister exist, confirming its universal appeal and ongoing popularity.
1976 Girls in Our Town - Margret RoadKnight: An empowering song about the trials and tribulations of teenage girls during the 1970s era of women's liberation.
1982 Solid Rock – Goanna: A protest message that resonated with the Australian public.
1992-2008 Songlines: Songs of the East Australian Humpback Whales - Mark Franklin: Featuring Migaloo, the famous albino humpback whale.
1999 These Days –Powderfinger: One of the alternative band's most popular tracks.
2008 Gurrumul – Gurrumul: the best-selling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music album in Australian history.
In 2007 the NFSA launched Sounds of Australia, the honours list of Australian recorded sounds that changed history, or defined our evolving cultural identity. They are recognised for their cultural, historical and/or aesthetic achievements. Being part of Sounds of Australia means that the recordings will live on at the NFSA, for future generations to discover and enjoy
