Australian Music History

  • George Assang

    Pioneer of Australian Rock n Roll. He was born on Thursday Island and he got regular work fronting jazz and swing bands. He released a version of ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ at the same time as Elvis Presley on this day.
  • First Rock n Roll Expliotation film in Australia

    Rock around the clock. Teenagers embraced this music and rebelled against their family’s values and those of the wider society.
  • Period: to

    How Australian Music has Developed

  • Bill Hayley and Johnny O'Keefe

    Bill Hayley took his Rock ‘n’ Roll tour to Australia. Johnny O’Keefe was the leader of Australia’s only working Rock ‘n’ Roll band.
  • Johnny O'Keefe and Fetical Records

    O’Keefe pioneered a live Rock ‘n’ Roll circuit of suburban dances, while Festival gave local artists the opportunity to record in their studios. Local dances were often made wild affairs as teenagers found this to be the perfect opportunity to cut loose from the straightjacket conservatorium of Menzies years.
  • The Atlantics

    They were a Sydney band created a huge local hit, ‘Bombora’, which was released internationally, even receiving the US cashbox Magazine Record of the Week accolade.
  • CBS/HMV

    Major companies including CBS and HMV began to invest in the local music industry.
  • The Beat Boom

    The Beatles tour of June 1964 revolutionised the Australian Music industry. Teenagers across the country demanded records and live concerts, and the music industry boomed.
  • The Easybeats, Normie Rowe and The Twilights.

    Australian artists and their influence in England
  • Skyhooks, Sherbet and John Paul Young, Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil.

    Countdown / Double J (baby boomers)
  • Double J

    The first commercial radio station and commited to alternative music and challenging the commercial monopoly on rock.
  • Triple J/ Double J

    The FM band was finally open for radio broadcasting.
  • Triple J

    Exodus of Australian music
  • Radio Money

    Estimated that the music related activities added $1.55 billion value to the Australian Economy.
  • Triple J

    The Whitlam dream of a national youth radio network was finally released when Triple J became a national network. Played a crucial role on championing Australian Music, often playing music that commercial radio programmers deemed unsuitable.
  • Music Industry

    Estimated that the music related activities added $6.82 billion Value to the Australian Economy.
  • Triple J

    2010 Hottest 100
  • Triple J

    Launched Triple J Unearthed – a station devoted entirely to unsigned bands.