5 Australian Rock Bands That Took Over the World

Hey everyone, PJ Pat here. The Short above gets into the 1982 album that changed Midnight Oil's sound forever and turned the band into a global force, mixing huge rock hooks with fearless political conscience straight out of Australia.

Here is something a lot of fans never stop to notice: Australia has punched way above its weight in rock for decades. Here are 5 Australian bands that conquered the world. Crank it up.

Watch the video: This 1982 Album Changed Midnight Oil's Sound Forever and subscribe on the Rock with PJ Pat channel for more rock breakdowns.

1. AC/DC

The biggest of them all. Formed in Sydney by the Young brothers, AC/DC took a dead simple formula, monster riffs, pounding drums, and zero filler, and turned it into one of the best selling catalogs in history. Back in Black alone is one of the top selling albums ever made. They never chased trends, never softened, and never stopped, and the schoolboy uniform and the duckwalk became global shorthand for pure rock and roll. Australia's greatest export wears short pants and plays a Gibson SG.

2. INXS

While AC/DC went heavy, INXS went sleek and funky, fusing rock with dance grooves and giving the world one of the great frontmen in Michael Hutchence. By the late 1980s, with Kick, they were a stadium act selling millions and ruling MTV with singles like Need You Tonight. They proved Australian rock could be sexy and rhythmic, not just loud, and for a stretch they were one of the biggest bands on the planet.

3. Men at Work

For sheer global saturation, few Aussie bands ever topped Men at Work in the early 1980s. Down Under became an unofficial national anthem and a worldwide number one, complete with a vegemite sandwich shout out that introduced the whole planet to Australian slang. They became the first Australian act to have a number one album and single in the United States at the same time. A quirky pub band that briefly owned the world.

4. Tame Impala

The modern entry, and proof the pipeline never dried up. Tame Impala is essentially the psychedelic vision of one man, Kevin Parker, recording lush, swirling rock almost entirely by himself in Australia. He turned a bedroom project into a festival headlining juggernaut and one of the most influential sounds of the last 15 years, pulling rock, pop, and dance into one dreamy swirl. The new face of Australia taking over, one home studio at a time.

5. Wolfmother

When the world wanted big riff rock revived in the 2000s, Australia delivered again with Wolfmother, a band that wears its Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath worship proudly and backs it up with genuine power. Their debut won a Grammy and put thunderous, retro hard rock back on rock radio and festival stages worldwide. Whenever it seems like riff rock is fading, an Australian band tends to show up and crank it back to life.

More on What Rocks: 5 Bands That Survived Losing Their Singer, 10 Japanese Bands About to Blow Up, and The Most Underrated Rock Band.

Wear it loud

If your playlist runs from Sydney to Perth, gear up like a global rock fan. Two picks for the certified rock heads:

Rock Hand Sign Graphic Tee →
For everyone who knows great rock has no borders.

Volume Knob Rock Baseball Cap →
Down under or anywhere, the amp still goes to 11.

Anyway

Anyway, that is 5 Australian bands that took over the world, from AC/DC's riffs to Tame Impala's swirl. Midnight Oil proved Aussie rock could carry a message and a melody at the same time, and a whole country kept that energy going. Not bad for a place on the far side of the map. Crank it up.

If you missed the Short, the embed is right at the top of this post. Subscribe to the Rock with PJ Pat YouTube channel for more rock breakdowns.

Got a band you want me to dig into next? Hit me on YouTube, Facebook, or drop me a message at its1louder.com. Always reading.

Crank it up 1 louder.

PJ Pat