Spacey Jane managed to beat out Tame Impala for the top spot, but it is what they have in common that makes for an interesting list…
Triple j has held its annual triple j Album of the Year poll and the results are in. Rock is back in a big way this year in Australia and it isn’t just Spacey Jane blasting listeners with their guitars but Lime Cordiale, Hockey Dad, Violent Soho and more.
In comparison to the previous year’s poll, there were only two rock artists featured, Holy Holy and Catfish & the Bottlemen, with majority of the entrants being hip-hop or pop.
This year’s list is as follows:
- Spacey Jane – Sunlight
- Lime Cordiale – 14 Steps To A Better You
- Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
- Ball Park Music – Ball Park Music
- Hockey Dad – Brain Candy
- DMA’s – The Glow
- Ocean Alley – Lonely Diamond
- Glass Animals – Dreamland
- San Cisco – Between You And Me
- Violent Soho – Everything is A-OK
All but one artist in the 2020 poll are Australian-based artists, with last year’s poll containing only six Australian artists. One possible reason for the lack of US-based artists may be due to the pandemic. Many artists have been reluctant to release new music during this time as their ability to promote and tour the album has been compromised.
There is nothing to confirm this except fan theories surrounding some of the world’s largest artists. Kendrick Lamar, for instance, is rumoured to have a finished album but is waiting until the pandemic is over to release it. While it is possible, the most likely answer is the simplest, Australian artists had many hugely anticipated releases from both older and newer talent.
This talent has managed to be catchy, personal, and well-produced. Triple j listeners seem to want to dance to songs about heavy topics such as depression and anxiety. Spacey Jane’s lyrical content can range from nostalgic loss on ‘Booster Seat’ to disillusionment with the world around you on ‘Good Grief.’ All of this is then wrapped up in a sunny bow with bouncing guitars, drums and hooks that will stay in your head for weeks.
Lime Cordiale matches this sound aesthetically while avoiding similarly heavy themes in their lyrics. But it is the biggest band on the list, Tame Impala, that highlights what millennials are listening to; personal music that you can dance to.
According to the poll, triple j listeners have been listening to some of the most talented artists in Australia and want to dance to something that can also make them cry.
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