# What was the most influential Austrailain band/artist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2008, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543 "2008-09-14T07:31:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/1 "2008-09-14T07:31:50Z")
Continuing my metaphorical, musical tour around the globe, it is the turn of the Aussies to post the best of their home. What bands influanced the music of your country? SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/2 "2008-09-14T08:31:28Z")
How far back do we need to go? You could argue for The Coloured Balls, Max Merritt and the Meteors or John Farnham. Possibly even The Zoot. Johnny O’Keefe- hmmm. Probably, the most successful were The Seekers. Or Helen Reddy (International success) ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/3 "2008-09-14T08:34:55Z")
And now INXS and Midnight Oil spring to mind ☹ Maybe even Cold Chisel. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/4 "2008-09-14T08:36:57Z")
I am so glad you started this :). For people in the UK Kylie Minogue would probably be the most poular. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/5 "2008-09-14T08:38:01Z")
AC/DC spring to mind. ---
**Author:** ![chicken\_wire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@chicken\_wire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicken_wire)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/6 "2008-09-14T08:47:38Z")
Slim Dusty The Easybeats AC/DC The Saints Paul Kelly Cold Chisel INXS Midnight Oil Can you tell that I’m not going to be able to narrow it down to one? ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/7 "2008-09-14T10:00:11Z")
Nick Cave ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/8 "2008-09-14T10:03:52Z")
Perhaps they’re not 100% Australian, but what about Crowded House? Also, Savage Garden had a fairly wide fan base even though they only released two albums. I’m not saying that they had great music, merely popular music. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/9 "2008-09-14T10:07:21Z")
Railroad Gin were very good. I’d like to say Split Enz but they were Kiwis. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/10 "2008-09-14T10:11:37Z")
Let us not forget the cultural impact of Rolf Harris \*Tie me kangaroo down sport, tie me kangaroo down. Tie me kangaroo down sport, tie me kangaroo down. \* ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/11 "2008-09-14T10:18:55Z")
I came so close to mentioning Rolf Harris before. My SO told me I would be castrated if I did. ---
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/12 "2008-09-14T10:20:22Z")
AC/DC no doubt. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![A\_shameful\_cracka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@A\_shameful\_cracka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_shameful_cracka)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/13 "2008-09-14T13:55:58Z")
> [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](#): > > AC/DC no doubt. 😃 I think this is probably the best answer. I’m no fan of AC/DC, but the question is asking for the most influential, not the “best”. Tons of bands imitate AC/DC’s style. Reviews are always saying “‘Band X’ is like a cross between AC/DC and ‘insert different band here’”. Nick Cave is also influential, but I think AC/DC has had more influence. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/14 "2008-09-14T13:59:26Z")
I always thought that Split Enz were Australian but I may be mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/15 "2008-09-14T15:09:53Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > I always thought that Split Enz were Australian but I may be mistaken. The Enz were most certainly Kiwis, but were (eventually) enthusiastically adopted by Australia. (And Crowded House were originally an offshoot of the Enz.) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/16 "2008-09-14T15:15:45Z")
Split Enz are Kiwi’s not Aussies AC/DC are the biggest by any standard measure - sales, weeks on charts, hit records Not to mention influence: like it or not - and I happen to _love_ it - their sound is part of Rock’s DNA. No mention of Air Supply or the Little River. Band? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/17 "2008-09-14T16:11:52Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Let us not forget the cultural impact of Rolf Harris > > \*Tie me kangaroo down sport, > tie me kangaroo down. > Tie me kangaroo down sport, > tie me kangaroo down. \* Damn you **Tapioca**! (You stole my post!) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/18 "2008-09-14T16:21:12Z")
Dunno about influential, but **Radio Birdman** deserves a mention as a great punk band from Oz. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/19 "2008-09-14T16:29:31Z")
Shit, until this thread I’d never even thought that AC/DC were considered an Australian band! _embarrassed face_ Well I’ve learned something today. IMO, Nick Cave’s body of work is damned impressive. ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543/20 "2008-09-14T16:43:12Z")
On our first date, Mr. Beckwall asked me who the group was when “Beds are Burning” came on the radio. I said meekly “INXS??” He almost took me home right then. Midnight Oil has to be his all-time favorite band (next to Beck and maybe the Who). Hey, that gave me another musician/actor idea - Roger Daltrey has been in some movies and TV (different thread altogether). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-influential-austrailain-band-artist/463543.md?page=2)