Music from Australia and New Zealand in the year 1980:

Back in 1975, newly arrived New Zealand band Split Enz were billed as the opening act for the new Australian hard rock sensation AC/DC - a disastrous arrangement that saw the Enz being booed off the stage by sharpies and heavy duty AC/DC supporters. In 1980, Split Enz began the new decade with a bang, when the band's 13th single 'I Got You' raced to # one on the Australian Singles Chart, as well as becoming an international hit. But whilst Split Enz celebrated a gain, AC/DC (and Australian music) suffered a loss, when ex-Valentines-ex-Fraternity-AC/DC front man Bon Scott passed away. AC/DC soon recruited Geordie singer Brian Johnson (from Dunstan, UK) as Scott's replacement and began recording the landmark album 'Back In Black'.

Meanwhile; Cold Chisel, Rose Tattoo, The Angels and Mi-Sex began touring overseas. Rose Tattoo touring Europe, Cold Chisel (America), The Angels (America) and Mi-Sex (with the success of 'Computer Games' - America).

None the less, the absence of these groups were filled by newer Australian acts. Sydney's Deluxe records launched debut releases from Sydney bands INXS and The Numbers; and Perth band The Dugites, with impressive chart action. Another new label, Regular (who already had success with Mental As Anything), issued debut single from Sydney cover-cum-original band The Flowers - later to be known as Icehouse (named after the title of band's debut album).

Mushroom, enjoying the success of their long-time signing Split Enz, took on board new acts: James Freud (who scored Top Ten hit 'Modern Girl'), and post-punk group Models - both acts having been connected to short-lived punk band Teenage Radio Stars (incidentally signed to Mushroom's ill-fated offshoot Suicide label).

Another one-time-Suicide singing The Boys Next Door became The Birthday Party and left Australia for England. In spite of the career progress of one-time Melbourne underground darlings (Boys Next Door, James Freud, Models); the Melbourne post-punk scene continued being a breeding pool for experimental film-makers, photographers, painters, artists and bands, with venues The Crystal Ballroom and Tiger Lounge billing post-punk groups (and 'Little Bands' scene). Please see Melbourne 1980 in Playlist.

The Sydney Underground scene reflected its Melbourne counter-part, being the home of Laughing Clowns, Pel Mel, Slugfuckers, etc.

The mainstream pub rock scene, for most part, remained exciting for young punters. INXS, Outline, The Radiators, The Hitmen, Jimmy & The Boys, Australian Crawl, Midnight Oil and many others, were either recording their debut record or, already had a couple of releases in the market. Either way, with they were all going to get on Countdown and get on the charts.

At any given night, a famous local rock band would be playing their chart hits down at the local pub - and if they weren't famous, they were going to be. Talent was in the air - the confidence and the muscle of the music business began to see new-up-and-coming bands emerge with an impressive repertoire: The Church, The Sunnyboys, Matt Finish, Divinyls, Men At Work, Moving Pictures and many others began gigging around the pub and club circuit of Melbourne and Sydney.

Also note worthy is the launch of Melbourne FM radio station EON-FM (founded by ex-Masters Apprentice bass player Glenn Wheatley), which soon became nationally known as 3MMM FM (aka Triple M).

New Zealand began churning out an impressive fore
Ironically, the biggest selling Australian record of 1980 was made by Joe Dolce - a fresh-off-the-boat American-Italian, strumming a ukulele to his novelty song titled 'Shaddap You Face'.

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Aussie Bands/Artists with Debut Albums:
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Flowers - Icehouse
Dugites - Dugites
INXS - INXS
James Freud - Breaking Silence
The Radiators - Feel The Heat
The Birthday Party - Birthday Party
Models -
The Numbers - The Numbers
The Thought Criminals -
Dennis D. Wilson -
Paul Madigan & the Humans


Aussie Bands/Artists with Debut Singles/EP's:
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Laughing Clowns -
Outline -
The Church

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Kiwi Bands/Artists with Debut Albums:

Toy Love -
The Crocodiles -

Kiwi Bands/Artists with Debut Singles/EP's:

Gordons