Writer’s Wrap Up 2019
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24.12.2019

Writer’s Wrap Up 2019

The best new music from the past year and decade, according to us.

2019 has come and gone like a buzzsaw Lumpy and the Dumpers track – rapid, fleeting, but oh so memorable. So without further ado, here’s our traditional rundown of all the best stuff of the year, with a spicy twist to account for the decade’s closure. What was your favourite album and song of the last ten years… yeah, that’s a toughie.

Tom Parker, Editor

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Aldous Harding – Designer
2. Cate Le Bon – Reward
3. Big Thief – U.F.O.F.
4. Possible Humans – Everybody Split
5. Vanishing Twin – The Age of Immunology
6. Toro y Moi – Outer Peace
7. Swazi Gold – Jehovah’s Whispers
8. Surprise Chef – All News Is Good News
9. House Deposit – Reward For Effort
10. Digitalism – JPEG 

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Aldous Harding – ‘The Barrel’
2. Big Thief – ‘Cattails’
3. Cate Le Bon – ‘Home to You’
4. Vanishing Twin – ‘Cryonic Suspension May Save Your Life’
5. Cool Sounds – ‘Around And Down’

Top Five Gigs of the Year:

1. DJ Koze at Meredith
2. Four Tet at Golden Plains
3. Thee Oh Sees at The Croxton

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Stranger Things, season three

Favourite album of the decade:

Twerps – Twerps

Favourite song of the decade:

The War on Drugs – ‘Red Eyes’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

One Year being shut down. Travesty.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Ty Segall

Caleb Triscari, Digital Editor

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Lana Del Ray – Norman Fucking Rockwell!
2. The National – I Am Easy To Find
3. Julia Jacklin – Crushing
4. Angie McMahon – Salt
5. Bon Iver – i,i
6. The New Pornographers – In The Morse Code of Break Lights
7. The Japanese House – Good At Falling
8. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
9. Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
10. Aldous Harding – Designer

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Sharon Van Etten – ‘Seventeen’
2. Laura Stevenson – ‘Living Room, NY’
3. The National – ‘Oblivions’
4. Aldous Harding – ‘The Barrel’
5. Japanese Breakfast – ‘Essentially’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. CHVRCHES at Spilt Milk
2. Julia Jacklin at The Forum
3. Roisin Murphy at Meredith

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

The Other Two, season one 

Favourite album of the decade:

The Jezabels – Prisoner

Favourite song of the decade:

Bon Iver – ‘Holocene’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Katy Perry being sued by nuns over owning a former convent.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

C’mooooon Lana Del Rey

Kate Streader, Sub Editor

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Julia Jacklin – Crushing
2. Vanishing Twin – Age of Immunology
3. Amyl and The Sniffers – Amyl and The Sniffers
4. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
5. Cate Le Bon – Reward
6. Aldous Harding – Designer
7. The Comet Is Coming – Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
8. Sun Kil Moon – I Also Want To Die in New Orleans
9. Sui Zhen – Losing, Linda
10. Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Big Thief – ‘Not’
2. Tropical Fuck Storm – ‘Who’s My Eugene?’
3. Julia Jacklin – ‘Turn Me Down’
4. Sun Kil Moon – ‘Couch Potato’
5. Wand – ‘Thin Air’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis at Hamer Hall
2. Kurt Vile at The Forum
3. Kirin J Callinan at The Croxton

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

The Nightingale

Favourite album of the decade:

Mitski – Be The Cowboy

Favourite song of the decade:

Kirin J Callinan – ‘Embracism’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Everything Morrissey did and said

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Kate Bush

Alex Watts

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow
2. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
3. Gang Starr – One of the Best Yet
4. Little Brother – May the Lord Watch
5. Julia Jacklin – Crushing
6. Sampa the Great – The Return
7. Rapsody – Eve
8. Aldous Harding – Designer
9. Jamila Woods – LEGACY! LEGACY!
10. Gena Rose Bruce – Can’t Make You Love Me

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Sharon Van Etten – ‘Seventeen’
2. Sampa the Great – ‘Final Form’
3. Julia Jacklin – ‘Body’
4. Lizzo – ‘Juice’
5. Billie Eilish – ‘bad guy’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Iggy Pop – Festival Hall
2. Sharon Van Etten – Hamer Hall
3. Fleetwood Mac – Rod Laver Arena

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Us

Favourite album of the decade:

Dunno

Favourite song of the decade:

Dunno

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Dunno

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Bikini Kill

Ashley Diamantis

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Tyler, The Creator – IGOR
2. FKA twigs – Magdalene
3. Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell!
4. No Rome – Crying in the Prettiest Places
5. Solange – When I Get Home
6. Roland Tings – Salt Water
7. Marina – Love + Fear
8. Charli XCX – Charli
9. Maggie Rogers – Heard It In A Past Life
10. Wiki – OOFIE

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. The Garden – ‘Thy Mission’
2. The 1975 – ‘Frail State of Mind’
3. Grimes – ‘So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth’
4. FKA twigs – ‘home with you’
5. Tyler, The Creator – ‘NEW MAGIC WAND’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. The 1975 at Margaret Court Arena
2. Tyler, The Creator at Beyond The Valley
3. FKA twigs at Dark Mofo

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Pose

Favourite album of the decade:

Lorde – Melodrama

Favourite song of the decade:

Sky Ferreira – ‘Sad Dream’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Kanye West vs. Taylor Swift

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Tyler, The Creator

Augustus Welby

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
2. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
3. Cate Le Bon – Reward
4. Bill Callahan – Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
5. Kate Tempest –The Book of Traps and Lessons
6. Ferla – It’s Personal
7. Sarathy Korwar – More Arriving
8. Jenny Hval – The Practice of Love
9. FKA twigs – Magdalene
10. Sui Zhen -– Losing, Linda

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Perfume Genius – ‘Eye In The Wall’
2. Rapsody – ‘Ibtihaj’
3. Sampa the Great – ‘OMG’
4. Dave – ‘Black’
5. Honey 2 Honey – ‘Under the Hangar’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Cate Le Bon at the Croxton Bandroom
2. Jack Ladder at Artheater, Cologne
3. Cash Savage & the Last Drinks at the 3RRR Performance Space

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Aretha Franklin: Amazing Grace

Favourite album of the decade:

Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…

Favourite song of the decade:

Alex Cameron – ‘Take Care of Business’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Kanye Maga

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

R.E.M.

Bronius Zumeris

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Broken Social Scene – Lets Try The After Vol 2
2. Stephen Cummings – Life Moves On
3. Steve Earle – Guy
4. Marianne Faithfull – Negative Capability
5. Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Vol 2
6. Dave Graney & The Mistly – Zippa Dee Doo
7. The National – I Am Easy To Find
8. Pet Shop Boys – Agenda
9. Sun Kil Moon – I Also Want to Die in New Orleans
10. Swans – Leaving Meaning

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Dave Graney & The Mistly – ‘Gloria Grahame’
2. Elbow – ‘Weightless’
3. Karen O – ‘Anti-Lullaby’
4. Lana Del Rey – ‘Cinnamon Girl’
5. The Specials – ‘10 Commandments’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Black Cab at Northcote Social Club
2. Bryan Ferry at Margaret Court Arena
3. Huxton Creepers at The Curtin

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Joker

Favourite album of the decade:

The National – High Violet

Favourite song of the decade:

Karl Hyde & Brian Eno – ‘Lilac’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Not a controversy, just the loss of too many iconic musicians. Bowie, Cohen, Reed, Savage, Smith, Vega, for starters.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Talking Heads

Claire Morley

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Taylor Swift – Lover
2. Ariana Grande – thank u, next
3. Denzel Curry – ZUU
4. Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
5. Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
6. Miley Cyrus – SHE IS COMING
7. Solange – When I Get Home
8. The National – I Am Easy To Find
9. Tyler, The Creator – IGOR
10. Methyl Ethel – Triage

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Taylor Swift – ‘Lover’
2. Ariana Grande – ‘7 rings’
3. The Bennies – ‘Waiting For Dave’
4. Denzel Curry – ‘RICKY’
5. Miley Cyrus – ‘The Most’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Arctic Monkeys at Rod Laver Arena
2. Greta Van Fleet at The Forum
3. Boy & Bear at The Forum

Top TV show of 2019:

Fleabag

Favourite album of the decade:

The National – High Violet

Favourite song of the decade:

The National – ‘Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

The rise of streaming services, and the question of whether they fairly compensate artists.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Taylor Swift, man. Though Kanye tried to convert us all in 2019, TS won me over.

Dan Watt

Top Five Albums of the Year:

1. Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1
2. FIDLAR – Almost Free
3. Baroness – Gold & Grey
4. Clinic – Wheeltappers and Shunters
5. Beirut – Gallipoli

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Foals – ‘Exits’
2. FIDLAR – ‘Can’t You See’
3. Baroness – ‘Tourniquet’
4. Clinic – ‘Laughing Cavalier’
5. Beirut – ‘We Never Lived Here’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Vasco Era at The Corner
2. DJ Boring at Revolver Upstairs
3. Joyce Manor at The Corner

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

The Righteous Gemstones

Favourite album of the decade:

Protomartyr – The Agent Intellect

Favourite song of the decade:

friendships – ‘Big Farm In The Sky’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Courtney Barnett’s 2013 Like A Version of ‘Black Skinhead’ – an example of someone so ‘woke’ they fell asleep.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Bongripper!

David James Young

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. FONTAINES D.C. – Dogrel
2. 100 gecs – 1000 gecs
3. Brittany Howard – Jaime
4. Copeland – Blushing
5. Great Grandpa – Four of Arrows
6. Totally Unicorn – Sorry
7. Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind
8. Better Oblivion Community Center – Better 9. Oblivion Community Center
10. American Football – American Football

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus – ‘Old Town Road [Remix]’
2. blink-182 – ‘Darkside’
3. EGOISM – ‘Enemies’
4. Post Malone – ‘Circles’
5. Goo Goo Dolls – ‘Miracle Pill’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. IDLES at The Lansdowne
2. Childish Gambino at Qudos Bank Arena
3. The Flaming Lips at Sydney Opera House

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Favourite album of the decade:

Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…

Favourite song of the decade:

Future Islands – ‘Seasons (Waiting On You)’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

That shit reggae band from Sydney.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Great Grandpa

Eddy Lim

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Angie McMahon – Salt
2. Julia Jacklin – Crushing
3. Big Thief – U.F.O.F.
4. Jay Som – Anak Ko
5. Long Beard – Means to Me
6. 30/70 – Fluid Motion
7. Gang Starr – One of the Best Yet
8. Little Simz – Grey Area
9. Rachael & Vilray – Rachael & Vilray
10. Vulture Street Tape Gang – Mature Themes for Childish People

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Cory Wong – ‘Companion Pass’
2. Wilsen – ‘Ruiner’
3. Foals – ‘Neptune’
4. Tiana Khasi – ‘Georgia’s Track’
5. WAAX – ‘FU’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Foals – Margaret Court Arena
2. Alvvays – Corner Hotel
3. Phoebe Bridgers – Croxton Bandroom

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

El Camino

Favourite album of the decade:

Julien Baker – Sprained Ankle

Favourite song of the decade:

Julien Baker – ‘Good News’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Something Kanye West, go ahead and pick for yourself.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

A boygenius tour (with each member also having a set of their own).

Eliza Booth

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1
2. BENEE – FIRE ON MARZZ
3. Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
4. POND – Tasmania
5. Anderson .Paak – Ventura
6. Pixies – Beneath the Eyrie
7. Toro y Moi – Outer Peace
8. LEISURE – Twister
9. Friendly Fires – Inflorescent
10. Goldlink – Diaspora

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Foals – ‘On the Luna’
2. Genesis Owusu – ‘WUTD’
3. Lizzo – ‘Juice’
4. BENEE – ‘Wishful Thinking’
5. Spacey Jane – ‘Good for You’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. BENEE at The Workers Club
2. Northeast Party House at The Forum
3. Horsehunter at The Tote

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Looking for Alaska

Favourite album of the decade:

Tame Impala – Currents

Favourite song of the decade:

Foals – ‘My Number’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Katy Perry vs Flame lawsuit.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Garbage

Fergus Neal

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Aldous Harding – Designer
2. Stella Donnelly – Beware of the Dogs
3. Liam Gallagher – Why Me? Why Not.
4. Carla Geneve – Carla Geneve
5. Milky Chance – Mind the Moon
6. Two People – First Body
7. Jess Ribeiro – LOVE HATE
8. Julia Jacklin – Crushing
9. Gena Rose Bruce – Can’t Make You Love Me
10. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Fishing For Fishies

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Banoffee – ‘Tennis Fan’
2. Liam Gallagher – ‘Once’
3. Julia Jacklin – ‘Don’t Know How To Keep Loving You’
4. Tame Impala – ‘It Might Be Time’
5. Two People – ‘Dream Steppin’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Didirri at 170 Russell
2. Marlon Williams at Zoo Twilights
3. Dylan Moran at Hamer Hall

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

The Australian Dream

Favourite album of the decade:

Arctic Monkeys – AM

Favourite song of the decade:

Lorde – ‘Tennis Court’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Not enough cowbell solos.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Banoffee

Greta Brereton

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Bon Iver – i,i
2. Angie McMahon – Salt
3. Maggie Rogers – Heard It In A Past Life
4. Denzel Curry – ZUU
5. Mansionair – Shadowboxer
6. Loyle Carner – Not Waving, But Drowning
7. Matt Maeson – Bank On The Funeral
8. Still Woozy – Lately
9. Local Natives – Violet Street
10. Georgia Maq – Pleaser

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Goth Babe – ‘Sometimes’
2. Yoke Lore – ‘Dead Ringer’
3. Khruangbin & Leon Bridges – ‘Texas Sun’
4. Northeast Party House – ‘Dominos’
5. FIDLAR – ‘By Myself’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Glass Animals at Prince Bandroom
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers at Rod Laver Arena
3. Watching my Indonesian friend and her band perform at a little bar in Lombok – she’s so small but has the most powerful voice. Indonesia’s own Ariana Grande.

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Sex Education

Favourite album of the decade:

Tourist History by Two Door Cinema Club, Odesza’s In Return, Frank Ocean’s Channel ORANGE and anything from The Wombats.

Favourite song of the decade:

This is literally an impossible question; I genuinely don’t think I can choose.

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

The number of sexual abuse allegations that have come to light and how these have been handled. We’ve still got a long way to go in stamping this out in the first place.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Goth Babe

Holly Denison

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. N.Y.C.K. – Wild Streak
2. Taylor Swift – Lover
3. Bastille – Doom Days
4. Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
5. Hilltop Hoods – The Great Expanse
6. Thelma Plum – Better in Blak
7. Holy Holy – My Own Pool of Light
8. Dyson Stringer Cloher – Dyson Stringer Cloher
9. Lucianblomkamp – Motto
10. James Arthur – YOU

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Billie Eilish – ‘bad guy’
2. Sam Smith – ‘How Do You Sleep?’
3. N.Y.C.K. – ‘All the Birds’
4. Bastille – ‘Joy’
5. Katy Perry – ‘Never Really Over’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Melbourne Music Week: Kllo, Baths, Lucianblomkamp + Lonelyspeck
2. Festival X
3. Groovin’ the Moo in Bendigo

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Alita: Battle Angel

Favourite album of the decade:

The Wombats – This Modern Glitch

Favourite song of the decade:

The Wombats – ‘Techno Fan’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Wil Wagner and Georgia McDonald.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Baths

Jacob Colliver

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. The Crooked Fiddle Band – Another Subtle Atom Bomb
2. Freddie Gibbs / Madlib – Bandana
3. Flying Lotus – Flamagra
4. black midi – Schlagenheim
5. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Infest The Rats’ Nest
6. American Football – American Football (LP3)
7. 65daysofstatic – replicr, 2019
8. Kate Tempest – The Book Of Traps And Lessons
9. The Comet Is Coming – Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery
10. Bad Religion – Age Of Unreason

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Fat White Family – ‘Tastes Good With Money’
2. Devin Townsend – ‘Genesis’
3. China Bowls – ‘Before I Knew You’
4. Miles Brown – ‘Shudder Speed’
5. DZ Deathrays, Briggs, Jesswar & Trials – ‘Front Row Hustle’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Penny Arcade Expo 2019 at Melbourne Exhibition Centre
2. Tom Walker – Very Very at ACMI
3. Demi Lardner – Ditch Witch 800 at Greek Centre

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson

Favourite album of the decade:

Tom Waits – Bad As Me

Favourite song of the decade:

Either Mister Lies – ‘False Astronomy’ or Willis Earl Beal – ‘Evening’s Kiss’.

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

The death of many Aussie festivals signalled a disruption to the golden live-music era – Summadayze and Homebake in 2012, Future Music Festival and Soundwave in 2015, and of course, Big Day Out in 2014 (to name a few).

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Tom Waits, but it’ll never happen, so Maximum the Hormone.

James Lynch

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Kevin Morby – Oh My God
2. Gamjee – Legacy Project
3. Hierophants – Spitting Out Moonlight
4. Cate Le Bon – Reward
5. Hand Habits – Placeholder
6. Hobsons Bay Coast Guard – Hobsons Bay Coast Guard
7. Ty Segall – First Taste
8. House Deposit – Reward For Effort
9. Gonzo – Do It Better Again
10. Alex Cameron – Miami Memory

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Gamjee – ‘A Painter’
2. Eggy – ‘Bar Fred’
3. Kevin Morby – ‘Hail Mary’
4. Terrible Signal – ‘Look in the Water’
5. Cool Sounds – ‘Around and Down’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. The Ocean Party at Boogie 13
2. The Stroppies at The Curtin
3. Me Channel at The Retreat Front Bar

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

The End of the F***ing World, season two

Favourite album of the decade:

Ty Segall – Manipulator

Favourite song of the decade:

Parquet Courts – ‘Total Football’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Eggy EP launch at Nighthawks.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Wand

Jonathan Reynoso

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. black midi – Schlagenheim
2. Tyler, The Creator – IGOR
3. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Infest the Rats’ Nest
4. Thee Oh Sees – Face Stabber
5. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
6. Little Simz – GREY Area
7. BROCKHAMPTON – GINGER
8. Denzel Curry – ZUU
9. Flying Lotus – Flamagra
10. FKA twigs – Magdalene

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. black midi – ‘953’
2. Weyes Blood – ‘Movies’
3. Tyler, The Creator – ‘A BOY IS A GUN*’
4. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – ‘Planet B’
5. BROCKHAMPTON – ‘BOY BYE’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Devo at Desert Daze Music Festival
2. Tyler, The Creator at Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival
3. Khruangbin at Desert Daze Music Festival

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Jojo Rabbit

Favourite album of the decade:

Frank Ocean – Blonde

Favourite song of the decade:

Tame Impala – ‘Apocalypse Dreams’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Kanye West being a Donald Trump supporter.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Not sure, I don’t live in Australia!

Leland Tan

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Loyle Carner – Not Waving, But Drowning
2. Tourist – Wild
3. Lana Del Ray – Norman Fucking Rockwell!
4. Flume – Hi, This Is Flume
5. Jenny Hval – The Practice of Love
6. Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
7. Max Cooper – Yearning for the Infinite
8. IDK – Is He Real?
9. BROCKHAMPTON – GINGER
10. James Blake – Assume Form

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Peggy Gou – ‘Starry Night’
2. Choker – ‘Lucky’
3. slenderbodies – ‘take you home’
4. Stil & Bense – ‘One in a Million (Lunar Plane Remix)’
5. Ben Böhmer, Nils Hoffmann, Malou – ‘Breathing (Extended Mix)’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Laneway Fremantle
2. Boiler Room x Sugar Mountain
3. Gerd Janson at Brown Alley

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Parasite

Favourite album of the decade:

Frank Ocean – Channel ORANGE

Favourite song of the decade:

Flume + The Notorious B.I.G – ‘Juicy Insane’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Separating art from artist – Michael Jackson, R. Kelly, XXXTentacion

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Frank Ocean

Sam Howard

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Tunnelvisions – Channel Tropico
2. Loods – Steel City Dance Discs, Volume 11
3. Jura Soundsystem – Monster Skies
4. Loure – Avenues
5. Floating Points – Crush
6. Ed Longo & Applied Arts Ensemble – The Other Fantasy
7. Axel Boman – Le New Life
8. Young Marco – Bahasa
9. Mildlife – How Long Does It Take?
10. Local Artist – Touch Tone

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Seb Wildblood – ‘amelia’
2. CZ Wang & Neo Image – ‘Just Off Wave’
3. Grant Turismo – ‘Eshays in Laneway’
4. Love Deluxe – ‘Souvenir’ feat. dip in the pool
5. Drugface – ‘In The Clouds’ (Beat Escape’s ‘Spaced Out’ Mix)

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Tornado Wallace at Inner Varnika Festival
2. Seb Wildblood at Dance Flaws
3. Regular Fantasy at A Weekend With

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

N/A

Favourite album of the decade:

Cut Copy Presents: Oceans Apart

Favourite song of the decade:

Bruce Trail – ‘Bridgework’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

When H&M tried to claim Harvey Sutherland’s track – a big mistake when the Melbourne legend is a music lawyer.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Nu Guinea’s full band

Scott Hudson

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Thelma Plum – Better in Blak
2. Ari Lennox – Shea Butter Baby
3. Little Simz – GREY Area
4. Stella Donnelly – Beware of the Dogs
5. Angie McMahon – Salt
6. Jordan Rakei – Origin
7. Montaigne – Complex
8. Kilns – You Can Bet Your House On Me
9. Winston Surfshirt – Apple Crumble
10. Meg Mac – HOPE

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Joji – ‘Sanctuary’
2. DZ Deathrays, Jesswar, Briggs & Trials – ‘Front Row Hustle’
3. Saint Lane – ‘Compliment My Shirt’
4. Greta Stanley – ‘Pour’
5. Angie McMahon – ‘Pasta’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Hobo Johson at The Corner
2. Sampa the Great at Zoo Twilights
3. K.Flay at Howler

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

End of The F**cking World, season two

Favourite album of the decade:

Gang Of Youths – Go Farther in Lightness

Favourite song of the decade:

Moses Sumney – ‘Plastic’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

N/A

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Moses Sumney

Sosefina Fuamoli

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Mark Ronson – Late Night Feelings
2. Brittany Howard – Jaime
3. Flying Lotus – Flamagra
4. Little Simz – GREY Area
5. James Blake – Assume Form
6. FKA twigs – Magdalene
7. Sampa the Great – The Return
8. Tyler, The Creator – IGOR
9. Jamila Woods – LEGACY! LEGACY!
10. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Ghosteen

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Mark Ronson – ‘Don’t Leave Me Lonely’
ft. Yebba
2. Glass Animals – ‘Tokyo Drifting’ ft. Denzel Curry
3. ROSALIA – ‘Con Altura’
4. Sampa the Great – ‘Final Form’
5. FKA twigs – ‘Cellophane’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Sampa the Great at The Forum
2. FKA twigs at Dark Mofo
3. Glass Animals at Prince Bandroom

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Big Mouth

Favourite album of the decade:

Frank Ocean – Channel ORANGE

Favourite song of the decade:

Frank Ocean – ‘Novocane’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Fyre Festival

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Rage Against the Machine

Tammy Walters

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell!
2. FKA twigs – Magdalene
3. Tool – Fear Inoculum
4. Thom Yorke – Anima
5. The Raconteurs – Help Us Stranger
6. Vampire Weekend – Father Of The Bride
7. Tyler, The Creator – IGOR
8. Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
9. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Infest The Rats’ Nest
10. Olympia – Flamingo

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Thom Yorke, Flea, Wynton Marsalis – ‘Daily Battles’ (Motherless Brooklyn Soundtrack)
2. Lana Del Rey – ‘Fuck It I Love You’
3. Billie Eilish – ‘everything i wanted’
4. Vampire Weekend – ‘Harmony Hall’
5. Thelma Plum – ‘Better In Blak’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Arctic Monkeys at Rod Laver Arena
2. John Mayer at Rod Laver Arena
3. Red Hot Chilli Peppers at Rod Laver Arena

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood/Mr Robot

Favourite album of the decade:

Car Seat Headrest – Teens Of Denial

Favourite song of the decade:

Violent Soho – ‘Covered In Chrome’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Leaving Neverland documentary.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Radiohead

Tobias Handke

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. Julia Jacklin – Crushing
2. Lewis Capaldi – Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent
3. Rapsody – Eve
4. CZARFACE – CZARFACE Meets Ghostface
5. mxmtoon – the masquerade
6. Sampa the Great – The Return
7. Nilufer Yanya – Miss Universe
8. Denzel Curry – ZUU
9. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
10. Little Simz – GREY Area

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. Lil Nas X – ‘Old Town Road (Remix)’ ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
2. Julia Jacklin – ‘Body’
3. Angel Olsen – ‘Lark’
4. The Highwomen – ‘Highwomen’
5. Summer Walker – ‘Come Thru’ (ft. Usher)

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Eagles at Rod Laver Arena
2. Arctic Monkeys at Rod Laver Arena
3. Little Simz at The Corner

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Midsommar/Barry

Favourite album of the decade:

Kanye West – My Dark Beautiful Twisted Fantasy

Favourite song of the decade:

Robyn – ‘Dancing On My Own’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

Kanye West.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020:

Bruce Springsteen

Will Brewster

Top Ten Albums of the Year:

1. James Blake – Assume Form
2. Young Thug – So Much Fun
3. FKA twigs – Magdalene
4. Jacques Greene – Dawn Chorus
5. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Bandana
6. Solange – When I Get Home
7. Floating Points – Crush
8. Holy Holy – My Own Pool Of Light
9. Faye Webster – Atlanta Millionaires Club
10. Thom Yorke – ANIMA

Top Five Songs of the Year:

1. James Blake – ‘Can’t Believe The Way
We Flow’
2. Bonobo – ‘Linked’
3. Holy Holy – ‘Teach Me About Dying’
4. Earthgang – ‘Proud Of U’ ft. Young Thug
5. Sampa the Great – ‘Freedom’

Top Three Gigs of the Year:

1. Sunday night at Splendour In The Grass with Matt Corby, James Blake and SZA
2. Peggy Gou at Let Them Eat Cake
3. Iggy Pop at Festival Hall

Top movie/TV show of 2019:

Super niche answer, but Jungle’s guest programmer episode on Rage in August was absolutely bonkers.

Favourite album of the decade:

Jamie xx – In Colour

Favourite song of the decade:

Frank Ocean – ‘Pyramids’

Biggest music controversy of the decade:

2018 Kanye was pretty dicey, although Kids See Ghosts is still a killer album.

One artist/band tour Australia needs in 2020: 

Far-fetched, but can you imagine if D’Angelo did a 20th anniversary tour for Voodoo? Sheesh!