Charlotte Foster
Music

Rolling Stone ranks Australia’s 200 Best Albums of All Time

If there's one thing music fans love to debate over, it's a "Greatest of All Time" list.

The list causing the most recent debate comes from Rolling Stone, who have ranked the top 200 best albums to come from the Australian music scene.

It came as no great shock that the list was conquered by Australian music greats AC/DC and their rock classic album Back in Black.

First released in 1980, the record remains the second highest selling album in the world, with more than 50 million copies sold worldwide.

Despite AC/DC taking out the top spot, the most impressive feat in the list comes from the two bands that managed to secure two spots each in the top 20 list.

The first was Midnight Oil, for their 1982 album titled 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – which came in at number 19 on the list – and their 1987 classic Diesel and Dust, which took out the number five spot.

Then, equally as impressive, were Powderfinger, who secured the 18th spot with their 1998 album Internationalist, as well as the 16th spot with Odyssey Number Five (2000).

Despite the list featuring a host of up-and-coming Aussie artists and their latest releases, the majority of the top 20 was reserved for the classics.

Coming in second to AC/DC on the list was the massive INXS record Kick, which was first released in 1987.

Also featured in the top 20 were John Farnham's Whispering Jack (1986), Cold Chisel's East (1980) and Crowded House's self-titled album from 1986.

Kylie Minogue's 2001 album Fever was the highest ranking for a female artist, and was joined in the list by fellow female hitmakers such as Sia, Kasey Chambers and Sarah Blasko.

Despite the top 20 being largely dominated by 20th century records, some relative newcomers pushed their way to the top.

5 Seconds of Summer's 2014 self-titled album landing the number 17 spot, and Tame Impala's 2015 experimental record Currents came in at number 12.

Although some newer artists were featured in the top spots on the list, the winners really go to show that there's nothing quite like some classic Aussie rock.

Check out the TOP 20:

20. Dr. G Yunupingu - Gurrumul (2008)

19. Midnight Oil - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (1982)

18. Powderfinger - Internationalist (1998)

17. 5 Seconds of Summer - 5 Seconds of Summer (2014)

16. Powderfinger - Odyssey Number Five (2000)

15. The Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane (1988)

14. Regurgitator - Unit (1997)

13. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads (1996)

12. Tame Impala - Currents (2015)

11. You Am I - Hourly, Daily (1996)

10. Kylie Minogue - Fever (2001)

9. Savage Garden - Savage Garden (1997)

8. The Avalanches - Since I Left You (2000)

7. Crowded House - Crowded House (1987)

6. Silverchair - Frogstomp (1995)

5. Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust (1987)

4. Cold Chisel - East (1980)

3. John Farnham - Whispering Jack (1986)

2. INXS - Kick (1987)

1. AC/DC - Back In Black (1980)

And you can peruse the full 200-strong list here.

Image credits: Getty Images

 

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music, australian music, AC/DC, Rolling Stone, best albums