8 ’80s Songs From Down Under That Could Have Been Popular Here Had We Heard More of Them

During the 1980s, a plethora of British and European artists were exposed on MTV and radio in America. It was a little trickier for artists from Down Under. While certain artists like AC/DC, INXS, Midnight Oil, Crowded House, Men at Work, Little River Band, the Bee Gees, and Olivia Newton-John made waves in America in the ‘70s and ‘80s, it seemed harder for many others in that hemisphere to become successful here. There were many factors, including the price of travel back then, the cost to promote a band in America, and the lack of public Internet to expose musicians to an international following. The music industry infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand was reportedly not quite as monied and structured as here, even with major labels having offices there.

There was a lot of wonderful music released Down Under in the ‘80s, and it’s hard to say why some of it didn’t break through. Many of the songs that were hits, both major and minor, could have actually done well over here. There was a wealth of talent that has become increasingly more exposed in recent years, thanks particularly to YouTube.

Here are eight songs from Down Under in the 1980s that could have had a shot at glory under the right circumstances. Many of these classic acts are still active today.

“Strangers on a Train” by The Sports from Suddenly (1980)

This jangly power pop anthem with its infectious hooks and cheeky low-budget video would have been perfect for the beginning of MTV. It was the group’s second biggest hit, reaching No. 22 in Australia. What’s most impressive is that in a little over 2 ½ minutes the song cycles through half a dozen distinct sections. Many bands would’ve been content to keep it simpler, but props to The Sports for cramming in as much as they could and crafting a classic.

“No Time” by Mondo Rock from Nuovo Mondo (1982)

In their homeland, this Australian band scored four Top-10 albums, three Top-10 hits, and three more Top-20 hits. Their music spanned everything from R&B-inflected pop-rock to new wave to this chunky ‘80s anthem that would’ve fit the American zeitgeist then. (Big Foreigner vibes here.) “No Time” is a very upbeat song about performance anxiety—they’re not talking about stage fright here. They cheekily subvert genre expectations, especially with the catchy chant of Hey-Oh Oh-Way-Oh. The sassy, brassy “Primitive Love Rites” did hit No. 71 in the U.S. in 1986, and Rick Springfield scored a hit covering “State of the Heart,” but they deserved a wider audience.

“Maxine” by Sharon O’Neill from Foreign Affairs (1983)

New Zealand singer/songwriter Sharon O’Neill walked the line between rock and pop on her many solo albums. This melancholy ballad—with its forlorn vocals, silky harmonies, and soulful sax from Tom Scott—was a Top-20 single in Australia and New Zealand. It was O’Neill’s most successful song in a career with many charting singles, and it was inspired by her observing a prostitute she would see while coming back from late-night recording sessions. O’Neill imagined what her life must’ve been like and then created a heartfelt song and tragic video.

“No Lies” by Noiseworks from Noiseworks (1987)

Noiseworks crafted a hard rock sound with lots of keyboards. Their debut was chock-full of great commercial tracks. While the nostalgic “Take Me Back” became the band’s signature track (35 million Spotify plays and rising), “No Lies” is a harder rocking anthem that would’ve appealed to American sensibilities of the time. Frontman Jon Stevens was the first singer to replace Michael Hutchence in INXS after he passed away. Noiseworks released a new album two years ago with the instant classic “Heart and Soul,” and they still play live.

“Hammerhead” by James Reyne from James Reyne (1987)

Reyne was the singer for the band Australian Crawl. His first solo album went Double Platinum in Australia and produced two Top-10 hits. “Hammerhead” is a moody ballad with sharp guitar chords that when paired with the video, makes it seem like it’s about a romantic obsession with a younger woman. But pay closer attention—it seems to be more about drug addiction. The last chorus of this mood piece features the heavenly backing vocals of Olivia Newton-John.

“That’s When I Think of You” by 1927 from …ish (1988)

1927’s debut album hit No. 1 in Australia and went five times Platinum there. This is a straightforward, romantic song with an ‘80s guitar chug that should’ve clicked in the States. It was released here and charted at No. 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart—but how much was it promoted? Not enough evidently. This album has a lot of cool singles on it, including “To Love Me” and “That’s When I Think of You,” which was the most successful internationally. It broke the Top-50 singles chart in the UK.

“The Best Thing” by Boom Crash Opera from These Here Are Crazy Times (1989)

One can really hear the influence of aboriginal guitar playing in this stirring song about being in love. The poetic lyrics are intriguing and sung with great passion, and the way the band explodes from the mellow to bombastic sections is invigorating. The guitar break in the middle veers into hard rock territory. While Boom Crash Opera had many hits at home, this didn’t chart that high, although it made it onto the Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead movie soundtrack. It should have been really big.

“Young Years” by Dragon from Bondi Road (1989)

Originally from New Zealand, Dragon relocated to Australia and found a lot of success in the 1970s. Brothers Mark and Todd Hunter (vocals and bass, respectively) recalibrated a new lineup for the 1980s and reinvented themselves. Their two previous albums were released here but didn’t hit, although they opened European stadium shows for Tina Turner in ‘86 and ‘87. Co-written with Sharon O’Neill, this anthem, performed by musicians approaching middle age, could’ve clicked with a younger audience here because of a sense of nostalgia and its celebrating the joys of youth, a big American theme in the ‘80s.

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Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage