Protest, partying, and observations on the great southern land and its people are among the themes that shine through in Australia’s National Songbook, into which the first batch of songs were inducted on Wednesday (Nov. 4).
Announced at a special event at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia in the nation’s capital, Canberra, 10 songs were elevated into The National Songbook, a new, annual initiative that recognizes the songs, songwriters and composers “whose creative vision has given voice to Australian stories.”
Among the standouts, Midnight Oil’s “Beds Are Burning,” the Easybeats’ “Friday on My Mind,” Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman,” The Presets’ “My People,” Yothu Yindi’s “Treaty,” and Andrew “Banjo” Paterson’s “Waltzing Matilda.”
Reddy’s “I Am Woman,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1972, won a Grammy for best pop vocal performance, female, in 1973 and was voted into the U.S.’ National Recording Registry in 2025. The Easybeats’ “Friday on My Mind” and Midnight Oil’s “Beds Are Burning” both reached the top 20 on the Hot 100, in 1967 and 1988, respectively.
An initiative of APRA AMCOS and NFSA, the project preserves “the songs that have helped shape Australia’s cultural identity,” and launches to coincide with APRA’s 100th anniversary.
“No ten songs could ever tell the whole story of Australia, but together these inaugural inductees help us understand, as a nation, where we’ve come from, who we are and the values we’ve carried through generations,” comments Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS.
“As APRA celebrates 100 years of championing songwriters, composers and music publishers, we welcome these debut entries into The National Songbook as songs that have helped become part of our shared cultural story, reflecting the extraordinary breadth, diversity and richness of Australian songwriting and composing.”
As it grows, the songbook will serve as a permanent digital archive, a vault that safeguards music treasures for future generations.
“The National Songbook reflects the remarkable breadth of Australian songwriting and composition, from songs of protest, belonging and identity to works that have become woven into our national story and our DNA,” remarks Meagan Loader, chief curator of the NFSA.
“As Australia’s audiovisual archive, the NFSA will ensure these songs and stories are preserved in our national collection of works of significant cultural heritage, heft and heart, providing a new way for Australians now and into the future to engage with the songs and songwriters who have shaped us.”
The inaugural inductees are said to represent more than a century of Australian storytelling, creativity and cultural expression and are selected by an expert panel.
Stream the National Songbook playlists on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube Music and visit NFSA for more.
Check out the first 10 works entered into The National Songbook:
“Beds Are Burning”
Written by Peter Garrett / Rob Hirst / Jim Moginie
Released: 1987
“Down City Streets”
Written by Ruby Hunter
Released: 1990
“Earth Cry”
Composed by Peter Sculthorpe
Released: 1990
“Friday on My Mind”
Written by Harry Vanda and George Young
Released: 1966
“I Am Woman”
Written by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton
Released: 1971
“My Island Home”
Written by Neil Murray
Released: 1987 (Warumpi Band) 1995 (Christine Anu)
“My People”
Written by Julian Hamilton / Kim Moyes
Released: 2007
The Boys soundtrack by The Necks
Written by Chris Abrahams / Tony Buck / Lloyd Swanton
Released: 1998
“Treaty”
Written by Dr M. Yunupingu / Stuart Kellaway / Witiyana Marika / M. Mununggurr / Cal Williams / G. Yunupingu /
Peter Garrett / Paul Kelly
Released: 1991
“Waltzing Matilda”
Written by Andrew ‘Banjo’ Paterson – lyrics, Christina Macpherson – melody
Released: 1927
