For years now, one of the finest artists on Australia’s vibrant music scene is none other than Melbourne’s own Vance Joy.
Kicking off his music career early in 2013, Vance Joy soon took the world surprise, with his debut EP spawning the hit ‘Riptide’, instantly sending him to the forefront of every music-lover’s mind.
Since then, he’s released two chart-topping records, has toured the world, and has managed to make us all proud with the phenomenal career that he’s managed to curate.
To celebrate one of the most iconic Aussie music careers of the last decade, we’ve decided to take a look back at ten of Vance Joy’s most successful tracks. Using the band’s placings in triple j’s Hottest 100, we’ve compiled a list of the band’s biggest tracks, according to the music-loving public.
10. ‘I’m With You’
Hottest 100 Rank: 152
Release Date: February 23rd, 2018
ARIA Chart Peak: 97
Serving as the sixth and final single from Vance Joy’s second record, Nation Of Two, ‘I’m With You’ was released back in September as a re-recorded version, giving fans a bit of a fresh take on the new tune.
By the time that Hottest 100 voting came around, this tune just missed out, reaching #152, and becoming the only tune by Vance to be relegated to the second 100.
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9. ‘Play With Fire’
Hottest 100 Rank: 95
Release Date: March 22nd, 2013
ARIA Chart Peak: N/A
Sure, everyone absolutely adored Vance Joy’s ‘Riptide’ when it was released, but some fans looked to ‘Play With Fire’, the track that followed his iconic tune on the EP. A slow-burning number, ‘Play With Fire’ was never released as a single, but managed to give Vance his first-ever appearance in a Hottest 100 countdown.
8. ‘Georgia’
Hottest 100 Rank: 93
Release Date: September 5th, 2014
ARIA Chart Peak: 15
One of Vance Joy’s favourite tracks from his debut album, ‘Georgia’ is gorgeous track that mixes raw emotion, stunning musical composition, and powerful delivery to turn a story about loving a girl into a bonafide hit. Eight years in the making, you can’t deny the fact that this was one was well worth the wait.
7. ‘Saturday Sun’
Hottest 100 Rank: 54
Release Date: February 1st, 2018
ARIA Chart Peak: 47
Described as being about “meeting someone really great and not wanting to miss the chance of seeing them again,” ‘Saturday Sun’ is one of those songs that almost everyone can relate to, from the joyous delivery, to the specific meaning of the track. A simple listen shows you exactly why Vance Joy’s fans love this one so much.
6. ‘We’re Going Home’
Hottest 100 Rank: 53
Release Date: January 12th, 2018
ARIA Chart Peak: 16
Written while on tour with Taylor Swift, there’s very little in this humble song to suggest the extravagant surroundings in which it was written. Equal parts joyous and emotional, ‘We’re Going Home’ served as one of the main singles from Vance Joy’s second album, helping to let fans know that this new record would be one of his best yet.
5. ‘First Time’
Hottest 100 Rank: 50
Release Date: August 4th, 2014
ARIA Chart Peak: 95
Arguably the closest thing that Vance Joy has come to a pop song, ‘First Time’ is one of those exceptional songs that delivers a stirring message laced with catchy sensibilities, allowing you to learn more about it with every subsequent listen.
4. ‘Fire And The Flood’
Hottest 100 Rank: 16
Release Date: July 24th, 2015
ARIA Chart Peak: 6
Released on the deluxe edition of Dream Your Life Away, ‘Fire In The Flood’ continues Vance Joy’s ability to deliver powerful chorus with lyrics that just dripping with emotional language, all wrapped up in a neat little package that never fails to deliver.
3. ‘Mess Is Mine’
Hottest 100 Rank: 13
Release Date: July 9th, 2014
ARIA Chart Peak: 33
From the opening note, anyone can tell that ‘Mess Is Mine’ was always destined to be a bit hit. A bit of a slow-burner, it soon gathers steam, powering through to that epic chorus, before every listener in the world begins to realise that Vance Joy might just be one of the finest songwriters in Australia today.
2. ‘Lay It On Me’
Hottest 100 Rank: 9
Release Date: July 12th, 2017
ARIA Chart Peak: 18
After a few years in the works, Vance Joy delivered ‘Lay It On Me’ as the lead single from Nation Of Two. Describing the ability to let your defences down in a new relationship, it’s a testament to his ability to create stunning, relatable songs.
Just give it a casual listen, and you’ll easily see why this one was nominated for Song Of The Year at the ARIA Awards.
1. ‘Riptide’
Hottest 100 Rank: 1
Release Date: March 22nd, 2013
ARIA Chart Peak: 6
The second single from the God Loves You When You’re Dancing EP, ‘Riptide’ broke new ground for Aussie musicians. Becoming the first song from triple j Unearthed to top the Hottest 100, and the first artist to have done so without releasing an album, Vance Joy kicked off his career in the way everyone wants to.
With global success from the very start, and with legions of followers just adoring his catchy, affable personality, there was never any doubt that Vance was always set to be one of Australia’s biggest musicians in no time.
