The standout Australian albums of the decade (so far) have been named in a new Rolling Stone AU/NZ feature.
Titled the 100 Best Australian Albums of the 2020s So Far, the list reflects the vastness of modern Aussie music, from major pop stars to indie rockers.
Topping the list is Genesis Owusu with Smiling with No Teeth (2021).
“Purportedly a hip-hop album, Smiling with No Teeth found Owusu journeying dizzyingly through jazz, rap, and soul, whatever genre he fancied exploring,” the list praised.
“It’s a rare feat to achieve cultural and cool capital alongside commercial success, but, from the very opening moments of Smiling with No Teeth, Owusu never sounded like any ordinary artist.”
Electronic group RÜFÜS DU SOL earned recognition for their 2024 release, Inhale / Exhale, coming in at No. 2.
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“Released in October last year, the album stormed to the top of the charts in Australia, debuting at No. 3, and the top five of both the US and UK dance charts. It also scored nominations for Best LP/EP at this year’s Rolling Stone Australia Awards and Australian Album of the Year at the 2024 J Awards,” the publication wrote.
“With Inhale / Exhale, RÜFÜS DU SOL also made their very first concept album. ‘That was fresh for us,’ James Hunt told us prior to the album’s release. ‘It feels like there’s two arcs musically with this album, as opposed to one big journey which we’ve done on the previous records.'”
Julia Jacklin’s Pre Pleasure (2022) also made the list at No. 3:
“Julia Jacklin’s third album, Pre Pleasure, wasn’t just one of the best Australian releases of 2022; it was one of the finest songwriting collections to come out of Australian music in many years.
“A confessional lyricist with few equals, Pre Pleasure found Jacklin vulnerably wrestling with her religious upbringing, her relationship with her body, and her battles with anxiety. Both empathetic and wry, the tracks felt like short stories in the making, the words of an artist really developing her command of storytelling.
“Pre Pleasure became Jacklin’s highest-charting album to date, making it to No. 2 in Australia and No. 4 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.”
Read the full album list here.
