As the year draws to a close, many notably industry and music media institutions have added to the pile of year-end lists. There was Spotify’s Top 20 most streamed artists and albums list, the Music Network’s Hot 100 list of the most heard songs on Australian commercial radio, and this morning’s list of the most streamed music videos in Australia.
The latest however comes from a far hipper source, blog aggregator The Hype Machine, who have compiled a list from their vast resources to put together their ‘Music Blog Zeitgeist 2012’ which ranks the most blogged about artists and tracks for the year to see which musicians, artists and bands are getting the most love from the influential blogosphere.
Ranked in the Top 50, which includes a number of wonderfully inspired original illustrations commissioned by The Hype Machine, are three Australian acts that will no doubt prove familiar to local audiences.
While the likes of neo-chanteuse Lana Del Rey, RnB storyteller Frank Ocean, and indie darlings Beach House, The xx, and Purity Ring occupy the higher echelons of the list, with Canada’s pop futurist Grimes sitting a #1 as the most blogged about artist of the year – sitting just outside the Top 10 is Kevin Parker and his Perth cosmonauts, Tame Impala.
Ranked at #12 in the Top 50, Tame Impala’s presence is the latest notch on their belt for what has been a mammoth year for the band. Their entry, featuring a cartoonish image of a dozing, lightning cowboy inked by Jase Haper, notes that their burly, psychelicious single ‘Elephant’ was mentioned on 56 separate blogs for the year.Tame Impala’s presence on the Top 50 is the latest notch on their belt for what has been a mammoth year for the band.
The single is just one of many highlights from the group’s sophomore sensation Lonerism which has received rave reviews from music media all year (including Tone Deaf’s), as well as experiencing enormous commercial sales to match in the UK and America.
Getting the blogger’s seal of approval on The Hype Machine list follows on from Lonerism being crowned by English tastemakers NME as the best record of the year in their recent list of the Top 50 Albums of the Year, the firs time an Australian act has managed to top the poll in its 38-year history.
It’s just one of many high achievements that Tame Impala have claimed this year, not least finishing a successful headline tour of Australia, including turning in winning performances at Meredith Music Festival, Sydney’s Homebake, and no doubt another stellar performance at New Year’s for Pyramid Rock.
Another artist who has also finished up a successful headline tour of Australia and is no stranger to record-breaking accolades himself is Gotye, who also makes the Top 50 most blogged list – joining Tame Impala as the poster boys for Australian music’s international success in 2012.
Ranking at #30 on the Hype Machine list Gotye’s ubiquitous break-up duet with NZ-via-Melbourne maverick Kimbra, ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ being written about on 75 different websites as an example of his success.
Mr. Wally De Backer’s ranking is no surprise given that 2012 has been a banner year for the multi-instrumentalist wizard, which includes dominating the ARIA awards at Australian music’s night of nights late last month, ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ officially named the highest selling single in America for 2012, as well as being one of the most watched YouTube videos of all time, and among three nominations Gotye is recognised for in the 55th Grammy Awards.“Another artist who is no stranger to record-breaking accolades himself is Gotye, who also makes the Top 50 most blogged list.”
All perhaps slightly ironic given that earlier this year he was named among the most pirated artists in America, with Making Mirrors falling within the Top 10 of the most illegally downloaded records,
Rounding out the trio of Aussie acts that are deemed the most blogged about for 2012 is a slightly more surprising entrant, Van She, who claim the 38th position on the Top 50 list.
Meaning bloggers dedicating more words and webspace to the Australian dance rock hybrid than the likes of Django Django (ranked at #41), Alabama Shakes (#45), Two Door Cinema Club (#46), and Father John Misty (#50). Most of the love generated by Van She’s long-awaited second studio album, The Idea Of Happiness, which our Tone Deaf reviewer called a “quirky, fun and wholeheartedly irresistible collection of electronic pop-rock anthems,” with the title track from that album acknowledged by 51 different bloggers according to the Hype Machine list.
Perhaps Van She, like Tame Impala, can use their appearance at Pyramid Rock to celebrate their online popularity as well as New Year’s, but if you’re a fan of the electropop act and have a ticket to the Philip Island event – just be careful not to outstay your welcome.
“We always have some funny fans that want an autograph and then stick around,” Matt Van Schie told Tone Deaf in a recent interview. “The time has passed when they should have left, and you’re trying to be friendly, and you’re like, ‘awkward pause, yeah, gotta pack up now…”
