Some of Australia’s most iconic songs, including The Presets’ “My People”, have been recognised as part of a new initiative celebrating the country’s musical heritage.
APRA AMCOS and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) have unveiled the first 10 inductees into the National Songbook, an annual initiative dedicated to recognising and preserving songs that have helped shape Australia’s cultural identity.
Announced at a special event in Canberra on Wednesday, the inaugural selection spans more than a century of Australian music, bringing together rock anthems, protest songs, dance hits and classical compositions. Also among the inductees are the Easybeats’ “Friday on My Mind”, Helen Reddy’s feminist anthem “I Am Woman”, Ruby Hunter’s “Down City Streets”, Midnight Oil’s “Beds Are Burning”, and Yothu Yindi’s “Treaty”.
The collection also includes “My Island Home”, originally recorded by Warumpi Band and later popularised by Christine Anu, alongside the enduring bush ballad “Waltzing Matilda”.
Several of the selected works have played significant roles in Australia’s social and political history. Midnight Oil’s “Beds Are Burning”, released in 1987, became an international hit while drawing attention to Aboriginal land rights, while Yothu Yindi’s 1991 anthem “Treaty” called for action on the government’s unfulfilled promise of a treaty with First Nations Australians.
Elsewhere, Hunter’s “Down City Streets” draws on her experiences as a member of the Stolen Generations, while the Presets’ “My People” addresses Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers.
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The final two selections recognise Australia’s contributions to classical and screen music, with Peter Sculthorpe’s orchestral composition “Earth Cry” and the Necks’ soundtrack to the 1998 Australian film The Boys completing the inaugural list.
“No 10 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,” APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston said.
“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.”
The National Songbook will serve as a permanent digital archive, with new songs added annually to recognise works that have made a lasting contribution to Australian culture. To qualify, songs must have been written or co-written by an Australian APRA member, released at least 10 years before consideration, and demonstrated significant cultural impact.
This year’s selections were determined by a panel of 10 industry experts, including songwriters, composers, broadcasters, journalists and historians, chaired by APRA Chair Jenny Morris and NFSA Chair Annette Shun Wah.
The launch event also features live interpretations of several inducted works, including Emma Donovan performing “Down City Streets” and Deline Briscoe taking on “I Am Woman”.
The full collection is available through the NFSA website, with accompanying playlists on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music.
The National Songbook: 2026 Inaugural Inductees:
“Beds Are Burning” – Midnight Oil (1987)
“Down City Streets” – Ruby Hunter (1990)
“Earth Cry” – Peter Sculthorpe (1990)
“Friday on My Mind” – The Easybeats (1966)
“I Am Woman” – Helen Reddy (1971)
“My Island Home” – Warumpi Band (1987)
“My People” – The Presets (2007)
The Boys (Soundtrack) – The Necks (1998)
“Treaty” – Yothu Yindi (1991)
“Waltzing Matilda” – Banjo Paterson and Christina Macpherson (first recorded 1927)
From Rolling Stone AU/NZ
