National Songbook names its first 10 Australian songs

APRA AMCOS and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) have named the first 10 works entering The National Songbook, launching an annual initiative to recognise and preserve Australian songwriting and composition.

‘Beds Are Burning’, ‘My Island Home’, ‘Treaty’ and ‘Waltzing Matilda’ are among the inaugural selections, alongside The Presets’ ‘My People’ and The Necks’ soundtrack to The Boys.

The initiative will create a permanent digital archive, giving audiences access to works selected for their lasting cultural significance and the stories behind them.

The inaugural inductees are being celebrated at an event at the NFSA in Canberra on 4 November.

From bush ballads to the dancefloor

The first selections span more than a century of songwriting, encompassing rock, electronic music, protest anthems, orchestral composition and film scoring.

They include Harry Vanda and George Young’s ‘Friday on My Mind’, recorded by the Easybeats, and Helen Reddy and Ray Burton’s ‘I Am Woman’.

Ruby Hunter’s ‘Down City Streets’, first recorded by Archie Roach for his 1990 album Charcoal Lane, is also recognised, alongside Peter Sculthorpe’s orchestral work ‘Earth Cry’.

APRA AMCOS chief executive Dean Ormston said the inaugural selections offered several perspectives on Australia’s cultural history.

“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.

“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 inaugural National Songbook selections

The first 10 works and their writers or composers are:

• ‘Beds Are Burning’ — Peter Garrett, Rob Hirst and Jim Moginie.
• ‘Down City Streets’ — Ruby Hunter.
• ‘Earth Cry’ — Peter Sculthorpe.
• ‘Friday on My Mind’ — Harry Vanda and George Young.
• ‘I Am Woman’ — Helen Reddy and Ray Burton.
• ‘My Island Home’ — Neil Murray.
• ‘My People’ — Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes.
• The Boys soundtrack — Chris Abrahams, Tony Buck and Lloyd Swanton.
• ‘Treaty’ — Dr M. Yunupingu, Stuart Kellaway, Witiyana Marika, M. Mununggurr, Cal Williams, G. Yunupingu, Peter Garrett and Paul Kelly.
• ‘Waltzing Matilda’ — Andrew ‘Banjo’ Paterson and Christina Macpherson.

The inaugural event features performances including Deline Briscoe’s interpretation of ‘I Am Woman’, Barney McCall performing music from The Boys, and Emma Donovan performing ‘Down City Streets’.

Preserving the songs and their stories

NFSA chief curator Meagan Loader said the initiative would connect audiences with both the compositions and the people who created them.

“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. 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.”

To qualify, works must have been written or co-written by an Australian APRA member, released at least 10 years before consideration and demonstrated significant cultural impact within Australia.

A panel of 10 industry experts spanning songwriting, composition, broadcasting, journalism and history chose the inaugural selections. APRA chair Jenny Morris and NFSA chair Annette Shun Wah chaired the panel.

The collection will be available through the NFSA website, with accompanying playlists on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube Music.