Hard Expectations

Kate Ceberano revisited four decades of Australian music history in Melbourne, drawing on Divinyls, The Saints, INXS and her own catalogue, with special appearances by Fanny Lumsden and daughter Gypsy Lee adding personal connections to a show that closed with a tribute to lost Australian music greats.

The 20-year-old Gold Coast singer-songwriter draws on the life of Zelda Fitzgerald, his experiences busking and a spontaneous songwriting session as he launches his debut single.

Two decades on from its release, Sarah Blasko's second album remains a pivotal chapter in her catalogue: a darker, more searching record that delivered her first ARIA Award and platinum status in Australia.

After selling out capital city shows in 2026, Tania Doko and James Roche will take Bachelor Girl's reimagined debut album into regional Australia, with 30 dates across six states and territories planned for February to May 2027.

Released on 20 October 1986, John Farnham's Whispering Jack remains the highest-selling album by an Australian artist and the third biggest of all time in this country. Its story of near-collapse, a mortgaged house, a suburban garage and one unstoppable song still resonates four decades later.

Sydney band Youth Group have released Forever Young - Remixed and Reimagined, a five-track EP marking two decades since their cover of the Alphaville song topped the Australian charts. The release pairs new band versions with remixes from favoured artists and coincides with a short run of east coast shows.

Tame Impala brought a spectacular arena production to Melbourne, where the Australian live debut of Deadbeat material exposed the distance between Kevin Parker's electronic present and the psychedelic rock that first built his audience.