It’s hard to look back on the past 12 months and not immediately gravitate towards the number of music icons who left us.
While celebrity deaths dominated the headlines, there have been a lot of other noteworthy developments elsewhere, and looking at our most-read stories of the year, it’s clear 2016 has been an emotional rollercoaster.
We've trawled through our stats to dig out the stories that our readers clicked on the most. By far our most read piece was Clairy Browne's response to the misogynistic comments made by Periscope users during an interview conducted for us (it also led us to stop using Periscope). But we also reveal our most watched video premieres, our most listened to streams and our most read reviews of gigs and releases.
Here’s our most popular posts of the past 12 months:
Clairy Browne: This Fucked Up Culture Of Misogyny Is Alive And Well In 2016
Soul pop queen Clairy Browne penned one of the most engaging and important pieces of the year for us, which stirred up a lot of dialogue. While doing a live Periscope interview to promote her new record, a wealth of disgusting comments flooded in – instead of backing away from the issue, she wrote a compelling opinion piece.
“It's really sad that a woman can be talking about her art and life's work and men diminish her value to her tits and ass.”
Read more
Aussie Dance Legend Arrested At Airport; Accused Of Smuggling Ketamine Into Country
Police accused Aussie dance legend Kasey Taylor and nightclub figure Robert Oung of swallowing a kilogram of ketamine and smuggling the drug into Australia after being arrested at Melbourne Airport in April.
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'Arrogant & Disgraceful': Police, Officials & Fellow Promoters Blast Maitreya Festival
A festival that spent quite a lot of time in the headlines this year, Victoria’s Maitreya Festival copped a lot of flack from officials before being cancelled.
"We have major concerns for the health, safety and welfare of patrons, and urge anyone planning to attend the event to seriously consider the risks and not to do so."
Read more
Stereosonic Is Definitely Cancelled, But Not Really Because Of Drug Deaths
A number of outlets ran stories claiming dance festival giant Stereosonic being called off was due to the deaths of two festival punters, and after being widely circulated without any verification, The Music got to the bottom of what really happened.
“Sources close to the company have revealed that the primary reasons for Stereosonic's cessation are financial.”
Read more
Aussie Man Offers HBO $10 Per 'Game Of Thrones' Episode He Pirates
Our fifth biggest story this year might be from May, but it’s more relevant now than ever, with Australian ISPs forced to block a number of torrent sites earlier this month.
“Alternatively offer HBO go in Australia, or literally mail me out a memory stick with each weeks episode saved on it because even waiting for a memory stick to come by mail would be a better option than paying $30 a month for what is quite possibly the worst streaming service this side of West Africa.”
Read more
The quantity and quality of emerging Aussie acts this year has been mind-blowing, and we’ve had the pleasure of discovering and promoting a number of buzzing newcomers through stream and video premieres. Local favourites Camp Cope and The Hard Aches made the cut along with a string of bands you’d best bookmark for 2017
Videos
Camp Cope – Done
"The 1:33 mark in the video captures me calling out the aggressive men who were 'just trying to enjoy' themselves, while compromising the safety, well-being and enjoyment of those around them.”
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Dustin Tebbutt – Wooden Heart
The video is largely set in an expansive wooded area, following a woman on a mission as she runs towards her end goal, passing several hapless joggers along the way.
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Behind The Scenes With Kane Hibberd, aka Kanye Lens
A behind-the-scenes look at the work of one of the country's best-known, most widely respected music photographers. Kane Hibberd has captured an absolutely mind-blowing number of acts through his well-travelled lenses over the years.
"I never really set out to be a live music photographer.”
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Pridelands - Coalesce
The track unquestionably marks a point of maturation for the heavy-hitting quartet, the clip fusing slick visuals with a more refined degree of audio production than fans of the band's rough-hewn oeuvre are probably used to, but without losing the sense of authenticity and humanity that served Pridelands so well on their debut.
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Superheist - Fearing Nothing
Recorded with legendary producer Jay Baumgardner (Bush, Papa Roach, Coal Chamber) at NRG studios in North Hollywood (Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit), Fearing Nothing gives fans the perfect taste of what to expect from Ghosts Of The Social Dead; the group's first LP since 2004's New, Rare, Live. The video, also starring rock singer Dani Raushi, was filmed on location in the Hollywood Hills.
Read more
Streams
The Hard Aches – I Freak Out
The Adelaide DIY duo know their way around a hook, and their latest offering plays with dynamics well to deliver a refreshing new take on the genre.
The Bennies - Legalise (But Don't Tax)
The instant hit conveyed an important message while promising big things from their third record. The Melbourne partystarters delivered on that promise and then some.
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - High Visceral (Part 1)
The album boasts twangy, oscillating beach rock melodies and a percussion backbone combining to create a journey in between dimensions.
Moses Gunn Collective - Dream Girls
After producing “beautiful and epic” tunes with their first record, Mercy Mountain, Brisbane soul pop masters Moses Gunn Collective return with Dream Girls, a taste of a follow-up that sees them paint in dark and brooding strokes.
The Skategoats - Wishing Well (Sad Song)
The Skategoats' new track is about toxic relationships and is a perfect example of their self-proclaimed "thought provoking lyrics and crotch provoking music.
Most Read Album Reviews
Deftones - Gore
“Instrumentally, lyrically, sonically, visually, it's always been about pushing contrasts for Deftones.”
Drowning Pool - Hellelujah
"Let's be real: the brand of rock that Drowning Pool became famous for isn't 'cool' anymore."
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Nonagon Infinity
“Nonagon Infinity ought to have a health warning that side effects may include physical and mental disintegration.”
Paul Dempsey – Strange Loops
Single Morningless, with its brutal baritone saxophone, is an exception, but — in true Dempsey fashion — it's delivered with heat and precision too.”
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - Infinity Drips
“Infinity Drips shows that each of this year's solo records is really just one song in a monumental 12-hour long album, with the eighth serving as a mirage-induced interlude.”
Most Read Live Reviews
Kendrick Lamar @ Rod Laver Arena
“Every great performer makes the crowd on that particular night feel as though they're the best they've ever played for, but there's something about Lamar's performance to this packed arena crowd that feels so raw and intimate.”
Dope Lemon @ Metro Theatre
“Stone got thrown a pair of men’s underwear, which he spun around in his hands before cheekily putting them in his mouth."
Unify 2016
“Parkway Drive crush it on stage, the lighting and smoke mesmerises, the pit runs wild, glow sticks and tinnies fly left, right and centre."
Crowded House @ Sydney Opera House
“With encouragement, we sang with all our might wishing that the night would never end. Why can’t we do this every week?”
The Cure @ Perth Arena
“An unmistakable voice that evoked a spread of emotions after guiding many in the room through highs and lows over the past 40 years.”
Tomorrow we’ll release our most-read interviews of the year.
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