{"id":1826339,"date":"2026-07-14T20:10:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/?p=1826339"},"modified":"2026-07-14T20:10:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T20:10:12","slug":"100-more-outstanding-new-zealand-songs-that-didnt-make-rnzs-waiata-100-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/100-more-outstanding-new-zealand-songs-that-didnt-make-rnzs-waiata-100-list\/","title":{"rendered":"100 more outstanding New Zealand songs that didn\u2019t make RNZ\u2019s Waiata 100\u00a0list"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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There is simply too much good New Zealand music out there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier this month, RNZ revealed its impressive <\/span>Waiata 100 list<\/span><\/a> of the most beloved homegrown songs from the last century. Nearly 10,000 New Zealanders cast their votes towards a varied list that featured everyone from Darcy Clay to Dragon, Che Fu to Shihad. The coveted number one spot was awarded to \u2018Poi E\u2019 by the P\u0101tea M\u0101ori Club, with every region in agreement apart from <\/span>one Herbs-loving outlier<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the problem with 100 slots is that there are so many great New Zealand tunes that didn\u2019t even get a look in. Where our state broadcaster spent weeks, perhaps months, conducting a sophisticated nationwide survey consulting with civilians and experts alike, The Spinoff simply opened a Google Doc on Monday morning and went hell-for-leather dumping in every huge local tune that we were shocked hadn\u2019t made the cut.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here lies, in deeply democratic alphabetic order, 100 MORE great New Zealand songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u20181+1+1 (It Ain\u2019t Two)\u2019 by K\u2019Lee<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Parts of this song have not aged well (eg: \u201cthat ain\u2019t my skanky bra\u201d and rakish fedora) but the chorus is still as hooky as ever. The fact also remains that 2000s pop princess K\u2019Lee taught a whole generation to be acutely aware of both basic arithmetic and infidelity, and I think that\u2019s really beautiful. \/ Alex Casey<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201880 Down Scenic\u2019 by Home Brew\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Tom Scott\u2019s sonic journey through the Wait\u0101kere Ranges in his Holden Kingswood is the ultimate sound of West Auckland<\/a>. The storytelling in this waiata is second to none; squint and you can see the native bush fly pass the car windows and feel the rollie burn your throat as Scott reminisces on friends since passed. A truly beautiful piece of music which perfectly captures a certain generation of emotionally stunted Aucklanders (\u201cI don\u2019t need someone to talk to, just somewhere to drive\u201d). \/ Lyric Waiwiri-Smith<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Aku Raukura\u2019 by Patea M\u0101ori Club<\/b><\/h2>\n

All love to \u2018Poi E\u2019, but this is the best waiata<\/a> off Patea M\u0101ori Club\u2019s seminal 1987 album. \/ LWS<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Alcoholic\u2019 by Home Brew<\/b><\/h2>\n

When speaking about his inspiration for the song, Tom Scott said he wanted to \u201ccreate a national anthem\u201d for New Zealand. Now everyone knows there\u2019s a bottle in the fridge<\/a> with their name on it. \/ Liam R\u0101tana<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Apple Pie Bed\u2019 by Lawrence Arabia<\/b><\/h2>\n
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What a chorus, and what a relatable metaphor. Who among us hasn\u2019t decided to lie in an apple pie bed when their body is made of lead? Listening to this dreamy pop song feels like being enveloped in that fruity citrus-infused goop and finally finding rest. \/ Hayden Donnell<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018A Thing Well Made\u2019 by The Mutton Birds<\/b><\/h2>\n

A sadly slept-on Mutton Birds classic<\/a>, so hauntingly beautiful in its reflection of a real NZ tragedy. All I can say is to make a thing like that, you\u2019d need to know what you were about. \/ LWS<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Bad Politics\u2019 by The Dead C<\/b><\/h2>\n

I\u2019d argue that, in the global scheme of things, New Zealand has been at least as influential in noise music as it has been in jangly indie music, and while it\u2019s one of their poppiest and most accessible songs, The Dead C\u2019s \u2018Bad Politics<\/a>\u2019 is as good a representation of this wondrous export as anything else. \/ Henry Oliver<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Beelines to Heaven\u2019 by Garageland<\/b><\/h2>\n

The title of the song alone is such a startle: beelines to heaven! Soaring! Busy! This is a fun, moody ditty<\/a> that oozes somewhere between angst and nonchalance. \/ Claire Mabey<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Blue Monkey\u2019 by Suzanne Paul<\/b><\/h2>\n

Look, some things from the 90s just can\u2019t be explained, and infomercial queen Suzanne Paul\u2019s dance single <\/span>Blue Monkey<\/span><\/a> is one of them. Loads of fun, very smart, have a word with yourself. \/ Tara Ward<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Bring Change\u2019 by Shapeshifter<\/b><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s hard to pick just one track from Shapeshifter\u2019s iconic and extensive soulful electronic discography, but this track inspired the legendary Six60<\/a>, which says a lot. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Broadway Junction\u2019 by Vera Ellen\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

I will never forget hearing Vera Ellen sing this achingly painful song<\/a> a cappella to a small crowd at the Lyttelton Coffee Co-op, and feeling like my knees were going to give out. It\u2019s not an easy listen, but songwriting doesn\u2019t get much more honest than this staggering exploration of one\u2019s darkest impulses. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Brother\u2019 by Smashproof ft. Gin Wigmore<\/b><\/h2>\n
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This undeniable tune spent 11 weeks at number one in 2009, and carried a crucial message in its<\/a>\u00a0ripped-from-the-headlines origins. \u201cFor me, I\u2019ve got my elbow on the window. I\u2019m just out there,\u201d Young Sid told The Spinoff on the song\u2019s 10th anniversary. \u201cWe\u2019re all from South Auckland so I\u2019m wondering why all this shit\u2019s happened.\u201d \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Buddy\u2019 by Snapper<\/b><\/h2>\n

Plenty of the usual big Flying Nun names made the top 100, and of course I love \u2019em all, but none make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up the way the opening moments of \u2018Buddy\u2019 do<\/a>. \/ Calum Henderson<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Cactus Cat\u2019 by Look Blue Go Purple<\/b><\/h2>\n

LBGP another egregious FN omission<\/a>! \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Cheryl Moana Marie\u2019 by John Rowles\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

I don\u2019t know how this song<\/a> didn\u2019t make the other top 100 list. It\u2019s an absolute classic by one of the greatest musical performers of his time. There wouldn\u2019t have been many New Zealand artists selling as many records as John Rowles through the 1970s. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018The Cigarette Duet\u2019 by Princess Chelsea<\/b><\/h2>\n
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This charming, back-and-forth sing-song argument<\/a> between Princess Chelsea and Jonathan Bree has now amassed over 123 million views on YouTube, making it possibly the most viral New Zealand video ever made? It\u2019s just a cigarette! \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Cold Feet\u2019 by Liam Finn<\/b><\/h2>\n

This song always gets me<\/a> in my feelings. It feels like it should be sad but actually gets me bopping and feeling hopeful. A perfect singalong. The harmonies are gorgeous! It\u2019s just a good time. The video could also be one of the cutest things. \/ Eli Rivera<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Computer Games\u2019 by Mi-Sex\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Com-pu-pu-pu-pu-pu-pu<\/span><\/i>
Pu-pu-pu-pu-puter-puter, computer games<\/span><\/i>
Com-pu-pu-pu-pu-puter<\/span><\/i>
Puter-puter-puter, computer games!<\/span><\/i>
<\/span>
<\/span>Perfection<\/a>. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Crawl\u2019 by Atlas<\/b><\/h2>\n

The lost emo anthem that remains \u201c<\/span>fallen between the cracks<\/span><\/a>\u201d of all music streaming services, \u2018Crawl\u2019 is less about the quality of the song, or the thickness of black eyeliner, and more about what it represented to a generation of sullen, Britomart-lurking teens. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Cruel\u2019 by Dane Rumble<\/b><\/h2>\n
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There\u2019s so much to be said about Dane Rumble from his Fast Crew era to his 3D-printing celebrity wedding rings era<\/span><\/a>, but instead I will just say this: \u2018Cruel\u2019 is one of the catchiest New Zealand pop songs ever made and I will not be COOL ABOUT IT. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Culture\u2019 by The Knobz<\/b><\/h2>\n

A shimmering blast of power pop from 1980, <\/span>\u2018Culture\u2019<\/span><\/a> challenges Rob Muldoon to drop the sales tax on recorded music. \u201cDon\u2019t give me culture, I\u2019m not hearing you Rob,\u201d imploreth the Knobz. \u201cI can buzz around like a Beehive boy, but I\u2019d like to see you do my job.\u201d (The Beehive had only opened the year before.) Comes with monster hook, clarion synth and righteous guitar solo. \/ Toby Manhire<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Do I Make You Feel Shy?\u2019 by Connan Mockasin<\/b><\/h2>\n

Tell me that you\u2019ll never leave me<\/span><\/i>
Whip me in style and you squeeze me<\/span><\/i>
With a truth in your heart, we\u2019ll make a fresh start<\/span><\/i>
I\u2019ll be the boy of your dreams<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Just a really great, really weird song from a really great, really weird guy. \/ Alice Neville<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Dogs Dreaming\u2019 by Tiny Ruins<\/b><\/h2>\n

This is one of my personal favourite Tiny Ruins songs from the album Ceremony. It\u2019s a beautiful, buoyant song<\/a> about following your instincts and it reminds me of running through long grass. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Don\u2019t Stop the Revolution\u2019 by Breathe<\/b><\/h2>\n

I had a CD called Live at Helen\u2019s when I was a teenager (I\u2019m devastated to report that I have no idea where it is now) and this was one of the songs on it<\/a>. It\u2019s breathless and carries the energy of youthful optimism. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Don\u2019t Worry Bout\u2019 It\u2019 by Kings\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Absolutely perfect that this utterly carefree anthem from 2016 still remains the longest-standing local number one single in New Zealand history. Run free Kings, run free. \/ AC<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Don\u2019t You Know Who I Am\u2019 by Reb Fountain<\/b><\/h2>\n

One of those songs that feels like it was unearthed rather than made. \u2018Don\u2019t You Know Who I Am\u2019 is hypnotic, its tinny electric guitar riff, plodding piano and acoustic bass lines providing the canvas for one of Fountain\u2019s most striking vocal tracks. Even though musically, very little happens, it somehow doesn\u2019t feel like it overstays its welcome at nearly six minutes long. \/ HD<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Dreams in My Head\u2019 by Anika Moa\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Simply gotta have some summery mid-2000s Anika Moa<\/a> in there. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Easy Come Easy Go (Cruisin\u2019 on the Interislander)\u2019 by The Warratahs<\/b><\/h2>\n
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TV ads were creative masterpieces in the 1990s, which is how we ended up with The Warratahs smashing out this absolute tune<\/span><\/a> about taking a fun ferry trip. So good, it even featured on their greatest hits album. \/ TW<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Emotional Junior Staffer\u2019 by Hayden Donnell<\/b><\/h2>\n

An in-house banger for the ages.<\/span><\/a> \/ AN<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Eurovision (Open Up)\u2019 by Two Hearts<\/b><\/h2>\n

No comedy song has any right <\/span>to be this good<\/span><\/a>, especially not one making an impassioned plea for New Zealand to be included in Eurovision. And yet, here I still am in 2026, singing \u201cwe\u2019re ready for an OOooEEEoooEEEEoooEEEE\u201d. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Fever\u2019 by Aldous Harding<\/b><\/h2>\n

Aldous Harding is a shapeshifting magician. This song is so catchy and tricky<\/a>. I love the video, too: it\u2019s ART. She\u2019s the most real artist out. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Fish and Chips\u2019 by Claudia Mushin<\/b><\/h2>\n

The preeminent New Zealand children\u2019s song of the last 30 or so years, <\/span>belted out in classrooms across the motu<\/span><\/a>. The lyrics hit on something real and true about being a New Zealander: fish and chips ARE for me. \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Fuck My Life\u2019 by Hans Pucket<\/b><\/h2>\n

Opening with the immortal words<\/a> \u201cWho knocked me out of my comfort? \/ I\u2019ll shit on your head\u201d, \u2018Fuck My Life\u2019 captures a haggard, hungover-on-a-chilly-Wellington-morning pessimism that is all too relatable, despite featuring a toe-tapping indie rock groove (and a baritone sax breakdown at the end that <\/span>absolutely rips)<\/span><\/i>. \/ Te Aihe Butler<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Glorafilia\u2019 by Zed\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
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The mythical Glorafilia, with her white dreadlocks and those ribbons in her hair, was the OG manic pixie dream girl years before Zooey Deschanel had even had her first beer. This 1999 Zed classic also contains my single favourite piece of NZ music trivia: Glorafilia was the title of a needlepoint craft book lying around songwriter Ben Campbell\u2019s mum\u2019s place. \/ AC<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Gimme Time\u2019 by Ardijah<\/b><\/h2>\n

Beyond featuring on Once Were Warriors, the vocals by the iconic Betty-Anne Morunga on \u2018Gimme Time<\/a>\u2018 is one of her all-time best performances. Her vocal range and talent is on full display, pulling on the heartstrings and leaving you in awe. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Grandma\u2019s Rocket Poem\u2019 by Troy Kingi<\/b><\/h2>\n

Inspired by Bill Withers\u2019 \u2018Grandma\u2019s Hands\u2019, Kingi serves regal intergalactic melodic space vibes in this track, transporting listeners to the fifth dimension<\/a>. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018H\u0101ngi Tonight\u2019 by Dennis Marsh<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Look, I don\u2019t want to make assumptions about demographics at RNZ but there was a suspicious lack of M\u0101ori shed music on that long list. Which makes no sense, because is there anything more NZ-coded<\/a> than a bit of puha with your pork, waipiro while we talk, and having a M\u0101ori h\u0101ngi tonight? \/ LWS<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Harmonic Generator\u2019 by The Datsuns<\/b><\/h2>\n

I have very specific memories of this song blowing up and blowing minds way back in 2002 when I was near the end of high school and ready to rock. The teens from Cambridge had it all: unearthly vocals, psychedelic music video, filthy riffs. So good<\/a>. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Hold Tight\u2019 by Greg Johnson<\/b><\/h2>\n

This song<\/a> makes the heart pang in a beautiful way. I love Greg Johnson as a songwriter and reckon he fully deserves some recognish. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Hold You Close\u2019 by Opensouls<\/b><\/h2>\n

Few New Zealand singers come close to Tyra Hammond. This iconic retro-inspired swing soul and jazz number<\/a> is the perfect encapsulation of Hammond\u2019s vocal prowess and the band\u2019s musical talents. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Hold Your Hand in Mine, Harry Warner\u2019 by James Mustapic<\/b><\/h2>\n
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A 2015 romantic ballad dedicated to Shortland Street\u2019s most neglected nepo-baby, which\u00a0 includes the heartfelt line \u201cChris fell off the flying fox like I fell for you\u201d and rhymes \u2018Warner\u2019 with \u2018sauna\u2019. \/ TW<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Holy Low\u2019 by Nadia Reid<\/b><\/h2>\n

When Reid\u2019s first album \u2013 Listen to Formation, Look for the Signs \u2013 came out I felt like everyone around me was claiming discovery of this astonishing young songwriter with a voice that didn\u2019t sound like anyone else ever. \u2018Holy Low\u2019 is such a <\/a><\/span>tune<\/span><\/i>! Folk roots, rock heart, and Nadia Reid\u2019s otherworldly vocals. The words, too: \u201choly low\u201d is one of the most interesting pairings in English. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Horizon\u2019 by Aldous Harding<\/b><\/h2>\n

A classic from the moment it was soft-launched in the form of a YouTube video of <\/span>Aldous playing it live at Whammy Bar<\/span><\/a>. The performance is just her on vocals and Jono from The Beths on keys and it\u2019s intense, beautiful and kind of freaky. The final recording <\/span>isn\u2019t much more adorned<\/span><\/a>. A song has to be good for it to be this sparse and stay compelling. \/ HD<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018How Great Thou Art\u2019 by Howard Morrison<\/b><\/h2>\n

Referred to simply as \u201cSir\u201d by a generation of New Zealanders, Howard Morrison delivered one of his most iconic performances<\/a> in \u2018How Great Thou Art\u2019. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018The Humans are Dead\u2019 by Flight of the Conchords\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

I can\u2019t think of a more relevant song for our times<\/a>. Sure it\u2019s funny as. But now it kind of freaks me out, especially seeing the Conchords perform it this year with new AI-related tweaks. I laughed and I also cried. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I Love Music\u2019 by Lord Echo and Lisa Tomlins<\/b><\/h2>\n

A hypnotising acid jazz melody accompanied by the soulful vocals of Lisa Tomplins. A treat for the sonic senses<\/a>. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I Need Your Love\u2019 by Golden Harvest<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Fun fact: Kevin Kaukau, the guitarist for Golden Harvest, is rumoured to have had a huge influence on guitar icon Slash. His teeth-picking and behind-the-back playing antics were quite revolutionary in the 1970s. \/ LR<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s Our Time\u2019 by Suzy Cato<\/b><\/h2>\n

The heartwarming anthem<\/a> for a generation of New Zealanders who grew up watching <\/span>Queen Suzy Cato<\/span><\/a> every afternoon on You and Me. Simple lyrics that symbolise a rich, emotional connection: it really IS our time, our special time of day. \/ TW<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s Too Late\u2019 by Evermore<\/b><\/h2>\n

From Feilding all the way to Orange County \u2013 this damn song was on The OC<\/a>! What have you ever done that\u2019s got on The OC? \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

John Key \u2018Trotie\u2019 Dubstep Remix by Peens Allely<\/b><\/h2>\n

Trotie<\/span><\/a>. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Jezebel\u2019 by Jon Stevens<\/b><\/h2>\n

A disco soul classic<\/a> and quite possibly the smoothest song ever recorded by a New Zealander. \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Jump Rope Gazers\u2019 by The Beths<\/b><\/h2>\n

Find me an opening line that captures our beautifully understated all-good-if-not New Zealand way than this: \u201cI\u2019ve never been the dramatic type, but if I don\u2019t see your face tonight I\u2013 I guess I\u2019ll be fine\u201d? Building to that soaring, heart-swellingly romantic chorus, I\u2019m still waiting to hear \u2018Jump Rope Gazers<\/a>\u2019 on a major tear-jerker rom-com trailer. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Lalelei\u2019 by Leao<\/b><\/h2>\n
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A bit of punk, a bit of surfer rock, with the mana and reo of Samoa. What is not to love? Leao\u2019s \u2018Lalelei\u2019 makes me feel like I\u2019m on a beach holiday with friends and family. We\u2019re cooking a seafood feast in the kitchen, kids chasing each other in the yard, picking prickles from your feet after walking back from the beach, cold beer in hand. It\u2019s where I want to be. For the briefest of moments everything feels calmer, simpler. \/ ER<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Land of Plenty\u2019 by OMC<\/b><\/h2>\n

Of course \u2018How Bizarre\u2019 is great and deserves its spot in the top 10\u2026 but real ones know this is OMC\u2019s true magnum opus<\/a>! \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Laugh it Off\u2019 by Chelsea Jade<\/b><\/h2>\n

Find me a more euphoric song<\/a> about a relationship in ruin. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018The Letting Go\u2019 by The Eastern<\/b><\/h2>\n

\u2018<\/span>The Letting Go\u2019<\/span><\/a> was released in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake and became a kind of anthem for a broken but rebuilding city. Though there\u2019s every chance it\u2019s about a former partner, the song\u2019s mix of sadness and hope felt like the perfect sentiment. \/ HD<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018M\u0101ori Boy\u2019 by JGeeks and the Geeks<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n

You just had to be there. And by there I mean be at the back of the sports field in intermediate school playing this on repeat off your iPod Touch. \/ LWS<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Marion Bates Realty\u2019 by Tono and The Finance Company<\/b><\/h2>\n

This early Anthonie Tonnon ditty<\/a> is a timeless story of gentrification in New Zealand, and truly only gets better with age. It\u2019s a fun middle-finger to the pains of getting kicked out of your Grey Lynn flat as your street turns from \u201ca slum to a snobville\u201d at the hands of fascist mastermind and real estate agent Marion Bates, resulting in the \u201cmessiest kind of breakup with the meanest kind of girl\u201d. Many such cases. \/ LWS<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Me at the Museum, You at the Wintergardens\u2019 by Tiny Ruins<\/b><\/h2>\n

Folk tunes were few and far between on the RNZ Waiata 100 which is curious given we have such a strong folk culture. Tiny Ruins is one of my favourite Aotearoa artists and this is the song<\/a> that turned a whole swath of fans onto the genius of Hollie Fullbrook\u2019s songwriting, ethereal voice and wondrous guitar work. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Multi-Love\u2019 by Unknown Mortal Orchestra<\/b><\/h2>\n

Mind-melding music from insanely talented musicians. I had this song on repeat<\/a> when it came out: somehow it\u2019s always a surprise, the turns of it, the vocals. Can\u2019t get enough! \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Nest Egg\u2019 by Phoenix Foundation<\/b><\/h2>\n

RNZ\u2019s list included \u2018Buffalo\u2019 from the 2010 album of the same name. It\u2019s a majestic tune. But \u2018Nest Egg<\/a>\u2018, the final track on the Pegasus album, is, for me, a keystone song. Screaming \u201cIt\u2019s a lie!\u201d along with a delirious, sweaty, nostalgic crowd the Phoenix Foundation\u2019s gig for The Others Way last year was pure magic. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Own Two Feet\u2019 by The Jean-Paul Sartre Experiment<\/b><\/h2>\n

I had never heard of JPS Experiment until my partner introduced me to them about a decade ago with this song<\/a>. It\u2019s that Flying Nun sound but it\u2019s something else, too. Cyclical, Kiwi accent, \u201cyou don\u2019t even care\u201d, twanging guitar like a character, and a choir boy kind of chorus. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Palm Singing\u2019 by Bressa Creeting Cake<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n

Pretty sure I couldn\u2019t stand this song the first time I heard it on the Ice TV compilation CD<\/span><\/a> as a po-faced teen, but time has shown me the error of my ways. If you haven\u2019t heard \u2018Palm Singing\u2019 for a few years give it a listen and prepare to be blown away by what a glorious tune it really is. \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Persuasion\u2019 by Tim Finn<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Finns were pretty well repped in RNZ\u2019s list <\/span>but I have a real soft spot for this song<\/a>. I used to hate it. Now I love it and have had it on repeat when the mood calls. It\u2019s so sing-along-able, karaoke-friendly \u2013 a proper emo banger. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018P\u014d Atarau\u2019 by Turakina Girls Choir<\/b><\/h2>\n

Also a fave of honorary New Zealander <\/span>Ryan Gosling<\/span><\/a>\u00a0of course. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Politician\u2019 by Kora\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

I have fond memories of standing in a cloud of weed smoke at an O-Week concert singing along with those incredible Kora brothers and hundreds of other fresh students all communing with the central question, which still is: \u201cPoli, poli, politician, can you make the right decision for all of us?<\/a>\u201d \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Pulled Along by Love\u2019 by The Mutton Birds<\/b><\/h2>\n

How being in love actually sounds<\/a>. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Rainbow\u2019s End\u2019 by Purest Form<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n

This may have been a television <\/span>jingle for Rainbow\u2019s End<\/span><\/a> in Auckland, but this catchy tune played nationwide and deserved to go straight to number one. The beautiful a cappella harmonies! That sweet, sweet melody! It really is where the fun begins. \/ TW<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Sailing Away\u2019 by All Of Us<\/b><\/h2>\n

This <\/span>record-breaking 1986 hit<\/span><\/a> was based on P\u014dkarekara Ana and marked the beginnings of <\/span>a nation\u2019s love affair<\/span><\/a> with the America\u2019s Cup. I couldn\u2019t give a shit about yachting, but the chorus gets me every time. \/ TW<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Savage Love (Laxed \u2013 Siren Beat)\u2019 by Jason Derulo and Jawsh 685<\/b><\/h2>\n

Jawsh 685 became a symbol of the siren-loving Polynesian population of New Zealand after becoming a viral sensation with his beat on this track. Jason Derulo adding his own vocals catapulted the young South Aucklander into Hollywood stardom, unlocking icon status with his very first hit<\/a>. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Shortland Street Theme\u2019 \u2013 Tina Cross and Graham Bollard<\/b><\/h2>\n

Scrawled on a piece of scrap paper in a parked car in Mount Eden, 1992, the eternal question \u201c<\/span>is it you, or is it me?<\/span><\/a>\u201d would soon be asked every weeknight at 7pm on TV2 for over a decade, until the lyrics to the Shortland Street theme song<\/a> were phased out some time in the late 2000s. Moody, atmospheric, existential and essential. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Sierra Leone\u2019 by Mt. Eden Dubstep<\/b><\/h2>\n

Any young New Zealander even remotely interested in the late 2000s\/early 2010s dubstep and electronic scene will have fond memories of this absolute banger<\/a>. It was hard to escape. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Singing in my Soul\u2019 by Fly My Pretties<\/b><\/h2>\n

Fly My Pretties gigs were so iconic for a while there. This song by Age Pryor<\/a> is unassuming but potent, sweet but serious. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Southern Man\u2019 by Denis Henderson<\/b><\/h2>\n

Before the 1998 NPC final, a helicopter landed on the hallowed turf of Carisbrook. Off stepped a rugged-looking man cloaked in a Drizabone jacket. He plugged in his guitar and <\/span>belted out a ditty<\/span><\/a> that encapsulated what it meant to be from the south. Never mind that it was originally written by Auckland ad men to sell Speight\u2019s \u2013 it remains one of this country\u2019s most rousing singalongs. Of course Otago went on to win that day. \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Stop, Drop & Roll\u2019 by Mareko and Deceptikonz<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n

If you were born in New Zealand in the 90s or 2000s, there\u2019s little to no chance that you don\u2019t know this song. The iconic anthem was repeated and remixed across the country, becoming an instantly recognisable classic for a generation of New Zealanders. \/ LR<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Stuff and Nonsense\u2019 by Split Enz<\/b><\/h2>\n

But specifically the version on the 7 Worlds Collide live album<\/a>, which Tim Finn performs with Eddie Vedder. \u201cThis is a song from the Frenzy album 1978\u2026\u201d says Finn at the top of the recording, as the live crowd goes wild. I can\u2019t even really explain why I love this song so much other than that it moves me and simultaneously reminds me of very drunken nights out in Dunedin, for <\/span>reasons<\/span><\/i>. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Swing\u2019 by Savage<\/b><\/h2>\n

South Auckland-born-and-bred Savage made history with his hit \u2018Swing\u2019<\/a>. The song gained immense popularity in the notoriously difficult United States market, and his success laid a platform for several New Zealand hip-hop artists to follow in his path. \/ LR<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Submarine Bells\u2019 by The Chills<\/b><\/h2>\n

One of the strangest, most wonderful songs<\/a> from the genius mind of Martin Phillipps. The version I know best is a live recording from that Live at Helen\u2019s CD and I can call it up in my brain and live in it. \/ CM<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Suffer and Cry\u2019 by 3B Chafing Cream<\/b><\/h2>\n

Nothing captures our negative, wet, whiny, inward-looking country better than this, a deeply morose ode to the perils of sweat rash<\/a>. Do we have to suffer and cry, indeed. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Sun Goes Down\u2019 by Nesian Mystik<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n

Mystified that Nesian Mystik was missed entirely off the list! There are so many songs that could be listed here but I reckon this is a stone cold classic. The sound of summer! \/ CM<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Supalonely\u2019 by Benee<\/b><\/h2>\n

Remember when we were all like \u201cI\u2019m a lonely bitch\u201d in the pandemic and this was the single biggest song<\/a> on TikTok? Classic. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018System Virtue\u2019 by Emma Paki<\/b><\/h2>\n

One of the defining New Zealand songs<\/a> of the 90s had a certain Nature\u2019s Best ubiquity for a while but now seems to have dropped off the radar\u2026 sad! Put it back on the radar. \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Theme from Once Were Warriors\u2019 by Tama Renata<\/b><\/h2>\n

A definite contender for the great New Zealand guitar riff<\/a>, memorably performed by Tana Renata from Herbs on what is easily New Zealand\u2019s coolest guitar: a hand-carved Fender Strat named <\/span>Savage<\/span><\/a>. \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018They Don\u2019t Know\u2019 by Savage ft. Aaradhna<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n

Look, I rewatched Sione\u2019s Wedding over the long weekend and this particular needle drop is nothing short of pure perfection. \/ AC<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Thin Lizzy TVC Song\u2019 by Thin Lizzy Cosmetics<\/b><\/h2>\n

I\u2019ve said it once and I will say it again: this is the \u2018We Didn\u2019t Start the Fire\u2019 of Y2K womanhood<\/a>. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018This is the Moment\u2019 by Chris Thompson<\/b><\/h2>\n

The 1990 <\/span>Auckland Commonwealth Games anthem<\/span><\/a> that made us all athletes. \/ TW<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Tonight\u2019 by TrueBliss<\/b><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s the song that <\/span>changed reality television forever<\/span><\/a> and made New Zealand pop group TrueBliss debut at number one in 1999. Look into my eyes, TrueBliss, I\u2019ll love you till the end of time. \/ TW<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Tumeke\u2019 by Mokomokai<\/b><\/h2>\n

Straight up, some of the toughest (and horniest) bars<\/a> ever spat in Aotearoa. \u201cI\u2019m Hone Heke for the teke\u201d deserves a thousand Silver Scrolls. \/ LWS<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Up the Bus\u2019 by Dick Move<\/b><\/h2>\n

As <\/span>The Spinoff has previously confirmed<\/span><\/a>, there is nothing more New Zealand than thanking the bus driver<\/a>. \/ LWS<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Venus\u2019 by The Feelers<\/b><\/h2>\n

Imagine a publicly voted list of the top 100 British songs that didn\u2019t include \u2018Wonderwall\u2019 or \u2018Don\u2019t Look Back in Anger\u2019\u2026 that\u2019s what it\u2019s like not including any Feelers songs<\/a> on the list! \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Verona\u2019 by Elemeno P<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n

\u201cWhen I saw you in Verona\u2026 \u201d How can you not start singing along immediately? This is such a banger and beautifully location-specific (extra poignant these days<\/span><\/a>). \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Violent\u2019 by Stellar*<\/b><\/h2>\n

I remember going to see Stellar* at the QEII centre in Tauranga when I was a tween and thinking Boh Runga was the single most coolest person alive. She still is<\/a>. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Waiting For Your Love\u2019 by The Reduction Agents<\/b><\/h2>\n

Simply timeless tuneage<\/a> \u2013 should be 1000x more well-known than it is. \/ CH<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Waka\u2019 by Che Fu<\/b><\/h2>\n

Again, absolutely befuddled that this song didn\u2019t make the cut<\/a>. It takes me right back to the best of times. I just love it \u2013 love the tinging beginning, love Che Fu\u2019s vocals as ever, love it all. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Wake Up Brother\u2019 by Goldenhorse<\/b><\/h2>\n

Goldenhorse\u2019s Riverhead album doesn\u2019t miss a beat. It\u2019s full of surprising shifts in mood and tone \u2013 all bangers. If I could I\u2019d probably put every track on this list. \u2018Maybe Tomorrow\u2019 did make it to the list but I reckon \u2018Wake Up Brothe<\/a>r\u2019 deserves some attention, too. So here it is. \/ CM<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Water Underground\u2019 by Anthonie Tonnon<\/b><\/h2>\n

I am confident in saying this is the most moving rock song ever written<\/a> about Nick Smith\u2019s decision to sack Environment Canterbury\u2019s councillors in order to pave the way for intensive farming in the South Island. \u2018Water Underground\u2019 is an absolute triumph; so catchy it\u2019ll make you passionately mad about the effects of cow piss and poo on our water tables. \/ HD<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018We Gon\u2019 Ride\u2019 by Dei Hamo<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n

Big, bombastic, funny, and famously inspiring what was the most expensive music video ever made<\/span><\/a> at the time, 2004 hip hop anthem \u2018We Gon\u2019 Ride\u2019 also acts as a siren call for a whole generation of New Zealand millennials. I dare you to walk out onto a busy street and sing \u201cRiiiiiiii-deeeers, come out and play-ay\u201d and see what happens. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018The World is Looking For You\u2019 by Aldous Harding<\/b><\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t you hate when a long list overlooks that deep-cut favourite that you swear is the artist\u2019s best, just trust me, why does no one else love this like I love this? Anyway, justice for this utterly perfect Aldous ballad<\/a>. \/ LWS<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Years Gone By\u2019 by Avantdale Bowling Club<\/b><\/h2>\n

Imma let you finish, but Avantdale Bowling Club had one of the best jazz rap records of all time with their self-titled 2018 album. Tom Scott\u2019s narrative mastery shines<\/a> as he watches his life and rap career and the pop culture moments that followed alongside them, from the \u201cbender that went on four years long\u201d (\u201cthat was the same year Lebron won\u201d) to welcoming his son in the same neighbourhood he grew up in, Avondale. \/ LWS<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018You Make the Whole World Smile\u2019 by Hammond Gamble<\/b><\/h2>\n

With all due respect to \u2018Slice of Heaven\u2019, this may be the catchiest New Zealand song of all time<\/a>.\u00a0 Despite that, it\u2019s not annoying. In fact, \u2018You Make the Whole World Smile\u2019 is remarkable for being more reliably smile-inducing than the babies it\u2019s actually about. \/ HD<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Young Blood\u2019 by Naked and Famous<\/b><\/h2>\n

\u00a0Yeah, yeah, yeaah, yeeeaahh!! Right as MGMT, M83 and all manner of electro-synth acts starting with M were popping off at the turn of the oughts, along came our own Naked and Famous with this nostalgia-packed youth anthem<\/a>. Testament to the song\u2019s power is its extremely long tail in popular culture, from the Carrie remake to trending on TikTok. \/ AC<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Click here to read RNZ\u2019s original Waiata 100 countdown<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source thespinoff.co.nz \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 O artigo anterior foi obtido e traduzido do site internacional da celebrity.land \u2019 Source Link <\/em><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is simply too much good New Zealand music out there. Earlier this month, RNZ revealed its impressive Waiata 100 list of the most beloved homegrown songs from the last century. Nearly 10,000 New Zealanders cast their votes towards a varied list that featured everyone from Darcy Clay to Dragon, Che Fu to Shihad. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1826340,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1826339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-musica"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1826339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1826339"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1826339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1826341,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1826339\/revisions\/1826341"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1826340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1826339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1826339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1826339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}