Queensland’s most popular songs on Spotify

Queensland music fans are turning to ballads, classic rock and local hip hop for pandemic comfort listening. See the list for where you live.

Queensland music fans are turning to a diet of ballads, classic rock and local hip hop for pandemic comfort listening.

Streaming service Spotify polling of users last month has uncovered the state is overall listening to a lot of Lewis Capaldi, Fleetwood Mac, The Killers and Tones And I.

However drilling down on the most distinctive songs being uniquely streamed in each city shows Brisbane were streaming local newcomer Sophia Scott, Goodna rapper Lisi and chart toppers Busby Marou.

Gold Coast listeners swung from triple j favourites Kita Alexander, Budjerah and Peking Duk back to local retro classics by Dynamic Hepnotics and the Black Sorrows.

The Sunshine Coast opted for laid-back hits from Bernard Fanning and Pete Murray, balanced out by newcomers Spacey Jane, while Townsville streamed lots of local country star Morgan Evans as well as classic Oz rock hits by the Choirboys and James Reyne with James Blundell.

Cairns went even further back from Daddy Cool’s 50 year old Eagle Rock, to anthems by the Angels and the Screaming Jets.

Local favourites Busby Marou’s Best Part of Me is a streaming favourite in Brisbane. Pic: Supplied

Alicia Sburgnera, Head of Music at Spotify said the data highlights distinctive trends across the country.

“Sydney continues to be the centre of hip hop with western Sydney in particular, a breeding ground for artists such as Hooligan Hefs and ONEFOUR. In contrast, there is a real love for classic catalogue music in Cairns who are listening to tracks from all the way back to 1971. The one thing that was consistent across the data was that we are proudly listening to local artists, with the large proportion of these distinctive tracks coming from home grown talent.”

Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams, released in 1977, has enjoyed a new life thanks to being included in a Tik Tok video last October.

Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit Dreams has been resurrected by Tik Tok. Pic: Supplied

The song, which originally peaked at No. 19 upon release, soared to No. 4 on the ARIA charts last year. Continued high streaming from a new generation means the song has remained in the ARIA Top 40 since October.

Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi’s breakthrough hit Someone You Loved has now spent a remarkable over two years in the ARIA Top 100, originally released in 2019.

Another Capaldi ballad, Before You Go, has now spent a year in the ARIA Top 50.

Sburgnera said the streaming platform had noticed changes in listening behaviour over the pandemic.

“Nostalgia and catalogue music has been a huge theme of popular culture over the last twelve months. Australians are looking for relief given the turbulent time everyone has had with Covid and the subsequent lockdowns. It has really elevated a trend we have seen for listeners to soundtrack their day, which can be reflected by moods and moments, not genres.”   

Other highly streamed songs across Australia are Tones And I’s monster hit Dance Monkey, which spent 98 weeks in the ARIA Top 50 and Dua Lipa’s Don’t Stop Now.

Australian singer/songwriter Tones And I. Pic: Supplied

Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi. Pic: Universal

The listening habits were pulled at the end of June, just as much of Australia was heading into lockdown or dealing with border closures. Apple Music have also launched daily city charts from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. New music from Olivia Rodrigo, Ed Sheeran and Doja Cat dominate the top five listening habits on the East Coast, as well as Eurovision winners Maneskin.

BRISBANE MOST STREAMED CATALOGUE SONGS

Dreams – Fleetwood Mac

Someone You Loved – Lewis Capaldi

Dance Monkey – Tones and I

Mr. Brightside – The Killers

Before You Go – Lewis Capaldi

BRISBANE MOST DISTINCTIVE SONGS

We Were Almost – Sophia Scott

Best Part of Me – Busby Marou

Centrefold – Lil Sknow

Say Less — Lisi

Stand For – Chillinit

GOLD COAST MOST DISTINCTIVE SONGS

Between You and I – Kita Alexander

Higher – Budjerah

Move – Peking Duk

Chained To The Wheel – Black Sorrows

Soul Kind of Feeling – Dynamic Hepnotics

CAIRNS MOST DISTINCTIVE SONGS

Lanterns – Birds of Tokyo

Run to Paradise – Choirboys

Eagle Rock – Daddy Cool

Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again – The Angels

Better – The Screaming Jets

SUNSHINE COAST MOST DISTINCTIVE SONGS

Songbird – Bernard Fanning

Better Days – Pete Murray

Give Myself to You – The Dreggs

Plans – Birds of Tokyo

Weightless – Spacey Jane

TOWNSVILLE MOST DISTINCTIVE SONGS

Best Part of Me – Busby Marou

Way Out West – James Reyne & James Blundell

Diamonds – Morgan Evans

Lanterns – Birds of Tokyo

Run to Paradise – Choirboys

APPLE MUSIC BRISBANE TOP 5

Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo

Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran

Kiss Me More – Doja Cat ft SZA

Beggin – Manskin

Deja Vu – Olivia Rodrigo

Originally published as Queensland’s most popular songs on Spotify