What is the best Aussie song of the 21st century?

Is it the break-up anthem that conquered the world, Australia’s version of “Wonderwall” - or a track that changed a whole genre?

Guy Sebastian had a front-row seat to pop’s takeover of the Australian soundtrack.

After decades of dominance, the decline of the rock gods in the 21st century was accelerated by the great disrupter that was Australian Idol, which launched here in 2003.

Before hip hop and dance joined the #RockIsOverParty, Idol created overnight superstars including Sebastian, Shannon Noll and Jessica Mauboy.

Powderfinger ushered in the new millennium with the sad boy earworm “My Happiness” but soon Kylie Minogue and Sia, Hilltop Hoods and the Kid Laroi, and Empire of the Sun and Flume claimed cultural supremacy.

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And the old guard of guitar bands and singer songwriters were not happy about it.

When asked why he thinks “My Happiness” remains rusted onto playlists 25 years after its release, Sebastian cited the country’s unflagging love for Powderfinger and Fanning’s rock star cool before dropping the truth bomb that “I don’t think Bernard was a fan of me early on”.

“Everyone just loves Powderfinger … and Bernard, he just oozes coolness and he’s always stood by his thoughts, he’s always stood by his convictions,” he said.

“I remember having a little moment at an ARIAs (awards) and I think he just said a whole bunch of stuff about me because I’d just come off Idol - and I believe it was him and Missy (Higgins) … and I hold no grudges against them.

“Idol was like a real disrupter, and here’s someone from Condobolin (Noll) and a furry-haired kid from Adelaide and their albums are just going (vroom) straight away. And then you’ve got people that have been grinding it out for a long time. So I understood there was reservation to embrace that.”

Bernard Fanning, Ian Haug, John Collins and Darren Middleton hanging out in 2010 at the ARIA No.1 Awards. Picture: NCA.

The mighty Hilltop Hoods took Aussie hip hop to the masses with The Nosebleed Section. Picture: NCA.

Back to the subject at hand - the game-changing Aussie songs of the past 25 years - and Sebastian has a master songwriter’s insight into what works with a record six No.1 ARIA hits including his debut single, “Like It Like That”, “Who’s That Girl” and the global hit “Battle Scars”.

He believes My Happiness is embedded in the Aussie soundtrack because it’s the ultimate “campfire song”, readily played on an acoustic guitar at your backyard BBQ or house party. He considers it the Aussie Wonderwall. And that’s meant as the “ultimate compliment”.

“(Bernard) has just always been a cool rock star and couple that with just really great guitar riffs and melodies, I would say My Happiness became Australia’s ‘Today is going to be the day that they’re going to throw it back to you’. It became the campfire song,” Sebastian said.

“It’s one of those songs that’s structured and written so well - and yet has such deep subject matter - you want to sing it around a campfire.”

Gotye and Kimbra gave us the heartbreak anthem of the quarter century. Picture: Supplied.

The same year Sebastian broke records with his post-Idol debut single “Angels Brought Me Here”, another Adelaide act was on the “hard road” to propelling Aussie hip hop from the underground to the mainstream.

Hilltop Hoods was flogged on Triple J and became festival favourites off the back of the party-starting anthem “The Nosebleed Section”, which famously sampled “People in the Front Row” by American folk singer Melanie Safka.

Sebastian, who went on to work with American rap stars including Eve (“Who’s That Girl”), 2Chainz (“Mama Ain’t Proud) and most notably with Lupe Fiasco on “Battle Scars”, said the Hoods ticked all of the boxes with their breakout hit.

“So what was it about ‘Nosebleed Section’ that made it go past just hip-hop fans. Well, it’s hooky as hell,” he said.

“That flute sample and how they pitched it up ... you’re just in awe every time it hits. But it’s the icing on the cake to this Eminem-esque kind of flow in the pre-chorus. All the way through the song, you’re thinking ‘Oh, this section’s sick! And this section!’

“And it’s something everyone can sing along to. It changed the game for hip-hop here.”

Should Sebastian’s Battle Scars made it onto the Best Aussie Songs list? Picture: Tim Hunter.

Another song featuring a brilliantly executed sample, that conquered the world with its unique sound, and is deserving of being considered one of the Best Aussie Songs of this quarter century, is “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye and featuring Kimbra, released in 2011.

The Grammy-winning anthem about how a break-up turns lovers into strangers is Sebastian’s pick - besides one of his own songs, of course - to top the list.

Somebody is enjoying another big moment courtesy of being sampled on “Anxiety,” the latest hit by American rapper Doechii.

“‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ was a worldwide smash and there’s not many Aussie artists who have managed to get to No.1 in every single country - it’s pretty phenomenal,” Sebastian said.

“Every element of that song was right. It was fresh in the sense it married the kind of alternative execution in the vocal but still made it pop with this ear candy sample of a work by an old Brazilian classical guitarist. Luiz Bonfa.”

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Originally published as What is the best Aussie song of the 21st century?