It has been a bumper year for Australian music – although that might not be reflected on the commercial charts, with only a few of our readers’ choices cracking the Top 50 albums. But what you do see in our Readers Poll results is a selection of sheer quality – from soul/R&B, blues, Americana, rock and more. You can also check out how your choices compared with those of our writers and guests.
Your international selection features old favourites and some some newer artists covering an equally diverse range of genres. Four of the artists concerned toured Australian in 2023 and at least another couple are set to tour in 2024.
AUSTRALIAN ALBUMS OF 2023
- The Winding Way – Teskey Brothers
- Lightning In A Clear Blue Sky – Don Walker
- Other World – Tex Perkins & The Fat Rubber Band
- Ramblified – Fiona Boyes
- Where Only Memory Can Find You – Mick Thomas’ Roving Commission
- Dan Sultan – Dan Sultan
- Minor Gold – Minor Gold
- Down In Hollywood – Dana Gehrman
- Black & White Town – Perry Keyes
- The Beginning of The End – The Pleasures
INTERNATIONAL ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
- Stories From A Rock & Roll Heart – Lucinda Williams
- Weathervanes – Jason Isbell
- Cousin – Wilco
- Hackney Diamonds – Rolling Stones
- In The Throes – Buddy & Julie Miller
- Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert – Cat Power
- Shadow Kingdom – Bob Dylan
- Live At Newport 2022 – Joni Mitchell
- My Love Of Country – Teddy Thompson
- Travelin’ Blues: Live At The Ryman – Charley Crockett
BEST BOX SETS/RE-RELEASES – AUSTRALIAN
Long Time (Recordings 1988-2023) – Margret Roadknight
BEST BOX SETS/RE-RELEASES – INTERNATIONAL
1. Stop Making Sense – Talking Heads
2. The Roaring Forty 1983-2023 – Billy Bragg
3. Dr John Plays Mac Rebennack
4. The Complete Budokan 1978 – Bob Dylan
5. Southeastern – Jason Isbell
BEST TOUR
Paul McCartney
Lucinda Williams
Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets
BEST FESTIVAL/EVENT
Bluesfest (Byron Bay)
Woodford Folk Festival
Port Fairy Folk Festival
BEST MUSIC BOOK
1. Don’t Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You: A Memoir – Lucinda Williams
2. Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska – Warren Zanes
3. Bob Dylan: Mixing Up The Medicine – Mark Davidson (Ed).
4. Shake Some Action – Stuart Coupe
BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY
Stop Making Sense – Jonathan Demme (Dir.)
Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story – Paul Goldman (Dir.)