You might not recognise the equipment, but you probably remember what it did. Photo: NFSA.
They range from the functional to the history-making, the familiar to the sort of tunes you can’t but help but raise a glass to – they are the 2024 Sounds of Australia.
Established in 2007, the Sounds of Australia – an annual collection of sound recordings that reflect life in Australia – is curated every year by the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) from its 300,000-plus collection of our audio-visual history.
Nominations from the public of recordings that are at least 10 years old are voted on by a panel of industry and NFSA sound experts.
The new additions for 2024 range from landmark speeches to iconic theme music, from enduring pop to the sad, final call of a now-extinct species are collectively a testament to the power of audio, the NFSA’s Chief Curator Meagan Loader said.
“It’s very meaningful to be able to preserve this diversity of content so that future generations will be able to understand and appreciate the sounds and their stories that resonated with Australians in 2024,” she said.
The 2024 additions include the Jimmie Barker collection – he was the first Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander to use recorded sound to document Aboriginal culture; hip hop, speeches, a theme tune, the launch of what is now SBS Audio, an advertising jingle for an iconic Australian beer, the last known recording of a now-extinct species – and the Speaking Clock (for when we didn’t have a watch in every pocket).
One of the more surprising inclusions on the list was the 1963 Dr Who theme, which, it turns out, was written by Australian composer Ron Grainer – believed to be the first electronic music theme created for television.
2024 Sounds of Australia curator Nick Henderson said one of his favourites was the 1968 ad for Victoria Bitter with quintessentially Australian actor John Meillon (who, perhaps ironically, died from cirrhosis in 1989).
“It was one of the most recognisable Australian advertising campaigns,” he said.
“It hasn’t changed since 1968, and you can still hear it today – the original delivery with a new video.
“It really struck a chord with an aspect of Australian society – it was all about doing a hard day’s work and deserving a cold beer.”
Australian feminist Jessie Street addressed delegates at the United Nations in 1945, the first woman to do so. A recording of this historic moment is on 2024 Sounds of Australia. Photo: NFSA.
The 2024 Sounds of Australia, in chronological order, are:
- Women’s status in the United Nations Charter: An address to the first meeting of the Women’s International Radio League, Jessie Street – 1945
- Speaking clock, Gordon Gow (Postmaster General’s Department) – 1954
- Doctor Who theme music, Ron Grainer (composer), Delia Derbyshire (musician) – 1963
- Victoria Bitter ad, John Meillon (voice), George Patterson (agency), for Carlton & United Breweries – 1968
- Jimmie Barker Collections, Jimmie Barker – 1972
- The earliest 2EA (now SBS Audio) broadcast recordings in language – 1975
- Kickin’ to the Undersound, Sound Unlimited – 1992
- Chains, Tina Arena – 1994
- Last call of the Christmas Island Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus murrayi) – 2009
- Nova Peris’ inaugural speech to Australian Parliament – 2013.
The NFSA’s work to preserve fragile audio has led to the digitisation of more than 100,000 at-risk pieces. The complete Sounds of Australia list (1896-2013) is now available online at the NFSA.
