“Australian music is the river I return to when my cup needs filling. This book celebrates a most prolific and powerful time in Australian songwriting with the artists and songs that have given shape to our lives.” Justine Clarke
“To contribute to the canon of Australian songwriting has and will forever be one of the great privileges of my life. I am so proud to be a part of this great tradition that continues to inspire, activate and capture the imaginations of not just Australian people, but the entire planet. It’s an honour to have my name included in this book celebrating 100-years of APRA. Here’s to the next 100.” Alex Lahey
“Australian music has always been a beautiful reflection of who we are, and this book is a nostalgic, joyful trip through the songs that shaped me as a person and us as a nation. Proof that our best stories often come with a chorus attached.” Courtney Act
“When I was a kid in the 80s there was a surf movie called Mad Wax that came out and it featured Ganggajang song ‘Sounds of Then’. This lead me and my brother to start listening to that album on cassette tape and it brings back good memories of cruising on the surf coast in the best time to be there. Great Aussie music!” Xavier Rudd
“100 Years of Australian Songwriting is a great and timely book about an important aspect of Australian art and popular culture. A comprehensive look at Australian and New Zealand songwriting over the last 100 years, with extensive commentary and interesting essays by a range of music critics and musicians. I would thoroughly recommend you buy this book to celebrate 100 years of APRA and also because the proceeds from sales will go to Support Act, which is a fantastic charitable institution dedicated to providing assistance to musicians who are having financial problems and or health issues.” Reg Mombassa
“Australia’s songwriting output is insanely high quality and always has been. It’s cool to see some of it bound up in paper and I’m very grateful to figure in its memorialisation. Let’s keep going!” Montaigne
“Having commentary by articulate thinkers and writers such as Mark Kenny, Frank Bongiorno, Julianne Schultz and Nikos Papastergiadis lends powerful legitimacy to the art and influence of songwriting. Beyond pure pleasure and fandom, this important book reveals how Australian culture and identity is embedded in the unique creative output of each of our songsmiths. In an age when humans appear frighteningly keen to let AI do the thinking and acting for them, we have here a moving testimony to what was once a wholly human activity. The machines that amplify, edit and record our work have been around for decades, but at the heart of any great song was always original thought, word and compositional nouse. Here there’s a rich history of that time-honoured process and how the songs it produced have penetrated the Australian psyche.” Robyn Archer
“I’m deeply honoured to be included alongside so many members of Australian music royalty. 100 Years of Australian Songwriting offers an incredible insight into the breadth and depth of Australian music and the prolific songwriters who have shaped it. As an immigrant and a relatively new Australian, it is especially meaningful to see the contribution of migrant artists recognised, and to be reminded of how deeply our stories, sounds and perspectives enrich the fabric of Australian culture. The fact that proceeds support the vital work of Support Act makes the book even more special.” Motez
“100 Years unveils the rich tapestry of composition and songwriting in Australia. It is testament to the astounding diversity of our songlines – both ancient and modern. Songs that have become time capsules – distilling a moment in history, and iconic anthems that have that shaped our collective identity and become a catalyst for cultural awareness and social transformation. It exposes the staggering diversity and colossal output of creative thought that has enriched our nation and defined our ethos.” Nigel Westlake
Edited by Esther Anatolitis and Nicholas Pickard, 100 Years of Australian Songwriting is published by Hardie Grant on 27 October 2026
