Famous Australian Musicians

Regarded as a timeless icon, Kylie Minogue is one of the most popular singer-songwriters of her generation. Referred to as the Princess of Pop and Goddess of Pop, she is the best-selling female Australian musician of all time. Also known as the Mother of Reinvention, Kylie is revered for her contribution to fashion and music.

Michael Hutchence, co-founder of the Australian rock band INXS, was known for his wild lifestyle, his affairs with celebrities, and his history of drug abuse. He was named to News.com’s list of the 15 greatest Australian singers of all time but unfortunately died by suicide in a Sydney hotel room.

Australian singer-songwriter, voice-actress and director Sia Furler rose to fame with albums like We Are Born. Moving on, she bolstered her career with albums like 1000 Forms of Fear that debuted atop the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and singles like Cheap Thrills, her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one. Furler has also co-written hit songs like Diamonds, Titanium and Wild Ones.

Four-time Grammy-winner Keith Urban had already tasted success in Australia, before making his American debut with a platinum-certified solo album. He knows how to play a variety of instruments, including the sitar, guitar, piano, and mandolin. His track Somebody Like You was named Billboard’s greatest country hit of the 2000s.

Malcolm Young was an Australian musician. He is credited with co-founding the popular rock band AC/DC. He is also credited with popularizing the band and was described by many as the leader and the driving force of the band. Widely regarded as one of the best rhythm guitarists ever, Young was a leading exponent of rhythm guitar in rock music.

Olivia Newton-John's breathy voice and stunning beauty made her one of the biggest pop stars of the 1970s. She charmed generations of movie viewers in the blockbuster film Grease. Following a string of country and soft-rock hits, Newton-John starred opposite John Travolta in the 1978  blockbuster Grease, considered as one the most popular movie musicals of all time.

Toni Watson is an Australian singer-songwriter whose single, Dance Monkey, broke Bing Crosby's all-time Australian record by spending 24 weeks at number one position on the ARIA Singles Chart. The single also earned Toni Watson several prestigious awards, such as APRA Music Award and ARIA Music Award.

Calum Hood is best known as part of the Australian pop-rock group 5 Seconds of Summer, which has delivered hits such as She Looks So Perfect. He has also written songs for artists such as Makeout. He quit his plans of pursuing a soccer career to venture into music.

Kevin Parker is an Australian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is credited with founding the psychedelic music project, Tame Impala. Over the years, Parker has won several prestigious awards, such as a Brit Award and ARIA Music Awards. 

Australian actor, dancer and singer-songwriter Keiynan Lonsdale is best-known for playing Wally West/Kid Flash in The CW series The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. Other on-screen portrayals of Lonsdale includes Oliver Lloyd in the series Dance Academy and Uriah Pedrad in film The Divergent Series: Insurgent. He has also released the studio-album Rainbow Boy and worked as an MTV VJ.  

Australian electronic musician and DJ Harley Edward Streten, is better known as Flume, a moniker he chose inspired by his favorite Bon Iver song. From being a saxophonist in his school band, Flume ended up releasing a debut album that topped the Australian and New Zealand charts.

Named one among the 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists by Elle magazine, Australian musician, singer and songwriter Orianthi Penny Panagaris began playing the guitar at the age of three and moved to acoustic by six. At fifteen, she began her professional career, concurrently focusing on songwriting and released her debut independent album at the age of 20. 

Tim Minchin is an Australian musician, comedian, writer, actor, and songwriter. He is best known for combining music and comedy in his shows, which have been received well by the audience. Tim Minchin is also known for writing lyrics and composing the critically acclaimed show, Matilda the Musical, which won several awards including Tony Award and an Olivier Award.

Judith Durham is an Australian musician, singer, and songwriter. In 1963, she became the lead singer of the popular folk-influenced pop quartet The Seekers, which became the first Australian pop band to achieve major sales and chart success in the United States and the United Kingdom. Her services to music earned her the title Victorian of the Year in 2015.

Award-winning Malaysian-Australian singer-songwriter Guy Sebastian, who won the first Australian Idol, has over the years spawned several hit singles like Battle Scars and studio-albums like Just as I Am that garnered multi-platinum certification. He has collaborated with many notable American musicians, represented Australia during 2015 Eurovision Song Contest, and appeared several times as a judge on Australia's The X Factor.

Australia’s beloved Yellow Wiggle, Emma Watkins grew up trained as a classical dancer and later became the first female member of the Australian dance group the Wiggles. She also completed a film studies course on a scholarship. Emma is an Endometriosis Australia ambassador, having suffered the ailment herself.  

Jessica Mauboy is an Australian singer, actress, and songwriter. She started hogging the limelight after finishing second in the fourth season of Australian Idol, which was aired in 2006. One of the most successful female artists in Australia, Mauboy has received several awards, such as ARIA Music Awards.

Indiana Evans is an Australian actress, songwriter, and singer. She is best known for playing Matilda Hunter in a TV soap opera titled Home and Away, for which she won the Dolly Teen Choice Award under the Queen of Teen category. Evans is also known for contributing immensely to the 2011 soundtrack for series three of H2O: Just Add Water.

Daniel Johns is an Australian singer, songwriter, and musician best known for his association with Silverchair where he was the former frontman and lyricist. Renowned for his guitaring skills, Daniel Johns was ranked 18th on Rolling Stone magazine's 25 Most Underrated Guitarists list in 2007.

Colin Hay is an Australian-American musician, actor, singer, and songwriter. Known for his work with popular bands like Men at Work, Hay's music has been immortalized by actor-director Zach Braff, who has used his music in many of his own works. In 2020, Hay was honored at the APRA Awards with the Distinguished Services Award for his contribution to music.

Tina Arena is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, and musical theatre actress. Having sold more than 10 million records worldwide, Arena is one of the highest-selling Australian artists. Tina Arena has won several national and international awards, including two World Music Awards and seven ARIA Awards so far. In 2015, she was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Tash Sultana soared to fame with her phenomenally successful single Jungle, which was first posted on YouTube and went viral on social media, gaining a million views in 5 days. The non-binary Australian singer uses the pronoun “they.” She also made it to the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30 list.

Australian singer-songwriter Jessica Origliasso is one-half of the Australian pop-duo The Veronicas that she formed with her identical twin sister, Lisa Origliasso. They rose to fame with platinum-certified studio-albums like The Secret Life of... and Hook Me Up, and singles like You Ruin Me. They have also acted in the television series Cybergirl and co-designed a fashion line for Target.    

Jeff Fatt is an Australian actor and musician. Fatt was one of the most popular members of a children's music group called The Wiggles; he was part of the group from its inception in 1991 to 2012. In 2011, Jeff Fatt was honored with the ARIA Hall of Fame Award along with other members of the Wiggles.

Peter Garrett is an Australian musician, activist, environmentalist, and former politician. Renowned for his eccentric dance style and signature bald head, Garrett is best known for his association with the popular rock band Midnight Oil where he performs as the lead singer. A football fan, Peter Garrett supports the Essendon Bombers of the AFL.

Tammin Sursok is an actress and singer whose portrayal of Dani Sutherland earned her the Logie Award for Most Popular New Female Talent in 2001. Sursok is also known for her singing skills; her debut studio album Whatever Will Be peaked at number 13 on the ARIA Charts. Apart from acting and singing, Sursok has also been campaigning against bullying.

Courtney Barnett is an Australian musician, singer, and songwriter. Renowned for her witty lyrics and deadpan singing style, Barnett achieved international recognition after releasing her highly successful EP, The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas. Over the years, she has won several important awards, such as APRA Music Awards, ARIA Music Awards, and AIR Awards. 

Craig Revel Horwood is an Australian-British dancer, choreographer, author, theatre director, conductor, and former drag queen. Also a TV personality, Horwood is best known for appearing as a judge on the British television dance contest, Strictly Come Dancing. Craig Revel Horwood has also released three autobiographies by joining hands with Michael O'Mara Books.

Brody Armstrong is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. She had a tumultuous childhood marred by abuse and violence. She sought solace in music and began her career as a teenager. As a young woman, she was part of many bands with which she released numerous hit albums and singles. She also has a successful career as a soloist. 

Tommy Emmanuel is an Australian guitarist. He started early, becoming a professional musician at the age of six! He initially played with his family band. After the death of his father, he became a part of country music star Buddy Williams’ band. As a young man, he played for many bands and also pursued a solo career.