We updated Nature's Best!
The final list makes its debut after a few last minute changes.
If you want to catch up on the Nature’s Best story so far, here are the posts so far:
Introduction | 2001-2002 | 2003-2004 | 2005-2006 |
2007-2009 | 2010-2013 | 2014-2019 | 2020-2023
Before we get to the final list …
2020-2023 reconsidered
It’s been a couple of weeks, but here are a few adjustments based on your voting on the collection of tracks from 2020-2023:
Teeks’ “Without You” drops from #71 to #93
The Beths’ “Expert In A Dying Field” moves up from #55 to #37
Avantdale Bowling Club’s "Friday Night@The Liquor Store” was universally voted to move up, so I’ve shifted it from #105 to #67
Home Brew’s “80 Down Scenic” drops from #31 to #54
So there we go - no more moving songs, we’re done.
So where does that leave us?
Over the last few months, we’ve added 70 songs to the list, leaving us with 170 songs in total. We gave the list a new number one - Lorde’s “Royals”. Two other songs made it into the top ten as well - Fat Freddys Drop’s “Wandering Eye” and Tiki Taane’s “Always On My Mind”. Those changes feel right to me.
I have to give a lot of thanks to you, dear readers - without your votes each week, I couldn’t have put this list together in such a satisfying way. Thank you.
For today, I’m just going to share the updated list on Spotify, and list the tracks. It doesn’t feel like there is much else to say.
Thank you, again, for following this project and taking part in the process. I’ve found it super fun to do, and hope you enjoy the finished project.
The Top 170 Kiwi Songs Of All Time
001: Lorde - “Royals” (2013)
002: Fourmyula - “Nature” (1969)
003: Crowded House - “Don't Dream It's Over” (1986)
004: Dave Dobbyn - “Loyal” (1988)
005: The Swingers - “Counting the Beat” (1981)
006: Fat Freddy's Drop - “Wandering Eye” (2005)
007: Split Enz - “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” (1982)
008: Bic Runga - “Sway” (1997)
009: Dave Dobbyn with Herbs - “Slice of Heaven” (1986)
010: Tiki Taane - “Always On My Mind” (2008)
011: Dance Exponents - “Victoria” (1982)
012: Straitjacket Fits - “She Speeds” (1987)
013: Dragon - “April Sun in Cuba” (1977)
014: Split Enz - “I Got You” (1980)
015: DD Smash - “Whaling” (1984)
016: Chris Knox - “Not Given Lightly” (1990)
017: The Chills - “Pink Frost” (1984)
018: Six60 - “Don't Forget Your Roots” (2011)
019: Mt Raskil Preservation Society - “Bathe In The River” (2006)
020: Darcy Clay - “Jesus I Was Evil” (1997)
021: Crowded House - “Weather with You” (1991)
022: Scribe - “Not Many” (2003)
023: Pixie Williams & the Ruru Karaitiana Quartet - “Blue Smoke” (1949)
024: Blerta - “Dance All Around The World” (1972)
025: Goodshirt - “Sophie” (2002)
026: Fur Patrol - “Lydia” (2000)
027: Hello Sailor - “Blue Lady” (1977)
028: Bic Runga - “Drive” (1996)
029: Lorde - “Green Light” (2017)
030: DLT featuring Che Fu - “Chains” (1996)
031: The Mutton Birds - “Dominion Road” (1992)
032: Che-Fu - “Misty Frequencies” (2001)
033: Shapeshifter - “Long White Cloud (ft Joe Dukie)” (2005)
034: Smashproof - “Brother (ft Gin Wigmore)” (2009)
035: Troy Kingi - “All Your Ships Have Sailed” (2020)
036: Shona Laing - “Glad I'm Not A Kennedy” (1986)
037: The Beths - “Expert In A Dying Field” (2022)
038: Split Enz - “I Hope I Never” (1980)
039: The Mint Chicks - “Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No!” (2008)
040: The Beths - “Future Me Hates Me” (2018)
041: The Crocodiles - “Tears” (1980)
042: Th' Dudes - “Be Mine Tonight” (1978)
043: Split Enz - “I See Red” (1979)
044: Dave Dobbyn - “Beside You” (1998)
045: Shihad - “Home Again” (1997)
046: DD Smash - “Outlook For Thursday” (1983)
047: Weta - “Calling On” (2000)
048: Straitjacket Fits - “Down in Splendour” (1990)
049: Maisey Rika - “Tangaroa Whakamautai” (2012)
050: Crowded House - “Better Be Home Soon” (1988)
051: SJD - “Beautiful Haze” (2007)
052: Marlon Williams - “Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore” (2018)
053: OMC - “How Bizarre” (1995)
054: Home Brew - “80 Down Scenic” (2023)
055: Dave Dobbyn - “Language” (1994)
056: Split Enz - “Message to My Girl” (1984)
057: Troy Kingi - “True Love” (2013)
058: Pātea Māori Club - “Poi E” (1984)
059: Katchafire - “Get Away” (2003)
060: Split Enz - “Stuff and Nonsense” (1979)
061: The Phoenix Foundation - “Damn The River” (2005)
062: Tami Neilson - “Walk (Back To Your Arms)” (2014)
063: The Feelers - “Venus” (1998)
064: Anika Moa - “Youthful” (2002)
065: Anika Moa - “Dreams In My Head” (2007)
066: Home Brew - “Alcoholic” (2012)
067: Avantdale Bowling Club - “Friday Night @ The Liquor Store” (2022)
068: Emma Paki - “System Virtue” (1996)
069: Ladi6 - “Like Water” (2011)
070: Tim Finn - “Fraction Too Much Friction” (1983)
071: Herbs - “French Letter” (1995)
072: Sharon O'Neill - “Maxine” (1983)
073: Lawrence Arabia - “Apple Pie Bed” (2009)
074: Space Waltz - “Out on the Street” (1974)
075: Savage - “Swing” (2005)
076: Max Merritt and the Meteors - “Slippin' Away” (1976)
077: Brooke Fraser - “Arithmetic” (2004)
078: Broods - “Bridges” (2014)
079: Stellar* - “Violent” (1999)
080: Maisey Rika - “Waiti Waita” (2021)
081: The Exponents - “Why Does Love Do This To Me” (1992)
082: Che-Fu - “Fade Away” (2001)
083: Pluto - “Long White Cross” (2005)
084: Unknown Mortal Orchestra - “So Good At Being In Trouble” (2013)
085: Shona Laing - “1905” (1972)
086: Benee - “Glitter” (2019)
087: The Mutton Birds - “Anchor Me” (1994)
088: Th' Dudes - “Bliss” (1979)
089: Netherworld Dancing Toys - “For Today” (1984)
090: The Black Seeds - “So True” (2004)
091: Salmonella Dub - “Love Your Ways” (2001)
092: Unknown Mortal Orchestra - “Multi-Love” (2015)
093: Teeks - “Without You” (2020)
094: King Kapisi - “Screems From Tha Old Plantation” (2000)
095: John Rowles - “Cheryl Moana Marie” (1970)
096: The Naked & Famous - “Young Blood” (2010)
097: Mi-Sex - “Blue Day” (1985)
098: The D4 - “What I Want” (2005)
099: Zed - “Glorafilia” (1999)
100: The Phoenix Foundation - “Buffalo” (2010)
101: Aldous Harding - “The Barrel” (2019)
102: Headband - “Good Morning Mr Rock 'n' Roll” (1971)
103: Benee - “Supalonely (ft Gus Dapperton)” (2019)
104: Split Enz - “History Never Repeats” (1981)
105: Elemeno P - “Verona” (2003)
106: Sisters Underground - “In The Neighbourhood” (1994)
107: Citizen Band - “Julia” (1978)
108: Gin Wigmore - “Under My Skin” (2008)
109: Kings - “Don't Worry Bout' It” (2016)
110: Shihad - “Pacifier” (1999)
111: Opshop - “One Day” (2007)
112: Larry's Rebels - “Let's Think of Something” (1967)
113: Ladyhawke - “Paris Is Burning” (2008)
114: Goldenhorse - “Maybe Tomorrow” (2003)
115: Bic Runga - “Bursting Through” (1997)
116: Reb Fountain - “Don't You Know Who I Am” (2020)
117: Greg Johnson - “Liberty” (1997)
118: Blindspott - “Phlex” (2002)
119: Strawpeople - “Sweet Disorder” (1994)
120: P-Money - “Stop The Music (ft Scribe)” (2004)
121: Sharon O'Neill - “Asian Paradise” (1979)
122: Avalanche City - “Love Love Love” (2011)
123: Aaradhna - “Brown Girl” (2017)
124: Blam Blam Blam - “Don't Fight It Marsha…” (1981)
125: Hello Sailor - “Gutter Black” (1977)
126: Herbs - “Long Ago” (1984)
127: Blam Blam Blam - “There Is No Depression in New Zealand” (1981)
128: Steriogram - “Walkie Talkie Man” (2004)
129: Dave Dobbyn - “You Oughta Be in Love” (1986)
130: Fur Patrol - “Andrew” (2000)
131: Graham Brazier - “Billy Bold” (1981)
132: Aaradhna - “Down Time” (2006)
133: Crowded House - “Distant Sun” (1993)
134: Bic Runga - “Suddenly Strange” (1997)
135: SWIDT - “Kelz Garage (ft Lomez Brown)” (2022)
136: The Mockers - “Forever Tuesday Morning” (1984)
137: Headless Chickens - “Cruise Control” (1991)
138: The Feelers - “Pressure Man” (1998)
139: Crowded House - “Private Universe” (1994)
140: Kimbra - “Settle Down” (2011)
141: Peking Man - “Room That Echoes” (1985)
142: Herbs - “Sensitive to a Smile” (1987)
143: Prince Tui Teka - “E Ipo” (1982)
144: L.A.B. - “In The Air” (2019)
145: The Front Lawn - “Andy” (1987)
146: Nesian Mystik - “It's On” (2002)
147: Shihad - “Bitter” (1995)
148: Crowded House - “Four Seasons in One Day” (1991)
149: The Chills - “Heavenly Pop Hit” (1990)
150: Tiny Ruins - “Dorothy Bay” (2022)
151: Sneaky Feelings - “Husband House” (1985)
152: Kora - “Politician” (2004)
153: Pop Mechanix - “Jumping Out A Window” (1981)
154: Straitjacket Fits - “If I Were You” (1993)
155: Dance Exponents - “I'll Say Goodbye (Even Tho I'm Blue)” (1983)
156: Sharon O'Neill - “Maybe” (1981)
157: Devilskin - “Little Pills” (2012)
158: Eye TV - “One Day Ahead” (2000)
159: Zed - “Renegade Fighter” (2000)
160: Stellar* - “Part of Me” (1999)
161: Coconut Rough - “Sierra Leone” (1983)
162: Leisure - “Back In Love” (2023)
163: The Datsuns - “In Love” (2002)
164: Sharon O'Neill - “Words” (1979)
165: Split Enz - “Spellbound” (1979)
166: Citizen Band - “Rust in My Car” (1979)
167: Shona Laing - “Mercy of Love” (1992)
168: Supergroove - “Can't Get Enough” (1996)
169: Dave Dobbyn - “Naked Flame” (1995)
170: Brooke Fraser - “Albertine” (2006)
Thanks for reading everyone. See you later in the week!
Chris