Courtney Barnett continues to rule the community radio charts

Community radio shows a huge amount of support for Australian music, with almost 40% of music played coming from local artists. Taste-making presenters excel at giving airtime to an incredible spread of what Aussie artists have to offer. The Amrap Metro and Amrap Regional Charts provide insight into what’s getting airplay and attention on community radio each week. Here’s the lowdown on some tunes charting this week.

Kllo – ‘Potential’ (#6 Amrap Metro)

Melbourne artists are ruling the Amrap charts this week. Following up their 2017 album Backwater with their new single ‘Potential’, Melbourne’s Kllo strips classic R&B raw to match its tender-at-the-bone lyricism. With a mood similar to the more dim-lit ends of UK club music, ‘Potential’ aches in the very best way. It’s an exciting new direction for the duo, wholly embraced at community radio by stations like FBi Radio in Sydney, Bay FM in Byron Bay and Melbourne’s 3RRR.

Soft Corporate – ‘Full Of Nothing’ (#3 Amrap Metro)

Taking on some of the more melancholic and atmospheric aspects of the likes of Grizzly Bear and The National, Melbourne four-piece Soft Corporate aren’t afraid to wring every iota of emotion out of their song ‘Full of Nothing’. Comparing a relationship to a car crash has never been done so exquisitely. Launching ‘Full of Nothing’ in their hometown this weekend, the band have been getting community radio spins across the rest of the country, courtesy of South Australia’s Fleurieu FM and Radio Adelaide, Perth’s 6RTR and Tasmania’s Edge Radio.

Even – ‘The Opener’ (#9 Amrap Regional)

Unabashedly in love with ringing Rickenbacker guitars charging forth in the name of old-school power-pop, enduring Melbourne trio Even have returned after a six-year layoff with a new album Satin Returns. Hook-laden riffs and sweet melodies are bandleader Ash Naylor’s specialty, and on the album’s opening track – ironically called ‘The Opener’ – the band put a psychedelic tilt on their trademark sound. Community radio seem stoked to have them back, with a load of spins for ‘The Opener’, with Victoria’s 3WAY-FM and Inner FM as well as Tasmania’s Edge Radio just a few on air-guitar duties in the studio.

Okenyo – ‘Come Through’ (#2 Amrap Metro)

‘Come Through’ is one of the standout tracks on Sydney hip hop artist Okenyo’s new EP The Wave, full of Okenyo’s signature strength and defiance riding on a surging, melodramatic sound. It’s a song about surrounding yourself with love – falling in love, loving yourself and giving love time to grow. As infectious as love itself, ‘Come Through’ has been the most popular song from ‘The Wave’ aired on community radio, with Sydney’s FBi Radio, Brisbane’s 4ZZZ and Radio Adelaide just a few letting it flow across their airwaves.

Luke Howard – ‘Hymn’ (#9 Amrap Metro)

Melbourne pianist Luke Howard has been quietly etching a presence for himself in Europe for his beautiful post-classical sounds and community radio in Australia have picked up on his talent as well. Having recently signed to Universal offshoot Mercury Kx to release his new album Open Heart Story, his latest single ‘Hymn’ is a swelling, affecting string-laden affair, working with the same kind of slow release pleasure of Johann Johannsson’s work. Triple R in Howard’s hometown is deep into ‘Hymn’, as is Perth’s 6RTR-FM.

See the full Amrap Charts at www.airit.org.au.

The Amrap Charts show the top ten tracks ordered for airplay by community broadcasters through the Amrap’s AirIt music distribution service. Amrap is an initiative of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia which distributes new Australian music to community radio stations nationwide & empowers broadcasters to promote new Australian music on air & online.