Underrated, overlooked, suppressed, discarded: canonical discourse and 1980s rock music from Australia and New Zealand

Abstract

ABSTRACT In canonical narratives of rock music emanating from the global North, the music of Australia and New Zealand continues to be overlooked. This article considers the international critical reception of a range of 1980s bands from Australia and New Zealand, both at the time and subsequently. The analysis shows how the music of the Antipodes largely has been rendered historically irrelevant in canonical terms, highlighting the general importance of subverting conventional narratives by giving voice to marginalized cultures and foregrounding alternative critical arguments.