This is a list of Australian produced music television shows.
Early days of music television pre-dated video clips and often hosts and guests were featured miming audio recordings of hit songs (eg. The Go!! Show). As acceptance of Australian music grew, local and visiting acts performed more often on a sound stage (eg. Bandstand), and with the advent of music videos, shows gave way to slickly prepackaged film clips with a host compère mixing live local acts (eg. Countdown). The most recent trend has been towards near and complete compère-free shows which show music videos exclusively (eg. Rage and AMV).
Talent quests and competitions are shown in the second table below.
Contents |
| Title | Period | Network /Channel |
Presenter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TV Disc Jockey | 1956/7(?) | TCN9 | John Godson | Sydney only |
| Teenage Mailbag | 1957 | HSV7 | Ernie Sigley, Heather Horwood and Gaynor Bunning | Melbourne |
| The Hit Parade | 1957–1959 ? | HSV7 | John Eden (3DB) | Melbourne |
| The Astor Show | ? | GTV-9 | Sydney | |
| Your Hit Parade | ? | ? | Brisbane | |
| Club Seven | ? | Seven | Brisbane | |
| In Time | ? | ? | Adelaide | |
| Saturday Date | ? | TCN9 | Tony Murphy, Jimmy Hannan | [1] |
| Bandstand | 1958–1972 | Nine Network | Brian Henderson | [2] |
| Six O'Clock Rock | 1959–1962 | ABC) | Johnny O'Keefe, & others |
[3] |
| The Johnny O'Keefe Show / Sing Sing Sing |
1961–1962 1963-1965 |
HSV-7 | Johnny O'Keefe | [3] |
| Teen Scene | 1964–1965 | ABC | Johnny Chester | [4] |
| The Go!! Show | 1964–1967 | ATV-0 | Alan Field, Ian Turpie, Johnny Young | Melbourne only |
| Kommotion | 1964–67 | ATV-0 | Ken Sparkes | Monday to Friday at 5.30 pm. [5] |
| Club Seventeen | 1965?–1969? | TVW-7 | Gary Carvolth, Johnny Young | aka 7-Teen. Perth. [6][7][8] |
| It's All Happening | 1966 | Seven Network | Billy Thorpe | Sydney. [1][9] |
| It's A Gas | 1966 | ABC | Bobby & Laurie | Later renamed Dig We Must. [11] |
| Uptight | 1967–1969 | ATV-0 (O-Ten) | Ross D. Wylie | 8am to 12pm Saturday mornings. [12][13] |
| Where The Action Is | 1967 | TEN-10 | Johnny O'Keefe | Sydney. [3] |
| GTK (Get To Know) | 1969–1975 | ABC | 10 minute show at 6:30pm weeknights/ [14] | |
| Hitscene | 1969–1972 | ABC | Dick Williams | |
| Happening '70 (also '71, '72) |
1970–1972 | ATV-0 (O-Ten) | Ross D. Wylie | [15] |
| Sounds Unlimited / Sounds |
1974–1987 | Seven Network | Donnie Sutherland | |
| Countdown | 1974–1987 | ABC | Ian "Molly" Meldrum, various guest hosts | Initially on Friday evenings, later Sunday evenings at 6pm with a repeat on following Saturday.[16][17] |
| Bandstand 76 (#2) | 1976 | Nine Network | Daryl Somers | |
| Flashez | 1976-77 | ABC | Ray Burgess | Mon-Fri 4:30pm magazine style incl music |
| Nightmoves | 1977–1986 | Seven, and later Ten |
Lee Simon | Ch 7 1977-83, Ch 10 1984- |
| Music Express | 1978?–1989? | Steve Whittam late 70's? Greg Clark and Di Stapleton (1984) Carolyn Kenny (1986) | In Sth Aust 4-6pm Sundays, SES8 Mt.Gambier | |
| Studio One | 1980–1983 | BTQ-7 | 7 Brisbane had this local program, because Sounds ex ATN-7 Sydney was screened on QTQ-9 Brisbane. | |
| VideoDisc | 1981–82 | ABC | 5 minute clip prior to 7pm news | |
| Rock Arena | 1982–1989 | ABC | Peter Holland (1982)?, Andrew Peters (1982-83), Glenn Shorrock (Jan-June 1984) Suzanne Dowling (July 1984-1989) | Originally concerts as per Nightshift, 1st episode (Feb 1982) was a concert of The Kinks 1979. Later in 1982 started showing clips and by 1984 recorded live studio performances as well. |
| Wrok |
1982 | Network Ten | 5pm-5:30pm Mon-Fri | |
| Countdown Friday |
1982 | ABC | Clip show with voiceover from John Peters, Approx 22 episodes July-Dec | |
| Breezin | 1981–1984 | Bendigo BCV8 | John Hurst and Glenn Ridge | Friday nights around 10pm for 1 hour |
| Rock Around the World | 1982–1985 | SBS | Basia Bonkowski | Mon-Thurs 6-630pm, Friday 1 hour at approx 11pm |
| Take 5/Take V |
1983–1984 | ABC | 5 minute clip prior to 7pm news, replaced Videodisc | |
| Countdown Flipside |
1983 | ABC | Request show hosted by John Peters | Saturdays 5pm |
| Clipz | 1983–1987 | QTQ9 Brisbane | Brisbane only | |
| Music Video | 1983–1987 | Network Ten | John Torv 1984-85, Basia Bonkowski 1985-86 |
One of the earliest all night music programs before Rage which consistently showed music clips along with interviews and reviews. Was cut in early 1987 when Video Hits started. |
| Saturday Juke Box | 1983–1988? | BTQ-7 | Brisbane only, replaced Studio One | |
| Trax | 1984?–1989? | Ch 7 -1986, Ch 10 1987-? | Andrew Peters, SAFM DJ's | Clip show in Sth Aust and WA only |
| Wavelength | 1984 | Nine | Jono & Dano (Jonathan Coleman & Ian Dickson) | clip show 5:30pm Mon-Fri |
| Continental Drift | 1984 | SBS | Basia Bonkowski | Saturday 6-6:30pm |
| Freeze Frame | 1984 | SBS | Friday 6-630pm covered music, fashion and comedy | |
| Antenna | 1984–1985 | ABC | Sunday morning 10-10:30, music clips, lifestyle and reviews | |
| Night Shift | 1985 | Ch7 | Shown in Adelaide | |
| Simulrock | 1985 | Shown in Adelaide in conjunction with 5AD | ||
| Top 40 Video | 1985 | Adelaide, 3 hour show playing the Top 40 clips | ||
| Kulture Shock |
1985 | SBS | Annette Shun Wah? | later became The Noise, Nomad, Alchemy and Noise TV |
| Seven Rock | 1985?–1987? | BTQ-7 | Late Friday evenings - Brisbane only | |
| Beatbox | 1985–1988 | ABC | TBC | Saturday morning - replaced by The Factory |
| Rockit | 1985 | Ch 9 | Lee Simon | |
| Tracks? | 1985?–1988? | Clip show in Tasmania only | ||
| Video Hits | 1987–2011 | Network Ten | Kelly Cavuoto (2004), Axle Whitehead (2004-2006), Faustina "Fuzzy" Agolley (2006-2011), Nathan Sapsford (2007-2008), Hayden Guppy (2009), Dylan Lewis (2010-2011) | Saturday and Sunday mornings |
| Off The Record | 1987?–1989? | Ballarat BTV6 | Glenn Ridge | Saturday mornings 10:30-12:00 |
| rage | 1987–current | ABC | Friday show is generally compère-free. Saturday show has numerous guest presenters | Friday and Saturday nights (late) until early morning |
| Nightshift | 1987-1989 | Network Ten | Friday and Saturday nights approx 12am-6am | |
| MTV | 1987–1992? | Nine Network | Richard Wilkins | late night show, later moved to pay-TV |
| The Factory | 1987–1989 | ABC | Andrew Daddo and Alex Papps | Saturday morning |
| Countdown Revolution | 1989-1990 | ABC | Tania Lacy | |
| Video Smash Hits | 1990–1996? | Seven Network | Michael Horrocks, Emily Symons and Kym Wilson | Saturday mornings. Ran opposite Ten's Video Hits |
| Take 40 Australia | 1993–2009 | Network Ten/2Day FM | Andrew G | produced in association with the syndicated radio program of the same name. [18] |
| The Drum | 1993 | Channel V Australia (on Foxtel) | Ian "Molly" Meldrum | Revived on Fox-8 in 2002. [13] |
| Turn It Up (Rhythm NATion) | 1994–1996 | Australia Television Channel 31 Optus Vision | Paul Fidler | 1995 - Beamed to over 40 countries globally, Back in production January 2009 |
| MC Tee Vee | early to mid 1990s | SBS | Annette Shun Wah | Mainly dance, house and hip hop tracks. |
| Recovery | 1996–2000 | ABC | Dylan Lewis | Saturday mornings from 9:00am to 12:00pm |
| Alchemy TV | 1998–2000 | SBS | Frank Rodi, Robbie Buck, Nicole Fossati | Friday nights from 10.55pm |
| Ground Zero | 1998–1999? | Network Ten | Penne Dennison, Jade Gatt, Ugly Phil O'Neil, Jackie O | |
| The 10:30 Slot | 1999–2000 | ABC | Dylan Lewis, Angus Sampson | |
| Studio 22 | 1999–2003 | ABC | Clinton Walker, Annette Shun Wah | Live performances of artists from Australia and overseas [19] |
| The House Of Hits | 2000 | Network Ten | Leah McLeod, Ian Meldrum | Saturdays, 6:30pm. [20] |
| AMV | 2000–2002 (Seven Network), 2000–present (Seven Local TV) | Seven Network | 7am to 9am weekday mornings | |
| So Fresh TV | 2002–2006 | Nine Network | David Campbell and Elysia Platt | Saturday Mornings. [21] |
| Eclipse Music TV | 2005–current | Seven Network (2005-2010) Nine Network / GO! (2010-present) |
Lizzy Lovette (2005–2007), James Tobin (2005–2010), Virginia Lette (2008–2010), Suze Raymond (2010), Shura Taft (2011-present), Zoe Balbi (2011-present) | Saturday noon |
| jtv | 2006–current | ABC | Rosie Beaton and various other Triple J presenters | Friday nights, weekend mornings |
| The Music Jungle | 2007–2008 | Nine Network | Asha Kuerten (07), Angela Johnson (08), Lizzy Lovette (08) | Saturday Mornings. |
| The ARIA Music Show | 2009 | Nine Network / GO! | Monday to Friday late night | |
| MTV Hits Weekly Hot30 Countdown | 2010-current | MTV Hits Australia/Today Network (2010-present) | Erin McNaught (2010-present), Matty Acton (2010-present) | Every Sunday, 6:00pm - 8:30pm |
| The Hit Rater.com | 2010-current? | Southern Cross TV | [[]] | Every Sunday, 8:30-9am |
| TBA | 2012 | Eleven | Scott Tweedie | Saturday Morning |
| Underground Sounds | 2004-Present | C31 | Shane McNamara and Kelli Mcdonald | Saturday Nights |
Talent quest shows have been popular throughout Australia's television broadcasting history. A typical format is a selection of unknown singers or musicians (as opposed to established recording artists) performing before a panel of judges who award points with the winner receiving a cash prize or a recording contract. More recent incarnations have had the heats and eliminations running over several months with public votes included (eg. Australian Idol).
Young Talent Time was one of Australia's longest running talent quest shows (1971–1988) and included a mix of regular in-house performers with a weekly talent competition.
| Name | Period | Network /channel |
Compère/s | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TV Stars of Tomorrow - Tarax show segment |
1958? | Nine Network | Kids talent segment, included Denise Drysdale, Wendy Stapleton, Marty Rhone | |
| New Faces | 1963–1985 | Nine Network | Frank Wilson (1963–1976), Bert Newton (1976–1985) | Originally titled Kevin Dennis Auditions, renamed New Faces in 1968 |
| Young Talent Time | 1971–1988, 2012- | Network Ten | Johnny Young (1971-1988) Rob Mills (2012-) |
Mainly focussed on young teens. Notable for establishing performers such as Tina Arena, Jamie Redfern, Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue, and Debra Byrne. |
| Pot of Gold | 1975–1978 | Network Ten | Tommy Hanlon Jr. | Bernard King was a regular judge. [22] |
| Pot Luck | 1987 | Network Ten | Ernie Sigley | Based on Pot Of Gold. Competitors included Kym Wilson |
| Bert's New Faces | 1992–1993 | Network Ten | Bert Newton | [23] |
| Popstars | 2000–2002 | Seven Network | Luke Jacobz | Tuesday 7:30pm to 9:30pm |
| Australian Idol | 2003–2009 | Network Ten | Andrew G, James Mathison and Ricki-Lee Coulter | Sunday 7:30pm (performances) & Monday 7:30 (elimination) Late Winter – Late Spring (Annual season) |
| Popstars Live | 2004 | Seven Network | Luke Jacobz | Sunday 7:30pm (performances) & Monday 7:30 (elimination) |
| The X Factor | 2005, 2010 present | Network Ten (2005) Seven Network (2010-present) |
Daniel Macpherson (2005), Luke Jacobz (2010-current) | Sunday 7:30pm (performances) & Monday 7:30 (elimination) |
| The Voice | 2012- | Nine Network | TBA | TBA |