Recreation

NatureAPRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs Of All Time

In 2001 to celebrate 75 years of its existence, APRA (the Australasian Performing Right Association), invited its members and an academy to vote on what they believe are to be New Zealand's top songs of all time. They were asked to select songs from a list of 900 entries. The resultant top 100 songs are listed below.

Position Song Artist Writer(s) Year
1 Nature Fourmyula Wayne Mason 1969
2 Don't Dream It's Over Crowded House Neil Finn 1986
3 Loyal Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1988
4 Counting The Beat Swingers Phil Judd, Mark Hough, Wayne Stevens 1981
5 Six Months In A Leaky Boat Split Enz Tim Finn 1982
6 Sway Bic Runga Bic Runga 1997
7 Slice Of Heaven Dave Dobbyn with Herbs Dave Dobbyn 1986
8 Victoria Dance Exponents Jordan Luck 1982
9 She Speeds Straitjacket Fits Shayne Carter 1987
10 April Sun In Cuba Dragon Paul Hewson, Marc Hunter 1978
11 I Got You Split Enz Neil Finn 1980
12 Whaling DD Smash Dave Dobbyn 1984
13 Not Given Lightly Chris Knox Chris Knox 1990
14 Pink Frost Chills Martin Phillipps 1984
15 Jesus I Was Evil Darcy Clay Darcy Clay 1997
16 Weather With You Crowded House Tim and Neil Finn 1991
17 Blue Smoke Pixie Williams and the Ruru Karaitiana Quartet Ruru Karaitiana 1949
18 Dance All Around The World Blerta Corben Simpson, Geoff Murphy 1972
19 Lydia Fur Patrol Julia Deans 2000
20 Blue Lady Hello Sailor Graham Brazier 1977
21 Drive Bic Runga Bic Runga 1996
22 Chains DLt featuring Che Fu Che Ness, Darryl Thompson, Angus McNaughton, Kevin Rangihuna 1996
23 Dominion Road Mutton Birds Don McGlashan 1992
24 Glad I'm Not A Kennedy Shona Laing Shona Laing 1986
25 I Hope I Never Split Enz Tim Finn 1980
26 Tears Crocodiles Fane Flaws, Arthur Baysting 1980
27 Be Mine Tonight Th' Dudes Dave Dobbyn, Ian Morris 1978
28 I See Red Split Enz Tim Finn 1979
29 Beside You Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1998
30 Home Again Shihad Karl Kippenberger, Tom Larkin, Phil Knight, Jon Toogood 1997
31 Outlook For Thursday DD Smash Dave Dobbyn 1983
32 Down In Splendour Straitjacket Fits Andrew Brough 1990
33 Better Be Home Soon Crowded House Neil Finn 1988
34 How Bizarre OMC Alan Jansson, Pauly Fuemana 1995
35 Language Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1994
36 Message To My Girl Split Enz Neil Finn 1984
37 Poi E Patea Maori Club Dalvanius Prime, Ngoi Pehwairangi 1984
38 Stuff and Nonsense Split Enz Tim Finn 1979
39 Venus Feelers James Reid 1998
40 System Virtue Emma Paki Emma Paki 1996
41 Fraction Too Much Friction Tim Finn Tim Finn 1983
42 French Letter Herbs Tony Fonoti, Spencer Fusimalohi, Dilworth Karaka 1995
43 Maxine Sharon O'Neill Sharon O'Neill 1983
44 Out On The Street Space Waltz Alistair Riddell 1974
45 Slippin' Away Max Merritt and the Meteors Max Merritt 1976
46 Violent Stellar* Boh Runga 1999
47 Why Does Love Do This To Me Exponents Jordan Luck 1992
48 1905 Shona Laing Shona Laing 1972
49 Anchor Me Mutton Birds Don McGlashan 1994
50 Bliss Th' Dudes Dave Dobbyn, Ian Morris 1979
51 For Today Netherworld Dancing Toys Nick Sampson, Malcolm Black 1984
52 Screems From Tha Old Plantation King Kapisi Bill Urale, Kas Futialo 2000
53 Cheryl Moana Marie John Rowles Nathan Kipner, John Rowles 1970
54 Blue Day Mi-Sex Murray Burns, Colin Bayley 1985
55 Glorafilia Zed Ben Campbell, Nathan King, Adrian Palmer 1999
56 Good Morning Mr Rock 'n' Roll Headband Thomas Adderley 1971
57 History Never Repeats Split Enz Neil Finn 1981
58 In The Neighbourhood Sisters Underground Alan Jansson, Hassanah Orogbu, Brenda Makaoeafi 1994
59 Julia Citizen Band Geoff Chunn 1978
60 Pacifier Shihad Shihad 1999
61 Let's Think Of Something Larry's Rebels Roger Skinner 1967
62 Bursting Through Bic Runga Bic Runga 1997
63 Liberty Greg Johnson Greg Johnson 1997
64 Sweet Disorder Strawpeople Paul Casserly, Mark Tierney, Anthony Ioasa 1994
65 Asian Paradise Sharon O'Neill Sharon O'Neill 1979
66 Don't Fight It Marsha, It's Bigger Than Both Of Us Blam Blam Blam Don McGlashan 1981
67 Gutter Black Hello Sailor Dave McArtney 1977
68 Long Ago Herbs Lundon, Hona 1984
69 There Is No Depression In New Zealand Blam Blam Blam Richard Von Sturmer, Don McGlashan 1981
70 You Oughta Be In Love Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1986
71 Andrew Fur Patrol Andrew Bain, Julia Deans, Simon Braxton, Steven Wells 2000
72 Billy Bold Graham Brazier Graham Brazier 1981
73 Distant Sun Crowded House Neil Finn 1993
74 Suddenly Strange Bic Runga Bic Runga 1997
75 Forever Tuesday Morning Mockers Gary Curtis, Andrew Fagan, Tim Wedde 1984
76 Cruise Control Headless Chickens Chris Matthews, Michael Lawry 1991
77 Pressure Man Feelers James Reid, Matt Thomas, Hamish Gee 1998
78 Private Universe Crowded House Neil Finn 1994
79 Room That Echoes Peking Man Neville Hall 1985
80 Sensitive To A Smile Herbs Dilworth, Karaka, Tumahai 1987
81 E Ipo Prince Tui Teka Ngoi Pewhai Rangi, Missy, Prince Tui Teka 1982
82 Andy Front Lawn Harry Sinclair, Don McGlashan 1987
83 Bitter Shihad Shihad 1995
84 Four Seasons In One Day Crowded House Tim and Neil Finn 1991
85 Heavenly Pop Hit Chills Martin Phillipps 1990
86 Husband House Sneaky Feelings Matthew Bannister 1995
87 Jumping Out A Window Pop Mechanix Paul Mason, Andrew McLennan, Chris Moore, Kevin Emmett, Paul Scott 1981
88 If I Were You Straitjacket Fits Shayne Carter, John Collie 1993
89 I'll Say Goodbye (Even Tho I'm Blue) Dance Exponents Jordan Luck 1983
90 Maybe Sharon O'Neill Sharon O'Neill 1981
91 One Day Ahead Eye TV Sean Sturm, Luke Casey, Michael Scott, Grant Winterburn 2000
92 Renegade Fighter Zed Ben Campbell, Nathan King 2000
93 Part Of Me Stellar* Boh Runga 1999
94 Sierra Leone Coconut Rough Andrew McLennan 1983
95 Words Sharon O'Neill Sharon O'Neill 1979
96 Spellbound Split Enz Tim Finn, Phil Judd 1979
97 Rust In My Car Citizen Band Geoff Chunn 1979
98 Mercy Of Love Shona Laing Shona Laing 1992
99 Can't Get Enough Supergroove Joseph Fisher, Karl Steven 1996
100 Naked Flame Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1995