Lorde - Pure Heroine: A bit annoyed that the album stream is only available to the US. Found a way to listen to it anyway. I like the sound, but everything else is meh..  Cringey lyrics at times, but I guess she's just a kid. It's like pop music for people who think they're too good for it.  Highlight for me is "Ribs" for its interesting pace and "Lover's Spit" shout-out.

Janelle Monae - The Electric Lady: I always skip those skits tbh. I don't care. I still need to give the rest of it a few more listens.

Arcade Fire - Reflektor: Why does this song need to be so long? Everyone seems to like it. I thought it was fine until I read the lyrics. Doesn't sound much more mature than the 16 year-old mentioned above.

Spotify: Everybody is suddenly getting into Allo Darlin's "Tallulah". Yes, it's a song about leaving Brisbane. Wish fulfillment, I guess. Also, I made a friend who likes some similar stuff as me! An Asian too! She is a breath of fresh air on my Spotify Social feed.

Silverchair: Just made the front page of Reddit. I had no idea people outside Australia cared about them. "Nirvana in Pajamas". Excellent.

This is what I get for choosing advanced-level subjects as electives.

You Am I: Saw them at the Enmore in August. That was cool. Surprised that they did Berlin Chair, since they didn't in Brisbane, and I'd assumed it was like their "Creep". Tim Rogers did make a bit of a joke about "Berlin Chair Heights".

John Adams: Conducted the Sydney Symphony last Friday. Comments from the crowd indicated that they were not entirely sold on him being a conductor. I enjoyed it well enough, though I couldn't really get used to the idea of a saxophone concerto. It doesn't sound right!

Julia Holter: New album, BNM'd. I listened to it twice. It's pretty and makes for nice background music, but I'm yet to find any standout track. That comes with time, I guess.

King Krule: First thought was "British Gareth Liddiard." Then I looked him up and found that he's a weedy redhead kid five days younger than me. Shit, I've accomplished nothing with my life. (If only the album didn't sound so... overproduced?)

Rainbow Chan: "Skinny Dipping" is damn catchy. Also, omg an Asian-Australian musician.

Speedy Ortiz: Vocalist described on Triple J as sounding a bit like Fiona Apple, which was odd since the station pretty much never plays her. My first thought was Liz Phair. Seems like the kind of thing that will be forgotten before the year is finished.

The Dismemberment Plan: Two new songs! Not particularly enamoured by either though. I will still be cautiously excited about their album.

Temi Dollface: "Pata Pata" was featured on The Singles Jukebox with some Janelle Monae comparisons. I really like the video.

The National: Concert apparently sold out while I was having a breakdown on the train about forgetting my wallet. Oh well, the new album hadn't grown on me, and I'm content to wait for them to play some hipstery highbrow seated show in a concert hall.

SLQ Live!: While I was in Brisbane, I went to the little exhibition room in the State Library, where this was printed on one of the walls. It was drawn by a person I briefly went to school with. I sort of regret not suggesting Kitchen's Floor while she was asking for bands on Facebook, but oh well. Interestingly, the friend who was with me had the same thought: how many of these bands will be remembered in three years?

Small town: Kurt Sines, one of the guys on that poster, is now in a band with that kid I thought should have won the high school talent quest I ran in 2011. Good for him. They've already got 800 likes on Facebook.

Kirin J. Callinan: Melbourne loves this Sydney guy! Something about seizures, I don't know. Cool voice though, will have to give the album a few more listens.

Sarah Blasko: Forgot to talk about this last month. Being naked in a music video for a song called "All Of Me" is... naff. I'm also not sure why people think it's brave for a woman to do that. It's practically expected, isn't it?

Bliss N Eso: Speaking of Blasko, I just heard Next Frontier on jjj and thought to myself, is it really sufficient to just take someone's song and rap over it? It's pretty much unaltered, and the fact that the original song is so familiar makes it sound so awkward.

Pitchforkcore update: I took Trouble Will Find Me to Brisbane, listened to it many times, tried to muster up some melancholy, and all I felt was "eh". Yeah, I do think the good reviews are people praying for it to be a grower. On the other hand, I'm still getting some enjoyment out of Vampire Weekend's album. Wonder how Arcade Fire will fare.

Yeezus: Yeah, I don't think this album is as difficult and revolutionary as people have been saying. "Bound 2" was probably the best song I heard on the radio that week, but I think its novelty will wear off quickly.

Pixies: I've managed to avoid them for a while now, but a new song! It's alright, but nobody would care about it if it wasn't the Pixies.

Blargh, been busy with exams and I'm going to Brisbane next week.

Kraftwerk: Not in June, but I wen to Computer World and loved it for reasons outlined in every other review on the internet.  Isolating 3D glasses, technology, etc. Okay, I really loved not having to see people sip champagne in the periphery. Sydney Opera House is a awkward as hell venue for everything.

Charles Ives: Been listening to his 4th symphony while studying. It's terribly distracting, which means it must be good. Also, Richard Tognetti said it was his favorite symphony in an interview.

Witold Lutoslawski: Cello Concerto is the other classical thing on rotation. I remember earlier in the year being asked if pieces evoked visual images in my head in a music psychology experiment and answering "no" all the time. This piece would get a "yes".

The National: I'm starting to think that the good reviews for The National's album are from people not wanting to seem late to the praise party like with their previous, "grower" albums. I've listened to it a fair bit and I'm still not getting much from it, to be entirely honest. Pink Rabbits is going on my holiday playlist for it's terrifically clunky lyric, "I was a television version of a person with a broken heart."

Vampire Weekend: On the other hand, I was initially dismissive about Step, but now it's one of my favorites from the album. This band isn't very popular with the Australian critics I read, but screw them, Robert Forster covered one of their songs so they can't be that bad.

The Go-Betweens: Which brings me to this band! I was looking through a "Cityrail in Pop Culture" thread on Railpage, and one of the linked videos was "Streets Of Your Town" (which I was already familiar with). In the sidebar was "Cattle and Cane", and I've racked up like 40 plays of that in one day. Hoooly shit those meter changes. No wonder there's a bridge named after them. I'm going to listen to it on the Brisbane Airtrain and cry. I also like "Dive For Your Memory", and "Here Comes A City".

Powderfinger: I can imagine a future Brisbane having a "Powderfinger Tunnel" or something, oh boy. I still don't feel much for them, and I don't understand why they keep topping polls. I guess I was born too late for them (though I like You Am I somehow). Even so, "My Happiness" is way better than "These Days". Apparently its music video increased slinky sales.

The Church: Giving Starfish a go now. It's a bit of a difficult listen at the moment, but it takes me forever to get into things. "Under The Milky Way" is basically Lovesong but earlier, which is pretty cool.

Easybeats: This is just a note to myself to try and find one of their albums or a best-of. They were recommended to me back in 2011, with a caution of it being "very commercial-sounding". "Friday On My Mind" is great. I can't sing those "dododododo"s in the chorus.

Lorde: Spotify friends love "Tennis Court". "Swinging Party" is what Lana Del Rey's songs wish they sound like. Possible ARIA nomination?

50. Pearl Jam - Better Man

49. Florence + the Machine - Dog Days Are Over
Considering how classic rock these countdowns tend to be, I really didn't expect this.

48. The Strokes - Last Nite

47. The Offspring - Self Esteem

46. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Into My Arms
Oh no, I forgot about this song!

45. Modest Mouse - Float On
I downloaded Good News... and for some reason this song wasn't in the zip, so I didn't hear it for ages.

44. Daft Punk - One More Time

43. John Butler Trio - Betterman

42. Matt Corby - Brother
I don't think this belongs here. I don't think it's a bad song, but there are probably a hundred songs better than it.

41. Coldplay - Yellow
I'm really glad Coldplay exists now. It seems to be the one thing that both pop music and indie rock types can enjoy/tolerate, judging from how the uni music club always ends up singing one of their songs at the end of gatherings.

40. Nine Inch Nails - Closer
My IB45 friend was into romance novels, so I read one with her so we'd have something to talk about. In the book, the heroine would nearly faint every time she heard this song because it reminded her of her ex. And that's how I first heard this great song.

39. Nirvana - Heart Shaped Box
Thumbs up for this song. Ooh, the Spotify playlist updates in real time.

38. The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition
Having seen this band at the ARIAs, I can confirm that the singer can goddamn sing.

37. Beastie Boys - Sabotage

36. Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Whoa, expected this to be higher. I could live without hearing any version of this song again though, it's good but overplayed to death.

35. Radiohead - Karma Police
Cool. I remember a friend showing me how to play this on guitar. Paranoid Android better be up there somewhere.

34. Ben Folds Five - Brick
Didn't expect this. I guess this is the song that made Ben Folds decide to focus on sappier sort of songs, but I do like it.

33. The Cranberries - Zombie
The chord progression sounds a bit like Coldplay's "The Scientist", doesn't it? But this came first. People just love songs that go "eh eh eh oh". It's pretty fun to sing to.

32. Tool - Stinkfist
Oh, so this is Tool. Interesting. Another album atarred on Spotify for later listening.

31. Massive Attack - Teardrop
Here's another song I considered voting for. Thank you, House MD.

30. RHCP - Californication
Only listened to this album because of how much I heard about its terrible mastering. It really was exhausting to listen to. This song is okay/meh, though I'd probably hate it if I were born a bit earlier.

29. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
Ridiculously catchy guitar riff.

28. RHCP - Scar Tissue
See above RHCP words. Oh yeah, I remember living in Brisbane and being on a train full of crazy excited people going to their concert. Ah, Ipswich line.

27. The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist
Finally, another song I voted for! It would have been embarrassing for everyone if the only one I got right(!?) was Lana Del Rey.

26. System Of A Down - Chop Suey
I'm not at all familiar with this.

25. Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Didn't vote for this song, but happy it's here.

24. Augie March - One Crowded Hour
Hooray, another vote in. Probably the only #1 I really like. Awesome lyrics.

23. Muse - Knights of Cydonia
This song is hilarious. I wouldn't say that I like Muse ironically, but I don't really think they're great either. Their songs are just really fun to sing to and play on Guitar Hero. Just sitting around quietly listening to them? Nah.

22. Blur - Song 2
Woo hoo. (But I like the Parklife stuff more...)

21. Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
Hmm, I probably should have voted for this.

20. The Living End - Prisoner Of Society
Didn't expect this so high. I remember the teachers at my high school singing this at the graduation of the cohort above ours. For my year, they did Green Day, and it was nowhere near as fun.

19. Blink-182 - Dammit
I don't really like this band. I was never into pop punk or emo.

18. Outkast - Hey Ya
What!? Thought it'd be top 10. This is a nice break from all of those rock songs.

17. Silverchair - Tomorrow
*shrug* I thought this was supposed to be a youth radio station.

16. Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Can't be surprised, considering how popular that Birdy cover became. I feel like the only person who doesn't think Justin Vernon's voice is beautiful, but his songs still manage to be pretty.

15. The Prodigy - Breathe
Heard this a lot but didn't what it was called.

14. Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man
The best thing about this band is how people get entertainingly angry about them. I feel the same way about this as Angus & Julia Stone: hilarious in hindsight. (This really does not belong here though.)

13. Radiohead - Paranoid Android
Should be higher, but whatever. Gosh, what's going to be in the top ten then?

12. Gotye - Hearts A Mess
Surprising. I think I like this a bit more than STIUTK, probably because it's a lot less overplayed.

11. QOTSA - No One Knows
Wasn't really paying attention because I was eating, but I heard a nice guitar bit.

10. Powderfinger - My Happiness
Nostalgia votes, I guess. Haha, someone on Spotify just added it to their terrible early 2000s nostalgia playlist ("listen @ own risk").

9. Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
Thank you to my vocal group for showing me the intricacies of this song, as well as giving it some future sentimental value. I also remember it playing at my Yr 12 formal.

8. Powderfinger - These Days
I don't know this one, so no nostalgia for me. Bernard Fanning seems nice enough though.

7. The Killers - Mr Brightside
I actually think this song has the potential to grow on me a little more.

6. Foo Fighters - Everlong
I've... actually never heard this song. At least, I don't remember it

5. The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
Here's another one of my votes. Thank God I like something that a lot of other people like. It's not actually one of my top 20 songs from the last two decades, but I wanted to vote for things that had a chance.

4. Hilltop Hoods - The Nosebleed Section
Probably the best of Australian hip hop, but I don't think that's saying much. The little explanation about the sample was interesting though.

3. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
That's some impressive falsetto. Seven Nation Army and Wonderwall next?

2. The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
Yep. Some kid at school suggested this to be our school song, with the seven nations representing the six IB groups and the hub. The guitar riff is basically this whole song.

1. Oasis - Wonderwall
I don't like Oasis. I only have to know this song for things like music club singalongs. That kind of thing is probably why so many people voted for it.