On this day in 1981, Men at Work’s iconic track “Down Under” hit No. 1 on the Australian charts. The song became an anthem of national pride, with its quirky lyrics and reggae-inspired sound capturing the essence of Australia. It later topped charts worldwide, making Men at Work one of the first Australian bands to achieve international success on such a large scale.
In 1969, The Beatles released Abbey Road in the UK, their final studio album recorded together. Sessions for the album began just three weeks after the group wrapped work on the proposed Get Back album (released in 1970 as Let It Be). Despite tensions between the band members, Abbey Road resulted in some of their best material, including “Come Together,” “Here Comes the Sun,” and “Something,” which marked the first Beatles A-Side to feature a George Harrison composition.
In 1987, Michael Jackson’s Bad hit No.1 in the U.S. The album produced a record-breaking five No.1 singles, including “Bad” and “Man in the Mirror.” Anticipation was through the roof, in part because it had been five years since Jackson’s 1982 all-time epic, Thriller.
In 2000, Australian rock band Powderfinger released Odyssey Number Five, which became their best-selling album and a staple of Australian rock history.
