In many ways, this was a ridiculous undertaking.
We knew that pulling together a list of the best Rage playlists ever would be a mammoth task. After all, Rage is the longest running music TV show on the planet, faithfully beaming music into our lounge rooms every weekend for over 30 years. Added up, that means there are around 3,100 playlists — give or take — to sift though.
Mercifully, we weren’t planning on looking at every single one of them. Rather, we were out to find the best playlists as curated by the show’s guest programmers — musical celebs like Trent Reznor, Metallica, Slipknot, Cyndi Lauper, David Byrne, Tool, Crowded House and Silverchair, to cherrypick a few.
But eventually, we came out with a list of the 30 best Rage guest playlists of all time. And what a list it is.
The criteria was as follows: first and foremost, the playlist had to have wall-to-wall killer tunes. But we weren’t necessarily looking for a playlist of stock standard classics — a great playlist also introduces the listener to lesser-known gems, or takes us on a trip down memory lane. Lastly, we wanted playlists that offer a inside glimpse at the mind of the artist curating them.
The list we came out with features songs from every genre, every era, every kind of artist and band on the planet. They can soundtrack the most raucous parties, or the loneliest of hours.
But this list would be nothing without the capability to listen to them — and thanks to the folks over at Rageaholic, you can now play every single one of these playlists online for the first time in Rage’s history. Just follow the link below each entry to hear them.
Enjoy.
Trent Reznor / Nine Inch Nails
The Story
The enigmatic Trent Reznor was already ten years deep into a celebrated rock career by the time he dropped by the Rage couch in 2000. He was in the country to promote The Fragile, the colossal double-disc, 23-track record that clocked in at well over 100 minutes.
As expected, the playlist that Reznor brought ranged far and wide, from the best of alt-rock (‘Just Like Honey’ – The Jesus & Mary Chain) to the cream of R&B and hip-hip (‘On And On’ – Erykah Badu, ‘Award Tour’ – A Tribe Called Quest.)
Key Tracks
‘The Perfect Kiss’ – New Order, ‘Just Like Honey’ – The Jesus & Mary Chain, ‘Mountain Song’ – Jane’s Addiction
The Curveballs
‘On And On’ – Erykah Badu, ‘Award Tour’ – A Tribe Called Quest
> > Listen Here
De La Soul
The Story
When New York trio De La Soul turned up on Rage in December 2001, they were riding high following the release of their sixth record Art Official Intelligence: Bionix. By that time they had well and truly established themselves as one of the most influential hip-hop groups in the scene, thanks to groundbreaking records like Three Feet High & Rising and De La Soul Is Dead.
Their Rage playlist carves a path through the best of the world’s hip-hop, from icons like Grandmaster Flash to relative newcomers like Dr. Dre to Snoop Dogg. But there are plenty of curveballs in their too, with a big slap of pop and rock acts also appearing.
Key Tracks
‘Award Tour’ – A Tribe Called Quest, ‘The Message’ – Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, ‘Love Shack’ – The B-52’s, ‘Gimme Some Mo’ – Busta Rhymes
The Curveball
‘I’m A Slave 4 U’ – Britney Spears
> > Listen Here
Powderfinger
The Story
When the boys from Bris Vegas landed on the Red Couch in 2000, they were arguably at the very peak of their popularity. Their album Internationalist had wiped the floor at the ARIA Awards the year before, taking home the gongs for Album Of The Year, Best Rock Album, and Song Of The Year with ‘The Day You Come’.
They were in the middle of making their fourth record, which we would come to know as Odyssey Number Five. It would spawn some of the biggest songs of their career, including ‘These Days’, ‘My Happiness’ and ‘Waiting For The Sun.’
They took the time out of recording to deliver a playlist of stone cold rock classics for the Rage audience, featuring cuts from Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, KISS, and Midnight Oil.
Key Tracks
‘The Power And The Passion’ – Midnight Oil, ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ – Joe Cocker, ‘Angie’ – The Rolling Stones
The Curveball
‘Everything Is Everything’ – Lauryn Hill
> > Listen Here
Metallica
The Story
The road leading up to Metallica’s 2004 album St Anger was a difficult one. Bassist Jason Newstead left the group, James Hetfield entered rehab for substance abuse, and the band were frequently caught up in public squabbles over the emerging illegal downloading mess.
But out of all of this emerged one of their best records, which marked not only a return to form but a radical change in direction from their earlier work.
It was a perfect time for them to make their Rage debut, and they didn’t disappoint. Just check out this song run: ‘Lust For Life’ – Iggy Pop, ‘God Save The Queen’ – Sex Pistols, ‘Smash It Up’ – The Damned, ‘My Generation’ – The Who, ‘Jailbreak’ – ACDC. It was stacked from start to finish.
Key Tracks
‘Lust For Life’ – Iggy Pop, ‘Serenity And Murder’ – Slayer, ‘Creep’ – Stone Temple Pilots
The Curveball
‘G Bedtime Stories’ – Snoop Dogg
> > Listen Here
A-Trak
The Story
Alain Macklovitch made headlines around the world when he took home the title at DMC’s World DJ Championship at the tender age of 15. In the years since, A-Trak has only furthered his reputation as “The DJ’s DJ”.
In 2010, when he dropped by Rage, he was riding a massive wave of success thanks to the ubiquitous bangers ‘aNYway’ and ‘Barbara Streisand’ — released with fellow DJ Armand Van Helden under the name Duck Sauce.
His Rage playlist reflects the very best of his live sets, with an eclectic mix of tracks from dance, pop, and rock — he even throws in a few punk curveballs just for good measure.
Key Tracks
‘Heads Will Roll’ – Yeah Yeah Yeahs, ‘Bulletproof’ – La Roux, ‘I Want Your Soul’ – Armand Van Helden
The Curveball
‘Buffalo Girls’ – Malcolm McLaren
> > Listen Here
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
The Story
When Sharon Jones tragically lost her battle with cancer in October 2016, she left behind an remarkable musical legacy.
Despite only have been a recording artist for a little under 20 years, the singer had become a beloved icon of the soul scene and the wider music industry. Her backing band, the Dap Kings, would even become famous in their own right — as the session musos on Amy Winehouse’s album Back To Black.
In 2011 she was in Australia touring her album I Learned The Hard Way, and her subsequent Rage appearance was chock full of the music we’d hoped: plenty of soul, plenty of R&B, and plenty of surprises.
Vale, Sharon Jones.
Key Tracks
‘Sexual Healing’ – Marvin Gaye, ‘When Doves Cry’ – Prince, ‘You Know I’m No Good’ – Amy Winehouse, ‘Gimme Your Love’ – Aretha Franklin with James Brown
The Curveball
‘Haven’t Met You Yet’ – Michael Buble
> > Listen Here
Bullet For My Valentine
The Story
Since their debut album The Poison landed in 2005, Bullet For My Valentine have remained one of the most essential rock bands working today. Over the course of five excellent albums they have continuously reinvented themselves, and pushed the boundaries of metalcore and heavy music at large.
Their 2009 Rage playlist — coming just after the release of their second album Scream Aim Fire — was packed with their musical influences, with tracks from Metallica, Motorhead, Motley Crue, Faith No More and Soundgarden all featuring. They even gave Perth’s own heavy gods Karnivool a shoutout with ‘Themata.’
For an intro to heavy rock, you couldn’t ask for a better playlist.
Key Tracks
‘Paranoid’ – Black Sabbath, ‘Jesus Christ Pose’ – Soundgarden, ‘Themata’ – Karnivool
The Curveball
‘Dirty Diana’ – Michael Jackson
> > Listen Here
Arctic Monkeys
The Story
Three years before their album AM would redefine modern rock, Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys sat on Rage’s Red Couch, working their way through a playlist that bounced from hip-hop to heavy metal to Britpop.
Indeed, if you wanted to pinpoint all of AM’s influences, this playlist would be a pretty good place to start. In one particular segment, they bounce from Oasis to Run DMC to The Prodigy to The Black Keys to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — a pretty eclectic mix to say the least, but one that makes complete sense when you remember who’s choosing the tracks.
Key Tracks
‘Since I Left You’ – The Avalanches, ‘Gravel Pit’ – The Wu-Tang Clan, ‘In Bloom’ – Nirvana
The Curveball
‘Spice Up Your Life’ – Spice Girls
> > Listen Here
Photo via Rage
Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher And Fraser A. Gorman
The Story
If you to name the icons of Melbourne’s indie scene, there’s a good chance you would pick either Courtney Barnett, Jen Cloher, or Fraser A. Gorman. The three artists have become synonymous with the Melbourne scene, partly due to Barnett and Cloher’s label Milk! Records, which Gorman is signed to.
For their joint Rage appearance, they throw a fair whack of prime Australian tunes on the barbie, including ‘Dumb Things’ by Paul Kelly, ‘King Of The Mountain’ by Midnight Oil, and ‘Blackfella Whitefella’ by the Warumpi Band. Then there are tracks by Patti Smith, Sleater Kinney…and Fatboy Slim — just for some variation.
Key Tracks
‘Because The Night’ – Patti Smith, ‘Blackfella Whitefella’ – Warumpi Band, ‘Dumb Things’ – Paul Kelly and The Coloured Girls
The Curveball
‘Weapon Of Choice’ – Fatboy Slim
> > Listen Here
Calvin Harris
The Story
In 2008, Calvin Harris was still a Scottish upstart with the balls to slap I Created Disco on the front of his debut album. It would be years before tracks like ‘Outside’ and ‘Pray To God’ and ‘Feel So Close’ would define modern dance music, and he would become the most well paid DJ on the planet five years in a row. But when he rocked up on the Rage couch in 2008, Harris was just a fresh-faced producer determined to prove himself.
Put simply, his playlist is just wall-to-wall bangers, featuring tracks from Donna Summer, Daft Punk, James Brown, The Jackson Five, Rick James, Salt ‘N’ Pepa, and more. Put it on and turn it up loud.
(We would also highly encourage everyone to check out his Rage mug shot — how’s that haircut?)
Key Tracks
‘I Feel Love’ – Donna Summer, ‘Da Funk’ – Daft Punk, ‘Moving On Up’ – M People
The Curveball
‘The Bucket’ – Kings Of Leon
> > Listen Here
Florence & The Machine
The Story
Florence Welch turned up on the Red Couch just six months after the release of her acclaimed debut album Lungs — which, apart from being a simply excellent record, is probably the most aptly titled release of all time.
She would learn to flex and control that powerful voice over two subsequent albums, 2011’s Ceremonials and 2015’s Ship To Wreck, and you can quite easily track the musical touchstones of those records on the playlist she delivered for Rage in 2010.
There are great tracks from fellow British singers like Annie Lennoz and PJ Harvey, as well as Kylie Minogue, Talking Heads, Fleetwood Mac and Grace Jones. If you want delightfully weird pop, look no further.
Key Tracks
‘Dress’ – PJ Harvey, ‘Strict Machine’ – Goldfrapp, ‘Little Bird’ – Annie Lennox
The Curveball
‘Do You Realize??’ – The Flaming Lips
> > Listen Here
City & Colour
The Story
On one side of the Dallas Green coin, you have the intimidating frontman of Alexisonfire, one of the most successful heavy rock bands of the last two decades. On the other, you have a tender folk musician whose songs like ‘Comin’ Home’ and ‘The Grand Optimist’ could probably wrench tears from the driest of eyes.
Dallas Green inhabits both of these personas with ease — which makes his 2016 Rage playlist one of the most eclectic on this list. Punk screamers from Fugazi sit comfortably alongside tracks from Kendrick Lamar, Erykah Badu, Mogwai and Lou Reed. It’s a wild and wandering listen, but a good one.
Key Tracks
‘Suggestion’ – Fugazi, ‘Window Seat’ – Erykah Badu, ‘King Kunta’ – Kendrick Lamar
The Curveball
‘Teenage Dirtbag’ – Wheatus
> > Listen Here
Slipknot
The Story
Love ’em or simply terrified by ’em, Slipknot have been a stalwart of the metal scene since they burst out of Des Moines, Iowa in 1995.
They arrived at Rage fairly early on in their career, about a year after the release of their debut self-titled album. The playlist they came up with is quite a bit softer than you might expect, with tracks from John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Bjork, and New Order all featuring.
For those than wanted heavy, there was plenty of that in the form of Marilyn Manson, Tool, Anthrax, and Sepultura.
Key Tracks
‘Blind’ – Korn, ‘Blue Monday’ – New Order, ‘Comfortably Numb’ – Pink Floyd
The Curveball
‘Imagine’ – John Lennon
> > Listen Here
Cyndi Lauper
The Story
There aren’t many musicians that can proudly claim the Pop Icon mantel, but Cyndi Lauper definitely can. She soundtracked an entire generation –and beyond — with songs like ‘Time After Time’ and ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’. Her 1983 debut album sold five million copies. Those are some serious numbers.
So when she finally arrived on Rage in 2004, she already had a lifetime of stories to tell. Over many hours, she wove those stories between tracks by Crowded House, Bruce Springsteen, K.D Lang, Talking Heads, Split Enz, Culture Club and more.
Between the deeply personal selection of tracks, and the stories that accompanied them, viewers were gifted a rare and incredibly intimate insight into one of the world’s biggest stars. This is what Rage was made for.
Key Tracks
‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me’ – Culture Club, ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’ – Crowded House, ‘The Streets Of Philadelphia’ – Bruce Springsteen
The Curveball
‘Weapon Of Choice’ – Fatboy Slim
> > Listen Here
Danny Brown
The Story
Rambunctious Detroit rapper Danny Brown had been tearing up the country on tour for his hit album Old when he dropped by the Rage studio in 2014.
He didn’t disappoint, putting together a playlist of bangers from the likes of Missy Elliot, Aesop Rock, Aaliayh, Gnarls Barkley, Amy Winehouse and Dizzee Rascal — to name just one particular song run. It was a case of come for the hip-hop, stay for the surprises. Brown had plenty of unexpected picks up his sleeve, including tracks from Korn, Franz Ferdinand, Incubus, Coldplay and more.
Whatever your taste, Danny Brown has you covered.
Key Tracks
‘The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)’ – Missy Elliot, ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell’ – Nas, ‘Try Again’ – Aaliyah
The Curveball
‘Telephone’ – Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce
> > Listen Here
Joan Jett
The Story
At the tender age of 15, Joan Jett found herself front and centre of one of the biggest bands in the world, The Runaways. While their tenure at the top of the scene was short lived, Jett has gone on to become a steadfast figure of rock ‘n’ roll — hell, without her we wouldn’t even have the track ‘I Love Rock ‘N Roll’.
She dropped by Rage in 2011 to deliver a playlist of fiery rock and punk, including The Ramones, No FX, Le Tigre, Against Me!, Green Day, Cheap Trick and more. Put it on the jukebox, baby.
Key Tracks
‘TKO’ – Le Tigre, ‘Boys Want To Be Her’ – Peaches, ‘Don’t Lose Touch’ – Against Me!
The Curveball
‘White Noise’ – The Living End
> >Listen Here
Kimbra
The Story
When Kimbra rocked up to Rage in September of 2011, we were only just beginning to know who she was. Her debut album Vows had only been out a month, and it would be a few more months before she linked up with Gotye for a little song called ‘Somebody That I Used To Know.’
But a quick glance over her playlist would have given you a pretty good indication of just who Kimbra was, and where she was going. Her playlist is stacked full of quirky pop and soul, from Janelle Monae B-sides to beloved bangers like Gorillaz’s ‘Clint Eastwood’ and Mark Ronson’s ‘Somebody To Love Me.’
Key Tracks
‘It’s Oh So Quiet’ – Bjork, ‘Faith’ – George Michael, ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ – Tears For Fears
The Curveball
‘L’Via L’Viaquez’ – The Mars Volta
> > Listen Here
LE1F
The Story
If we had to anoint just one playlist in this list as the ‘Best Of All Time’, this one from New York rapper LE1F would be a red hot contender.
In 2014, the rapper was tapped by Rage to host their annual Mardi Gras special, and boy did he deliver. There are no duds as far as the eye can see — in just one small section, for instance, we are gifted tracks by FKA Twigs, Bjork, Busta Rhymes, Grace Jones, Kate Bush, and Talk Talk. Damn.
Of course, it being Mardi Gras, there is plenty of Kylie, Madonna and Destiny’s Child for you to sink your teeth into as well.
Key Tracks
‘Running Up That Hill’ – Kate Bush, ‘Drunk In Love’ – Beyonce, ‘What’s It Gonna Be’ – Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson
The Curveball
‘Drive’ – Incubus
> > Listen Here
PNAU
The Story
In 2007, Pnau were at the height of their powers. They had just put out the best album of their career in Pnau, which spawned the mega hits ‘Embrace’, ‘Wild Strawberries’, and ‘Baby’ — all of which endure as some of the best dance music Australia has ever produced.
The men behind Pnau — Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes — possess two of the busiest and most creative minds in the industry, and the playlist they brought to Rage in 2008 undoubtedly represents just a small corner of their musical obsessions.
From the electronic and wonky (Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder) to the dark and brooding (Nick Cave) to the joyful (Pet Shop Boys) their playlist is a challenging, but highly rewarding, listen.
Key Tracks
‘Together In Electric Dreams’ – Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder, ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ – Simple Minds, ‘West End Girls’ – Pet Shop Boys
The Curveball
‘The Partisan’ – Joan Baez
> > Listen Here
Hole
The Story
Hole’s appearance on Rage in 1999 is the stuff of infamy.
After casually rocking up to the studio five hours late, singer Courtney Love proceeded to jokingly introduce herself on camera as Madonna, and then spent the majority of the time on the couch arguing with her bandmates.
But away from all that bluster, Hole delivered a truly stellar playlist, with a meaty chunks of grunge, Britpop, rock, rap, and pop. She might not care about punctuality, but Love and her gang definitely care about good music.
Key Tracks
‘Army Of Me’ – Bjork, ‘Rhinoceros’ – Smashing Pumpkins, ‘The Mercy Seat’ – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
The Curveball
‘Under The Milky Way’ – The Church
> > Listen Here
Mark Ronson
The Story
Mark Ronson’s talent for repackaging old school soul into modern pop gold has made him one of the most in-demand producers on the planet. His Midas touch earned him a Grammy for his production work on Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black in 2009, and he followed that win up with a bucketload more of them last year for his ubiquitous hit ‘Uptown Funk’.
Essentially, Ronson is nothing short of a musical genius, and Rage was lucky to pick his brains back in 2009, when he was in the country on a promo tour for his solo album Version.
The playlist he brought predictably samples the best of the best, from Winehouse to Sharon Jones to Public Enemy to Adele to Stevie Wonder. His love of hip-hop is plainly evident, but so is his love of rock and indie and straight up pop.
DJs, take note: this is how you select a mix.
Key Tracks
‘Valerie’ – Amy Winehouse, ‘Tell Me’ – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, ‘Fight The Power’ – Public Enemy
The Curveball
‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ – Coolio
> > Listen Here
Mardi Gras Special (2011)
The Story
Is there anything better than a Pride celebration?
The answer you’re looking for is no, there absolutely is not. Every year, Rage dedicate a couple of nights to exploring the most iconic Mardi Gras tracks from across the generations. We’re talking Kylie Minogue, Donna Summer, Robyn, Queen, Wham, Sia, Ariana Grande — anything that will get your blood pumping and feet moving.
We knew we had to include one of these lists from over the years — and 2011 was a particularly good playlist — if only so we could have it on hand for a spin at a house party, or just for the office on a Thursday afternoon when everyone needs a pick-me-up.
Come on in, and bring the glitter.
Key Tracks
‘On A Night Like This’ – Kylie Minogue, ‘Dancing On My Own’ – Robyn, ‘I Want To Break Free’ – Queen, ‘Finally’ – Ce Ce Peniston
The Curveball
Pfft.
> > Listen Here
Tkay Maidza
The Story
Since first breaking out with the stomping ‘Brontosaurus’ in 2013, Adelaide’s Tkay Maidza has risen to become one of the most important musicians in Australia.
Her debut album TKAY landed in October last year, and she dropped by the Rage studio a month later to deliver a playlist sourced from her biggest musical touchstones, including Santigold, Kendrick Lamar, Azealia Banks and Danny Brown.
It’s rare that someone so young is handed the Rage reins — Maidza was only 21 when she sat on the Red Couch — but she did her generation proud.
Key Tracks
‘Disparate Youth’ – Santigold, ‘Alright’ – Kendrick Lamar, ‘I Love It’ – Icona Pop, ‘Swim Good’ – Frank Ocean
The Curveball
‘Omen’ – The Prodigy
> > Listen Here
Marilyn Manson
The Story
Despite an initially terrifying presence, the Antichrist Superstar revealed himself to be a warm and endlessly funny Rage host.
“He’s someone who has a very really strong aura about him,” Rage producer Tyson Koh told Music Junkee about Manson’s appearance. “He’s very commanding, he’s highly intelligent, really creative, and really off-beat. He’s the kind of guy where you’d look at him, you’d have a look at his repertoire and you’d think, ‘Oh, here’s a guy who’s really serious and really dark.’”
“But when you meet him in person, you realise that he’s actually a very affable and funny guy. He’s got a really wicked sense of humour.”
Manson graced the Red Couch in 1999, while in the country to promote his third album Mechanical Animals. His playlist traverses all corners of classic rock and metal — with a little bit of Hanson’s ‘Mmmbop’ thrown in for good measure.
Key Tracks
‘Nancy Boy’ – Placebo, ‘Lust For Life’ – Iggy Pop, ‘Under Pressure’ – Queen feat. David Bowie, ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’ – Manic Street Preachers
The Curveball
‘MMM Bop’ – Hanson
> > Listen Here
Green Day
The Story
While Green Day may have been in the country to promote their incendiary fifth album Nimrod, it was clear they turned up on the Rage couch in 1999 with another, much more important, goal in mind: to cram in as much rock to their playlist as they possibly could.
Just take this song run as an example: ‘Can’t Explain’ – The Who, ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ – The Rolling Stones, ‘Message Of Love’ – The Pretenders, ‘Love Me Two Times’ – The Doors, ‘Touch Me’ – The Doors, ‘Baby Baby’ – Die Toten Hosen, ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll High School’ – The Ramones, ‘I Love Rock And Roll’ – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts…it’s a rock fan’s wet dream.
Key Tracks
‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ – The Rolling Stones, ‘Choke’ – Sepultura, ‘Psychotheraphy’ – The Ramones, ‘I Love Rock And Roll’ – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
The Curveball
‘Whip It’ – Devo
> > Listen Here
Silverchair
The Story
It’s easy to forget how young Silverchair were when they rose to prominence. They were still only teenagers when they showed up for Rage in 1999, but they were already on to their massive third record, Neon Ballroom.
It was their second time on the Couch, having previously dropped by in 1995, and their playlist this time around focused more on contemporary music rather than their larger influences. With tracks from Portishead, The Chemical Brothers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Propellerheads, their list is a poignant snapshot of the late ’90s.
Key Tracks
‘Suck My Kiss’ – Red Hot Chili Peppers, ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ – Guns ‘N Roses, ‘Vogue’ – Madonna
The Curveball
‘On And On’ – Erykah Badu
> > Listen Here
Radio Birdman
The Story
In 2006, over 30 years after they first began to wrench crunchy chords from their guitars in Sydney, Radio Birdman were putting the finishing touches on their fifth LP, Zeno Beach.
They had made some changes to the line-up over the years — including recruiting You Am I drummer Russell Hopkinson — but their sound and essence was the same as ever. So the legendary punks turned up in the Rage studios Red Couch full of vigour, and delivered a playlist that strayed far beyond their comfort zone of punk and rock. Turns out old rockers definitely can learn new tricks.
Key Tracks
‘Only Happy When It Rains’ – Garbage, ‘Disappearer’ – Sonic Youth, ‘Blues From A Gun’ – The Jesus & Mary Chain
The Curveball
‘Memories & Dust’ – Josh Pyke
> > Listen Here
Moby
The Story
Vegan. Activist. Political disruptor. Revered producer. Moby is all of these things.
And he can also add ‘Repeat Rage Offender’ to his resume, having programmed the show multiple times over the years. But this particular playlist comes from his appearance in 1999, when the New Yorker was enjoying a newfound level of fame due to the success of his latest album Play.
If there’s one word to described this list, it’s ‘varied’; Moby bounces happily from classic rock to modern electronic to pop punk to folk to New Wave. To listen to it from beginning to end is quite bewildering, but not unpleasantly so — not by a long shot. Prepare to be educated.
Key Tracks
‘Enjoy The Silence’ – Depeche Mode, ‘Don’t Change’ – INXS, ‘What’s My Age Again?’ – Blink 182
The Curveball
‘Ruby Wednesday’ – Eskimo Joe
> > Listen Here
Placebo
The Story
When they arrived at the Rage studios in May of 1999, Placebo were coming off the back of arguably their best record, Without You I’m Nothing. Released in the previous October, the album gave rise to some of their biggest hits, including ‘Pure Morning’ and ‘Every You Every Me.’
Rage caught them at the height of their powers, and the playlist they came armed with was wild, illuminating, and not a little surprising. In the space of half-an-hour, for example, we’re delivered tracks from The Supremes, Blondie, Abba, Chaka Khan, and Iggy Pop — a curious grouping if there ever was one.
Who cares — it’s Placebo, they can do what they want.
Key Tracks
‘Into My Arms’ – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, ‘The Cutter’ – Echo & The Bunnymen, ‘Sweet Dreams’ – The Eurythmics
The Curveball
‘Stop In The Name Of Love’ – The Supremes
> > Listen Here
Garbage
The Story
You would struggle to find a better selection of ’90s alternative rock outside of this 1999 Rage playlist by Garbage.
You only have to glance at their opening run to get the idea. They swing from Sparklehorse’s ‘Hammering The Cramps’, to Sonic Youth’s ‘Youth Against Fascism’, to Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped Box’, to Hole’s ‘Violet’, to ‘Monkey Gone To Heaven’ by Pixies, to The Verve’s ‘Bittersweet Symphony’, and finally to ‘Radiohead’s ‘Karma Police’.
And that’s only the first 40-minutes.
It’s not surprising the Wisconsin quartet brought the best of their peers to the show — after all, members Butch Vig and Shirley Manson had been embedded in the grunge and alt-rock scenes for years before finally linking up and deciding to work together. In particular Vig, who produced Nirvana’s Nevermind.
At the time they appeared on Rage, Garbage were at the peak of their popularity — their self-titled debut had sold a staggering 4 million copies, and their recent followup record Version 2.0 had already yielded five Top 20 UK singles. These were the best days of their lives.
Key Tracks
‘Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See’ – Busta Rhymes, ‘Fade Into You’ – Mazzy Star, ‘Friday On My Mind’ – The Easybeats
The Curveball
‘No Aphrodisiac’ – The Whitlams
> > Listen Here
Jules LeFevre is Staff Writer for Music Junkee and inthemix. She nearly cried multiple times during the creation of this piece. She is on Twitter.