‘The Syncs Were Jumping Off the Page’: How Creative Placements Fuelled the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs

INXS had it all.

A charismatic frontman with a band of brothers, hits, kick-arse music videos, and enough pull to fill stadiums on the other side of the world.

And by scooping triple j’s Hottest 100 of Australian Songs with “Never Tear Us Apart”, another remarkable feat that needs further exploration.

How, when that glorious singer passed in 1997, two years short of 30 years ago? INXS called time as an active band in 2012. There’s been no comeback.

How? Sync, and outside-the-box campaigns on film, TV, advertising, games, social media, and beyond.

Now that the dust has settled on the inaugural homegrown countdown, one that captured more than 2.65 million votes, The Music Network takes a closer look at the tally.

INXS’ evergreen ballad was one of four songs from the ‘80s, or earlier, to impact the top 10 on the ABC’s list. A surprising result, considering the 18-29 demographic accounted for the most votes, according to triple j. Few of those listeners were born when “Never Tear Us Apart” was released.

“Never Tear Us Apart” is “a perfect example” of the power of sync, and its impact on the Hottest 100, explains Dan Gibson, Head of Publishing & Sync at GYRO.Group.

“Each placement gave the song fresh emotional weight and visibility,” Gibson explains, “helping it connect with a whole new audience.”

No artist had more titles on the tally than Bernard Fanning with four, including three with Powderfinger. Among them, “(Baby I’ve Got You) On My Mind”, which came in at No. 70. That was by design.

“Over the past five years, Powderfinger and Kobalt have strategically placed each of their Hottest 100 songs in high-profile advertising campaigns,” notes Briese Abbott, Kobalt’s Head Of Creative Services, “with ‘On My Mind’ being the most recent.”

In the past, the ‘Finger have been reluctant to associate their classics with brands. A tie-in with Ford Ranger drove home the Brisbane rockers’ legend status.

“While the goal wasn’t explicitly to target a younger demographic,” Abbott continues, “legacy was part of the equation and there was an awareness that these placements could organically introduce the band to new listeners. Sync has become a subtle yet powerful way to recontextualize familiar tracks, and in this case, help reinsert Powderfinger’s catalogue into the mainstream consciousness.”

One of the poll’s biggest surprises belonged to another Brisbane act, The Veronicas, whose 2007 hit “Untouched” landed a podium entry, at No. 3.

The song, a top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, featured in a pivotal scene in the Philippou brothers’ highly anticipated Talk To Me follow-up, Bring Her Back, notes Abbott, which energised fans. The online response was immediate; it’s now sitting at No. 6 on the Shazam charts.

“It’s a great example of how sync can ignite pop culture moments,” reckons Abbott. “What’s especially exciting here is seeing Australian filmmakers and advertising agencies deliberately spotlight local music. That choice not only strengthens the storytelling but also helps bring iconic Australian tracks back into the cultural spotlight.”

The honours go in both directions. The day after the triple j countdown, ARIA opened its nominations process for the 2025 ARIA Award for Best Use of Australian Music in an Advertisement, a category that rewards those agencies that elevate Australia music through creative campaigns.

Sync, explains Jess Barlow, Concord Music Publishing, Senior Director, Sync Licensing, “is an incredible discovery tool for fans and can help break artists and embed songs into pop culture, defining a moment in time.”

This is where sync weaves its magic through connection, by reminding us of “songs we love. When you’re looking at your long list and trying to decide how to narrow it down, splitting hairs between two songs, you’re more likely to go with the one that featured in your favourite TV series.”

Songs that have strong sync success are “entrenched deeper into our subconscious because each time they reappear, that nostalgia grows and breathes new life into an old favourite ready to strengthen that emotional connection by soundtracking new memories.”

Even at a glimpse, she says of the Hottest 100, “the syncs were jumping off the page.”

Another high-flying ‘80s number, Crowded House’s song “Don’t Dream It’s Over” (No. 5 on the countdown) got new wings when it featured prominently in the Netflix series Monsters. “An entire episode was named after the track and its use in a climactic scene triggered a major spike in streaming,” explains GYRO.Group’s Gibson. “It wasn’t just a needle-drop — it gave the song renewed life and deeper meaning.”

Other honourable mentions include Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream” (No. 24 on the countdown), which returned to the airwaves through Tourism WA’s national campaign, and previously appeared in a Honda Civic ad, which propelled it into the US charts; and The Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition” (No. 11) featuring in Coca-Cola’s recent global “Share a Coke” campaign, which leaned on the track’s emotion and lyrics to connect with Gen Z.

Sync only works “when the songwriting holds up,” adds Gibson. “These aren’t just catchy tunes — they’re emotionally rich, lyrically resonant songs that brands, filmmakers and audiences genuinely connect with. In the end, sync doesn’t just boost old favourites – it reminds us why they mattered in the first place. And when it lands well, it introduces those songs to new ears, new stories and new emotions all over again.”

The very first Hottest 100 of Australian Songs rolled out at a time of crisis for a homegrown music community struggling to be heard and seen above the noise of 100 million songs, and counting, ingested into streaming platforms and the marketing might commanded by major label signings in the US and UK. Sync provides one solution, experts say. 

Simon Moor, Managing Director APAC at Kobalt, has the final word. “Many of the songs represented moments from my own life and career, so it was a powerful mix of memories and emotion. What really struck me, though, were the patterns—the ‘Venn diagram’ moments shared by so many of the classic songs,” he notes, “which had fairly recent sync moments. It’s a reminder of how sync licensing can go far beyond the immediate fee and profile. When thoughtfully placed, it can play a meaningful role in shaping an artist’s long-term career, reach, and legacy.”

Check out some of the notable syncs which sit behind the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs (courtesy of Concord Music Publishing’s Jess Barlow).