So Fresh Gems and Robberies of the 2000’s

Put down your phones as Editorial Assistant Amy Condren takes you on a journey back to the 2000s—the good ol’ days. 

For those among us who never got to experience physical media, So Fresh was (and apparently still is) an Australian compilation CD of the most popular songs released each season. It was pretty iconic during the mid to late 2000’s, right before iPods, iTunes, and music streaming really took off. Think of it as the soundtrack for every primary school disco of the decade.

The selection criteria determining which songs made the cut was (and remains) a mystery to me. Truthfully, I never cared about the metrics—if a song was popular on the radio, it was safe to assume it would be on the next So Fresh album—and that was that. However, every now and then it would surprise you with a song so obscure and so iconic; you’d wonder how you’d never heard it before. Occasionally, it would commit a crime against the Australian people so heinous you’d wonder why nobody else seemed to care. In honour of this Issue 5’s theme, I wish to highlight a handful of precious Australian pop songs as a matter of national interest. These are their stories. 

‘Untouched’ by The Veronicas 

I have done some research and (to my horror) discovered that The Veronicas have only featured on So Fresh a handful of times, the first being in 2010 with their feature on the song Love the Fall by Michael Paynter. Remember that song…? Yeah, me neither (respectfully). Still, you might think, “okay, but circa 2010 sounds about right for them.” Wrong! ‘Untouched’ was released in… say it with me… 2007! 

Sometimes it takes a while for an icon to get its flowers. ‘Untouched’ is an excellent example of how long it can take for a song to truly solidify its status in the cultural consciousness. Now, after being voted number 3 in triple J’s Hottest 100 Australian songs of all time earlier this year, I think we can safely consider it as one of the crown jewels of Aussie pop music. Although nostalgia plays a significant role in the song’s acclaim today, I’m telling you—it was a hit from day one! 

‘Untouched’ peaked at number 2 on Australia’s Billboard Hottest 100 and charted globally. I am almost certain black box dye sales went through the roof that year. The side parts were deep, the eyeliner was thick and all the girls were posing with their Disney knees knocked. So why, when So Fresh: The Hits of Summer 2008 Plus the Best of 2007 dropped, was it crickets for the national anthem? 

How could it be that The Veronicas—responsible for the fashion institution that was "The Veronicas for Target" collection—failed to feature on So Fresh independently until the summer of 2015? You mean to tell me that the peak of So Fresh’s dominion over every CD player in the country, and the height of The Veronicas’ commercial success coincided, but somehow the two never converged? Two behemoths of Australian culture passing each other by like ships in the night? A tragedy, not just for the emos but for us all. ...Crimestoppers? Yes, I’d like to report a burglary.

‘Black and Gold’ by Sam Sparro

Towards the end of the decade, So Fresh albums also came with a DVD including music videos for the songs. Nestled inconspicuously within So Fresh: The Hits of Spring 2008 at track number 2 is a relic of monumental proportions. A sonic and visual period piece of which the vibe cannot be overstated. ‘Black and Gold’ is compulsory viewing. I’m talking top hats. Tuxedos with LED light lapels. Fireworks and flames superimposed over pensive gentlemen with distinct TV magician swag. Idle limousines. The unexplained appearance of a sippy cup at 2:37. I fear Sam Sparro slow motion strutted into the warehouse so Peaky Blinders could run for six seasons with the same premise.  

People may remember ‘Black and Gold’ if prompted. The song received a Grammy nomination and charted internationally at its time of release. Some people may be surprised to learn that the artist is Australian. Its music video currently has 41 million views, yet its legacy seems to have been lost to time. Please folks - we must not forget our history.  

‘Lift’ by Shannon Noll

I feel obliged to mention Shannon Noll, perhaps in the same way So Fresh felt obliged to feature almost every song he released during his early career. According to a devout sect of the Australian public, Shannon Noll was victim to one of the nation's most notorious robberies in 2003 when he lost Australian Idol to Guy Sebasitian. Twenty years on, people are still not over it. While I profess no working knowledge of the selection criteria, it seems to me So Fresh always saved a few spots for Australian pop artists within its tracklists, even in years where the international competition was steep. Shannon Noll, Delta Goodrem, Vanessa Amarossi, Guy Sebastian, Nikki Webster and so on—So Fresh has demonstrated loyalty to these artists. What about The Veronicas? I think this is what makes the ‘Untouched’ robbery so difficult for me to stomach. I digress... 

Maybe just for the meme of it all, I want to spotlight the inclusion of ‘Lift’ in So Fresh: The Hits of Autumn 2006 and draw your attention to a few antiquities. First, Shannon Noll’s legendary goatee—no one is customising their build like this anymore. Second, ‘Lift’ became the theme song for The Biggest Loser Australia (yikes). Third, its music video possesses one of the most fascinating, wholesome and highly specific comment sections of all time. The way some Australians feel parasocially indebted to this man should be studied. One fan, @albothebigmate, commented “his pure heart of gold weighs more than every bird in the local hungry jacks”. This comment was from seven months ago. Another commenter claims to have been visited by Shannon Noll in Tasmania on their twelfth birthday—lucky kid. This comment was from thirteen years ago. That’s legacy. 

That concludes my history lesson. Now it’s time for you to study the ancient texts.