| Music of New Zealand | ||||||||
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Traditions |
Festivals |
Organisations |
Themusic of New Zealand has been influenced by a number of traditions, including Māori music, the music introduced by European settlers during the nineteenth century, and a variety of styles imported during the twentieth century, includingblues,jazz,country,rock and roll,reggae, andhip hop, with many of these genres given a uniqueNew Zealand interpretation.[1][2]
Pre-colonial Māori music consisted mainly of a form ofmicrotonal chanting and performances on instruments calledtaonga pūoro: a variety of blown, struck and twirled instruments made out of hollowed-out wood, stone, whale ivory, albatross bone, and human bone. In the nineteenth century, European settlers - the vast majority of whom were from Britain and Ireland - brought musical forms to New Zealand includingbrass bands andchoral music, and musicians began touring New Zealand in the 1860s.[3][4]Pipe bands became widespread during the early 20th century.[5]
In recent decades, a number of popular artists have gone on to achieve international success includingLorde,[6]Split Enz,Crowded House,Rosé,OMC,Bic Runga,Benee,Kimbra,Ladyhawke,The Naked and Famous,Fat Freddy's Drop,Savage,Gin Wigmore,Keith Urban,Flight of the Conchords,Brooke Fraser andAlien Weaponry.
New Zealand has a national orchestra, theNew Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and many regional orchestras. A number of New Zealand composers have developed international reputations. The best-known includeDouglas Lilburn,[7]John Psathas,[8]Jack Body,[9]Gillian Whitehead,[10]Jenny McLeod,[11]Gareth Farr,[12] andRoss Harris.[13]
Pre-Colonial Māori produced a range of music. This included songwaiata . Thehaka is a form of song that is accompanied with movement.[14] Songs included lullabies, laments and love songs, and as an oral culture were used for education, to remember history and many other things.[14]
The emotionally charged circumstances under which waiata were composed are reflected in their highly poetic language, which is rich with allusion, metaphor and imagery. (Rawinia Higgins and Arini Loader 2014)[14]
Songs and music were part ofTe Whare Tapere, pre-European Māori entertainment events that included 'storytelling, songs and singing, dance and dancing, musical instruments, puppets' and games.[14]
Some Māori song includesmicrotonal music, the song poetry form mōteatea.[15] SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music published a series in 2021 calledHe Reo Tawhito: Conversations about Mōteatea where Crystal Edwards interviewed various specialists includingTe Ahukaramū Charles Royal, Hōhepa Te Rito,Hana O'Regan andTaiarahia Black..[16]
Pre-Colonial instrumental music usedtaonga pūoro (Māori:taonga pūoro,lit. 'musical treasures or heirlooms') - a variety of blown, struck and twirled instruments made out of hollowed-out wood, stone, whale ivory, albatross bone, and human bone.[17] The pūkāea (wooden trumpet), hue (gourd), and pūtātara (conch-shell trumpet) fulfilled many functions within pre-colonial Māori society, including a call to arms, announcing the dawning of a new day, communications with the gods and the planting of crops.[18] From the late 20th century DrRichard Nunns (1945–2021),Hirini Melbourne (1949–2003), andBrian Flintoff revived the use of taonga pūoro.[19]
European settlers brought new harmonies and instruments, which Māori composers gradually adopted. The action song (waiata-ā-ringa) largely developed in the early 20th century.[20][need quotation to verify] Māori also gravitated towardsHawaiian music from artists likeErnest Kaʻai and David Lucla Kaili that toured New Zealand in the 1900s to 1920s, leading the adoption ofsteel guitars pioneered by Eruera Mati Hita.[21]
In the mid- to late-20th century, Māori singers and songwriters likeHoward Morrison (1935–2009),Prince Tui Teka (1937–1985),Dalvanius Prime (1948–2002),Moana Maniapoto (1961- ) andHinewehi Mohi (1964- ) developed a distinctive Māori-influenced style.[22] Some artists; likeAlien Weaponry have releasedMāori-language songs, and the Māori traditional art ofkapa haka (song and dance) has had a resurgence.[23]
Māori show-bands formed in New Zealand and Australia from the 1950s. The groups performed in a wide variety of musical genres, dance styles, and withcabaret skills, infusing their acts with comedy drawn straight fromMāori culture. Some Māori show-bands would begin their performances in traditionalMāori costume before changing into suits and sequinned gowns.Billy T. James (1949–1991) spent many years overseas in show bands, beginning in theMaori Volcanics.[24]
The New Zealand recording industry began to develop from 1940 onwards.[1] TheRecording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) publishes New Zealand's official weeklyrecord charts.[25] The Association also holds the annualNew Zealand Music Awards which were first held in 1965 as theLoxene Golden Disc awards.[26]
Despite the vitality of New Zealand bands in the pub scene, for many years commercial radio was reluctant to play locally produced material and by 1995 only 1.6% of all songs played on commercial radio stations were of New Zealand origin.[27] In 1997 a governmentKiwi Music Action Group was formed to compel radio stations to broadcast New Zealand music. The group initiated New Zealand Music Week and in 2000 this grew intoNew Zealand Music Month. By 2005 New Zealand content averaged between 19 and 20 percent.[28]
New Zealand's first pop song was "Blue Smoke", written in the 1940s byRuru Karaitiana.[29]Pixie Williams recorded the song in 1949 and, although it went triple platinum in New Zealand, the award for selling 50,000 copies of the song was only presented to Pixie Williams on 13 July 2011.[30] The advent of music television shows in the 1960s[31] led to the rise ofSandy Edmonds, one of New Zealand's first pop stars.[32]
Formed in the early 1970s and variously featuringPhil Judd and brothersTim Finn andNeil Finn,Split Enz achieved chart success in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada ‒ most notably with their 1980 singleI Got You – and built a cult following elsewhere. The music videos for some of the band's 1980s songs were among the first played onMTV.[33] In 1985,Neil Finn formed pop rock bandCrowded House in Melbourne, Australia. The other founding members were AustraliansPaul Hester andNick Seymour. Later band members included Neil's brother Tim Finn and AmericansMark Hart andMatt Sherrod. Originally active from 1985 to 1996, the band had consistent commercial and critical success in Australia and New Zealand[34][35][36] and international chart success in two phases, beginning with their self-titled debut album,Crowded House, which reached number twelve on theUS Album Chart in 1987 and provided the Top Ten hits,Don't Dream It's Over andSomething So Strong.[37][38] Further international success came in the UK and Europe with their third and fourth albums,Woodface andTogether Alone and the compilation albumRecurring Dream, which included the hits "Fall at Your Feet", "Weather with You", "Distant Sun", "Locked Out", "Instinct" and "Not the Girl You Think You Are".[39][40]Queen Elizabeth II bestowed anOBE on both Neil and Tim Finn in June 1993 for their contribution to the music of New Zealand.[41]
After the dissolution of his bandDD Smash, singer-songwriter Dave Dobbyn began a successful solo career, writing the soundtrack music for the animated feature filmFootrot Flats: The Dog's Tale in 1986. The film yielded two hit singles: "You Oughta Be In Love" (1986) and the chart-topping "Slice of Heaven" (1986), recorded with the bandHerbs. After the release of the film, "Slice of Heaven" became one of Dobbyn's best-known songs, frequently used in tourism advertisements aired on Australian television that encouraged people to visit New Zealand. With the success of the song in Australia, Dobbyn settled in Australia.
Dobbyn's hit song "Loyal" (1988) from his debut solo albumLoyal (1988) was used as an anthem forTeam New Zealand's unsuccessful2003 America's Cup defence.
In 2005, Dobbyn released his sixth solo album,Available Light. It received popular and critical acclaim. In the same year Dobbyn performed the lead single fromAvailable Light, "Welcome Home" (2005) at theNew Zealand Music Awards awards ceremony. During the performance,Ahmed Zaoui, who was appealing a security certificate issued due to alleged links to terrorist groups, appeared on stage with Dobbyn.[42]
Composer, singer and multi-instrumentalistDon McGlashan won fame with bandsBlam Blam Blam,The Front Lawn, andThe Mutton Birds, before pursuing a solo career. McGlashan's first hits were with bandBlam Blam Blam in the early 1980s. He later released four albums as lead singer and writer forThe Mutton Birds. McGlashan's first solo albumWarm Hand, was released in May 2006. It was nominated for an NZ Music Award for album of the year, and debut singleMiracle Sun was a nominee for New Zealand's supreme songwriting award, the APRA Silver Scroll. He has composed extensively for cinema and television.
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist pop artistBic Runga released her first solo albumDrive in 1997. It debuted at number one on theNew Zealand Top 40 Album charts. Runga has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history. She has also found success internationally in Australia, Ireland, and, to some extent, in the UK. In the2006 New Year Honours Runga was appointed aMember of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music.[43]
In September 2013, 16-year-old singerLorde (Ella Yelich-O'Connor) became the youngest solo artist to ever reach number one on the US singles chart withRoyals. The song from her albumPure Heroine went on to win Best Pop Performance and Song of the Year at the 2014 Grammy Awards.[44]
The top-selling New Zealand pop song of all time isHow Bizarre byOMC. The song went to number one in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Ireland, South Africa and Austria. It spent 36 weeks on the United StatesHot 100 Airplay (Radio Songs) charts, peaking at number 4. It reached number five in the United Kingdom, and it made the Top 10 in Portugal and Israel.[45]
In 2008, folk parody duoFlight of the Conchords found international success with their eponymous album.The album debuted at number three on the U.S.Billboard 200 chart, selling about 52,000 copies in its first week.[46]
In 2011, New Zealand singerKimbra collaborated with Belgian-Australian singerGotye on his songSomebody That I Used To Know. The song topped the US, UK, Australian and 23 other national charts, and reached the top 10 in more than 30 countries around the world. The song has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling digital singles of all time.[47]
In 2020, New Zealand singerBenee's singleSupalonely went viral on video sharing appTikTok. It subsequently went to chart in the Top 40 of many major music markets, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
The firstrock'n'roll hit by a New Zealander wasJohnny Devlin's hit "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", which sold 100,000 copies in 1959–60, after which rock began gaining in popularity over the 1960s. Prominent bands includedThe La De Da's,Ray Columbus & The Invaders, andThe Fourmyula.[48]
By the late 1970s, some New Zealand rock bands were finding national success, includingTh' Dudes (whose guitaristDave Dobbyn formedDD Smash in the 1980s),Dragon,Hello Sailor andSplit Enz, fronted byTim Finn, and later, his brotherNeil Finn, who went on to formCrowded House. Independent music in New Zealand began emerging in the latter half of the 1970s, with the development of a punk rock scene.[49] In 1979, theAK79 compilation was released, compiling the recordings of many early Auckland punk groups.
Several independent labels likePropeller Records inAuckland andFlying Nun Records inChristchurch were established in the early 1980s, and became influential in the development of New Zealand rock music andindie rock globally.The Clean fromDunedin was the first major band to feature on Flying Nun, releasing several hit singles inside New Zealand and touring internationally. Most of the first wave of artists signed to the label originated from Dunedin and Christchurch, helping to develop what became called the "Dunedin sound", or Flying Nun sound. The distinctive jangle-pop and lo-fi sound was pioneered by bands such asThe Chills,The Verlaines,Sneaky Feelings,The Bats andThe Jean-Paul Sartre Experience.[50]
Rock bandShihad was formed by vocalist/guitarist Jon Toogood and drummer Tom Larkin in 1988. The band found wide popularity in New Zealand over the following decade, playing a mixture of modern rock, post-grunge and pop-rock. Shihad has had three number one albums in New Zealand.[51]
Other notable rock bands popular in the 1990s include theHeadless Chickens,The Mutton Birds,The Exponents,The Feelers,Supergroove andPush Push.[52]
The first major New Zealand hip hop hit was "Hip Hop Holiday" by3 The Hard Way. Sampling the songDreadlock Holiday by10CC, it went to number one for several weeks in early 1994.[53] Many of New Zealand's first hip hop performers, such asDalvanius Prime, whose "Poi E" was a number one hit, were Māori. Released in 1984, "Poi E" was sung entirely in theMāori language and featured a blend of Māori cultural practices in the song and accompanying music video, including Māorichanting,poi dancing, and the wearing of traditional Māori garments.[54]
The first entire album of locally produced hip hop wasUpper Hutt Posse'sE TuEP, from 1988.E Tu was partially in Māori and partially in English, and its lyrics were politically charged. The song "E Tu" combined African-American revolutionary rhetoric with an explicitlyMāori frame of reference. It paid homage to the rebel Māoriwarrior chiefs of New Zealand's colonial history:Hōne Heke,Te Kooti, andTe Rauparaha.[55]
In the 1990s, the New Zealand hip hop scene grew with the evolution ofPacific Island-influenced hip hop.Phil Fuemana, Kosmo,Brother D andPacific Underground played an important role in the growth of "Pasifika" hip hop.OMC's 1996 single "How Bizarre" combined Pauly Fuemana's Nieuean background, a Pacific Island guitar style and hip hop beats to create a uniquely New Zealand-Polynesian sound. This was followed byChe Fu's album2 B s-Pacific in 1998 andUrban Pacifica in 1999, a compilation of Pasifika hip hop.[56] Artists includingScribe,Tiki Taane,P-Money andLadi6 localised rap.[52]
In 2005,Savage, a New Zealand Samoan hip hop artist, had back-to-back number one hits withSwing andMoonshine, the latter featuring US artistAkon.Swing was used in the 2007 filmKnocked Up and sold more than 1.8 million copies in the United States, making it almost double platinum.[57] The song also appeared on the US compilationNow That's What I Call Music! 29.
Formed in 1979,Herbs are a New Zealand reggae vocal group and the 11th inductee into theNew Zealand Music Hall of Fame.[58] In 1986, the song "Slice of Heaven" withDave Dobbyn reached number one on both the New Zealand and Australian charts.[59] In 1989, Tim Finn joined them for theParihaka festival and, in 1992,Annie Crummer fronted the hit single "See What Love Can Do".[60] Herbs are considered pioneers of thePacific reggae sound, having paved the way for contemporary New Zealand reggae groups such asBreaks Co-op,Fat Freddy's Drop,Katchafire,Kora,The Black Seeds,Salmonella Dub, 1814,Tahuna Breaks,Six60 andTrinity Roots.[citation needed]
Electronic music in New Zealand constitutes a relatively small but growing trend in the country's musical culture especially with the rise of acts such asConcord Dawn,Minuit andShapeshifter in the last 15 years.[61]
An early example of New Zealand electronica is a track calledPulsing released in 1982 by The Body Electric.[62] In 1988 Propeller Records released New Zealand's firstHouse record, Jam This Record.[63] Other New Zealand house DJs who rose to prominence includeDLT. TheFuture Jazz scene (the term was first coined in Auckland in the early 1990s) developed in Auckland, most notably in the Cause Celebre nightclub and the work ofNathan Haines.[64] Two popular early Nathan Haines releases wereFreebass Live at Cause Celebre and Haines'Shift Left. A proponent of this sound and an ex-pat artist who is still active in this area isMark de Clive-Lowe.
New Zealandheavy metal bands includeDevilskin, theextreme metal bandsUlcerate,Dawn of Azazel and8 Foot Sativa and thealternative metal bandBlindspott, currently known asBlacklistt. In 2016 groove metal bandAlien Weaponry, several of whose songs are in theMāori language, wonSmokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica beats. Other bands includeAntagonist A.D.,Legacy of Disorder,Human, Black Boned Angel,Beastwars,Demoniac,Diocletian,In Dread Response,Saving Grace,Sinate,Push Push,Razorwyre,HLAH, andKnightshade.
The 2015 New Zealandcomedy horror filmDeathgasm soundtrack gave rise to various metal groups.[citation needed]
Shepherds Reign is a Polynesian band that play mostly heavy metal music.[65] They released their albumAla Mai in 2023. The majority of the songs are sung in Samoan.[66]
The history of blues in New Zealand dates from the 1960s. The earliest blues influences on New Zealand musicians originated with whiteBritish blues musicians likeThe Animals andThe Rolling Stones, and later the blues-tinged rock of groups such asLed Zeppelin. The first American blues artist to make a big impact in New Zealand wasStevie Ray Vaughan in the early 1980s. Other blues-related genres such as soul and gospel almost completely by-passed New Zealand audiences, except for a handful of hits from cross-over artists such asRay Charles. New Zealand does not have its own distinctive blues style.[citation needed]
TheWellerman sea shanty originated in New Zealand.[citation needed]
New Zealand has a proud history of brass bands, with regular provincial contests.[67][68] The earliest bands were garrison or religious bands but the late 19th century and early 20th century saw the growth of community brass bands, along with the construction of bandstands.[69]
Pipe bands became widespread during the early 20th century.[5] New Zealand is said to have more pipebands per person than Scotland;[70] historical links are maintained by Caledonian Societies throughout the country.
The formal traditions ofEuropean classical music took a long time to develop in New Zealand due to the country's geographical isolation. Composers such asAlfred Hill were educated in Europe and brought lateRomantic Music traditions to New Zealand. He attempted to graft them on to New Zealand themes with one notable success, the popular "Waiata Poi". However, before 1960 New Zealand did not have a distinct classical style of its own, having "a tendency to over-criticise home-produced goods".[71]
Douglas Lilburn, working predominantly in the third quarter of the 20th century, is often credited with being the first composer to compose with a truly New Zealand voice and gain international recognition. Lilburn'sSecond Piano Sonatina was described as "a work which seems to draw on the best of Lilburn's past...specially suited to New Zealand."[72] He went on to pioneer electronic music in New Zealand.
In 2004,Wellington composerJohn Psathas achieved the largest audience for New Zealand-composed music when his fanfares and other music were heard by billions during the opening and closing ceremonies of theAthens2004 Summer Olympics.
In 2019Gareth FarrONZM was a recipient of aNew Zealand Arts Laureate Award in recognition of his music which has included composing for theRoyal New Zealand Ballet,Maui One Man Against The Gods and the 2008 workTerra Incognita, for bass baritone solo, choir and orchestra, performed by Paul Whelan, theOrpheus Choir and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, conducted byPaul MacAlindin.[73]
There are two twelve-month Composer-in-Residence positions available in New Zealand, theMozart Fellowship at theUniversity of Otago and the NZSM Composer in Residence in Wellington.
TheNew Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) is New Zealand's national orchestra, funded by theMinistry for Culture and Heritage. TheAuckland Philharmonia Orchestra is New Zealand's second and only other full-time professional orchestra. There are also a number of semi-professional regional orchestras, presenting their own concert series each year. These include the Opus Chamber Orchestra inHamilton,Orchestra Wellington, theChristchurch Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and theDunedin Symphony Orchestra (DSO), formerly the Southern Sinfonia.
TheNew Zealand String Quartet and the NZTrio both perform locally and internationally. The NZTrio specialises in contemporary art music.
New Zealand has a strong choral tradition.[74] The Anglican cathedrals in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have choirs of a high standard and there are also a number of secular New Zealand choirs including theNew Zealand Youth Choir,Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir,City Choir Dunedin,Auckland Choral Society and Christchurch City Choir. Many of these choirs perform around New Zealand and compete against other choirs internationally.
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Opera has been produced in New Zealand since colonisation. New Zealand has produced a number of internationally famous opera singers, including DameKiri Te Kanawa, SirDonald McIntyre,Simon O'Neill,Jonathan Lemalu,Teddy Tahu Rhodes,Anna Leese, and DameMalvina Major.Frances Alda andJoan Hammond were both well-known New Zealand-born opera singers.
There is a biennial competition theLexus Song Quest, winners include Dame Malvina Major, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa,Phillip Rhodes, Jonathan Lemalu andAmitai Pati.[75]
New Zealand Opera is the country's sole professional opera company. The company stages up to three operas a year in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and features international as well as New Zealand soloists.
Prominent New Zealand musicians performing internationally include pianistsMichael Houstoun,Jeffrey Grice,John Chen, and singerHayley Westenra.
The most well-known musical theatre production written by a New Zealander is theRocky Horror Show musical, written byRichard O'Brien, and first performed on stage in London during 1973.[76]
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