Playlist

Somehow Birds of Tokyo snuck up on us. In the dozen years since forming in Perth these five unassuming guys have gradually grown - song by song, gig by gig - into Australia's biggest contemporary rock band. They may not yet be household names but their songs have been heard in everyone's home.

The group has won multiple ARIA and APRA awards. They've co-headlined virtually every important music festival in this country. They've had tracks in major TV and film campaigns and even played the AFL Grand Final. All of this was driven by a string of emotive anthems that have dominated radio, from Triple J's Hottest 100 to the commercial FM charts … big songs like 'Plans', 'Broken Bones', 'Wild At Heart', 'This Fire', 'Lanterns', 'Anchor' and their latest hit single 'I'd Go With You Anywhere'. It's an airplay streak unmatched by any Australian artist since Powderfinger.

Even so, for most people Birds of Tokyo have still somehow 'flown under the radar'. Until now. Their new compilation album, Playlist, gathers all these songs (and 10 more) into one undeniable 18-track bundle. For all but their most hardcore fans, the collection is a revelation. Casual listeners will be surprised to realize that they actually already know the words and melodies for most of these tunes.