Darren Hayes claps back at Cory Bernardi over Australia Day playlist

Darren Hayes claps back at Cory Bernardi over Australia Day playlist
Image: Cory Bernardi. Image: Facebook / Cory Bernardi

Australian musicians including Savage Garden alumnus Darren Hayes have roundly slammed the ‘alternative hottest 100’ playlist released by Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives party.

Bernardi’s Spotify playlist included classic Australian tracks, symbolising defiance against changing the date of Australia Day and following Triple J’s decision to move its Hottest 100 from January 26 out of respect for Indigenous Australians.

Other than the Conservatives, nobody seemed pleased about the playlist and its implicit defence of what is increasingly known as Invasion Day.

“I don’t support your party, values, or views. Remove my music from your promotions.  You do not have permission to use my music,” tweeted Darren Hayes to Bernardi.

Other artists who were included on the playlist also condemned its message.

“Why would you listen to anything @corybernardi says, especially about music?” posted music legend Jimmy Barnes.

Powderfinger, The Temper Trap, Spiderbait and others publicly demanded that Bernardi cease using their music to promote his politics.

Hip hop group Hilltop Hoods got straight to the point, tweeting, “Go fuck yourself @corybernardi.”

In an ABC RN Breakfast interview, Bernardi hit back at the many critics of his Spotify stunt, telling Hayes to “get over yourself” and saying that the artists on the playlist should be “grateful”.

“Music is for everyone,” Bernardi said.

That particular comment prompted a storm of social media responses contrasting Bernardi’s apparent attitude about music with his stance on denying services to gay couples.

“How does this sit with your idea that wedding cakes are only for straight people?” tweeted one person.

Spotify has had the final say on the politically charged playlist, quickly removing it as “inappropriate or offensive”.

As January 26 draws closer, calls from Indigenous Australians and others to #changethedate of Australia Day continue.

https://twitter.com/darrenhayes/status/953512337540919296

https://twitter.com/ewster/status/953885305651605504

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2 responses to “Darren Hayes claps back at Cory Bernardi over Australia Day playlist”

  1. It’s all just free publicity for Bernardi and his fight to save Jan 26 as Australia Day on behalf of crotchety old men everywhere. It’s straight out of the Donald Trump playbook, Trump dominated the media and got so much free publicity that he blew away experienced Republicans like Jeb Bush who spent a hundred million getting nowhere.