''Nature's Best'' is a two-disc compilation album of thirty

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

popular music Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training.Popular Music. (2015). ''Fun ...

songs, selected by a panel as the top thirty New Zealand songs of all time.

Selection

The genesis of the idea was the 75th anniversary of the

Australasian Performing Right Association APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwri ...

(APRA) in New Zealand in 2001 and the selection of the top 100 New Zealand songs of the past 75 years. A list of over 900 candidate songs was prepared, and voting was open to APRA members and an invited academy. The list of the top 100 songs was announced in stages in 2001, with the number one place going to the 1969 song "

Nature Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...

" by Fourmyula. A collaborative effort by representatives of major record companies and APRA - most notably Mike Chunn - took place to produce an album of the top 30 songs from this selection. The resulting album was named ''Nature's Best'' after the title song, and was released in January 2002 on the

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the ...

label. Sales were extraordinary - in the first four months after its release, over 100,000 copies were sold"...the APRA-initiated 'Nature's Best Vol 1' which shifted well over 100,000 copies..."
, nzmusician.co.nz, 2008 (over quintuple platinum in the New Zealand market).

Follow-ups

Subsequent releases followed: * ''

Nature's Best 2 ''Nature's Best 2'' is a two-disc compilation album of 35 New Zealand popular music songs, numbers 31-65 on the APRA 75th Anniversary Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time. See ''Nature's Best'' for more information on the selection process of t ...

'' and ''

Nature's Best 3 ''Nature's Best 3'' is a two-disc compilation album of 35 New Zealand popular music songs, numbers 66-100 on the APRA 75th Anniversary Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time. See ''Nature's Best'' for more information on the selection process of ...

'', 2002, songs 31-65 and 66-100 of the official APRA list * '' DVD release'', 2003, music videos to sixty of the songs from the three albums * Limited edition box set of the three albums and the DVD, 2005 (''Nature's Best Box Set'') * ''

More Nature ''More Nature'' is a one-disc compilation album of twenty notable New Zealand popular music songs from 2000 to 2005, intended to be a supplement to the Nature's Best series of compilation albums. The song selection for ''More Nature'' was not vo ...

'', 2006, a selection of notable New Zealand songs since 2001

Track listing

Disc one

" - Fourmyula (

Wayne Mason Wayne Ashley Mason (born 1949) is a New Zealand musician. Biography Mason was born in New Plymouth in 1949. He was a founding member of 1960s pop group The Fourmyula and later formed Rockinghorse and The Warratahs before embarking on a solo c ...

, 1969) #"

Don't Dream It's Over "Don't Dream It's Over" is a song by rock band Crowded House, recorded for their 1986 self-titled debut studio album. The song was composed and written by New Zealand frontman Neil Finn and released in October 1986 as the fourth single from ...

" -

Crowded House Crowded House are an Australian-New Zealand rock band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia, in 1985. Its founding members were Neil Finn (vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter) and Paul Hester (drums), who were both for ...

(

Neil Finn Neil Mullane Finn (born 27 May 1958) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known for being a principal member of Split Enz and for being the lead singer of Crowded House. He was also a member of Fleetwood Mac from 2018 ...

, 1986) #" Loyal" -

Dave Dobbyn Sir David Joseph Dobbyn (born 3 January 1957) is a New Zealand musician, singer–songwriter and record producer. In his early career he was a member of the rock group Th' Dudes and was the main creative force in pop band DD Smash. Since then h ...

(Dave Dobbyn, 1988) #" Counting the Beat" - The Swingers (

Phil Judd Philip Raymond Judd (born 20 March 1953) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter known for being one of the founders of the bands Split Enz and The Swingers. Split Enz In 1972, Judd and Tim Finn founded the arty folk band Split Enz. In its early d ...

/ Mark Hough/ Wayne Stevens, 1981) #"

Six Months in a Leaky Boat "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" is a song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz. It was released in May 1982 as the second single from the group's album, '' Time and Tide''. The song became a top-10 hit in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, going ...

" -

Split Enz Split Enz were a New Zealand band formed in 1972. Regarded as the first New Zealand band to gain significant recognition outside of Australasia, they were initially noted for their progressive rock, progressive/art rock sound, flamboyant visua ...

(

Tim Finn Brian Timothy Finn (born 25 June 1952) is a New Zealand singer, songwriter, musician, and composer. He is best known as a founding member of Split Enz. Finn founded the band in 1972 with Phil Judd and served as lead singer and principal songw ...

, 1982) #" Sway" -

Bic Runga Briolette Kah Bic Runga (born 13 January 1976), recording as Bic Runga, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist pop artist. Her first three studio albums debuted at number one on the New Zealand Top 40 Album charts. Runga ...

(Bic Runga, 1997) #" Slice of Heaven" - Dave Dobbyn with

Herbs Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnish (food), garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typi ...

(Dave Dobbyn, 1986) #"

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

" -

Dance Exponents The Exponents, formerly The Dance Exponents, is a New Zealand rock group led by vocalist and songwriter Jordan Luck. Their major hits are "Victoria", " Why Does Love Do This To Me", "Who Loves Who The Most" and, "I'll Say Goodbye (Even Tho ...

(

Jordan Luck Jordan William Hunter Luck (born 15 October 1961) is the former lead singer and songwriter of the New Zealand rock band the Exponents. He was born in Vanderhoof in the province of British Columbia, Canada. His family moved to Tokarahi (near ...

, 1982) #" She Speeds" -

Straitjacket Fits Straitjacket Fits were a four-piece alternative indie rock band that formed in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1986 and broke up in 1994. They released three studio albums, ''Hail'' (1988), '' Melt'' (1990), and '' Blow'' (1993), and several EPs. Thei ...

(

Shayne Carter Shayne P. Carter is a New Zealand musician best known for leading Straitjacket Fits from 1986 to 1994, and as the only permanent member of Dimmer (1995–2012). Carter is a member of the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame, and has been awarded the ...

/Fits, 1987) #"

April Sun in Cuba "April Sun in Cuba" is a song recorded by New Zealand group Dragon, released in October 1977. It is the first single to be released from Dragon's fourth studio album Running Free. "April Sun in Cuba" first charted on 7 November 1977, peaking at ...

" -

Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

(Paul Hewson/

Marc Hunter Marc Alexander Hunter (7 September 195317 July 1998) was a New Zealand rock and pop singer, songwriter and record producer. He was the lead vocalist of Dragon (1973–11/1979, 8/1982–1989, 1995–11/1997), a band formed by his older brother, ...

, 1978) #" I Got You" - Split Enz (Neil Finn, 1980) #"

Whaling Whaling is the hunting of whales for their products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that was important in the Industrial Revolution. Whaling was practiced as an organized industry as early as 875 AD. By the 16t ...

" -

DD Smash DD Smash was a New Zealand pop/rock band formed in 1980 by Dave Dobbyn after the breakup of Th' Dudes. The band briefly used the name "Dave Dobbyn's Divers" until drummer Peter Warren came up with "DD Smash". Dobbyn says the name "seemed to say ...

(Dave Dobbyn, 1984) #"

Not Given Lightly "Not Given Lightly" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Chris Knox. It was released in 1989 and is among Knox's best known songs. While the song did not chart when originally released in 1989, it has since become well known from its use ...

" - Chris Knox (Chris Knox, 1990) #"

Pink Frost "Pink Frost" is a song by New Zealand band The Chills. The song was originally recorded in 1982. It was released as a single in 1984. Its B-side was the instrumental track "Purple Girl". It reached number 17 on the New Zealand singles chart. Th ...

" -

The Chills The Chills are a New Zealand indie rock band that formed in Dunedin in 1980. The band were fronted by founding mainstay singer-songwriter, guitarist Martin Phillipps (singer), Martin Phillipps (2 July 1963 – 28 July 2024). During the mid-1 ...

( Martin Phillipps, 1984) #"Jesus I Was Evil" - Darcy Clay (Darcy Clay, 1997)

Disc two

Weather with You "Weather with You" is a song by Australian-New Zealand rock band Crowded House. It was the third and most successful single released from the group's third studio album, '' Woodface'' (1991), reaching top 50 in 10 countries, including the United ...

" - Crowded House (Tim Finn/Neil Finn, 1991) #" Blue Smoke" - Pixie Williams & The Ruru Karaitiana Quartet (

Ruru Karaitiana Rangi Ruru Wananga Karaitiana (4 March 1909 – 15 December 1970) was a New Zealand musician and songwriter. Karaitiana was born in Dannevirke, New Zealand, on 4 March 1909. He was Māori, and was a member of the Ngāti Kahungunu and Rangit ...

, 1949) #"Dance All Around the World" - Blerta ( Corben Simpson/

Geoff Murphy Geoffrey Peter Murphy (12 October 1938 – 3 December 2018) was a New Zealand filmmaker, producer, director, and screenwriter best known for his work during the renaissance of New Zealand cinema that began in the second half of the 1970s. His ...

, 1972) #"

Lydia Lydia (; ) was an Iron Age Monarchy, kingdom situated in western Anatolia, in modern-day Turkey. Later, it became an important province of the Achaemenid Empire and then the Roman Empire. Its capital was Sardis. At some point before 800 BC, ...

" -

Fur Patrol Fur Patrol were a New Zealand rock band, which formed in Wellington in May 1996 by Andrew Bain on bass guitar, Simon Braxton on drums, Julia Deans on lead vocals and guitar, and Steve Wells on lead guitar. Their debut studio album, '' Pet'' (Se ...

(

Julia Deans Julia Mary Deans (born 27 August 1974) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter best known as the lead singer of rock band Fur Patrol. Banshee Reel In the early '90s, Deans joined Wellington-based Celtic rock band Banshee Reel. The group releas ...

, 2000) #" Blue Lady" - Hello Sailor ( Graham Brazier, 1977) #"

Drive Drive or The Drive may refer to: Motoring * Driving, the act of controlling a vehicle * Road trip, a journey on roads Roadways Roadways called "drives" may include: * Driveway, a private road for local access to structures, abbreviated "drive" * ...

" - Bic Runga (Bic Runga, 1996) #"

Chains A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A ...

" - DLT featuring

Che Fu Che Kuo Eruera Ness (born 1974), better known by his stage name Che Fu, is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and producer. A founding member of the band Supergroove, as a solo artist he has gone on to sell thousands of albums both in New Zeal ...

( Che Ness/ Darryl Thompson/Angus McNaughton/Kevin Rangihuna, 1996) #"

Dominion Road Dominion Road is an arterial road in Auckland, New Zealand, running north–south across most of the Auckland isthmus. It is a major public transport route that carries 50,000 bus passengers each week. The road, which passes through mostly s ...

" -

The Mutton Birds The Mutton Birds were a New Zealand rock music group formed in Auckland in 1991 by Ross Burge, David Long and Don McGlashan, with Alan Gregg joining a year later. Four of their albums reached the top 10 on the New Zealand Albums Char ...

(

Don McGlashan Don McGlashan (born 18 July 1959) is a New Zealand composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for membership in the bands Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, and The Mutton Birds, before going solo. He has also composed for cin ...

, 1992) #" (Glad I'm) Not a Kennedy" -

Shona Laing Shona Laing (born 9 October 1955) is a New Zealand musician. She was raised in Eastbourne, a suburb of Lower Hutt, and was a student at Hutt Valley High School when her musical talents first came to public notice. Laing had several folk hits ...

(Shona Laing, 1986) #" I Hope I Never" - Split Enz (Tim Finn, 1980) #"Tears" - The Crocodiles ( Fane Flaws/ Arthur Baysting, 1980) #" Be Mine Tonight" - Th' Dudes (Dave Dobbyn/ Ian Morris, 1978) #" I See Red" - Split Enz (Tim Finn, 1979) #" Beside You" - Dave Dobbyn (Dave Dobbyn, 1998) #"Home Again" -

Shihad Shihad were a Rock music, rock band formed in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1988. The band consisted of founders Tom Larkin (musician), Tom Larkin (drums, backing vocals, samplers), Phil Knight (lead guitar, synthesiser, backing vocals) and Jon To ...

(

Karl Kippenberger Karl Brenton Jamie Kippenberger (born 26 August 1973) is a New Zealand musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the rock band Shihad. Biography He is the grandson of Captain E.T Kippenberger, great nephew of Major-General Sir Howard K ...

/ Tom Larkin/Phil Knight/

Jon Toogood Jonathan Charles Toogood (born 9 August 1971) is a New Zealand musician who is the frontman (lead vocals and guitar) of the rock band Shihad. He started playing guitar when he was "8 or 9" and became friends with Tom Larkin (musician), Tom Lark ...

, 1997)

References

External links

The National Anthems
''

New Zealand Herald ''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation in New Zealand ...

'', November 3, 2001 {{Authority control 2002 compilation albums Sony Music New Zealand compilation albums