Australian Gotye hits the top of the US music charts

Not since 2000 has Australia featured at the top of the US music charts. Back then it was two Aussie blokes named Savage Garden, now it’s a chap that goes by the name of Gotye (real name Wouter “Wally” De Backer) who has finally put the land down under back on top.

The success comes thanks to the hit song ‘Somebody that I used to know’, which rocketed to the top of the Australian charts back in July. It’s taken months to take off outside of Australia but after use in mainstream commercials and being covered in a viral video, Gotye has struck gold with the song featuring New Zealand singer Kimbra.

Making Mirrors, the album featuring ‘Somebody that I used to know’, has also featured at the top of the album charts in Australia and has gained critical reception around the world. In the UK it went as high as number four, while it’s number 1 on the US Alternative Albums chart and number 9 on the US Billboard 200 chart. It went platinum at least once in Australia, Belgium and Poland.

This is De Backer’s third studio album as Gotye, following on from the 2003 release Boardface and 2006 Like drawing blood. He was actually born in Belgium but moved to Australia at the age of two.

Web: Gotye
Image: Wikimedia Commons

Damian Francis

Damian Francis has previously edited Australian T3 and F1 Racing magazine and wrote for GQ Australia and Men’s Health. Unlike Nick and Trev, he has no kids, no mortgage and no wife, but lives happily on Sydney’s North Shore with his girlfriend.