About Countdown

Upon reflection of more than 50 years of Australian TV it’s hard to imagine a show that has made more of an impact on Australian culture than Countdown. In the late 70s and well into the 80s, Sundays at 6pm, millions of Australians could be found sitting in front of the television tuning in to Countdown. It was all about sharing the music chart's hits and misses, barracking for favourite artists, bagging the dags and puzzling over Molly's monologues.

Countdown was Australian pop music for most of its thirteen year run. The influence Countdown had on the Australian music industry is remarkable. For thirteen years, the program held sway over what became a hit in this country. One appearance could create overnight rock gods and pop divas, in effect generating the biggest break an Australian music act could hope for. Countdown changed the face of the local music industry. The program played a crucial role in moving the focus of pop music marketing away from radio to TV, and was instrumental in ushering in the music-video era both in Australia and overseas.

Read more about the Countdown story:
Countdown beginnings
The Countdown Influence
The Countdown Team
The end and the last top ten
National top ten charts