Five INXS Classics You Should Know

Every year, performance rights organization ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) recognizes the songwriters and publishers of that year’s most-performed songs. Australian band INXS won in ASCAP’s Pop category an amazing six times between 1987 and 1991. Over the course of its 1977-2012 run, the group also took home five MTV Video Music Awards, a World Music Award and more than a dozen other awards from various organizations in their native Australia. To date, INXS has sold in excess(!) of 50 million records worldwide.

While the group’s biggest success was in Australia, INXS was truly a global phenomenon. The band landed no less than 23 songs on U.S. singles charts. Here are five of INXS’ most acclaimed songs.

“Don’t Change” from Shabooh Shoobah (1982)
INXS wasn’t a worldwide success right out of the gate. The band formed in 1977 in Sydney, as The Farriss Brothers (after guitarist Tim and keyboardist Andrew). Paying their dues as a popular opening act, they landed a record contract as INXS in 1980. Their first two albums – 1980’s INXS and 1981’s Underneath the Colours – were popular in Australia and well-received by critics. But it wasn’t until the release of their third LP that the group broke outside of their homeland. Videos for both “The One Thing” and the soaring “Don’t Change” were popular on MTV, and both songs made it to the Top 20 on the U.S. Mainstream singles chart.

“What You Need” from Listen Like Thieves (1985)
INXS’ fourth LP, 1984’s The Swing was a major success, going Platinum (one million sold) in the U.S. But the band was still on the upswing: its next album, 1985’s Listen Like Thieves went double Platinum in the States, spawning four singles, all of which charted in the U.S. The biggest of those was “What You Need,” climbing to #3 on the Mainstream singles chart.

“Good Times” from The Lost Boys: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1987)
Combining a teen coming-of-age tale with a modern take on vampire legends, The Lost Boys was a box office smash. The film’s soundtrack featured an assortment of songs including tracks from Roger Daltrey (The Who), Echo & the Bunnymen, Foreigner’s Lou Gramm and – its most popular track – an INXS collaboration with fellow Australian Jimmy Barnes. “Good Times” made it into the Top 40 in four countries, include the U.S. where it peaked at #3.

“Devil Inside” from Kick (1987)
Another major hit for INXS, the band’s sixth long player sustained their momentum, going 5x Platinum in Australia and turning out five singles. Kick’s “Need You Tonight” went all the way to the #1 spot – the first (but not last) time INXS would manage that achievement on U.S. charts – but the group fared nearly as well (#2) with this tune. “Devil Inside” charted in seven countries.

“Suicide Blonde” from X (1990)
Despite its title, X was the seventh, not 10th album from INXS; the Roman-numeral title represents the number of years since the group released its debut. Six singles were released from X, and the biggest success – a #1 Gold record in the U.S. – was this song. Tragically, “Suicide Blonde” was the last song that Michael Hutchence performed live onstage with the band; he would take his own life just a month later.