Artist · chart history · #797 in indie & aaa artist polls

The Go-Betweens

Band Brisbane Australia Active 1978–2006 Australian indie rock

The Go-Betweens formed in 1978 in Brisbane, Australia and was active until 2006. The Go-Betweens has 18 chart appearances on 14 radio countdowns from 8 stations on RockLists, spanning 1987–2026. The most successful song on radio countdowns is “Cattle and Cane”, which appears on 6 lists with a best position of #11. The station that charted The Go-Betweens most often is Triple J (Australia (national)), with 7 appearances. The artist’s biggest year on year-end countdowns was 1987.

18appearances

14countdowns

6songs charted

8stations

0#1 finishes

1987–2026years

The Go-Betweens came out of Brisbane, Queensland, built on the partnership of Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, two singing, songwriting guitarists who were the band's only constants from start to finish. Lindy Morrison took over the drums in 1980, bassist Robert Vickers came aboard in 1983, and that year's Before Hollywood holds "Cattle and Cane". It is the one to start with, a hazy, circling, melancholy song, and in 2001 APRA put it on its list of the greatest Australian songs.

Spring Hill Fair followed in 1984, with the rueful "Bachelor Kisses". Multi-instrumentalist Amanda Brown joined in 1986, and Tallulah brought "Right Here" and "Bye Bye Pride". John Willsteed replaced Vickers in 1987, and 16 Lovers Lane in 1988 was their sunniest, most tender record: "Streets of Your Town" made the top 100 in both Australia and Britain, a jaunty, jangling tune. The band split the following year.

Forster and McLennan brought the name back in 2000 with an all-new lineup, until McLennan died of a heart attack on 6 May 2006 and the Go-Betweens ended with him. In 2010, Brisbane renamed a toll bridge the Go Between Bridge in their honour.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

Songs by The Go-Betweens on radio countdowns

#	Song	Strength	Lists	Best	#1s	Peak year
1	Cattle and Cane	292	6	#11	–	–
2	Streets of Your Town	96	6	#76	–	1988
3	Right Here	79	1	#23	–	1987
4	Bachelor Kisses	29	1	#72	–	–
5	Bye Bye Pride	28	2	#85	–	–
6	Going Blind	12	1	#171	–	2001

Albums with charting songs

Where each song was first released, from MusicBrainz.

Year-end chart timeline

Combined year-end countdown points per year. Taller bars mean more songs placing higher across more stations.

87 88 01

Every countdown appearance

Year	#	Song	Countdown
2026	674	Streets of Your Town	KXT 917 Song Countdown
2025	84	Streets of Your Town	Triple J Hottest 100 of Australian Songs (2025)
2023	352	Cattle and Cane	The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s
2023	715	Streets of Your Town	The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s
2023	751	Streets of Your Town	The Colorado Sound Top 800 Songs About Places
2018	100	Streets of Your Town	Triple M Ozzest 100 (2018)
2006	800	Artist ranking	WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Artists (2006)
2003	1547	Cattle and Cane	Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2002	1207	Cattle and Cane	Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2001	171 (tie)	Going Blind	WBER Listener Countdown 2001
1991	96	Cattle and Cane	Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1991)
1990	27	Cattle and Cane	Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1990)
1990	85	Bye Bye Pride	Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1990)
1989	11	Cattle and Cane	Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1989)
1989	72	Bachelor Kisses	Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1989)
1989	89	Bye Bye Pride	Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1989)
1988	76	Streets of Your Town	Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1988
1987	23	Right Here	Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1987

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