Community radio station RTRFM 92.1 has unveiled its 100 most played tracks of 2022, with local singer-songwriter Anna Schneider taking out the top spot with her timely tune Gaslight.
As RTRFM is not playlisted, presenters are trusted to play the most exciting and engaging music they’re unearthing either through the station (and RTRFM’s Music Director Matthew Perrett) or by themselves, with an eye towards acts emerging from Boorloo/Perth and wider Western Australia.
As such, a huge amount of music was shared on RTRFM 92.1 this year: about 65,000 individual tracks, to be specific. Breakfast host Taylah Strano played more than 8,000 unique songs alone.
Local artists once again dominated our airwaves, with 56 per cent of the top 100 played tracks coming from WA artists and 76 per cent of the top 100 from Australian acts.
Female or gender non-conforming artists were also dominant, with 74 per cent of the top 100 most played tracks from non-male fronted acts.
The number one spot was taken out by local singer-songwriter Anna Schneider who released her single Gaslight in January.
“Anna Schneider has had a belter of a year, despite releasing this one and only single,” Strano said on Breakfast when announcing the results with Perrett.
“This song really took people by storm.”
“It’s a very truthfully powerful track from Anna, capturing the nuances of somebody gaslighting you, and follows the personal catharsis when you break-free from a gaslighting relationship,” Perrett added.
“Also, the other side of that coin: the personal growth or guilt you feel when leaving behind old relationships that deep down you know might be toxic or bad for you. They’re still relationships with memories attached to them. All of that is summed up in this tight little catchy indie-folk package.”
The top 100 also includes a plethora of talented queer artists including Kae Tempest, Anesu (pictured), Alter Boy and June Jones.
Fifteen of the top 20 tracks came from WA-based artists; the two interstate artists to feature were King Stingray and Jamaica Moana. King Stingray popped up in the top 100 multiple times along with local artists Mia June, Web Rumors, Erasers, Stella Donnelly, Jewel Owusu, Grace Sanders and Mali Jo$e.
Kae Tempest’s collaborative effort with Kevin Abstract, More Pressure, was the most popular track from an overseas act, coming in at number eight.
Check out RTRFM’s 100 most played tracks here.
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