Songs of Disappearance: How Birdsong Took Over Australia’s Music Charts
An album of rare bird calls soared the charts, raising awareness for Australia's endangered species and inspiring conservation through the power of sound.
Australia’s Unlikely Music Sensation
In a world dominated by pop stars and streaming hits, few could have predicted that an album made entirely of Australian bird calls would break into the nation’s top music charts. Yet, Songs of Disappearance did just that, rising to the No. 2 spot on the ARIA charts, surpassing heavyweights like Taylor Swift and Mariah Carey.
This unique project used authentic recordings of 53 threatened Australian bird species, spotlighting critical issues of biodiversity loss while captivating the public’s imagination. But how did a conservation campaign soar so high in popular culture, and what does it reveal about our connection to the natural world?
The Story Behind Songs of Disappearance
The genesis of this album began in a Darwin café, where Anthony Albrecht, co-founder of the Bowerbird Collective and PhD student, and conservation professor Stephen Garnett pondered how art could drive awareness to Australia’s dwindling bird populations.
- Australia is witnessing alarming bird declines — one in six native species now faces extinction, threatened by land clearing, climate change, and bushfires.
- The project aimed to let the birds ‘speak’ directly to the public through their songs and calls, evoking empathy and urgency.
- The album’s proceeds went toward BirdLife Australia, the country’s leading avian conservation organization.
Crucially, Songs of Disappearance was a collaboration:
- David Stewart – Nature sound recordist, responsible for capturing the bird calls over four decades.
- Bowerbird Collective – Musicians Albrecht and Simone Slattery, who arranged the title track as a ‘fantasy dawn chorus’ of threatened species.
- BirdLife Australia – Project benefactor and awareness amplifier.
- Charles Darwin University – Research and campaign origin.
- Mervyn Street of Mangkaja Arts – Contributed to the accompanying visual components.
Disappearing Voices: The Birds Featured
This album is unlike any other in the mainstream charts. Rather than music, each track features the distinct, and sometimes haunting, songs and calls of some of Australia’s most at-risk birds:
- Night Parrot — Its bell-like call was lost for over a century before the species was rediscovered in 2013.
- Regent Honeyeater — Critically endangered and so rare now that some juveniles lack adults from whom to learn their species’ song.
- Gang-gang Cockatoo — Recognizable by its creaking, mournful calls, symbolizing vanishing habitats.
- Other species include the Far Eastern Curlew, buzzing bowerbirds, and a variety of cockatoos and seabirds.
The album weaves these voices into a soundscape evocative of Australia’s wild places, while also underscoring what stands to be lost if conservation fails. For many listeners, the bird calls provoke a strong emotional response; the unfamiliar, percussive, or unmelodious calls serve as a stark reminder of nature’s unique diversity.
A Chart-Topping Conservation Message
Launched in December 2021, Songs of Disappearance made an immediate splash. With help from BirdLife Australia’s supporter base and a strong grassroots campaign, the CD rapidly climbed the ARIA charts:
- Debuted at No. 5 — initially outpacing global icons such as Abba, Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, and Adele.
- Quickly rose to No. 3 — cementing its position as a pop-culture phenomenon.
- Peaked at No. 2 — displacing Paul Kelly’s album and drawing global attention.
What others are reading
Media outlets worldwide covered the story, and unexpected demand emerged from both local and international music retailers. Soon, Songs of Disappearance was being manufactured and distributed overseas.
The Making of the Album: Art, Science, and Activism
Behind the scenes, Songs of Disappearance is a study in cross-disciplinary innovation. The team’s efforts blend acoustic ecology, fieldwork, artistic arrangement, and digital distribution—amplified by viral social media and word-of-mouth support.
Notable creative challenges and insights:
- Field Recordings — Over 40 years, David Stewart’s vast archive provided the raw material, some sounds so rare that even avian researchers had barely heard them.
- Arrangement — Simone Slattery crafted the album’s title track as a ‘fantasy dawn chorus’, layering and sequencing the disparate timbres and rhythms to evoke a sense of place and narrative.
- Listening Experience — The album ranges from 11-second snippets to tracks nearly three minutes long; listeners reported looping their favorite calls for meditation, sleep, or inspiration.
Reception: Impact on Listeners and Beyond
Listener reactions ranged from delight to deep introspection. Many buyers wrote in to share that they now keep the album on loop, integrating birdsong into their daily lives.
The album’s impact, however, went far beyond sales and streaming numbers:
- Raised unprecedented funds for avian conservation via BirdLife Australia.
- Engaged a new, broader audience in environmental conversations, including people not previously active in conservation efforts.
- Brought rare species into the cultural mainstream, making their plight more tangible and personal for everyday Australians.
- Inspired international media and music retailers to take interest in nature-themed projects.
Can Birdsongs Change Behavior?
The Songs of Disappearance project is now the subject of ongoing research. Purchasers are being surveyed to determine whether exposure to the album shifts attitudes, emotions, and behaviors toward nature and conservation.
Key questions include:
- Does listening to birdsong increase empathy for wildlife or crystallize a sense of moral obligation? Previous research suggests that those who feel emotionally connected to wildlife are more likely to support conservation action.
- Can art drive real-world change? The blending of art, science, and social mobilization in this project is being analyzed to inspire similar initiatives worldwide.
The Broader Movement: Conservation Storytelling
The birdsong album is just one example of how creative storytelling is transforming conservation advocacy:
- Multimedia projects like Songs of Disappearance insert wildlife issues into mainstream discourse.
- Other campaigns have leveraged dance, literature, and visual art to forge stronger public bonds with nature.
- These approaches are crucial in an era of environmental crisis—where information alone is rarely enough to motivate action without the inspiration of personal connection or awe.
Looking Ahead: Where Will the Songs Lead?
As Songs of Disappearance continues to circulate, the project’s team hopes its impact will outlast chart dominance. The goal: move from raising awareness to driving tangible change for threatened species.
- Lessons from this campaign may inform the integration of artistic practice into conservation strategies elsewhere—giving voice to the voiceless through sound, music, and creative media.
- Evidence from post-release surveys and follow-up studies may illuminate best practices in conservation communication.
- Perhaps most importantly, the project demonstrates that the future of Australian birds is not predetermined. Human choices, inspired by the songs and stories of these remarkable creatures, can still shape a different outcome.
Selected Birds Featured on the Album
| Species | Conservation Status | Notable Calls |
|---|---|---|
| Night Parrot | Critically Endangered | Bell-like, melodic, once presumed extinct |
| Regent Honeyeater | Critically Endangered | Soft, warbling, learned from peers |
| Gang-gang Cockatoo | Vulnerable | Creaking, mournful, distinctively mechanical |
| Far Eastern Curlew | Endangered | Haunting, plaintive, migratory shorebird |
How to Listen to or Support the Project
The album is available in both hard copy (CD) and digital download:
- Listeners in Australia can purchase CDs through conventional retailers.
- International digital downloads are available, with each track offered individually.
- Proceeds benefit ongoing BirdLife Australia initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What makes Songs of Disappearance unique?
A: It’s the only album comprised exclusively of real bird calls from Australia’s most threatened species to reach the top of a national pop music chart.
Q: Who were the main contributors to the project?
A: Nature sound recordist David Stewart, the Bowerbird Collective (Anthony Albrecht and Simone Slattery), BirdLife Australia, Charles Darwin University, and artist Mervyn Street all played major roles in developing and promoting the album.
Q: How does the album benefit conservation?
A: Besides raising significant funds for BirdLife Australia, the project increases public engagement and emotional investment in the fate of endangered birds.
Q: Why are so many Australian birds threatened?
A: Major factors include habitat destruction from land clearing, the impact of bushfires, invasive species, and climate change, all intensifying the risk to native biodiversity.
Q: Can non-Australians access the album?
A: Yes. Digital downloads are available worldwide, with proceeds supporting avian conservation in Australia.
Final Thoughts
In a time of environmental uncertainty, Songs of Disappearance represents hope, creative leadership, and the enduring power of nature’s own music. By bringing the sounds of Australia’s most vulnerable birds to a mainstream audience, the project not only highlights the risk of silence—but also invites everyone to participate in ensuring the chorus continues for generations to come.
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