Airbourne

Airbourne are an Australian hard rock band from Warrnambool, Victoria, formed in 2004. The group centres on brothers Joel O’Keeffe, who sings lead vocals and plays lead guitar, and Ryan O’Keeffe on drums. Justin Street joins on bass guitar and backing vocals, while Matt Harrisson is also listed as a member; the band also goes through a series of line-up changes over time, including earlier members David Roads, Jarrad Morrice and Brett Tyrrell on rhythm guitar.

Style and influences

The band’s early sound takes influence from Australian hard rock acts including AC/DC, the Angels, Billy Thorpe and Rose Tattoo. Their music is tagged as classic rock, hard rock, heavy metal and rock.

Early releases and breakthrough

Before their first album, Airbourne record two tracks, “Rock ’n’ Roll” and “Give It All You’ve Got”, for the local compilation Hard Wired: Youth Compilation Album. They release the independent EP Ready to Rock in 2004, and Justin Street has joined on bass by that point. The band moves to Melbourne in 2005 and signs a multi-album deal with Capitol Records/EMI Music Australia later that year.

The debut album Runnin’ Wild is recorded in 2006 with producer Bob Marlette and issued in 2007. It reaches the ARIA top 30 and also appears on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200. The album is later certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry. Singles from it include “Runnin’ Wild”, “Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast” and “Diamond in the Rough”. Airbourne are later dropped by Capitol before the record’s release, but it comes out through EMI in Australia and Roadrunner Records internationally.

Airbourne also release the live EP Live at the Playroom in 2007. Runnin’ Wild receives ARIA Award nominations for Best Rock Album and Breakthrough Artist – Album. Around this period the band tours with artists including Mötley Crüe, Motörhead, Iron Maiden, the Rolling Stones, Kid Rock and Korn.

Albums and chart success

The second album, No Guts. No Glory., begins taking shape in 2009 and is released in 2010, produced by Johnny K. It reaches the top 20 in Australia, the top 40 in the United Kingdom, the top five in Germany and the Billboard 200. Singles include “No Way But the Hard Way” and “Born to Kill”. The album is nominated for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album at the ARIA Music Awards. In 2011 the band supports Iron Maiden on part of the Final Frontier World Tour.

Work on Black Dog Barking starts in 2011. Produced by Brian Howes and released in 2013, it reaches the top five in Germany and the top 20 in several other countries, and it receives another ARIA nomination in the hard rock or heavy metal category. Airbourne tour extensively in support of the record.

Breakin’ Outta Hell, produced by Bob Marlette, follows in 2016 and earns some of the band’s strongest international chart results, including top 10 placements in several European countries. It is nominated for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album at the 2017 ARIA Music Awards.

In 2017 David Roads leaves the band and Mathew Harrison replaces him. That same year Airbourne issue the compilation Diamond Cuts: The B-Sides and the box set Diamond Cuts.

The fifth studio album, Boneshaker, is recorded in Nashville in 2019 with producer Dave Cobb. It reaches the top 10 in Germany and Switzerland and the top 20 in Australia and Austria. The band continues touring after its release. Harrison is later replaced by Jarrad Morrice in 2022, who is then replaced by Brett Tyrrell in 2023.

Airbourne are signed to Spinefarm Records and remain active.