Few Australian rock bands hit as hard, as fast, as Jet did in the early 2000s, and this list of the best Jet songs proves the Melbourne quartet was never a one-hit wonder. Formed in 2001 by brothers Nic and Chris Cester alongside Cameron Muncey and Mark Wilson, Jet built a career on raw guitar tone, swaggering vocal delivery, and a genuine love of classic rock records. Across three studio albums, they carved out a sound that felt simultaneously vintage and urgent. Pull up a pair of decent headphones for this one, because the guitar layering on some of these tracks rewards close listening.
Are You Gonna Be My Girl
This is the song that put Jet on the map worldwide, and honestly, it still sounds massive two decades later. That descending bassline, lifted in spirit from Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life,” locks into a stomping backbeat before Nic Cester’s vocal explodes into the chorus with real snarl and swagger. Released in 2003 as the lead single from Get Born and produced by Dave Sardy, it became a global radio anthem and helped push the album past four million copies sold. On car speakers with the windows down, this track just does something different than it does on headphones — it demands volume.
Look What You’ve Done
Where “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” is all attitude, this one shows Jet’s softer, more melodic side, and it’s arguably the better songwriting achievement. The chord progression borrows a little from Beatles-style balladry, and Nic Cester’s vocal performance here is genuinely tender rather than shouted. Released in 2004 as a single from Get Born, it reached the top 20 in several territories and remains one of the most licensed Jet tracks for film and television. The acoustic guitar bed underneath the electric layers gives it a warmth that a lot of garage-rock revival bands never bothered chasing.
Cold Hard Bitch
Few rock songs from the 2000s hit with this much sheer swagger and mixing punch. The guitar tone is thick and distorted without ever losing clarity, a testament to Dave Sardy’s production instincts on Get Born. Chris Cester’s drumming drives the track forward with a relentless, almost punk urgency, while the lyrics deliver exactly the kind of unapologetic bravado that made Jet a festival favorite. It’s the kind of track that live performance energy elevates even further, and fans who caught the band during their 2004 touring cycle still talk about how it hit in arenas.
Rollover D.J.
This one opens Get Born with a riff that instantly signals what kind of record you’re in for. It’s blunt, riff-driven garage rock with barely any studio polish, which is exactly the point — the rawness is the appeal. Released as a single in late 2003, the accompanying music video (directed by Chris Milk) leaned into the same gritty aesthetic as the recording. On a decent set of over-ear cans, you can really hear how tight the rhythm section locks together despite the deliberately loose, live-in-the-room feel.
Move On
A deep cut that deserves more credit than it usually gets, “Move On” leans into mid-tempo balladry with genuine emotional weight. The arrangement builds gradually, adding layers of guitar and backing vocals until the chorus lands with real weight. It’s a good example of Jet’s range beyond straight-up garage rock, showing they understood dynamics and restraint just as well as volume. This is a track that rewards patient listening rather than casual background play.
Timothy
There’s a darker, more theatrical quality to “Timothy” that separates it from the more radio-friendly cuts on Get Born. The storytelling in the lyrics has a narrative arc rarely attempted in mainstream rock singles of that era, and the arrangement matches that ambition with shifting dynamics. Chris Cester’s drum fills throughout add texture without ever overwhelming the vocal melody. It’s one of those songs that longtime fans mention when asked which Jet track feels the most underrated.
Lazy Gun
This track leans into bluesy, riff-based rock with a looser, jam-oriented feel than the more polished singles from Get Born. The guitar interplay between Cameron Muncey and Nic Cester carries real chemistry, trading licks in a way that feels genuinely spontaneous rather than overproduced. It’s not a chart hit, but it’s a favorite among fans who dig into the record’s full catalog of songs beyond the singles.
Radio Song
A tongue-in-cheek jab at the music industry itself, “Radio Song” pairs a hook-heavy chorus with lyrics that poke fun at commercial radio formulas. The irony, of course, is that the track is catchy enough to have worked as a single in its own right. Production-wise, it’s leaner than some of the album’s bigger anthems, letting the vocal melody do most of the heavy lifting.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
The lead single from 2006’s Shine On, this track shows a noticeably tighter, more confident band than the one that recorded Get Born three years earlier. The production has more low-end weight and the vocal mix sits further forward, giving Nic Cester’s delivery extra bite. It became a top 20 hit in Australia and remains a staple of Jet’s live setlists to this day. Meanwhile, the guitar tone here trades some of the earlier grit for a cleaner, more radio-ready crunch.
Bring It on Back
There’s a strutting confidence to this Shine On highlight that recalls glam rock as much as garage revival. The rhythm guitar riff is instantly memorable, and the backing harmonies add a layer of polish that the debut album mostly avoided. On headphones, the stereo separation between the rhythm and lead guitar tracks becomes much more obvious, which is a nice reward for close listening.
Skin and Bones
A moodier, more atmospheric cut from Shine On, “Skin and Bones” slows the tempo and leans into a heavier, almost stoner-rock groove. The vocal performance is more restrained here, letting the instrumental arrangement carry more of the emotional weight. It’s a good demonstration of how Jet expanded their sonic palette on the second record rather than simply repeating the Get Born formula.
L’esprit d’escalier
Named after the French phrase for thinking of the perfect comeback too late, this track brings a literary sensibility rarely found in mainstream rock singles of the mid-2000s. The arrangement is more layered and cinematic than much of Shine On, with keyboard textures adding depth beneath the guitars. It’s a deep cut that rewards listeners who appreciate lyrical ambition alongside musical craft.
Shiny Magazine
This one takes aim at celebrity culture and media superficiality with a hook that’s more playful than bitter. The production leans bright and punchy, built for radio play even though it never became a major single. Instrumentally, the interplay between rhythm and lead guitar keeps the arrangement lively without cluttering the mix.
Snap Your Fingers
Closing out several of Shine On’s standout deep cuts, “Snap Your Fingers” brings a swaggering, almost T. Rex-influenced glam-rock energy. The guitar tone is fuzzed out and confident, while the vocal melody leans into call-and-response phrasing that begs for a live crowd singing along. It’s one of those tracks that live performance energy transforms completely compared to the studio version.
She’s a Genius
The lead single from 2009’s Shaka Rock, recorded in Los Angeles with producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith, this track reintroduced Jet with a leaner, more direct sound than their earlier work. It reached the top 20 in Australia and became one of the more enduring tracks from the band’s later catalog. The mix here is tighter and more modern, with less of the vintage warmth of Get Born and more contemporary punch.
Black Hearts (On Fire)
A darker, riff-heavy standout from Shaka Rock, this track leans into a slightly more aggressive, almost hard-rock direction than the band’s earlier singles. The guitar tone is thicker and more distorted, while Nic Cester’s vocal performance carries genuine urgency throughout the verses. It’s a good example of how Jet evolved their sound on their third and final studio album before disbanding in 2012.
Seventeen
Released as a single in 2010, “Seventeen” captures a nostalgic, coming-of-age energy that feels distinct from the band’s earlier bravado-driven anthems. The melodic sensibility here is stronger and more pop-adjacent, with a chorus built for arena singalongs. It earned ARIA Gold certification in Australia, a solid result for a track from the band’s final album cycle.
La Di Da
This one brings back some of the playful, hook-driven energy of Jet’s earliest work, with a chorus that’s almost impossible not to hum along to after one listen. The production keeps things relatively stripped back compared to some of Shaka Rock’s more polished tracks, letting the guitar riff carry most of the weight. If you’re testing out new gear, this is a fun one to run through a comparison of quality earbuds since the mix has real punch in the low end.
Goodbye Hollywood
A moodier, more reflective cut from Shaka Rock, “Goodbye Hollywood” leans into cinematic guitar textures and a slower build than much of the album around it. The lyrical content touches on disillusionment with fame and the music industry, giving it more emotional depth than a typical album deep cut. It’s a track that benefits from a quality set of over-ear headphones to really catch the layered guitar work.
Walk
Closing out this list, “Walk” brings a steady, mid-tempo groove that showcases Jet’s rhythm section at its most locked-in. Mark Wilson’s basslines anchor the track while Chris Cester’s drumming keeps things propulsive without ever rushing. It’s a fitting closer for a career built on tight musicianship and genuine rock and roll conviction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Jet’s most popular song?
“Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” released in 2003 from the album Get Born, remains Jet’s most recognized and commercially successful song worldwide.
How many studio albums did Jet release?
Jet released three studio albums during their original run: Get Born (2003), Shine On (2006), and Shaka Rock (2009), before disbanding in 2012 and later reforming for reunion shows.
Is Jet still an active band?
Jet disbanded in 2012, reformed briefly in 2016, and reunited again in 2023, continuing to perform live and release occasional new material.
What genre is Jet’s music?
Jet is generally classified as garage rock revival and hard rock, drawing heavily from influences like The Rolling Stones, T. Rex, and AC/DC.