Picking the best songs of Illy is basically an exercise in tracing modern Australian hip-hop’s evolution from underground rap battles to arena-ready pop-rap. Alasdair Murray, the Frankston-born MC who goes by Illy, has spent close to two decades turning conversational bars into hooks big enough to fill a festival field. What makes his catalog so rewarding is the range: you get the scrappy storytelling of his Obese Records days, the M-Phazes-produced pop crossover era, and now the more introspective, grown-up songwriting of his recent Warner Music output. I’ve had these tracks in constant rotation for years, through headphones on the train, blasting from car speakers, and live at festivals where the crowd knows every word of the chorus before he even gets there. Here’s my rundown of the songs that define him.
Papercuts (feat. Vera Blue)
There’s a reason “Papercuts” is the song most casual listeners think of first when Illy’s name comes up. Released in July 2016 off his fifth album, Two Degrees, it paired Illy’s rhythmic, half-sung verses with Vera Blue’s woozy, aching hook, and the combination went triple platinum in Australia while cracking the number two spot on the ARIA singles chart. Producer M-Phazes deserves a lot of credit here — the mix leaves so much space around Vera Blue’s vocal that the whole track feels like it’s floating, which makes the low-end thump of the drums hit even harder on a good pair of headphones. Lyrically it’s about the slow accumulation of small hurts in a relationship, and Illy’s delivery never oversells the emotion, which is exactly why it lands.
Catch 22 (feat. Anne-Marie)
Where “Papercuts” broods, “Catch 22” bounces. Also from Two Degrees and featuring a pre-fame Anne-Marie on the chorus, this one leans into skittering pop-rap production with a genuinely infectious topline. Anne-Marie’s vocal tone gives the hook a playful, almost mischievous energy that contrasts nicely with Illy’s more measured verses about being caught between wanting something and knowing it’s bad for you. On the radio or in the car, it’s an instant mood-lifter, and it’s aged remarkably well considering how fast pop-rap trends tend to turn over.
Tightrope
“Tightrope” was Illy’s real commercial arrival. Pulled from his 2013 album Cinematic, it became his first top-20 single, peaking at number 18 and eventually going multi-platinum with an ARIA Gold certification. The production here is tighter and more percussive than his later pop-leaning singles, built around a driving beat that gives Illy room to show off his flow and internal rhyme schemes. It’s the kind of track that still gets a huge reaction live, mostly because you can feel the crowd anticipating the beat drop before the hook even lands.
Swear Jar
“Swear Jar” is Illy at his most gleefully combative, a track built for calling out trolls, haters, and anyone talking behind his back. The bravado in his delivery is almost theatrical, and the production keeps enough grit in the low end that it never tips over into pure pop territory. It’s a song that rewards close listening on a good set of headphones — the ad-libs and layered vocal takes sit just under the main verse, adding texture you might miss on laptop speakers.
Then What
“Then What” served as the lead single from 2021’s The Space Between, and it’s a great example of Illy poking fun at fake friendships and fair-weather loyalty over a genuinely infectious, party-ready beat. The chorus is built for a singalong, but the verses carry more bite than the bright production initially suggests. In contrast to some of his more sentimental work, this one is pure fun with a slightly cynical edge underneath.
It Can Wait (feat. Owl Eyes)
Go back to 2010’s The Chase and you’ll find “It Can Wait,” the third single off that album and Illy’s first single to actually chart, eventually going ARIA Gold after selling 35,000 copies. Owl Eyes brings a breezy, melodic hook that softens Illy’s rapid-fire verses about putting off responsibility in favor of the moment. It’s a snapshot of an artist still finding his commercial footing, but the chemistry between rapper and featured vocalist here set a template he’d return to again and again throughout his career.
Loose Ends (feat. G Flip)
“Loose Ends” didn’t crack the mainstream ARIA singles chart, but it climbed to number four on the ARIA Hip Hop/R&B chart, and honestly, it deserves more attention than it gets. G Flip’s raw, drum-heavy production style gives the track an energy that’s a little rougher around the edges than Illy’s typical pop-rap sheen, and the pairing works because both artists bring genuine personality rather than polish. Meanwhile, the lyrical content — about tying up unresolved emotional business — feels more mature than a lot of his earlier work.
Cheap Seats (feat. WAAX)
From The Space Between, “Cheap Seats” is one of Illy’s most purely fun tracks, a poppy anthem about valuing the simple things over fame and VIP treatment. WAAX’s shout-along backing vocals give the chorus a garage-rock edge that’s unusual for Illy’s discography, and it works brilliantly live, where the whole room ends up yelling the hook back at the stage. It’s proof that Illy’s best collaborations happen when he lets his featured artists bring their own sonic identity into the mix rather than smoothing them into his lane.
Like You
“Like You” marked Illy’s return to Warner Music in October 2022 and the first taste of his seventh album, Good Life. Co-written with DMA’S songwriter Johnny Took and Peking Duk’s Reuben Styles, it blends layered vocal harmonies with a slick pairing of EDM production and driving acoustic guitar — an unusual combination that shouldn’t work as well as it does. There’s a real sense of self-awareness in the songwriting, like Illy is in on the joke of chasing a big pop moment while still keeping his rap roots intact.
Hopeless (feat. Indiana Massara)
Released in October 2023 as another Good Life preview single, “Hopeless” pairs Illy with rising vocalist Indiana Massara for a track that leans more into vulnerable, mid-tempo territory. The production gives Massara’s vocal plenty of room to breathe, and Illy’s verses trade some of his usual bravado for something more reflective. It’s a good example of how his songwriting has matured without losing the melodic instincts that made him a hitmaker in the first place.
Good Life
The title track from Illy’s 2024 seventh studio album, “Good Life” sums up the record’s broader themes of contentment, perspective, and appreciating where you’ve landed after a long career. Sonically it’s warmer and less club-oriented than his mid-2010s pop-rap peak, favoring a more organic instrumental palette that suits the reflective lyrical tone. On the other hand, it still carries enough melodic hook that it never feels like a mood piece divorced from radio appeal.
Get Up Get Down (feat. Jungleboi)
Another highlight from Good Life, “Get Up Get Down” brings in Jungleboi for a collaboration built around a bouncier, more dance-adjacent rhythm than most of the album’s other tracks. The energy here is immediate — it’s built for a festival crowd, with call-and-response potential baked into the structure of the hook. It’s a reminder that even in a more reflective album era, Illy hasn’t lost his ear for a genuine crowd-mover.
Braveheart
“Braveheart” is one of Good Life‘s more anthemic moments, built around a soaring chorus that leans into themes of resilience and self-belief. The arrangement builds steadily from a fairly sparse verse into a much bigger, layered chorus, which is a classic Illy structural trick that still works because the vocal performance sells the payoff. In the car with the windows down, this is a genuine mood-booster.
Whatever You Wanted
There’s a wistful, almost bittersweet quality running through “Whatever You Wanted,” another Good Life cut that finds Illy reflecting on a relationship or ambition that didn’t play out the way he’d hoped. The production keeps a melancholic undertone even while the melody stays catchy, which is a tricky balance to strike and one Illy pulls off convincingly. It’s a song that rewards close, attentive listening rather than background play.
Throwbacks
“Throwbacks” does exactly what the title promises, with Illy looking back on earlier chapters of his life and career with a mix of nostalgia and hard-won wisdom. The instrumentation nods subtly to the boom-bap textures of his earlier records while still fitting comfortably within Good Life‘s more polished sonic world. Meanwhile, the lyrical content works as a nice bookend to some of his 2009-era storytelling, showing just how far his songwriting has come.
Satellites
“Satellites” takes a more atmospheric approach, with spacious synth textures and a slower build than a lot of Illy’s more radio-ready singles. Thematically it deals with distance and connection, using the satellite imagery as a metaphor for staying tethered to people even when life pulls everyone in different directions. It’s one of the more sonically adventurous tracks on Good Life, and it benefits from a proper listen on quality headphones where the reverb and layering can really open up.
Closer (feat. Hevenshe)
“Closer” pairs Illy with vocalist Hevenshe for one of Good Life‘s more intimate, R&B-leaning moments. The production strips things back compared to some of the album’s bigger pop swings, giving Hevenshe’s vocal plenty of space to carry the emotional core of the song. It’s a track that shows Illy is comfortable stepping into a supporting role when the collaboration calls for it, rather than always dominating the hook himself.
Free Hand
Tucked onto the deluxe edition of Good Life, “Free Hand” is a looser, more playful cut that didn’t make the standard tracklist but still deserves a spot on any comprehensive playlist. The energy is a bit more carefree than the album’s more emotionally weighted tracks, and it’s a good palate cleanser if you’re working through the record front to back. Fans who dig through deluxe editions tend to find some of an artist’s most underrated material, and this is a solid example.
You Don’t Like Me
“You Don’t Like Me” finds Illy in classic confrontational mode, addressing critics and doubters with the same wit that’s defined tracks like “Swear Jar” throughout his career. The delivery is sharp and rhythmically dense, giving the verses a punchy, almost combative energy that contrasts with the more melodic hooks he’s known for elsewhere. It’s a good example of the rap fundamentals that still underpin even his most pop-leaning eras.
Heard It All
Rounding out this list is “Heard It All,” the lead single from 2012’s Bring It Back, the album that would go on to win Illy his first ARIA Award for Best Urban Album. Released in May of that year, it’s a confident, punchy statement of where his career was heading, with sharper production than his earlier work and a chorus built to travel well on radio. Listening back now, you can hear the connective tissue between his scrappier early rap style and the pop instincts that would define his biggest hits just a few years later.
If you’re building out a broader Australian hip-hop rotation, it’s worth browsing our full songs category for more artist deep dives and playlist guides. And since so much of what makes Illy’s production choices land is genuinely audible detail in the mix, it’s also worth checking our headphones comparison guide if you’re upgrading your home listening setup, or our earbuds comparison guide if you do most of your listening on the move.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Illy’s most successful song?
“Papercuts,” featuring Vera Blue, is generally considered Illy’s biggest commercial hit. It peaked at number two on the ARIA singles chart and was certified triple platinum in Australia, making it the song most casual listeners associate with him.
What genre does Illy make?
Illy works primarily in Australian hip-hop, but his sound has always leaned heavily into pop and electronic production, especially from Two Degrees onward. His long-running collaboration with producer M-Phazes helped define a melodic, hook-driven style that sits comfortably on both hip-hop and pop radio playlists.
Which album is the best starting point for new listeners?
Two Degrees (2016) is probably the best entry point, since it contains “Papercuts” and “Catch 22,” two of his most accessible and well-known singles. From there, Cinematic (2013) and his most recent album, Good Life (2024), show two very different sides of his songwriting across his career.
Does Illy still release new music?
Yes. Illy released his seventh studio album, Good Life, in November 2024 through Warner Music, following singles like “Like You” and “Hopeless.” He continues to tour Australia regularly and has kept a steady release schedule since re-signing with Warner in 2022.
Who are Illy’s most notable collaborators?
Illy has worked with a wide range of vocalists across genres, including Vera Blue, Anne-Marie, Owl Eyes, G Flip, WAAX, Indiana Massara, and Hevenshe. His longest-running creative partnership, however, is with producer M-Phazes, who has shaped the sound of several of his biggest albums.