Playlunch (band)
Australian funk band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Playlunch are a seven-member Australian band from Melbourne, Victoria, which formed in 2022.[1][2]
Playlunch | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | Funk rock |
| Years active | 2022–present |
| Label | ABC Music |
| Members |
|
| Website | playlunchband |
The band was formed during Melbourne's COVID-19 lockdowns, originating as the project of lead singer Liam Bell, who began writing funk songs in a share house home-studio in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.[3][4] Prior to forming Playlunch, several members had been part of Parkville, a folk band.[3]
They have described their style as "bogan funk"[2] and lyrically they have been said to capture "all the mundane details of Aussie culture with sharp wit and fond affection" with songs referencing Zooper Doopers, Healthy Harold, and Coles supermarkets.[5]
The band members are Liam Bell (lead singer, guitarist), Michael D'Emilio (keyboardist/synth), Tom Kindermann (guitarist), Dylan Knur (bassist), Jerry Li (trumpeter), Andre Lew (saxophonist) and Austin Richardson (drummer).[6][7]
In November 2024, the band signed with the label ABC Music.[8]
Career
2022–2024: Who's Ready For a Good Time?
Playlunch's initial fame came from their song "Soupe Opera", which samples the French television show of the same name and went viral on TikTok.[9] "Soupe Opera" was followed by "Hornbag", the name of which is a reference to Australian comedy show Kath & Kim.[10] Both songs were later part of the band's debut LP Who's Ready For a Good Time, which was released in 2023.[1] In 2024, the band signed with ABC Music.[11]
Playlunch performed at the BIGSOUND 2024 music conference,[12] and was well received by reviewers.[13]
2025-2026: Sex Ed
The band's album Sex Ed was released on 22 August 2025, and described as funk rock by the ABC.[1] The album received positive reviews and was called "tongue-in-cheek".[14] A live performance off the back of the album's release was well received by The AU Review.[15]
The album's single "Keith", the video for which features acting from AFL player Barry Hall, was released ahead of the album and went viral.[1][16] The song describes a man who becomes continuously angrier as multiple people park in the parking spot outside of his house.[17] Marketing for the song also involved a hotline 1800-KEITH where fans were encouraged to call in with their stories of their own "Keiths".[18] "Keith" placed #4 in the 2025 Triple J Hottest 100.[19]
In 2025, Playlunch covered "It's Raining Men" for Triple J's Like a Version,[20] later released as a single.[21]
The music video for the album's single "Real Estate Apps" featured comedy group Aunty Donna and housing activist Jordan van den Lamb.[5]
In 2026, Playlunch announced a North American tour[22] and were announced as performers for the BASSINTHEGRASS music festival.[23]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [24] | |||
| Who's Ready for a Good Time? |
|
— | |
| Sex Ed |
|
71 | |
| "—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [26] | |||
| "No Hat No Play"[27] | 2022 | — | Who's Ready for a Good Time? |
| "Soupe Opera"[28] | — | ||
| "Foxtel Girl"[29] | — | ||
| "Blue Light Disco"[30] | 2023 | — | |
| "Station Rat"[31] | 2024 | — | Sex Ed |
| "Boys"[32] | 2025 | — | |
| "Keith"[33] | 53 | ||
| "Real Estate Apps" (featuring Aunty Donna)[5] |
— | ||
| "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
Promotional singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "It's Raining Men" (Triple J Like a Version)[21] |
2025 | Non-album single |
Awards and nominations
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.
J Awards
The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.