In last Saturday's paper, I had wondered about whether the award might nominate Dean Waretini's 81 number one The Bridge - in te reo, though done to a borrowed Italian tune, or the Newmatics' political ska of Riot Squad and Graham Brazier's Billy Bold.
But nervy white guy pop-rock bands of the era it is, it seems.
There's some interesting ancient rivalries among the five - there's Neil Finn's One Step Ahead from his Enz-era versus Phil Judd, the man in The Enz he replaced, with the Swingers' enduringly nifty jingle-friendly number one.
(In case you remember Finn's slinky hit being on the radio over summer, yes, it was released in late 1980 but still within the qualifying period).
In there, too, are Blam Blam Blam and the Screaming Meemees, both bands on Auckland's indie label Propeller with their respective biggest hits - See Me Go entered the local charts at number one such was the fan enthusiasm for the North Shore quartet.
And there is Dunedin's finest, The Clean, delivering the first hit for themselves of their short-lived original era and the Flying Nun label.
Who should win? Well, if it came down to words alone, No Depression.
Its lyrics by poet-playwright Richard von Sturmer certainly caught the mood of the times and helped inject irony and political commentary into the Kiwi rock lexicon. And, care of the band's New Wave boogie, you could dance to it, too. I'm pretty sure I did.
Then again, Tally Ho was certainly a moment and The Clean's trophy cabinet deserves something after all these years of lasting influence.
- TimeOut
