The Easybeats perform Friday on My Mind on Top of the Pops

The Easybeats performed 'Friday on My Mind' for the 150th episode of Top of the Pops on 24 November 1966 as the song climbed to No. 17 in the British charts (it eventually peaked at No. 6). 

It’s a timeless classic – saying goodbye to the work week's grind and eagerly welcoming a weekend of freedom, fun and romance. ‘Friday on My Mind’, by Australian rock quintet the Easybeats, is widely considered the first Australian rock song to break through to an international audience. In a 1986 Rolling Stone retrospective, David Fricke even called it ‘the first international victory for Oz rock'.

In 2021, a 16mm black-and-white film of the band performing the hit track on Top of the Pops resurfaced during a clean-up of former ATN7 Sydney television director Tony Culliton’s belongings. It was a remarkable find, especially considering the rarity of such footage.

Featuring a live vocal from lead singer Stevie Wright, the Easybeats pre-recorded their Top of the Pops performance at the BBC’s Lime Grove Studios in London’s Shepherd’s Bush. The program was telecast to a regular viewing audience of 15 million.

Read more about the Easybeats on Top of the Pops