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20,000 Watt R.S.L.

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox album

| name = 20,000 Watt R.S.L.

| type = Greatest

| artist = Midnight Oil

| cover = 20000_Watt_RSL_album.jpg

| alt =

| released = 13 October 1997{{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Midnight+Oil&titel=20%2E000+Watt+R%2ES%2EL%2E&cat=a|title=Midnight Oil}}

| recorded = 1979–1997

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Rock{{cite book |chapter=Midnight Oil|last= Fricke|first=David|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |year=2004 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages= 541-542}}

| length = 75:55

| label = Sprint Music / CBS Records

| producer =

| prev_title = Breathe

| prev_year = 1996

| next_title = Redneck Wonderland

| next_year = 1998

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}} {{cite web|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/20000-watt-rsl-greatest-hits-mw0000030250 |title=Midnight Oil – 20,000 Watt R.S.L.: Greatest Hits |website=AllMusic |access-date=22 May 2014}}

}}

20,000 Watt R.S.L. is a compilation album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil released on 13 October 1997 on their own label Sprint Music.{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop |last=McFarlane |first=Ian |author-link=Ian McFarlane |publisher=Allen & Unwin |year=1999 |chapter=Encyclopedia entry for 'Midnight Oil' |chapter-url=http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=487 |isbn=1-86448-768-2 |access-date=20 October 2008 |archive-date=13 August 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040813100940/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=487 |url-status=bot: unknown }}{{cite web|url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/m/midnightoil.html |work=Australian Rock Database |title=Midnight Oil discography |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |access-date=20 October 2008 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927020538/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/m/midnightoil.html |archive-date=2012-09-27 }} The word "Collection" appears on the front of the CD along the hinge in the same type face as the title and the name of the band and may have been intended as part of the album's title; however, it does not appear on the spine. The release has also been distributed inside a cardboard sleeve which adds "Midnight Oil: The Hits" to the album art, distinguishing it as a compilation album.

The compilation covers the majority of Midnight Oil's career, starting with their 1979 album Head Injuries, and includes tracks from all their major studio releases (and one EP), even including two songs from the forthcoming Redneck Wonderland album, which was released after this compilation in 1998. The compilation does not include any material from the band's eponymous 1978 debut album or the Bird Noises EP (1980). The liner notes contain an essay on the band by Australian author Tim Winton.

The album peaked at #1 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) album charts,{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Midnight+Oil |title=Midnight Oil discography |publisher=Australian Charts Portal |access-date=20 October 2008 }} and achieved 5×Platinum sales, it also peaked at #18 in New Zealand.{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=29009&cat=a |title="20,000 Watt R.S.L" album charting |publisher=Australian Charts Portal |access-date=16 December 2008 }}

In 2012, Midnight Oil released the 2-disc compilation album Essential Oils, a more comprehensive summary of the band's career, and which includes material from all of the band's studio albums and EPs between 1978 and 2002. There is only one song ("What Goes On") included in 20,000 Watt R.S.L. that is not included in Essential Oils.

Background

Midnight Oil are an Australian rock band from Sydney formed in 1976 with vocalist Peter Garrett, drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboardist/lead guitarist Jim Moginie, Guitarist Martin Rotsey joined in 1977 and Midnight Oil established their own record label Powderworks, they released their second album Head Injuries on this label in October 1979. Founding bass guitarist James left due to illness in 1980, he was replaced by Peter Gifford, Gifford was himself replaced by Bones Hillman in 1987.

Australian Top Ten singles were "Power and the Passion", "The Dead Heart", "Beds Are Burning" and "Blue Sky Mine". Aside from chart success both "Power and the Passion" and "Beds Are Burning" were listed by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) in the Top 30 best Australian songs of all time in 2001.{{cite web|url=http://www.debbiekruger.com/pdfs/aprathirty.pdf |format=PDF |last=Kruger |first=Debbie |title=The songs that resonate through the years |publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |date=2 May 2001 |access-date=20 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030100404/http://www.debbiekruger.com/pdfs/aprathirty.pdf |archive-date=30 October 2008 }} Through a long and distinguished career, the band became known for its driving hard-rock sound, intense live performances and political activism, particularly in aid of anti-nuclear, environmentalist and indigenous causes.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/midnightoil/biography |title=Midnight Oil Biography |magazine=Rolling Stone |last=Fricke |first=David |year=2004 |access-date=2008-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103105246/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/midnightoil/biography |archive-date=3 November 2007 |url-status=dead }}

The title refers to the Returned Servicemen's League, whose clubs the band has performed in, and the typical power used by a public address system.[https://midnight-oil.info/powderworks/2002-August/005209.html (Powderworks) 20,000 Watt RSL Title - Meaning ]

Track listing

Songwriters according to Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA):{{cite web|publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |title=APRA search engine |url=http://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt |access-date=20 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517150759/http://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt |archive-date=17 May 2007 }} Note: requires user to input song title e.g. WHAT GOES ON

  1. "What Goes On" (Garrett, Hillman, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)from Redneck Wonderland (1998)
  2. "Power and the Passion" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)from 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (1982)
  3. "Dreamworld" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)from Diesel and Dust (1987)
  4. "White Skin Black Heart" (Garrett, Hillman, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)
  5. "Kosciuszko" (Hirst, Moginie)from Red Sails in the Sunset (1984)
  6. "The Dead Heart" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)
  7. "Blue Sky Mine" (Garrett, Hillman, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)from Blue Sky Mining (1990)
  8. "US Forces" (Garrett, Moginie)
  9. "Beds Are Burning" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)
  10. "One Country" (Garrett, Moginie)
  11. "Best of Both Worlds" (Hirst, Moginie)
  12. "Truganini" (Hirst, Moginie)from Earth and Sun and Moon (1993)
  13. "King of the Mountain" (Hirst, Moginie)
  14. "Hercules" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)from Species Deceases (1985)
  15. "Surf's Up Tonight" (Garrett, Hillman, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)from Breathe (1996)
  16. "Back on the Borderline" (Garrett, Hirst, James)from Head Injuries (1979)
  17. "Don't Wanna Be the One" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)from Place without a Postcard (1981)
  18. "Forgotten Years" (Hirst, Moginie)

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"| Chart (1997–1998)

!scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|Australia|1|artist=Midnight Oil|album=20,000 Watt R.S.L.|rowheader=true|access-date=30 November 2018}}
{{album chart|Germany4|78|artist=Midnight Oil|album=20,000 Watt R.S.L.|rowheader=true|id=29009|access-date=30 November 2018}}
{{album chart|New Zealand|18|artist=Midnight Oil|album=20,000 Watt R.S.L.|rowheader=true|access-date=30 November 2018}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"|Chart (1997)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|Australian Albums (ARIA){{cite web |url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-albums-1997.htm |title=ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 1997 |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association |access-date=31 December 2014}}

|28

scope="col"|Chart (1998)

!scope="col"|Position

scope="row"|Australian Albums (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1998/albums-chart|title=ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1998|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|access-date=12 June 2021}}

|72

{{col-end}}

Certifications

=Album=

{{certification Table Top}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Australia|artist=Midnight Oil|title=20,000 Watt R.S.L.|award=Platinum|number=5|certyear=2014|refname="Album Certification"|access-date=31 December 2014}}

{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

=Video=

{{certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|title= 20,000 Watt R.S.L|artist=Midnight Oil|type=video|certyear=2012|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=5|access-date=1 December 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

Personnel

;Midnight Oil

;Additional personnel

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.midnightoil.com Midnight Oil]
  • [http://anilcherukupalli.com/blog/2007/02/24/20000-watt-rsl/ ARC Album Review]

{{Midnight Oil}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Midnight Oil compilation albums

Category:1997 greatest hits albums

Category:CBS Records compilation albums