For many Australians, calling Centrelink is synonymous with long wait times, frustration, and one other unmistakable element – the now-infamous hold music. What was once a mere background tune has seeped into the national consciousness, inspiring remixes, viral TikToks, and even dance performances. But how did a simple synth melody go from a source of annoyance to a beloved, if ironic, cultural staple?
Table of Contents
The Origins of Centrelink’s Viral Hold Music
While many believe this track was created specifically for Centrelink, its origins stretch back to 1989. That year, a 16-year-old American named Tim Carleton composed a synthesizer melody, which his friend Darrick Deel later recorded. Deel eventually joined the telecommunications giant Cisco, and the song—titled Opus No. 1—became a default hold track used worldwide.
Centrelink officially adopted Opus No. 1 in 2018, swapping out its previous classical selection, which included Chopin’s Waltz #3 in A Minor. Since then, the track has become an inescapable earworm for countless Australians stuck in hold queues for hours.
Pensioners Skipping Meals as Rent Soars – The Case for a $2B Centrelink Rent Assistance Boost
When a Hold Song Becomes a Hit
Opus No. 1 has gained an unexpected second life online, with Australians embracing its ubiquity in humorous and creative ways. In 2024, comedian and influencer Lyanna Kea went viral with a TikTok video featuring a dance routine to the tune, racking up over 91,000 likes and thousands of comments.
“I thought this was just the Centrelink song,” Kea admitted, only to discover that callers across the globe—from Poland to Switzerland—had endured the same melody. The song’s universal recognition sparked conversations and creative interpretations, proving that holding music, of all things, could unite people in a shared experience.
Centrelink Holds Music as an Art Form
Beyond TikTok, the Centrelink song has even found its way into performance art. In 2023, Melbourne-based artist Jonathan Homsey staged a Fringe Festival piece featuring dancers performing to Opus No. 1 inside the Melbourne City Baths. Inspired by the repetitive nature of lockdown life, Homsey designed the routine to mimic the cycles of being placed on hold repeatedly.
“The music is the sound of purgatory,” he said. “Every 10 minutes, I went back to dancing to the song as a metaphor of, ‘Oh, here I am again.’”
Why Does the Song Stick? The Science of Hold Music
According to Jenny Crosby, Director at Music On Hold Australia, the secret to a good hold track lies in three factors:
- A steady beat that doesn’t agitate listeners
- Consistent volume to avoid distraction
- Emotionally neutral tones to prevent mood swings
Ironically, a good hold song must be unremarkable. But Opus No. 1, with its distinctive synth melody, stands out. It has even appeared in a 2023 Bud Light commercial, racking up over 2 million streams on Spotify.
Centrelink’s Take: No Comment on the Musical Legacy
Despite its online fame, Services Australia (which oversees Centrelink) has remained silent on Opus No. 1’s place in Australian pop culture. Professor Lauren Rosewarne from Melbourne University believes this is the right approach, warning that corporations trying to cash in on viral trends often kill the joke.
“As soon as a company acknowledges it, the humor disappears,” Rosewarne said. “Centrelink’s best move is to stay out of it.”
Is It a Banger?
For many Australians, Opus No. 1 is an auditory symbol of frustration. Yet, it has transcended its original function, taking on a new identity as an inside joke, a meme, and even an artistic inspiration.
So, is it a good song? Kea sums it up best:
“If a banger is defined as something that raises your blood pressure, then yeah, I define it as a banger.”
Leave a Reply