Step Off Oasis Vs Blur, Australia Has Lime Cordiale Vs Ball Park Music

In the early '90s, the biggest rivalry in music was Blur vs Oasis as each band tried to one-up each other. Fast forward 30 years and while it took a while, it looks like Australia has its own contenders, but this time with a little less douche bag and a little more larrikin. 

Keen fans of Lime Cordiale and Ball Park Music will have been impressed by both bands’ antics as they ribbed each other across such classic Facebook memes as “tag a band and they might reply” and “how good is this festival line-up”. From light-hearted banter on their own posts through to a few pointed barbs, fans have been left to ponder whether this is a rivalry or a bromance. 

The Music decided to look at the scoreboard...

WHO DID IT FIRST

Brisbane’s Ball Park Music definitely have the jump on Sydney’s Lime Cordiale in terms of years. In fact, evidence points to Lime being Ball Park fan-boys long before they were fighting it out for the triple j crown. Their fawning Facebook post from 2011 when they performed together for the first time in fact had Lime’s “faces blown off”.

There is indeed a simple timeline that can’t be disputed, with Lime Cordiale’s first EP landing in 2012 and Ball Park Music’s in 2009. No doubt, Lime is the younger “Chris” style character while Ball Park is the aged “Luke” variety. 

WINNER: Ball Park Music

WHO WINS THE ALBUM RACE

This is a tough one, because Ball Park Music’s head start means that Lime is at a bit of a disadvantage. Ball Park Music have six mighty fine albums under their belt including four of them that have hit the ARIA top five. 

Lime Cordiale on the other hand have only dropped two. But they have achieved one thing Ball Park never have…. an ARIA #1. This one is a very tough race, but we’re going to award it to Ball Park on the weight of their catalogue.

WINNER: Ball Park Music (by a nose)

WHO ARE THE TRIPLE J KINGS

Ball Park Music have been staples on triple j since their very first album, scoring ten Hottest 100 hits over that time. Lime Cordiale on the other hand had triple j arriving to their party pretty late, with 2018 the first year they entered the countdown. They have however been prolific once they got there with Lime smashing through ten entries in just the last two years alone.

Ball Park Music have had three singles hit the top 20, while Lime Cordiale have had six, perhaps making up for being pipped by Ball Park’s one extra hit. Both bands have won the J Award for Best Album. 

WINNER: Lime Cordiale (by a nose)

WHO HAVE HAD THE BIGGEST ARIA HITS

Both bands have plaques on their wall for their big hits, but neither band have managed to yet crack the ARIA Singles Chart top 50. When it comes to consumption though, Lime Cordiale are the clear winners, with two platinum and three gold singles. Ball Park Music are no slouches either with two platinum singles to their name, but by trailing Lime’s breadth of silverware (or goldware as the case is), this one goes to Lime Cordiale. 

WINNER: Lime Cordiale

SUMMARY

Yes, as you might have guessed before you clicked, this is the annoying part of the story where we call it a draw and say each to their own. Given the fan bases that each has, not even we are stupid enough to pick sides. Having said that, Ball Park Music have never done an EP with Idris Elba. We’ll leave you to decide which band that gives the winning edge to.