This collection rounds up almost every music video for a number one hit by a Kiwi artist; everything from ballads to hip hop to glam rock. Press on the images below to find the hits for each decade  — plus try this backgrounder by Michael Higgins, whose high speed history of local hits touches on the sometimes questionable ways past charts were created.  

NZ On Screen has selected this collection of 30 Kiwi love songs, which spans 50 years of music. The list ranges widely — from an early Loxene Golden Disc winner for Ray Columbus and the Invaders, to Dragon in the 70s, and in the 80s, everyone from Blam Blam Blam to Prince Tui Teka. Entries from later decades include Tiki Taane and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. That's not even the half of it: along the way, check out a trio of classics whose take on romance is positively oceanic: 'Anchor Me', 'Sway' and 'Not Given Lightly'. 

This edition of Prime TV’s history of New Zealand television looks at 50 years of entertainment. The smorgasbord of music, comedy and variety shows ranges from 60s pop stars to Popstars, from the anarchy of Blerta to the anarchy of Telethon, from Radio with Pictures to Dancing with the Stars. Music television moves from C’mon and country, to punk and hip hop videos. Comedy follows the formative Fred Dagg and Billy T, through to Eating Media Lunch and 7 Days. A roll call of New Zealand entertainers muse on seeing Kiwis laugh, sing and shimmy on the small screen.

This Janice Weaver song was originally recorded by American singer Morgana King (who played Mama Corleone in the first two Godfather films). Allison Durbin's epic version featured backing from Quincy Conserve and was produced by Howard Gable (who she later married). The biggest selling release by a New Zealand artist in 1968, it topped the local singles chart and won the Loxene Golden Disc. Durbin's performances from the televised Loxene awards show and a TV special have long since been lost but this grainy Australian TV clip of her finest moment survives.

Described by writer John Dix as "New Zealand's first television pop idol", Mr Lee Grant won hysterical fans while making regular appearances on 60s music show C'Mon, after winning a radio talent quest. Loxene Golden Disc winner 'Thanks to You' was one of three Grant singles to top the local charts. Born as Bogdan Kominowski to Polish parents in a WWII concentration camp, he reverted to his birth name after relocating to the United Kingdom. His acting career includes a minor part in 1985 James Bond movie A View to a Kill, and the starring role on an Australasian tour of Phantom of the Opera.    

English born singer Trevor Hales was a household name in the late 60s NZ music scene. After a stint with raunchy Auckland r’n’b act The Pleazers, he launched a solo career as Shane. He was spotted by TV producer Kevan Moore who had turned up to an Auckland club to audition another vocalist for a resident slot replacing Mr Lee Grant on pop show C’mon — but Hales got the job instead. His biggest hit came with ‘St Paul’ — written about Beatle Paul McCartney — which topped the charts and took out the Loxene Golden disc for local song of the year in 1969.

After being spotted by television producer Christopher Bourn at the 1966 Loxene Golden Disc Awards, Maria Dallas was asked to star in series Golden Girl, grooving and bopping through country and crossover numbers. On a WNTV-1 stairway to nowhere set, she duets on Loxene winner ‘Tumblin’ Down’ with the song’s writer Jay Epae. Her other four numbers include ‘Rustle Your Bustle’ (by Kiwi Sam Freedman), and ‘Engine Engine No 9’. Guests The Dallas Four make their TV debut with a version of doo-wop classic ‘Stay’. The band went on to provide backing vocals for pop show Happen Inn.

Country singer Marina Devcich was working as an apprentice hairdresser when she was discovered at a Waikato talent contest in 1964. Viking Records’ chief Ron Dalton changed her name to Maria Dallas and in 1966 her single 'Tumblin’ Down' was a pop hit and won the Loxene Golden Disc Award. She recorded in Nashville and shifted to Australia where she released successful singles, ran a Brisbane club, and won Queensland Country Singer of the Year six times. In 1970 she topped the NZ charts with ‘Pinocchio’. 

One of NZ’s first psychedelic bands, Auckland act The Hi-Revving Tongues formed in 1967. They had recorded their first single within a week, but had to wait until 1968 for their first hit (with ‘Tropic of Capricorn’, the self-penned title track of their first album). They moved to Australia in 1969 but then had a NZ number one with the uncharacteristically poppy ‘Rain and Tears’ (a Loxene Golden Disc winner that year). Vocalist Chris Parfitt went solo after their appearance at the Redwood 70 festival, and the rest of the band continued as The Tongues.

This notorious clip was filmed for Timberjack's appearance at the 1971 Loxene Golden Disc Awards, to accompany their symphonic cover of the song by British band Black Widow. The Wicker Man-esque images of skulls and ritualistic sacrifice would do any of today's "black metal" groups proud — but proved too much for TV1 audiences, who jammed the switchboard with complaints. An alternate version screened a week later with the black and white negative inverted, but proved equally unsavoury and led to an outright ban. Warning: contains nudity and pine needles.