Australian rock music journalist Glenn A. Baker dies aged 74
Updated . First published
Renowned Australian rock music journalist and broadcaster Glenn A. Baker has died. He was 74.
Known universally for his encyclopaedic music knowledge, Baker owned over 80,000 records and 30,000 CDs, and spent more than 20 years as the editor of Billboard magazine.
Australian rock music journalist Glenn A. Baker has died at the age of 74. Getty
The news of his passing was confirmed on Friday by longtime friend and collaborator Stuart Coupe, who shared his condolences on Facebook.
“This is a post that I was hoping I wouldn’t be making for a considerable period of time but after an illness Glenn A. Baker passed away earlier this morning. I’m beyond sad,” he wrote.
No cause of death has been confirmed, however his son, Orson, recently told 702 ABC Sydney that Baker had been suffering a period of illness and had been “declining for a while”.
He described his father as “somebody who absolutely grabbed life, throttled it, and did everything that he wanted to do”.
Australian rocker Jimmy Barnes paid tribute to the journalist, saying he’ll miss Baker for “his insights, incredible knowledge, and our conversations about music whenever we met”.
“He was the first person I’d turn to whenever I needed to know anything about our music history. He was always ready to help, drawing on his vast knowledge of popular music,” the 70-year-old shared online.
“In fact, it was Glenn who sent me the song Good Times when I was looking for a song to record with INXS.”
Jimmy Barnes paid tribute in a special post online. Instagram/@jimmybarnesofficial
Nine’s entertainment editor Richard Wilkins remembered Glenn as a “walking talking encyclopaedia”.
“I’ll miss our regular chats and his font of knowledge! Travel well Sir...” he wrote in his own tribute online.
Across his career, Baker wrote 17 books and sleeve notes for over 600 albums, with his passion for Australian music celebrated in the industry.
In his early career, he had been part of a research project which helped to establish the radio station 2JJ – the station which would go on to be known as Triple J.
His legendary passion for music knew no bounds, and by the mid-1980s he had won the BBC’s Rock Brain of the Universe three times.
He became the manager of the band Ol’ 55 in 1975, a music act that had 55 hit singles including a song co-written by Baker himself, (I Want A) Rockin’ Christmas.
Baker, pictured in 2016 at the APRA Music Awards at Carriageworks. Getty
Baker later become a familiar face on TV, podcasts and radio, appearing regularly on Today, Mornings with Kerri-Anne and 20 to 1.
He appeared on A Current Affair in 2024 as he auctioned off his mammoth music collection amid a battle with his health.
“I had to have a hip operation, and I’ve had a stroke some years ago,” he explained at the time.
“And so yes, I don’t get around too much anymore and I can’t devote to this collection, what I should be devoting to it.
“I spent 60 years of my life collecting records, and I would like to think that that somebody out there would like, would feel that devotion, and would like to continue it.”
