Macklemore stoked by expletive hit song Thrift Shop Macklemore (aka Ben Haggerty) performs at Metro Theatre, Sydney. EVEN Seattle hip hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis remain mystified as to why their worldwide smash Thrift Shop has become the song the whole family can swear along to. As they opened their sold-out Australian tour in Sydney last night, the capacity crowd of mums, dads, teens and tweens lifted the roof when they hit the song's inescapable hook "This is f...ing awesome!" Although a few parents suffered an awkward moment trying to stop themselves singing along. Australian music fans have a long history of sending expletive-laden pop songs to the top of the charts in the past two decades. Mumford and Sons hit No.1 with Little Lion Man, Denis Leary claimed the summit with Asshole and one-hit-wonder rapper Eamon topped the charts here with his F... It (I Don't Want You Back). American musician Ben Haggerty, better known by his stage name Macklemore (R), and his producer Ryan Lewis are as surprised as anyone that their song Thrift Shop has become a hit for the whole family. Picture: Carlo Allegri/Invision/AP Cee-Lo managed to get into the top 5 with his F... You which was broadcast widely as Forget You and Australians retooled The Angels's classic Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again with the yelled chant "no way, get f...ed, f... off." Both Macklemore - Ben Haggerty on his credits - and Lewis were surprised to find the song from their record The Heist at the top of the charts anywhere. Language has changed, even since I was a kid. The normalcy that is now cuss words, swear words means even on American television, you can say shit on normal cable," Macklemore said. When I was 10-years-old, my parents weren't letting my buy any music with cuss words. Nowadays it's more of an open slate in terms of what parents are accepting as normal language in culture. The Seattle pair have reigned at the top of the Australian charts for 11 weeks; seven of those for Thrift Shop and four with Same Love, the song which replaced it at No.1. That latest single has become the anthem for gay marriage campaigners worldwide but Macklemore and Lewis said it is the reaction from younger fans which have swelled their hearts. At their opening Sydney concert at the Metro, the chorus was sung louder than Thirft Shop's expletive. Haggerty told the crowd that "it gives me goose bumps to know you guys in Australia are setting a trend for the entire world to follow." "It's my biggest achievement as a songwriter up until this point," he said. Lewis added: "In each place seeing a new generation of youth singing that chorus super-loud from Texas and Idaho to liberal places to other countries is a very special level of being able to connect." Macklemore and Lewis's first Australian tour sold out in minutes. Tuesday 12 February The Metro, Sydney SOLD OUT Wednesday 13 February The Palace, Melbourne SOLD OUT Thursday 14 February The Arena, Brisbane SOLD OUT Friday 15 February Enmore Theatre, Sydney SOLD OUT Saturday 16 Feburary The Forum, Melbourne SOLD OUT Sunday 17 February 2013 Festival Gardens, Perth Festival, Perth SOLD OUT