Every year when triple j’s Hottest 100 rolls around, there’s an inevitable scurry to express surprise at “glaring omissions” of songs that might’ve seemed like safe bets for inclusion in the countdown. Obviously, since it’s user-voted, we only have ourselves to blame for this (sort of), but it’s always interesting to take a closer look at what made it, what didn’t, and why that might be the case. It’s a no-brainer that tracks that have been spruiked heavily by the j’s are infinitely more likely to be voted in that tracks that weren’t supported quite as much, but that’s not always the case. Here, we take a look at some tracks that were absolutely smashed out on full rotation (specifically, every track on this list received more than 140 plays during the year – for comparison the top 3: Never Be Like You had 134, Adore had 123 and Jungle had 146), but for whatever reason, didn’t quite make the cut.
Lonely Cities, Tigertown
Sydney alt-pop quartet Tigertown released this quasi-tropical belter quite early last year, but not so early that it wasn’t still in the running for the Hottest 100. With a huge, hands-in-the-air chorus like this, you’d think Lonely Cities would be a shoo-in – but even with a whopping 167 spins on triple j, somehow it didn’t show up in the illustrious countdown.
Tremble, Nicole Millar
Nicole Millar’s 2016 began full steam ahead when she released her Tremble EP to critical acclaim, and the title track permeated triple j’s airwaves an absolutely massive 164 times. The song’s sophisticated use of tension and deliriously satisfying release made it a favourite amongst many, but perhaps due to its early release date, it unfortunately didn’t pip the Hottest 100.
Glue, ADKOB
ADKOB aren’t exactly a household name (yet), which could account for their supremely quirked-out chugger of a single Glue not garnering enough votes to nab a spot. Unfair? Yes, especially considering it clocked 162 plays, but hey – Dune Rats didn’t ever make the countdown until last year, and they’ve been nationally recognised for years. Don’t give up, ADKOB! You got this.
Impact, The Creases
Brisbane’s The Creases released this climactic Britpop number in May 2016 and it was subsequently thrashed over 156 times on triple j, and was followed by a national tour and an incredibly fun video clip. Adding to that frontman Joe Agius’ recent win for QMAs Most Promising Male Songwriter, it really looked like this was going to be their year to make the countdown, but sadly they missed out.
Edge Of Town, Middle Kids
With 144 plays, this one was difficult not to take personally because it was this writer’s Fave Aussie Song Of The Year. That slide guitar sounding like a firework going off, those made-for-screaming-along-in-your-car vocals, the lyrics that walked the line between inscrutable and intrinsically relatable so perfectly… but, of course, Middle Kids are still very new on the scene even though their rise is nothing short of meteoric (they’re about to perform on Conan O’Brien FFS). Next year maybe??
Not My Friends, Tired Lion
The relentlessly excellent Tired Lion have been consistently everywhere for a while now, with so many festival slots under their belts it’d be difficult to count. For this single, spun 152 times, to make an appearance in the Hottest 100 would have made all the sense in the world. It was released in May though, so perhaps a touch too early to still be making listeners feel starry-eyed when voting opened.
Nihilist Party Anthem, Ball Park Music
Finally, an anthem we can all relate to. Obviously the j’s thought so too, cos they gave love to this track 147 times over. BPM have made the countdown plenty of times, so maybe it’s a case of listener fatigue, but that doesn’t really make much sense considering how hard they’ve worked to consistently develop their sound and release music that builds on what’s come before instead of repeating themselves. To compensate the band for their loss I propose we make this the new national anthem.
Smoke Signals, Olympia
Olympia f*cking owned 2016. It was her year. She sold out shows, released her debut album Self Talk, and along with it a bevy of intelligent, catchy singles. Self Talk has been shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize, which has previously been won by national treasures like Courtney Barnett and Big Scary. So, yeah. She’s killed it. This song nabbed 142 plays. I’m salty about this. Can you tell?
All these songs had a huge amount of exposure on triple j, so it’s reasonable to assume that they all have a high level of listener recognition. So why didn’t they make it in?
Clearly, release timing plays a massive part here: for anything released too early in the year, it can be difficult for voters to still feel that initial connection that made them fall in love with the tune in the first place when the polls open. Another factor that might be at play here is looking at what else was released around the same time as these tracks that might have overshadowed them. The times each track was played is another element to consider: just because they’ve got 140+ spins under their belt doesn’t mean the majority of those plays were during primetime listener engagement. And, of course, there’s always the possibility that a tune just didn’t quite connect with its audience in the way triple j might have expected it to. Either way, it will be interesting to see which of these crops up in tomorrow’s 101-200 countdown, beginning 10am AEDST.
Photo: triple j / Facebook
AB Original’s landmark album Reclaim Australia is one of the most powerful albums of 2016. The hip-hop duo of Briggs and Trials have already started countless conversations with their in-your-face aggression and political lyrics that challenge “people’s perception, their preconceived notions of race and justice” (read the rest of our album review here).
The track titled January 26 is about exactly that, Australia Day. Not only is it one of the best tracks on the album but it has already shown to have real potential to make positive change in the way we consider – and reconsider – what Australia Day means.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ9qeX4gUeo
“If you ain’t having a conversation, well then we starting it,” Trials raps at the end of his verse in the track.
Earlier this year, triple j was petitioned to move its Hottest 100 countdown from Australia Day, and although the bid was unsuccessful, many are still protesting in any way they can. One Facebook group has now been started to ask voters to choose January 26 for the Hottest 100 as a form of protest (which we were already voting for, but here’s a little extra encouragement):
Earlier this year, triple j finally listened to the thousands of voices calling for respect and had a review into the date they hold the Hottest 100 countdown. Unfortunately, they decided the whining of a noisy minority of racists on the internet was more important than showing a bit of empathy towards Australia’s first peoples and left the celebration on that day, perpetuating division and hurt.
Most young Australians don’t have Australia Day parties, because we’ve begun to recognise that ‘celebrating’ invasion, dispossession and genocide is what is commonly called a Major Dick Move. But because triple j holds its Hottest 100 countdown on that date, thousands of people across the country celebrate on a day which is one of mourning for Australia’s first people.
By voting for a song which is both an explanation and rejection of the idea of January 26 as a day of celebration – and which also happens to be a thorough banger, thanks to the effort of Briggs, Trials and Dan Sultan – we have the ability to send a message to triple j. Let’s end the division and change the date.
Vote for AB Original’s “January 26″ in the Hottest 100.
If you don’t believe that we should change the date, or at the very least move the countdown, then I recommend you listen to Reclaim Australia. Vote January 26 for triple j’s Hottest 100 here.
Dialogue Is Great, Action Is Better: The Case For Moving triple j’s Hottest 100
Image: Supplied
Today marks an incredibly sad day for Australian breakfast radio; beloved hosts Matt and Alex have left triple j forever.
The pair have far and away become Australia’s most beloved radio hosts. After announcing their departure a few weeks ago (as part of a large triple j overhaul which will also see the departure of several other hosts including Kyran Wheatley, Sarah Howells and Lewi McKirdy), they embarked on a massive “5 raves in 5 days” tour, among other events, notably including an emotional rap tribute from Coda Conduct, a reflection by Illy, and a visit from former host Tom Ballard, who accidentally gave out Alex’s real mobile number on air.
For the final program of the year, matt and Alex stepped away from their presenting duties, handing it over to replacements Ben and Liam. Delivering their own very special Like A Version, or Musical Massacre, they noted how it was weird to be on the other side of the desk. With the help of some of their favourite Australian artists – Just A Gent, Elizabeth Rose, Vera Blue, Running Touch, Commandeur, Jim of Art Vs Science, and triple j’s KLP, they performed an incredible mash-up entitled Kiss From A Sandstorm, obviously combining the Seal classic from 1994 with Darude‘s famed rave smasher. They noted that they had been hoping for a Kiss From A Rose cover on Like A Version for “quite some time, but no one was brave enough to take it on.”
https://www.facebook.com/triplej/videos/10158041258245160/
Matt and Alex then wrapped up with triple j in a touching speech. Matt thanked his listeners, Alex and triple j for the three years he’s spent on air. “We’ve had some silly times,” said Alex, before recounting some of their best jokes. “Life is like a tune rag,” said Alex, who has hosted the breakfast show since 2010, and other programs since 2007 with former co-host Tom Ballard. He concluded with an inspirational and emotional metaphor.
“When others froth too hard, wipe up their foam… Here in this studio are two little crumbs sitting here, embedded in your fibres, and we’re damn proud that you’ve let us be a part of your tune rag, aka life – the only one you’ve got. Now unfortunately we’ve got our own rags to take care of. Now it’s time to pop them in the back pocket and wander out of the main arena through the campsites, through the discarded goon bags and back to our tent. ‘Cos Matty, we’re gonna take a mid-festival nap, but we’ll meet you out there again Australia.
“Until then, live proud, rave hard, and always, and I mean always, listen to triple j.”
https://soundcloud.com/triple_j/matt-alex-say-goodbye
Wrapping up their final show ever, the boys signed off with the most Australian Like A Version ever – Illy’s EPIC mash-up cover from 2013, which included songs by Flume (On Top), Silverchair (Tomorrow), Paul Kelly (To Her Door), Powderfinger (My Happiness) and Hilltop Hoods (Nosebleed Section). Watch the original below, which also featured Joyride, Kira Puru, and ex-triple j presenter Lindsay McDougall on guitar.
https://twitter.com/mattandalex/status/809516659845177344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L13vI3kGMqc#t=35
Mornings just won’t be the same.
Image: Facebook
triple j is one of the biggest cultural phenomena Australia has. Know what’s still more important? The inclusion and respectful treatment of First Nation’s people.
I adore and respect triple j and the people who work there. At the same time, I don’t feel uncomfortable in gently saying: guys, it’s time to change the date of the Hottest 100. Not in 2018 or 2019 or 2020. It’s time now.
Let’s back up for a second and recount the situation. You’re reading this article, so you more than likely know that the discussion surrounding #ChangeTheDate continues to swirl, as it should, about moving our national day of celebration away from January 26, which has a horrific and bloody history. You probably also know that yesterday morning, it became apparent that some serious internal discussion was happening at triple j as to whether they should, for their role in this larger issue, move the date of their world-famous Hottest 100 countdown. That same afternoon, came a response in the form of a resounding “hmmm, nah”. The bulk of triple j’s statement can be read below:
Q: Are we changing the date of triple j’s Hottest 100?
Short answer: For now… No. In 2017, the Hottest 100 will be on January 26.
triple j’s Hottest 100 is a countdown of your favourite songs of the past year on a public holiday in January. It’s intended as a celebration of the year’s best music that everybody can enjoy.
We’ve been aware of, and have been a part of, the discussions around 26 January for some time. triple j is heavily involved in the growing dialogue around Indigenous recognition and perspectives on 26 January. This is really important to us.
We will continue to talk to Indigenous communities, artists and our audience about the date for the Hottest 100 in future years. In short: it’s under review.
We want the Hottest 100 to be an inclusive and respectful event for all Australians, including all the incredible Indigenous artists making great Australian music, and the listeners from all cultural backgrounds who love it.
As part of this commitment, we’re proud to announce that we’re once again teaming up with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME)for the 2016 Hottest 100.
Every year, millions of Australians get involved in the Hottest 100 at home and overseas. By working with AIME, we want to use this wide-reaching platform to create a meaningful connection between all communities, including Indigenous Australians.
In 2015, triple j’s listeners raised over $100,000 for AIME, a mentoring program supporting Indigenous kids through high school and into university, training and employment with a completion rate the same as the average Australian child – aiming to close the gap in educational outcomes.
Lots to unpack there. For starters, AIME is an incredible organisation that is more than deserving of support and it’s fantastic that triple j are continuing to provide that. It’s also great that, broadly, triple j are vocally committed to making their Hottest 100 “an inclusive and respectful event for all Australians”. For some, though, this lip service (and the AIME partnering) is simply not enough. Clashing with triple j content director Ollie Ward yesterday on Hack, Black Comedy actor and writer Nakkiah Lui argued that the decision not to move the Hottest 100 is inherently exclusionary and political.
For his part, Ward rebutted that moving the date would also be political, but also made the kind of bizarre claim that the Hottest 100 is nothing more than a countdown of “the biggest bangers of the year”, and that it was “weird” that it was being intrinsically linked to Australia Day in the national consciousness. It’s true that the Hottest 100 is a music countdown, but how likely is it that the decision to hold it on Australia Day was an accident? Lui labelled this response a “cop out”. I’m inclined to agree.
When it boils down to it, the exchange between Lui and Ward constituted of an Indigenous woman telling someone who has at least some kind of hand in the process of changing the date that he should do it now, and him telling her she’s wrong. Does that make anyone else uncomfortable? It should. Hack host Tom Tilley even straight-up asked Ward if the continued partnership with AIME was about “absolving” the perceived responsibility to move the date of the Hottest 1oo (of course the answer was no). More important than anyone else’s opinions on this issue (including mine) are the opinions of First Nation’s people. If they are, by and large, saying “change the date”, what is left to discuss?
Logistically, the Hottest 100 really needs to be on a day when most people aren’t at work, so that as many people as possible can enjoy it. This could be a weekend (which excludes anyone with a weekend job) or simply another public holiday like Boxing Day or even New Year’s Day. Personally I think the Hottest 100 is huge enough, and important enough to the cultural fabric of Australia, that it may even warrant its very own holiday, or at least an organised Hottest 100 party. Sure, there would need to be some shuffling and re-scheduling on triple j’s part to move the Hottest 100, but what would the REAL difficulty be for the average listener? Pilerats said it best:
https://www.facebook.com/pilerats/posts/1151485681592162?match=aG90dGVzdCAxMDAsdHJpcGxlIGo%3D
Hey guys. Put up your hands if you genuinely, seriously, care about continuing to celebrate Australia Day on January 26. Even if you have never been to an Invasion Day rally, chances are you are well aware of that particular date’s history, and feel at least slightly uncomfortable about that.
Now let’s try this: put your hands up who genuinely, seriously cares about celebrating the Hottest 100 in general? Yep, that’s a lot more. This is sheerly anecdotal, but for the most part, when young people come together to sink tinnies and play backyard cricket on January 26, the highlight of the day – the most important, pivotal part – is the Hottest 100. When’s the last time you went to an Australia Day shindig that wasn’t playing the countdown? Music is important and we all love it – same with triple j. If, as Ward claims, the fact that the countdown is on Jan 26 by sheer coincidence, and it’s not inherently linked to Australia Day, what would the big deal in moving it be? I don’t want to lambast Ward or triple j – they’re doing their best, I truly believe that. Perhaps the wheels are in motion to change the date in 2018, and they’re just nutting it all out before announcing.
Enough speaking in generalisations, though. Here’s a true, real example of how having the Hottest 100 on January 26 affected someone this year. Perhaps, if you’re still on the fence, it will help give the #ChangeTheDate argument some clout for you.
My partner is Aboriginal, he’s also a musician (and by extension, of course, a music lover). This year, a friend of ours held his birthday party on January 26. The idea was that it was going to be extremely low-key on the Australia Day stuff, and that the day would primarily be about celebrating his birthday as well as the Hottest 100 countdown. We were keen. What a good way to subvert the day, we thought. Then, the morning of, reality hit. It became clear that my partner did not want to celebrate anything on this day. It goes without saying – this is completely understandable. I stood (and still stand) behind this decision firmly. He hadn’t even really known it (consciously) himself until the time came, I think.
Everyone was very understanding. We stayed home and caught snippets of the countdown, but the day was coloured by its ugly history. For my part, my white privilege had previously allowed me to enjoy parties on January 26 regardless of its history. I am grateful that this is no longer the case, and ashamed it took this long for my attitude to change. If the Hottest 100 date changed, this sort of situation (I am sure many others have similar experiences) would never have to happen again.
There’s been much talk of how we should be able to reconcile the horrors of the past and also celebrate what’s great about music/Australia at the same time. To an extent, I agree. To erase January 26 from our national calendar entirely (even if Australia Day itself moved) would also be a mistake. It should be a day of national mourning, recognition, support. It should be solely about our Indigenous people. We can (and should) still have a day in our calendar to celebrate what we love about music, and about being here – although they don’t need to be on the same day. But holding the Hottest 100 countdown on January 26 is wildly inappropriate. Would a countdown of the year’s #bangers in the USA on 9/11 be received well?
Back to the topic on hand, it’s encouraging to see that triple j have been deliberate about saying the date won’t move “for now”. That implies future progress – hopefully for 2018 if not sooner. It’s a shame the wheels aren’t turning quite fast enough for 2017 to be the first step, but it seems this is our lot for now. Here are some things triple j could do to make the Hottest 100, as it stands on January 26, as inclusive as possible:
- No mention of Australia Day during the countdown. If the Hottest 100 really does land on this date by coincidence then this should be no issue. Would be incredible to see them use the phrase “Invasion Day” as well.
- Focusing on Indigenous artists and issues in-between songs.
- Schedule a minute of silence during the countdown, in solidarity and acknowledgement for the bloody history of January 26.
- Pledge, on January 26 2017, to move the date of the Hottest 100 in 2018 and every year henceforth.
Before anyone jumps to the “that was hundreds of years ago, I had nothing to do with it” argument, let me stop you right there. Nobody is saying that the horrific history that this country was built on is your fault. Nobody is saying you even need to feel guilty – but you should feel empathy. This is about inclusivity and respect. If the Hottest 100 was not on Australia Day, you’d just attend an extra party every year. And Indigenous people would be free to celebrate the countdown without any of those ugly connotations.
Seems like a win-win situation to me. How could that possibly be a bad thing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ9qeX4gUeo
Image: The Herald
Triple J have been running a really fun little competition to celebrate the 50th anniversary of beloved children’s show Play School. A show that many of you reading this no doubt grew up with, myself included, it’s remarkable to think that it’s been running so successfully for that many years. Triple J put out the call for producers to remix the iconic theme song, and the top five finalists have now been announced. The made the stems available to all with the competition running until May 29 on Triple J Unearthed.
The winners – up to two band members – will be flown to Sydney to visit the Play School set, tour the Triple J studios, and most importantly, get a songwriting workshop in an ABC recording studio with KLP.
The results flooded in, and now you can listen to the top five finalists, and here they are for you to enjoy! A sweet mix of hectic bangers, floaty, jazz vibes and everything in between.
Copycatt – Brisbane
Froyo – Sydney trio
Jondrette Den
Killboy – Melbourne
Oppy – Christmas Island
The winners will all be revealed on Breakfast with Matt and Alex next Thursday, June 9.
Image: Triple J
To celebrate International Women’s Day, an event which unfortunately only happens once a year, Triple J announced that they would be marking the day with “Girls To The Front”. As suggested by the name, it’s essentially a day on which women take over the station, hosting the shows, playing jams by female artists, and just generally celebrating women.
In a turn of events that should be surprising but sadly aren’t at all, some men have taken to Triple J’s Facebook page to express their disdain for having to listen to *gasp* female hosts and women using instruments to make music. At this stage it’s fairly hard to pinpoint the exact reason for the outrage – apart from rampant misogyny. They have succeed in highlighting that as soon as anything even barely puts “Girls To The Front,” there will be a large number of men there to point out how sexist it is, while simultaneously saying “something something feminism.”
I understand that for some men it might be difficult to come to the realisation that regardless of how disgustingly creative you can be while expressing your dislike for women in a Facebook comment, the tide is shifting, and you will have to share your “kingdom” equally with someone who doesn’t have a penis.
As a penis holder myself, it is utterly embarrassing to watch someone kick and scream against inevitability, similar to the way a toddler puts up a fight before bedtime. You can’t stay up all night little Jimmy, sooner or later women will be full-fledged equals and, shockingly, might even host Triple J!
The really depressing fact is that a number of individuals find it absolutely unacceptable, that for one single fucking day, a radio station that, judging by the uproar, they listen to on the daily, is privileging a group of human beings who are celebrating the strides they have made in a historically male-dominated society.
These people can’t take one day to put aside their alarmingly negative feelings and simply allow a (I can’t stress this enough) historically oppressed group to do their own thing. Opposing sides in world wars have been shown to have more respect for enemy combatants than certain men have had for women in general. These aren’t even women who have any direct impact on their lives – just women being happy on a globally recognised day. This is why we need feminism.
Instead of wasting space in this article to pull apart and analyse these comments more, I would prefer to simply suggest things to do on this day. Use it to celebrate. Use it to remember all of the hurdles someone you love has had to overcome. Use it to thank them for not giving up. If you’re a woman, celebrate yourself and reflect on all the achievements you’ve made thus far and focus on the ones you’re still aiming to make, or just do whatever, you don’t owe the world shit. Ow, and have a boogie to our IWD girl power playlist!
If you’re a man, open up your mind and try to see the hardships that not only the women in your lives have had to face and deal with, but women in general, and try not to be a misogynistic piece of shit. Be an ally instead.
It will be interesting to see if Triple J will address the negativity surrounding their “Girl To The Front” event. The sad reality of these sorts of issues is that they are usually ignored and taken as something that was always bound to happen. Hopefully over the course of the next few years, we will all be genuinely surprised by something like this, instead of just accepting it as a standard response to the celebration of women.
Image: Triple J/Facebook
We’ve always known that triple j holds a very special place in all our hearts. But now there is conclusive proof that they have managed to translate their sentimental popularity to some seriously impressive ratings success.
Noise 11 is reporting that for the first time ever, triple j has come out on top for 25 – 39 year olds in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Most importantly, this is the most sought after demographic in the industry – so pretty much triple j is smashing all the commercial radio stations in all the right places.
Ironically enough however, the reason why this demographic is prized is because of how appealing they are to advertisers. The demographic have a bit of spare change to spend, as well as being in a social time of their lives and potentially thinking of buying houses (although good luck currently). Yet triple j is government funded and hence advertisement free – robbing advertisements of the most appealing station to advertise on.
In Melbourne, triple j is on 17.5%, ahead of Fox FM and Triple M in third place, while in Sydney triple j is tying first with Triple M on 15%, with KISS coming in third with 9.3%.
The results are seriously encouraging for the Australian music industry, as young people continue to support home-grown and local talents – feeding into our blossoming festival industry and continuing to fuel live music around the country. It serves as encouragement for the bigger commercial stations to tap into the vast reserves of Australian talent, rather than simply redirecting and promoting overseas imports. A lot of this popularity is likely due to the ever-popular Hottest 100, which draws fans young and old each year. Let’s hope more Aussie talents can transition from unknown triple j entities to global phenomenons.
Triple J, the genesis of many people’s love affair with music, is kicking off their month long ’40 years of music’ celebration. The dedication will commentate the wide and eclectic array of music the station has played over its 40 year history, pulling the best live recordings and studio interviews from their archives.
To plough through this massive repertoire of music, every day at 10am & 3pm, from Monday 1 to Saturday 20 June, triple j will pick a year from 1975 to now and play the biggest tracks of that year. They’ll also be playing five classic Live At The Wireless songs at midday every day. We can expect to hear everything from the likes of Nirvana, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC, to Daniel Johns, Missy Higgins, Lorde and LCD Soundsystem on the airwaves over the course of the celebration
Plus, you can head to their website to view exclusive audio and images from their 40 years on the air.
And, if that wasn’t enough, triple j have also put together a massive playlist of 40 songs from 40 years ready to stream on Spotify, RDIO and YouTube, including everyone from Chet Faker, Arctic Monkeys and Florence + the Machine to You Am I, Missy Elliott, Jeff Buckley, Nirvana and N.W.A. Hell, you can even challenge yourself to pick all 40 songs in triple j’s 40 years of music video (ot sure if a prize is included though).
Double J is even getting in on the action, offering up a playlist spanning 40 years worth of stories from music fans, programmed and presented entirely by listeners.
So tune in to triple j for 20 days straight of throwback fun songs, interviews and exclusive archival material! To get you started, have a walk down memory lane with a song synonymous with triple j – Vitriol by Bluejuice
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRIPLE J! How exciting it must be to finally hit 40. You’re no longer in your ‘flirty thirties,’ so you’d better start getting your shit together and consider settling down. Just kidding, you’re perfect just the way you are, even if you are now officially middle-aged.
Today also happens to be my Dad’s birthday and when I told him that I was writing an article for Triple J’s 40th birthday he said “Who’s he?” followed by “Tell him how lucky he is to be sharing his birthday with a man as illustrious as me.” I don’t think he quite understands what exactly Triple J (or modesty) is. Luckily that isn’t the case with most Australians for whom Triple J is more than just a radio station, it’s a beloved and integral part of everyday life. And what better way to celebrate a birthday than to look back on some of our favourite moments within the last 40 years:
- Hottest 100
1989 was the start of arguably the most anticipated event on the Triple J calendar – The Hottest 100. Since then, the Australia Day event has united hipsters, mainstreamers and everything in between across the nation in their love (and sometimes hate) for what they, themselves, have chosen as their top songs of the previous year. This year’s countdown is set to be more exciting than ever, especially with some indie kids pledging to overthrow the Triple J head office if T-Sweezy makes the cut. (We think she shouldn’t win. Here’s why.) - Unearthed
One of the most important things in Triple J history has been their encouragement and endorsement of Australian music. 1995 saw the launch of the immense Triple J Unearthed competition, aimed at discovering new Australian talent. This has been a hugely successful campaign, resulting in artists like Grinspoon and Missy Higgins rising to fame. In 2011, Unearthed digital radio was launched, allowing Australians to listen to these incredible unsigned artists 24/7.
- Like A Version
Launched on ‘Mel in the Morning’ in 2004, Triple J’s Like A Version has become something of an international phenomenon, and something we look forward to all week. Not only is it a way for Australian bands to widen their audience by covering acts ranging from Daft Punk to Blink 182, but it’s a chance for international touring acts to let down their hair and have some fun. Some of the best covers of the year come from Like A Versions, and some artists go on to record and officially release their covers after the event.
- One Night Stand
2004 was probably one of Triple J’s biggest years, with the ‘One Night Stand’ festival launched in July. This incredible event encourages young Aussies (as well as a few token oldies) to travel to the most obscure towns across Australia for a free, and generally incredible, concert one night a year. Rural communities can get involved with music that wouldn’t usually come their way, and the whole event becomes one big party that we hear about for months after!
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I could probably write a thesis on the history of Triple J, because this really has been an incredible 40 years, but I’ll leave it at that for now. Basically, Triple J you’re the best. We love you and we are so very grateful for all that you have done for Australian music. You have a special place in our hearts forever, here’s to another 40 years of mind-blowing music!