Triple J Launches Aussie Poll Amid Backlash Over Hottest 100 Wins

Triple J has extended an almighty olive branch to the Australian public, after back-to-back Hottest 100 wins by American artists sounded the death knell of the song contest’s popularity. 

On Tuesday, June 17 voting officially opened for the new poll, ‘The Hottest 100 of Australian songs’. 

The new countdown will take place on July 26 and has strict rules in place to ensure it honours Triple J’s 50 years on-air milestone, and the ‘support local’ ethos of the national song contest which began in 1989. 

Eligible songs must have been released by January 19, 2025 and they must feature at least 50 per cent Australian artists. 

For example ‘Rhyme Dust’ by Dom Dolla and MK and ‘Fancy’ by Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX pass, but no song by Split Enz will be considered.

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Triple J has extended an almighty olive branch to the Australian public, after back-to-back Hottest 100 wins by American artists sounded the death knell of the song contest’s popularity

On Tuesday voting officially opened for the new poll, ‘The Hottest 100 of Australian songs’ 

‘Because they are from New Zealand,’ the voting page explains. 

Triple J’s presenters have already weighed in with their favourites on social media, and so have a raft of Aussie artists. 

‘Hey guys Jimmy Barnes here,’ the iconic rock singer said in a video posted on the voting page. 

‘I’m voting for Jett – Are You Gonna Be My Girl? Just because it’s such a great recording, they are such a tight band, and he is such an awesome singer. I just thought that song jumped out of the radio when I heard it and it still does ’til this day,’ Barnes said. 

Are You Gonna Be My Girl? won the hottest 100 in the 2003 year of its release. 

Missy Higgins will also be putting a 2003 track in her No.1 spot – London Still by The Waifs. 

‘I did so much touring with the Waifs back in the day when I was a wee little 17-year-old,’ Higgins said. 

‘That band just took me on the road. They took me under their wing. I was such fan, it was like a dream come true. 

The Veronicas’ official account commented ‘*violins start playing*,’ on the post in reference to their self-dubbed ‘national anthem’ Untouched

Just 29 songs of the top 100 in 2025 came from Australian acts, with Dom Dolla charting highly and Amyl and the Sniffers gaining multiple entries

‘This song encapsulates that experience and that memory for me. It’s such an Australian rite of passage going away to London for a bit and coming back.’ 

Tash Sultana will be voting for Miracle by Matt Corby.

‘Matt is a mate of mine. We’ve done a lot of work together and I think he is an underrated musician – who is so talented and works with so many people – that I don’t really think that he’s gotten the flowers that he deserves.’

While some of our famous musicians are emphatically backing their colleagues and mentors, others are shamelessly campaigning for the win. 

The Veronicas’ official account commented ‘*violins start playing*,’ on the  post in reference to their self-dubbed ‘national anthem’ Untouched. 

‘Literally come on,’ Aussie pop group Cub Sport commented, as they encouraged people to vote for Mess Me Up.  

In 1994, Triple J rebooted the Hottest 100 concept so that only songs released in the previous calendar year are eligible. 

This format has seen Flume and Powderfinger top the charts on multiple occasions, with Angus & Julia Stone, Vance Joy, Chet Faker, The Wiggles, Ocean Alley, and Spiderbait also claiming the title in the contest’s long history. 

Meanwhile, international acts like Oasis, Billie Eilish, The Cranberries, Gotye, and  Kendrick Lamar have also taken out the top honour.   

Voting for the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs will close on July 17 at 5pm AEST. 

Notably, no tracks recorded for triple J’s long-running Like A Version cover series will be considered. 

Listeners were highly critical of the Triple J presenters’ top picks, as passionate music fans flooded the comments

However, if an Australian song has been significantly re-record or remixed, it can be eligible for two separate entries. 

One particularly passionate Flume fan kept the caps lock on as he waded into the comments with this rallying cry: ‘INNERBLOOM AND DON’T SPLIT THE VOTE WITH THE REMIX FFS.’ 

As thousands of suggestions flooded the comments section, younger listeners encouraged people to get their ‘parents and grandparents’ to vote to ensure no Aussie ‘classics’ are missed. 

The announcement comes after US singer Chappell Roan claimed the win in 2025 with her Sapphic earworm ‘Good Luck Babe!’. 

Listeners were less than impressed with overseas acts ruling the chart for the second year in a row, after Doja Cat’s ‘Paint The Town Red’ won in 2024. 

Just 29 songs of the top 100 came from Australian acts in 2025, with Melbourne DJ Dom Dolla charting highly and Amyl and the Sniffers gaining multiple entries