After Aussie music fans lodged more than 2.6 million votes in triple j‘s historic, first ever Hottest 100 of Australian songs, the results were counted down live from 100 – 1 today across the entire triple j network – triple j, Double J, Unearthed Radio and Hottest – with the top spot ultimately being taken out by INXS’s 1988 classic ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ off their iconic Kick LP.
Nostalgia largely dominated the countdown, with songs from 2000’s, the 2010’s and the 90’s scoring the lion’s share of the voting.
Jimmy Barnes and Bernard Fanning both got a big guernsey, with Barnsey getting up with ‘Working Class Man’ (#56) as well as a pair of Cold Chisel tracks – ‘Khe Sanh’ and ‘Flame Trees’ getting up back-to-back at #7 and #8 in the top 10.
Fanning snagged four total entries with his solo track ‘Wish You Well’ hitting #57, and Powderfinger banger ‘My Happiness’ cracking the top 10 at #6, while ‘These Days’ came in at #14 and (Baby I’ve Got You) On My Mind at #70).
A stack of legacy artists bagged multiple entries including Midnight Oil (#99 ‘Blue Sky Mine’, #66 ‘Power And The Passion’, #18 ‘Beds Are Burning’), AC/DC and Silverchair who all nabbed three songs apiece.
The newest song to make the countdown was Amyl & The Sniffers’ ‘Hertz’ from 2021, voted in at #89.
On the more modern side of things, Gang Of Youths also got a hattrick in the countdown (#87 The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows, #60 Let Me Down Easy, #42 Magnolia) while Aussie hip-hop legends Hilltop Hoods also bagged a stag including #2 with The Nosebleed Section.
Peep the complete list of triple j’s first ever Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, down below.
Triple J Hottest 100 Of Australian Songs
100. The Screaming Jets – Better (1991)
99. Midnight Oil – Blue Sky Mine (1990)
98. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand (1994)
97. Savage Garden – I Want You (1997)
96. Stevie Wright – Evie (Parts 1, 2 & 3) (1974)
95. Spiderbait – Calypso (1997)
94. Flight Facilities – Clair de Lune [Ft. Christine Hoberg] (2014)
93. The Avalanches – Since I Left You (2000)
92. ICEHOUSE – Electric Blue (1987)
91. The Whitlams – No Aphrodisiac (1997)
90. Spiderbait – Black Betty (2004)
89. Amyl & The Sniffers – Hertz (2021)
88. Angus & Julia Stone – Chateau (2017)
87. Gang Of Youths – The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows (2017)
86. Gotye – Hearts A Mess (2006)
85. DMA’S – Delete (2016)
84. The Go-Betweens – Streets Of Your Town (1988)
83. Ben Lee – Cigarettes Will Kill You (1998)
82. Peking Duk – High [Ft. Nicole Millar] (2014)
81. You Am I – Berlin Chair (1993)
80. Empire Of The Sun – We Are The People (2008)
79. The Cat Empire – Hello (2003)
78. Eskimo Joe – Black Fingernails, Red Wine (2006)
77. Killing Heidi – Weir (2000)
76. The Veronicas – 4ever (2005)
75. The Church – The Unguarded Moment (1981)
74. The Waifs – London Still (2003)
73. Hilltop Hoods – 1955 [Ft. Montaigne, Tom Thum] (2016)
72. Silverchair – Freak (1997)
71. Drapht – Jimmy Recard (2008)
70. Powderfinger – (Baby I’ve Got You) On My Mind (2003)
69. Crowded House – Weather With You (1992)
68. Grinspoon – Chemical Heart (2002)
67. Regurgitator – ! (The Song Formerly Known As) (1998)
66. Midnight Oil – Power and the Passion (1982)
65. Ocean Alley – Confidence (2018)
64. Hilltop Hoods – Cosby Sweater (2014)
63. Redgum – I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green) (1983)
62. Sticky Fingers – Australia Street (2013)
61. Chet Faker – Talk Is Cheap (2014)
60. Gang Of Youths – Let Me Down Easy (2017)
59. INXS – Need You Tonight (1987)
58. The Avalanches – Frontier Psychiatrist (2000)
57. Bernard Fanning – Wish You Well (2005)
56. Jimmy Barnes – Working Class Man (1985)
55. The Presets – My People (2007)
54. Divinyls – I Touch Myself (1990)
53. Thelma Plum – Better In Blak (2019)
52. Missy Higgins – The Special Two (2005)
51. Matt Corby – Brother (2011)
50. Hunters & Collectors – Holy Grail (1992)
49. Ball Park Music – It’s Nice To Be Alive (2011)
48. Vance Joy – Riptide (2013)
47. Goanna – Solid Rock (1982)
46. Bag Raiders – Shooting Stars (2009)
45. Daddy Cool – Eagle Rock (1971)
44. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Into My Arms (1997)
43. Wolfmother – Joker And The Thief (2005)
42. Gang Of Youths – Magnolia (2015)
41. The Living End – Prisoner of Society (1997)
40. Violent Soho – Covered In Chrome (2013)
39. Australian Crawl – Reckless (1983)
38. Crowded House – Better Be Home Soon (1988)
37. AC/DC – Back In Black (1980)
36. Yothu Yindi – Treaty (Radio Mix) (1991)
35. ICEHOUSE – Great Southern Land (1982)
34. Spacey Jane – Booster Seat (2020)
33. Augie March – One Crowded Hour (2006)
32. Natalie Imbruglia – Torn (1997)
31. AC/DC – Highway To Hell (1979)
30. Daryl Braithwaite – The Horses (1991)
29. The Church – Under The Milky Way (1988)
28. Silverchair – Straight Lines (2007)
27. Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (2001)
26. Flume – Never Be Like You [Ft. Kai] (2016)
25. Hunters & Collectors – Throw Your Arms Around Me (1984)
24. Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream (2008)
23. Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl (2003)
22. Paul Kelly & The Messengers – To Her Door (1987)
21. Men At Work – Down Under (1981)
20. Angus & Julia Stone – Big Jet Plane (2010)
19. Tame Impala – The Less I Know The Better (2015)
18. Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning (1987)
17. Silverchair – Tomorrow (1994)
16. RÜFÜS DU SOL – Innerbloom (2015)
15. John Farnham – You’re The Voice (1986)
14. Powderfinger – These Days (1999)
13. AC/DC – Thunderstruck (1990)
12. The Angels – Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again (1976)
11. The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition (2008)
10. Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know [Ft. Kimbra] (2011)
9. Paul Kelly – How To Make Gravy (1996)
8. Cold Chisel – Khe Sanh (1978)
7. Cold Chisel – Flame Trees (1984)
6. Powderfinger – My Happiness (2000)
5. Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over (1986)
4. Missy Higgins – Scar
3. The Veronicas – Untouched
2. Hilltop Hoods – The Nosebleed Section
1. INXS – Never Tear Us Apart (1988)
Further Reading
Here’s What PM Anthony Albanese Voted For In The Hottest 100 Of Aussie Songs
triple j’s Hottest 100 And Hottest 200 2024: The Complete List
triple j Announces ‘Hottest 100 Of Australian Songs’ For 50th Anniversary
