“The Hottest 100 wasn’t created as an Australia Day celebration”: triple j on Hottest 100

It’s been a drawn-out and contentious debate, but triple j has officially shifted the date of its Hottest 100 countdown from January 26 or Australia Day.

The broadcaster emphasises that the Hottest 100 had not always been held on January 26 – the last one on a different day was 2003 — nor was it intended to be linked to Australia Day.

But consultations with listeners, Government officials, community leaders, prominent Indigenous voices, and musicians showed that holding the countdown on the date would no longer be appropriate.

During the public consultation process, 64,990 listeners weighed in with their opinions.

60% wanted a date change as it was insensitive to indigenous people and their supporters who consider it Invasion Day, or a day of mourning than one of celebration.

39% preferred no change, 1% tragics had “no opinion”.

The countdown will be moved to the fourth weekend in January from this point on.

In 2018 that means January 27.

Sunday 28 will be devoted to the extended Hottest 200 countdown, showcasing the songs ranking #101—#200.

Triple j said in a statement, “It’s fair to say there’s been increasing debate around 26 January and there are a lot of perspectives on what it means to different Australians.

“As the public broadcaster representing all Australians, triple j and the ABC doesn’t take a view in the discussions.

“However, in recent years the Hottest 100 has become a symbol in the debate about Australia Day.

“The Hottest 100 wasn’t created as an Australia Day celebration.

“It was created to celebrate your favourite songs of the past year.

“It should be an event that everyone can enjoy together – for both the musicians whose songs make it in and for everyone listening in Australia and around the world.

“This is really important to us.”

Next year instead, triple j will use January 26 to highlight the diversity of Australia, and dedicate the day to “broadcasting special programming that covers some of the day’s biggest events, like the Young Australian of the Year, citizenship ceremonies, the Australia vs England One Day Series and Yabun Festival.

“This way, both the Hottest 100 and Australia Day get the coverage they deserve as separate events.”

However the 2019 countdown will fall on…. January 26.

Voting for the 2018 Hottest 100 countdown opens on Tuesday  December 12.

FAST TRIVIA:

* Over the years, the poll has grown from 500,000 votes in 2004 to 2.24 million in 2016.

* The first Top 100 countdown was started by Brisbane’s 4ZZZ in 1976, twelve years before it was Hi-J’ked.

* The first two years was won by Joy Divison’s “Love Will Never Tear Us Apart”.

* It took until 1994 before a female voice topped the list, with The Cranberries’ ‘Zombie’.

* Spiderbait were the first Australians to top the pop, in 1996 with ‘Buy Me A Pony’.

* In 2015 during the Taylor Swift controversy, 7341 posts related to the countdown in a 30 day period were about her. Only 230 were about the actual music tracks.

* In 2007 Muse won by just 14 votes.

* In  2015, over 2,500 Hottest 100 listening parties were registered in 77 countries via the triple j website.

* Triple J ranked this year’s “the pottiest” with 32 songs in the countdown featuring swearing. We’re talking 82 x F-Bombs, 12 x Motherf’ers, 17 x Bullshits, 16 x Shits, and 22 x cries of bitch.

Desiigner provides the biggest language warning, with 16 expletives in ‘Panda’ alone.

Flume’s four songs in the countdown had 16 expletives.