You’ve posted your votes on Facebook, your record collection is likely to feature several volumes of the Hottest 100 compilation CD, and you weighed in on Triple J’s decision to move it from Australia Day.
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you don’t recognise any of the songs in the Hottest 100, it’s usually a sign that you might be getting old.
Since 1993, the Hottest 100 has been a staple of Australian life. The songs that make the countdown often define people’s summers and whatever might be going on in your life.
So, as a nice little reflection, we’ve looked at all the countdowns since the very beginning to bring you a collection of the weird, wonderful and very random history of the Hottest 100.
1993
Winner: Asshole – Denis Leary
The very first year of the Hottest 100. Prior to that, Triple J had the “Hot 100” which started in 1989 as a countdown of what listeners regarded as their favourite song of all time. The countdown was dominated by US artists with a total of 43 American acts making it and a novelty hit in Asshole by Denis Leary voted in at number one by the Triple J audience.
Despite Triple J not being known for Top 40 pop music, Swedish group Ace of Base made it to No. 29 in the Hottest 100 that year with their all-time classic “All That She Wants”
1994
Winner: Zombie – The Cranberries
Irish band The Cranberries (lead singer Dolores O’Riordan tragically passed away in 2018) won with their iconic hit Zombie that year. 1994 also saw 49 out of the 100 placings in the countdown go to artists from America with the likes of Nirvana, The Offspring, Smashing Pumpkins, Counting Crows and Green Day scoring several places in the count. The year also saw a band of 15-year-olds from Newcastle by the name of Silverchair place at number five in the countdown with their single “Tomorrow”.
One of the more interesting places of the 1994 edition was when iconic crooner Tom Jones, who’d be more of a regular on the Smooth FM playlist as opposed to Triple J, made the Top 10 with his song “If I Only Knew” finishing at number nine.
1995
Winner: Wonderwall – Oasis
1995 Hottest 100 is one of the all-time, if not the best, of the entire history of the countdown.
The likes of Faith No More, the Foo Fighters, Garbage, Green Day, Jeff Buckley, The Presidents of the USA, Red Hot Chili Peppers, You Am I and even TISM scored multiple spots in the countdown. Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio finished at number three that year and Wonderwall by Oasis was still yet to be ruined by acoustic cover artists at bars around the world.
If you were to look up the entire list of the 1995 Hottest 100 you’d be satisfied by some of the absolute 90s rock “bangers” as the kids would say.
Despite the 1995 edition being full of excellent songs, one track really stands out in the countdown. Placing at number 51 “Who Farted?” by the Vaughans, which addressed the issue of owning up to flatulence in society. The song was even in the ARIA Top 40 singles at one stage during 1995.
To think, this would have been a pre-internet voting Hottest 100 where people actually made an effort to call up, fax or mail in their vote for “Who Farted?” If anything, it should have made the Top 10.
And while we’re at it, here’s TISM with Greg! The Stop Sign that finished at number 10 of 1995. The video clip will warm the hearts of St.Kilda Saints fans everywhere.
(Good news for TISM fans, they are now on Spotify!)
1996
Winner: Buy Me A Pony – Spiderbait
This was the year an Australian band finally won the Hottest 100 with “Buy Me a Pony” by Spiderbait taking out the top spot. There were multiple placings for bands such as Bush, Powderfinger, Beck, Metallica, Pearl Jam, The Prodigy and Smashing Pumpkins. The classic Kiwi 90s track “How Bizzare” by OMC even made the countdown placing at No. 78, while AC/DC made the cut with their track “Hail Caesar” coming in at 97.
A more interesting addition to the hottest 100 was Frank Bennett’s swing dance cover version of Creep by Radiohead (which finished at number two in the 1993 edition) finishing at No. 95.
1997
Winner: No Aphrodisiac -The Whitlams
It was back-to-back wins for Australian artists as No Aphrodisiac by The Whitlams took out the honours as the number one song. There was something ironic about Song 2 by Blur finishing at, yep you guessed it, number two.
One of the great one-hit wonders of the 90’s Tubthumping (I get knocked down, but I get up again) by Chumbawamba got to number three in the countdown. Multiple entries came from Silverchair, The Living End, Radiohead, Everclear and even The Bloodhound Gang. This was also the first time people could vote for their favourite tracks of the year via the internet.
Controversially, satirical artist Pauline Pantsdown’s track “Backdoor Man” made it to No. 5 of the countdown. Controversially, Triple J couldn’t actually play the song due to an injunction that was taken out by Pauline Hanson, preventing the station from playing the song on the grounds it was defamatory. Triple J only played the song for a total of three days.
1998
Winner: Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) – The Offspring
The year Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) won the Hottest 100. The only winning track of the Hottest 100 not to feature in the compilation CD. Its one of those ones where you look back and ask “What on earth were we thinking?.”
The likes of Aussie bands such as Custard, Frenzel Rhomb, Powderfinger, Jebediah, You am I, The Whitlams and Regurgitator scored multiple placings in the countdown.
It was also the year two songs from South Park’s Chef made it to the countdown with Simultaneous at No. 20 and No Substitute at No. 90.
In 2018, Double J opted for a re-vote of the Hottest 100 of 1998 but the people had spoken – Pretty Fly was still the winner.
1999
Winner: These Days – Powderfinger
The last countdown of the 20th century saw Powderfinger getting the No. 1 and even No. 100. Some notable tracks in the Top 10 featured The Tenants with “You Shit Me To Tears” and “The Bad Touch” by the Bloodhound Gang (you all know the words).
Aussie bands and Hottest 100 staples Powderfinger and Silverchair had a solid four tracks each.
A notable addition to the Hottest 100 of 1999 was Peter Helliar/Tripod’s tribute musical devoted to 1980’s Young Talent Time participant Bevan Addinsall “Bevan the Musical” making it to number 35.
2000
Winner: My Happiness – Powderfinger
Powderfinger became the first band to go back to back with My Happiness taking out the number 1 song. Wheatus were seen to be the next big thing with their hit “Teenage Dirtbag” making it to No. 4.
Sinead O’Connor also made a bit of a comeback from her Nothing Compares 2 U days with two of her songs making the countdown.
It was also the year Freestyler by Finnish dance act the Boomfunk MC’s made it to No. 24 – the best thing to come out of Finland since the Nokia 3310!
2001
Winner: Alex Lloyd – Amazing
This was the first Hottest 100 where the majority of the acts were Australian with 38 homegrown tunes making the countdown.
Alex Lloyd took out the top song with “Amazing”, some may remember Lloyd recently performing the song at the 2016 Brownlow medal count where it’s fair to say the man has been in a good paddock. The year also saw another one-hit wonder make the Top 10 with Alien Ant Farm’s cover of Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson finishing at number six.
2002
Winner: No One Knows – Queens of the Stoneage
Half of the countdown in 2002 (50) were Australian, but American’s Queens of the Stoneage took out the honours for No. 1 song with No One Knows.
With the Aussie dominance in the countdown, it even saw the likes of Machine Gun Fellatio getting not one but multiple entries.
Another interesting addition was The Drugs with a tribute to their favourite Soap coming in at number 38
2003
Winner: Are You Gonna Be My Girl? – Jet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os7vArsFTws
Melbourne boys Jet won the year with Are You Gonna Be My Girl taking out the No. 1 spot. It could also be said that Hey Ya! By Outcast could possibly be the best runner-up in a Hottest 100 of all time.
The year also saw The White Stripes and Powederfinger have five songs each and Powderfinger having three songs in the Top 10.
2003 also saw Electric Six have two entries in the Hottest 100 with Danger! High Voltage coming in at number 28 and the memorable “Gay Bar” placing at No. 33, the video clip is sensational!
2004
Winner: Take Me Out – Franz Ferdinand
Arguably the best list of the 2000’s is the 2004 edition. Franz Ferdinand won with Take Me Out and, alongside the likes of Interpol, The Black Keys, Wolfmother, The Streets, it was a solid soundtrack.
It was also the first time The Killers featured with Mr.Brightside (which is now associated with Jack Riewoldt) coming in at No. 13 and “Somebody Told Me” placing at No. 4. Despite the song not being played on Triple J, “Vertigo” by U2 made it to No. 38.
A notable entry was William Shatner’s spoken word version of Pulp’s “Common People” making it to No. 21.
2005
Winner: Wish You Well – Bernard Fanning
Bernard Fanning went solo and won with “Wish You Well”. Kayne West made his first appearance in the countdown in another Hottest 100 where half the entries were Australian. Fair dinkum!
While the countdown was dominated by Aussie songs, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s band DVDA made it to No. 51 with the track “America, F**k yeah” from the soundtrack to Team America: World Police. (Obvious language warning kids)