Triple J has once again taken the temperature of the nation’s music taste, revealing a new countdown to mark its 50th birthday: the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs of All Time. The result? A surprising, nostalgic, and often enlightening collection of songs spanning decades and genres, from internationally adored rock legends like INXS to pop royalty like The Veronicas.
The list, as revealed on Saturday 27 July, was the result of hundreds of thousands of listener votes. It marks the first time Triple J has done a ‘best of Australian songs’ list in over a decade, offering a rare chance to reflect not just on the songs themselves, but how Triple J and its audience have shifted.
In a top 10 stacked with anthems, INXS’ Never Tear Us Apart took out the top spot, 36 years after its release. The 1987 ballad, long associated with Michael Hutchence’s legacy, beat out classics like AC/DC’s Thunderstruck (at #12) and or more recent classics such as Missy Higgins’ Scar (at #4).
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Triple J’s audience is growing up – and so is the poll
The new Triple J list has been praised for its diversity, both stylistically and generationally. Unlike the usual end-of-year countdowns, which often skew to the most current releases, this all-time poll saw listeners of all ages dive deep into the Australian canon. The result is a list that stretches from Midnight Oil’s politically charged ‘Beds are Burning’ (#18) to Spacey Jane’s ‘Booster Seat’ (#34).
It also sparked discussion on how Triple J’s demographic has shifted over time. While traditionally targeting 18–24-year-olds, the station’s nostalgic programming and evolving digital platforms mean that many older millennials and even Gen X listeners returned to vote for the songs of their youth. In the lead-up to the poll, Double J, the digital-only radio station that only plays Australian music, became more culturally relevant than ever.
As the ABC notes in its statistical breakdown of the poll, over 70,000 different songs were submitted, and the final list represents ‘a rare moment of generational agreement’.
The INXS effect: a new generation embraces the old guard at Triple J
That INXS won the poll is significant. Once derided in the Triple J ecosystem as too commercial, INXS are now recognised as one of Australia’s most significant music exports. Never Tear Us Apart received both critical acclaim and cultural redemption in recent years, helped by biopics, re-releases, and a reappraisal of Hutchence’s artistic impact.
This mirrors the wider cultural shift toward appreciating Australian pop and rock of the 1980s and 1990s. Songs by Crowded House, Cold Chisel and Men at Work all landed in the top 50. These are artists who, once seen as too mainstream for Triple J airtime, are now embraced with pride by younger and older fans alike.
The Veronicas, TikTok and the power of digital nostalgia for Triple J
One of the most surprising entries was The Veronicas’ Untouched debuting at #4 – despite never featuring in a Hottest 100 before. Originally released in 2007, the track has seen a massive resurgence thanks to TikTok virality and a renewed interest in ‘Y2K’ pop aesthetics.
As the ABC reports, the Brisbane twins “never cracked the countdown during their initial run” but now join a growing list of artists who younger audiences have canonised through digital rediscovery. It speaks to the current cultural moment: one where nostalgia is no longer linear and songs can re-emerge with force in a completely different context.
What this means for the future of Triple J and Australian music
The Triple J music poll comes at a great time for Triple J and the Australian music landscape, as criticism grows at the lack of opportunities for local artists to be embraced by home audiences.
Whether it’s a band like INXS finding a new audience or an act like The Veronicas receiving overdue recognition, this list acts as both a time capsule and a crystal ball. It shows us who we’ve been, and who we might become, when it comes to Australian music.
But it also raises a question: what new acts will dominate the next 50 years? And will today’s indie darlings still hold sway in 2075? Further analysis by ArtsHub shows it is harder than ever for young artists to make a splash on the music scene. The poll brings urgent attention to the Australian music sector.
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