Hottest 100 on Triple J: Flume declared winner as Spacey Jane, Beyonce, Idris Elba make list

Flume has taken at the top spot on Triple J’s Hottest 100 but eyebrows were raised with Beyonce’s cameo. Hollywood actor Idris Elba also featured with other huge names on the list.

Australia’s global electronic superstar Flume has become the first act since Powderfinger at the turn of the millennium to claim No.1 twice in the annual Hottest 100 countdown.

His hit Say Nothing, featuring indie pop singer MAY-A, had been the short odds favourite to claim the coveted top spot in the annual Triple J poll which attracted more than two million votes.

“I’m very f…ing happy, so happy right now. I didn’t expect this; I am with Sarah Aarons who I wrote the song with and … I am shocked,” he said.

“The Hottest 100) has been a part of my life and childhood and to be so present in it…it’s surreal.”

The Sydney star first reached the Hottest 100 summit in 2016 with Never Be Like You featuring Kai and has been a fixture in the countdown since 2012 He had two other tracks make this year’s cut, Shooting Stars (No.30) and Slugger 1.4 (No.50).

Flume was on top of the Hottest 100 this year. Picture: Supplied.

Listeners were divided over the domination of WA “coastie rock” band Spacey Jane in this year’s, who had three songs make the top 10 in addition to three other songs making it into the countdown.

The Triple J darlings claimed No.3 with fan favourite Hardlight and came in back to back at No.5 and No.6 with It’s Been A Long Day and Sitting Up.

They can't be stopped! Spacey Jane have cracked the pointy end of the #Hottest100 for the third consecutive year. https://t.co/MXb72nuCiv

— Alister Newstead (@AlNewstead) January 28, 2023

Did you leave the Spacey Jane CD in? #Hottest100

— Drew Edward (@DrewEdward__) January 28, 2023

I can't believe that Coles Radio has had such an influence on the @triplej#Hottest100https://t.co/eKJZ5NyfHi

— mick (@_midofo_) January 28, 2023

Fans were shocked that Gang Of Youths, who have always polled multiple songs in the Hottest 100 from each of their three records over the past seven years, scraped into the top 10 with In The Wake Of Your Leave at No.9 their only entry.

The top 10 was dominated by Australian artists except for international tracks B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All) by Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal coming in at No.2, Steve Lacy’s Bad Habit at No.4 and Lizzo at No.7 with About Damn Time.

The other homegrown heroes in the top 10 were Ball Park Music at No.8 with Stars In Their Eyes and Joji with Glimpse of Us.

While fans on social media were generally excited by the fact 57 Australian songs made the Hottest 100, there was much dissent about pop megastar Beyonce grabbing two spots on the countdown with Cuff It at No.24 and Break My Soul at No.42.

The consensus appeared to be if Queen Bey is eligible for votes, Triple J should relax their ban on Taylor Swift songs.

Another disappointing #Hottest100. They should probably stop being hypocritical & allow Taylor albums, if Beyoncé’s stuff can place why can’t Midnights win the top 10? Would’ve at least made the countdown worth it for once.

— Miriam (@The_Mizery) January 28, 2023

Australian hip hop legends Hilltop Hoods made history in the 2022 Hottest 100, leapfrogging Foo Fighters and Powderfinger to claim the crown for the most songs ever to make the countdown.

Taking them to an overall tally of 23 were Show Business which features US soul singer Eamon at No.71 and then A Whole Day’s Night at No.54.

Further down the list, Baker Boy came in at No.31 for his version of Bernard Fanning’s hit Wish You Well.

Tame Impala were at No.73 for their song No Choice. Drake came in at No.76 for Jimmy Cooks and No.44 for Rich Flex with 21 Savage.

The Kid Laroi came in at No.33 for Thousand Miles, and Billie Eilish has had two songs in at No.32 for TV and No.84 for The 30th.

#42 @Beyonce - 'BREAK MY SOUL' #Hottest100pic.twitter.com/17RE3JIKLs

— triple j (@triplej) January 28, 2023

British artist Fred Again was at No.100 with his song Danielle, and No.99 was US singer Phoebe Bridgers, with her song Sidelines.

At No.98 was Bad Memories [Ft. Elley Duhé/Fastboy] by MEDUZA X James Carter, followed by Yung Gravy’s Betty (Get Money).

#93 @limecordiale & @idriselba - 'Holy Moley' #Hottest100pic.twitter.com/0PzqVOvh1Z

— triple j (@triplej) January 28, 2023

The countdown came after singers like Daniel Johns also gave it a red hot go.

The usually promo-phobic Australian pop star, unless plugging the myriad editions of his second solo album FutureNever on Instagram, joined the dozens of artists posting Vote For Me cards for this year’s Triple J Hottest 100.

The ABC youth network had taken the lead on playing his song I Feel Electric last year and Johns told his fans he was “just playing the game with my heart on my sleeve” courting their votes after he felt it was “too thirsty” to ask for them to champion the songs from his debut record Talk in 2015.

Daniel Johns joined the dozens of artists posting Vote For Me cards for this year’s Triple J Hottest 100. Picture: Luke Eblen/Supplied

“You know where that got me? My label tells me #168 for Aerial Love, a number that is neither hot nor in the 100,” he posted last month.

I Feel Electric did slightly better, coming in at No. 159 as Triple J teased listeners with the songs ranked from 200 to 101 ahead of the Hottest 100 on Saturday.

Other acts whose fan votes gave them multiple entries into the bottom half of the countdown included Mallrat, Kendrick Lamar and NSW indie surf rockers The Terrys, each with three songs.

Triple J listeners are just mad for Gang of Youths. Picture: Supplied

The Weeknd, Vance Joy, Florence and the Machine, The 1975, Peking Duk and Dune Rats scored two songs each.

The biggest novelty song to make the cut in the top 200 was The Chaser’s DJ ScoMo parody Coal Makes Me Cum which landed at No. 138.

There were 57 Australian songs in the top 200 countdown, exactly the same number of homegrown tracks Triple J revealed make the Hottest 100.

Mallrat fans got three of her songs into the top 200. Picture: Supplied.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who enjoyed viral notoriety when he chugged a beer at a Gang Of Youths show at the Enmore Theatre last year, included the band’s Hottest 100 top 5 contender In The Wake Of Your Leave in his votes.