Triple J will not hold Hottest 100 on Australia Day
TRIPLE J has decided to move the Hottest 100 — its much-loved music countdown — so that it doesn’t fall on Australia Day.
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THE Hottest 100 will no longer be held on Australia Day after Triple J made the decision to move the countdown.
The radio station announced the change today saying it had considered the results of an online survey that found 60 per cent were in favour of moving the countdown to a different day.
“You told us how much you love the countdown and most of you are up for a new day,” the announcement said.
“We all agreed that the Hottest 100 shouldn’t be part of a debate about the day it’s on. The only debate should be about the songs.”
Triple J said it will now be holding a “Hottest 100 Weekend” every fourth weekend in January.
This year the Hottest 100 will be held on Saturday, January 27 and the Hottest 200 on Sunday, January 28.
Triple J said it would have alternative programming on Australia Day highlighting the diversity of Australia as well as playing nothing but local music all day.
“We’ll be broadcasting a bunch of 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, Yabun Festival, and much more.”
The decision follows a push in recent years to change the date of Australia Day, which marks the arrival of the First Fleet and has also been referred to as “Invasion Day” by Indigenous Australians.
In explaining its decision, Triple J said it chose the fourth weekend in January because it wanted to keep the best bits people love about the Hottest 100: “the music and being with your mates on a day that most people have off”.
It also means the countdown will still be held at the same time in summer, which people are used to, and it can be followed up with the the 200-101 countdown.
Triple J also noted that the Hottest 100 had not always been held on January 26.
“The first ever countdown was held on 5 March, 1989 and the countdown didn’t regularly match up with 26 January until 1998. In fact, the 2004 countdown was on 25 January.
“So, the date of the countdown has moved around and though the Hottest 100 has mostly been held on Australia Day, it’s not about Australia Day.”
In recent years, it said the Hottest 100 had 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.”
Great to see @triplej doing the right thing and changing the #Hottest100 date. So many people (myself included) spend "Australia Day" listening instead of acting in solidarity with our Indigenous community Now we have no excuse to celebrate Invasion Day.
— Charlotte Kennedy-Cox (@tibbletwins2) November 27, 2017
Yes @triplej . Thank you for leading the way. 🔴💛⚫ï¸
— 🌈Ellen Browning Bow (@ellenevenstar) November 27, 2017
A good win! The Hottest 100 wont be held on invasion day next year. Well done to @triplej. A great decision.
— Simon Copland (@SimonCopland) November 27, 2017
Eh, just gonna lose a massive listening audience and some of the shine of the countdown due to many people working and not being able to enjoy it.
— Shane Dohnt (@shanedohnt) November 27, 2017
We will be Listening to a different station this Australia Day, no biggie
— MariaCassidy (@maria_reea) November 27, 2017
Triple J said it had received 64,990 responses to an online survey asked people how they felt about the Hottest 100 being held on Australia Day.
“We learnt that the majority of you (60 per cent) were in favour of moving the Hottest 100 to a different date,” it said.
“It came across loud and clear that we all agreed it is the music that makes the Hottest 100 special. Celebrating our favourite songs of the year with our mates and the rest of the country is what’s most important for the Hottest 100.”
It said it also spoke to musicians, community leaders, representative groups, Triple J staff, ABC groups, and a wide range of Aboriginal and Torres Stait Islander media and language groups.
“Ultimately, our research and your feedback shows that most of you are behind a move for the Hottest 100.”
The move has drawn a mixed response online with many applauding Triple J for the move, while others say they will switch off.
Indigenous rapper and record label order Adam Briggs, who has been one of the loudest voices calling for change, welcomed the move.
Told ya. pic.twitter.com/Yayue0Ijj1
— Senator Briggs (@Briggs) November 27, 2017
Originally published as Triple J will not hold Hottest 100 on Australia Day