The Wiggles take out Hottest 100 number one with Tame Impala cover

After weeks of speculation and fierce debate, triple j’s Hottest 100 has ended with an unlikely artist making history at number 1.

In a result few could have predicted, The Wiggles have taken out this year’s triple j Hottest 100 with their cover of Tame Impala’s Elephant.

The beloved children’s entertainers narrowly beat Justin Bieber and The Kid LAROI’s catchy megahit Stay, which was strongly tipped to win in the lead-up to Saturday.

But both artists have made history, with Elephant being the first Like A Version to place first, and it being Justin Bieber’s maiden appearance in the poll.

Sydney teen The Kid LAROI is also the highest-ranking Indigenous artist ever, with Thelma Plum previously holding the record at number 9 in 2020.

The Wiggles fused the Tame Impala hit with their uber-popular jingle Fruit Salad.

Spacey Jane came in at number three with Lots of Nothing.

Celebrating their win with a heartfelt tweet, The Wiggles told fans they were “so absolutely chuffed” to be crowned Hottest 100 champions.

We're so absolutely chuffed! Number 1 in @triplej's #Hottest100 in 2021! A big thank you to everyone who voted for us. We loved singing "Elephant" by @tameimpala and we're so glad you all loved it too! 💛💜💙❤🐘🎸 #TheWigglespic.twitter.com/4tAF6GvCgY

— The Wiggles (@TheWiggles) January 22, 2022

Inevitable echoes of “shoulda been higher” rung out across Australia today as the nation’s music lovers celebrated the countdown, but social media had one top song in mind all day, willing for The Wiggles to swoop in for a nostalgia-soaked win.

It comes after several weeks of speculation surrounding the poll and its suspected shift from alternative music to mainstream pop this year. As expected, it was truly a Hottest 100 like no other.

Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, Lizzo and Cardi B featured alongside station favourites Gang of Youths, Tame Impala and ARIA winner Genesis Owusu. Even Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo made an entrance having played percussion on Gang of Youths’ 57-ranking song The Man Himself.

Shoulda been … faster?

No artist could match The Wiggles’ family-friendly twist on a psych-rock anthem in popularity, with the group buzzing with excitement on-air on learning of their success.

Speaking to triple j hosts Ebony Boadu and Bryce Mills, founding member Anthony Field — the blue Wiggle — admitted he only found out about the music poll last year, chuckling as he recalled recently being approached by triple j listeners planning to host Wiggles-themed countdown parties.

“It’s unbelievable,” the stunned performer said.

The beloved children’s group visited triple j’s Like A Version studio in March 2021 for a bouncy rendition of Tame Impala’s Elephant fused with verses from kid’s party favourite Fruit Salad.

The delightfully wholesome take thrilled listeners. Even Queensland Police joined in on the Wiggles love, cheekily tweeting: “Investigations have commenced into how The Wiggles created such a banger.”

Investigations have commenced into how The Wiggles created such a banger. 🎵 #Wiggles4Hottest100#hottest100

— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) January 22, 2022

Elsewhere, after a massive 2021, teen sensation Olivia Rodrigo made five appearances, with traitor at 67, brutal at 60, deja vu at 33 and driver’s license at 13. Good 4 U placed at four.

Controversially, Justin Bieber’s second-place win comes despite being formerly banned from the voting poll after the station’s memorable Taylor Swift controversy of 2014.

Check out the full results of the world’s biggest musical democracy below:

1. The Wiggles — Elephant (triple j Like A Version)

2. The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber — Stay

3. Spacey Jane — Lots of Nothing

4. Olivia Rodrigo — Good 4 U

5. Billie Eilish — Happier Than Ever

6. Gang of Youths — the angel of 8th ave.

7. Doja Cat — Kiss Me More Ft. SZA

8. Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow — INDUSTRY BABY

9. RUFUS DU SOL — On My Knees

10. Lil Nas X — MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)

11. Tom Cardy — H.Y.C.Y.BH

12. Spacey Jane — Lunchtime

13. Olivia Rodrigo — drivers license

14. Lime Cordiale and Idris Elba — Apple Crumble

15. Vance Joy — Missing Piece

16. Sam Fender — Seventeen Going Under

17. Tom Cardy — Mixed Messages

18. The Jungle Giants — Love Signs

19. RUFUS DU SOL — Alive

20. Ocean Alley — Touch Back Down

21. Ball Park Music — Sunscreen

22. Good Days — SZA

23. Glass Animals — I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)

24. bbno$ — edamame Ft. Rich Brian

25. RUFUS DU SOL — Next To Me

26. Lorde — Solar Power

27. Dope Lemon — Rose Pink Cadillac

28. Amyl and The Sniffers — Hertz

29. Lil Nas X — THAT’S WHAT I WANT

30. Spacey Jane — Here Comes The Sun (triple j Like A Version 2021)

31. Doja Cat — Need To Know

32. The Wombats — If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You

33. Olivia Rodrigo — deja vu

34. Doja Cat — Get Into It (Yuh)

35. Peach PRC — Josh

36. WILLOW — t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l Ft. Travis Barker

37. Doja Cat — Woman

38. The Rubens — Masterpiece

39. Middle Kids — Stacking Chairs

40. Girl in Red — Serotonin

41. Lime Cordiale and Idris Elba — What’s Not To Like

42. Peking Duk — Chemicals

43. Bring Me The Horizon — DiE4u

44. Kanye West — Hurricane

45. Wet Leg — Chaise Longue

46. King Stingray — Get Me Out

47. Bruno Mars, Anderson Paak and Silk Sonic — Leave The Door Open

48. ACRAZE — Do It To It Ft. Cherish

49. Dune Rats — Up

50. Kanye West — Jail

51. The Rions — Night Light

52. Cardi B — Up

53. The Weeknd — Take My Breath

54. Ocean Alley — Breathe/Comfortably Numb/Money (triple j Like A Version 2021)

55. Skegss — Valhalla

56. King Stingray — Milkumana

57. Gang of Youths — The Man Himself

58. Ruby Fields — Kitchen

59. Machine Gun Kelly — love race Ft. Kellin Quinn

60. Olivia Rodrigo — Brutal

61. Dom Dolla — Pump The Brakes

62. Lorde — Mood Ring

63. Lana Del Rey — Chemtrails Over The Country Club

64. G Flip — Queen Ft. mxmtoon

65. Luude — Down Under Ft. Colin Hay

66. Tame Impala — A Girl Like You (triple j Like A Version 2020)

67. Olivia Rodrigo — Traitor

68. The Jungle Giants — Treat You Right

69. Sly Withers — Clarkson

70. The Amity Affliction — Like Love

71. Halsey — I Am Not A Woman, I’m A God

72. Vera Blue — Temper

73. Lizzo — Rumours Ft. Cardi B

74. Tones and I — Cloudy Day

75. Genesis Owusu — Gold Chains

76. The Terrys — Our Paradise

77. Tyler, The Creator — WUSYANAME Ft. YoungBoy Never Broke Again/ Ty Dolla Sign

78. SZA — I Hate U

79. Dave — Clash Ft. Stormzy

80. Billie Eilish — Your Power

81. Lorde — Stoned at the Nail Salon

82. Kanye West — Praise God

83. Doja Cat — You Right Ft. The Weeknd

84. Teenage Joans — Wine

85. The Buoys — Lie To Me Again

86. FISHER — Just Feels Tight

87. Holy Holy — The Aftergone Ft. CLEWS

88. Baker Boy — My Mind Ft. G Flip

89. Jungle — Keep Moving

90. Hayden James — Waiting For Nothing Ft. Yaeger

91. Telenova — Bones

92. Slowly Slowly — Blueprint

93. Baby Keem — family ties ft. Kendrick Lamar

94. Tyne James Organ — Sunday Suit

95. alt-J — U & ME

96. Client Liaison — House of Holy

97. Kanye West — Moon

98. Adam Newling — Sweetness

99. Ziggy Ramo — Little Things ft. Paul Kelly

100. Holy Holy — How You Been

Triple j teamed up with Lifeline as their charity partner for the Hottest 100 of 2021, with voters encouraged to donate or buy a T-shirt to support the suicide helpline.

The station raised upwards of $980,000 this year.