Triple j Hottest 100: Qld police react to The Wiggles’ Elephant cover

It was the biggest curveball to this year’s Triple j’s Hottest 100, with even the Queensland police throwing their support behind the catchy cover.

Triple J’s Hottest 100 countdown has wrapped up with The Wiggles victorious after social media erupted with support for the group on Saturday.

While their fan base is normally much younger than the radio station’s demographic, there was a groundswell of support for the group’s cover of Tame Impala’s ‘Elephant’ to take out the top spot.

Much to listeners’ delight, it did.

The Wiggles winning the 2021 Hottest 100 is the kind of thing that you gets more remarkable as you look at it written down.

— Rudi Edsall (@RudiEdsall) January 22, 2022

Friend just sent me this text ‘what evil have we spawned ? I never thought listening to Wiggles in the car with my toddlers would end in this’ . But I love it - congratulations Wiggles you rock legends. Another sent me this - Time machine to 1999ish pic.twitter.com/vhxMPJPqhg

— Sarah Macdonald 💉💉💉 (@sarahvmac) January 22, 2022

the kid laroi losing to the wiggles :((
justin bieber losing to the wiggles :))

— ryn ♡ (@sunsetpiastri) January 22, 2022

Some, however, weren’t so impressed such a wholesome offering defied the odds.

47ish years ago Double J (now Triple J) commenced broadcasting with the Skyhooks song
You just like me cause I'm good in bed, which wasn't allowed to be played on commercial radio.
Today the Wiggles won Triple J's top 100.
What has the country become.

— David Robinson (@Dayfidd) January 22, 2022

the wiggles winning the hottest 100 serves as a painful reminder that all of us above the age of 5 have aged out of the national youth broadcaster. grow up.

— who is lav baj (@lavosaurus) January 22, 2022

Before number one played out, the track had the support of the Queensland Police, with their Twitter account cheekily declaring: “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

The Wiggles debuted their version of the indie favourite on Triple j’s Like A Version segment in March last year, with the YouTube video of the song racking up over 3 million views. The funky rendition even featured a quick detour to one of the group’s most well-known song’s ‘Fruit Salad’.

From the funny to the outraged, it was certainly the song that set tongues wagging most on Twitter.

“drivers license not being in the top 10 just means more room for the wiggles to come out on top,” wrote one ardent supporter, referring to Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘drivers license’ taking out the 13th spot.

“My fellow campers continually refer to today as Australia Day because the Hottest 100 is on so Triple J’s decision to move the date can be considered a raging success,” tweeted journalist, Brad Walter. “However, none of them believe me when I tell them that The Wiggles, will win.”

If the wiggles don’t win hottest 100 I’m suing someone for emotional damage

— 🎄Kate’s Ho Ho Ho Era🎄 (@riccyslefttiddy) January 22, 2022

Have not cared (or known) about much of the #Hottest100 over the past 10 years. But I could not be more excited for the chance of the Wiggles taking out the number one spot.

— Cam Gauder (@CamGauder) January 22, 2022

I’m PRAYING that elephant by the wiggles gets number one PRAYINGGGGGGGG

— ally (@tpwkxally) January 22, 2022

drivers license not being in the top 10 just means more room for the wiggles to come out on top

— alicia (@aliciacfc_) January 22, 2022

Others were more annoyed at the possibility.

“If the Wiggles take out the top spot in the Hottest 100, the whole thing is a joke,” tweeted one harsh critic.

Happy Hottest 100 day to those who celebrate it, my family is having a small private ceremony and trying to manifest the Wiggles in the top 10

— Mark (Kramburger) (@Kram_Burger) January 22, 2022

The fact that the wiggles are even in the hottest 100, let alone likely to win or get top 5, is everything that is wrong with the world we’ve created.
Is anything genuine anymore? #JJJ#triplejhottest100#TripleJ

— J Hop (@giantprawn) January 22, 2022

According to eerily accurate Hottest 100 prediction site, Warm Tunas, ‘Elephant’ was most likely to take out this year’s winning track, with ‘the angel of 8th ave.’ by Sydney band Gang of Youths and ‘Stay’ by The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber rounding out the top three spots.

The results are now in, with The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber a rightly-tipped second, and Spacey Jane making a surprise third place appearance with ‘Lots of Nothing’.

The angel of 8th ave. came in sixth.