Surprises and upsets as Triple J reveals Hottest 100 of Aussie songs

Triple J has revealed the results of its Hottest 100 Aussie Songs ever poll – and some big snubs and upsets have left listeners shocked.

Australian music broadcaster Triple J yesterday revealed the results of their huge listener poll to name the 100 best Australian songs of all time – and there were a few upsets.

Rock legends INXS took out the top spot with their classic ballad Never Tear Us Apart, but there were some more divisive choices elsewhere in the top 10.

Coming in at second place was the Hilltop Hoods’ 2003 single Nosebleed Section, a track that’s now 10 x platinum here in Australia despite never actually charting in the ARIA top 50.

Some in the comments section as the results were revealed on Triple J’s Instagram expressed their surprise that the Aussie hip-hop act had pulled off such a high placing.

Another surprise, given Triple J’s indie leanings: The Veronicas’ 2007 pop-dance hit Untouched has now been deemed the third-best Australian song of all time.

It’s official: INXS have the best Aussie song of all time. Picture: Getty

The Veronicas: Triple J darlings! Picture: Michael Klein

Among those celebrating it as “the national anthem” were those who were less enthusiastic about its placing: “I don’t get it! It’s not a bad song, but seriously…. the 3rd best Australian song of all time??” asked one commenter. “God this song sounds like a Raspberry Cruiser,” wrote another (which could be a diss or a compliment, frankly).

The placing made The Veronicas the highest-charted females in a male-heavy top 100 – but they were joined in the top five by Missy Higgins, who scored a number four placing for her 2004 number one hit Scar.

Rounding out the top five was another controversial entry: The classic Crowded House ballad Don’t Dream It’s Over. A brilliant song, sure, but as many asked in the comment section: Can we really claim it as our own when half the band (among them the man who actually wrote the song, Neil Finn) are from New Zealand?

(Kiwis don’t read this) Iconic Aussie band Crowded House.

Powderfinger, Paul Kelly, Gotye and back-to-back entries from Cold Chisel rounded out the top 10. Some other surprises and notable entries, further down the list:

• A couple of massive Aussie anthems made the list: John Farnham’s You’re The Voice at #15 and Daryl Braithwaite’s The Horses at #30.

• She might be our biggest pop export, but Kylie Minogue had to settle for a top 30 placing for her sole entry – Can’t Get You Out Of My Head made it to number 27.

• It pretty much hasn’t left the charts since it was released over a decade ago, but Vance Joy’s 16 x platinum monster Riptide only just snuck into the top 50 at #48.

Kylie’s biggest hit at #27? Ya joken, shoulda been higher.

• Those who missed out: Not a single entry in the top 100 for beloved Aussie acts like Sia, Something For Kate, Troye Sivan, Madison Avenue, Tina Arena, Pete Murray, The Vines or The Easybeats.

Triple J’s Hottest 100 of Australian Songs – the top 100:

100. The Screaming Jets – Better

99. Midnight Oil — Blue Sky Mine

98. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — Red Right Hand

97. Savage Garden – I Want You

96. Stevie Wright – Evie (Parts 1, 2, 3)

95. Spiderbait – Calypso

94. Flight Facilities – Claire de Lune (feat. Christine Hoberg)

93. The Avalanches – Since I Left You

92. ICEHOUSE – Electric Blue

91. The Whitlams – No Aphrodisiac

90. Spiderbait- Black Betty

89. Amyl And The Sniffers – Hertz

88. Angus & Julia Stone – Chateau

87. Gang Of Youths – The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows

86. Gotye – Hearts A Mess

85. DMA’S – Delete

84. The Go-Betweens – Streets Of Your Town

83. Ben Lee – Cigarettes Will Kill You

82. Peking Duk – High (feat. Nicole Millar)

81. You Am I – Berlin Chair

80. Empire Of The Sun – We Are The People

79. The Cat Empire – Hell0

78. Eskimo Joe – Black Fingernails, Red Wine

77. Killing Heidi – Weir

76. The Veronicas – 4ever

75. The Church – The Unguarded Moment

74. The Waifs – London Still

73. Hilltop Hoods – 1955 (feat. Montaigne, Tom Thum)

72. Silverchair – Freak

71. Drapht – Jimmy Recard

70. Powderfinger – (Baby I’ve Got You) On My Mind

69. Crowded House – Weather With You

68. Grinspoon – Chemical Heart

67. Regurgitator – ! (The Song Formerly Known As)

66. Midnight Oil – Power And The Passion

65. Ocean Alley – Confidence

64. Hilltop Hoods – Cosby Sweater

63. Redgum – I Was Only 19 (A Walk In The Light Green)

62. Sticky Fingers – Australia Street

61. Chet Faker – Talk Is Cheap

60. Gang Of Youths – Let Me Down Easy

59. INXS – Need You Tonight

58. The Avalanches – Frontier Psychiatrist

57. Bernard Fanning – Wish You Well

56. Jimmy Barnes – Working Class Man

55. The Presets – My People

54. Divinyls – I Touch Myself

53. Thelma Plum – Better In Blak

52. Missy Higgins – The Special Two

51. Matt Corby – Brother

50. Hunters & Collectors – Holy Grail

49. Ball Park Music – It’s Nice To Be Alive

48. Vance Joy – Riptide

47. Goanna – Solid Rock

46. Bag Raiders – Shooting Stars

45. Daddy Cool – Eagle Rock

44. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Into My Arms

43. Wolfmother – Joker And The Thief

42. Gang Of Youths – Magnolia

41. The Living End – Prisoner Of Society

40. Violent Soho – Covered In Chrome

39. Australian Crawl – Reckless (Don’t Be So …)

38. Crowded House – Better Be Home Soon

37. AC/DC – Back In Black

36. Yothu Yindi – Treaty

35. ICEHOUSE – Great Southern Land

34. Spacey Jane – Booster Seat

33. Augie March – One Crowded Hour

32. Natalie Imbruglia – Torn

31. AC/DC – Highway To Hell

30. Daryl Braithwaite – The Horses

29. The Church – Under The Milky Way

28. Silverchair – Straight Lines

27. Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get You Out Of My Head

26. Flume – Never Be Like You (feat. kai)

25. Hunters & Collectors – Throw Your Arms Around Me

24. Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream

23. Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl

22. Paul Kelly & The Messengers – To Her Door

21. Men At Work – Down Under

20. Angus & Julia Stone – Big Jet Plane

19. Tame Impala – The Less I Know The Better

18. Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning

17. Silverchair – Tomorrow

16. RÜFÜS DU SOL – Innerbloom

15. John Farnham – You’re the Voice

14. Powderfinger – These Days

13. AC/DC – Thunderstruck

12. The Angels – Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again

11. The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition

10. Gotye (feat. Kimbra) – Somebody That I Used to Know

9. Paul Kelly – How to Make Gravy

8. Cold Chisel – Khe Sanh

7. Cold Chisel – Flame Trees

6. Powderfinger – My Happiness

5. Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s Over

4. Missy Higgins – Scar

3. The Veronicas – Untouched

2. Hilltop Hoods – The Nosebleed Section

1. INXS – Never Tear Us Apart

Originally published as Surprises and upsets as Triple J reveals Hottest 100 of Aussie songs