Radio triple j moves Hot 100 from Australia Day

The popular ABC youth radio station will not be broadcasting its popular countdown on Australia Day due to public pressure.

Triple J has moved the date of its Hot 100 countdown from Australia Day.

Popular radio station triple j will move the date of its iconic Hottest 100 countdown amid increasing public pressure concerning Australia Day.

The iconic music countdown, which first aired almost 30 years ago, will now take place over two days on the fourth weekend of January. The next Hottest 100 Weekend will next take place on 27 January 2018.

Intense public debate scrutinising the Australia Day date has divided the nation in recent years, with critics saying the day is insensitive to the plight and history of indigenous Australians.

The Hottest 100 countdown was the subject of a widespread campaign last year, with critics imploring the broadcaster to change the date. The youth focused radio station says it decided to change the date after conducting an online survey asking their listeners whether they should change the date. The survey found 60% of participants were in favour of moving the countdown to a different date.

triple j say they and the ABC have no stance on the date of Australia Day and that the Hottest 100 was never intended as an Australia Day celebration on their website. “The Hottest 100 wasn’t created as an Australia Day celebration. It was created to celebrate your favourite songs of the past year.”