2016’s Hottest 100 saw a record number of over 2.2 million votes cast, up 7.6% on last year.
Of all the votes cast, one song rose above the rest to claim the top spot – Flume’s Never Be Like You (feat Kai).
triple j’s Music Director Richard Kingsmill says “it’s rare that a song released back in January will end up in the Hottest 100, let alone at the very top, but ‘Never Be Like You’ just kept growing.
“Collaborating with Canadian singer Kai, Flume could have crafted a fairly straight love song. The melody line alone was strong and the lyrics were heartfelt without being clichéd. But by adding that surprising rhythm track with some pretty abrasive percussion, then throwing those swirling synths on top, he produced a song that only got more powerful over repeated listens.”
Flume (pictured above) had a blockbuster year in 2016 and it all started with the lead single from his highly anticipated second album, Skin. Released in January, ‘Never Be Like You’ not only kicked off the Aussie producer’s banner year but sustained his success throughout it. Collaborating with Canadian singer Kai, Flume breaks new ground with melody and songcraft while pushing his future-thinking electronic production into the mainstream. Framing a stirring vocal performance with an ear-dazzling array of stuttering synths and percussive sparks, ‘Never Be Like You’ is at once heartbreakingly intimate yet big enough to become a Platinum-minted festival-sized anthem. It was the clear #1 song in this year’s Hottest 100 and a benchmark song in music production today.
This is the fourth consecutive year an Australian artist has taken out number 1. Women appeared in 7 of the Top 10 songs, including solo artists Amy Shark and Tash Sultana, joined by feature artists Kai, Montaigne, Vera Blue, Tove Lo and Elliphant all contributing key vocals to their tracks.
DMA’S Like A Version cover of Cher’s Believe earned the highest charting Like A Version in the countdown’s history, surpassing Chet Faker’s Sonia Dada LAV, which came in 21st in 2014. However, it’s not the highest ranking cover – that record still belongs to Boy & Bear’s Fall At Your Feet, which got to number 5 in 2010.
Violent Soho had the most songs in the countdown, with five entries. Flume follows close behind with four songs.
By the end of the countdown triple j had raised a massive $230K towards the Aboriginal education initiative AIME. Donations are stil being accepted.
And there’s more to come over the pseudo long weekend on triple j, with Ben & Liam announcing the winner of triple j’s Golden Ticket on triple j breakfast tomorrow and the chance to hear the Hottest 100 all over again from 10am Saturday 28 January.
Double J will also get into the act, replaying the 1996 Hottest 100 on Saturday.
Those who just can’t get enough of the Hottest 100 can pre order triple j’s Hottest 100 Volume 24 CD here.
See the full listing of the 100 songs below.
