Who would’ve thunk it?
The Wiggles have officially made Hottest 100 history as the first artist to ever top the countdown with a cover!
Covering Tame Impala’s psychedelic hit ‘Elephant’ for Like A Version, The Wiggles are the first artist in 28 years to make their debut at the #1 spot. It’s also a rare instance where a cover has outranked the original.
When triple j Breakfast hosts Bryce & Ebony first learned that The Wiggles had said yes to Like A Version, they knew it would be special…
As triple j Music Director Nick Findlay puts it, “In a year where many of us were wishing we could go back in time, The Wiggles’ heart-warming nostalgia filled cover of ‘Elephant’ was a gift that was sorely needed, even if we didn’t know it at the time.”
Coming in at #2 was Kamilaroi artist The Kid LAROI with his massive Justin Bieber collaboration ‘STAY’, plus we saw 25 Hottest 100 debutantes make the list, and 54 Australian artists.
Eight of the top 100 entries were originally uploaded to triple j Unearthed, and on the flip side, some heavy hitters added to their Hottest 100 tallies: Kanye West (19 songs), Tame Impala (17 songs), The Wombats (15 songs) and Billie Eilish (14 songs).
A look at the pointy end of this year’s Hottest 100 shows an interesting 2021 trend. We weren’t looking to songs that made serious commentary about our COVID-stricken times. We were looking for hook-laden expressions of timeless themes and emotions; frustrating relationships (‘Stay’, ‘Lots Of Nothing’) fiery break-ups (‘good 4 u’, ‘Happier Than Ever’), and feel-good revelry (‘the angel of 8th ave’, ‘kiss me more’).
But nothing this year came closer to not being about our pandemic lives than the nostalgic double shot of a Wiggles x Tame Impala crossover.
Head here for more info and stats about the countdown, and deep dive into the story behind this year’s winner!
Today Double J takes over with their Hottest 100 of 2001. Tune in from 10am local time on the triple j app, digital radio, on Channel 200 on your digital TV and online at doublej.net.au
Key dates and info:
- Sun 23 Jan (10am local time): Hottest 100 of 2001 on Double J
- Fri 28 – Sat 29 Jan (approx. midnight local time): rage presents triple j’s Hottest 100 of 2021
- On demand: Hottest 100 playlists on Apple Music, YouTube and Spotify
- Lifeline: last chance to donate or buy a Hottest 100 tee
triple j’s Hottest 100 of 2021
1. The Wiggles
SONG
Elephant [triple j Like A Version 2021]
2 |
The Kid LAROI & 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 & Jack Harlow |
INDUSTRY BABY |
9 |
RÜFÜS 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 & 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 |
RÜFÜS DU SOL |
Alive |
20 |
Ocean Alley |
Touch Back Down |
21 |
Ball Park Music |
Sunscreen |
22 |
SZA |
Good Days |
23 |
Glass Animals |
I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance) |
24 |
bbno$ |
edamame [Ft. Rich Brian] |
25 |
RÜFÜS 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 |
THATS 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 |
déjà 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 & 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 & 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 |
Rumors [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 $ign] |
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 & The Weeknd |
You Right |
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 [with 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 |
The Wiggles reminds me of that TV show that was on Adelaide TV in the 80s. Fat Cat and Friends. It was pulled of the air because it didn't meet children's television guidelines. It wasn't educational enough but it was nowhere near as childish as the The Wiggles.