Australian "indie/alternative" radio station Triple J's 2010 Hottest 100

[cobl04]

This list always has a strong claim to being a solid list, if for the sole fact that it attracts more voters than any other annual arbitrary list worldwide (or so they claim). This year they attracted over 150,000 voters, a record, and over a million votes (each voter picked their best 10 songs of the year).

Last year the winner was everybody's favourite bluegrass crooners, Mumford & Sons, with Little Lion Man. Sex on Fire has also been a past winner and I shouldn't need further proof that quantity does not equal quality.

The lists are always stacked with a lot of Australian music. And we do make good music, that is not up for debate. But we also make a lot of bad or just plain ordinary music that becomes insanely popular because a lot of the voters listen exclusively to this station day in day out.

Here is this the top ten:

1. Angus & Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane
2. Little Red - Rock It
3. Ou Est Le Swimming Pool - Dance the Way I Feel
4. Birds of Tokyo - Plans
5. Boy & Bear - Fall at Your Feet
6. Adrian Lux - Teenage Crime
7. Cee-Lo - Fuck You
8. The Wombats - Tokyo
9. Art vs Science - Magic Mountain
10. Mark Ronson & The Business Intl ft Boy George and Andrew Wyatt - Somebody to Love

and the rest:

Spoiler

Have your say
11
ABC News Theme {Remix}
Pendulum

Have your say
12
Rapunzel
Drapht

Have your say
13
Clap Your Hands
Sia

Have your say
14
Runaway {Ft. Pusha T}
Kanye West

Have your say
15
Barbara Streisand
Duck Sauce

Have your say
16
Mace Spray
The Jezabels

Have your say
17
Bang Bang Bang {Ft. MNDR & Q-Tip}
Mark Ronson & The Business Intl.

Have your say
18
here's Nothing In The Water We Can't Fight
Cloud Control

Have your say
19
Crave You {Ft. Giselle}
Flight Facilities

Have your say
20
Sunday Best
Washington

Have your say
21
Undercover Martyn
Two Door Cinema Club

Have your say
22
Jellylegs
Children Collide

Have your say
23
Addicted
Bliss N Eso

Have your say
24
Talking Like I'm Falling Down Stairs
Sparkadia

Have your say
25
Eyes Wide Open
Gotye

Have your say
26
Not In Love {Ft. Robert Smith}
Crystal Castles

Have your say
27
You've Got The Dirtee Love {Live}
Florence & The Machine/Dizzee Rascal

Have your say
28
Radar Detector
Darwin Deez

Have your say
29
It Can Wait {Ft. Owl Eyes}
Illy

Have your say
30
O.N.E
Yeasayer

Have your say
31
Bloodbuzz Ohio
The National

Have your say
32
Pumped Up Kicks
Foster The People

Have your say
33
Solitude Is Bliss
Tame Impala

Have your say
34
Punching In A Dream
The Naked And Famous

Have your say
35
The Bike Song {Ft. Kyle Falconer & Spank Rock}
Mark Ronson & The Business Intl.

Have your say
36
Opposite Of Adults
Chiddy Bang

Have your say
37
Doncamatic {Ft. Daley}
Gorillaz

Have your say
38
Young Blood
The Naked And Famous

Have your say
39
Revolution
John Butler Trio

Have your say
40
Baby, I'm Getting Better
Gyroscope

Have your say
41
Down By The River
Bliss N Eso

Have your say
42
On Melancholy Hill
Gorillaz

Have your say
43
We No Speak Americano
Yolanda Be Cool/DCUP

Have your say
44
Baptism
Crystal Castles

Have your say
45
Rabbit Song
Boy & Bear

Have your say
46
Way Back Home
Bag Raiders

Have your say
47
Wild At Heart
Birds Of Tokyo

Have your say
48
Witchcraft
Pendulum

Have your say
49
Easy To Love
The Jezabels

Have your say
50
One Life Stand
Hot Chip

Have your say
51
Ambling Alp
Yeasayer

Have your say
52
Overpass
The John Steel Singers

Have your say
53
Reflections
Bliss N Eso

Have your say
54
Holidays {Ft. Alan Palomo}
Miami Horror

Have your say
55
Giving Up The Gun
Vampire Weekend

Have your say
56
Bring Night
Sia

Have your say
57
Kickstarts
Example

Have your say
58
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire

Have your say
59
Rich Kids
Washington

Have your say
60
My Eagle
Children Collide

Have your say
61
Jackson's Last Stand
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool

Have your say
62
Hold On
Angus And Julia Stone

Have your say
63
Ready To Start
Arcade Fire

Have your say
64
Jona Vark
Gypsy & The Cat

Have your say
65
One Step
Dead Letter Circus

Have your say
66
Audience
Cold War Kids

Have your say
67
Holiday
Vampire Weekend

Have your say
68
Dog {Ft. Lisa Mitchell}
Andy Bull

Have your say
69
Watercolour
Pendulum

Have your say
70
Paper Romance
Groove Armada

Have your say
71
Piper's Song
Gypsy & The Cat

Have your say
72
I Can Talk
Two Door Cinema Club

Have your say
73
Time To Wander
Gypsy & The Cat

Have your say
74
Lucidity
Tame Impala

Have your say
75
Coming Around
Hungry Kids Of Hungary

Have your say
76
Radioactive
Kings Of Leon

Have your say
77
Shutterbugg {Ft. Cutty}
Big Boi

Have your say
78
Stylo {Ft. Bobby Womack and Mos Def}
Gorillaz

Have your say
79
Slow Motion
Little Red

Have your say
80
Howlin' For You
The Black Keys

Have your say
81
Echoes
Klaxons

Have your say
82
Tighten Up
The Black Keys

Have your say
83
Modern Man
Arcade Fire

Have your say
84
The Hardest Part
Washington

Have your say
85
I Feel Better
Hot Chip

Have your say
86
Queensland
Evil Eddie

Have your say
87
The Saddest Thing I Know
Birds Of Tokyo

Have your say
88
Monster {Ft. JAY-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj & Bon Iver}
Kanye West

Have your say
89
Barricade
Interpol

Have your say
90
Finally See Our Way
Art Vs. Science

Have your say
91
Northcote (So Hungover)
The Bedroom Philosopher

Have your say
92
I Can Change
LCD Soundsystem

Have your say
93
Anyone's Ghost
The National

Have your say
94
Time To Smile
Xavier Rudd

Have your say
95
The High Road
Broken Bells

Have your say
96
Go Do
Jonsi

Have your say
97
Sleepwalker
Parkway Drive

Have your say
98
Spanish Sahara
Foals

Have your say
99
Big
Dead Letter Circus

Have your say
100
Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)
Muse

there are a bunch of good songs spattered amongst the top 100; but in between is a lot of putrid Aussie hip hop ("skip hop") and as i said, ordinary songs.

and here, in all its underwhelming glory, is the winner, for those who haven't heard it:

YouTube - Angus and Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane [Official Music Video]

i'm going to go and listen to my song of the year, Home, by LCD Soundsystem.

discuss, belittle, appreciate, laugh, argue, , etc as you please.

and so good night

 

[intedomine]

In my opinion, It's crap, it almost always is, but the presence of National and Yeasayer was pleasing. The wrong Kanye songs got in there and there needed some more Interpol.

Big Jet Plane is so bland, and really, I find it hard to take the whole thing seriously when Rihanna's (Only Girl) In The World is not only not featured in the final countdown, but JJJ don't want people to vote for the song by not putting it in their shortlist, despite the universal love for the song, critically as well as commercially. Meanwhile, a novelty song like Barbara Streisand polls high, when it's a bit of an atmosphere-killer in clubs.

It is what it is though, and is becoming such a massive Australia Day tradition, though I'm surprised it still features so many obscurities polling well, despite most voters these days probably not being anything close to a regular JJJ listener.

 

[bono_man2002]

I'm surprised Birds Of Tokyo didn't win and Radioactive didn't get like #2.

Barbara Streisand is a bit of fun, but placed way to highley, same for the JJJ news remix (which I've never heard) As much as I love Crowded House, I can't believe the cover song made it so high as well.

I'll admit I haven't listened to Triple J as much over the last 12 months as I would have the two years previous. Because this station: Phantom 105.2, the home of Rock in Dublin - Phantom 105.2, the home of Rock in Dublin wins at everything.

 

[cobl04]

Plans is the worst thing in the top ten, if you ask me. Horrendous song.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Plans is the worst thing in the top ten, if you ask me. Horrendous song.

Yeah, this. We seem to get this same piece of shit coming out every year. What a bland song.

 

[ultraviolet92]

Hate plans

 

[intedomine]

I'd never heard Plans until yesterday, I thought that Birds of Tokyo were one of those indietastic bands with such a name and the album cover, but obviously not. They make Thirsty Merc seem enjoyable.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Some of the lyrics.

I just met you I can read your thoughts
What they tell me is what I want
I'll keep you guessing keep you wanting more
'Cos where we're going no one knows

 

[bono_man2002]

I don't think Plans is terrible, but its not top 15 worthy.

 

[Axver]

As much as I love Crowded House, I can't believe the cover song made it so high as well.

Just shits the daylights out of me that a mediocre cover has done so well while Crowded House's own far superior Saturday Sun never had a snowball's chance in hell of getting near the Hottest 100.

I think the most revolting song in this Hottest 100 is #100 though.

And as usual, most of the Aussie bands that make it are a pissweak representation of the great Aussie music made in the preceding year.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

You should really start your own radio station, Axver.

 

[LemonMelon]

Some of the lyrics.

I just met you I can read your thoughts
What they tell me is what I want
I'll keep you guessing keep you wanting more
'Cos where we're going no one knows

It probably shouldn't surprise me, but it really does amaze me sometimes how disconnected these pseudo-indie/adult contemporary songs really are. I suppose when you're copy/pasting cliches, it's easy to disregard things like narrative and perspective. I have no idea what the hell is happening in this verse...they're talking about a girl, then it flips over to the guy, unless the third line is being said from the perspective of the girl, which wouldn't make sense because her thoughts can be read. Then there's the fourth line, which has nothing to do with anything in particular, unless it's a droll commentary on the listener's inability to read the thoughts of either.

It's bullshit, in other words.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Too true. The rest of the song is more or less like that verse. Although I did find a half-decent line or two in that song, surprisingly.

 

[cobl04]

Just shits the daylights out of me that a mediocre cover has done so well while Crowded House's own far superior Saturday Sun never had a snowball's chance in hell of getting near the Hottest 100.

I think the most revolting song in this Hottest 100 is #100 though.

And as usual, most of the Aussie bands that make it are a pissweak representation of the great Aussie music made in the preceding year.

Three great calls.

 

[bono_man2002]

I love how Vertigo made the top 100 (might have even been top 50) in 2004 and JJJ NEVER played it.

 

[bono_man2002]

Countdown failure? You only have yourselves to blame

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Angus Stone needs a bath. Friggin' hippy.

 

[LemonMelon]

This Birds of Tokyo song sounds like Hoobastank covering Breakeven. Holy fuck.

 

[intedomine]

What a shit article

 

[LemonMelon]

Nelly Furtado should push Sparkadia down the stairs for stealing Say It Right.

Yeah, I'm just going through the list and listening to the songs by bands with funny names.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I've been finding the TripleJ hottest 100 increasingly underwhelming for some years now. Being as how it is a listener-voted list, and being as how it coincides with the dodgy-populist luv-in of Australia Day and the BDO, it's sort of unavoidable I suppose.

Angus and Julia Stone, who I had given little thought to until now, sound rather like they've been inhaling helium.

Most of the Australian artists featured heavily on TripleJ are (while a little better than their commercial-FM contemporaries) pretty ordinary in my opinion. And there is a real tendency to focus on these unearthed acts, many of them not even out of high school. Novelty factor aside, what the fuck do a bunch of school kids have to tell me?

Furthermore, I think even for some of the greats over the last decade or so, their association with the station has not necessarily worked out so happily. I wonder if being a little too chummy with the hand that feeds is not a problem. Augie March spring to mind. They steadily watered themselves down to nothing, had a bit of a win with their big ballad number, and then just quit. Way to go. These guys could have been fucking Radiohead.

Another gripe while I am at it: the faux-populist thing about 'hardest working' this and that. I don't care if a band puts out an album every week and tours non-stop: if they are rubbish, then they are doing nobody any favours.

 

[Saracene]

I've heard, let's see, four songs out of this top 10. I'm certainly out of touch with the yoof.

 

[bono_212]

I know 1.

Just...1

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Interesting that numbers 11-100 are all titled "Have Your Say."

 

[Kieran McConville]

It's a popular tune for sure. It's set to the ABC new theme and features rapping.

 

[Axver]

Triple J normally also publishes 101-200 at some point, don't they? Anybody seen it this time around?

 

[cobl04]

Interesting that numbers 11-100 are all titled "Have Your Say."

since when do you use smilies??

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I've decided to use them for today and today only.

It's sort of an experiment.

Not sure if it's working, though.

 

[Kieran McConville]

The problem, one of the many, with the Australian hip hop featured on Triple J is that the artists um, rap almost exclusively about the topic of Australian hip hop.

Those that venture beyond this cul de sac are often just plain embarrassing.

 

[cobl04]

Alright, here it is. My rant about Australian hip hop, Aussie hip hop, skip hop.

Frankly, it is fucking terrible. I never hated it as passionately as I do now until about six months, a year ago, when I started to really get into American hip hop. I will admit that I have liked a few songs. Hilltop Hoods are the best of a very bad bunch. Their song Chase That Feeling is a good tune, and they've got a few other alright ones as well. I'm also a fan of this song:

YouTube - Pez feat. 360 - The Festival Song - Music Video [WITH LYRICS]

But this is more for sentimental-type reasons, as I've been to Pyramid Rock Festival the past two years for new years and had a great time with friends, when you really lose most of your cares. Plus it's more sung than rapped. If you don't want to click play you'll probably know it as "I love summer days..."

The fact that any Aussie hip hop song made this list is bad enough, though completely understandable. But what really riles me is that any skip hop tune finished higher on the list than Kanye's Monster (or Runaway), and Big Boi's Shutterbugg. Kanye and Big Boi have more talent in their left testicles than all the skip hop acts have combined.

The three biggest problems I have with "skip hop":

1) The music (so... the production?). Good American hip hop contains exciting, bewitching, awesome, sick, etc, etc, etc music and a lot of the producers have crafted some truly brilliant beats and samples and the like behind their rappers. J Dilla, Organized Noize, Dr Dre... the list goes on. No one would continually listen to it if it was a capella, so that shows that a lot of the genre hinges on the sounds made by the relatively faceless crew behind the rappers. I am yet to hear a skip hop song with anything that could be described as a decent beat. A lot of them rely on guitar, over-use of scratching, or annoying samples. Illy, a rapper who I saw five minutes of at Pyramid, was apparently "going off". Why? Because one of the songs he was rapping was backed by MIA's Paper Planes, and people were jumping up and down during the chorus of that song, not during his putrid raps. Shutterbugg sounds so much better than any skip hop song that it's gone from being not funny back to being funny again. And I hate to continually bring up Outkast (well, not really ) but the day that a skip hop artist comes up with a song half as inventive, creative, ambitious as SpottieOttieDopalicious is the day Dave Hughes becomes PM.

2) The lyrics. A lot of people who don't like hip hop point to the "guns, bitches, drugs, money" focus by a number of rappers. Which is fair enough, but there aren't that many good artists who sing about this for the sake of singing about it; usually there is a deepeer point, which is what N.W.A. was getting at. But beyond this American hip hop has covered an amazingly broad array of lyrical themes, from the lowest points of life surrounding drugs and death, to the best days, love, marriage, children. Skip hop artists, by comparison, have nothing to write about, or at least nothing interesting to write about. One of the more popular songs by the artist in the video above is about his infatuation with Bec Cartwright, and the lyrics are, quite literally, "hey, Lleyton! your missus is hot mate!" A number of 15-seconds skip hop artists have had small hits with ordinary songs about "life" (see 3Seven7's "Ready to Brawl", from the Bra Boys soundtrack) and then disappeared because they've got nothing else to write about. But even the artists that have stuck around struggle: Bliss n Eso are a very popular example. One of their biggest songs is called "The Sea is Rising", which is about global warming. It's a crap topic to sing about regardless, but at least if a more talented artist tried it, the lyrics would be more subtle, more thought-provoking.

3) The vocals. My biggest gripe. Skip hop artists all have this similar twang in their voices when they "rap" and it sounds horrendous. To me it's like the old nails-on-a-chalkboard and puts me off nearly every song I've heard.

i'm just jaded.