With the Hottest 100 dominating discussion and dividing opinions over the years, one could be mistaken for thinking that it’s the only music topic worth talking about.
We decided to take a look at some of the bands that you could’ve been certain had featured in a Hottest 100 countdown over the years. While some of them may have been obvious, some of these artists will undoubtedly leave you scratching your head while pondering why they’ve not yet made it into the yearly poll.
Pond
Tame Impala are not only one of the most popular bands on triple j, they’ve had a considerable amount of Hottest 100 success – heck, they nearly won the thing in 2015! But that love hasn’t necessarily transferred over to Pond, which is comprised of past and current members of Tame Impala. They’ve never made it into the Hottest 100.
Van She
Van She were one of Australia’s most popular acts at the end of last decade. With years of live shows and numerous singles under their belt, one would have assumed that Van She would have dominated the Hottest 100 near the end of the last decade.
However, despite being adored by triple j and its listeners, Van She have failed to crack the top 100. While Michael Di Francesco has featured in the countdown as Touch Sensitive, the rest of his bandmates are still waiting in the wings, keen to be inducted into the poll.
The Delta Riggs
This one was particularly surprising, because not only was Dipz Zebazios a triple j feature album, its singles like ‘Supersonic Casualties’ and ‘The Record’s Flawed’ were all over the airwaves. Maybe there were simply too many good songs and the votes were diluted?
The Flaming Lips
Despite having a number of notable alternative rock hits in the ’90s, a career renaissance in the ’00s, and generally being legends of indie music, The Flaming Lips have never actually made it into a Hottest 100. To be fair, they did appear as feature artists on ‘The Golden Path’ by The Chemical Brothers, but never as the primary artist.
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Jagwar Ma
Jagwar Ma were covered in thick, syrupy buzz when they first hit the scene in 2013 with their debut album Howlin’. But despite the acclaim and festival spots that album generated for the band, and some much-loved singles, it never turned into a spot in the Hottest 100.
Eddy Current Suppression Ring
They came, they conquered, they went… then they returned for Meredith a while back, and now we’re still waiting for some sort of full-on comeback. Either way, despite being beloved by both triple j and its listeners, the critically acclaimed Eddy Current Suppression Ring never managed to break the big countdown.
Peaches
See, now this one’s another technicality in much the same way as The Flaming Lips are. Peaches has in fact ‘appeared’ in the Hottest 100 as a guest on the Chicks On Speed number ‘We Don’t Play Guitars’, but has never had a single track in there as a solo artist. What gives, people?
Spoon
This one’s really surprising, because Spoon have had a total of four — count ’em, four — feature albums on triple j. Beginning with 2002’s Kill the Moonlight, Spoon have had a good relationship with the j’s, but listeners never voted them into the Hottest 100.
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney are important, influential, and totally badass. Though they get more love from Double J nowadays than triple j, we were surprised to learn the trio have never had a song enter the Hottest 100.
The Drones
The Drones are quite simply one of the most treasured and important bands Australia has ever produced. Their albums are held in the highest esteem (one of them is considered the greatest Aussie album ever), but despite this, the Hottest 100 continues to elude them.
Doves
This one’s interesting, because triple j listeners clearly loved this band. Doves are a much-loved alternative rock outfit from Cheshire, England. Among the many accolades they’ve accrued during their career is making it into the top 10 of the 2000 triple j album poll. However, the Hottest 100 is not on that list of accolades.
