Are you a big fan of triple j’s annual Hottest 100 countdown? Then there’s a chance you might be able to help the Hottest 100 Database track down some sought-after info.
For over 30 years now, the triple j Hottest 100 has gradually risen through the ranks to become the world’s biggest music poll. From humble beginnings which saw it counting down the top 100 tracks of a few thousand listeners, it’s now a must-hear event, attracting millions of votes annually.
Have you ever wanted to know more about the countdown though? Have you ever wondered which songs were eligible for the Hottest 100 but didn’t get enough love? Have you wondered which artists placed numerous times each year, or which country has charted the most times?
These were the question that the Hottest 100 Database attempted to answer when it was launched as a fan site early last decade. Collecting facts and figures and mixing it with a healthy dose of obsession, it’s become a reliable source for countdown fanatics to learn more about Australia’s favourite music poll, though it’s not affiliated with triple j itself.
Over the last year though, it’s been taking a little bit of a break while it tracks down more info, confirms a lot of its details, and searches for new ways to pay homage to the great poll.
However, the Hottest 100 Database has now asked lovers of Aussie music to take a look into their own collections to see if they have any info which might come in handy.
Yes, you might have newspaper clippings from the original countdowns, the paper voting lists that circulated in the ’90s, or even some promotional info that made the rounds. Anything that you might have can become a vital piece of the massive data puzzle that the Database hopes to one day complete.
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The biggest thing the site is looking out for though is recordings of the old countdowns, with these elusive audio documents serving as some of the most useful pieces of history.
Why are these important to the site? Well, in addition to noting info regarding the presenters of each countdown, facts from the day, and other notable incidents, it also helps the site to confirm which versions of the songs made it in.
Recently, a listen of an early countdown revealed information about three charting songs that hasn’t been reported elsewhere. This means that you might be able to help dig up some lost history if you’ve got some of the old recordings!
If you’ve got anything that might be useful to the Database, be sure to get in contact by sending an email to the site.
Otherwise, the Hottest 100 of 2019 is set to take place on Saturday, January 25th on triple j, with the Hottest 200 being counted down on Monday, January 27th. If this all sounds a bit modern for you, then revisit the music of yesteryear on Monday when Double J counts down the Hottest 100 of 1999.
Check out Ocean Alley’s ‘Confidence’, which topped the 2018 Hottest 100:
