With the 2021 Hottest 100 set to take place on January 22nd, 2022, we here at Tone Deaf have decided to take a stroll down memory lane, recapping the countdowns of yesteryear in the lead-up to the latest edition of musical democracy. Today, we’re taking a look back at the Hottest 100 of 1993.
Taking place in January of 1994, the triple j Hottest of 1993 was the first annual countdown held by the station which limited votes to songs released in the last year.
After kicking things off in 1989 with a series of ‘All-Time’ countdowns, the station decided to change pace in 1991 after they realised there wasn’t a whole lot of variety at the pointy end of things.
Following a bit of a gap year in 1992, triple j brought the countdown back in early 1994, kicking off an annual tradition that continues to this day.
While this inaugural countdown was met with plenty of anticipation (attracting 50,000 votes in the process), it’s long been regarded by listeners as one of the most infamous countdowns, thanks in part to its #1 track.
While the top ten consisted of songs by U2, Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, The Cranberries, The Cruel Sea, and Radiohead, the #1 spot was ultimately taken out by US comedian Denis Leary, and his divisive novelty track ‘Asshole’.
However, when you consider that Denis Learly’s sole entry scored him the highest spot possible, it gives him one of the greatest averages out of any artist to appear in a Hottest 100 to date. Say what you will about ‘Asshole’, but it’s given us a record that might not be equalled for some time!
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Check out Denis Leary’s ‘Asshole’:
Interestingly, this countdown also boasted something of another interesting milestone, featuring the oldest artist in a countdown to date.
Appearing at #100, Van Morrison teamed up with John Lee Hooker for a rendition of ‘Gloria’. At the time of the countdown, Hooker was 76 years old, making him the most seasoned entrant to date.
At the end of the day, triple j’s Hottest 100 for 1993 featured songs by 84 different artists from a total of 11 countries, including 43 from the USA, 24 from Australia and 18 from England.
Australia’s achievement of just 24 tracks in a countdown is their lowest to date, while Jamaica featured twice in the countdown – a record that still stands today.
In addition to being the highest-charting Aussie act in the countdown, The Cruel Sea were also the act that appeared the most, achieving three entries in the list. R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe also shared a similar achievement, appearing twice with his regular band, and once on Neneh Cherry’s ‘Trout’.
Check out Neneh Cherry’s ‘Trout (feat. Michael Stipe)’:
Meanwhile, The Badloves, Cypress Hill, Dave Graney ‘n’ The Coral Snakes, Dinosaur Jr., Headless Chickens, King Missile, Living Colour, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, R.E.M.,Rage Against The Machine, Suede, and U2 all appeared twice in the countdown.
A number of other artists, including Tool’s Danny Carey and Maynard James Keenan, and Juliana Hatfield appeared with a couple of different bands, while Kate Bush sort of appeared twice, showing up once as a solo act, and once after being sampled in the Utah Saints’ ‘Something Good’.
Also, if you’re keen on some of the more obscure facts, the shortest track to appear in the countdown was Cypress Hill’s ‘Hits From The Bong’ at 2:41, while the longest was U2’s ‘Lemon’ as 6:58.
Check out the full list of songs in the triple j Hottest 100 for 1993 below. If you’re keen to learn more, head over to the Hottest 100 Database, and check out the Hottest 100 songs that didn’t make the Hottest 100.
triple j’s Hottest 100 of 1993
#1. ‘Asshole’ – Denis Leary
#2. ‘Creep’ – Radiohead
#3. ‘Linger’ – The Cranberries
#4. ‘No Rain’ – Blind Melon
#5. ‘Cannonball’ – The Breeders
#6. ‘Killing In The Name’ – Rage Against The Machine
#7. ‘Lemon’ – U2
#8. ‘Go’ – Pearl Jam
#9. ‘The Honeymoon Is Over’ – The Cruel Sea
#10. ‘Stone Me Into The Groove’ – Atomic Swing
#11. ‘Everybody Hurts’ – R.E.M.
#12. ‘Plush’ – Stone Temple Pilots
#13. ‘Soul To Squeeze’ – Red Hot Chili Peppers
#14. ‘I Held Her In My Arms’ – Violent Femmes
#15. ‘Wild America’ – Iggy Pop
#16. ‘Sister Havana’ – Urge Overkill
#17. ‘Hits From The Bong’ – Cypress Hill
#18. ‘Go West’ – Pet Shop Boys
#19. ‘Trout (feat. Michael Stipe)’ – Neneh Cherry
#20. ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ – Nirvana
#21. ‘Black Stick’ – The Cruel Sea
#22. ‘The Ship Song (Live)’ – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
#23. ‘Human Behaviour’ – Björk
#24. ‘What’s Up?’ – 4 Non Blondes
#25. ‘Feed The Tree’ – Belly
#26. ‘Somewhere’ – Efua
#27. ‘Sober’ – Tool
#28. ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’ – Lenny Kravitz
#29. ‘All That She Wants’ – Ace Of Base
#30. ‘Constant Craving’ – k.d. lang
#31. ‘Numb’ – U2
#32. ‘Jessie’ – Paw
#33. ‘Pets’ – Porno For Pyros
#34. ‘Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)’ – Us3
#35. ‘Shoop’ – Salt-N-Pepa
#36. ‘The Right Time’ – Hoodoo Gurus
#37. ‘My Sister’ – The Juliana Hatfield Three
#38. ‘Get Me’ – Dinosaur Jr.
#39. ‘Friday I’m In Love’ – The Cure
#40. ‘Push Th’ Little Daisies’ – Ween
#41. ‘World Turning (Räwak Mix)’ – Yothu Yindi
#42. ‘Dreams’ – Gabrielle
#43. ‘Cherub Rock’ – The Smashing Pumpkins
#44. ‘Juice’ – Headless Chickens
#45. ‘Start Choppin” – Dinosaur Jr.
#46. ‘Detachable Penis’ – King Missile
#47. ‘Tease Me’ – Chaka Demus & Pliers
#48. ‘Night Of The Wolverine I’ – Dave Graney ‘N’ The Coral Snakes
#49. ‘Bi’ – Living Colour
#50. ‘Adam’s Ribs’ – You Am I
#51. ‘Would?’ – Alice in Chains
#52. ‘Runaway Train’ – Soul Asylum
#53. ‘Taillights Fade’ – Buffalo Tom
#54. ‘Holy Grail’ – Hunters & Collectors
#55. ‘Alive And Brilliant’ – Deborah Conway
#56. ‘Can You Forgive Her?’ – Pet Shop Boys
#57. ‘Choppers (Koppelman Mix)’ – Headless Chickens
#58. ‘Jesus Was Way Cool’ – King Missile
#59. ‘You’re Just Too Hip Baby’ – Dave Graney ‘N’ The Coral Snakes
#60. ‘Distant Sun’ – Crowded House
#61. ‘Last Train (Master Mix) (With Paul Kelly)’ – Christine Anu
#62. ‘Easy’ – Faith No More
#63. ‘Scratch My Back’ – The Sharp
#64. ‘Nearly Lost You’ – Screaming Trees
#65. ‘Regret’ – New Order
#66. ‘Something Good’ – Utah Saints
#67. ‘Boom Shack-A-Lak’ – Apache Indian
#68. ‘Mr. Vain’ – Culture Beat
#69. ‘Animal Nitrate’ – Suede
#70. ‘Sleepy Head (Serene Machine)’ – Ed Kuepper
#71. ‘Nothingness (Colour Mix)’ – Living Colour
#72. ‘Baby, You Got In The Way’ – Barefoot
#73. ‘Mr. Wendal’ – Arrested Development
#74. ‘Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)’ – Sub Sub
#75. ‘The Drowners’ – Suede
#76. ‘Before’ – Caligula
#77. ‘Lost’ – The Badloves
#78. ‘Deep’ – East 17
#79. ‘Mrs. Robinson’ – The Lemonheads
#80. ‘Rooster’ – Alice In Chains
#81. ‘Insane In The Brain’ – Cypress Hill
#82. ‘Green Limousine’ – The Badloves
#83. ‘Your Eyes (Shaggy Mix)’ – Underground Lovers
#84. ‘Bullet In The Head’ – Rage Against The Machine
#85. ‘Three Little Pigs’ – Green Jellÿ
#86. ‘World’ – New Order
#87. ‘Do It’ – Swoop
#88. ‘Dixie Drug Store’ – Grant Lee Buffalo
#89. ‘Aboriginal Woman’ – Mixed Relations
#90. ‘For Tomorrow’ – Blur
#91. ‘Happy Birthday Helen’ – Things Of Stone And Wood
#92. ‘I Feel You’ – Depeche Mode
#93. ‘Man On The Moon’ – R.E.M.
#94. ‘Sweat (A La La La La Long)’ – Inner Circle
#95. ‘Delivery Man’ – The Cruel Sea
#96. ‘Candy Everybody Wants’ – 10,000 Maniacs
#97. ‘Rubberband Girl’ – Kate Bush
#98. ‘Freedom’ – Kev Carmody
#99. ‘Ebeneezer Goode (Beat Edit)’ – The Shamen
#100. ‘Gloria (feat. John Lee Hooker)’ – Van Morrison
Quick Facts:
Artists: 85
Most Successful Artists: Soundgarden (4 tracks)
Number Of Countries: 13
Top Three Countries: USA (49 tracks), Australia (26 tracks), England (13 tracks)
Shortest Song: ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ – Frente! (2:01)
Longest Song: ‘Burn’ – The Cure (6:39)
