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 2011.
Taking place on January 26th, 2012, and attracting 1,378,869 votes, the triple j Hottest of 2011 was the 19th annual countdown held by the station which limited votes to songs released in the last year.
Ask anyone who remembers the 2011 countdown, and they’ll tell you that this year was less of a journey to see who topped the poll, but rather to see who was going to almost take out the top spot.
After its release back in July of 2011, it became quite obvious that Gotye’s Kimbra-featuring ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ was going to top the countdown. As a result, listeners were more focused on who would take out the #2 position.
As it turned out, it was a rather close race, with The Black Keys’ ‘Lonely Boy’ ultimately trumping Matt Corby’s ‘Brother’ to take the silver medal.
While Gotye’s track undoubtedly stole focus this year, it did manage to serve as a bit of a milestone, with it becoming the first collaboration between two artists to top a poll, and the first time that an artist from New Zealand appeared at the top of the chart.
Check out Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra)’:
Elsewhere, the countdown featured a number of notable moments, with the 2011 Hottest 100 becoming the first time since 1995 that no previous winners of a Hottest 100 countdown had charted in the list.
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Likewise, a number of previously-charting songs also reappeared, with Mr. Little Jeans’ cover of Arcade Fire’s ‘The Suburbs’ hitting #100, and Owl Eyes’ cover of Foster The People’s ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ charting four places higher than the original, at #28.
Interestingly, the 2011 chart was also pretty special for Unearthed artists up to this point, with a then-record number artists making the chart, and a record-breaking three acts charting within the top ten. Of course, this record has seen been matched and even broken in the ensuing years.
Check out Boy & Bear’s ‘Feeding Line’:
At the end of the day, triple j’s Hottest 100 for 2012 featured songs by 70 different artists from a total of 10 countries, including 44 from Australia, 24 from the USA, and 21 from England.
The Wombats and Kimbra were the best performing acts of the countdown, scoring four tracks each, with one of Kimbra’s songs coming from her collab with Gotye.
Meanwhile, eight artists featured three times (including Skrillex appearing as a solo act and as a remixer for Benny Benassi), and twelve artists featured twice (including Little Dragon, who also showed up with SBTRKT).
Also, if you’re keen on some of the more obscure facts, the shortest track to appear in the countdown was San Cisco’s ‘Awkward’ at 2:34, while the longest was Cosmo Jarvis’ ‘Gay Pirates’ at 5:53.
Check out the full list of songs in the triple j Hottest 100 for 2011 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 2011
#1. ‘Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra)’ – Gotye
#2. ‘Lonely Boy’ – The Black Keys
#3. ‘Brother’ – Matt Corby
#4. ‘Feeding Line’ – Boy & Bear
#5. ‘Midnight City’ – M83
#6. ‘Video Games’ – Lana Del Rey
#7. ‘Awkward’ – San Cisco
#8. ‘Boys Like You (feat. Gossling)’ – 360
#9. ‘Endless Summer’ – The Jezabels
#10. ‘I Love It (feat. Sia)’ – Hilltop Hoods
#11. ‘Feel So Close’ – Calvin Harris
#12. ‘Contact High’ – Architecture In Helsinki
#13. ‘Shake It Out’ – Florence And The Machine
#14. ‘Call It What You Want’ – Foster The People
#15. ‘Helena Beat’ – Foster The People
#16. ‘Tongue Tied’ – Grouplove
#17. ‘Even Though I’m A Woman’ – Seeker Lover Keeper
#18. ‘Jump Into The Fog’ – The Wombats
#19. ‘Promises’ – Nero
#20. ‘Act Yr Age’ – Bluejuice
#21. ‘Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites’ – Skrillex
#22. ‘Air’ – Snakadaktal
#23. ‘Jungle’ – Emma Louise
#24. ‘1996’ – The Wombats
#25. ‘Cameo Lover’ – Kimbra
#26. ‘Techno Fan’ – The Wombats
#27. ‘Changed The Way You Kiss Me’ – Example
#28. ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ – Owl Eyes
#29. ‘Sing It (The Life Of Riley)’ – Drapht
#30. ‘Bounce (feat. Kelis)’ – Calvin Harris
#31. ‘It’s Nice To Be Alive’ – Ball Park Music
#32. ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.’ – Noah And The Whale
#33. ‘Otis (feat. Otis Redding)’ – Jay-Z & Kanye West
#34. ‘I Feel Better’ – Gotye
#35. ‘Cigarettes (feat. Hue Blanes)’ – Illy
#36. ‘No Light, No Light’ – Florence And The Machine
#37. ‘Killer’ – 360
#38. ‘All I Want Is You’ – Ball Park Music
#39. ‘Cinema (feat. Gary Go) (Skrillex Remix) ‘ – Benny Benassi
#40. ‘Houdini’ – Foster The People
#41. ‘Under Cover Of Darkness’ – The Strokes
#42. ‘What The Water Gave Me’ – Florence And The Machine
#43. ‘Itchin’ On A Photograph’ – Grouplove
#44. ‘Speak Of The Devil’ – Hermitude
#45. ‘Junk Of The Heart (Happy)’ – The Kooks
#46. ‘Hanging On’ – Active Child
#47. ‘Mary’ – Sparkadia
#48. ‘A.I.M. Fire!’ – Art vs. Science
#49. ‘Milk & Sticks’ – Boy & Bear
#50. ‘Part Time Believer’ – Boy & Bear
#51. ‘Money’ – The Drums
#52. ‘Good Intent’ – Kimbra
#53. ‘Holocene’ – Bon Iver
#54. ‘Turn Me On’ – The Grates
#55. ‘Escapee’ – Architecture In Helsinki
#56. ‘China’ – Sparkadia
#57. ‘Lay It Down’ – The Rubens
#58. ‘I Follow Rivers’ – Lykke Li
#59. ‘Holy Moses’ – Washington
#60. ‘Gabriel (feat. Valentina)’ – Joe Goddard
#61. ‘Lotus Flower’ – Radiohead
#62. ‘Black Water Rising’ – Stonefield
#63. ‘Rope’ – Foo Fighters
#64. ‘Raiders’ – Owl Eyes
#65. ‘Re-Wired’ – Kasabian
#66. ‘Perth’ – Bon Iver
#67. ‘Zimbabwe’ – New Navy
#68. ‘Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair’ – Arctic Monkeys
#69. ‘Calgary’ – Bon Iver
#70. ‘She’s Like A Comet’ – Jebediah
#71. ‘Arnold’ – Luke Million
#72. ‘Foreign Language (feat. Jess)’ – Flight Facilities
#73. ‘First Of The Year (Equinox)’ – Skrillex
#74. ‘Bali Party (feat. N’fa)’ – Drapht
#75. ‘Shot Yourself In The Foot Again’ – Skream & Example
#76. ‘Dreamshaker’ – Redcoats
#77. ‘The Look’ – Metronomy
#78. ‘History’s Door’ – Husky
#79. ‘Wildfire (feat. Little Dragon)’ – SBTRKT
#80. ‘The Truth’ – Pnau
#81. ‘Biding My Time’ – Busby Marou
#82. ‘Ritual Union’ – Little Dragon
#83. ‘Future Starts Slow’ – The Kills
#84. ‘Throw It Away (feat. Josh Pyke)’ – 360
#85. ‘Gay Pirates’ – Cosmo Jarvis
#86. ‘Light All My Lights’ – Seeker Lover Keeper
#87. ‘In Your Light’ – Gotye
#88. ‘Shuffle’ – Bombay Bicycle Club
#89. ‘Santa Fe’ – Beirut
#90. ‘Make Some Noise’ – Beastie Boys
#91. ‘Fragile Bird’ – City And Colour
#92. ‘The Wilhelm Scream’ – James Blake
#93. ‘Two Way Street’ – Kimbra
#94. ‘Our Perfect Disease’ – The Wombats
#95. ‘Naked Kids’ – Grouplove
#96. ‘Machu Piccu’ – The Strokes
#97. ‘Arlandria’ – Foo Fighters
#98. ‘Niggas In Paris’ – Jay-Z & Kanye West
#99. ‘You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man’ – The Beards
#100. ‘The Suburbs’ – Mr Little Jeans
triple j’s Hottest 200 of 2011
#101. ‘Land Of The Bloody Unknown’ – The Middle East
#102. ‘Bad To Me’ – Loon Lake
#103. ‘On The Prowl’ – Ellesquire
#104. ‘Gladiator’ – Big Scary
#105. ‘Hawaiian Air’ – Friendly Fires
#106. ‘Trycolour’ – The Jezabels
#107. ‘The Grand Optimist’ – City And Colour
#108. ‘Stay Awake’ – Example
#109. ‘2 Hearts’ – Digitalism
#110. ‘Help Is On The Way’ – Rise Against
#111. ‘Golden Jubilee’ – Boy & Bear
#112. ‘No One Wants A Lover’ – Josh Pyke
#113. ‘How Deep Is Your Love?’ – The Rapture
#114. ‘Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger’ – Art vs. Science
#115. ‘Pharoahs (feat. Roses Gabor)’ – SBTRKT
#116. ‘Hold On (feat. Sampha)’ – SBTRKT
#117. ‘Days Are Forgotten’ – Kasabian
#118. ‘Need You Now’ – Cut Copy
#119. ‘I’m His Girl’ – Friends
#120. ‘I Can Show You’ – Tim & Jean
#121. ‘Will Do’ – TV On The Radio
#122. ‘Oh Well That’s What You Get Falling In Love With A Cowboy’ – Lanie Lane
#123. ‘The Reckoning’ – The Getaway Plan
#124. ‘State Of The Art’ – Gotye
#125. ‘Zoom’ – Last Dinosaurs
#126. ‘The Sum Of It All’ – The Herd
#127. ‘The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating’ – The Living End
#128. ‘Me And You’ – Nero
#129. ‘Mermaids’ – Jinja Safari
#130. ‘Crush On You’ – Nero
#131. ‘Yonkers’ – Tyler, The Creator
#132. ‘Lose It’ – Austra
#133. ‘How Come You Never Go There’ – Feist
#134. ‘Sweet Dreams’ – The Grates
#135. ‘The Devil Takes Care Of His Own’ – Band Of Skulls
#136. ‘Days’ – Joelistics
#137. ‘What Did I Do? (feat. Lucy Taylor)’ – Kele
#138. ‘Waste’ – Foster The People
#139. ‘We Run The Nite’ – Tonite Only
#140. ‘Civilization (feat. Ali Love)’ – Justice
#141. ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ – Andy Bull
#142. ‘If You Wanna’ – The Vaccines
#143. ‘Mr Polite’ – The Jungle Giants
#144. ‘Chimera’ – Snakadaktal
#145. ‘Circles’ – Digitalism
#146. ‘The Words That Maketh Murder’ – PJ Harvey
#147. ‘Shake Me Down’ – Cage The Elephant
#148. ‘Bridge Burning’ – Foo Fighters
#149. ‘Golden Revolver’ – San Cisco
#150. ‘Ray Charles’ – Chiddy Bang
#151. ‘Love Is A Drug’ – Eskimo Joe
#152. ‘Ain’t Hungry’ – Lanie Lane
#153. ‘Only If For A Night’ – Florence And The Machine
#154. ‘March Into The Ocean’ – British India
#155. ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ – Busby Marou
#156. ‘Make It Stop (September’s Children)’ – Rise Against
#157. ‘Start Again (feat. Lovers Electric)’ – The Aston Shuffle
#158. ‘Up All Night’ – Blink-182
#159. ‘Child’ – 360
#160. ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ – Ed Sheeran
#161. ‘Truth’ – Alexander Ebert
#162. ‘No Church In The Wild (feat. Frank Ocean)’ – Jay-Z & Kanye West
#163. ‘Get Up (feat. Hollywood Holt & Ruby Goe)’ – Stanton Warriors
#164. ‘Blood Pressure’ – Mutemath
#165. ‘Reptile’ – Calling All Cars
#166. ‘You Are A Tourist’ – Death Cab For Cutie
#167. ‘Won’t Get Lost’ – The Aston Shuffle
#168. ‘Always On The Run’ – Yuksek
#169. ‘The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie’ – Red Hot Chili Peppers
#170. ‘Slap My Elbow’ – S.mouse
#171. ‘On’n’On (feat. Morgan Phalen)’ – Justice
#172. ‘Sophia’ – Laura Marling
#173. ‘Anti-D’ – The Wombats
#174. ‘Run Right Back’ – The Black Keys
#175. ‘Hiccups’ – Jinja Safari
#176. ‘Guilt’ – Nero
#177. ‘In The Summer’ – Loon Lake
#178. ‘Embody’ – SebastiAn
#179. ‘Eskimo Boy’ – Strange Talk
#180. ‘Mine Is Yours’ – Cold War Kids
#181. ‘Audio, Video, Disco.’ – Justice
#182. ‘Safari Disco Club’ – Yelle
#183. ‘Stay, Please Stay’ – Oh Mercy
#184. ‘Down’ – Drapht
#185. ‘Lordy May’ – Boy & Bear
#186. ‘Car Song (feat. Santigold)’ – Spank Rock
#187. ‘Pull Out My Insides’ – Does It Offend You, Yeah?
#188. ‘Glorious Feeling’ – Joelistics
#189. ‘An Argument With Myself’ – Jens Lekman
#190. ‘Numbers In Action’ – Wiley
#191. ‘Honey’ – Papa vs Pretty
#192. ‘Paris Collides’ – RÜFÜS
#193. ‘Runaway’ – Plan B
#194. ‘Codex’ – Radiohead
#195. ‘I Know Deep Down’ – Architecture In Helsinki
#196. ‘Rich People Are Stupid’ – Ball Park Music
#197. ‘Norgaard’ – The Vaccines
#198. ‘The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala’ – Arctic Monkeys
#199. ‘One Of The Animals’ – Papa vs Pretty
#200. ‘Moves’ – Gold Fields
Quick Facts:
Artists: 70
Most Successful Artists: Kimbra, and The Wombats (4 tracks)
Number Of Countries: 10
Top Three Countries: Australia (44 tracks), USA (24 tracks), England (21 tracks)
Shortest Song: ‘Awkward’ – San Cisco (2:34)
Longest Song: ‘Gay Pirates’ – Cosmo Jarvis (5:53)
