As part of a new yearly tradition, Double J will drum up the Y2K nostalgia and replay the Hottest 100 of 1999 in full.
The list was populated by many triple j favourites of the era. Powderfinger’s ‘These Days’ topped the 1999 poll ahead of Killing Heidi’s ‘Weir’. Unearthed winners The Tenants came in at number three with the expletive-heavy ‘You Shit Me to Tears’.
A number of the late-90s’ biggest names filled out the top ten. You had Fatboy Slim, Placebo, Bloodhound Gang, Rage Against The Machine Limp Bizkit, Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers. But despite this OS-majority, the list featured 52% Australian acts overall.
Enduring names like Silverchair, Jebediah, Frenzal Rhomb, Grinspoon, The Whitlams, Eskimo Joe, Spiderbait, The Living End, Custard, Something For Kate and Augie March all made an appearance.
But what about the curious inclusions? The momentary sensations? The acts triple j loved and left? Here’s a look at seven forgotten or underappreciated songs from the 1999 countdown.
Deadstar – Deeper Water (#73)
Former The Plums singer Caroline Kennedy fronted the quasi-supergroup Deadstar. Hunters & Collectors guitarist Barry Palmer and drummer Peter Jones – who briefly replaced Paul Hester in Crowded House – joined Kennedy in the band. ‘Deeper Water’ is a punchy pop-rock number from their final album Somewhere Over the Radio.
Turnstyle – Spray Water On the Stereo (#94)
Perth indie troupe Turnstyle are actually still going. Their latest record, Happy Factories, came out in 2018. It features backing vocals from Pavement’s Bob Nastanovich, a telling inclusion given Turnstyle’s obvious affection for the US slacker indie scene. Nowhere is this more evident than on ‘Spray Water On the Stereo’ from the band’s debut album Turnstyle Country.
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Diana Anaid – Perfect Family (#55)
Northeastern New South Wales was a fertile breeding ground for ’90s indie music. Lismore musician Diana Anaid made her first Hottest 100 appearance with 1997’s ‘I Go Off’. She was back two years later with the beefed up, alt-rock sound of ‘Perfect Family’. The ’90s production has not aged well – it’s all tinny electric guitars and Casio keyboard melodies – but it remains a potent depiction of the all-round struggles of divorce.
The Fauves – Bigger Than Tina (#50)
The Fauves are no slouches. The Melbourne band has made a total of 12 albums since debuting in 1993. ‘Bigger Than Tina’ appeared on the soundtrack to a film of the same name. It follows a young man obsessed with Aussie pop singer Tina Arena. In true Fauves style, the track’s full of sarcastic lyrics and too-cute melodies. There’s even an ironically deployed vocoder.
The Mutton Birds – Pulled Along By Love (#71)
New Zealand alt-rockers The Mutton Birds are sorely under-appreciated. Though, they did enjoy a decent amount of success in their mid-late ’90s heyday, especially in Australia. ‘Pulled Along By Love’ comes from their fourth (and final) album, Rain, Steam and Speed. It was recorded in London, which is where the Neil Finn-endorsed band were based at the time.
Bodyjar – Hazy Shade of Winter (#36)
Cover songs are pretty much guaranteed to show up the Hottest 100 nowadays. But before Like a Version, your best shot was with a punk or metal revamp of a classic song. That’s exactly what Melbourne pop punk stalwarts Bodyjar delivered on ‘Hazy Shade of Winter’. It’s a pretty faithful version of Simon & Garfunkel’s 1966 original, despite cranking the distortion and lifting the tempo.
Skunkhour – Home (#82)
The Go, Skunkhour’s final album, was made during a time of turmoil for the Sydney band. They were dropped by their label, Sony subsidiary Epic Records, in 1998. Their previous record, Chin Chin, was a commercial disappointment and spirits were at an all time low. The Go wouldn’t arrive until 2001, but the 1999 single ‘Home’ depicts a band determined to prove their worth.
