10 Cool Songs That Have Little Chance of Appearing in the Hottest 100

Tomorrow, the Triple J Hottest 100 will be blared from pubs, backyards and Commodores across Australia as revellers tune in and listen out for their favourite songs. It will be be hard to ignore the countdown as the day progresses; social media timelines will likely be filled with your friends’ opinions and predictions.

We appreciate not everyone will get their chance at appearing in the biggest music poll in the world. So we’ve decided to shed light on our favourite tracks that stand no chance of topping Kendrick Lamar or Courtney Barnett but deserve consideration regardless.

Bitchratch – “Laura Branigan Hologram”

The destructive disco-noise from Queensland trio Bitchratch is probably not suited for friendly radio, but the unique sounds of their stunning 2015 EP I Know My Truth deserves further attention. Like an amalgamation of Factory Floor and PERFECT PUSSY, Bitchratch have an exciting future riding the no wave trend.

Future – “Blood on the Money”

The 2015 Triple J Hottest 100 is slated to feature hip-hop content from outside of Australia more prominently than ever before, with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Drake and The Weeknd each slated to fare well. But it woule be even better to see everyone’s favourite lean-sipping rapper appear in the Top 100 too. Future has released dozens of bangers in 2015 worthy of unbridled praise, but it’s wholly unlikely. Ah well, maybe next year, it’s not like he’s slowing down or anything.

Habits – “Ether”

Habits describe themselves as purveyors of “Sad Goth Party Jams™”; it’s a fitting epithet. If you’ve ever wondered what melancholy sounds like when you’re dancing to it, Habits is about to show you how. “Ether”, the first track off their forthcoming EP UGLY CRY, will make you want to get down and tear up at the same time.

The Harpoons – “Ready For Your Love”

If you’ve never had the pleasure of hearing Bec Rigby’s voice before, you’re in for a treat. The Harpoons specialise in a modern sounding R’n’B style, taken to new heights with Rigby’s distinct vibrato. “Ready For Your Love” shows off The Harpoons at their best with calypso drums and feel-good vibes.

Nicky Crane – “1/5 Turk”

Best known for his work with Australian post-punk legends Total Control, James Vinciguerra released his debut solo record earlier this year under the moniker Nicky Crane to little commercial acclaim. Recorded live with Total Control bandmate Mickey Young, the self-titled debut is a fierce mix of Suicide-esque dance-punk with bold live experimentation and sampling.

Roland Tings – “Hedonist”

Roland Tings stands more of a chance than most on this list because his debut, self-titled record was featured on Triple J back in Febuary. However, lengthy deep-house introspection doesn’t usually fare well with Triple J voters. It’s a shame, really, because the 8+ minute “Hedonist” deserves credit for being one of Australia’s finest electronic tracks of 2015.

Sex Drive – “Australien”

It’s rather obvious by now that the Triple J Hottest 100 favours Australian content and we think that the spectacularly titled “Australien” by Gold Coast noisemakers Sex Drive deserves Hottest 100 credit. Taken from their 5-track demo EP, the frenzied song opens with a rusty-voice screaming “pick up your swags let’s gooooooooo”, before diving into a cacophony of aggressive drums and guitar, what’s more Australian than that?

Sui Zhen – “Take It All Back”

Sui Zhen has been delighting us with her dreamy and soft melodies for several years now. The lead single “Take It All Back” from her debut Inertia release Secretly Susan, is a gorgeous taste of Zhen’s electronic experimentation, drawing on lounge pop and minimal vocals to produce her signature sound.

Terrible Truths – “See Straight”

Terrible Truths are a trio currently based in Melbourne with a fresh take on lo-fi punk. “See Straight”, taken from their debut self-titled album, demonstrates the band’s talent for unapologetic vocal delivery and catchy guitar riffs. This is punk rock you can dance to.

Wireheads – “Good Grief”

Adelaide six-piece Wireheads share the scuzzy, D.I.Y. sound of fellow Australian legends like Twerps, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, and even Courtney Barnett. However, the addition of strings and the rambling lyrics of front man Dom Trimboli add a unique flavour to their sound, one that should but likely won’t shine through to Triple J’s voters.