In December of last year, I attended the Portside Festival in Newcastle, which mainly featured local artists. While I thoroughly enjoyed myself, a slight sadness crept in at the thought that this might be one of the last festivals to highlight Australian artists. This seemed almost prophetic, as by January, the 2024 Triple J Hottest 100 had the fewest Australian songs since 1996, with only 17 Australian artists and a total of 29 songs, according to Airing Your Dirty Laundry. Only one Indigenous artist made it to the top 100 (The Kid LAROI).

This was a stark contrast to the previous year, when 52 Australian songs made it into the top 100.

So, where did it all go wrong this year, and what does it say about the future of Australian music? Let’s dive deeper.

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Where the Triple J Hottest 100 went wrong in 2025

The year 2024 was dominated by pop artists like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Gracie Abrams, not to mention our brat queen Charli xcx, resulting in many of us being labeled as Pink Pilates Princesses by Spotify.

However, the surge in international artists has coincided with a significant decline in the growth of local Australian artists. From the mass cancellation of music festivals to the dominance of TikTok-driven monoculture and the decreasing presence of Aussie artists topping the charts, it seems that the once-vibrant Australian music scene is fading away.

The Hottest 100 was once the pinnacle of Australian music celebration; now, is it merely a reflection of our Spotify streaming preferences?

The cancellation of Splendour in the Grass rocked the Aussie music scene. (Credit: Getty)

Triple J has committed to playing at least 40 per cent Australian music. Last year, they surpassed this goal, with more than half of their music (55.2%) coming from Australian artists. Local acts also constituted eight of the top 10 artists played throughout the year.

Top 10 Most Played Artists On Triple J In 2024

1. Lime Cordiale

2. Sycco

3. Royel Otis

4. Hockey Dad

5. The Kid LAROI

6. Teenage Dads

7. Billie Eilish

8. Cosmo’s Midnight

9. Remi Wolf

10. The Buoys

Olive Rush, from the Sydney-based band Egoism, comments that Triple J’s Hottest 100 illustrates the “growing disconnect between the identity of Australian music and Australian youth”.

“I think we’re witnessing a significant diversification in Australian cultural identity initially, which is beneficial in many ways but poses substantial challenges in establishing a unique cultural music industry,” they told PEDESTRIAN.TV.

“Especially when it’s easier than ever to access music from abroad. Many people vote in the Hottest 100 but don’t actively engage with the broader Australian music scene. So naturally, you’ll see a lot of international names in there.”

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Should the Triple J Hottest 100 feature Aussie artists only?

Many online voices suggest that Triple J should restrict the Top 100 to Australian artists only.

However, Rush argues that this move “would completely delegitimize the poll”.

“It’s exciting to see Australian artists alongside major American pop stars. If we remove that aspect, no one would care about it anymore,” they added.

Egoism. (Credit: Instagram)

Monique Pym from Reliqa also defends Triple J, asserting that it has and continues to “reflect the current youth culture”.

“So if today’s 16-24 year olds feel represented in the music aired, that’s fantastic,” she said.

Pym points out that while social media makes music discovery easier, gaining fan loyalty is challenging due to the costs local artists face when touring and connecting with fans directly.  

Reliqa. (Credit: Instagram)

It’s also crucial to consider how many people actually listen to the radio these days.

According to a 2024 survey by the Sydney Morning Herald, only 2.9 per cent of 18-24 year olds in Sydney still tune in to Triple J, with 3.6 per cent in Melbourne and slightly higher percentages in Brisbane (11 per cent), Adelaide (7.8 per cent), and Perth (9.8 per cent).

However, even in the ARIA charts, which are based on streaming, Australian artists are underrepresented.

We need to put First Nations artists at the forefront

In 2024, two out of the top 10 artists played on Triple J were Indigenous: Sycco and The Kid Laroi. On a broader scale, 2024 saw a record-breaking 22 Indigenous artists nominated for the ARIA Awards.

Bindarray, a proud Gumbaynggirr man residing on the stolen land of the Eora Nation and a local musician, told PEDESTRIAN.TV that there has “never been a time when so many Indigenous artists have been acknowledged in the mainstream industry”.

Bindarray (centre). (Credit: Instagram)

“I have encountered a lot of truly exciting music that I don’t think we’ve seen in [mainstream] Australia yet,” he says.

“Everyone has a story to tell and a unique perspective on life, it’s incredibly inspiring.”

As a hip-hop drummer who co-organizes a live hip-hop night in Sydney’s Enmore, he has experienced music from places like Western Sydney, which showcases an “evolution in Australia’s musical culture”.

Bindarray also touched upon the additional hurdles he faces as an Indigenous artist.

“As Indigenous people, we lack the resources most artists have, and we are affected by intergenerational wealth disparity, inherited trauma, and challenges in Western learning,” he said, adding: “It’s not hard to be proactive in taking the time to support Blak music.”

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So, how do we save Australian music?

Pym emphasizes that we must prioritize Australian and New Zealand artists for events like the Hottest 100. 

“A number one spot simply does not benefit a major international artist in the same way it benefits a local one,” she states.

“I’m unsure exactly how this could be accomplished without some form of exclusion, and exclusion is never the right approach, especially because these artists ARE being voted for by the people, they’re not just forcing their way into the countdown without merit. Perhaps just one year of locals-only Hottest 100 nominations would teach us a great deal!”

“A decade ago, you could become a household name from the Hottest 100, but now there’s really no incentive to try,” Bindarray noted.

Numerous Australian artists have risen to fame after winning the Triple J Hottest 100, including The Reuben in 2015, Flume in 2016 and 2022, and Ocean Alley in 2018. Following his win in 2022, Flume acknowledged the unique music influence of Triple J (part of the ABC, the public broadcaster). “It’s truly special because it aids the artists who excel in it internationally as well,” he said.

Flume performing at Coachella 2022. (Image source: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella)

Bindarray concurred with that sentiment, telling PEDESTRIAN.TV: “Opportunities like [the Hottest 100] are most valuable to emerging Australian artists who don’t yet have an overseas platform, especially American artists who are already selling out amphitheatres globally.”

It’s evident that 2024’s winner Chappell Roan — as well as 2023’s winner Doja Cat — likely don’t benefit from the Triple J boost in the same manner.

Whether you believe the international artists made a significant impact, reflected in the charts, or our stations are failing to promote local artists, it’s clear that we need to broaden our listening habits. 

We cannot simply blame Triple J as a scapegoat when the Hottest 100 reveals a hard truth — we claim to support local artists, but are we truly doing so?

While it’s true that industry players need to advocate for more Blak and local artists, we, as consumers, must also use our influence by listening to local artists, following Blak artist playlists, buying merchandise, and attending their live performances!  

Our individual listening habits have the power to effect change.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article inaccurately stated that Triple J played only 26 per cent Australian artists, compared to 48 per cent American artists. This data, sourced from an unaffiliated website, reflects the diversity of artists played, not the proportion of Australian versus international music. PEDESTRIAN.TV apologizes for the error.