Triple J Hottest 100: Flume tops Australia’s biggest music poll with Say Nothing

Flume has taken the top spot in Triple J’s Hottest 100 – Australia’s largest music poll – with his track Say Nothing, a collaboration with the Sydney artist Maya Cumming.

The Sydney-bred music producer, aka Harley Streten, previously topped the countdown in 2016 with his hit Never Be Like You. In 2020, he got to No 3 with Toro y Moi collaboration The Difference, and No 2 with Rushing Back in 2019. Say Nothing was one of three tracks from Streten to feature in the countdown, which was broadcast on Triple J on Saturday.

Flume edged out hotly tipped London act Eliza Rose to hit No 1. Rose instead came in at No 2 with her track B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All), a surprise hit she released independently before it gained traction in DJ sets and went viral on TikTok, eventually topping the charts in the UK and hitting No 4 on the Australian Aria charts. Rose, a longtime DJ who only began putting out music of her own in 2022, eventually signed the breakthrough hit to a major label deal.

Fremantle indie rock foursome Spacey Jane came in No 3, No 5 and No 6 with tracks from their album Here Comes Everybody, while the American singer-songwriter Steve Lacy landed at No 4 with Bad Habit.

The victory of Flume’s sombre electronic track makes a stark change from last year’s poll, which was controversially topped by Australian children’s performers the Wiggles with their whimsical cover of Tame Impala’s track Elephant – infused with the chorus from their classic kids’ song Fruit Salad.

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Locals Ball Park Music hit No 8 with Stars in My Eyes and Triple J favourites Gang of Youths placed at No 9 with In the Wake of Your Leave, a sombre rock song about the passing of frontman David Le’aupepe’s father. Other big winners in this year’s poll include Fred Again, the British record producer who placed four tracks in the countdown.

All up, 57 songs in this year’s countdown came from Australian artists. Sydney rock band Lime Cordiale had four songs in this year’s poll and Ocean Alley had three, while Thelma Plum and Genesis Owusu both appeared twice. Legacy hip-hop act Hilltop Hoods placed two songs in this year’s countdown, bringing the total number of tracks they’ve had in the Hottest 100 across their career to 23 – a new record for any act, local or not.

The Hottest 100 wasn’t the only countdown under way today. On Twitter, the account @OzKitsch provided comic relief with its Coldest 100, which looked back on curious Australian music moments. This year’s list included the likes of the former prime minister Scott Morrison singing April Sun in Cuba on 60 Minutes, but was topped by Her Excellency Linda Hurley, wife of the governor general David Hurley, singing a tune about the importance of protecting Australia’s environment and wildlife from weeds.

In news that reflects a shift in the way music is consumed, top tracks from this year’s Hottest 100 will not be released on a physical compilation. Triple J confirmed in March after last year’s countdown that the long-running CD release – which has been issued every year since 1994 – is no more.

On Friday, Triple J aired the Hottest 200, revealing the songs that placed from 200-101 in this year’s poll, with the British rapper Dave placing at No 101 with his single Starlight.