‘Give the Hottest 100 to Kyle and Jackie O': Ben Lee's radical plan to save Triple J and Aussie music
First, in 1998, his track Cigarettes Will Kill You came second to The Offspring's Pretty Fly (For A White Guy), while Catch My Disease finished behind Bernard Fanning's Wish You Well in the 2005 poll.
But on the eve of Triple J's voting deadline for the Hottest 100 of Australian songs, with audiences encouraged to vote for their favourite ever homegrown tracks, the musician believes the public broadcaster could be doing more to support local talent.
Posting to Instagram earlier this week, Lee outlined his vision for a new and improved Hottest 100.
'I reckon the Hottest 100 every year should only be eligible to vote for Australian songs,' Lee said. 'There's enough platforms around the world for international music.'
Lee's idea comes after last year's Hottest 100, won by American artist Chappell Roan with Good Luck, Babe. The 2024 poll is the third-lowest-ever showing for local talent, behind the first two in 1993 and 1994 (and equal to 1996).
'It's easy to get complacent and be like, 'Triple J does so much more for Australian music than other commercial stations.' And that's true, but it shouldn't really be judged by the same standards as a commercial enterprise,' Lee said. 'It's like going, 'Medicare does so much for Australian healthcare.' Well, yeah, that's the point.'
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