Two point one million votes were cast in this year’s triple j Hottest 100, and when the count reached the top on 24 January, Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” was sitting at No 1.
Nobody was surprised. The British singer’s breezy neo-soul hit had already spent 10 consecutive weeks atop the Aria singles chart and was the widely tipped favourite. Keli Holiday’s TikTok-fuelled “Dancing2” took second place. Tame Impala’s “Dracula” was No 3, Playlunch’s “bogan funk” anthem “Keith” No 4, and Raye’s “Where Is My Husband!” No 5.
Dean is the third solo female artist in a row to win, after Chappell Roan in 2024 and Doja Cat in 2023. She also finished level with Fremantle band Spacey Jane on five entries each, the most in the countdown. Four of Dean’s were solo songs, plus a guest spot on a Sam Fender track.
Local acts came back
The bigger story was the home team. The 2024 countdown had only 29 Australian songs, the lowest since 1996. This year’s count passed that figure around the halfway mark and finished with 53 songs by Australian main acts. Ocean Alley, Tame Impala, Ninajirachi and Royel Otis had four songs apiece.
Triple J said in December that 55% of the music it played in 2025 was Australian, well above its 40% quota. Voters also got something new: a search option for Australian artists only on the voting page.
Guitar bands did well, and so did electronic acts, from Fred Again… and Kettama to Fisher and Dom Dolla. Heavy music barely showed up. Sleep Token scraped in at No 95 with “Caramel”.
On air
The broadcast had its moments. Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker reported in from a barbecue in a Ninajirachi T-shirt, then joined Spacey Jane’s Zoom call after the band landed at No 6 with “Whateverrrr”. Lily Allen phoned from a holiday in Mexico; “Pussy Palace” came in at No 38 and “West End Girl” at No 88. Hilltop Hoods took back the record for most songs in the Hottest 100 from Billie Eilish.
The Hottest 200 followed from 27 to 31 January. Triple J raised more than $500,000 for We Are Mobilise, a charity that supports Australians experiencing homelessness.
Dean’s arena headline tour is set for October. Those shows sold out well before the countdown began.
Sources
- Olivia Dean’s Man I Need wins Triple J’s Hottest 100
- Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2025 – Wikipedia
- Hottest 100 of 2025 – triple j
