Words by Amar Gera / Angus and Julia Stone image via juiceonline.com / Flume image via flumemusic.bandcamp.com / Billie Eilish image via vox.com / Kendrick image via wired.com //

What a list…

It’s not an overstatement to say that Triple J’s Hottest 100 is a staple in Aussie music, helping music lovers chuck in their two cents on who they think releases the best songs every year. It’s also been huge for artists as well, with the Hottest 100 being something of a launchpad for local acts, and a revered accolade for those who come from international waters.

It’s a day that all of us look forward to every year, being the perfect opportunity to get together with your mates and get a bit loose whilst counting down your favourite tracks.

Now, take all of the above, and multiply it by ten. Yep, that’s right. Ten years of quality tracks and countless hours of bevs and snags. Sounds beautiful right? And music lovers are gonna get to relive it all this Saturday when Triple J counts down the 100 most loved tracks of the decade. With all this in mind, we thought we’d take a look back through every hottest 100 winner of the past ten years for some quality nostalgia. Check it below.

2010. Angus and Julia Stone – ‘Big Jet Plane’

Jesus, it’s been ten years since Angus and Julia released ‘Big Jet Plane’. Anyone else feel old yet? But seriously, what a tune, the pair defs brought the feels with the silky vocals and heart wrenching lyrics. Not to mention some beautiful orchestral strings that defs make it hard not to shed a tear or two. Beautifully crafted and executed, the tune is an absolute gem, and it’s easy to see why Angus and Julia have achieved such crazy success in the years since.

2011. Gotye featuring Kimbra – ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’

Well this is a throwback, Gotye’s and Kimbra’s ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ is perhaps the very definition of hauntingly beautiful, with the pair using their unique voices to communicate the pain of drifting apart from someone you were once close to. Not surprisingly, the tune racked up two Grammys for ‘Best Pop Dup/ Group Performance’ and ‘Record of the Year’ along with Arias, and, you guessed it, number one in the Hottest 100. A song that has inspired countless memes and group sing alongs, it was an absolute smash. Fingers crossed we hear more from Gotye soon.

2012. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz – ‘Thrift Shop’

A Hip Hop smash that definitely made waves, ‘Thrift Shop’ was almost impossible to escape way back in 2012-2013. It’s safe to say that together with hits like ‘Can’t Hold Us’ and ‘Same Love’, ‘Thrift Shop’ help propel Macklemore to superstardom, winning him the Grammy for ‘Best Rap Song’ and helping him win ‘Best Rap Album’ for The Heist. 

2013. Vance Joy – ‘Riptide’

The literal definition of a crowd singalong, Melbourne singer/ songwriter extraordinaire’s ‘Riptide’ was a blazing rocket to success, putting the then 26 year old on the map locally and internationally. Garnering a piano cover from Taylor Swift herself, the track definitely resonated with people all across the world. With Vance’s beautiful lyrics, breezy ukulele playing and those gorgeous vocals, the track is timeless to say the least, and still prompts wholesome af crowd singalongs whenever it’s played.

2014. Chet Faker – ‘Talk Is Cheap’

Okay, this is a personal favourite, Melbourne maestro Nick Murphy, formerly known as Chet Faker (Do we say Chet or Nick someone help) absolutely lit up the scene with ‘Talk Is Cheap’ in 2014, the track reverberating through the ebbs of modern day pop and alternative music alike. Singing about the big talk people make but how they never deliver, the music genius truly came through with something special, with his intricate production and nuanced vocals becoming loved all across the globe.

2015. The Rubens – ‘Hoops’

A true dark horse in every sense of the word, ‘Hoops’ is a real crowd pleaser, with the Menangle rock outfit coming in hard and fast with gritty vocals and a lush instrumental boasting tasty guitar licks, a steady beat and some moody piano chords that are just perfect for whatever mood you’re in. An absolute classic, it’s no wonder the Rubens have been so successful since. At the end of the day, all you need is good songwriting, good production chops and a whole lot of heart. The Rubens defs embody this and then some, coming through with quality releases time and time again.

2016. Flume featuring Kai – ‘Never Be Like You’

An absolute killer of a track, Northern Beaches hero Flume certainly deserved number one and then some in 2016, with Kai’s soulful vocals and the transcendental production leading to one of the most greatest EDM tracks to ever come out of the country. I mean there’s just no way it wasn’t gonna win, as aside from being an absolute banger that goes off live, it works beautifully as a love ballad. A true tear jerker, we’re willing to put good money on this tune making the top 20 this Saturday.

2017. Kendrick Lamar – ‘Humble’

Sit down, and listen to ‘Humble’. For real, the track was a crossover mega hit, with Compton OG K-Dot. tearing up the Hip Hop and Pop worlds with the intense comeback record. An intimidating message to the other rappers in the scene, the young OG gave us another ‘Control’ moment as he reaffirmed his place as one of Hip Hop’s GOATS with the hard hitting bars and metallic chords.

2018. Ocean Alley – ‘Confidence’

It really is all about confidence, baby. Legit, the boys from the beaches cruised to the top spot with that typical Ocean Alley breeziness, opening as well as ending the countdown. It’s simple, look cool as hell, write quality jams and deliver kick ass live performances, time and time again. It’s safe to say that Ocean Alley followed that very formula, in fact perfected it. And what a song to win with, ‘Confidence’ is an absolute tune, boasting funky bass lines, gritty guitar parts and soaring vocals that never fail to electrify a crowd. As you can see we’re real fans of the boys in the LWA offices, and are really hoping to hear that beauty of a track come on on Saturday.

2019. Billie Eilish – ‘Bad Guy’

The first ever solo female act to take out the top spot, the 18 year old California superstar absolutely blazed past local and international acts for number one. ‘Bad Guy’ was easily one of the hottest songs of the summer, captivating music lovers all across the world with FINNEAS’ gorgeously textured production and Billie’s velvet tinged vocals. The tune is a pop smash in every sense of the word, and we completely get why it won the countdown. Also, shout out to Billie for getting five tracks in the countdown, absolutely unreal!

Wow, just going through that list is like a million little shots of nostalgia. What a decade! It’s clear music was absolutely popping in the 2010’s, producing countless classics that are sure to stand the test of time. We might be too close to it, but we bet that two or three decades from now we’re gonna be looking back at the 2010’s as one of the most dynamic and progressive decades for music, here’s hoping that the next ten years are just as impactful.