Australian radio station Triple J’s Hottest 100 is constantly touted as the “world’s biggest music democracy“—last year’s poll pulled in around 1.5 million votes―and with the countdown arriving annually on January 26, Australia Day, it has become the soundtrack of parties around the country and everywhere else that Aussies reside.
The Hottest 100 list is such a big deal down under that it shouldn’t be a surprise that the station is launching the 2015 version with a bang, wrangling 40 artists to join forces to create a theme song for the event.
Lorde’s there, still probably a bit touchy after losing out last year to Vance Joy. Also joining in are Skrillex, Ben Folds, Steve Aoki, Diplo, alt-J, and a shameless Rick Astley.
The group includes several Aussie acts that American music fans might not be familiar with, including Australian treasure Paul Kelly, who adds respectability to proceedings that are dominated by young tyros like San Cisco. Then there are 90s-revivalists Violent Soho and The Preatures, and Australian hip-hop artists Illy and the Hilltop Hoods. Even Gotye gets a chance to show that he has a sense of humor.
It’s Australia, so of course you can bet on the result. Electronic acts Chet Faker and Peking Duk currently look like the frontrunners, but who knows—if Astley decides to unleash whatever he’s been working on for the past 27 years, we may just have our winner.
Screengrab via Triple J/YouTube
