Who's Going To Win The Triple J Hottest 100 2019?

Update: The Hottest 200 countdown for 2019 has begun (live updates)

Update: Hottest 100 of 2019 has begun – Live updates are here

Voting for the Triple J 2019 Hottest 100 has officially opened, and this year is shaping up to be one of the most impressive countdowns of recent memory. It’s been a year that’s seen major comebacks from Tool and Vampire Weekend. We’ve seen stunning homegrown debuts from Thelma Plum and Stella Donnelly. The charts were dominated by a gay black artist who fused country and hip-hop in a way we’ve never seen, a strange and endearing teenage girl who had us hanging on her every word and a sexy and fierce powerhouse who reminded us how to love ourselves with songs over two years old. And, of course, we saw a song uploaded to triple j Unearthed by a Byron Bay busker that rose to utter world domination.

We’re spoiled for choice in 2019 with songs to vote for, which means narrowing down your shortlist is going to be almost impossible. But there are still a few standout songs that we think could top the Hottest 100 for this year, so here’s your rundown of tracks you can expect to hear towards the end of Saturday, 25^th January.

Dance Monkey – Tones And I

Australian artist? Check. Originally uploaded to Unearthed? Check. Admittedly polarising? Check. Going on to become one of the biggest songs of the year around the world? Check check check.

If there’s a checklist to creating a Hottest 100 topper, Toni Watson aka Tones And I has completed it easily. In fact, this song has drawn out so far in front of the rest of the pack that it’s less about if she’s going to win and more about who she’s going to beat when she does. The song has been inescapable and divisive, and the artist behind it has been vocal about the bullying she’s received since it dropped. But Tones still has, and will always have the last laugh. The success of ‘Dancy Monkey’ is unprecedented and it’s very likely we’ll see Tones And I be the first solo woman to ever top the Hottest 100.

bad guy – Billie Eilish

This could be the first year the Hottest 100 is won by a solo woman, and if it’s not Tones And I, it’ll likely be 17-year-old Billie Eilish. Her momentum has been building for a while now – and she’s had four songs make the Hottest 100 in previous years – but none of them enjoyed the widespread success that ‘bad guy’ did. Taken from her debut album when we all fall asleep, where do we go? – which triple j listeners decided was their favourite album of the year – bad guy’ is a dark, twisted pop song that still bangs as hard as any Hottest 100 winner should.

While she hasn’t toured since April – her first shows after the album release – she’s managed to keep up the hype long enough to still be in the forefront of everyone’s minds as we approach the end of the year. Nominated for seven GRAMMYs and having the best selling album of the year is only going to work in her favour.

Piece Of Your Heart (feat. Goodboys) – Meduza

If history has taught us anything, it’s that you can never underestimate the impact a viral dance hit can make on the countdown. And that’s when we welcome Meduza and Goodboys’ ‘Piece Of Your Heart’.

‘Piece Of Your Heart’ is the debut single from Italian production duo ‘Meduza’ and it completely tore up airwaves all across the world. Peaking in the top 10 of the ARIA Charts, and going 4x Platinum too, this song is a certified hit. On top of that, they’ll be playing FOMO festival around the country just before voting closes on Monday, 20^th January, which means you shouldn’t be surprised if you hear that infamous “daaa-da-da-da” up the top end of the countdown.

Bulls On Parade (LAV) – Denzel Curry

Look, we’re not saying that Denzel Curry’s ‘Like A Version’ performance of ‘Bulls On Parade’ led to the Rage Against The Machine reunion, but there’s also no evidence to say that it didn’t.

At the beginning of this year, Denzel Curry – who was in the country for Laneway – took to triple j’s ‘Like A Version’ studios to cover the iconic song and it basically broke the internet. People across the globe couldn’t stop talking about it because it was just so damn good. While there’s still a good chance his original track ‘Ricky’ will chart somewhere on the countdown, we’re vying to say that this LAV might end up being the highest-charting LAV ever.

Better In Blak – Thelma Plum

This year has seen Thelma Plum and her debut album, Better In Blak, soar to completely new heights – spearheaded by that gorgeous and powerful title track. Universally acclaimed, Plum has been up for pretty much every major Australian music award you can think of – just getting pipped at the post for Album Of The Year at both the ARIAs and the J Awards.

But, the Hottest 100 is fan-voted, and those fans also voted Better In Blak as their 3^rd favourite album of 2019 behind G Flip and Billie Eilish, which means next year’s countdown will likely see Thelma get her first top 10 – which, let’s be honest, she deserves.