Ready to rewind and relive the sonic tapestry of the past year? It's that time again, music lovers! Time to dust off those playlists, reminisce about the tracks that defined your year, and, of course, brace yourself for the annual musical showdown: The Hottest 100 of 2025!
Feeling a bit lost? No worries! Here's everything you need to know to navigate this musical marathon.
Mark your calendars! The Hottest 100 of 2025 will be unveiled on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The countdown kicks off at 12 pm AEDT, which means early starts for some of us – 9 am for those on the west coast. Time to grab your favorite beverage (iced latte, anyone?) and get ready to celebrate with friends!
How to tune in: You've got options galore! The Hottest 100 will be simulcast across all triple j stations, including triple j, Double J, triple j Unearthed, and triple j Hottest. Stream online, tune in via your DAB/digital radio, watch on the telly, or stick to the classic FM radio route.
Voting is now open! Get your opinions heard! Voting opens at 8 am AEDT on Monday, December 8, 2025, and closes at 5 pm AEDT on Thursday, January 15, 2026. Head over to the official Hottest 100 website to get your lists sorted and submitted.
Ready to vote? Once you're logged in (or have created an account), you can explore over 1,000 eligible tracks. Organize them by song or artist, and add your favorites to your shortlist. You have 10 precious votes to allocate. Too many contenders? Time for some tough decisions. Not enough songs to fill all 10 slots? That's perfectly fine; you can submit anything between one and 10 tracks.
The day after: What's on the cards for the day after the main event? Double J is taking us back in time with the Hottest 100 of 2005. Kick back, relax, and relive the tunes of two decades ago.
But here's where it gets controversial... What about the tracks that almost made it? The Hottest 200 of 2025 will be celebrated for almost a whole week! From Tuesday, January 27, to Friday, January 30, you can catch the tracks that nearly made the cut, with a daily countdown of 20 tracks at 8 am and 4 pm. Then, on Saturday, January 31, the full Hottest 200 list will be played throughout the day.
The Hottest Ticket is back! Want to get into every triple j-supported gig and festival in 2026? After you vote, enter the Hottest Ticket competition and tell us about the best gig you saw in 2025 in 25 words or less.
Song eligibility: Any song released between December 1, 2024, and November 30, 2025, is eligible.
Merch alert! This year's artwork, created by the amazing Conor Dewhurst, will be featured on t-shirts. Head to the merch store to order yours.
Who is the charity partner this year? triple j has once again partnered with We Are Mobilise, known for tackling homelessness. Last year, over $400k was raised for the charity.
Key Dates at a Glance:
- Voting opens: Monday, December 8, 2025, 8 am AEDT
- Voting closes: Thursday, January 15, 2026, 5 pm AEDT
- Hottest 100 of 2025: Saturday, January 24, 2026, 12 pm AEDT
- Hottest 100 of 2005 on Double J: Sunday, January 25, 2026
- Hottest 200 of 2025: Tuesday, January 27 - Friday, January 30
- Hottest 200 of 2025 in full: Saturday, January 31, 10 am local time
And this is the part most people miss...
What do you think? Which songs are you hoping will make the cut? Are there any surprising omissions you're anticipating? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Let's get the conversation started!
