Youth music radio station Triple J’s Hottest 100 is one of the institutions of January 26th, the day that for many citizens represents Australia Day, an anniversary celebration of the landing of the First Fleet. For many other Australians that date represents Invasion Day. It’s being reported that Triple J is considering moving the date that the Hottest 100 is held, separating it from Australia Day out of respect for Indigenous Australians.
Pedestrian.tv says that the ABC’s upper management and Triple J have been consulting with Indigenous artists on moving the date of the Hottest 100, which is often called “the world’s largest music democracy” and that attracted over 2 million votes in 2016. We love the Hottest 100 because we’re statistics nerds, but the countdown has much deeper significance to Australians of all races.
Hottest 100 is closely linked to Australia Day in many Australians’ minds, but inevitably gets caught up in the conversation over the day’s dark history for the country’s Indigenous citizens. Maybe moving the date of the Hottest 100 would be a good opportunity for another public holiday, or at least a massive coordinated sickie. [Pedestrian.tv]