Hottest 100 of the decade! – The 2010s

15 Mar Hottest 100 of the decade! – The 2010s

It was nice to listen to (most of) the Hottest 100 of the decade yesterday. I am listening back to the top 25 now.

Biggest emotional memories of the 2010s

It is fun to hear how songs in the countdown remind people of big moments in their lives. I heard some of the songs of the top 100 when sitting in a cafe on the bird coast, so some of the songs remind me of that place. The overall emotional memory that I get from the countdown is remembering the pain or hype of my faux relationship, that finally ended in 2018. But often the songs speak for themselves. It is interesting to reflect back.

Better with age perhaps

It is interesting that most of the songs in the countdown are from the first half of the decade – as though the songs became stronger and more endearing with time. I was shocked, for example, that not a single song of Khalid got into the countdown. And Billie Eilish only made it in at #71.

It is also curious to me that there were a few songs that I have actually never heard before! It seems that I was not as aware of what was happening on Triple J earlier in the decade, as I remember when Riptide by Vance Joy came in at #1 in 2013, and I had never heard that song before. But my musical literacy has improved since then, so it will be interesting what happens in the 20s.

Soundtrack out of misery

Only one of my votes got into the top 10 and that was Magnolia by Gang of Youths at #6. Listening to it now, I remember clearly how it was the soundtrack for me to find a better life. Back in 2016, I remember the day I first heard this song, on the way to the supermarket. It is a very pedestrian memory, but it fired me up and gave me just a little more strength to say goodbye. I had the song in my head the morning I woke up to take my month-long adventure in the city, and for me too, it was the soundtrack out of misery and through the process of reinventing my life. I became so much more happy, clear, balanced, and connected in life.

I didn’t find RUFUS DU SOL until 2019, so I am delighted to hear a song of their previous album at #5. They are a brilliant band with maybe the best name I have ever heard. Sol!!

Curious omissions

I thought the countdown was most interesting in the songs that were omitted. In the beginning, I felt sure that Hot Chip – One Life Stand would make it in, but when I listened to that song again, it didn’t sing to me as it did back in the 2010s. It IS great though!

Looking collectively at the range of songs across the top 100, it seems to me that Australia (or at least the Triple J audience), has pretty good taste in music. And 49 of the top 100 songs were Australian – so that is exciting.

And I HAVE heard the #1 song before. I liked it too. It never stood out to me really, but it is a nice song. Good going Australia 🙂

The Hottest 100 of the decade. Too much fun!

Image credit: @angelahaggas