Look, Triple J’s older cousin, who absolutely slips them beer at family BBQs, Double J know that the 1998 Hottest 100 is one of the most beloved and most divisive countdowns in the music democracy’s 25-year history. It’s no secret that even 20 years later, people are still pissed that The Offspring‘s ‘Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)‘ took out the top spot.
[jwplayer vWVjZGsz]
So in an effort to end all arguments about who should have picked up the gong on that fateful day in January 1999, Double J has opened up the voting once again for the first-ever re-vote – because hindsight is 20/20, babey. You can trot over and put in your two cents about what song really should have been crowned the best song of 1998 by picking your favourite from the list of 100 tracks in the countdown.
I know, I know, it’s weird to think back to 1998 – a year when I was undoubtedly obsessed with the Spice Girls and Aqua – so if you need some help remembering what some of the tracks in the Hottest 100 that year sounded like, here’s a quick audio-visual refresher.
Coming in at number 2 was Ben Lee with ‘Cigarettes Will Kill You‘, an absolute classic that I accidentally just voted for in the official re-polling so uh Ben Lee, you’re welcome.
That piano riff though, there’s nothing like it.
What about Jebediah‘s ‘Harpoon‘, the feels-inducing breakup track that effectively changed the way that Aussies thought about the pronunciation of the word, ‘harpoon’?
Like a harpewwn, like a harpewwwwn in my heaaaaart.
Who could bloody forget two of the tracks from Regurgitator that has pretty much stood the test of time? Yep, I’m talking about ‘! (The Song Formerly Known As)‘.
And the iconic ‘Polyester Girl‘, which I distinctly remember seeing one Saturday morning on Rage and thinking “what the hell is this, I love it.”
Ah, look at that fantastic, quintessential late-90s animation. There’s truly nothing like it.
Speaking of that slightly-unhinged, 3D animation that everyone was fuckin’ OBSESSED with alongside being terrified of the Y2K Bug, you could also throw a vote to Happyland‘s ‘Hello‘, which came in at #71 originally.
Or maybe Happyland’s (arguably much better) ‘Don’t You Know Who I Am?‘ which clocked in at #28 and definitely shoulda been higher. Yep, I’m being THAT GUY right now.
https://youtu.be/-gZAlUZ6yps
Or you could sling your vote to The Mighty Mighty Bosstones‘ ‘The Impression That I Get‘, which for some godforsaken reason came in at #38, which is a fucken travesty in this, the year of the ska-revival.
What about Green Day‘s ‘Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)‘ (which was #84 because 1998 Aussies highschoolers weren’t forced to learn it in music class yet), or Massive Attack‘s ‘Teardrop‘ (#23) OR They Might Be Giants‘ arguably the biggest earworm of the decade, ‘Doctor Worm‘ (#13)?
It’s time to right the wrongs of the past (or just vote for ‘Pretty Fly‘ again) so head on over to the Double J website to re-cast your vote, now you’ve had time to think about it. Zan Rowe will be announcing the unofficial re-voted winner on Wednesdy February 6, by playing the top ten tracks of 20 years ago once again for the record books.
