Hottest 100 of All Time: Doing The Sums

The Bawley Doing the Sums quiz is back and, as promised, it has a Hottest 100 of All Time twist. Are you old school or nu rave, are your tastes mainstream or do you tend towards the obscure?

Here’s how to find out:

Stage 1: Calculate your Average Hottest 100 of All Time position:

1. Write out a list of the songs you voted for in the Triple j Hottest 100 of All Time.
2. Write down the position each of your songs came in the Triple j Hottest 100 of All Time.
3. If a song did not make the list, put down 101.
4. Add up the scores, and divide by the number of songs you voted for.

Stage 2: Calculate your Average Year Of Release :

1. Write down the songs you voted for in the Triple j Hottest 100 of All Time
2. Write down the year of release of each of your songs (tip: use Wikipedia)
3. Add up the years, and divide by the number of songs you voted for.

Combine the two parts and you have your Bawley Hottest 100 of All Time Classification. Here is how to interpret your scores :

Average Hottest 100 of All Time position:

1-21: You want to live like Common People, you vote like common people do...
22-45: You are the reincarnation of Ian Curtis, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, and Jeff Buckley....
46-62: You rarely buy an album that hasn’t gone platinum...
63-80: You appreciate the legends but have a few oddities in your CD collection...
81-92: You have the super request number on speed dial but only ever get hold music...
93-100: You take pride in liking the obscure, maybe a little too much pride...
101: You are living on a different planet....

Average Year of Release:

before 1950: ...and you enjoy the finer things in life such as Mozart, Wagner, and Holst.
1950s: ...and you long for the days when R&B was played on the guitar and Doo Wop was more than a ringtone.
1960s: ....and you probably ate the brown acid at Woodstock causing you to forget that most Hippy music is shit.
1970s: ....and you fondly remember when protest songs were about Vietnam and feminism rather than Iraq and bushism.
1980s: ....and you see yourself as either a post punk minimalist, or a spandex and sequins covered glam rocker.
1990s: ....and you look good in your grunge styled ripped denim/flannel shirt combo but lose some style points for the floppy britpop hair.
2000s: ....and you have room for over 20,000 songs on your ipod but still can’t find space for anything that is not..., what is it this week? emo, garage rock revival, post-punk revival, dance-punk, nu rave, indie physicadelica, The Datsuns, Klaxons, MGMT, Passion Pit, The Temper Trap
2009: ...and you might have accidently submitted a copy of this week’s NME instead of your Hottest 100 votes.

Stage 3: The Result

1. Combine the two sentences from above and
2. Post your Bawley Hottest 100 of All Time Classification in the comments section below.

Here is an example:

The Cure – A Forest (1980) - 101
Joy Division - Dead Souls (1981) - 101
LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends (2007) - 101
Nine Inch Nails - The Hand That Feeds (2005) - 101
TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me (2006) - 99
New Order - Blue Monday (1983) - 32
OutKast - Hey Ya! (2003) – 101
Radiohead - Everything In Its Right Place (2000) - 101
Hot Chip - Over And Over (2006) – 101
The Cure – In Between Days (1985) - 101

My Average Hottest 100 of All Time Position Score: 93.9
My Average Year Of Release Score: 1996

I am the kind of person who takes pride in liking the obscure, maybe a little too much pride... and I look good in my grunge styled ripped denim/flannel shirt combo but lose some style points for combining it with floppy britpop hair.

And some scores from some Triple j type people:

Richard Kingsmill

Top Ten: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100_alltime/toptens/richard_kingsmill.htm

Average Hottest 100 of All Time Position Score: 86.6
Average Year of Release Score: 1992

Richard you..have the super request number on speed dial but only ever get hold music...and you look good in your grunge styled ripped denim/flannel shirt combo but lose some style points for the floppy britpop hair.

Bob Evans

Top Ten: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100_alltime/toptens/bob_evans.htm

Average Hottest 100 of All Time Position Score: 82
Average Year of Release: 1984

Bob you...have the super request number on speed dial but only ever get hold music......and you see yourself as either a post punk minimalist, or a spandex and sequins covered glam rocker.

Wil Anderson

Top Ten: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100_alltime/toptens/wil_anderson.htm

Average Hottest 100 of All Time Position Score: 63.3
Average Year of Release: 1992

Wil you...appreciate the legends but have a few oddities in your CD collection...and you look good in your grunge styled ripped denim/flannel shirt combo but lose some style points for the floppy britpop hair.

Rosie Beaten

Top Ten: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100_alltime/toptens/rosie_beaton.htm

Average Hottest 100 of All Time Position Score: 86.1
Average Year of Release: 2001

Rosie you...have the super request number on speed dial but only ever get hold music....and you have room for over 20,000 songs on your ipod but still can’t find space for anything that is not..., what is it this week? emo, garage rock revival, post-punk revival, dance-punk, nu rave, indie physicadelica, The Datsuns, Klaxons, The Presets, MGMT, Passion Pit, The Temper Trap

What is your Bawley Hottest 100 of All Time Classification? tell us below.

Hottest 100 of All Time: The Results are In

We have spent the whole of the last week looking at the Triple j Hottest 100 of All Time.

• We have shared how we voted
• We asked where are the ladies?
• And made nationality and age of death based predictions on what will be number one

The results are in and all this is irrelevant, here is the full list:

100. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (2004)
99. TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me (2006)
98. Led Zeppelin - Kashmir (1975)
97. Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning (1987)
96. Daft Punk - One More Time (2000)
95. Stevie Wonder - Superstition (1972)
94. Modest Mouse - Float On (2004)
93. Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy (1991)
92. Bon Iver - Skinny Love (2008)
91. AC/DC - Back in Black (1980)
90. Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire (2008)
89. Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade (1996)
88. The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter (1969)
87. Coldplay - Yellow (2000)
86. The Beatles - Come Together (1969)
85. The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You (2000)
84. Bob Marley & The Wailers - "No Woman, No Cry " (1974)
83. Placebo - Every You Every Me (1999)
82. System of a Down - Chop Suey! (2001)
81. Pulp - Common People (1995)
80. The Rolling Stones - "Paint It, Black " (1966)
79. David Bowie - Life on Mars? (1971)
78. The Smashing Pumpkins - Today (1993)
77. Gotye - Hearts a Mess (2006)
76. The Stone Roses - Fools Gold (1989)
75. Green Day - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) (1997)
74. Nirvana - Lithium (1991)
73. The Clash - London Calling (1979)
72. The Shins - New Slang (2001)
71. The Smiths - How Soon Is Now? (1984)
70. The Prodigy - Breathe (1996)
69. Jeff Buckley - Grace (1994)
68. Blink 182 - Dammit_(Growing_Up) (1987)
67. Ben Folds Five - Brick (1997)
66. Elton John - Tiny Dancer (1971)
65. Underworld - Born Slippy (1995)
64. Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun (1982)
63. AC/DC - Thunderstruck (1990)
62. Nine Inch Nails - Closer (1994)
61. Blur - Song 2 (1997)
60. Johnny Cash - Hurt (2003)
59. Augie March - One Crowded Hour (2006)
58. Daft Punk - Around the World (1997)
57. Tool - Forty-Six & 2 (1997)
56. Jeff Buckley - "Lover, You Should've Come Over " (1994)
55. Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone (1965)
54. The Cure - Close to Me (1985)
53. Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb (1979)
52. You Am I - Berlin Chair (1994)
51. The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet with Butterfly Wings (1995)
50. Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over (1986)
49. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child o' Mine (1988)
48. Beastie Boys - Sabotage (1994)
47. The John Butler Trio - Betterman (2001)
46. Faith No More - Epic (1990)
45. Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows (2002)
44. The Beatles - Hey Jude (1968)
43. The Beach Boys - God Only Knows (1966)
42. Bloc Party - Banquet (2005)
41. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (1983)
40. Nirvana - Come as You Are (1991)
39. Pearl Jam - Better Man (1994)
38. The Killers - Mr. Brightside (2004)
37. Tool - Stinkfist (1996)
36. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Into My Arms (1997)
35. The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979 (1996)
34. The Living End - Prisoner of Society (1997)
33. Silverchair - Tomorrow (1994)
32. New Order - Blue Monday (1983)
31. Metallica - Enter Sandman (1991)
30. Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower (1968)
29. Pixies - Where Is My Mind? (1988)
28. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees (1995)
27. Powderfinger - My Happiness (2000)
26. Michael Jackson - Thriller (1984)
25. Pearl Jam - Alive (1991)
24. The Beatles - A Day in the Life (1967)
23. Hunters & Collectors - Throw Your Arms Around Me (1985)
22. Massive Attack - Teardrop (1998)
21. Powderfinger - These Days (2000)
20. The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (2003)
19. Metallica - One (1988)
18. Muse - Knights of Cydonia (2006)
17. Hilltop Hoods - The Nosebleed Section (2004)
16. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (1975)
15. Culture Club - Karma Chameleon (1997)
14. The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony (1997)
13. Radiohead - Creep (1992)
12. Oasis - Wonderwall (1995)
11. John Lennon - Imagine (1971)
10. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (1971)
9. Foo Fighters - Everlong (1997)
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge (1991)
7. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye (1994)
6. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (1975)
5. Radiohead - Paranoid Android (1997)
4. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (1980)
3. Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah (1994)
2. Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name (1992)
1. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991)

Hottest 100 of All Time: How I Voted

So far we have examined, analysed and criticised how everyone else is voting in Triple j’s Hottest 100 of All Time.

Now for a look at how the Bawley crew voted?

The approach I took when choosing my ten hottest songs of all time was reckless with speed taking priority over comprehensiveness. I am pretty sure that if I voted again today I would pick a different set of songs. Regardless here are my votes (in no particular order)


The Cure – A Forest (1980)

Seventeen Seconds is my favourite album by The Cure and I could have just as easily selected Play for Today in my hottest ten tracks. But I choose A Forest for the way it draws you in, into the trees.

Joy Division - Dead Souls (1981)

I first heard Dead Souls as a cover performed by Nine Inch Nails on The Crow soundtrack. Already a Joy Division fan I chased up the original (it’s on the Still and Substance compilation) and just loved the haunting guitar and broken vocals.

The Nine Inch Nails version of the track remains a highlight of their live performances but it is the Joy Division original that I really love.

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends (2007)

All My Friends is typical LCD Soundsystem: starting out slow, loose, and clumsy, then tightening up for the mid-section before blowing your tits off at the songs climax. What is not typical about All My Friends is the seriousness of the lyrics; James Murphy sings about getting old, making big decisions, moving away and never forgetting the value of your friends.

Not sure if I wouldn't love it regardless, but for me this song came out at exactly the right moment, cementing its place in my favourite tracks of all time.

OutKast - Hey Ya! (2003)

This is the most fun I have ever had.

Radiohead - Everything In Its Right Place (2000)

It was Kid A and Everything In Its Right Place specifically that showed bands how to use the internet as a promo tool, introduced the free track/video download, and paved the way towards the choose your own price download only album.

Nine Inch Nails - The Hand That Feeds (2005)

Urgent and angry lyrics, a stomping drumbeat, crunching guitars, screaming synthesisers and a dancefloor ready beats this track is Nine Inch Nails at there loud best.

TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me (2006)

Swirling feedback, pulsing drums, howling guitars: music to lose your shit to. Wolf Like Me blew my mind live and the recorded version does the same every time I hear it.

New Order - Blue Monday (1983)

d-d-d-d-d-dddddd-d-d-d-d-d-dddddd-d-d-d-d-d-dddddd

Hearing the drum machine and programmed synths at the start of Blue Monday will always get me on the dance floor (no matter how dodgy a club or bar I am in)

Hot Chip - Over And Over (2006)

When Triple j first started playing Over and Over I found the song repetitive and irritating. Of course the track was added to the stations high rotation playlist and it became almost unbearable; then I finally got it. Now I say "if you are not dancing by the time the kazoo comes in you are not alive"

The Cure – In Between Days (1985)

My original plan in making this list was to choose only one song from each artist. This was not working for me so I decided that maybe I need to pick two songs from The Cure, the idea was that this would make it easier to choose which Cure tracks to put in and which to leave out. It didn’t.

In the end I went with In Between Days: it is perhaps the perfect pop song.

Hottest 100 of All Time: Graphtastic Analysis

Bawley continues to keep careful watch over the Triple j Hottest 100 of All Time. Earlier in the week we examined gender imbalance in the Bottom 40 songs; another 40 songs have been announced and we can start to compare the results so far with the 1998 results.

In 1998 51% of all the songs were American, in 2009 there has been 37 American songs played so far, will there be another 14 American songs in the Top Twenty? I doubt it.

The 2009 list is already more diverse than its 1998 predecessor. The 1998 list contained songs from five countries, whereas the 2009 countdown already has songs from seven countries: System of a Down (Armenia), Bob Marley (Jamaica) and Daft Punk (France) are the new comers while it looks like Irish tossers U2 have dismantled their way out of favour.


One thing that hasn’t changed much is the average year of release, both the 1998 and 2009 averages seem to have flattened out around 1990. But which way will the line go come Sunday?

Looking ahead to number one, corpses have a tendency to win these things. Graphing the 1989 and 1998 winners’ age at death shows a distinct upward trend, suggesting that the 2009 winner will be a 30 year old deceased male! Jeff Buckley anyone?

Hottest 100 of All Time: Hey Ladies!

Triple j’s countdown of the Hottest 100 of All Time has begun. Forty songs down and the list is not too bad, well done to everyone who voted.

Modern Bawley favourites such as Daft Punk (96), The Shins (72), TV On The Radio (99), and Nine Inch Nails (62) seem to sit well next to classic acts like The Smiths (71), The Stone Roses (76), Pulp (81), Led Zep (98) and The Beatles (86) – again, well done everyone.

No Women No Cry: but no ladies in the list so far? I know Shara Nelson does the vocals on Massive Attack’s Unfinished Symphony (93), and D’Arcy Wretzky and Zia McCabe play bass on Today (78) and Bohemian Like You (85) respectively, but these contributions are hardly a good representation for 51% of the world’s population. Where are the PJ Harveys, Patti Smiths, Bjorks, Nina Simones or Kylies? History doesn’t bode well - the 1989 poll was a little more balanced, but look at 1998 - a real sausage fest.

The full list so far:

100. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
99. TV On The Radio - Wolf Like Me
98. Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
97. Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning
96. Daft Punk - One More Time
95. Stevie Wonder - Superstition
94. Modest Mouse - Float On
93. Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
92. Bon Iver - Skinny Love
91. AC/DC - Back in Black
90. Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
89. Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade
88. The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
87. Coldplay - Yellow
86. The Beatles - Come Together
85. The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
84. Bob Marley & The Wailers - No Woman, No Cry
83. Placebo - Every You Every Me
82. System of a Down - Chop Suey!
81. Pulp - Common People
80. The Rolling Stones - Paint It, Black
79. David Bowie - Life On Mars?
78. The Smashing Pumpkins - Today
77. Gotye - Hearts a Mess
76. The Stone Roses - Fools Gold
75. Green Day - Good Riddance
74. Nirvana - Lithium
73. The Clash - London Calling
72. The Shins - New Slang
71. The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?
70. The Prodigy - Breathe
69. Jeff Buckley - Grace
68. Blink-182 - Dammit (Growing Up)
67. Ben Folds Five - Brick
66. Elton John - Tiny Dancer
65. Underworld - Born Slippy
64. Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun
63. AC/DC - Thunderstruck
62. Nine Inch Nails - Closer
61. Blur - Song 2