This year's triple j Hottest 100 voting stats show the breadth of the countdown's reach

The countdown for the 2024 Hottest 100 songs is almost here! In less than a week, we will reveal the public vote, counting down the most popular songs of the year, all decided by you. Now in its 32nd year, this event has become a significant tradition in the Australian music scene, celebrating the most loved songs released in the past 12 months.

Considered the world's biggest music democracy, the list is determined by public vote, truly reflecting the musical preferences and listening habits of over a million Australians each year. While voting is still underway (closing at 5pm AEDT on Monday, January 20th), we wanted to give a quick snapshot of how people are voting across Australia.

Ballina, in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, home to the "Big Prawn" landmark, has more than double the number of votes than Byron Bay, the home of many triple j favourites such as Skegss, Parkway Drive, Parcels, and The Babe Rainbow. Max Quinn, a triple j data analyst and Ballina local, says the station's importance in regional areas is immeasurable, providing him an outlet beyond his imagination. "Growing up on Bundjalung land in Ballina, triple j was my connection to Australian music and made me feel part of a world I knew existed but couldn’t touch," he said.

"Ballina is going to make a splash in the countdown this year! But most importantly, Ballina is absolutely demolishing Byron Bay in votes. Currently, Ballina has more than double the number of votes than Byron Bay," Max Quinn humorously added, "Sorry Byron, you lost." In the tropics, Maroochydore is currently leading Cairns by 17% in votes. Down south in New South Wales, the border towns of Albury and Wodonga are in a tight race, with the Victorian side of the Murray River leading its sister city by a mere four votes.

Things are also heating up on the west coast. Bunbury has three times the number of votes as Busselton, which in turn has twice the number of votes as Broome! Finally, Warrnambool has twice the number of votes as Shepparton. But don’t get too comfortable, as Ballarat is leading you by 3%. "We're seeing people in regional areas really get involved this year, which shows triple j's reach goes beyond the capital cities, and that we're with you wherever you are in Australia and the music we play is having a lasting impact on young people," Max stated.

"triple j has a very special relationship with regional Australia, and (no spoilers!) the impact of regional areas on this year's Hottest 100 will be well and truly reflected in the countdown." The Hottest 100 has also become a global affair, with overseas listeners around the world voting and tuning in, even if it means waking up at 2am in Berlin to listen (which might not be a big deal for some in the clubbing capital).

Ireland and Germany are both showing strong numbers this year, but the US and the UK are leading the way for votes outside of Australia. For those in London, voting started at just 1am. There also appear to be some voters submitting their choices from international waters – we've seen a few people nominating “cruise ship” as their country. Hats off to you, you brave sailors. If you haven't submitted your choices yet, head to the triple j website before 5pm on Monday, January 20th to submit your 10 favorite songs of 2024. The triple j Hottest 100 of 2024 will begin counting down from 12pm AEDT on Saturday, January 25th.