It's that time of year again in Australia, triple j's iconic annual countdown, The Hottest 100 will take place on Saturday 27th of January.
Sadly, for fans of heavier music, recent history has shown us that the popularity of heavy bands is wildly misrepresented in the results of the countdown, with last year's countdown only featuring Bring Me The Horizon (sTrAnGeRs) at #28, Parkway Drive (Glitch) at #86 and The Amity Affliction (Show Me Your God) at #89.
With this in mind, we decided to pregame for the annual triple j BBQ by doing a deep dive into the history of The Hottest 100 to find the 30 heaviest songs to be voted into The Hottest 100.
Note: These aren't in any sort of order, and please remember, heavy is subjective!
The 30 Heaviest Songs To Be Voted Into The Hottest 100
Parkway Drive - Sleepwalker (#97, 2010), Crushed (#48, 2015), Glitch (#86 in 2024)
Squeeking into the countdown for the first time in their history in 2010, Australia's biggest modern metal export, Byron Bay's Parkway Drive did so in crushing style, hitting the triple j audience with this monolithic track off of 2010's Deep Blue. Slipping in between songs by Foals and Jonsi, they stood out, making the first of their three entries in countdown history. that they also managed to get the equally hammering Crushed off of 2015's Ire into the countdown at #48 in 2015 serves as evidence of their much warranted enduring popularity with Aussies. Glitch showed the band's polling power hasn't diminished by coming in at #86 in last year's countdown, one of precious few heavier tracks to score a spot.
Slipknot - Wait and Bleed (#75, 2000), Unsainted (#86, 2019)
Slipknot were the most talked about metal band on the planet when Wait And Bleed gave them the first of two entries in The Hottest 100. As you all know, the hype was justified with the band going on to become arguably the most extreme band to make it into mainstream consciousness in the history of metal. Following up this absolute classic with 2019's Unsainted showcased their generational crossover appeal.
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System Of A Down - Chop Suey (#3, 2001), Toxicity (#18, 2001) B.Y.O.B (#27, 2005),
Everyone's favourite Armenian-American metallers, System Of A Down broke through into triple j listeners' hearts in a big way in 2001, with the inimitable Chop Suey landing at #3. The frenetic metal classic clearly won them a LOT of fans in the triple j listenership because they ended up placing another SIX times, with Innvervision (#87), Aerials (#37) and Toxicity (#18) making the countdown in 2002, Hypnotize (#76), Radio/Video (#57), and B.Y.O.B (#27) making it into the 2005 countdown. Toxicity and B.Y.O.B are the heaviest of that bunch of entries, so fill the second and third slots alongside Chop Suey.
Bring Me The Horizon - Shadow Moses (#92, 2013)
British metalcore giants Bring Me The Horizon are one of the most consistent Hottest 100 performers in metal, with placements in 2013 (Shadow Moses #92, Sleepwalking #86), 2014 (Drown, #68), 2o15 (True Friends #99, Happy Song #86, Throne #45), 2018 (Mantra, #45), 2019 (Ludens #96), 2020 (Obey #71, Parasite Eve #38) and 2022 (Die4u, #43), which is impressive stuff. As far as heaviness goes, you could raffle it off between a few, but we're going with Shadow Moses for this list, every single one of their entries bangs.
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Rammstein - Links 2-3-4
German industrial metal icons Rammstein were all over triple j at the turn of the century, picking up three Hottest 100 entries with one in each of 1999 (Stripped #90), 2001 (Links 2-3-4 #70) and 2004 (Amerika, #46). We can think of many more tracks that should have made the cut but out of these options, Links-2-3-4 is our vote for the heaviest.
Karnivool - Themata
Western Australia's Karnivool exploded onto the Aussie heavy music scene with this absolute monster of a prog/alt-metal anthem in 2005 and triple j listeners were into it. Landing at #97 in the 2005 countdown Themata sounds as impactful and fresh as it did then, today. The band has gone on to place another five times in 2006 (Roquefort ft. The Cat Empire #45) 2007 (The Only Way #63), 2009 (All I Know #63, Set Fire To The Hive #47) ) and 2013 (We Are #100) ), showing the station's love affair with the band might just be everlasting.
Tool - Stinkfist (#2 in 1996)
Alt-metal progressives Tool are titans and the listeners of triple j agree with the band having cracked the countdown on six different occasions. The most memorable and heaviest of those entries is without a doubt Stinkfist which made it to #2 in 1996. The musical maestros preempted that success with Sober coming in at #27 in 1993 and would follow with impressive showings for Forty Six-&-2 (#30, 1997), Parabola (#49, 2001), Schism (#14, 2001), The Pot (#29, 2006) and Vicarious (#22, 2006). Impressive.
A Perfect Circle - Judith
The second Maynard James Keenan project to make the countdown, A Perfect Circle crushed it in the countdowns between 2000 - 2004 placing four times with Judith, The Outsider, Weak and Powerless and their version of John Lennon's Imagine all cutting that timeframe. The highest ranking of those was Judith at #34 in 2000. It's also the heaviest and absolutely earns its place on this list, with a soaring chorus disguising some serious heavy bones.
Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name (#6, 1993) and Bulls On Parade (#46, 1996)
Rap-rock protagonists Rage Against The Machine were at the peak of their politically inspired powers when the annual countdowns for the Hottest 100 kicked off with the inaugural countdown featuring this pair of absolute firestarters, Killing In The Name at #6 and Bullet In The Head at #84. This started a love affair with triple j listeners and the band that would see Bulls On Parade land at #46 in 1996, The Ghost Of Tom Joad at #74 in 1997, No Shelter at #66 in 1998, Guerilla Radio at #7 in 1999, Sleep Now In The Fire at #13, Maria at #77 and Renegades of Funk at #95 in 2000, then somehow Renegades Of Funk made it again in 2001 at #18! Of this collection, we've gone with Killing In The Name and Bulls On Parade with the latter song also charting as a Like A Version at #5 thanks to Denzel Curry in 2019!
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Limp Bizkit - Nookie (#8, 1999) and My Generation (#21, 2000)
Nu-metal had a charmed run in the countdown in the late '90s to early '00s and Limp Bizkit were no exception notching up three high-placed finishes thanks to Nookie landing at #8 in 1999, Take A Look Around at #27 in 2000 and My Generation at #21 in 2000. For the heaviness and fun factor, you can't really go past the vibes of Nookie and My Generation. Don't overthink it, just let the music move you.
Korn - Got The Life (#5, 1998), Falling Away From Me (#17, 1999)
Nu-metal originators Korn first blew the doors off of the Hottest 100 in 1997 with A.D.I.D.A.S at #24, before hitting a peak of #5 with Got The Life in 1998, an impressive back-to-back of entries in 1999 of Falling Away From Me at #17 and Freak On A Leash at #16 with Make Me Bad, making good at #81 in 2000. All certified bangers in Maniac's opinion, we've got Got The Life and Falling Away From Me making the list.
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Nine Inch Nails - Closer (#2 in 1994), Starfuckers Inc. (#69 in 1999)
The first fifteen years of The Hottest 100 were choc-full of metal, hardcore, punk, grunge and industrial, so it's no surprise to find Nine Inch Nails legendary cut Closer came in at #2 in 1994. An undeniable classic of the genre and one of a proud tradition of very sweary songs in the countdown, which can also be said for their second entry here, Starfuckers Inc. which came in at #68 in 1999.
Alice In Chains - Would (#51 in 1993)
Grunge acts dominated early editions of the countdown, but Alice In Chains were inarguably the heaviest and most metal of those acts and despite its alt-rock bones, Would, which came in at #51 in 1993 earns its place in this list by way of the sheer weight of the guitars and the anguish in Layne Staley's voice. The band also notched up entries for Rooster at #80 in 1993, No Excuses at #80 in 1994 and Grind at #88 in 1995.
The Butterfly Effect - 1 Second Of Insanity (68 in 2003)
Queensland nu-metal/alt-rockers The Butterfly Effect were serious regulars in the '00s countdowns, notching up 7 entries in 7 years, with Always, Gone, Reach, A Slow Descent, Phoenix and 1 Second Of Insanity making a countdown. The highest placing of these tracks was Gone at #32 in 2006, but the heaviest is 1 Second of Insanity which came in at #68 in 2003. The groove on this one rules and Clint Bogue's vocals get pretty gnarly.
Superheist - Step Back (#97 in 2001)
2001 was the height of popularity for nu-metal and rap-rock in Australia and Mornington Peninsula act Superheist rode that wave all the way into The Hottest 100, landing at #97 in that year's countdown with the hooky nu-metal cut Step Back.
Architects - Animals
UK metalcore giants, Architects have been a huge deal in Australia for a decade and finally forced their way into the Hottest 100 last year with the monstrosity that is Animals at #47.
The Amity Affliction -The Weigh Down (#71, 2014), Show Me Your God (#89 in 2024)
Aussie heroes The Amity Affliction have made The Hottest 100 a staggering twelve times already in their career. Charting at #40 in 2013 with Born To Die, at #22 with Pittsburgh, #64 with Don't Lean On Me and #71 with The Weigh Down in 2014, #25 with Shine On in 2015, #65 with All Fucked Up, #67 with I Bring The Weather With Me and #76 with This Could Be Heartbreak in 2016, #94 with Ivy (Doomsday) in 2018, #64 with Soak Me In Bleach in 2020, #70 in 2022 with Like Love and Show Me Your God at #89 last year. All are more or less of equal level of 'heaviness', with The Weigh Down and Show Me Your God getting the nod for the list.
Metallica - St. Anger (#61, 2003), The Day That Never Comes (#88, 2008)
One of the most difficult elements of making a list like this is distancing 'preference' from 'heaviness', never has this been truer than when assessing Metallica's nine entries in the yearly Hottest 100's. Charting in 1996 (Hero Of The Day #62, Until It Sleeps #52), 1997 (The Memory Remains #38), 1998 (Fuel #77, The Unforgiven II #67), 1999 (No Leaf Clover #56), 2000 (I Disappear #84, No Leaf Clover #56), 2003 (St. Anger #61) and 2008 (The Day That Never Comes #88) The annual Hottest 100's got going after Metallica had all but abandoned The heaviest side of their sound and settled into the gentler rocking territory, so while some of those songs fucking slap (Fuel is fucking great), and The Day That Never Comes gets a slot in the list for being gnarly in and of itself, none of them can hold up to the heavyweight of St. Anger. Flush it out.
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Linkin Park - One Step Closer (#55, 2001)
Somehow Linkin Park only made the Hottest 100 once in their career. That one entry though was the undeniable nu-metal anthem, One Step Closer is a perfect closer for our list!
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