It’s coming up to that time of year again where we start to ponder just who could take out the title as triple j’s Hottest 100 winner. Whilst punters may have their elaborate theories as to what influences the massive countdown, the power of airplay can’t be denied. 2017’s winner,’HUMBLE.’ by Kendrick Lamar clocked in a total of 115 plays by June, off an album released in early April. By this time last year, ‘Green Light’ by Lorde was the station’s second most played track, and Gang Of Youths’ ‘What Do We Do When The Fire Goes Out’ was the third.

Even though its only June you’re probably already thinking that you’ve heard a few of the same songs over and over again. Whether it’s a indie-pop banger tailor-made for the summer festival stages or an electronic groove that evokes a dance-at-your-desk moment, there’s no denying there a more than a few earworms that have captured the hearts of the nation begging to be heard this year.

Without further ado, here are triple j’s 50 most played tracks of 2018, according to JPlay. 

The most played track of the year so far is The Vaccines’ ‘I Can’t Quit’ off their fourth studio effort Combat Sports, clocking in at 159 plays. Despite taking out the top spot, The Vaccines as a band have ranked as the 50th most played artist overall.

Producer Yaeji has come in at second with 156 plays for the track ‘raingurl’, released in 2017 and hip hop superstars Migos have come in at number 3 with ‘Stir Fry’ off their 2018 effort Culture II. 

Jack River’s electrifying ‘Ballroom’  is the most played Australian track of the year, alongside six other Aussies in the top ten including, G Flip, Camp Cope and Mallrat. Overall, 27 out of the top 50 most played tracks were by Australian artists.

The top artist of the year so far is Wollongong’s very own Hockey Dad. Fresh off the release of their album Blend Inn,  Hockey Dad are the only band to have two tracks, ‘I Wanna Be Everybody’ and ‘Join The Club’ feature within the top 25 most played tracks of the year.

triple j’s 50 most played tracks of 2018:

1. I Can’t Quit – The Vaccines – 159

2. raingurl –  Yaeji – 156

3. Stir Fry – Migos – 142

4. Ballroom – Jack River –  139

5. How To Socialise & Make Friends – Camp Cope – 137

6. Polygraph Eyes – Yungblud – 135

7. Missing Me – Angie McMahon – 133

8. About You – G Flip – 132

9. Disappear (feat. Lynn Gunn) – Tonight Alive – 131

10. UFO (feat. Allday) – Mallrat – 130

11. Fake ID – Riton & Kah-Lo – 125

12. Chasing Stars (feat. Bertie Blackman) – Alice Ivy – 125

13. Need You (feat. NÏKA) – Flight Facilities – 124

14. Church – Alison Wonderland – 124

15. Mainland – Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – 123

16. Confidence – Ocean Alley – 123

17. All The Stars (feat. SZA) – Kendrick Lamar – 123

18. Dominos – Last Dinosaurs – 122

19. Loving Is Easy (feat. Benny Sings) – Rex Orange County – 121

20. Hear This – Jarami – 121

21. I Wanna Be Everybody – Hockey Dad – 121

22. Wasted – Peking Duk – 121

23. We’re Going Home – Vance Joy – 121

24. Stuck In Orbit (feat. BUOY) – What So Not – 120

25. Join The Club – Hockey Dad – 120

26. In The City – Nyxen – 120

27. Further Than The Planes Fly – Eves Karydas – 120

28. Hey Heartbreaker – Dream Wife – 118

29. Ritalin – Ruby Fields – 117

30. Get Out – Chvrches – 117

31. Symphony (feat. Teddy Jackson) – Towkio – 116

32. Mistake – Middle Kids – 116

33. God’s Plan – Drake – 114

34. Get To Know (feat. Winston Surfshirt) – Cosmo’s Midnight – 113

35. Changed My Mind – Tove Styrke – 113

36. Panic Room – Au Ra & Camelphat – 113

37. Nameless, Faceless – Courtney Barnett – 113

38. Sweet Dreams – BØRNS – 113

39. 1950 – King Princess – 112

40. Falling Out – Golden Features – 112

41. Cheetah Tongue – The Wombats – 112

42. Pineapple Skies – Miguel – 110

43. After The Storm (feat. Tyler, The Creator & Bootsy Collins) – Kali Uchis – 110

44. WOW – Kwame – 110

45. Don’t You Know I’m In A Band – Confidence Man – 109

46. Trigger Bang (feat. Giggs) – Lily Allen – 109

47. Short Hair – Tiny Little Houses – 109

48. 14U+14ME – The Presets – 109

49. White Flag – Bishop Briggs – 108

50. Carrie (I Want A Girl) – Moaning Lisa – 108

triple j’s top 50 artists of 2018:

1. Hockey Dad

2. Ocean Alley

3. The Wombats

4. Camp Cope

5. Middle Kids

6. DMA’s

7. Superorganism

8. Vance Joy

9. Alison Wonderland

10. Chvrches

11. Ball Park Music

12. Courtney Barnett

13. Gang of Youths

14. Drake

15. Wolf Alice

16. Confidence Man

17. Tonight Alive

18. BØRNS

19. The Presets

20. Peking Duk

21. Tired Lion

22. What So Not

23. Flight Facilities

24. City Calm Down

25. Tiny Little Houses

26. DZ Deathrays

27. BROCKHAMPTON

28. Lorde

29. Jack River

30. Angus And Julia Stone

31. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

32. Kali Uchis

33. Kendrick Lamar

34. Anderson .Paak

35. Pnau

36. Fisher

37. Post Malone

38. Gengahr

39. Angie McMahon

40. Hatchie

41. Odette

42. Alex Lahey

43. G Flip

44. Yungblud

45. West Thebarton

46. The Rubens

47. Blessed

48. Mallrat

49. Parkway Drive

50. The Vaccines

The article was originally published on The Industry Observer