Part Two: 80-61
80. ‘XO Tour Llife’ by Lil Uzi Vert (2017)
Before Lil Uzi Vert morphed into one of rap’s most uniquely chameleonic and cosmic artists, they were the pinnacle of the Soundcloud emo rap era, ushering in a new generation that pushed and distorted the boundaries of hip hop. Dark, cathartic, devastating – this is Uzi’s lo-fi masterpiece.
79. ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ by Sophie Ellis-Bextor (2002)
There aren’t many one hit wonders on this list – but Sophie Ellis Bextor’s 2002 disco banger has a cultural footprint of its own. Even before it soundtracked Barry Keoghan’s spectacularly disturbing naked dance in Saltburn, it remained a beloved nostalgic dance floor killer.
78. ‘Let Me Blow Ya Mind’ by Eve feat. Gwen Stefani (2001)
It’s that slow, deliberate flow. The confidence, the sheer underrated swagger, to take your time. Eve will not be rushed. And Eve will not be ignored. You will wait, while she imperiously, and almost impossibly casually, entrances you with her deadly rhymes, smooth hooks, and bouncy-ass beat.
77. ‘In The End’ by Linkin Park (2000)
Man, I hated Linkin Park so much growing up. Everyone did, or so I thought. But unlike their rap-rock contemporaries, Linkin Park weren’t forgotten by the masses in some Total Recall-style procedure. They became legends, and ‘In The End’ and ‘Numb’ became classics of 2000s rock. Whoda thunk it?
76. ‘Emily I’m Sorry’ by boygenius (2023)
We don’t get a lot of supergroups nowadays, let alone one that lives up to the hype: the tremendous talents of indie singer-songwriters Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus combined perfectly. ‘Emily I’m Sorry’ is a stunning achievement, led by Bridgers’ heartbreaking lyricism and crystalline vocal.
75. ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ by Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean (2005)
Irresistible. Just try to dodge the immediate and overwhelming urge to move your body when this track kicks off with Wyclef’s smooth intro and that infectious Latin rhythm. It’s sultry and entrancing and sexy as hell. Shakira was already the best-selling female Latin artist ever before ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ – but this took her to the top of the world.
74. ‘Take Me Out’ by Franz Ferdinand (2004)
In the wake of The Strokes early-2000s breakout, the post-punk revival revitalised rock music and took over the world. It was edgy, authentic, cool. But Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand also wanted you to dance, to *gasp* have fun. And ‘Take Me Out’ is just that. It’s crunchy and sticky and bouncy. A rock song, sure, but also a danceable banger of the highest order.
Stat Attack – Getting Hot in Here
Seven former Hottest 100 winners made their way onto this list. Another 38 songs on this list have previously appeared in an annual Hottest 100, including 15 that finished in the top-10.
73. ‘Welcome to Prison’ by ONEFOUR (2020)
The infamous Western Sydney drill music pioneers drew the ire of the media and clashed with NSW Police for their gang affiliations, criminal behaviour and provocative lyrics – but on ‘Welcome To Prison’ they reflect rather than inflame, lamenting the brutal realities of gang life.
72. ‘Bad Romance’ by Lady Gaga (2009)
The late-2000s pop scene was… especially poppy. Light, fun, a touch of vanilla: Coldplay, Jason Derulo, Jason Mraz, some Rhianna and Katy Perry if you’re feeling nasty. Lady Gaga was something new and fresh and kinda scary. She was an outsider unafraid to take up space, to unapologetically embrace horror and camp and bonkers costumes, and collect a following of devoted ‘Little Monsters’.
71. ‘Truth Hurts’ by Lizzo (2017)
“I just took a DNA test, turns out I'm 100% that bitch!” Famously, ‘Truth Hurts’ was the ultimate sleeper hit, blowing up two years after its initial release and launching Lizzo to superstardom in the process. That opening line tells you all you need to know: Lizzo is unending confidence, glorious positivity, punchlines for days.
70. ‘Breathe Me’ by Sia (2004)
Sia became one of the world’s biggest pop stars in 2014, with the release of ‘Chandelier’. But a decade earlier, she was an indie songstress still trying to break through in Australia alongside the likes of Missy Higgins and The Waifs. ‘Breathe Me’ is a beautiful, soaring, slow-build piano ballad, that holds you in its captivating grasp until the last breath.
69. ‘Bodak Yellow’ by Cardi B (2017)
Through the 2010s, there was a ridiculous (and obviously sexist) instinct by many to compare every female rapper to Nicki Minaj, and Cardi B was no different. But ‘Bodak Yellow’ blew the roof off – a massive, confident, endlessly punchy statement of intent that shattered records, smashed expectations, and established Cardi B as a singular force.
68. ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ by Amyl & The Sniffers (2024)
The face of Australian punk in the 2020s is Amy Taylor – loud, crass, punchy, a steamroller with a smile. An Amy Taylor “fuck you” is uniquely creative, as scary and it is funny, and catchy as hell. ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ sees her spitting dismissive vitriol at an unnamed asshole - it’s a big, stomping, tongue-in-cheek kill shot to loser dudes with backwards thoughts and punchable faces.
67. ‘Mr November’ by The National (2005)
One of the most celebrated indie rock bands of the century (among us insufferable music hipsters, anyway). Matt Berninger draws you in with his spellbinding baritone, before exploding into their most crowd-pleasing chorus. Is it a sneaky critique of George Bush Jr, or maybe it’s just a small town someone stuck in the glory of their high school days. Either way it’s sad, nostalgic and magnificent.
66. ‘we fell in love in october’ by girl in red (2018)
The glistening, dream-like love song that sent Norwegian singer-songwriter girl in red viral and launched a Gen Z queer icon. The power of ‘We Fell in Love in October’ is in its earnestness, its genuine vulnerability and full-bodied feeling. There’s no irony. No cynicism. Just love. And it’s beautiful.
65. ‘Yo Perreo Sola’ by Bad Bunny feat. Nesi (2020)
Bad Bunny is a phenomenon, breaking through into the U.S. mainstream market with such force that he has become a household name and appeared on institutions like Saturday Night Live and WWE. His smooth charisma, unique mix of reggaeton rhythms and trap, and empowering songs such as ‘You Perreo Sola’ (literally, “I twerk alone”) have brought Spanish-language rap to a global audience.
64. ‘Midnight City’ by M83 (2011)
Luminescent and vibrating with life, layers upon layers of atmosphere built around the beating heart of metropolis. This is stadium-level, crowd-enveloping synths – utterly transcendent and euphoric work by the French EDM duo.
63. ‘Shaolin Monk Motherfunk’ by Hiatus Kaiyote (2015)
Hiatus Kaiyote exist outside of time and space. Their music cannot be defined. It’s fantastical, a vibrantly untraceable mix of jazz, funk, soul, and illusive sorcery, that feels like stepping into a magical forest. It’s a deep feeling of spiritualism and connection to something beyond comprehension. There’s an instinct to call their music “experimental”, but it feels like the most natural thing in the world.
62. ‘That's So True’ by Gracie Abrams (2024)
One of the more cynical trends in 2020s pop has been the release of “deluxe” versions of albums a few months after their initial release. But in Gracie Abrams’ case, it meant that her best song of 2024 came entirely as a surprise. An instant-classic Gen Z breakup anthem, Abrams is a melodic sledgehammer, sardonic and brutal and fun as hell.
61. ‘Redbone’ by Childish Gambino (2016)
It’s now universally accepted that Donald Glover is good at everything. But there was a time when he was the goofy guy from Community, trying his hand at rapping. His third album, Awaken, My Love, changed that: this was modern soul, Prince-esque funky R&B, with a voice no one saw coming. Suddenly, the guy from Community was a superstar multi-hyphenate with limitless potential.