Triple J's Hottest 100 voting opened up today, so you're probably madly scrambling to whittle down a year's worth of listening into a shortlist of just ten tunes -- believe us, we've been there, we know the pain.
It's difficult to distill 12 months of music into just a handful of songs for your list. The songs we listen to are the soundtracks of our year -- they were there for the highs and lows, the good and bad times, the happy and the sad. They might remind you of that great party in March, or that terrible break-up in June, an amazing gig you went to in August or that life-changing trip you took in November; it's difficult to take a year's worth of experiences and songs, and put them through the wringer to pull out a shortlist.
Even finding a rationale for choosing those ten songs is hard. Some choose the songs that meant something to them through the year; some choose their favourite songs; some choose what they think are objectively the best or most popular tunes of the last 12 months; some just go with the flow and choose what's popular or what their friends are voting for; and some just go full troll and have a laugh with the whole thing.
That being said, we've done our hard work already, and assembled our favourite songs of the year. Take some inspiration from our shortlists and favourite songs, if you like -- or just do all the work yourself on Triple J's website. Happy voting!
(Oh, and to be clear -- we know about Triple J's new "no trolling the poll" rules, so we're not telling you who to vote for, just letting you know the tunes we dig)
Chris Paine, news editor
Airling - Stallin'
Drake - Hotling Bling
Florence + The Machine - Ship To Wreck
Japanese Wallpaper - Forces (ft. Airling)
The Maccabees - Spit It Out
Major Lazer - Lean On (ft. MO and DJ Snake)
Major Lazer - Be Together (ft. Wild Belle)
The Rubens - Hallelujah
Tame Impala - Let It Happen
Sufjan Stevens - Death With Dignity
Airling is the sister of one of my best mates from Brisbane, and it's been awesome to see her career taking off. I had the chance to see her play live in Newtown this year and she absolutely crushed it. 'Stallin' really builds off her earlier work, and her collaboration with Japanese Wallpaper on 'Forces' is the tune of the year.
'Lean On' should be the track of the year. Major Lazer has really stepped it up and while I was late to the party on 'Be Together', that's a bonafide *tune.*
Leigh Campbell, lifestyle editor
My fave song from 2015 is Jarryd James 'Do You Remember' -- because the lyrics are awesome. We've all been there in some capacity. #deep
Julia Naughton, associate editor
The Weeknd - Can’t Feel My Face
It’s probably one of the only songs that’ll keep me on the dance floor regardless if it’s 4am, my feet are killing and people are spilling drinks all over me.
Josh Butler, associate editor
Action Bronson - Brand New Car
Bad//Dreems - Can't Feel My Face {triple j Like A Version}
Bad//Dreems - Bogan Pride
BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah - Ray Gun (ft. DOOM)
Courtney Barnett - Pedestrian At Best
Drake - Hotline Bling
Foals - Mountain At My Gates
Skepta - Shutdown
Titus Andronicus - Dimed Out
Wavves - Heavy Metal Detox
These songs all meant different things to me at different points in the year, and I can remember the exact points when I heard them all; I remember listening to Action Bronson and Skepta when I was cold and lonely in New York City, Courtney Barnett when I was driving down highways in sunny Florida, Foals when I was driving home in crazy traffic from a festival Byron Bay, Titus Andronicus when I'd just started a new job (this job) and moved to the city, and both the Bad Dreems tunes at probably the best gig I saw all year long. Each of these songs holds a really special place in my heart because of the memories I associate with them -- being happy or sad, excited or nervous. My #1 of the year, though, is Baddies' cover of Can't Feel My Face, which is kinda funny considering I'm no fan of the original Weeknd version. Just goes to show what an Aussie pub rock facelift by four guys from Adelaide (plus Isabella from The Preatures) can do to a tune...
Aimie Rigas, engagement editor
A$AP Rocky - LSD
The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face
Drake - Hotline Bling
Childish Gambino - Retro
Jack U, Justin Bieber - Where Are U Now
Emily Verdouw, associate video editor
A$AP Rocky - Everyday
Snakehips - All My Friends
Logic - Like Woah
Miike Snow - Heart Is Full
Santigold - Can't Get Enough Of Myself
Ezra Furman - Lousy Connection
Jai Wolf - Indian Summer
Jarryd James - Do You Remember
Gang of Youths - Magnolia
Highasakite - Keep That Letter Safe