Triple J Hottest 100, 2017

In mid-2016, support grew for a campaign calling on triple j to change the date of the Hottest 100. Calls were led by Indigenous Australian activists and supporters, many of whom regard Australia Day as "Invasion Day".[14] Australian hip hop duo A.B. Original and their anti-Australia Day single "January 26" were instrumental in drawing support to the cause.[15] Responding to the campaign in September 2016, triple j established a review over whether the date of the Hottest 100 should be changed.[16]

The review of the date continued into 2017, including consultation with Reconciliation Australia, the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, and the National Australia Day Council, while 2016's Hottest 100 was held on Australia Day without change.[17] In August 2017, triple j launched a survey asking for public opinion on whether the date should be changed.[18][19] Shortly after the survey began, former triple j presenters Matt Okine and Kyran Wheatley came out in support of a date change.[20][21]

On 27 November 2017, triple j announced plans to move the Hottest 100 to the fourth weekend of January. This followed analysis led by Rebecca Huntley of the aforementioned survey,[22] which attracted 64,990 responses, indicating that 60% of listeners supported moving the date.[23]

The announcement was welcomed by many musicians and the Australian Greens.[24] Within the Liberal Party, however, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield was reportedly "bewildered" by the choice, one that MP Alex Hawke described as "disappointing" and "pathetic".[25] As the minister responsible for the government-funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), which triple j is part of, Fifield wrote to the ABC's board of directors on 28 November asking them to return the Hottest 100 to Australia Day.[26]

Some organisations offered alternatives to triple j's Hottest 100 in response to the date change.[12] These include nationwide rock radio station Triple M broadcasting an Ozzest 100 countdown of only Australian songs on 26 January,[27] and Senator Cory Bernardi's Australian Conservatives publishing an AC100 playlist of Australian music on Spotify.[28]

• Kendrick Lamar (1, 34, 92, 97)
• Gang of Youths (2, 5, 10, 41)
• Lorde (6, 14, 71, 81)
• The Jungle Giants (16, 50, 57, 59)

• Khalid (twice solo and once with Logic) (13, 62, 82)
• Tash Sultana (28, 43, 78)

• Angus & Julia Stone (3, 98)
• Thundamentals (8, 61)
• Peking Duk (12, 20)
• Vera Blue (15, 29)
• Baker Boy (17, 76)
• The Smith Street Band (21, 49)
• Amy Shark (25, 83)
• Meg Mac (30, 86)
• Alex Lahey (36, 45)
• Dune Rats (55, 75)
• Rihanna (once with N.E.R.D and once with Kendrick Lamar) (66, 97)