British pop sensation Olivia Dean has claimed the coveted number one spot in Australia’s premier music poll, the Triple J Hottest 100, with her irresistible neo-soul hit “Man I Need”. The breezy track, which has spent 10 consecutive weeks atop the ARIA singles chart, was widely tipped as the favourite to win the 2025 vote, in which a staggering 2.1 million votes were cast.
Dean’s victory comes as a welcome surprise, with the 25-year-old singer-songwriter placing four solo songs in the countdown, as well as featuring on a collaboration with Sam Fender. She fended off stiff competition from Australian artist Keli Holiday, whose TikTok-fuelled earworm “Dancing2” claimed the runner-up position.
The top five was rounded out by British singer Raye’s worldwide hit “Where Is My Husband!” at number 5, Playlunch’s “bogan funk” anthem “Keith” at number 4, and Tame Impala’s psychedelic offering “Dracula” at number 3.
While Dean’s triumph may have come as a surprise to some, the standout story from this year’s Hottest 100 countdown was the resurgence of Australian artists. A total of 53 songs with Australian acts as the main credited performers made the list, not including Amyl & The Sniffers’ guest appearance on UK electronic dynamo Fred Again…’s “You’re A Star”.
This impressive showing marks a significant turnaround from the 2024 Hottest 100, which featured just 29 Australian songs – the lowest result since 1996. Fremantle band Spacey Jane scored the most entries for an Australian artist with five, followed by Ocean Alley, Tame Impala, Ninajirachi and Royel Otis with four each.
Triple J reported that 55% of the music played on the station in 2025 was by Australian artists, comfortably above its mandated 40% quota, while 19 of its top 30 most-played artists for the year were homegrown talents. For the first time, this year’s voting page also included an option to search by Australian artists only, which may have contributed to the increased local representation.
Dean’s win marks the third consecutive victory for a solo female artist, following Chappell Roan in 2024 and Doja Cat in 2023. In a pop era dominated by solo performers, the relatively strong showing of Australian indie-rock and indie-pop bands, as well as electronic and dance music, was a standout theme of this year’s countdown.
With her Hottest 100 triumph, Olivia Dean has cemented her status as one of the brightest stars in the British pop landscape. The singer will celebrate her win with an arena-sized headline tour in October, with shows sold out long before the countdown began.
