| 1989 Triple J Hottest 100 | |
|---|---|
| Countdown details | |
| Date of countdown | 5 March 1989 |
| Countdown highlights | |
| Winning song | Joy Division "Love Will Tear Us Apart" |
| Most entries | Hunters & Collectors The Smiths The Cure Elvis Costello (4 tracks) |
The 1989 Triple J Hottest 100 was the first yearly poll of the most popular songs, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. From 1989 to 1991, listeners could vote for songs released in any year.
| Note: Australian artists |
| # | Song [1] | Artist | Country of Origin | Year of release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Love Will Tear Us Apart | Joy Division | United Kingdom | 1980 |
| 2 | Throw Your Arms Around Me | Hunters & Collectors | Australia | 1985 |
| 3 | Uncertain Smile | The The | United Kingdom | 1983 |
| 4 | That's Entertainment | The Jam | United Kingdom | 1980 |
| 5 | Blue Monday | New Order | United Kingdom | 1983 |
| 6 | Holiday in Cambodia | Dead Kennedys | United States | 1980 |
| 7 | How Soon Is Now? | The Smiths | United Kingdom | 1984 |
| 8 | Talking to a Stranger | Hunters & Collectors | Australia | 1982 |
| 9 | Birthday | The Sugarcubes | Iceland | 1987 |
| 10 | A Forest | The Cure | United Kingdom | 1980 |
| 11 | Cattle and Cane | The Go-Betweens | Australia | 1983 |
| 12 | Shivers | The Boys Next Door | Australia | 1979 |
| 13 | This Charming Man | The Smiths | United Kingdom | 1983 |
| 14 | Rock Lobster | The B-52's | United States | 1978 |
| 15 | Song to the Siren | This Mortal Coil | United Kingdom | 1983 |
| 16 | Alison | Elvis Costello | United Kingdom | 1977 |
| 17 | Anarchy in the U.K. | Sex Pistols | United Kingdom | 1976 |
| 18 | London Calling | The Clash | United Kingdom | 1979 |
| 19 | Primary | The Cure | United Kingdom | 1981 |
| 20 | Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards | Billy Bragg | United Kingdom | 1988 |
| 21 | Respect | Aretha Franklin | United States | 1967 |
| 22 | It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) | R.E.M. | United States | 1987 |
| 23 | Aloha Steve And Danno | Radio Birdman | Australia | 1978 |
| 24 | Kiss | Art of Noise and Tom Jones | United Kingdom | 1988 |
| 25 | Average Inadequacy | Machinations | Australia | 1981 |
| 26 | Another Girl, Another Planet | The Only Ones | United Kingdom | 1978 |
| 27 | Bigmouth Strikes Again | The Smiths | United Kingdom | 1986 |
| 28 | Know Your Product | The Saints | Australia | 1978 |
| 29 | Boys Don't Cry | The Cure | United Kingdom | 1979 |
| 30 | Stairway to Heaven | Led Zeppelin | United Kingdom | 1971 |
| 31 | Imagine | John Lennon | United Kingdom | 1971 |
| 32 | Psycho Killer | Talking Heads | United States | 1977 |
| 33 | Wish You Were Here | Pink Floyd | United Kingdom | 1975 |
| 34 | Kiss | Prince | United States | 1986 |
| 35 | She Sells Sanctuary | The Cult | United Kingdom | 1985 |
| 36 | Love Song | Simple Minds | United Kingdom | 1981 |
| 37 | Sign "☮" the Times | Prince | United States | 1987 |
| 38 | Greetings to the New Brunette | Billy Bragg | United Kingdom | 1986 |
| 39 | "Heroes" | David Bowie | United Kingdom | 1977 |
| 40 | L.A. Woman | The Doors | United States | 1971 |
| 41 | Troy | Sinéad O'Connor | Ireland | 1987 |
| 42 | The Unguarded Moment | The Church | Australia | 1981 |
| 43 | Wuthering Heights | Kate Bush | United Kingdom | 1978 |
| 44 | Smash It Up | The Damned | United Kingdom | 1979 |
| 45 | The One I Love | R.E.M. | United States | 1987 |
| 46 | Blister in the Sun | Violent Femmes | United States | 1982 |
| 47 | Lust for Life | Iggy Pop | United States | 1977 |
| 48 | Orinoco Flow | Enya | Ireland | 1988 |
| 49 | All Along the Watchtower | Jimi Hendrix | United States | 1968 |
| 50 | The End | The Doors | United States | 1967 |
| 51 | (I'm) Stranded | The Saints | Australia | 1976 |
| 52 | Teardrops | Womack & Womack | United States | 1988 |
| 53 | God Save the Queen | Sex Pistols | United Kingdom | 1977 |
| 54 | The Cutter | Echo & the Bunnymen | United Kingdom | 1983 |
| 55 | Marquee Moon | Television | United States | 1977 |
| 56 | Alone with You | Sunnyboys | Australia | 1981 |
| 57 | Wedding Cake Island | Midnight Oil | Australia | 1980 |
| 58 | I Want You | Elvis Costello | United Kingdom | 1986 |
| 59 | Moments in Love | Art of Noise | United Kingdom | 1983 |
| 60 | Forbidden Colours | Sylvian and Sakamoto | United Kingdom/Japan | 1983 |
| 61 | Buffalo Stance | Neneh Cherry | Sweden | 1988 |
| 62 | Sexual Healing | Marvin Gaye | United States | 1982 |
| 63 | Sympathy for the Devil | The Rolling Stones | United Kingdom | 1968 |
| 64 | There Is a Light That Never Goes Out | The Smiths | United Kingdom | 1986 |
| 65 | Pretty Vacant | Sex Pistols | United Kingdom | 1977 |
| 66 | Close to Me | The Cure | United Kingdom | 1985 |
| 67 | Bizarre Love Triangle | New Order | United Kingdom | 1986 |
| 68 | Wide Open Road | The Triffids | Australia | 1986 |
| 69 | A Day in the Life | The Beatles | United Kingdom | 1967 |
| 70 | Deanna | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | Australia | 1988 |
| 71 | Pump It Up | Elvis Costello | United Kingdom | 1978 |
| 72 | Bachelor Kisses | The Go-Betweens | Australia | 1984 |
| 73 | Watching the Detectives | Elvis Costello | United Kingdom | 1977 |
| 74 | Duel | Propaganda | Germany | 1985 |
| 75 | Going Underground | The Jam | United Kingdom | 1980 |
| 76 | Layla | Derek and the Dominos | United States | 1970 |
| 77 | Walk on the Wild Side | Lou Reed | United States | 1972 |
| 78 | Ghost Ships | The Saints | Australia | 1984 |
| 79 | My Island Home | Warumpi Band | Australia | 1987 |
| 80 | Blue Bell Knoll | Cocteau Twins | United Kingdom | 1988 |
| 81 | Making Plans for Nigel | XTC | United Kingdom | 1979 |
| 82 | Golden Brown | The Stranglers | United Kingdom | 1981 |
| 83 | Betty's Worry or the Slab | Hunters & Collectors | Australia | 1984 |
| 84 | Burning Down the House | Talking Heads | United States | 1983 |
| 85 | The Message | Grandmaster Flash | United States | 1982 |
| 86 | Riders on the Storm | The Doors | United States | 1971 |
| 87 | Down in the Tube Station at Midnight | The Jam | United Kingdom | 1978 |
| 88 | Power and the Passion | Midnight Oil | Australia | 1982 |
| 89 | Bye Bye Pride | The Go-Betweens | Australia | 1987 |
| 90 | Eagle Rock | Daddy Cool | Australia | 1971 |
| 91 | Suspicious Minds | Elvis Presley | United States | 1969 |
| 92 | I Say a Little Prayer | Aretha Franklin | United States | 1968 |
| 93 | Slave Girl | Lime Spiders | Australia | 1984 |
| 94 | Heart of Glass | Blondie | United States | 1978 |
| 95 | Khe Sanh | Cold Chisel | Australia | 1978 |
| 96 | O Superman | Laurie Anderson | United States | 1981 |
| 97 | Say Goodbye | Hunters & Collectors | Australia | 1986 |
| 98 | Man Overboard | Do-Re-Mi | Australia | 1985 |
| 99 | The Cicada That Ate Five Dock | Outline | Australia | 1980 |
| 100 | The Mercy Seat | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | Australia | 1988 |
| # | Artist | Tracks |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Hunters & Collectors | 2, 8, 83, 97 |
| The Smiths | 7, 13, 27, 64 | |
| The Cure | 10, 19, 29, 66 | |
| Elvis Costello | 16, 58, 71, 73 | |
| 3 | Peter Hook [note 1] | 1, 5, 67 |
| Stephen Morris [note 1] | 1, 5, 67 | |
| Bernard Sumner [note 1] | 1, 5, 67 | |
| The Jam | 4, 75, 87 | |
| The Go-Betweens | 11, 72, 89 | |
| Nick Cave [note 2] | 12, 70, 100 | |
| Sex Pistols | 17, 53, 63 | |
| The Saints | 28, 51, 78 | |
| The Doors | 40, 50, 86 | |
| 2 | New Order | 5, 67 |
| Billy Bragg | 20, 38 | |
| Aretha Franklin | 21, 92 | |
| R.E.M. | 22, 45 | |
| Art of Noise | 24, 59 | |
| Talking Heads | 32, 84 | |
| Prince | 34, 37 | |
| Midnight Oil | 57, 88 | |
| Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | 70, 100 |