It’s been an eventful month for the ABC’s triple j.

Image: ABC

On January 19 triple j and Double J celebrated triple j's 50th anniversary with a special 12-hour rebroadcast of the first day of the station that started it all back in 1975 - 2JJ, Double Jay Rock. 

Hot on the heels of that event, music lovers across Australia joined triple j to count down the Hottest 100 tracks of 2024. Singer-songwriter Chappell Roan won with 'Good Luck, Babe!'. 

The ABC also announced the passing of longtime music director and Double J trailblazer, Arnold Frolows, who "had a huge effect on the musical sound of triple j, and Australian radio”.   

As our national youth broadcaster – reaching over 98% of the nation – triple J has been an integral to youth culture for generations of Australians. Its legacy lives on through Gen Z, and it has grown to offer new stations, a diversity of news formats, programs, competitions, and national events. 

“It’s been the beating heart (or beating drum, as its logo depicts) of generations of young Australians."

Liz Giuffre Senior Lecturer in Communication, University of Technology Sydney

triple J has discovered and nurtured young Australian musicians through events like the triple j Unearthed talent competition – begun in 1995 and still running – and the Like A Version program.  Missy Higgins, Flume and Grinspoon all came to fame through Unearthed.

Entertainers like Wil Anderson, Zan Rowe, Myf Warhurst, Judith Lucy, Roy and HG, and Dr Karl got their start at triple j.

Crucially, triple j has championed non-commercial music.

Proclaiming to “love music made in bedrooms and garages by musicians we’ve never heard of”, triple j’s approach to music discovery has given thousands of young Australians many more musical opportunities than commercial radio.

Often willing to push boundaries, triple j provides a space where Australian youth can engage with social and political issues.

For instance, Blak Out, which claims to play “nothing but slappers from Indigenous artists”, celebrates First Nations music. Hack on triple j regularly covers topics including gender, Australia’s penal system, disability, and the environment – issues that matter to Australian youth. 

At 50 years old, triple j is still incredibly popular, broadcasting to just under 3.2 million people each week. It continues to offer enormous benefits to young Australians, supporting emerging artists and empowering Australians to engage with civic issues. 

Congratulations triple j!