The hit targeted towards Triple J refuses to die down as a high-profile artist joins those criticising the national broadcaster of bias in their music selection.
The backlash begun when Fairfax reported artists around Australia were catering their song writing to fit with the Triple J ‘sound’. In the report, a number of “respected” musicians and industry insiders expressed similar sentiments, but refused to have their identity revealed.
Australia’s most influential music broadcaster- responsible for breaking a ton of new, home grown acts- chose to attack the notion head on with station manager Chris Scaddan telling TheMusic “We are never looking for one particular sound. We’d much prefer bands to go out and find their own style.”
More recently, Aussie singer-songwriter Whitley joined the debate. Filthy his third studio album, Even The Stars Are A Mess, received no love from the station, Whitley bagged Triple J in a public statement.
“In my opinion they’ve failed as a tax-payer funded radio station that is supposed to challenge and present new ideas for the youth of Australia,” he said. “I find them barely distinguishable from a commercial radio station, which is why I listen to, and support, community radio such as RRR, FBi, PBS and university radio stations.”
But Whitley isn’t bitter and says he appreciates the role Triple J played in reaching his current status. While he admit his latest release was never going to be a “summer banger”, the 2013 comeback artist believes there truth to the Fairfax report.
“I was aware JJJ wouldn’t play that album because it didn’t have a JJJ sound, but the whole point to what I’m saying is that there shouldn’t be a JJJ sound.”
“It should be ideologically based on variety and difference, not conforming to a playlist that has a very narrow set of criteria to qualify it.”
The next chance to gather a fair assessment of Triple J’s song selection will be Australia Day when the radio station releases its annual Hottest 100 countdown of the most popular voted tracks of the previous year.
One of the top compliments to all Australia Day parties, the Hottest 100 has been running since 1989 and can probably count on more scrutiny than usual amidst the recent bad press.
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