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‘Never heard of it’: shock upset in Hottest 100

A little-known band from the small town of Menangle, New South Wales, has shocked fans, bookies and commentators by claiming the top slot in Triple J’s Hottest 100 countdown.

The Rubens’ catchy rock song Hoops unseated Kendrick Lamar’s global hit King Kunta in a twist many didn’t see coming.

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Hoops nearly didn’t make it onto the band’s current album (it was recorded last) but managed to score the majority share of the 2,094,350 votes cast in the competition.

Hoops, for us, is describing how we had to jump through all the challenges the label created for us to put out this album,” the band said in an interview with Pilerats last year.

The band’s members – the three Margin brothers, Zaac, Sam and Elliott, and their friends Scott Baldwin and William Zeglis – were elated by the victory, joking to Triple J hosts Matt Okine and Alex Dyson that the win meant they could “eat again”.

For the full countdown list, click here.

It’s a meteoric rise for a band from a town with a population of 877 and which first featured on Triple J as an Unearthed band in 2011.

In fact, soon after the No.1 was announced the band’s official site crashed, presumably from listeners searching for more information.

We honestly don’t believe it. Thankyou everyone who voted!! Goodness gracious you make us feel special 🍾 #triplejhottest100 triple j

Posted by The Rubens on Tuesday, January 26, 2016

‘Absolutely robbed’

While some listeners were elated that an up-and-coming artist had secured the prestigious title, others took to social media to express shock and disappointment that Lamar’s hit had missed out.

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Others were equally confused by the fact that it was the first time they’d heard the winning song all year.

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King Kunta, from Lamar’s 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly, has been described by Rolling Stone magazine as “fierce and funkadelic” and has been a fixture on charts around the world.

The loosely predictive Tepid 100 chart and other statistical fanatics had King Kunta slated to top the chart, and most bookies had their money on the track too.

Inspired by the story of rebellious slave Kunte Kinte (a character in Alex Haley’s novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family), King Kunta cleverly samples some elements from Michael Jackson, James Brown and Ahmad Lewis while still remaining completely original.

The song was set for success when, according to music producer Scott Vener, music industry legend Pharrell first heard it and said: “That song is so unapologetically black and AMAZING.”

Kendrick Lamar. Photo: Getty

Kendrick Lamar. Photo: Getty

Hometown advantage

However, based on past years The Rubens’ win isn’t as unexpected as it may appear – 2016 is the third consecutive year an Australian act has been voted No.1 on the countdown.

It’s also not their first rodeo – they placed 57 in 2011 for Lay It Down and 10 and 66 in 2012 for My Gun and The Best We Got, respectively.

The band, who have 85,000 likes on Facebook, also have a loyal core of fans who voted for the track to be crowned Australia’s favourite.

Superfan Alex Kay used photo and video-sharing app Snapchat to create a 12-minute tribute video to the song over six months, sharing the finished product on the band’s Facebook page earlier this month.

Dear The Rubens. In 2015 Hoops went Gold. Just a note to say that I am partly responsible. A huge apology to everyone who spent any time with me last year. I took over 12 minutes worth of Hoops footage with the first vid ever taken on July 29th. Its been a bloody long journey. But thanks for coming into my life Hoops. #hoopsforhottest100

Posted by Alex Kay on Tuesday, January 19, 2016

The Top 10 (warning: explicit language)

10. Disclosure (featuring Lorde) – Magnets 

9. The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face

8. Hermitude (featuring Mataya and Young Tapz) – The Buzz 

7. Jarryd James – Do You Remember

6. Marcus Marr and Chet Faker – The Trouble With Us

5. Tame Impala – Let It Happen

4. Tame Impala – The Less I Know The Better

3. Major Lazer and DJ Snake (featuring MO) – Lean On 

2. Kendrick Lamar – King Kunta

1. The Rubens – Hoops

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