Why does so much of what I hear on JJJ sound so similar, even when the genres are different? Does anyone else know what I mean? There’s just this schmear of sameness over a lot of it
That’s been the same for 20 years or more. There is a distinct triple J “sound” that artists particularly in Australia go for to get airplay on the Js, and those that don’t tailor their music to it find it harder to be heard.
This article from over a decade ago discusses it a bit:
Fascinating seeing how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. This article also from SMH in 2025 has a similar vibe but criticises Triple J for not being popular enough and becoming irrelevant, where the 2014 article says they are too popular. The 2025 article also blames TikTok and says JJJ went commercial in 2018, where the 2014 article seems to think this has already happened.
One thing is for sure, there is definitely a Triple J sound. What is it? I’d love to see a musician with in-depth knowledge of these things make a YouTube video on this. What exactly does that sound consist of? I can’t pin it down and it seems to transcend genres.
Musicians have always had to follow this or that formula to get a hit, but at least with Triple J (and community radio) you can be guaranteed that there are actual human beings doing the curation and not a literal machine running on an algorithm. That seems like the highest priority to me, at this point - get people away from algorithms. It’s not like there isn’t an appetite for it. A lot of people are increasingly frustrated with big tech and their bullshit, and looking for alternatives
You don’t hear new Australian music in primetime slots anywhere else, apart from the usual 5 approved artists (the Guy Sebastian’s, the Delta’s, the Amy Shark’s etc). So I think people then just associate Australian accents and mostly non-pop alternative music exclusively with the station.
Snoop Dogg at the AFL Grand Final, Teddy Swims at the NRL. The Piano Australia with Harry Connick Jr. US or UK pop on Australian reality TV interstitials. Casey Donovan once again performing at the NYE fireworks. There’s barely a variety show left to perform on, and even then The Project would roll out Pete Murray. Ed Sheeran in the Nova Red Room. Need some coaches on The Voice? Ship in Ronan Keating and Mel C.
Well done to the programming team.
Tonight’s School Disco requests is a perfect way to use nights over summer.
The callers & music have been spot on
This is a really interesting theory. I feel like even the international music they play also often sounds “the same”? But you might be on to something
The requester was asking for it because it was her first ever concert in Canberra and she was 8.
The demos shift quickly 
Dont get me wrong, I love it, wish JJJ was like this all day
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Bring back requestival
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Certified banger
This is the actual problem. Of course everyone in Australia engineers their music to fit the style that triple j plays. There’s no other broad appeal station in the country interested in taking a risk by advancing new Australian music. triple j is the one left to lift the entire industry, at least when it comes to radio.
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But which is it though, is it that people just think everything Australian sounds like Triple J because nobody else plays local music, or, that local acts tailor themselves to a Triple J sound? or bits of both?
I’ve heard stories of bands leaving Australia to record albums in order to escape the local influence of making their music sound triple j friendly. I do believe it is a “thing”
That’s crazy. Someone has to blow the whistle on this, we need a YouTube video essay on “How to make a Triple J-friendly song” with someone breaking down what these bands are all doing/forced to do
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Its not that uncommon - most popular music is so because it’s been engineered to appeal (especially new acts/artists).
Triple J’s ‘band of musical interest’ for regular play has become incredibly narrow and has become a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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Music artists have been doing this for years even before Triple J went downhill. It’s not a new thing. They go overseas to get better opportunities. The problem for artistes is the music they make may be more popular in other countries then it is in Australia. Go where their genre is popular a song will hopefully get noticed then it hopefully gets noticed in Australia.
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It’s 
100 week.
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Has triple j breakfast made any mention of IAC with Concetta being the co-host?
I wouldn’t know as I don’t listen to triple j much at all 
Yep they talked all about it this morning
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