After this week, who the f**k knows what will win this year's triple j Hottest 100?

We already knew that this year's triple j Hottest 100 would be a tight one.

Last year's countdown was seemingly a battle between the Australians, albeit for Glass Animals - who eventually came through with the win. For the most part, Australia was one of the few regions where the music industry strived last year, where musicians felt confident enough with touring - for the most part - to release singles and albums they could then take on the road, instead of sitting on them with hope for brighter times ahead, like many international acts.

This year, however, it's a completely different ball game. Shows are beginning to bloom in the US once again, and the UK - despite their many cases - have a re-opening date pinpointed for later this month, meaning that many international big-hitters are emerging from the woodwork and sharing the music they recorded in the absence of touring through the last 18 months. We've seen a lot of it come out in the last few weeks, and there's plenty more on the way - and, amongst it all, Australians haven't stopped either, with plenty of new records and material littering the year already.

And such, this year's triple j Hottest 100 is shaping up to be a tight race. Of last year's top 10 entrants, five have already released new music: Spacey Jane, Billie Eilish, The Jungle Giants, G Flip and Cardi B. Several past winners have new music out or new music rumoured for release this year - Chet Faker, Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar included - and a couple of close seconds and thirds have released new music in the last few months: Tones And I, Ruby Fields, Gang of Youths, Lorde, Amy Shark, PNAU and Peking Duk included.

Just look at this week alone. This week, we've got new work by Tones And I, Chet Faker, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Baker Boy x G Flip, Gang of Youths, Ruby Fields, Holy Holy and CHVRCHES in contention, let alone the dark forces that could unexpectedly have a presence in this year's countdown, like Genesis Owusu, Clairo, HAIM, Kevin Abstract, LANY, BAYNK - even Swedish House Mafia. This is all in one single week, and considering we've had stacked weeks for the last two months straight and that there's plenty more on the way - it's going to be a difficult feat being the cherry on top this year.

So who do we think is going to take it out? Well really, it all depends on the reception to these songs.

Spacey Jane's return - Lots of Nothing - has been picked up pretty well, as has The Kid LAROI's collaboration with Justin Bieber, which is going to have added international success behind it, judging by the reception to it in the US. Gang of Youths and Peking Duk have both had high-played returns, as has Lorde's Solar Power despite its initial unsureness. Then, there are all the artists sure to make their debut this year: Olivia Rodrigo being a big one, who could even place 1-2 with Drivers License and Good 4 U.

You're going to have to stay tuned to find out, but in the meantime, keep up to date with Pilerats' Office Playlist for all the new releases as they come: