UPDATE: Triple J says the Hottest 100 will be held on January 26 as normal in 2017, but it will consider moving it to another date beyond that.
"We've been aware of, and have been a part of, the discussions around 26 January for some time. triple j is heavily involved in the growing dialogue around Indigenous recognition and perspectives on 26 January. This is really important to us," the station said in a statement.
"We will continue to talk to Indigenous communities, artists and our audience about the date for the Hottest 100 in future years. In short: it's under review."
Earlier: Aboriginal rappers Nooky and Birdz have joined the campaign calling on radio station Triple J to move the Hottest 100 from Australia Day to another date.
"It would be a huge step forward for the blackfella population and everyone else if they moved the date," Nooky, who is played regularly on Triple J, told BuzzFeed News. "The simple fact is I don’t fuck with Australia Day. Never have, never will. I listen to Triple J on the regular, but not on that day I don’t.
"They play my music and I’m grateful every time they play my tunes, but I I don’t partake in anything celebrating Australia Day. That’s invasion day for me. Survival day if I’m feeling nice."
Nooky is one of thousands who are pushing for the famous countdown to be moved to an alternate date.
The Hottest 100 has been long been considered an essential part of Australia Day celebrations, but for many Indigenous Australians, January 26 is a day of mourning, marking the start of colonisation and the beginning of atrocities that would be inflicted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
A change.org petition titled - "Triple J: Change the date of the Hottest 100" has already been signed by almost 300 people.
"We recognise that it isn’t within the power of Triple J to change this date; however, it is capable of using their broadcast to make a statement of solidarity with the experience of those whose countries were colonised," the petition reads.
"I've listened to the Hottest 100 every year for the past 16 years. It's sickening to think that this day of joy and music coincides with one of the darkest days in Australian history. This is not something that Triple J should be promoting," one signatory wrote.
Today, after Pedestrian.TV published reports that senior management at Triple J is considering changing the date, the hashtag #ChangeTheDate, started trending on Twitter.
C'mon @triplej do the right thing and #changethedate https://t.co/gTi31IL4WW
Now to make it 'the lucky country' for EVERYONE #respect #peace #careforcountry #changethedate #NoRoomForRacism https://t.co/aJFnXlIvD2
Triple J is a vocal supporter of several Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander causes. Last year, it signed a partnership with AIME, the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, a program that supports Indigenous children through high school and university.
Aboriginal rapper Birdz, who receives regular airplay on Triple J, told BuzzFeed News that while changing the date of the Hottest 100 would be merely symbolic it would send a good message.
"I think symbolic is good. You need symbolic. It only carries weight though if it's followed up on and buttressed by solid good action with the community," Birdz said.
"It would be a great move [to change the date] to show solidarity and would help the growing relationship with the Aboriginal community."
BuzzFeed News has contacted Triple J for comment.
