Fremantle's global psychedelic music star Tame Impala has launched a brilliantly bizarre campaign to rally votes for the upcoming Triple J Hottest 100, resorting to comedic hostage tactics on social media.
A Desperate (and Funny) Plea from Perth's Prodigy
In a video shared to his Instagram story, the artist, whose real name is Kevin Parker, staged an elaborate and humorous scene. The clip features a younger Parker being "kidnapped" and transported to a warehouse. There, he finds his band members bound and gagged with duct tape over their mouths.
The drama escalates as Parker himself is strapped to the floor, with a menacing laser device pointed directly at him. He captioned the video with the tongue-in-cheek warning: "Me if you don't vote for dracula for triple j's hottest 100..".
In a follow-up post, he shared a photo of what appears to be Tame Impala touring member Jay Watson, also silenced with duct tape, accompanied by the simple but urgent caption: "seriously guys ...".
The Song Behind the Stunt
The object of this theatrical plea is 'Dracula', the third single released from Tame Impala's fifth studio album, 'Deadbeat', in September last year. The track has proven to be a massive hit, amassing over 179 million streams on Spotify and positioning itself as a frontrunner for the annual music countdown.
Parker concluded his Instagram series by switching to a sincere tone, thanking fans with an "all jokes aside" message and providing a direct link to the Triple J voting platform.
The Stakes for Australia's Biggest Musical Vote
The competition for the number one spot in the 2026 Triple J Hottest 100 is fierce. 'Dracula' faces strong contenders including Olivia Dean's 'Man I Need', Peking Duk's Keli Holiday with 'Dancing2', Perth's own Spacey Jane with 'Whateverrr', and RAYE's 'WHERE IS MY HUSBAND'.
A victory would mark Tame Impala's second triumph in the prestigious poll. Parker previously clinched the monumental Hottest 100 of the Decade for the 2010s with his era-defining hit 'The Less I Know The Better', which boasts over 2.2 billion streams on Spotify.
The fate of Parker and his laser-threatened bandmates will be revealed when the Triple J Hottest 100 for 2026 is broadcast on January 24.
