However,the ABC defended its decision by citing a listener survey that revealed more than half of triple j listeners supported the date-change. Triple j bosses also said the change was about trying to de-politicise the Hottest 100 by moving it away from a now-contentious date.

Earlier this year,it was revealed former ABC chairman Justin Milne tried to stop triple J from changing the date of its popular music countdown. Speaking on the ABC's Four Corners program,former managing director Michelle Guthrie said she resisted because she was convinced triple J had done the appropriate research and should be able to make its own programming decisions.

Voting for next year's Hottest 100 countdown opens next week,with polls closing on Tuesday,January 22.