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30 years of triple j2005: 30 YEARS OF TRIPLE J
This year, we celebrate 30 years of triple j. Look and listen at some of the station's highlights in this special online feature!

 what is triple j? 


Good question. We're glad you asked. triple j is a radio station, but unlike any other on this planet. triple j is all about the music. That's all we're here for. New music from Australia (c'mon Aussie) and around the world. The best. The most cutting edge. The now-est sounds you'll hear anywhere. If it's new and it's cool, we can't wait to play it. Bring it on! We play it first, sometimes months before commercial radio. While they play it safe, we just play it.

Yep, triple j is non-commercial. You won't hear a single ad for anything (except of course when we plug our own shit). You see?
It really is all about the music.

We love music (I think you've figured that bit out), and with about 80 transmitters scattered across Australia, triple j can share the love better than anyone else. triple j is available to 95% of the Australian population (the other 5% don't have ears, go figure), loud and proud in beautiful FM stereo.
triple j is also streamed online, so if you're on the web, you can listen to us from wherever you are in the world.

Consequently, we don't tend to have many oldies listening. triple j is here to represent young people's musical and cultural requirements, and no-one else's.


 how it all began 


It was a hot summer's day when triple j first began broadcast on 19 January 1975 in Sydney, launching onto the airwaves, and straight into controversy by playing as its first track, the then-banned Skyhooks track 'You Just Like Me 'Cause I'm Good in Bed'. In the beginning the station was called 2JJ, and it broadcast on the AM band, which is a fossil yard now, and on 1 August 1980 the station moved to the FM band and renamed itself 2JJJ.

In 1989, triple j began the first of its re-launch campaigns, a plan to expand into all the capital cities of Australia, including Newcastle in NSW, and in so doing became Australia's only national youth broadcaster.

From there, the station expanded yet again to 18 rural centres across Australia in January 1995, the first stage in a plan to reach a total of 46 regional centres of the country. Since the end of 1996, triple j has been a truly national network, broadcasting to places such as Broken Hill, Dubbo, Grafton, Taree, Wollongong, Cairns, Rockhampton, Ballarat, Bendigo, Alice Springs, Kalgoorlie, Wagga Wagga, Mildura, Warrnambool. The list goes on and on...

Believe it or not, dozens of smaller communities have actually funded their own triple j transmitter. It makes us very proud.

 more independent news on the hour 


Real news. We have our own independant newsroom investigating issues not covered by conventional sources. triple j broadcasts its own news and information free of the usual bias. We tap into the ABC's amazing news resources to bring you accurate and honest information. Most importantly, we give you opportunities to tell the nation what you think on the big issues through daily talkback and feedback lines. We care about your opinion. We think it should be heard.

 alive and kicking 


For a lot more than a decade we've been bringing live music alive to air every week with Live at the Wireless. Don't miss the sound bytes of our
Live at the Wireless sessions every Monday night at 8pm, without fail!

As early as 1977, we began recording and releasing bands and artists on black shiny vinyl. By the time the 90s rolled round our "Live at the Wireless" compilations were already legendary.

Supporting the Australian music scene is important to us which is why we spend a lot of time recording and promoting Australian artists and live music. Check out the
triple j gig guide to catch the latest acts triple j is recording and touring around the country.

The Black Keys: Click for more live photos


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