The Hottest 100 will not be held on Australia Day next year, triple j says, with the station acknowledging the "increasing debate" about January 26 and its meaning for Indigenous Australians.

Key points: Triple J wants to distance the countdown from Australia Day

Triple J wants to distance the countdown from Australia Day Two surveys showed majority of audience backed date change

Two surveys showed majority of audience backed date change Station announced in 2016 that the date was under review

Next year's countdown will instead be held on Saturday January 27, with the songs that just missed out — places 101 to 200 — being played on the Sunday.

In 2016, the station said it would be reviewing the tradition of holding the countdown on Australia Day, adding it was "heavily involved in the growing dialogue around Indigenous recognition and perspectives on 26 January".

Since then, the station has been consulting broadly with members of the public, the music industry and Indigenous groups about whether a date-change is necessary.

"In recent years the Hottest 100 has become a symbol in the debate about Australia Day," the station said on its website on Monday.

"The Hottest 100 wasn't created as an Australia Day celebration.

"It was created to celebrate your favourite songs of the past year.

"It should be an event that everyone can enjoy together — for both the musicians whose songs make it in and for everyone listening in Australia and around the world."

Ollie Wards, triple j's content director, said it was a "hugely complex" decision and that many people had different views.

"We hope we've made as many people as happy as we can," he said.

The station said the count would also be on the fourth weekend in January in 2019 — when Australia Day happens to fall on the Saturday.

Wards denied the station was "hedging its bets" and that for now it was focusing on 2018 Hottest 100.

Indigenous songwriter Dan Sultan welcomed the announcement.

"To have it on a day that essentially celebrates genocide is disgusting and it's embarrassing," he told the ABC.

"And for me, as an Indigenous person, it's hurtful and it's harmful."

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said he was "bewildered" by the decision.

"The ABC shouldn't be buying into this debate," he said in a statement.

"Australia Day is our national day. The ABC should honour it and not mess with the Hottest 100."

Survey results backed a change of date

The station, which has been regularly holding the countdown on the public holiday since the 1990s, said it had 65,000 responses to a survey it posted earlier this year seeking the audience's perspective.

"We learnt that the majority of you (60 per cent) were in favour of moving the Hottest 100 to a different date," triple j said.

A second survey also returned a majority in favour of a date change.

The results of both surveys were analysed by an independent company, the station said.

"For those that don't want the date to move, we have heard you," triple j said.

"We've listened closely to how all of you felt about the Hottest 100 and responded with what's the right choice, right now, that reflects the variety of complicated views."

January 26 an 'apprehensive day' for Indigenous people

The decision comes in the wake of councils around the country deciding not to hold citizenship ceremonies, or formal celebrations, on January 26 next year, moves that have prompted much debate.

During last year's countdown, when their impassioned song January 26 came in at number 16, Indigenous hip-hop act A.B. Original talked about the significance of moving Australia Day celebrations to another date.

"Australia Day is a very apprehensive day — and that's putting it mildly — for the Indigenous people of our country," Briggs, one half of the duo, told triple j.

Briggs's response to the announcement on Monday was brief:

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But he followed it with a broader comment: