“Murder on the Dancefloor ”, by Australian guitar-pop duo Royel Otis (comprised of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovi), is turning out to be one of my favorite songs of 2024. I can honestly listen to it on repeat, and love it more each time I hear it! It’s a marvelous cover of the 2001 hit “Murder on the Dancefloor” by British singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, which Royel Otis performed on the Australian radio station Triple J for their Like a Version program. Interestingly, the song does not appear on their debut album PRATTS & PAIN that was released in February. The two have been putting out music since 2021, and I really like their sound a lot.

The song was co-written by Ellis-Bextor and Gregg Alexander, former frontman of the band The New Radicals (who had a hit in the late 90s with “You Get What You Give”), and produced by Alexander and Matt Rowe. Ellis-Bextor’s original version gained renewed popularity earlier this year after appearing in the 2023 black comedy thriller film Saltburn, causing it to re-enter the UK Dance Singles Chart, where it reached #1. It also peaked at #3 on the US Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and #51 on the Hot 100, her first song to ever appear on that chart. The delightful version by Royel Otis currently sits at #7 on the Alternative Airplay chart, and this week takes over the top spot on my own Top 30 chart.

In other major chart developments, Maggie Rogers enters the top 10 with her poignant ballad “Don’t Forget Me”, which climbs five spots to #6. The song recently spent two weeks at #1 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart. “Creatures in Heaven” by Glass Animals jumps eight spots to #11, and “Fortnight” by Taylor Swift, featuring Post Malone, leaps 10 spots to #20, making it this week’s biggest upward mover.

Three songs make their debut this week: Entering at #28 is the infectiously pleasing “Burial Ground” by Portland, Oregon-based indie folk-rock band The Decemberists, featuring James Mercer, who’s also a member of the bands The Shins and Broken Bells. The Decemberists have been putting out music off and on since forming in 2001. “Burial Ground” is the lead single from their forthcoming ninth studio album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, to be released June 14th. I love those jangly guitars and cool horns. Next up is “Panoramic View”, the beautiful new single by L.A.-based alt-rock band AWOLNATION. Fronted by Aaron Bruno, who has a distinctive singing voice I love, the band blasted onto the music scene in 2011 with their monster hit “Sail”, one of the many great songs from their debut album Megalithic Symphony. They’ve released a total of four albums and numerous singles, several of which have appeared on my Top 30 chart. Entering at #30 is the bold and brassy “Gold”, by uber-talented Welsh-Gibraltarian singer-songwriter Caitlin Lavagna, which I reviewed last month. This is Caitlin’s third song to appear on my chart, the previous two being “How Not to Start a Fight” and “Night Bus”.

1. MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR – Royel Otis (3)
2. DILEMMA – Green Day (2)
3. OVERCOMPENSATE – twenty one pilots (4)
4. TOO SWEET – Hozier (7)
5. TIME – MISSIO (1)
6. DON’T FORGET ME – Maggie Rogers (11)
7. ICE CREAM (PAY PHONE) – Black Pumas (10)
8. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (5)
9. NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (6)
10. EVERYTHING WE NEED – Mojave Grey (9)
11. CREATURES IN HEAVEN – Glass Animals (19)
12. WANTING AND WAITING – The Black Crowes (13)
13. KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (8)
14. DARK MATTER – Pearl Jam (12)
15. CAPRICORN – Vampire Weekend (18)
16. THOUGHTS I HAVE WHILE LYING IN BED – The Maine, Beach Weather (16)
17. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT – Dead Slow Hoot (17)
18. I’VE GOT LOVING FOR YOU – Bottlecap Mountain (21)
19. MUSTANG – Kings of Leon (23)
20. FORTNIGHT – Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone (30)
21. GOOD TIMES GO – The Kid and I (22)
22. BROKEN MAN – St. Vincent (26)
23. LONELINESS – Pet Shop Boys (27)
24. FOR US ALL – Asgard Raven (28)
25. I’M IN LOVE – Jelani Aryeh (14)
26. GOOD PEOPLE – Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams (15)
27. THE GLASS – Foo Fighters (20)
28. BURIAL GROUND – The Decemberists & James Mercer (N)
29. PANORAMIC VIEW – AWOLNATION (N)
30. GOLD – Caitlin Lavagna (N)