As I curate my Top 30 chart each week – which essentially reflects my favorite songs at that moment in time – I cannot deny that my choices are influenced to some degree by what’s happening on other “official” music charts. Sometimes a song comes along that’s either so good or has such strong crossover appeal that it tops nearly every major chart. But more often than not, totally different songs top each of the various charts, with virtually no overlap. Case in point is this week, where the mediocre “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey has inexplicably spent 13 weeks and counting at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “The Emptiness Machine” by the reconstituted rock band Linkin Park is #1 on the Mainstream Rock and Alternative Airplay charts, and “Up All Night”, a collaboration between James Bay, The Lumineers and Noah Kahan, is #1 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart. None of these three songs appears on the other mentioned charts.

I’m not quite sure what the point of that discussion is, other than to provide a bit of context, but my new favorite song this week is “That’s How I’m Feeling” by Jack White, which does currently occupy a spot in the top 10 of most alternative and rock charts. The boisterous rocker was the lead single from his sixth studio album released as a solo artist, No Name, which dropped this past July. Many music critics and fans have praised the album and song, calling it a return to his blues and garage roots and favorably comparing it to his music with the White Stripes. It’s probably my favorite song by White as a solo artist.

In other chart highlights, “Peaceful Place” by Leon Bridges climbs six spots to #4, and the ethereal and dreamy “Into Gold” by London Grammar moves up four spots to enter the top 10 at #10. The aforementioned “Up All Night” jumps seven spots to #18, making it the biggest upward mover this week. Three songs make their debut, the first of which, entering at #25, is “The Lighthouse”, a powerful song of both anger and hope by legendary singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks, who’s still going strong at 76. (I saw her in concert last December, which you can read about here.) She performed the song last night on Saturday Night Live, her first appearance on the long-running show in 41 years.

Inspired by the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022, Nicks co-wrote the song with Magnus Birgersson and Vincent Villuis. The track was co-produced by Nicks, Sheryl Crow (who plays electric guitar and bass and sings backing vocals), and famed producer Chris Cobb (who’s worked with Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga, John Prine, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, The Highwomen, Take That, Rival Sons, and many more), who also played guitar. The song begins rather tentatively, and Nicks’ vocals sound quite different in the verses; at first listen I thought they might be by another singer, but she sounds like her usual self in the anthemic choruses.

The second debut, entering at #29, is “The Emptiness Machine” by Linkin Park. I was resistant to the song at first, as I had mixed feelings about the legendary band taking on a new female co-lead singer, resulting in a major change to their style and sound. But after reading through scores of comments on the YouTube video for the song, I came to realize I was the one who was being closed-minded. The song, which quickly shot to #1 on the Rock and Alternative charts, has since grown on me. Coming in at #30 is “Nobody’s Soldier” by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier, whose previous single “Too Sweet” has become one of the biggest hits of the year. His latest single is more fast-paced and harder-driven than his usual style. I like it!

1. THAT’S HOW I’M FEELING – Jack White (4)
2. MESSY – Lola Young (1)
3. RAINBOW – Cage the Elephant (2)
4. PEACEFUL PLACE – Leon Bridges (10)
5. STARGAZING – Myles Smith (6)
6. BIRDS OF A FEATHER – Billie Eilish (7)
7. GOOD LUCK, BABE! – Chappell Roan (8)
8. ESPRESSO – Sabrina Carpenter (3)
9. YOU JUST PLAYED MY MIND – Oli Barton (9)
10. INTO GOLD – London Grammar (14)
11. DEATH VALLEY HIGH – Orville Peck & Beck (15)
12. THE DOOR – Teddy Swims (16)
13. LIKE YOU DO – Talk in Waves (5) 19th week on chart
14. WAR – Healer (12)
15. FAVOURITE – Fontaines D.C. (18)
16. HONEY – Mr Bewlay (13)
17. BIG CAT TATTOOS – Hamish Hawk (19)
18. UP ALL NIGHT – James Bay, The Lumineers & Noah Kahan (25)
19. LOST IN SPACE – Foster the People (11)
20. HOLOGRAM – Raker (22)
21. GARMONBOZIA – Flying Lotus (23)
22. CAN’T SLOW DOWN – almost monday (24)
23. DIE WITH A SMILE – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (28)
24. THE CRAVING – twenty one pilots (17)
25. THE LIGHTHOUSE – Stevie Nicks (N)
26. HARDCORE ROMANCE – Beach Weather (29)
27. BOTHERING ME – Sarah Blasko (30)
28. PERMANENT RECORD – GG Fearn (20)
29. THE EMPTINESS MACHINE – Linkin Park (N)
30. NOBODY’S SOLDIER – Hozier (N)