I think Georgia-based singer-songwriter Teddy Swims (born Jaten Collin Dimsdale) is one of the finest vocalists around today. Influenced by the soul music of artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Al Green his father had introduced him to as a child, he creates powerful, highly relatable songs blending a range of genres, including soul, country, pop and alternative rock. His beautiful song “Bad Dreams”, from his second album I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2) released in January, takes over the top spot on my latest Top 30 chart.

He wrote the song after experiencing sleepless nights with recurring nightmares, but wanted it to be upbeat rather than maudlin. Inspired by his current wife, he wrote about how her love helps comfort and heal him: “Slippin into bad dreams, where there’s no you and I. No sound when I cry. I love you and I need you to set me free from all of these bad dreams.” In addition to Swims’ raw, soulful vocals, I love the sublime melody and charming ukelele played throughout. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart, #7 on the Adult Top 40 chart, and #42 on the Hot 100. It’s Swims’ second song to reach #1 on my chart, after “Lose Control” in February of last year. His single “The Door” spent two weeks at #4 in November.

In other chart news of note, “Imposter Syndrome” by English alternative rock band Fake Empire advances two spots to #3. Even though the song runs 7:45 minutes in length, those The Cure and Depeche Mode-like musical elements sound so good I don’t want it to end. Also climbing three spots are “People Watching” by English singer-songwriter Sam Fender, “Take This Heart” by Texas singer-songwriter Brian Lambert, and “Rushmere” by English folk rock band Mumford & Sons, to #s 4, 5 & 6, respectively. The beautiful “Time Waited” by American indie rock band My Morning Jacket is the biggest upward mover this week, jumping 11 spots to #14.

And for the third week in a row there are two debut songs, the first of which is “Ankles” by Virginia-born and now L.A.-based singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus. The sweet, endearing song is from her wonderful fourth album Forever Is A Feeling, which dropped this past Friday, March 28th. Dacus is also a member of supergroup boygenius, which she formed in 2018 with Phoebe Bridgers and her current life partner Julien Baker.

The second debut, entering at #30, is the boisterous garage-blues rocker “Archbishop Harold Holmes” by Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jack White. From his sixth studio album No Name, released last July (2024), the song is a critique of religious fundamentalism, particularly those who see themselves as vessels of God entrusted with saving people for their own selfish gain. According to the music website GENIUS, “The song is written in the form of a junk letter one might get in the mail from some religious organization (expressed by the opening lyrics “Dear friend. If you want to feel better, don’t let the devil make you toss this letter“). The lyrics invoke that of preaching, but are also in the style of as-seen-on-tv advertising as well as references to internet chain mail and pyramid schemes.”

1. BAD DREAMS – Teddy Swims (2)
2. SO COLD – Balu Brigada (1)
3. IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (5)
4. PEOPLE WATCHING – Sam Fender (7)
5. TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (8)
6. RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (9)
7. YOU’RE MY DRUG – Talk in Waves (3)
8. METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (10)
9. THE LINE – Twenty One Pilots (4)
10. SAILOR SONG – Gigi Perez (6)
11. SAME OLD SONG – The Lumineers (13)
12. WHO’S A FRAUD? – Still Traffico (12)
13. WITHOUT A DOUBT – Charm School (14)
14. TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (25)
15. STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights (17)
16. WALLS – Frank Joshua (18)
17. LUTHER – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (19)
18. THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (20)
19. BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (21)
20. MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (22)
21. THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely + The Horses (15)
22. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (24)
23. AFTER ALL – Darksoft (23)
24. SHE WANTS TO GO DANCING – Mt. Joy (11)
25. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (29)
26. AUTUMN LEAVES – Secret Postal Society (16) 19th week on chart
27. SNAKESKIN – NAVE (28)
28. POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (30)
29. ANKLES – Lucy Dacus (N)
30. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (N)