English folk-rock duo Seafret and Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall remain at #1 for a second week with their exuberant collaboration “Five More Seconds”, while “Ensenada”, by Southern California ska punk band Sublime, moves into second place. Entering the top 10 are “The Weather” by All Time Low, “Another Life” by Alabama Shakes and “Elegantly Wasted”, the lovely collaboration by Hermanos Gutiérrez and Leon Bridges.

It’s another big week for debuts, with four excellent new songs entering my chart. Entering at #24 is “Dracula” by Australian psychedelic pop-rock band Tame Impala, a longtime favorite act of mine headed by the brilliant singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Kevin Parker. The song is from their fifth and latest album Deadbeat, which dropped October 17th.

The second debut, entering at #28, is “So Far So Fake” by San Diego-based post-hardcore band Pierce the Veil. Formed in 2006, the band now consists of Vic Fuentes (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, programming), Jaime Preciado (bass, backing vocals) and Tony Perry (lead guitar). Loniel Robinson plays drums for live performances. The song is from their fifth album The Jaws of Life, originally released in 2023.

Coming in at #29 is “12 to 12”, the latest single by Los Angeles-based sombr (the musical moniker of 20-year-old singer-songwriter and producer Shane Michael Boose). The exciting and dynamic song is featured on his debut album I Barely Know Her, which dropped August 22nd and also includes his monster hits “back to friends” and “undressed”, both of which reached #1 on my chart. Along with “undressed”, which currently sits at #3, “12 to 12” gives sombr two songs on this week’s chart. In fact, he’s had at least one song on my chart every week since May 18th.

Last, but certainly not least, is “The Fear” by English alternative psychedelic rock band Future Theory, another longtime favorite act of mine whose music I’ve written about many times. The exceptionally talented four-piece is comprised of Max Sander (rhythm guitar and vocals), Chris Moore (lead guitar), Jacob Brookes (bass) and Rohan Parrett (drums). Their magnificent single “Why” reached #1 on my chart and ranks #18 on my 100 Best Songs of 2023 list, while their single “One and the Same” peaked at #3 and ranks #42 on my list of 100 Best Songs of 2022. “The Fear” is the latest of three outstanding singles they’ve released over the past four months.

1. FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (1)
2. ENSENADA – Sublime (3)
3. UNDRESSED – sombr (2)
4. AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (5)
5. SUSHI AND COCA-COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (8)
6. BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (4)
7. MISTAKES – Caamp (10)
8. THE WEATHER – All Time Low (11)
9. ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (16)
10. ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (15)
11. BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (6)
12. LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (7)
13. HORNETS – Western Jaguar (9)
14. WRECK – Neko Case (14)
15. DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (17)
16. EVERYBODY SCREAM – Florence + The Machine (18)
17. CITY WALLS – Twenty One Pilots (22)
18. THE FATE OF OPHELIA – Taylor Swift (23)
19. ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men (21)
20. SPECTER – Bad Omens (14)
21. ENOUGH – Jeff Tweedy (27)
22. JUPITER – almost monday feat. Jordana (12)
23. SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (13)
24. DRACULA – Tame Impala (N)
25. POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (19)
26. ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (20)
27. LINGERIE – Two Feet (30)
28. SO FAR SO FAKE – Pierce the Veil (N)
29. 12 TO 12 – sombr (N)
30. THE FEAR – Future Theory (N)