Top 30 Songs for March 13-19, 2022

Another week, another new #1 song, as there are so many great ones to choose from right now. Mitski‘s exuberant dance-pop gem “The Only Heartbreaker” takes over the top spot on my latest Weekly Top 30. From her latest album Laurel Hell, the brilliant track was co-written by Semisonic frontman Dan Wilson, marking the first time she’s ever teamed up with another songwriter. She told Apple Music that her collaboration with Wilson came about because she’d been struggling with the track for ages: “I was just sitting on it forever. I have so many iterations of it. Nothing felt right. He helped me solve so many of the problems and kind of lead me out of the labyrinth of it. And yeah, I’m really glad that I took that chance with him.

Mitski wrote most of the songs for Laurel Hell in 2018 before finishing the album during the covid lockdowns, and she struggled to find a coherent theme for the overall album. In an interview for Rolling Stone, she explained: “This album has been a punk record at some point, and a country record. Then, after a while, it was like, ‘I need to dance.’ Even though the lyrics [for ‘The Only Heartbreaker’] might be depressing, I need something peppy to get me through this.” For the recording of the song, she programmed synths and keyboards and her longtime producer Patrick Hyland played guitar and percussion.

Holding at #3 and #4 are “One and the Same” by British alternative psychedelic rock band Future Theory, which features some of the most stunning guitar work I’ve heard recently, and the sexy “Chapstick” by Nashville pop-rock band COIN. And speaking of stunning guitars, Two Feet‘s sultry “Caviar” jumps five spots to #5. Entering the top 10 are songs by three acts I’m particularly fond of: “Head in the Clouds” by Australian soul-funk band Thunder Fox, “Just Like Always” by British alt-rock band Oli Barton & the Movement, and “Redchurch Street Blues” by London singer-songwriter extraordinaire Philip Morgan Lewis.

Four gorgeous new songs make their debut this week at #s 27-30: “I Love You” by Fontaines D.C., “Deception” by British producer/composer Noodle Beard, featuring breathtaking vocals by Hannah Reem, “Sleep” by talented and charismatic Brooklyn four-piece Gooseberry, and “Chasing Trains” by British artist HULLAH. I learned about Noodle Beard/Hannah Reem and HULLAH a week ago when I heard their wonderful songs as a guest moderator of Fresh On The Net.

  1. THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (5)
  2. TWO CAR FAMILY – Apollo Junction (1)
  3. ONE AND THE SAME – Future Theory (3)
  4. CHAPSTICK – COIN (4)
  5. CAVIAR – Two Feet (10)
  6. THE HARDEST CUT – Spoon (2)
  7. OH MY GOD – Adele (9)
  8. HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (11)
  9. JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement & Maella (12)
  10. REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (13)
  11. I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (14)
  12. BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (15)
  13. B-SIDE – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (16)
  14. WAKE ME UP – Foals (6)
  15. I SEE THE SUN – Solar Eyes (7)
  16. SOMETHING FROM NOTHING/POINTS OF LIGHT – Secret Postal Society (17)
  17. LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (19)
  18. THE OUTSIDE – twenty øne piløts (8)
  19. GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (20)
  20. WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (21)
  21. BLACK SUMMER – Red Hot Chili Peppers (22)
  22. IF YOU EVER LEAVE, I’M COMING WITH YOU – The Wombats (25)
  23. LOVE BRAND NEW – Bob Moses (26)
  24. BROKEN HORSES – Brandi Carlisle (27)
  25. ONCE TWICE MELODY – Beach House (28)
  26. CHEER UP BABY – Inhaler (30)
  27. I LOVE YOU – Fontaines D.C. (N)
  28. DECEPTION – Noodle Beard featuring Hannah Reem (N)
  29. SLEEP – Gooseberry (N)
  30. CHASING TRAINS – HULLAH (N)

Top 30 Songs for March 6-12, 2022

After a long, steady climb, the wonderfully ebullient “Two Car Family” by Leeds five-piece Apollo Junction has reached the pinnacle of my Weekly Top 30. The song is from their latest album All In, which is so full of great songs, I could just as easily have chosen some of its other tracks to place at the top of my list. I love their melodic, high-energy brand of electro pop-rock, and so do thousands of adoring fans. I’m so happy to see their star continue to rise.

In other major chart developments this week, the captivating song of unrequited love “Caviar”, by my favorite artist Two Feet, leaps 10 spots to #10. I love the sultry vibe and gorgeous Latin-flavored guitars. Counting both his solo tracks and collaborations with SubUrban and grandson, Two Feet has continuously had a song on my Weekly Top 30 every single week since early November of 2020! Portugal. The Man‘s “What Me Worry?” and the Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ “Black Summer” both climb six spots to #21 and #22, respectively. Finally, there’s so much great new music out now, I wanted to add at least eight new tracks this week. But that would have required dropping eight from my list, which I just could not do. So, I had to settle for only three stellar new additions: “Broken Horses” by Brandi Carlisle, “Once Twice Melody” by Beach House, and “Cheer Up Baby” by Inhaler.

  1. TWO CAR FAMILY – Apollo Junction (3)
  2. THE HARDEST CUT – Spoon (1)
  3. ONE AND THE SAME – Future Theory (4)
  4. CHAPSTICK – COIN (6)
  5. THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (8)
  6. WAKE ME UP – Foals (5)
  7. I SEE THE SUN – Solar Eyes (2)
  8. THE OUTSIDE – twenty øne piløts (7)
  9. OH MY GOD – Adele (10)
  10. CAVIAR – Two Feet (20)
  11. HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (11)
  12. JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement & Maella (13)
  13. REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (14)
  14. I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (16)
  15. BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (17)
  16. B-SIDE – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (19)
  17. SOMETHING FROM NOTHING/POINTS OF LIGHT – Secret Postal Society (18)
  18. MAGNIFICENT HURT – Elvis Costello & the Imposters (15)
  19. LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (21)
  20. GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (22)
  21. WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (27)
  22. BLACK SUMMER – Red Hot Chili Peppers (28)
  23. STARTS WITH YOU – Shimmer Johnson (9) 19th week on chart
  24. CRUTCH – Band of Horses (12)
  25. IF YOU EVER LEAVE, I’M COMING WITH YOU – The Wombats (26)
  26. LOVE BRAND NEW – Bob Moses (29)
  27. BROKEN HORSES – Brandi Carlisle (N)
  28. ONCE TWICE MELODY – Beach House (N)
  29. WON’T STAND DOWN – Muse (30)
  30. CHEER UP BABY – Inhaler (N)

Top 30 Songs for February 27-March 5, 2022

Though they’ve been around since the mid 1990s, I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I didn’t come to fully appreciate the music of Spoon until 2017, with the release of their fantastic album Hot Thoughts. I love their distinctive sound that incorporates elements of rock’n’roll, art rock, post-punk revival and experimental rock, not to mention the raspy vocals of frontman Britt Daniel, who at 50 is still going strong. The Austin-based rock band’s gnarly stomper “The Hardest Cut” has been around awhile, and finally reaches the top of my Weekly Top 30. The song is from their 10th and latest album Lucifer on the Sofa, which was written by Daniel during lockdown.

Adele’s “Oh My God” enters the top 10, and both “B-Side” by Khruangbin & Leon Bridges and “Caviar” by Two Feet leap eight spots to #19 and #20, respectively. Three new songs debut this week: “Black Summer” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Love Brand New” by Bob Moses, and “Won’t Stand Down” by Muse. Though I really like Muse, most of their songs take a while to grow on me. I often dislike them upon the first few listens, but almost always end up liking or even loving them, and “Won’t Stand Down” is no exception.

  1. THE HARDEST CUT – Spoon (2)
  2. I SEE THE SUN – Solar Eyes (1)
  3. TWO CAR FAMILY – Apollo Junction (4)
  4. ONE AND THE SAME – Future Theory (6)
  5. WAKE ME UP – Foals (7)
  6. CHAPSTICK – COIN (8)
  7. THE OUTSIDE – twenty øne piløts (9)
  8. THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (10)
  9. STARTS WITH YOU – Shimmer Johnson (3)
  10. OH MY GOD – Adele (14)
  11. HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (13)
  12. CRUTCH – Band of Horses (5)
  13. JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement & Maella (15)
  14. REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (16)
  15. MAGNIFICENT HURT – Elvis Costello & The Imposters (17)
  16. I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (22)
  17. BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (20)
  18. SOMETHING FROM NOTHING/POINTS OF LIGHT – Secret Postal Society (21)
  19. B-SIDE – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (27)
  20. CAVIAR – Two Feet (28)
  21. LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (24)
  22. GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (26)
  23. TIME IN DISGUISE – Kings of Leon (11)
  24. GOOD FRIEND – dwi (12)
  25. I DON’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE – The War On Drugs feat. Lucius (18)
  26. IF YOU EVER LEAVE, I’M COMING WITH YOU – The Wombats (29)
  27. WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (30)
  28. BLACK SUMMER – Red Hot Chili Peppers (N)
  29. LOVE BRAND NEW – Bob Moses (N)
  30. WON’T STAND DOWN – Muse (N)

Top 30 Songs for February 20-26, 2022

British psychedelic pop/rock band Solar Eyes retain a firm grip on the top spot on my latest Weekly Top 30 for a second week with their beautiful track “I See the Sun“, and Spoon’s “The Hardest Cut” slides up to #2. Entering the top 10 are twenty øne piløts’ “The Outside” and Mitski’s “The Only Heartbreaker”. Sometimes it takes a while for a song to really grow on me, and after a slow start, Adele’s “Oh My God” leaps 10 spots to #14. Four great songs by artists I love make their debut this week: “B-Side” by Khruangbin & Leon Bridges, “Caviar” by Two Feet, “If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You” by The Wombats, and “What, Me Worry?” by Portugal. The Man.

  1. I SEE THE SUN – Solar Eyes (1)
  2. THE HARDEST CUT – Spoon (3)
  3. STARTS WITH YOU – Shimmer Johnson (2)
  4. TWO CAR FAMILY – Apollo Junction (5)
  5. CRUTCH – Band of Horses (4)
  6. ONE AND THE SAME – Future Theory (8)
  7. WAKE ME UP – Foals (9)
  8. CHAPSTICK – COIN (10)
  9. THE OUTSIDE – twenty øne piløts (11)
  10. THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (12)
  11. TIME IN DISGUISE – Kings of Leon (6)
  12. GOOD FRIEND – dwi (7)
  13. HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (15)
  14. OH MY GOD – Adele (24)
  15. JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement & Maella (18)
  16. REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (19)
  17. MAGNIFICENT HURT – Elvis Costello & The Imposters (20)
  18. I DON’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE – The War on Drugs feat. Lucius (13)
  19. UNTIL I COME HOME – Two Feet & grandson (14)
  20. BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (26)
  21. SOMETHING FROM NOTHING/POINTS OF LIGHT – Secret Postal Society (27)
  22. I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (29)
  23. LEFT BEHIND – a million rich daughters (16)
  24. LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (28)
  25. U&ME – alt-J (22)
  26. GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (30)
  27. B-SIDE – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (N)
  28. CAVIAR – Two Feet (N)
  29. IF YOU EVER LEAVE, I’M COMING WITH YOU – The Wombats (N)
  30. WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (N)

Top 30 Songs for February 13-19, 2022

There’s lots of movement on this week’s Top 30. One of the downsides of curating a weekly list is that all songs must eventually move down, then off. I hate dropping songs I still like, but it must be done in order to make way for new ones on their way up. I’ve loved the music of British psychedelic pop/rock band Solar Eyes since first learning about them last summer, and have written about two of their singles, “Naked Monkey on a Spaceship” and “I See the Sun”. Inspired by the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, “I See the Sun” is a glorious cinematic gem, highlighted by gorgeous spaghetti western-style guitars that would make Ennio Morricone proud. The stunning song takes over the #1 spot on my Weekly Top 30.

Spoon’s “The Hardest Cut” climbs three spots to #3, British band Apollo Junction’s “Two Car Family” moves up two spots to #5, and three songs enter the top 10: “One and the Same” by British alternative psychedelic rock band Future Theory, “Wake Me Up” by British alt-rock band Foals, and “Chapstick” by Nashville pop-rock band COIN. After a sluggish few weeks, twenty øne piløts’ “The Outside” and Mitski’s “The Only Heartbreaker” leap eight spots to #11 and #12, respectively. Debuting this week are “I’ll Call You Mine” by girl in red and “Give a Little Lovin’” by Jamie Alimorad, which enter at #29 and #30.

  1. I SEE THE SUN – Solar Eyes (2)
  2. STARTS WITH YOU – Shimmer Johnson (1)
  3. THE HARDEST CUT – Spoon (6)
  4. CRUTCH – Band of Horses (3)
  5. TWO CAR FAMILY – Apollo Junction (7)
  6. TIME IN DISGUISE – Kings of Leon (4)
  7. GOOD FRIEND – dwi (5)
  8. ONE AND THE SAME – Future Theory (13)
  9. WAKE ME UP – Foals (14)
  10. CHAPSTICK – COIN (17)
  11. THE OUTSIDE – twenty øne piløts (19)
  12. THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (20)
  13. I DON’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE – The War on Drugs feat. Lucius (8)
  14. UNTIL I COME HOME – Two Feet & grandson (16)
  15. HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (18)
  16. LEFT BEHIND – a million rich daughters (9)
  17. SMILE – Wolf Alice (10)
  18. JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement & Maella (22)
  19. REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (23)
  20. MAGNIFICENT HURT – Elvis Costello & The Imposters (24)
  21. THE TIPPING POINT – Tears for Fears (11)
  22. U&ME – alt-J (12)
  23. JOURNEYMAN’S BALLET – Sam Rappaport (15)
  24. OH MY GOD – Adele (26)
  25. INDUSTRY BABY – Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow (21)
  26. BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (28)
  27. SOMETHING FROM NOTHING/POINTS OF LIGHT – Secret Postal Society (29)
  28. LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (30)
  29. I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (N)
  30. GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (N)

Top 30 Songs for February 6-12, 2022

I’m a long-time fan of disco and dance music of all kinds, so it’s a given I’d love the sleek earworm “Starts With You” by Canadian born, and now L.A.-based, singer-songwriter Shimmer Johnson. The song is actually a departure from her more typical adult contemporary style and repertoire of heartfelt ballads, and I love the sultry dance groove and funky Nile Rodgers-style guitar. After a long, steady climb, the song has finally landed atop my Weekly Top 30.

Sliding into second place is the spaghetti western-esque stunner “I See the Sun” by British psychedelic pop/rock band Solar Eyes. Entering the top 10 is Spoon’s rousing and gnarly “The Hardest Cut”, which jumps five spots to #6. And like last week, I wanted to add at least five new songs to this week’s list, but that would require eliminating five songs, which I could not do. Thus, the lone debut this week is Foo Fighters’ “Love Dies Young”, which I probably should have added to my list weeks ago.

  1. STARTS WITH YOU – Shimmer Johnson (4)
  2. I SEE THE SUN – Solar Eyes (5)
  3. CRUTCH – Band of Horses (1)
  4. TIME IN DISGUISE – Kings of Leon (2)
  5. GOOD FRIEND – dwi (3)
  6. THE HARDEST CUT – Spoon (11)
  7. TWO CAR FAMILY – Apollo Junction (8)
  8. I DON’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE – The War on Drugs feat. Lucius (6)
  9. LEFT BEHIND – a million rich daughters (9)
  10. SMILE – Wolf Alice (10)
  11. THE TIPPING POINT – Tears for Fears (7)
  12. U&ME – alt-J (13)
  13. ONE AND THE SAME – Future Theory (14)
  14. WAKE ME UP – Foals (16)
  15. JOURNEYMAN’S BALLET – Sam Rappaport (12)
  16. UNTIL I COME HOME – Two Feet & grandson (18)
  17. CHAPSTICK – COIN (19)
  18. HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (20)
  19. THE OUTSIDE – twenty øne piløts (21)
  20. THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (22)
  21. INDUSTRY BABY – Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow (23)
  22. JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement & Maella (24)
  23. REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (25)
  24. MAGNIFICENT HURT – Elvis Costello & The Imposters (26)
  25. LOVE LOVE LOVE – My Morning Jacket (15)
  26. OH MY GOD – Adele (27)
  27. I DON’T WANNA TALK (I JUST WANNA DANCE) – Glass Animals (17)
  28. BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (29)
  29. SOMETHING FROM NOTHING/POINTS OF LIGHT – Secret Postal Society (30)
  30. LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (N)

Top 30 Songs for October 17-23, 2021

Los Angeles-based Lord Huron have become one of my favorite bands over the past year, and I think their gorgeous album Long Lost is one of the very best of 2021. “Mine Forever”, the second single to be released from the album, is my new #1 song this week. It’s their second song to top my chart this year, the first being “Not Dead Yet”, the first single from Long Lost.

Entering the Top 10 this week are “Never Looked Back” by British band The Zangwills, and “Distorted Light Beam” by Bastille. Continuing their climb up the charts are “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)” by the Glass Animals and “Bitter Taste” by the legendary Billy Idol, both leaping seven spots. The lone debut this week is “Beggin'” by Italian rock band Måneskin, entering the chart at #30, and giving them two songs on this list (the other is “I Wanna Be Your Slave”, at #14).

  1. MINE FOREVER – Lord Huron (2)
  2. TRANSPARENTSOUL – WILLOW featuring Travis Barker (1)
  3. WRECKED – Imagine Dragons (4)
  4. THE ANGEL OF 8TH AVE. – Gang of Youths (5)
  5. SATURDAY – twenty øne piløts (3)
  6. TAKE THE L – Roadkeeper (8)
  7. NEVER LOOKED BACK – The Zangwills (11)
  8. BAD DREAM – Cannons (7)
  9. WHAT YOU SAY – Cold War Kids (10)
  10. DISTORTED LIGHT BEAM – Bastille (14)
  11. BE A WOMAN – DeLaurentis (6)
  12. MISSING PIECE – Vance Joy (9)
  13. CAN YOU HANDLE MY LOVE?? – WALK THE MOON (15)
  14. I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE – Måneskin (13)
  15. I DON’T WANNA TALK (I JUST WANNA DANCE) – Glass Animals (22)
  16. BITTER TASTE – Billy Idol (23)
  17. NDA – Billie Eilish (20)
  18. HUSH – The Marías (21)
  19. STARGAZING – The Neighbourhood (12)
  20. FREAKS – Surf Curse (24)
  21. DEVIL – Two Feet (19)
  22. TALK TO ME – Bealby Point (25)
  23. COLORADO – Milky Chance (28)
  24. PIGS IN THE SKY – Grabbitz (26)
  25. HOW NOT TO START A FIGHT – Caitlin Lavagna (27)
  26. TAKE MY MONEY – Ships Have Sailed (16)
  27. LAST TRAIN HOME – John Mayer (17)
  28. MAKING A FIRE – Foo Fighters (18)
  29. SURVIVOR – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (30)
  30. BEGGIN’ – Måneskin (N)

Top 30 Songs for October 10-16, 2021

Willow Smith and Travis Barker’s bombastic “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l” stays on top of my Weekly Top 30 for a second week, with Lord Huron’s gorgeous “Mine Forever” knocking on the back door. Cold War Kids enter the top 10 with their rousing “What You Say”, and British band The Zangwills anthemic “Never Looked Back” continues it’s climb up the chart to #11. Glass Animals leap eight spots to #22 with their delightful “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)”, while Billy Idol’s “Bitter Taste” jumps five spots to #23. It’s taken me a while to get into Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats’ latest single “Survivor”, which debuts at #30.

  1. TRANSPARENTSOUL – WILLOW featuring Travis Barker (1)
  2. MINE FOREVER – Lord Huron (3)
  3. SATURDAY – twenty øne piløts (2)
  4. WRECKED – Imagine Dragons (4)
  5. THE ANGEL OF 8TH AVE. – Gang of Youths (5)
  6. BE A WOMAN – DeLaurentis (8)
  7. BAD DREAM – Cannons (9)
  8. TAKE THE L – Roadkeeper (10)
  9. MISSING PIECE – Vance Joy (6)
  10. WHAT YOU SAY – Cold War Kids (12)
  11. NEVER LOOKED BACK – The Zangwills (16)
  12. STARGAZING – The Neighbourhood (7)
  13. I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE – Måneskin (13)
  14. DISTORTED LIGHT BEAM – Bastille (19)
  15. CAN YOU HANDLE MY LOVE?? – WALK THE MOON (18)
  16. TAKE MY MONEY – Ships Have Sailed (15)
  17. LAST TRAIN HOME – John Mayer (11)
  18. MAKING A FIRE – Foo Fighters (17)
  19. DEVIL – Two Feet (14)
  20. NDA – Billie Eilish (20)
  21. HUSH – The Marías (21)
  22. I DON’T WANNA TALK (I JUST WANNA DANCE) – Glass Animals (30)
  23. BITTER TASTE – Billy Idol (28)
  24. FREAKS – Surf Curse (24)
  25. TALK TO ME – Bealby Point (25)
  26. PIGS IN THE SKY – Grabbitz (26)
  27. HOW NOT TO START A FIGHT – Caitlin Lavagna (27)
  28. COLORADO – Milky Chance (29)
  29. MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X (22)
  30. SURVIVOR – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (N)

Top 30 Songs for October 3-9, 2021

I just love “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l”, wherein 20-year-old WILLOW (the daughter of actors Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, for those who don’t already know) goes off on fake and duplicitous people with scathing lyrics, raging guitars and the pummeling drumbeats of Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. The lead single from her fourth solo studio album Lately I Feel Everything, it’s my new #1 song this week, displacing twenty øne piløts’ “Saturday”, which falls to #2. Entering the top 10 is “Take the L” by Texas alt-rock band Roadkeeper, one of my favorite indie bands who’ve become regulars on my Weekly Top 30. “Take the L” is their fourth song to appear on my list, all of which have made the top 10. Two songs make their debut this week: “Colorado” by German alternative pop-rock band Milky Chance, and the delightful “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)” by British electro psych-pop band Glass Animals.

  1. TRANSPARENTSOUL – WILLOW featuring Travis Barker (2)
  2. SATURDAY – twenty øne piløts (1)
  3. MINE FOREVER – Lord Huron (3)
  4. WRECKED – Imagine Dragons (6)
  5. THE ANGEL OF 8TH AVE. – Gang of Youths (8)
  6. MISSING PIECE – Vance Joy (5)
  7. STARGAZING – The Neighbourhood (4)
  8. BE A WOMAN – DeLaurentis (9)
  9. BAD DREAM – Cannons (10)
  10. TAKE THE L – Roadkeeper (12)
  11. LAST TRAIN HOME – John Mayer (7)
  12. WHAT YOU SAY – Cold War Kids (13)
  13. I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE – Måneskin (16)
  14. DEVIL – Two Feet (11)
  15. TAKE MY MONEY – Ships Have Sailed (17)
  16. NEVER LOOKED BACK – The Zangwills (21)
  17. MAKING A FIRE – Foo Fighters (18)
  18. CAN YOU HANDLE MY LOVE?? – WALK THE MOON (19)
  19. DISTORTED LIGHT BEAM – Bastille (20)
  20. NDA – Billie Eilish (22)
  21. HUSH – The Marías (23)
  22. MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X (15)
  23. STOP MAKING THIS HURT – Bleachers (14)
  24. FREAKS – Surf Curse (26)
  25. TALK TO ME – Bealby Point (27)
  26. PIGS IN THE SKY – Grabbitz (28)
  27. HOW NOT TO START A FIGHT – Caitlin Lavagna (29)
  28. BITTER TASTE – Billy Idol (30)
  29. COLORADO – Milky Chance (N)
  30. I DON’T WANNA TALK (I JUST WANNA DANCE) – Glass Animals (N)

Top 30 Songs for September 26-October 2, 2021

Not a lot of changes on this week’s Top 30. twenty øne piløts hold the top spot for a second week with “Saturday”, while Willow Smith’s rousing kiss-off anthem “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l”, closes in at #2 and Lord Huron’s “Mine Forever” climbs two spots to #3. Two songs enter the top 10: “Gang of Youth’s “the angel of 8th ave.” and Cannons’ “Bad Dream”. The lone debut track this week is “Bitter Taste”, a comeback of sorts for 65-year-old Billy Idol. It’s good to have him back on one of my music lists after a long absence. The autobiographical song addresses his near-fatal motorcycle accident in 1990, in which he nearly lost his right leg.

  1. SATURDAY – twenty øne piløts (1)
  2. TRANSPARENT SOUL – WILLOW featuring Travis Barker (4)
  3. MINE FOREVER – Lord Huron (5)
  4. STARGAZING – The Neighbourhood (2)
  5. MISSING PIECE – Vance Joy (3)
  6. WRECKED – Imagine Dragons (8)
  7. LAST TRAIN HOME – John Mayer (6)
  8. THE ANGEL OF 8TH AVE. – Gang of Youths (11)
  9. BE A WOMAN – DeLaurentis (10)
  10. BAD DREAM – Cannons (12)
  11. DEVIL – Two Feet (7)
  12. TAKE THE L – Roadkeeper (14)
  13. WHAT YOU SAY – Cold War Kids (13)
  14. STOP MAKING THIS HURT – Bleachers (9)
  15. MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X (16)
  16. I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE – Måneskin (18)
  17. TAKE MY MONEY – Ships Have Sailed (19)
  18. MAKING A FIRE – Foo Fighters (20)
  19. CAN YOU HANDLE MY LOVE?? – WALK THE MOON (21)
  20. DISTORTED LIGHT BEAM – Bastille (22)
  21. NEVER LOOKED BACK – The Zangwills (25)
  22. NDA – Billie Eilish (23)
  23. HUSH – The Marías (24)
  24. ENNUI – Dawning (15)
  25. LIKE I USED TO – Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen (17)
  26. FREAKS – Surf Curse (27)
  27. TALK TO ME – Bealby Point (28)
  28. PIGS IN THE SKY – Grabbitz (29)
  29. HOW NOT TO START A FIGHT – Caitlin Lavagna (30)
  30. BITTER TASTE – Billy Idol (N)