Tag: Mumford & Sons

Top 30 Songs for March 17-23, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments
Photo by Neil Krug

My goodness, there’s so much great music out now, including numerous songs by some of my favorite major acts of the past 20 years. One of them is American rock band Cage the Elephant. Originally formed in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 2006, the band currently consists of Matt Shultz (vocals), his older brother Brad Shultz (rhythm guitar), Nick Bockrath (lead guitar), Matthan Minster (guitar, keyboards), Daniel Tichenor (bass), and Jared Champion (drums). They relocated to London in 2008, shortly before their self-titled first album was released, then later settled in Nashville, though I can’t find any dates as to when that occurred. They followed with four more albums, Thank You, Happy Birthday in 2011, Melophobia in 2013, Tell Me I’m Pretty (produced by Dan Auerbach) in 2015, and Social Cues in 2019, the latter two winning Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album.

I first learned about them in the fall of 2013 when I heard their brilliant song “Come a Little Closer”, from Melophobia, and after listening to more of their music, I became a fan. I grew even more fond of them when they followed me on Twitter (now X) in 2017. Now they’re set to release their sixth studio album Neon Pill on May 17, and its wonderful lead and title single “Neon Pill” ascends to the top of my latest Weekly Top 30.

In other notable chart developments, “My Golden Years” by The Lemon Twigs moves up a notch to #3, and “Dilemma”, by another of my long-time favorite bands Green Day, climbs six spots to #4. I’m thrilled to have a new song by yet another of my favorite acts, twenty one pilots, make its debut this week. Their latest single “Overcompensate”, their first new music in three years since their last album Scaled and Icy, enters quite high on the chart at #9. The song is the lead single from their forthcoming seventh studio album Clancy, scheduled for release May 17 (on what appears to be a big day for new album releases). It looks to be another ambitious concept album by the highly creative Columbus, Ohio-based duo.

The other debut this week, coming in at #30, is “Wanting and Waiting” by long-time Atlanta, Georgia-based blues rock band The Black Crowes, giving us three bands with ‘Black’ in their name on the same chart. The song is the lead single from their tenth studio album Happiness Bastards, their first new music since 2010.

  1. NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (2)
  2. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (1)
  3. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (4)
  4. DILEMMA – Green Day (10)
  5. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (3)
  6. THE TOWER – Future Islands (5)
  7. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (6)
  8. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (8)
  9. OVERCOMPENSATE – twenty one pilots (N)
  10. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (7)
  11. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (9)
  12. BLUSH – Vazum (15)
  13. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (16)
  14. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (17)
  15. BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport (18)
  16. KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (19)
  17. I’M IN LOVE – Jelani Aryeh (20)
  18. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (12)
  19. FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed (21)
  20. EVERYTHING WE NEED – Mojave Grey (22)
  21. ALIVE! – Bakar (11)
  22. TIME – MISSIO (29)
  23. GOOD PEOPLE – Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams (23)
  24. WATER UNDERGROUND – Real Estate (24)
  25. LANDMINES – Sum 41 (25)
  26. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (13)
  27. ICE CREAM (PAY PHONE) – Black Pumas (28)
  28. DARK MATTER – Pearl Jam (30)
  29. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (14)
  30. WANTING AND WAITING – The Black Crowes (N)

Top 30 Songs for March 10-16, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's5 Comments
Photo taken from The Black Keys Facebook page

The Black Keys maintain their firm grip on the top spot for a third week with “Beautiful People (Stay High)”, while Cage the Elephant‘s “Neon Pill” holds at #2 for a second week. “Winter Cowboy” by Frank Joshua, “My Golden Years” by The Lemon Twigs, “The Tower” by Future Islands, and “Mother Nature” by MGMT all advance one spot to #s 3, 4, 5 and 6. The biggest upward mover again this week is “Dilemma” by Green Day, leaping nine spots to #10.

Two songs make their debut this week. Entering at #29 is the deeply captivating “Time” by one of my favorite acts MISSIO. The song will be included on their monumental fifth album I AM CINCO, scheduled for release on May 3rd. And entering at #30 is “Dark Matter”, by legendary alternative grunge rock band Pearl Jam. The blistering song is the lead and title single from their forthcoming twelfth studio album Dark Matter, due for release April 19th.

  1. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (1)
  2. NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (2)
  3. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (4)
  4. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (5)
  5. THE TOWER – Future Islands (6)
  6. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (7)
  7. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (3)
  8. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (10)
  9. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (9)
  10. DILEMMA – Green Day (19)
  11. ALIVE! – Bakar (8)
  12. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (12)
  13. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (13)
  14. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (14)
  15. BLUSH – Vazum (15)
  16. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (16)
  17. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (17)
  18. BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport (20)
  19. KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (21)
  20. I’M IN LOVE – Jelani Aryeh (22)
  21. FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed (23)
  22. EVERYTHING WE NEED – Mojave Grey (24)
  23. GOOD PEOPLE – Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams (27)
  24. WATER UNDERGROUND – Real Estate (28)
  25. LANDMINES – Sum 41 (29)
  26. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (11)
  27. MEANT TO BE – Wilco (18)
  28. ICE CREAM (PAY PHONE) – Black Pumas (30)
  29. TIME – MISSIO (N)
  30. DARK MATTER – Pearl Jam (N)

Top 30 Songs for March 3-9, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's8 Comments

The Black Keys remain on top for a second week with their exuberant foot-stomper “Beautiful People (Stay High), while Cage the Elephant slide into second place with “Neon Pill”. The Lemon Twigs‘ delightful jangle pop gem “My Golden Years” climbs another five spots this week to #5, and Jack Harlow‘s “Lovin On Me” moves up a notch to enter the top 10. British singer-songwriter Bakar, who’s song “Alive!” sits at #8 this week, will be touring with Cage the Elephant and Young the Giant this summer. The biggest upward mover is “Dilemma” by Green Day, leaping 10 spots to #19.

Debuting this week are three songs that have been out for a while. The first, entering at #28, is the enchanting “Water Underground” by Brooklyn, New York-based indie rock band Real Estate, an act who’s been around since 2008 but I only recently learned about. The song is from their wonderful sixth studio album Daniel, released on February 23rd. Entering at #29 is “Landmines” by Canadian rock veterans Sum 41, a band I’ve not followed very closely. The lead single from their forthcoming eighth and final studio album Heaven :x: Hell, set for release on March 29, “Landmines” is the new #1 song on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, finally toppling Blink-182’s “ONE MORE TIME” after its 20-week run. The third new entry, at #30, is “Ice Cream (Pay Phone)”, the infectious latest single by Austin, Texas psychedelic soul band Black Pumas. The duo scored a #1 hit on my chart in December with “More Than a Love Song”. Both songs are from their second studio album Chronicles of a Diamond.

  1. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (1)
  2. NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (4)
  3. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (2)
  4. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (6)
  5. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (10)
  6. THE TOWER – Future Islands (7)
  7. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (8)
  8. ALIVE! – Bakar (9)
  9. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (5)
  10. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (11)
  11. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (4)
  12. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (14)
  13. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (15)
  14. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (16)
  15. BLUSH – Vazum (18)
  16. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (19)
  17. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (20)
  18. MEANT TO BE – Wilco (17)
  19. DILEMMA – Green Day (29)
  20. BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport (24)
  21. KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (25)
  22. I’M IN LOVE – Jelani Aryeh (26)
  23. FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed (27)
  24. EVERYTHING WE NEED – Mojave Grey (28)
  25. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (12)
  26. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (13)
  27. GOOD PEOPLE – Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams (30)
  28. WATER UNDERGROUND – Real Estate (N)
  29. LANDMINES – Sum 41 (N)
  30. ICE CREAM (PAY PHONE) – Black Pumas (N)

Top 30 Songs for February 25-March 2, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's14 Comments

It was only a matter of time before The Black Keys reached the top spot on my weekly chart with their infectiously upbeat single “Beautiful People (Stay High)”. I’m a long-time fan of the duo, comprised of guitarist-vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, and the song clicked with me the first time I heard it. I love its exuberant melody, bluesy, foot-stomping groove and celebratory chorus. The lead single from their forthcoming twelfth studio album Ohio Players, due for release April 5th, the song was co-written with their longtime collaborators Beck and producer Dan the Automator (aka Daniel M. Nakamura). In a press statement about the recording of the album, Auerbach noted “We’d never worked harder to make a record. It’s never taken us this long to make an album. We took our time and did it right.” Carney added “What we wanted to accomplish with this record was make something that was fun. And something that most bands 20 years into their career don’t make, which is an approachable, fun record that is also cool.” (Pitchfork)

The wonderful video, directed by Chris Saunders, produced by Elizabeth Silver and choreographed by Natalie Fisher, is reminiscent of the ones created for Pharrell Williams’ massive 2014 hit “Happy”, featuring a wide cross-section of people of all ages and ethnicities joyously dancing to the song in various settings.

In other chart developments, the delightful jangle pop gem “My Golden Years” by The Lemon Twigs, climbs another six spots this week to enter the top 10 at #10. Making their debut are “Dilemma” by Green Day, from their latest album Saviors, at #29 (giving them two songs on this chart), and the gospel-like “Good People”, an interesting collaboration between British folk-rock band Mumford & Sons and the aforementioned American singer-songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams. at #30.

  1. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (2)
  2. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (1)
  3. NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (4)
  4. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (3)
  5. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (7)
  6. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (8)
  7. THE TOWER – Future Islands (9)
  8. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (10)
  9. ALIVE! – Bakar (11)
  10. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (16)
  11. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (13)
  12. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (5)
  13. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (6)
  14. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (17)
  15. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (18)
  16. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (19)
  17. MEANT TO BE – Wilco (20)
  18. BLUSH – Vazum (21)
  19. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (22)
  20. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (23)
  21. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (12)
  22. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (14)
  23. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (15)
  24. BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport (26)
  25. KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (27)
  26. I’M IN LOVE – Jelani Aryeh (28)
  27. FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed (29)
  28. EVERYTHING WE NEED – Mojave Grey (30)
  29. DILEMMA – Green Day (N)
  30. GOOD PEOPLE – Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams (N)

100 Best Songs of the 2010s – #55: “Believe” by Mumford & Sons

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Favorite Songs11 Comments

The song at #55 on my list of 100 Best Songs of the 2010s is “Believe” by British folk rock band Mumford & Sons. Formed in 2007, the London-based band has been putting out consistently great music, beginning with their debut album Sigh No More in 2009. I love many of their songs, but my absolute favorite is the magnificent “Believe”, from their third album Wilder Mind. It’s a gorgeous, deeply moving and impactful song.

Released in March 2015, the song was written by band members Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall and Ted Dwane, minus front man Marcus Mumford, and is a departure from their usual acoustic folk-rock sound. For it and the rest of Wilder Mind, they abandoned their signature acoustic instruments (such as banjo and upright bass) for electric ones, and added a session drummer to fill out their rhythm section. The result is a dramatic, sweeping song that builds to a near-epic crescendo with screaming guitars and galloping drumbeats, leaving me covered with goosebumps and with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. I realize that I’ve mentioned how many of the songs on this list give me goosebumps, but isn’t that one of the best signs that a song moves us in powerful ways? And quite frankly, if this song doesn’t move you – as fellow British rock band Muse put it in one of their songs – you’re dead inside.

The lyrics speak to feelings of uncertainty and possible betrayal in a relationship. Mumford passionately cries “I don’t even know if I believe, everything you’re trying to say to me / So open up my eyes / Tell me I’m alive / This is never gonna go our way if I’m gonna have to guess what’s on your mind / Oh say something, say something, something like you love me.”

Top 30 Songs for October 21-27, 2018

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1. DIZZY – The Million Reasons (1)
2. NINA CRIED POWER – Hozier featuring Mavis Staples (6)
3. GHOST – Badflower (3)
4. CLOSER – IAMWARFACE (2)
5. NATURAL – Imagine Dragons (4)
6. BETTER NOW – Post Malone (7)
7. BURN THE HOUSE DOWN – AJR (8)
8. ALL MY FRIENDS – The Revivalists (9)
9. NEVERMIND – Dennis Lloyd (5)
10. PANIC – Agency Panic (11)
11. CITY LOOKS PRETTY – Courtney Barnett (10)
12. TIDAL WAVE – Portugal.The Man (13)
13. BODY TALKS – The Struts (14)
14. SHE’S KEROSENE – The Interrupters (15)
15. IN MY MIND – Draft Evader (17)
16. LOADING ZONES – Kurt Vile (18)
17. UH HUH – Jade Bird (19)
18. HAPPIER – Marshmello featuring Bastille (20)
19. MY BLOOD – twenty one pilots (21)
20. SHAME – Elle King (22)
21. WHEN THE CURTAIN FALLS – Greta Van Fleet (12)
22. GUIDING LIGHT – Mumford & Sons (25)
23. SUPERWOMAN SWAY – Brett Vogel (24)
24. GOLD RUSH – Death Cab for Cutie (16)
25. UNREALITIES – Dying Habit (28)
26. YOU’RE SOMEBODY ELSE – flora cash (30)
27. JUMPSUIT – twenty one pilots (23)
28. THESE ARE MY FRIENDS – lovelytheband (N)
29. YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN – Billie Eilish (N)
30. VISIONS – Dirty Heads featuring Kitten (N)

Top 10 for Week of August 16-22, 2015

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's3 Comments

1. DREAMS – Beck
2. CAN’T FEEL MY FACE – The Weeknd
3. EX’S AND OH’S – Elle King
4. RENEGADES – X Ambassadors
5. TEAR IN MY HEART – twenty one pilots
6. FIRST – Cold War Kids
7. THE WOLF – Mumford & Sons
8. BLAME IT ON ME – George Ezra
9. SHIP TO WRECK – Florence + the Machine
10. COULD HAVE BEEN ME – The Struts

Top 10 for Week of August 9-15, 2015

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1. RENEGADES – X Ambassadors
2. DREAMS – Beck
3. EX’S AND OH’S – Elle King
4. CAN’T FEEL MY FACE – The Weeknd
5. TEAR IN MY HEART – twenty one pilots
6. THE WOLF – Mumford & Sons
7. FIRST – Cold War Kids
8. BLAME IT ON ME – George Ezra
9. MOANING LISA SMILE – Wolf Alice
10. CRYSTALS – Of Monsters and Men