Tag: My Morning Jacket

My Top 30 Songs for October 19-25, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments

This is one of those weeks in which nearly every music chart has a different song at #1: Taylor Swift‘s “The Fate of Ophelia” is #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (in fact, she holds all top 12 spots with every track from her latest album The Life of a Showgirl), sombr‘s “Back to Friends” tops the Hot Rock Songs chart (though I don’t consider it a rock song, it topped my own chart in July), Bad Omens‘ “Specter” tops the Mainstream Rock chart, Sleep Token‘s “Caramel” tops the Hard Rock chart, Sublime‘s “Ensenada” tops the Alternative Airplay chart, St. Paul & The Broken Bones‘ “Sushi and Coca-Cola” tops the Adult Alternative Airplay chart, and Justin Bieber‘s “Daisy” tops the Pop Airplay chart.

Though several of these songs are included on my latest chart, my top song this week is “Five More Seconds”, a wonderful collaboration by English folk-rock duo Seafret and Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall. I love its exuberant melody, stomping beat and their glorious harmonies, plus the video’s brilliant. The song has not appeared on any charts in the US, UK or anywhere else as far as I can tell, which is a travesty.

Seafret, based in Yorkshire and comprised of singer Jack Sedman and guitarist Harry Draper, released three albums and a number of singles from 2015-2023 and saw their debut 2015 single “Atlantis” go viral on TikTok over the past three years, eventually racking up over 1.2 billion streams on Spotify alone. KT Tunstall burst onto the British music scene in 2004 with her debut album Eye to the Telescope, which spawned the hit singles “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and “Suddenly I See”, which won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song in 2006.

Speaking about their collaboration for the webzine Litehouse Media, Seafret commented “When we set out making this record we knew we wanted to bring in some incredible people and collaborate. When we found out KT Tunstall was in town and up for it, we were so happy! We had no idea how it would go or what we’d write but this idea started circling in the room and suddenly it was there in front of us like it was meant to be. We have always loved KT’s voice and her songwriting so bringing this song to life with her has been a real privilege.” KT Tunstall added, “I met Jack and Harry quite a few years back and loved their vibe and songwriting. Real players and songcraft with an old school, troubadour attitude to touring where they put the hours in and got really great at what they do. Authentic and righteous dudes!“

And speaking of “Sushi and Coca-Cola”, the song is the biggest upward mover on my chart again this week, jumping eight spots to #8. Also entering the top 10 are “Hornets” by Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Western Jaguar, and “Mistakes” by Ohio folk band Caamp, at #s 9 and 10, respectively. Three songs make their debut, starting with Taylor Swift’s aforementioned “The Fate of Ophelia”, entering at #23. While I’m not overly excited with the entirety of The Life of a Showgirl, I do like this song.

Coming in at #27 is “Enough” by Jeff Tweedy, who’s released music both as a solo artist and as lead vocalist and guitarist of Chicago-based alternative country-rock band Wilco. Featuring an opening guitar riff that reminds me of the one from The Kinks’ “Waterloo Sunset”, “Enough” is featured on Tweedy’s ambitious new triple album Twilight Override, which dropped September 26th.

And entering at #30 is the sultry “Lingerie” by Two Feet (aka Brooklyn, New York-based singer-songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire Zachary William “Bill” Dess). One of my favorite artists since 2018, I’ve seen Two Feet in concert three times. Ten of his songs reached #1 on my chart between 2018 and 2022, beginning with “I Feel Like I’m Drowning”, which also reached #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart and remains his biggest hit to date.

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

My Top 30 Songs for October 12-18, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's6 Comments

“undressed” by charismatic young artist sombr remains at #1 for a second week, while “Five More Seconds” by English duo Seafret and Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall moves up two spots to #2, and “Ensenada” by Southern California ska punk band Sublime also advances two spots, to #3. Nine Inch Nails‘ “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” enters the top 10 at #9, and “Sushi and Coca-Cola” by Alabama soul band St. Paul & The Broken Bones leaps 10 spots to #16, making it the biggest upward mover on this week’s chart.

Two songs make their debut, the first of which is “City Walls” by my longtime favorite band Twenty One Pilots, consisting of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun. The song replaces their previous single “The Contract”, which falls off my chart after its 14-week run. Both songs are from their eighth and latest album Breach, which dropped September 12th.

The second debut is the hauntingly beautiful “Specter” by American alternative melodic metalcore band Bad Omens. Formed in 2015, the band now consists of Noah Sebastian (lead vocals, programming), Nicholas Ruffilo (bass, backing vocals), Joakim “Jolly” Karlsson (guitars, programming) Nick Folio (drums, percussion). Their magnificent song “THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND” spent four weeks at #7 on my chart in late 2023 and finished the year at #56.

  1. UNDRESSED – sombr (1)
  2. FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (4)
  3. ENSENADA – Sublime (5)
  4. JUPITER – almost monday feat. Jordana (2)
  5. SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (3)
  6. BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (7)
  7. BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (9)
  8. LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (10)
  9. AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (11)
  10. POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (6)
  11. HORNETS – Western Jaguar (14)
  12. MISTAKES – Caamp (15)
  13. THE WEATHER – All Time Low (16)
  14. ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (8)
  15. WRECK – Neko Case (22)
  16. SUSHI AND COCA-COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (26)
  17. MY MIND IS A MOUNTAIN – Deftones (13)
  18. DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (24)
  19. EVERYBODY SCREAM – Florence + The Machine (25)
  20. ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (28)
  21. ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (29)
  22. MOODY – Royel Otis (17)
  23. METAL – The Beths (18)
  24. EVERYDAY MAGIC – My Morning Jacket (19)
  25. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (12) 20th week on chart
  26. ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men (30)
  27. LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (20)
  28. NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (21)
  29. CITY WALLS – Twenty One Pilots (N)
  30. SPECTER – Bad Omens (N)

My Top 30 Songs for October 5-11, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments
A still photo of sombr from his YouTube video.

There are some major changes to my chart this week, with a great new #1 song and four terrific new debuts. New York City born and now Los Angeles based sombr (the musical moniker of 20-year-old singer-songwriter and producer Shane Michael Boose) scores his second #1 song on my chart with “undressed” (“back to friends” spent three weeks at #1 in July). Both songs are featured on his debut album I Barely Know Her, which dropped August 22nd. I think the 6-foot, 7-inch tall young man is one of the finest new artists to emerge on the music scene this year.

“Light Years Apart” by Unobliterated, the music project of England-born and now Portugal-based singer-songwriter and musician Gary Taylor, enters the top 10 at #10. And “Mistakes” by Columbus, Ohio-based bluegrass-folk band Caamp, and The Weather” by Maryland pop-punk/rock band All Time Low are the biggest upward movers this week, each climbing eight spots to #15 and #16, respectively.

There were at least seven songs I wanted to add to this week’s chart, but not ready to drop that many off in order to accommodate them all, I had to limit my new additions to only four, the first of which is the delightful “Sushi and Coca-Cola” by soul band St. Paul & The Broken Bones, entering at #26. Formed in Birmingham, Alabama in 2012, the eight-piece consists of Paul Janeway (vocals), Browan Lollar (guitar), Jesse Phillips (bass), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keys), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), Amari Ansari (saxophone), and Chad Fisher (trombone). Though they’ve released five albums, two EPs and numerous singles, I’ve somehow never heard of them until recently, when I saw “Sushi and Coca-Cola” rise up the Billboard AAA chart, where it currently sits at #2. I’m loving their soulful jazz-infused sound.

The second debut, coming in at #28, is the enchanting “Elegantly Wasted” by Hermanos Gutiérrez, featuring vocals by one of my favorite singers Leon Bridges. Hermanos Gutiérrez (Spanish for “Gutiérrez Brothers”) is a Latin instrumental band formed in 2015 in Zürich by Ecuadorian-Swiss brothers Alejandro Gutiérrez (guitar and lap steel) and Estevan Gutiérrez (guitar and percussion). The talented duo is totally new to me despite the fact they’ve released seven albums since 2017. One of them, El Bueno y el Malo, was recorded in Nashville in collaboration with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys and released on his label Easy Eye Sound in 2022.

Next up is “Another Life” from another Alabama act, Alabama Shakes, a blues rock band comprised of Brittany Howard (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Heath Fogg (lead guitar and vocals) and Zac Cockrell (bass). Formed in 2009, they released two albums, three EPs and numerous singles, including their big 2015 hit “Don’t Wanna Fight”, before going on hiatus in 2018 so that Howard could focus on her solo career (under which she’s released two critically acclaimed albums). They reunited this past December, and on August 29th, released “Another Life”, their first new music as a band in ten years. It’s great having them back!

Last but certainly not least is “Ordinary Creature” by Icelandic folk/rock band Of Monsters and Men, another act I’m happy has released new music, as I’ve been a fan since hearing their debut single “Little Talks” back in early 2012. Formed in 2010, the five-piece consists of lead singer and guitarist Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir (guitar and lead vocals) Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson (guitar and vocals), Brynjar Leifsson (lead guitar), Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson (drums), and Kristján Páll Kristjánsson (bass). “Ordinary Creature” will be featured on their forthcoming fourth studio album All Is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade, due for release on October 17th.

  1. UNDRESSED – sombr (2)
  2. JUPITER – almost monday feat. Jordana (1)
  3. SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (3)
  4. FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (4)
  5. ENSENADA – Sublime (6)
  6. POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (5)
  7. BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (8)
  8. ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (9)
  9. BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (10)
  10. LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (11)
  11. AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (14)
  12. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (7)
  13. MY MIND IS A MOUNTAIN – Deftones (17)
  14. HORNETS – Western Jaguar (19)
  15. MISTAKES – Caamp (23)
  16. THE WEATHER – All Time Low (24)
  17. MOODY – Royel Otis (18)
  18. METAL – The Beths (20)
  19. EVERYDAY MAGIC – My Morning Jacket (21)
  20. LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (12)
  21. NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (14)
  22. WRECK – Neko Case (25)
  23. LONDON TOWN – HEALER (15)
  24. DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (27)
  25. EVERYBODY SCREAM – Florence + The Machine (30)
  26. SUSHI AND COCA-COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (N)
  27. THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (22)
  28. ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (N)
  29. ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (N)
  30. ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men (N)

My Top 30 Songs for September 28-October 4, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's22 Comments

Given that America is now an idiocracy that’s also descending into full-blown authoritarianism under our brazenly corrupt and cruel lunatic of a president, his evil, sycophantic cabinet, a completely spineless Congress and an unethical shadow docket-loving Supreme Court (not to mention the recent loss of our beloved cat), it’s been difficult for me to feel positive about anything these days, including music. That said, I can’t not compile my weekly list of favorite current songs, therefore will continue to bore my readers with my Weekly Top 30 charts.

Furthermore, though I’m now a tired old man, I’ve never lost my love for pop music, which is reflected in quite a few songs on this week’s list, starting with my new #1 song “jupiter” by San Diego-based indie pop band almost monday (comprised of Dawson Daugherty on vocals, Cole Clisby on guitar, and Luke Fabry on bass), featuring added vocals by L.A.-based indie pop singer-songwriter Jordana. The song was originally included on almost monday’s 2014 album DIVE as a recording by only the band, but a newer version with Jordana singing backing vocals, released in January on a deluxe version of DIVE, has become a big hit for them both.

More great pop abounds with “undressed” by sombr, which moves into second place, the rousing “Five More Seconds” by English duo Seafret and Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall at #4, and “polyester (yes sir)” by Los Angeles-based pop-rock band Sorry Ghost at #5. Three songs – “Ensenada” by Southern California ska punk band Sublime, “Asshole” by Denver, Colorado-based duo The Lumineers, and “Better Days” by Los Angeles-based pop punk band Yellowcard – enter the top 10 at #s 6, 9 and 10, respectively. “Better Days” recently spent three weeks at #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.

The lone new debut this week is “Everybody Scream” by English indie rock act Florence + the Machine, a longtime favorite of mine who’s previously topped my chart with “Hunger” in 2018 and “My Love” in 2022, which ranks #2 on my 100 Best Songs of 2022 list (I can’t believe it’s already been three years!). Released on August 20th, “Everybody Scream” is the title track from their forthcoming sixth studio album, set to drop October 31st.

  1. JUPITER – almost monday feat. Jordana (2)
  2. UNDRESSED – sombr (3)
  3. SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (1)
  4. FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (5)
  5. POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (6)
  6. ENSENADA – Sublime (12)
  7. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (4)
  8. BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (10)
  9. ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (11)
  10. BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (14)
  11. LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (15)
  12. LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (7)
  13. NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (8)
  14. AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (16)
  15. LONDON TOWN – HEALER (9)
  16. TODAY’S SONG – Foo Fighters (13)
  17. MY MIND IS A MOUNTAIN – Deftones (20)
  18. MOODY – Royel Otis (18)
  19. HORNETS – Western Jaguar (21)
  20. METAL – The Beths (23)
  21. EVERYDAY MAGIC – My Morning Jacket (24)
  22. THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (17)
  23. MISTAKES – Caamp (26)
  24. THE WEATHER – All Time Low (27)
  25. WRECK – Neko Case (28)
  26. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (25) 20th week on chart
  27. DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (29)
  28. AFTERLIFE – Alex G (19)
  29. UNRAVELLING – Muse (22)
  30. EVERYBODY SCREAM – Florence + The Machine (N)

My Top 30 Songs for September 14-20, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's7 Comments

Talk in Waves holds onto the top spot for a second week with his exuberant ear worm “Feels Right”, while ROLE MODEL moves up two spots into second place this week with his delightful “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out”. London singer-songwriter Art Block remains at #3 with his darkly beautiful “Love Is A Fire”. The prolific artist has released three more singles since “Love Is A Fire”, and in fact, numerous acts have since dropped newer singles than their songs on this chart, including Healer, almost monday, sombr, Sorry Ghost, Twenty One Pilots, Royel Otis, Unobliterated, Western Jaguar, Caamp and Matt Maeson, and I simply cannot keep up with them all! “Five More Seconds” by English duo Seafret and Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall enters the top 10 at #9.

There are two new debuts again this week, the first of which is “”Wreck” by American singer-songwriter Neko Case, who since the late 1990s has released music both as a solo artist (including with her backing band Her Boyfriends) and as a member and lead singer of Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers. “Wreck” is the lead single from her forthcoming eighth studio album Neon Grey Midnight Green, to be released on September 26. The second debut, entering at #30, is “Downstairs” by American singer-songwriter and musician Matt Maeson. The song is featured on his third and latest album A Quiet and Harmless Living, which dropped this past Friday, September 12th. Matt’s great single “Hallucinogenics” ranks #5 on my 100 Best Songs of 2020 list.

  1. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (1)
  2. SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (4)
  3. LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (3)
  4. NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (2)
  5. LONDON TOWN – Healer (5)
  6. JUPITER – almost monday ft. Jordana (8)
  7. UNDRESSED – sombr (9)
  8. POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (10)
  9. FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (11)
  10. THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (6)
  11. MOODY – Royel Otis (7)
  12. BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (12)
  13. ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (14)
  14. TODAY’S SONG – Foo Fighters (15)
  15. BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (16)
  16. LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (18)
  17. UNRAVELLING – Muse (20)
  18. AFTERLIFE – Alex G (21)
  19. AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (22)
  20. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (17)
  21. ENSENADA – Sublime (23)
  22. MY MIND IS A MOUNTAIN – Deftones (24)
  23. HORNETS – Western Jaguar (25)
  24. METAL – The Beths (26)
  25. EVERYDAY MAGIC – My Morning Jacket (27)
  26. BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (13)
  27. MISTAKES – Caamp (29)
  28. THE WEATHER – All Time Low (30)
  29. WRECK – Neko Case (N)
  30. DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (N)

My Top 30 Songs for September 7-13, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's14 Comments

It’s been a rough week at my house, as we had to say goodbye to our beloved cat Panda, who was part of our family for almost 19 years and finally lost his battle with kidney disease. Feeling heartbroken, I’m not much in the frame of mind to write about music. But given that the new top song on my chart this week is by an artist I’m particularly fond of, I felt I needed to soldier on for his sake, as well as the other indie artists who follow me that have songs on my chart.

After a long, steady climb, the ebullient “Feels Right” by Talk in Waves, the music project of northern Virginia-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jake Mimikos, ascends to #1. It’s his sixth song to top my chart, the previous being “Dark Places” (2019), “Can We Go Back” (2021), “Closer” (2022), “Walk Through the Fire” (2023), and last year’s “Like You Do”, which also holds the honor of being my #1 indie song of 2024. And two more of his singles – “Sleep” in 2020 and “You’re My Drug” from earlier this year – have reached #2. Several of those outstanding songs are featured on his debut album Medicine for the Apocalypse, which he released on July 18th.

Entering the top 10 this week are three great songs all spelled in lower case letters – “jupiter” by San Diego-based indie pop band almost monday, featuring added vocals by L.A.-based indie pop singer-songwriter Jordana, “undressed” by New York City-based sombr (whose single “back to friends” recently spent three weeks at #1 and now sits at #17), and “polyester (yes sir)” by L.A. indie pop-rock band Sorry Ghost, at #s 8, 9 & 10, respectively.

Two songs make their debut this week, starting with “Mistakes” by Columbus, Ohio-based bluegrass-folk band Caamp, whose single “Let Things Go” reached #8 on my chart in early July. Formed in 2012 by childhood friends Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall, Caamp was later joined by Matt Vinson on bass, Joseph Kavalec on keyboards, and NIck Falk on drums. Many of their songs have done well on the Billboard AAA (Adult Alternative Airplay) chart, with four, including “Let Things Go” reaching #1. “Mistakes” is from their sixth and latest album Copper Changes Color, which dropped June 6th.

Entering at #30 is “The Weather” by American pop-punk/rock band All Time Low. Formed in Towson, Maryland, in 2003, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson. They’ve released a total of nine studio albums, six EPs, two live albums and thirty-seven singles. “The Weather” is the second single from their forthcoming tenth album Everyone’s Talking!, set for release on October 17th. Their single “Sleepwalking” spent 11 weeks on my chart in 2023.

  1. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (2)
  2. NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (1)
  3. LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (5)
  4. SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (7)
  5. LONDON TOWN – Healer (6)
  6. THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (3)
  7. MOODY – Royel Otis (4)
  8. JUPITER – almost monday ft. Jordana (11)
  9. UNDRESSED – sombr (12)
  10. POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (15)
  11. FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (17)
  12. BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (14)
  13. BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (8)
  14. ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (13)
  15. TODAY’S SONG – Foo Fighters (16)
  16. BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (18)
  17. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (10)
  18. LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (20)
  19. RIPPLE – Good Neighbours (9)
  20. UNRAVELLING – Muse (21)
  21. AFTERLIFE – Alex G (22)
  22. AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (23)
  23. ENSENADA – Sublime (24)
  24. MY MIND IS A MOUNTAIN – Deftones (25)
  25. HORNETS – Western Jaguar (26)
  26. METAL – The Beths (29)
  27. EVERYDAY MAGIC – My Morning Jacket (30)
  28. BLOOM BABY BLOOM – Wolf Alice (19)
  29. MISTAKES – Caamp (N)
  30. THE WEATHER – All Time Low (N)

My Top 30 Songs for August 31-September 6, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's7 Comments
Photo of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney by Larry Niehues

“No Rain, No Flowers” by The Black Keys holds onto the top spot for a third week, while the equally infectious “Feels Right” by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Talk in Waves moves into second place. “Back to Friends” by sombr racks up its 13th week in my top 10, three of them spent at #1.

Two songs make their debut this week, starting with the wonderful “Metal” by New Zealand indie pop-rock band The Beths. Formed in Auckland in 2014, the band’s lineup includes lead vocalist Elizabeth Stokes, guitarist Jonathan Pearce, bassist Benjamin Sinclair, and drummer Tristan Deck. The lead single from their fourth and latest album Straight Line Was A Lie – released this past Friday, August 29th – “Metal” is their first single to chart in the U.S., currently sitting at #10 on the Billboard AAA (Adult Alternative Airplay) chart. I love the lively melody and jangly guitars!

My second new entry is “Everyday Magic” by Louisville, Kentucky-based My Morning Jacket, whose music is a glorious blend of indie, alternative and psychedelic rock, country, Americana and Southern rock. Formed in 1998, the band presently consists of vocalist/guitarist Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, guitarist Carl Broemel, and keyboardist Bo Koster. The delightful “Everyday Magic” is from their tenth and latest album is, which dropped this past March. Another track from that album, “Time Waited”, topped my chart in May. “Everyday Magic” is currently #1 on the Billboard AAA chart, which is a major influence on my own chart.

  1. NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (1)
  2. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (3)
  3. THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (2)
  4. MOODY – Royel Otis (4)
  5. LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (7)
  6. LONDON TOWN – Healer (8)
  7. SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (9)
  8. BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (6)
  9. RIPPLE – Good Neighbours (5)
  10. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (10)
  11. JUPITER – almost monday ft. Jordana (12)
  12. UNDRESSED – sombr (13)
  13. ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (14)
  14. BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (15)
  15. POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (16)
  16. TODAY’S SONG – Foo Fighters (17)
  17. FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (18)
  18. BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (19)
  19. BLOOM BABY BLOOM – Wolf Alice (11)
  20. LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (23)
  21. UNRAVELLING – Muse (24)
  22. AFTERLIFE – Alex G (26)
  23. AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (27)
  24. ENSENADA – Sublime (28)
  25. MY MIND IS A MOUNTAIN – Deftones (29)
  26. HORNETS – Western Jaguar (30)
  27. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (20) 20th week on chart
  28. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (21)
  29. METAL – The Beths (N)
  30. EVERYDAY MAGIC – My Morning Jacket (N)

Top 30 Songs for June 15-21, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's15 Comments
Photo of Lord Huron by Christian Waite

Another favorite music act of mine is American folk rock band Lord Huron. Originally formed as a solo act by singer-songwriter and guitarist Ben Schneider in 2010 after he relocated from Michigan to Los Angeles (his name was inspired by the Great Lake he grew up near), Lord Huron eventually became a four-piece that now includes Miguel Briseño on bass, keyboards & theremin, Tom Renaud on guitar, and Mark Barry on drums & percussion. Their uniquely beautiful music is a glorious mash-up of folk, western, rock and roll, pop, surf rock and new age, and has been described by music writers as evoking the ‘high-lonesome’ sound of such legendary acts as The Band and Neil Young, as well as newer acts like Fleet Foxes and My Morning Jacket (whose song “Time Waited” has spent the past three months on my chart, peaking at #1). The most striking features of their sound are the lush twangy and shimmery guitars, backed by stirring orchestral strings, and lead singer Ben Schneider’s beautiful warm vocals, which often convey an arresting and heartfelt vulnerability.

They’ve released four outstanding albums – Lonesome Dreams in 2012, Strange Trails in 2015, Vide Noir in 2018 and the gorgeous Long Lost in 2021, which is one of my favorite albums of the last 10 years. Their beautiful ballad “The Night We Met”, from Strange Trails, was their breakout hit and, shockingly, their only song to ever chart on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at only #84. Nevertheless, it’s been streamed more than three billion times on Spotify. In January they released “Who Laughs Last?”, a hard-charging rock song featuring spoken word verses from actress Kristen Stewart, which they followed in late March with “Nothing I Need”. Those tracks, along with their latest single “Looking Back”, will be included on their forthcoming fifth album The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1, scheduled for release on July 18th.

“Nothing I Need” is gorgeous, featuring the band’s signature rich and colorful guitar work and Schneider’s marvelous vocals. It takes over the #1 spot on my latest Top 30 chart, marking Lord Huron’s third song to reach #1, after “Not Dead Yet” and “Mine Forever”, both from Long Lost, and both of which ended up placing in the top 10 of my 100 Best Songs of 2021 list, with “Mine Forever” ranking #2.

The bittersweet lyrics tell of a man lamenting his lost youth and the love he squandered away through his endless traveling, possibly for his career that now brings him no pleasure: “I fell asleep and when I woke up, I was old. I said goodbye to my youth and my blood ran cold. I got a feeling I just had to get away. I left it all behind on an endless road, but I see her face everywhere I go. I got everything I want and I got nothing that I need.” Schneider, who wrote and sang the lyrics, stated “Nothing I Need” “wonders if it’s possible — within the short time you’ve got — to ever truly know what you want, if it’s worthwhile wanting anything at all, and if there’s any point in pondering what’s down the roads you didn’t take.“

In other chart highlights, sombr‘s “back to friends” continues its strong upward movement, climbing three spots to #3. Three songs enter the top 10 after hovering in the low teens the past few weeks – “Archbishop Harold Holmes” by Jack White, “Barbarian” by L.A.-based alt-rock band AWOLNATION and “Porcelain (Losing All My Patience)” by Irish indie pop-rock band Somebody’s Child – all advancing three spots to #s 8, 9 and 10, respectively.

There are two new debuts again this week, the first of which is the exuberant “Ripple” by English indie rock duo Good Neighbours. Based in London and comprised of Oli Fox and Scott Verrill, they released their debut single “Home” in January 2024, The song was successful, reaching #26 in the UK and #2 on the Billboard AAA chart. I was never wild about that song, but I do like “Ripple”, which I find more infectious and appealing. The second debut is the wonderful “Better Off Eventually” by British Columbia, Canada-based alt-rock band Bealby Point, which I featured in the same Fresh New Tracks post as last week’s debut entry “Moody” by Royel Otis. 

  1. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (3)
  2. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (1)
  3. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (6)
  4. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (4)
  5. WALLS – Frank Joshua (2)
  6. LAREDO – Leon Bridges (5)
  7. SNAKESKIN – NAVE (9)
  8. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (11)
  9. BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (12)
  10. PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (13)
  11. LET THINGS GO – Caamp (14)
  12. POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (10)
  13. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (17)
  14. THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown (18)
  15. CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg (20)
  16. MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (7)
  17. BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (8)
  18. EVERYTHING IS PEACEFUL LOVE – Bon Iver (19)
  19. RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks (22)
  20. SPACEMAN IN TULSA – Counting Crows (23)
  21. BONNET OF PINS – Matt Berninger (27)
  22. SCARS – Secret Postal Society (25)
  23. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (26)
  24. WHAT WAS THAT – Lorde (29)
  25. MOODY – Royel Otis (30)
  26. THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (15)
  27. TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (16)
  28. SO LONG – Wavves (21)
  29. RIPPLE – Good Neighbours (N)
  30. BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (N)

Top 30 Songs for June 8-14, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's11 Comments
Photo of Fontaines D.C. by Masashi Yukimoto

I just love Fontaines D.C., who’ve become one of my favorite bands over the past couple of years. Formed in 2016 in Dublin, Ireland (the D.C. in their name stands for Dublin City, to differentiate them from another band named the Fontaines) but now based in London, England, they consist of the dangerously charismatic Grian Chatten (vocals), Conor Curley (guitar), Conor Deegan III (bass), Tom Coll (drums) and Carlos O’Connell (guitar). Their latest single “It’s Amazing To Be Young” rises to #1 this week, making it their third song in a year to top my chart. Their song “Starburster” is my #1 song of 2024, with “Favourite” not far behind at #8.

Written and performed by all members of the band, and arranged, produced and mixed by James Ford, “It’s Amazing To Be Young” was inspired by the birth of band guitarist Carlos O’Connell’s first child. Bassist Conor Deegan III elaborated about the song for Genius: “It sounded more like a lullaby or a music box, but with the same lyric ‘it’s amazing to be young’. The feeling of hope a child can give is profound and moving, especially for young men like us. That sense of wanting to create a world for them to grow up in happily. It’s a feeling that fights against the cynicism that can often overtake us in the modern world. So we wanted to declare which side we were on – it really is amazing to be young. We are still free, and want to make that feeling spread. We want to protect it for the others around us, and maybe in doing that, can also help protect it for ourselves.

The video for this song was directed by one of our favourite collaborators Luna Carmoon. Luna has a very visual ear and found a way to bring out the world of our songs, somehow making the feelings more clear and more dreamlike at the same time. This video in particular has many special moments, but I think the way it unifies the different characters together is brilliant, because it embodies the message of not just the song but the album- youth is magical, and stories can become interwoven unexpectedly and feel like worlds colliding. That is youth, that is young love, and I think oftentimes that is romance.”

The video’s fairly long with a few breaks in the song, so here’s an audio video if you’d like to just hear the song itself:

Two songs blast their way into the top 10 this week: the bittersweet folk rock beauty “Nothing I Need” by Lord Huron (which is currently #1 on the Billboard AAA chart, with “It’s Amazing To Be Young at #2) jumps eight spots to #3, while sombr’s cinematic “back to friends” (which sits at #2 on the Alternative Airplay chart) leaps 10 spots to #6.

There are two new debuts again this week, the first of which is “What Was That” by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, who became famous in 2013 at the age of 16 for her monster worldwide hit “Royals”. It’s her first new music since her 2021 album Solar Power (though she did release a single of her cover of “Take Me to the River” that she contributed to the 2024 album Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense). The song is the lead single from her fourth album Virgin, set to be released on June 27, and it’s nice to have her back! The second debut, entering at #30, is the endearing “Moody” by Australian guitar-pop duo Royel Otis, which I featured in a recent Fresh New Tracks post. Their marvelous cover of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dance Floor” is my #4 song of 2024.

  1. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (2)
  2. WALLS – Frank Joshua (1)
  3. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (11)
  4. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (5)
  5. LAREDO – Leon Bridges (6)
  6. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (16)
  7. MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (4)
  8. BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (3)
  9. SNAKESKIN – NAVE (9)
  10. POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (10)
  11. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (12)
  12. BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (13)
  13. PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (14)
  14. LET THINGS GO – Caamp (15)
  15. THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (7)
  16. TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (8)
  17. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (18)
  18. THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown (19)
  19. EVERYTHING IS PEACEFUL LOVE – Bon Iver (20)
  20. CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg (22)
  21. SO LONG – Wavves (21)
  22. RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks (24)
  23. SPACEMAN IN TULSA – Counting Crows (25)
  24. ANKLES – Lucy Dacus (17)
  25. SCARS – Secret Postal Society (28)
  26. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (29)
  27. BONNET OF PINS – Matt Berninger (30)
  28. METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (23)
  29. WHAT WAS THAT – Lorde (N)
  30. MOODY – Royel Otis (N)

Top 30 Songs for June 1-7, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's7 Comments

English singer-songwriter & producer Frank Joshua remains at #1 for a second week with his lush single “Walls”, while Fontaines D.C.‘s “It’s Amazing To Be Young” advances a spot to #2. Rounding out the top five are “Bad Larry” by Cloakroom, “Mortal Wound” by The Veils and “The Turnaround” by DelCobras (who just released their second single “Untied (She’s the One)” this past Friday), all moving up two spots. The biggest upward mover this week is the majestic “back to friends” by 19-year-old artist sombr, leaping eight spots to #16 (I find it interesting that some artists name themselves and/or their songs in all lower case).

I have two wonderful debut songs this week, the first of which is “Feels Right” by northern Virginia-based artist Talk in Waves (the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jake Mimikos). The exuberant pop-rock song is a joyous celebration of a budding romance, where everything’s coming together and just “feels right”. Jake has released an impressive amount of music since 2015, and I’ve featured him numerous times on this blog. I’ve loved all his songs, five of which have reached #1 on my Top 30 chart. One of them, “Like You Do”, topped my 100 Best Indie Songs of 2024 list, and his previous single “You’re My Drug” reached #2 this past March.

The second debut, coming in at #30, is the marvelous “Bonnet Of Pins” by silky-voiced singer-songwriter Matt Berninger, who’s also frontman of alternative indie rock band The National. I love his warm baritone singing voice so much, he could literally sing the phone book and I’m certain it would sound captivating. The song is from his new album Get Sunk, his second release as a solo artist which dropped this past Friday, May 30th.

  1. WALLS – Frank Joshua (1)
  2. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (3)
  3. BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (5)
  4. MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (6)
  5. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (7)
  6. LAREDO – Leon Bridges (8)
  7. THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (2)
  8. TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (4)
  9. SNAKESKIN – NAVE (9)
  10. POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (10)
  11. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (17)
  12. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (12)
  13. BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (13)
  14. PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (14)
  15. LET THINGS GO – Caamp (15)
  16. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (24)
  17. ANKLES – Lucy Dacus (11)
  18. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (18)
  19. THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown (21)
  20. EVERYTHING IS PEACEFUL LOVE – Bon Iver (22)
  21. SO LONG – Wavves (23)
  22. CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg (25)
  23. METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (16)
  24. RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks (26)
  25. SPACEMAN IN TULSA – Counting Crows (27)
  26. TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (18) 19th week on chart
  27. RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (19)
  28. SCARS – Secret Postal Society (30)
  29. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (N)
  30. BONNET OF PINS – Matt Berninger (N)