Tag: Shinedown

My Top 30 Songs for September 27-October 3, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's5 Comments
Photo of The Neighbourhood from their Facebook account

After spending three weeks at #2, “Private” by The Neighbourhood finally dislodges “Rein Me In” to take over the top spot on my latest chart. The captivating song is from their fifth studio album (((((ultraSOUND))))), released last November, although the track itself was actually released at the end of October but didn’t begin charting until June. Formed in Ventura County west of Los Angeles in 2011, the band consists of four of the five original members: heavily tattooed, silky-voiced vocalist Jesse Rutherford, guitarists Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels and bassist Mikey Margott, as well as drummer Brandon Fried who joined in 2014. I love their sophisticated style of alternative rock that incorporates elements of pop, electronic, hip hop and R&B.

I’ve been a big fan of The Neighbourhood from the moment I first heard their magnificent song “Sweater Weather” back in the summer of 2013. It ultimately became my favorite song of 2013 and 4th favorite song of the entire decade of the 2010s, and is obviously a favorite of many others, as it’s been streamed nearly 5 billion times just on Spotify alone. Since March, The Neighbourhood has been on their worldwide tour which will conclude in Los Angeles in December. “Private” is their fourth song to top my chart, after the aforementioned “Sweater Weather”, “Stargazing” in 2021, and “Hula Girl”, also from (((((ultraSOUND))))), this past April. I love the song’s hypnotic beat, gentle thumping bassline and intricate blend of jangly, chiming and grungy guitar notes. But most of all, I love Rutherford’s sensuous croons that add to the eerily enchanting sound.

Entering the top 10 are “Stone Over Water” by Death Cab for Cutie, “I Feel Hope Coming” by Alabama Shakes, and “We Might as Well Be Strangers” by Weezer featuring Wednesday.

For a third week there are two new entries to my chart, starting with “Good Times // End Times” by American progressive/funk rock band Goose. The song is from their sixth album BIG MODERN!, which dropped in June, and follows “Good2B”, which spent 12 weeks on my chart over the summer, peaking at #4. I’ve come to like this band a lot!

The second new entry is “Already Gone” by the enigmatic and dangerously sexy country artist Orville Peck (born Daniel Pitout in South Africa and now based in Los Angeles). In addition to his unique brand of alternative country and deep baritone singing voice, Peck (who is gay) is known for often wearing a fringed mask and not showing his face. In a 2023 interview for People magazine, he elaborated on his decision to wear a fringed mask: “I grew up loving country where there was an intersection between theatricality and very honest songwriting. Dolly’s a perfect example—the big wigs, the crazy outfits, but it’s her. For me, I was obsessed with the Lone Ranger, cowboys hiding their face, so that’s what I wanted to do.” He’s also an actor who made his Broadway debut on March 31, 2025, playing the Emcee in the revival of Cabaret for 16 weeks. “Already Gone” is from his fourth studio album Mule, released September 18th.

  1. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (2)
  2. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (1)
  3. LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (5)
  4. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (6)
  5. MARIANNE – Fontaines D.C. (7)
  6. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (4)
  7. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (3)
  8. STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (11)
  9. I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (12)
  10. WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (13)
  11. I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (14)
  12. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (10)
  13. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (8)
  14. DOORS – Noah Kahan (9)
  15. LOSER – Tame Impala (19)
  16. EVERGREEN – Young the Giant (17)
  17. EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (18)
  18. BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (20)
  19. WINDOW – Foo Fighters (22)
  20. METASTASIZED – Bealby Point (23)
  21. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (15)
  22. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (16)
  23. LOVE TO GO – Edgehill (26)
  24. YOUNG AGAIN – Shinedown (27)
  25. HIGH HOPES 3000 – ROLE MODEL (29)
  26. BLACK DOG RABBIT HOLE – Devon Gilfillian (30)
  27. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (21)
  28. SELF AWARE – Temper City (24) 20th week on chart
  29. GOOD TIMES // END TIMES – Goose (N)
  30. ALREADY GONE – Orville Peck (N)

My Top 30 Songs for September 20-26, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's8 Comments

It’s a third week on top for the beautiful “Rein Me In” by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean, as well as a third week at #2 for “Private” by The Neighbourhood, who’ve spent much of this year on their world tour which began in late March and concludes in their hometown of Los Angeles in December. Fontaines D.C. are the biggest upward movers again this week as their mesmerizing song “Marianne” jumps 10 spots to #7.

There are two new entries to my chart again this week, starting with “High Hopes 3000” by Los Angeles-based artist ROLE MODEL, the music project of 28-year-old singer-songwriter Tucker Harrington Pillsbury. The song is from his third studio album Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, which dropped August 7th. His 2025 single “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” topped my chart exactly one year ago.

The second new entry is “Black Dog Rabbit Hole” by Nashville-based soul singer-songwriter Devon Gilfillian. The song is featured on his fourth album Time Will Tell, released on June 26th. His 2020 single “Unchained” reached #10 on my chart and ranks #68 on my 100 Best Songs of 2020 list.

  1. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (1)
  2. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (2)
  3. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (3)
  4. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (4)
  5. LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (7)
  6. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (8)
  7. MARIANNE – Fontaines D.C. (17)
  8. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (5)
  9. DOORS – Noah Kahan (6)
  10. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (9)
  11. STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (13)
  12. I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (15)
  13. WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (11)
  14. I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (12)
  15. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (14)
  16. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (10)
  17. EVERGREEN – Young the Giant (20)
  18. EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (21)
  19. LOSER – Tame Impala (23)
  20. BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (22)
  21. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (16)
  22. WINDOW – Foo Fighters (24)
  23. METASTASIZED – Bealby Point (25)
  24. SELF AWARE – Temper City (18)
  25. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (19)
  26. LOVE TO GO – Edgehill (29)
  27. YOUNG AGAIN – Shinedown (30)
  28. PICKING DRAGON’S POCKETS – Modest Mouse (26)
  29. HIGH HOPES 3000 – ROLE MODEL (N)
  30. BLACK DOG RABBIT HOLE – Devon Gilfillian (N)

My Top 30 Songs for September 13-19, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's6 Comments
Sam Fender & Olivia Dean from the “Rein Me In” video

Sam Fender and Olivia Dean remain on top for a second week with “Rein Me In”, while Los Angeles alt rock band The Neighbourhood hold the #2 spot again with their captivating “Private”. “Online” by British Columbia, Canada-based artist Western Jaguar advances two spots to #3. In addition to Western Jaguar, two other Canadian acts are represented on this chart – The Beaches, whose song “Edge of the Earth” sits at #21, and Bealby Point, whose song “Metastasized” currently ranks #25. I must state that I’m both horrified and furious that our out-of-control lunatic president has started a needless economic war with our friendly neighbors to the north.

Irish band Fontaines D.C. are this week’s biggest upward movers, as their song “Marianne” leaps 11 spots to #17.

There are two new additions to my chart this week, the first of which is the wonderfully boisterous “Love To Go” by Nashville-based alt-rock band Edgehill, comprised of Chris Kelly (lead vocals and guitar), Jake Zimmermann (lead guitar and vocals), and Aidan Cunningham (drums). The trio have been putting out great songs since 2022, but I only learned about them earlier this year with the release of their song “Doubletake”, which ultimately went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart and #2 on my chart. Both “Doubletake” and “Love To Go” are from their debut album Ode to the Greyhouse, which was released this past February.

The second new entry is “Young Again” by Florida-based rock band Shinedown. Formed in 2001, the lineup presently includes founding members Brent Smith (lead vocals) and Barry Kerch (drums), as well as Zach Myers (guitar, piano, backing vocals) and Eric Bass (bass, guitar, piano, backing vocals). Shinedown has the most #1 singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts with 23, and all 37 of their released singles have reached the top five. To date, the band has sold more than 10 million records worldwide. (Wikipedia) “Young Again” is from their eighth album EI8HT, released this past May and also includes their song “Three Six Five”, which spent 12 weeks on my chart last year.

  1. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (1)
  2. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (2)
  3. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (5)
  4. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (7)
  5. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (3)
  6. DOORS – Noah Kahan (4)
  7. LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (10)
  8. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (9)
  9. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (8)
  10. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (6)
  11. WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (15)
  12. I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (16)
  13. STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (17)
  14. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (14)
  15. I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (20)
  16. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (11)
  17. MARIANNE – Fontaines D.C. (28)
  18. SELF AWARE – Temper City (12)
  19. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (13)
  20. EVERGREEN – Young the Giant 22)
  21. EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (23)
  22. BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (24)
  23. LOSER – Tame Impala (25)
  24. WINDOW – Foo Fighters (26)
  25. METASTASIZED – Bealby Point (27)
  26. PICKING DRAGON’S POCKETS – Modest Mouse (18)
  27. WE SHOULD TALK – Bleachers (19)
  28. LOVE ME NOT – Grace Potter (21)
  29. LOVE TO GO – Edgehill (N)
  30. YOUNG AGAIN – Shinedown (N)

Top 30 Songs for July 13-19, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's3 Comments

20-year-old artist sombr has a firm grip on the top spot as his song “back to friends” spends a third week at #1, while Australian duo Royel Otis move up two spots to #2 with “moody” (I find it fascinating that a lot of acts today use all lowercase letters for their names and song titles). Twenty One Pilots (who for many years also spelled their name in all lowercase) advance five spots to enter the top 10 at #8 with “The Contract”, followed by Dexter and The Moonrocks‘ “Ritalin” and Matt Berninger‘s “Bonnet of Pins”, coming in at #s 9 and 10, respectively. The Black Keys are this week’s biggest upward mover with “No Rain, No Flowers”, jumping eight spots to #18.

The lone new debut this week is “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” by ROLE MODEL, the music project of American singer-songwriter Tucker Harrington Pillsbury. Born in Maine and now based in Los Angeles, he began his music career in 2016, rapping under his first name Tucker, but soon changed his stage name to Dillis, under which he released an album Moth. In early 2017, he again changed his name, this time to ROLE MODEL, and switched from rapping to singing. He released his debut EP Arizona in the Summer that December, which earned him a following online and captured the attention of the late rapper Mac Miller, who invited him to Los Angeles to work with him on a music project. ROLE MODEL was subsequently signed to Interscope in 2018, and continued releasing singles and two more EPs, culminating in the release of his debut album Rx, though none of them charted.

In July 2024 he released his sophomore album Kansas Anymore, featuring a more country folk sound. He followed this past February with a deluxe edition of the album, Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye), accompanied by the sweet single “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out”. Like many songs these days, it became popular on TikTok, undoubtedly helped by Tucker’s good looks and charming persona, and is his first song to chart in the U.S. and several countries, including Canada, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Israel.

  1. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (1)
  2. MOODY – Royel Otis (4)
  3. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (2)
  4. PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (3)
  5. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (6)
  6. CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg (7)
  7. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (5)
  8. THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (13)
  9. RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks (11)
  10. BONNET OF PINS – Matt Berninger (12)
  11. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (15)
  12. SCARS – Secret Postal Society (14)
  13. WHAT WAS THAT – Lorde (16)
  14. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (8)
  15. BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (9)
  16. LET THINGS GO – Caamp (10)
  17. RIPPLE – Good Neighbours (19)
  18. NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (26)
  19. BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (22)
  20. RELATIONSHIPS – HAIM (23)
  21. EMERGENCE – Sleep Token (24)
  22. LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (25)
  23. LONDON TOWN – HEALER (28)
  24. BLOOM BABY BLOOM – Wolf Alice (29)
  25. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (17) 19th week on chart
  26. ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (30)
  27. THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown (18)
  28. WALLS – Frank Joshua (20) 21st week on chart
  29. LAREDO – Leon Bridges (21)
  30. SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (N)

Top 30 Songs for July 6-12, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's4 Comments
Photo of sombr from his Facebook account

The cinematic anthem “back to friends” by sombr holds onto the top spot for a second week, while Lord Huron‘s “Nothing I Need” remains at #2 again after spending two weeks at #1. Irish pop rock band Somebody’s Child moves up a spot to #3 with their beautiful “Porcelain (Losing All My Patience)” and Australian duo Royel Otis slide into fourth place with “moody”.

There are three new debuts this week, starting with “The Contract” by my favorite music act Twenty One Pilots, comprised of the dynamic duo Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, entering my chart at lucky #13. The lead single from their forthcoming eighth studio album Breach, to be released September 5th, “The Contract” starts the final act of the narrative begun on their 2015 album Blurryface and continued through Trench, Scaled And Icy, and last year’s Clancy.

Entering at #29 is “Bloom Baby Bloom” by English alt-rock band Wolf Alice, consisting of Ellie Rowsell on lead vocals, Joff Oddie on guitar, Theo Ellis on bass and Joel Amey on drums. The song is the lead single from their fourth studio album The Clearing, to be released August 29th. And coming in at #30 is “Asshole” by Denver, Colorado-based alternative folk rock band The Lumineers, now a duo consisting of Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion, piano). Also dubbed “First We Ever Met” to mollify radio censors and self-righteous Puritans, “Asshole” is from their fifth and latest studio album Automatic, which dropped February 14th.

  1. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (1)
  2. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (2)
  3. PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (4)
  4. MOODY – Royel Otis (6)
  5. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (3)
  6. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (9)
  7. CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg (10)
  8. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (5)
  9. BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (7)
  10. LET THINGS GO – Caamp (8)
  11. RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks (15)
  12. BONNET OF PINS – Matt Berninger (16)
  13. THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (N)
  14. SCARS – Secret Postal Society (18)
  15. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (19)
  16. WHAT WAS THAT – Lorde (20)
  17. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (11)
  18. THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown (12)
  19. RIPPLE – Neighbours (23)
  20. WALLS – Frank Joshua (13) 20th week on chart
  21. LAREDO – Leon Bridges (14)
  22. BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (24)
  23. RELATIONSHIPS – HAIM (25)
  24. EMERGENCE – Sleep Token (26)
  25. LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (28)
  26. NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (29)
  27. SPACEMAN IN TULSA – Counting Crows (17)
  28. LONDON TOWN – HEALER (30)
  29. BLOOM BABY BLOOM – Wolf Alice (N)
  30. ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (N)

Top 30 Songs for June 29-July 5, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's4 Comments
Photo of sombr from his Facebook account

‘With its sweeping cinematic ‘wall of sound’ arrangement and lush orchestration, the beautiful anthem “back to friends” by alternative pop-rock artist sombr is exactly the kind of song I love, so it was only a matter of time before it reached the pinnacle of my top 30 chart. The music project of talented and charismatic young singer-songwriter Shane Michael Boose – who will turn 20 on July 5th – sombr was born and raised in New York City but now based in Los Angeles. The gorgeous song was released in late December but as so often happens these days, it went viral on TikTok this past Spring along with his other single “Undressed”, and began appearing on multiple charts around the world, including the Billboard Hot 100 and other American charts. Currently enjoying a long stay at #1 on the Alternative Airplay chart, “back to friends” surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify in April and has now garnered more than 381 million streams.’

The straightforward, relatable lyrics describe feelings of heartbreak resulting from learning someone you thought you had a strong romantic and emotional connection with turns out to not share the same feelings, something I’m confident nearly all of us experienced at one time or another during our late adolescence or early adulthood. “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met? The devil in your eyes won’t deny the lies you’ve sold, I’m holding on too tight. While you let go, this is casual.”

In other chart news of note, “Moody” by Australian duo Royel Otis is the biggest upward mover again this week, jumping nine spots to enter the top 10 at #6. Also entering the top 10 are “Basic Being Basic” by Djo, the music project of American actor and musician Joseph David Keery, who starred in the Netflix hit series Stranger Things, the comedy film Free Guy and season five of Fargo, and “Catch These Fists” by English indie rock band Wet Leg.

Two songs make their debut this week, the first of which is “No Rain, No Flowers” by Nashville-based blues rock duo The Black Keys, who are certainly no strangers to my chart. The marvelous ear worm is the title track and third single (after “The Night Before”, which recently peaked at #2, and “Babygirl”) from their forthcoming 13th studio album No Rain, No Flowers, scheduled for release on August 8th. Entering at #30 is “London Town” by English alternative indie rock band HEALER, a great song I recently reviewed. It’s their third song to appear on my chart, after “Bones” in 2023 and “War” in 2024.

  1. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (2)
  2. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (1)
  3. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (4)
  4. PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (5)
  5. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (3)
  6. MOODY – Royel Otis (15)
  7. BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (7)
  8. LET THINGS GO – Caamp (10)
  9. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (11)
  10. CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg (13)
  11. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (6)
  12. THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown (12)
  13. WALLS – Frank Joshua (8)
  14. LAREDO – Leon Bridges (9)
  15. RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks (17)
  16. BONNET OF PINS – Matt Berninger (19)
  17. SPACEMAN IN TULSA – Counting Crows (18)
  18. SCARS – Secret Postal Society (21)
  19. FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (22)
  20. WHAT WAS THAT – Lorde (23)
  21. SNAKESKIN – NAVE (14)
  22. POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (16)
  23. RIPPLE – Good Neighbours (26)
  24. BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (27)
  25. RELATIONSHIPS – HAIM (28)
  26. EMERGENCE – Sleep Token (29)
  27. EVERYTHING IS PEACEFUL LOVE – Bon Iver (20)
  28. LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (30)
  29. NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (N)
  30. LONDON TOWN – HEALER (N)

Top 30 Songs for June 22-28, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's2 Comments

Lord Huron‘s achingly beautiful “Nothing I Need” remains at #1 for a second week, while sombr‘s cinematic “back to friends” closes in at #2. Jack White advances four spots to #4 with his boisterous satirical takedown of televangelist hucksters “Archbishop Harold Holmes”, and Irish indie rock band Somebody’s Child jump five spots to #5 with “Porcelain (Losing All My Patience)”. Ohio indie folk band Caamp enter the top 10 with their gentle song of positivity “Let Things Go”. The biggest upward mover this week is “Moody” by Australian duo Royel Otis, leaping 10 spots to #15.

We have three wonderful new debuts this week, starting with “Relationships” by Los Angeles-based pop-rock trio HAIM, comprised of sisters Este (bass guitar and vocals), Danielle (lead vocals, guitar, and drums), and Alana Haim (guitars, keyboards, and vocals). The lead single from their fourth album I Quit, which dropped this past Friday, June 20th, the song has a languid yet edgy hip hop vibe with the ladies’ marvelous signature harmonies, and I love it. It’s the sisters’ first song to appear on my chart.

Entering at #29 is the darkly beautiful and musically complex “Emergence” by English rock band Sleep Token, whose music is an electrifying blend of alternative, metal, progressive, R&B, hip hop and djent. Though they formed in 2016 and have released four albums, they’re new to me. In addition to their dynamic music, they’re also know for remaining physically anonymous by wearing masks. “Emergence” is the lead single from their fourth album Even in Arcadia, which was released in May, and their first to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at #57. The song is currently #2 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #17 on the Alternative Airplay chart.

Last but certainly not least is the haunting “Love Is A Fire” by the remarkably talented and prolific London-based artist Art Block, which I reviewed upon its release four weeks ago. A favorite artist of mine who I’ve featured many times on this blog, it’s his second song to appear on my chart, the previous being “White Horses”, which went all the way to #1 in December 2022.

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