Top 30 Songs for February 9-15, 2025

“The Faithful Heart” by Wons Phreely + The Horses continues to enthrall me with its gorgeous chiming guitars, soaring harmonies and heartwarming vocals, thus remains my favorite song for a fifth consecutive week. The last time a song spent this many weeks at #1 on my top 30 was in September 2017, when “The Man” by The Killers also topped my chart for five weeks. The charming video is also one of the best I’ve seen in years, and deserves millions of streams.

The beautiful, uplifting song “Arrow” by Seattle folk rock band The Head and The Heart, which has spent the past eight weeks at #1 on the Billboard AAA (Adult Alternative Airplay) chart, moves into second place on my chart. Three songs enter the top 10 this week: “You’re My Drug” by northern Virginia indie pop-rock artist Talk in Waves, “Detroit” by L.A.-based rock band Badflower, and “Sailor Song” by American singer-songwriter Gigi Perez, at #s 8, 9 & 10, respectively. The biggest upward mover again this week is “The Line” by twenty one pilots, leaping 11 spots to #12. Making their debut are songs by two of music’s biggest acts who’ve had numerous songs appear on my chart – “Rushmere” by English folk rock band Mumford & Sons, at #29, and “Metaverse”, the latest single by Nashville-based alt-rock band Cage the Elephant from their album Neon Pill, at #30.

  1. THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely + The Horses (1) 5th week at #1
  2. ARROW – The Head and The Heart (3)
  3. BOBBY SOX – Green Day (2)
  4. IN THE LIVING ROOM – Maggie Rogers (5)
  5. SO COLD – Balu Brigada (6)
  6. SAD IN CAROLINA – Dexter and The Moonrocks (4)
  7. AUTUMN LEAVES – Secret Postal Society (8)
  8. YOU’RE MY DRUG – Talk in Waves (12)
  9. DETROIT – Badflower (13)
  10. SAILOR SONG – Gigi Perez (14)
  11. GILD THE LILY – Billy Strings (7)
  12. THE LINE – twenty one pilots (23)
  13. ROUTINES IN THE NIGHT – twenty one pilots (10)
  14. SHE WANTS TO GO DANCING – Mt. Joy (17)
  15. A TEAR IN SPACE (AIRLOCK) – Glass Animals (7)
  16. NEVERENDER – Justice & Tame Impala (11)
  17. DAY & NIGHT – Oli Barton (18)
  18. AFTERLIFE – Sharon Van Etten (20)
  19. BAD DREAMS – Teddy Swims (21)
  20. PEOPLE WATCHING – Sam Fender (22)
  21. A FRAGILE THING – The Cure (15)
  22. DARKERSIDE – David Kushner (16)
  23. IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (26)
  24. HERE WE GO AGAIN – Set the Tone (25)
  25. ROCKMAN – Mk.gee (24)
  26. TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (27)
  27. DIE WITH A SMILE – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (19) 20th week on chart
  28. WHO’S A FRAUD? – Still Traffico (30)
  29. RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (N)
  30. METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (N)

Top 30 Songs for February 2-8, 2025

I still love “The Faithful Heart” by Australian-born and now L.A.-based artist Wons Phreely and his backup band The Horses with all my heart, and so it remains at the top of my chart for a fourth week. Sliding into second place is Green Day‘s “Bobby Sox, while “Arrow” by The Head and The Heart moves up two spots to #3. Moving up five spots to enter the top 10 at #6 is “So Cold” by New Zealand-born and now New York-based Balu Brigada, comprised of brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley. The biggest upward mover is “The Line” by twenty one pilots, jumping six spots to #23. Their beautiful song “Routines in the Night” is also at #10 again this week. The sole debut this week is the wonderful “Who’s a Fraud?” by English alternative pop-rock band Still Traffico, which I reviewed a few weeks ago.

  1. THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely + The Horses (1) 4th week at #1
  2. BOBBY SOX – Green Day (4)
  3. ARROW – The Head and The Heart (5)
  4. SAD IN CAROLINA – Dexter and The Moonrocks (2)
  5. IN THE LIVING ROOM – Maggie Rogers (6)
  6. SO COLD – Balu Brigada (11)
  7. GILD THE LILY – Billy Strings (8)
  8. AUTUMN LEAVES – Secret Postal Society (9)
  9. A TEAR IN SPACE (AIRLOCK) – Glass Animals (3)
  10. ROUTINES IN THE NIGHT – twenty one pilots (10)
  11. NEVERENDER – Justice & Tame Impala (7)
  12. YOU’RE MY DRUG – Talk in Waves (14)
  13. DETROIT – Badflower (15)
  14. SAILOR SONG – Gigi Perez (16)
  15. A FRAGILE THING – The Cure (12)
  16. DARKERSIDE – David Kushner (13)
  17. SHE WANTS TO GO DANCING – Mt. Joy (18)
  18. DAY & NIGHT – Oli Barton (19)
  19. DIE WITH A SMILE – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (17)
  20. AFTERLIFE – Sharon Van Etten (21)
  21. BAD DREAMS – Teddy Swims (24)
  22. PEOPLE WATCHING – Sam Fender (23)
  23. THE LINE – twenty one pilots (29)
  24. ROCKMAN – Mk.gee (26)
  25. HERE WE GO AGAIN – Set the Tone (27)
  26. IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (28)
  27. TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (30)
  28. HARDCORE ROMANCE – Beach Weather (20)
  29. GIVING UP – Michigander (22)
  30. WHO’S A FRAUD? – Still Traffico (N)

STILL TRAFFICO – Single Review: “Who’s a Fraud?”

January 10th was apparently a big day for new music releases, and I featured three singles that dropped that day on my recent installment of Fresh New Tracks. One I missed – because I was not yet familiar with the band who recorded it – is the wonderful song “Who’s a Fraud?” by English alternative pop-rock band Still Traffico.

Originally formed in London as a four-piece named Peach, the band renamed themselves with a rather unusual but certainly distinctive moniker Still Traffico in the summer of 2023, when they reduced down to three members consisting of Cam McColl (lead vocals/guitar, Dan Carabine (lead guitar) and Dan Arthur (bass). Influenced by everything from Chanson Française storytelling to African desert blues to post-rock and more, Still Traffico make a blend of indie pop and post-punk they call “Railway Pop” and cheekily describe as a “sound that clanks and shunts… but soothes.” After listening to their songs I’d say that sounds about right.

Still Traffico released their debut single “Seagull” in September 2023, and since then have dropped three more excellent singles, the latest of which is “Who’s a Fraud?” While not quite jangle pop, it most definitely features some marvelous jangly guitar work, as well as really lovely twangy guitar notes accompanied by a subtle but solid bassline and spirited percussion. It all works beautifully to create an enthralling and memorable backdrop for Cam McColl’s immensely pleasing vocals. I like “Who’s a Fraud?” more with each listen, and think it’s their best song yet.

The poetic lyrics seem to speak to those who think of themselves as pure of heart and mind with the best of intentions, yet are quick to judge others they feel are wrong or inferior to themselves:

I tore the lid off
Light hit the eggshell walls
What lurks underneath
Can't be concealed anymore.

It's coming for you
In all your comfort
Turn your face away
when it matters.


So who are you calling a fraud?

You've seen the world
You've got your measure on things
Now, hold yourself
Like we're the same?
It's night and day.


I tread alone
in familiar places.
Step into the road
as the lights turn red.
To find that people behind me follow.
To feel.. that cars can't kill.


You know the world
You've done your own reading
So, hold yourself
like we're the same?
It's night and day.

So, who are you calling a fraud?

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