Given America’s ongoing descent into an authoritarian dictatorship led by a cruel and corrupt narcissistic lunatic and pedophile who operates like a literal mob boss, I haven’t been in the frame of mind to write about music since the start of the year. I’m still feeling pretty disheartened and anxious about what new horrors Combover Caligula and his odious administration will unleash upon us in the coming weeks and months, but wanted to write a post of my current favorite songs mainly because a few of my favorite indie music acts have songs on this week’s chart, and this is my way of letting them know.
First off, the amazing singer-songwriter sombr holds the top spot for a fifth week with his exuberant pop gem “12 to 12”. The talented 20-year-old was nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy, and his song “back to friends” was my favorite song last year. Moving into second place is “Zombie” by English singer-songwriter, musician and actor YUNGBLUD (born Dominic Richard Harrison). The biggest upward mover is “Lost Your Ghost” by New York City-based singer-songwriter and musician Two Feet (aka Bill Dess), jumping nine spots to #21.
The aforementioned favorite indie acts with songs on this chart are English psychedelic rock band Future Theory, who’s fantastic track “The Fear” spends its fifth week in the top 3 (peaking at #2 last week), Virginia singer-songwriter and musician Talk in Waves (aka Jake Mimikos), who’s “Waiting for Me” sits at #24, and Welsh singer-songwriter and musician Secret Postal Society (aka Craig Mapstone), who’s song “Heather” debuts at #29.
Other new debuts include “The Great Divide” by singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, at #26, “SWEET LOVE” by young Nashville-based singer-songwriter Stephen Sanchez, at #27, “Slumber Party” by Chicago-based alternative rock band Brigitte Calls Me Baby, at #28, and “The Old Law” by American singer-songwriter, musician and producer Father John Misty (aka Joshua Michael Tillman), at #30. (It seems nearly every artist has a musical alter-ego.)
12 TO 12 – sombr (1)5th week at #1
ZOMBIE – YUNGBLUD (5)
THE FEAR – Future Theory (2)
GET THE MESSAGE – The Paradox (3)
INFINITE SOURCE – Deftones (6)
WHO’S YOUR BOYFRIEND – Royel Otis (9)
WHITE HORSES – Wolf Alice (7)
HUMAN – Brandi Carlile (8)
DRACULA – Tame Impala (4) Spent 3 weeks at #1
I’VE GOT A BROKEN HEART – The Lemon Twigs (10)
HULA GIRL – The Neighbourhood (13)
TO SPACE – Kings of Leon (15)
TANANA – Portugal. The Man (11)
RUBBER BAND MAN – Mumford & Sons w/Hozier (12)
ASKING FOR A FRIEND – Foo Fighters (14)
ALL MY FRIENDS ARE SO DEPRESSED – Joyce Manor (17)
Well, I thought 2024 was a trying year, but 2025 turned out to be an even bigger shitshow! Between the death of my cat and the unending nightmare of the odious and spectacularly corrupt Trump regime, it’s a wonder I (and millions of others) survived this year intact. Thankfully, there was lots of great music to help keep us relatively sane.
As I do at the end of each year, I’ve compiled a list of my 100 favorite songs for the past year. I’ve previously posted my list of the 100 Best Indie Songs of 2025 (which you can read here), and now this new list represents a compilation of my favorite songs of 2025 (23 of which also appear on my 100 Best Indie Songs list.) I avoid ranking albums, as there are simply far too many I’ve either not heard or had the time to fully listen to, therefore any list I might compile would be woefully inadequate.
As a music blogger, I’m exposed to a tremendous amount of new music over the course of a year, both from the thousands of artists and bands I follow, as well as all the music I learn about from fellow bloggers. Despite this, I’ve heard only a tiny fraction of all the music released in 2025, which was clearly evident to me when I perused the year-end best song lists of music sites and publications like Consequence, The Fader, Rolling Stone, NPR, etc. Therefore, my list includes only songs I know, and I’m certain there are likely hundreds of great ones that should be included, except that I’ve never heard them. Among the thousands of songs I did hear in 2025, there were many outstanding ones, and it frustrates me to have to cull my list down to only 100, omitting quite a few that I really like. It’s also a challenge ranking them, because a song at #40 isn’t necessarily any better than a song at #70. Perhaps it’s a pointless exercise to even rank them at all, except for the fact that I love making lists!
Music tastes are very subjective, and while I don’t understand how others cannot share my love for a particular song or artist, I fully realize that not one person will agree with all my song choices or rankings. I’m an unapologetic lover of pop, but also love dream rock, folk rock and alternative rock, so a lot of songs on my list reflect those genres. My favorite music artist this year was sombr (the hyper-talented 20-year-old American singer-songwriter and producer born Shane Michael Boose), who’s gorgeous, anthemic torch song “back to friends” is #1, while his equally great “undressed” is #11 and “12 to 12” comes in at #29. Also ranking highly are songs from favorite acts of mine who ranked highly on previous years lists, including Royel Otis, Lord Huron, Twenty One Pilots, Fontaines D.C., The Black Keys, Talk in Waves and Frank Joshua.
Most of the songs on this list were released in 2025, however, several were released in 2024 but didn’t ‘peak’ until 2025. Likewise, several songs released after November 1st are still moving up my weekly charts and won’t peak until early 2026, thus will appear on next year’s list. The few songs in this Top 100 that also appeared on my 100 Best Songs of 2024 list are indicated with an asterisk *. I’ve created both YouTube and Spotify playlists for this Top 100, which are included at the end of the post. Hopefully you’ll find some of your own personal favorites on it. Let me know what songs resonated with you in 2025.
BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr
THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely + The Horses (my #1 indie song)
SO COLD – Balu Brigada
MOODY – Royel Otis
NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron
NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys
IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C.
THE LINE (from Arcane League of Legends) – Twenty One Pilots
IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire
FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall
UNDRESSED – sombr
SAD IN CAROLINA – Dexter and The Moonrocks *
TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket
ENSENADA – Sublime
WALLS – Frank Joshua
ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes
THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots
FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves
ARROW – The Head And The Heart
TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert
THE WEATHER – All Time Low
BAD DREAMS – Teddy Swims
CITY WALLS – Twenty One Pilots
METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant
SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL
NEVER ENOUGH – TURNSTILE
PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child
JUPITER – almost monday feat. Jordana
12 TO 12 – sombr
PEOPLE WATCHING – Sam Fender
DRACULA – Tame Impala
THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys
BOBBY SOX – Green Day *
SUSHI AND COLA COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones
RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons
CONTROLLER – Moody Moody
NEVERENDER – Justice feat. Tame Impala *
A TEAR IN SPACE (AIRLOCK) – Glass Animals *
ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges
BAD LARRY – Cloakroom
LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block
YOU’RE MY DRUG – Talk in Waves
THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras
BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo
BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada
ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White
SAILOR SONG – Gigi Perez
AUTUMN LEAVES – Secret Postal Society
IN THE LIVING ROOM – Maggie Rogers
MISTAKES – Caamp
DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson
LONDON TOWN – HEALER
MORTAL WOUND – The Veils
DETROIT – Badflower
POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost
LAREDO – Leon Bridges
CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails
LUTHER – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard
SAME OLD SONG – The Lumineers
SHE WANTS TO GO DANCING – Mt. Joy
STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights
RIPPLE – Good Neighbours
BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point
SNAKESKIN – NAVE
THE FATE OF OPHELIA – Taylor Swift
BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION
BONNET OF PINS – Matt Berninger
ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men
POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix
WITHOUT A DOUBT – Charm School
ASSHOLE – The Lumineers
GILD THE LILY – Billy Strings
SPECTER – Bad Omens
LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated
LET THINGS GO – Caamp
RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks
SO FAR SO FAKE – Pierce the Veil
THE FEAR – Future Theory
THE SUBWAY – Chappell Roan
SPIKE ISLAND – Pulp
WRECK – Neko Case
MOTHER – Lyia Meta & Mark Allen Lanoue
BLOOM BABY BLOOM – Wolf Alice
DAY & NIGHT – Oli Barton
LUCY – Mt. Joy
WHO’S A FRAUD? – Still Traffico
HORNETS – Western Jaguar
ANKLES – Lucy Dacus
HESITATE – Meltt
GIVING UP – Michigander
THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown
RELATIONSHIPS – HAIM
AFTERLIFE – Alex G
GET THE MESSAGE – The Paradox
DANG – Rainbow Kitten Surprise
SUGAR ON MY TONGUE – Tyler, The Creator
WHAT WAS THAT – Lorde
AFTERLIFE – Sharon Van Etten
Honorable Mention (these songs would rank #s 101-115):
At the end of each year, I publish a list of my Top 100 Songs, representing my picks for what I think are the best songs – my favorites actually – for the entire year. Last year, at the suggestion of a member of Missouri folk rock band Voodoo Planet, I also compiled a list of my 100 favorite indie songs of 2024. That blog post nearly went viral, and over the past year has amassed over 7,000 views to become my 10th most popular post ever. (In sharp contrast, my 100 Best Songs of 2024 post has garnered only around 1,100 views.)
Because I follow, and am followed by, many indie musicians and bands on social media, I enjoy showcasing some of the exceptional music being made by them that’s every bit as good as, or even better than, that from mainstream acts, so compiling a separate list of what I think are the best indie songs makes perfect sense.
These are not necessarily “indie” songs in terms of genre (though there are many that fall into that overall category), rather songs by independent or DIY music acts. While some are in fact signed to music labels, they’re usually small or independently owned. There are 82 acts represented in this list, the majority of which are from the U.S., Canada and the U.K., but also from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Germany and Ukraine. A number of acts have two songs, while English psychedelic alt-rock band Future Theory have three.
Of course, I must make note of the fact that this list contains only songs I’m aware of, and that there are likely hundreds of other great songs that deserve to be here, except that I’ve never heard them. The songs on this list – all of which are outstanding if I do say so myself – were generally released between November 2024 and October 2025.
Though they’re ranked from #1 to 100, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a song at #30 is better than one at #60. That said, the ones closer to the top are my very favorites. And though I’d love to write a narrative about each song and artist, given my limited time and energy, not to mention people’s short attention spans, I’ve decided against that again this year. I will, however, include the marvelous video for my #1 pick, “The Faithful Heart” by immensely talented and creative L.A.-based artist Wons Phreely, as it’s so delightful that everyone should watch it! I’ve also created playlists on both YouTube and Spotify, which are included after the list itself. Enjoy!
THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely + The Horses
IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire
WALLS – Frank Joshua
FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves
TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert
CONTROLLER – Moody Moody
BAD LARRY – Cloakroom
LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block
YOU’RE MY DRUG – Talk in Waves
THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras
LONDON TOWN – HEALER
POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost
STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights
SNAKESKIN – NAVE
BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point
LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated
THE FEAR – Future Theory
POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix
WITHOUT A DOUBT – Charm School
MOTHER – Lyia Meta & Mark Allen Lanoue
DAY & NIGHT – Oli Barton
WHO’S A FRAUD? – Still Traffico
HORNETS – Western Jaguar
SCARS – Secret Postal Society
REALITY BUZZ – Future Theory
AFTER ALL – Darksoft
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT – overpass
FEEL – NAVE
HERE WE GO AGAIN – Set the Tone
BAD PATTERNS – HEALER
ALWAYS WITH YOU – Ewan Patrick
THE HAZE – Future Theory
ECHOES – Antipole, Ja’kob & Pedro Code
TREPHINE – Big Orange
WHAT IT TAKES – The Radio Field
SLOW DEATH – Western Jaguar
SUPERSPREADER YEAR – Roadkeeper
BLEAK COMPANION – The Brigadier
MARK & KYLE – Icarus Phoenix
LLUMINE – Josephine Pascoe
DAYS LIKE THESE – Frank Joshua
ESPIONAGE – Rusty Shipp
CONSPIRACY OF SNAKES – Blake Rascals
CALIFORNIA – Art Block
NATIONAL TREASURE – Faint Halos
ANTICIPATE THE FALL – Pilod
FALLING DOWN – Holy Coves
CALLING OUT – Black Bear Kiss
BEERS WITH THE BEEKEEPER – The Zangwills
IT’S GETTING LATE – Sorry Ghost
IT’S ALRIGHT – The Radio Field & The Baumhoff Explosives
OH NO – John Serrano
MEDICATED – Shape of the Sun
MY DOG BRUCE – Jack Droppers & the Best Intentions
INSIDE – Skar de Line
DARLING, HE DOESN’T CARE – Olivia Miceli
ALL FOR NOTHING – Set the Tone
NOTHING REALLY MATTERS – Snap Infraction
ALONE – The Sylvia Platters
LOOK WHAT YOU DID – Jeen
WHERE IS SHE NOW – Mecuzine
SHUT UP – Esse. feat. Shimmer Johnson
PACK IT UP – Diet Lite
LOVE LIES – Caleb Nichols
WHITEBOARD (YOU CALL HOME) – FRVR
LIFESPAN – Cormac O Caoimh
I, PHONE – INNERSPEAR
EVERYTHING SEDUCTIVE – Unquiet Nights
DOUBLE DISCO – Bealby Point
ALRIGHT – naive nature
BUNK BEDS – Lost in the City
SEVENTH ROCK FROM THE SUN – Only on Weekends
SOMEDAY SOON – DelCobras
DON’T GO TO BED WITH A BAD MIND – The Brigadier
BROKEN ANIMAL – Matt Jaffe
ALL I NEED TO KNOW – PluX feat. Shimmer Johnson
I WANNA FIGHT MY CLONE – Bear Ghost & Playboy Manbaby
“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.
UNDRESSED – sombr (1)
FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (4)
ENSENADA – Sublime (5)
JUPITER – almost monday feat. Jordana (2)
SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (3)
BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (7)
BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (9)
LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (10)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (11)
POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (6)
HORNETS – Western Jaguar (14)
MISTAKES – Caamp (15)
THE WEATHER – All Time Low (16)
ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (8)
WRECK – Neko Case (22)
SUSHI AND COCA-COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (26)
MY MIND IS A MOUNTAIN – Deftones (13)
DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (24)
EVERYBODY SCREAM – Florence + The Machine (25)
ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (28)
ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (29)
MOODY – Royel Otis (17)
METAL – The Beths (18)
EVERYDAY MAGIC – My Morning Jacket (19)
FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (12) 20th week on chart
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.
UNDRESSED – sombr (2)
JUPITER – almost monday feat. Jordana (1)
SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (3)
FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (4)
ENSENADA – Sublime (6)
POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (5)
BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (8)
ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (9)
BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (10)
LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (11)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (14)
FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (7)
MY MIND IS A MOUNTAIN – Deftones (17)
HORNETS – Western Jaguar (19)
MISTAKES – Caamp (23)
THE WEATHER – All Time Low (24)
MOODY – Royel Otis (18)
METAL – The Beths (20)
EVERYDAY MAGIC – My Morning Jacket (21)
LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (12)
NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (14)
WRECK – Neko Case (25)
LONDON TOWN – HEALER (15)
DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (27)
EVERYBODY SCREAM – Florence + The Machine (30)
SUSHI AND COCA-COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (N)
THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (22)
ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (N)
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.
JUPITER – almost monday feat. Jordana (2)
UNDRESSED – sombr (3)
SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (1)
FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (5)
POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (6)
ENSENADA – Sublime (12)
FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (4)
BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (10)
ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (11)
BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (14)
LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (15)
LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (7)
NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (8)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (16)
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 MidnightGreen, 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.
FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (1)
SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (4)
LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (3)
NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (2)
LONDON TOWN – Healer (5)
JUPITER – almost monday ft. Jordana (8)
UNDRESSED – sombr (9)
POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (10)
FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (11)
THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (6)
MOODY – Royel Otis (7)
BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (12)
ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (14)
TODAY’S SONG – Foo Fighters (15)
BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (16)
LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (18)
UNRAVELLING – Muse (20)
AFTERLIFE – Alex G (21)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (22)
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 Talkin 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.
FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (2)
NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (1)
LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (5)
SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (7)
LONDON TOWN – Healer (6)
THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (3)
MOODY – Royel Otis (4)
JUPITER – almost monday ft. Jordana (11)
UNDRESSED – sombr (12)
POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (15)
FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (17)
BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (14)
BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (8)
ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (13)
TODAY’S SONG – Foo Fighters (16)
BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (18)
BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (10)
LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (20)
RIPPLE – Good Neighbours (9)
UNRAVELLING – Muse (21)
AFTERLIFE – Alex G (22)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (23)
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.
NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (1)
FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (3)
THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (2)
MOODY – Royel Otis (4)
LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (7)
LONDON TOWN – Healer (8)
SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (9)
BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (6)
RIPPLE – Good Neighbours (5)
BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (10)
JUPITER – almost monday ft. Jordana (12)
UNDRESSED – sombr (13)
ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (14)
BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (15)
POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (16)
TODAY’S SONG – Foo Fighters (17)
FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (18)
BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (19)
BLOOM BABY BLOOM – Wolf Alice (11)
LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (23)
UNRAVELLING – Muse (24)
AFTERLIFE – Alex G (26)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (27)
Photo of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney by Larry Niehues
Last week’s top ten songs remain in place again this week, with a bit of shuffling here and there. The Black Keys top my chart for a second week with “No Rain, No Flowers”, while “The Contract” by Twenty One Pilots holds at #2 again after a two-week run at #1. “Feels Right” by northern Virginia singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Talk in Waves moves up a spot to secure the third place ranking.
We have three new debuts, two of which are by legendary alt-rock favorites, and another by one of my favorite Canadian indie artists. Entering at #28 is “Ensenada” by American ska punk band Sublime, who originally formed way back in 1988 in Long Beach, California and consisted of Bradley Nowell (vocals and guitar), Bud Gaugh (drums) and Eric Wilson (bass). Over their eight-year run, Sublime released three studio albums, a live album, five compilation albums, three EPs, one box set and six singles, three of which – “What I Got”, “Santeria” and “Wrong Way” – have remained longtime alt-rock radio staples. The band disbanded after singer Bradley Nowell’s death from a heroin overdose in 1996 but subsequently reformed in 2023 with Bradley’s son Jakob Nowell singing lead vocals alongside original band members Wilson and Gaugh. Their latest single “Ensenada”, released July 18th, carries on with the band’s original signature sound, almost as if no time has passed.
Coming in at #29 is “my mind is a mountain” by American alternative metal band Deftones. Also formed in 1988, in Sacramento, California (where I lived from 1989-1994), they originally consisted of frontman Chino Moreno (lead vocals), Stephen Carpenter (lead guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums) and Chi Cheng (bass). Frank Delgado later joined the band as keyboardist and turntablist in 1999. Cheng, who was seriously injured in an auto accident in 2008 and subsequently died in 2013, was replaced on bass by Sergio Vega, who remained with the band until early 2021. Deftones have released 10 studio albums, four EPs, three compilation albums, five demo albums, 32 music videos and 25 singles. Though none of their songs have ever made the Billboard Hot 100, several have appeared on the Alternative and Rock charts. On July 10th, they released “my mind is a mountain”, the lead single from their 10th and latest album private music (which dropped this past Friday, August 22nd), their first new music since their 2020 album Ohms. With the intensely heavy and melodic “my mind is a mountain”, it’s clear Deftones haven’t lost a step and I’m really liking the new album as well.
Last but certainly not least is “Hornets” by British Columbia-based Western Jaguar, the music project of the personable and talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jeffrey Trainor. I’ve been a fan of his for over seven years, and two of his songs – “Disappear” (2019) and “Darling” (2023) have reached #1 on my chart. His latest single “Hornets” represents a somewhat edgier, more rock-oriented sound from him and I like it!
NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – The Black Keys (1)
THE CONTRACT – Twenty One Pilots (2)
FEELS RIGHT – Talk in Waves (4)
MOODY – Royel Otis (3)
RIPPLE – Good Neighbours (6)
BETTER OFF EVENTUALLY – Bealby Point (7)
LOVE IS A FIRE – Art Block (8)
LONDON TOWN – Healer (9)
SALLY, WHEN THE WINE RUNS OUT – ROLE MODEL (10)
BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (5)
BLOOM BABY BLOOM – Wolf Alice (12)
JUPITER – almost monday ft. Jordana (13)
UNDRESSED – sombr (14)
ASSHOLE – The Lumineers (15)
BACKSEAT – Balu Brigada (19)
POLYESTER (YES SIR) – Sorry Ghost (20)
TODAY’S SONG – Foo Fighters (21)
FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (22)
BETTER DAYS – Yellowcard (24)
BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (11)
NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (17)
INCOMPREHENSIBLE – Big Thief (25)
LIGHT YEARS APART – Unobliterated (26)
UNRAVELLING – Muse (27)
PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (16)
AFTERLIFE – Alex G (29)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (30)
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 