Tag: Top Songs April 2023

Top 30 Songs for April 23-29, 2023

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's4 Comments

I love when artists from different genres and backgrounds come together to create music, especially when the pooling of their collective talents and imagination results in glorious sonic alchemy. One of the finest examples of this in recent memory is “New Gold”, a brilliant collaboration between virtual band Gorillaz (fronted by British singer-songwriter and producer Damon Albarn), Australian alternative psychedelic music project Tame Impala, and American rapper Bootie Brown (aka Romye Robinson). The deep, pulsating beat and lush, intricate synths by Albarn, producer extraordinaire Greg Kurstin, and Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker create a magical backdrop for Albarn’s and Parker’s dreamy vocals and Brown’s flawlessly rapped verses, all of which not only complement each other beautifully, but also create a palpable sense of excitement and energy. The song is a gorgeous feast for the senses, and ascends to the #1 spot on my latest Weekly Top 30.

Co-written by them all, the song’s lyrics speak to the ephemeral and often unfulfilling things too many people indulge in, expressed in the chorus “New gold, foolish gold, everything will disappear.” They rely on self-delusions or any number of palliatives, rather than face their problems in a realistic way, whether it be the ultimately self destructive overuse of cosmetic surgery that often ages poorly, abuse of party drugs that destroy the user’s mind, or endless social media drama, wasting time on online content lacking any real value or engaging in online arguments that only serve to make us feel more isolated than ever.

In other chart developments, Young the Giant‘s poignant and lovely “The Walk Home” enters the top 10, and two songs make their debut: “The Way” by American alt-rock band Manchester Orchestra, at #29, and “In My Head” by Mike Shinoda (of Linkin Park) and Arizona-based singer-songwriter Kailee Morgue, at #30.

  1. NEW GOLD – Gorillaz, Tame Impala & Bootie Brown (3)
  2. TROPIC MORNING NEWS – The National (1)
  3. GHOSTS AGAIN – Depeche Mode (4)
  4. TRANSMITTER – Sea Power (2)
  5. FLOWERS – Miley Cyrus (6)
  6. PEPPER – Death Cab for Cutie (5)
  7. LOVE FROM THE OTHER SIDE – Fall Out Boy (7)
  8. SOFTEN – Alex Southey (9)
  9. BLUEBELL WOOD – Frank Joshua (10)
  10. THE WALK HOME – Young the Giant (12)
  11. KID – The Revivalists (14)
  12. I WANT YOU DEAD – Two Feet & Allie Cabal (13)
  13. BACKPATTERS AND SHOOTERS – The Zangwills (8)
  14. PAID OFF – Oli Barton & the Movement (15)
  15. WOLF – Yeah Yeah Yeahs (16)
  16. EAT YOUR YOUNG – Hozier (23)
  17. THE PERFECT PAIR – beabadoobee (19)
  18. NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (20)
  19. TROUBLE WITH THIS BED – Beach Weather (11) 21st week on chart
  20. GO DOWN RIVER – The Heavy Heavy (21)
  21. DUMMY – Portugal. The Man (22)
  22. ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (24)
  23. PAGES – White Reaper (17)
  24. ANGELICA – Wet Leg (27)
  25. 1982 – Morgendust (28)
  26. RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (29)
  27. LEAVING – Au Gres (30)
  28. YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO – Darksoft (18)
  29. THE WAY – Manchester Orchestra (N)
  30. IN MY HEAD – Mike Shinoda & Kailee Morgue (N)

Top 30 Songs for April 16-22, 2023

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's16 Comments

The beautiful “Tropic Morning News” by The National holds at #1 for a second week, with Sea Power‘s majestic “Transmitter” also remaining at #2. “New Gold” by the dream collaboration of Gorillaz, Tame Impala and Bootie Brown slides into 3rd place (Gorillaz & Brown performed the song at the Coachella Music Festival this past Friday night), while Depeche Mode‘s “Ghosts Again” assumes the #4 spot. British singer-songwriter Frank Joshua enters the top 10 with his sublime love song “Bluebell Wood”.

Three songs make their debut this week: Entering at #23 is the amazing “Eat Your Young” by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier. He states the song was inspired by Gluttony, one the 9 Circles of Hell contained in the first part of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem Divine Comedy, and describes a feast being prepared and served together with the chaos that comes with it. “Rescue Me” by Southern California reggae-ska rock band Dirty Heads enters at #29, and “leaving” by Michigan singer-songwriter Au Gres enters at #30.

  1. TROPIC MORNING NEWS – The National (1)
  2. TRANSMITTER – Sea Power (2)
  3. NEW GOLD – Gorillaz, Tame Impala & Bootie Brown (6)
  4. GHOSTS AGAIN – Depeche Mode (7)
  5. PEPPER – Death Cab for Cutie (4)
  6. FLOWERS – Miley Cyrus (8)
  7. LOVE FROM THE OTHER SIDE – Fall Out Boy (5)
  8. BACKPATTERS AND SHOOTERS – The Zangwills (3)
  9. SOFTEN – Alex Southey (10)
  10. BLUEBELL WOOD – Frank Joshua (12)
  11. TROUBLE WITH THIS BED – Beach Weather (9)
  12. THE WALK HOME – Young the Giant (14)
  13. I WANT YOU DEAD – Two Feet & Allie Cabal (15)
  14. KID – The Revivalists (16)
  15. PAID OFF – Oli Barton & the Movement (17)
  16. WOLF – Yeah Yeah Yeahs (18)
  17. PAGES – White Reaper (11)
  18. YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO – Darksoft (13)
  19. THE PERFECT PAIR – beabadoobee (22)
  20. NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (25)
  21. GO DOWN RIVER – The Heavy Heavy (26)
  22. DUMMY – Portugal. The Man (28)
  23. EAT YOUR YOUNG – Hozier (N)
  24. ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (27)
  25. EYEZ – The Arcs (19)
  26. WEIGHTLESS – Arlo Parks (20)
  27. ANGELICA – Wet Leg (29)
  28. 1982 – Morgendust (30)
  29. RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (N)
  30. LEAVING – Au Gres (N)

Top 30 Songs for April 9-15, 2023

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments
Photo by Josh Goleman

My gosh, what a stellar week for music! Great songs by The National, Sea Power, The Zangwills, Death Cab for Cutie, Fall Out Boy, Gorillaz, Tame Impala & Bootie Brown, and Depeche Mode, and that’s just the top 7! The National’s captivating “Tropic Morning News” ascends to the top of my chart this week. The song is the lead single from their ninth studio album First Two Pages Of Frankenstein, due for release on April 28. For those unaware, The National consists of Matt Berninger (vocals), twin brothers Aaron Dessner (guitar, piano, keyboards) and Bryce Dessner (guitar, piano, keyboards), and brothers Scott Devendorf (bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums). I love their sophisticated songwriting and rich, complex sound, especially Matt Berninger’s beautiful baritone vocals.

According to an article by Leah Degrazia for the website Genius, the album came together while Berninger was emerging from a period of crippling writer’s block (something I can strongly relate to). “Even though we’d always been anxious whenever we were working on a record, this was the first time it ever felt like maybe things really had come to an end,” Berninger said. The song’s lyrics, written by Berninger and his wife, Carin Besser, speak of how constantly inundating yourself with negative news can pull you into a dark hole of isolation and sadness, making it hard to reach out and form deep human connection.

In other chart developments, the gorgeous “Soften” by exceptionally-talented Canadian singer-songwriter Alex Southey enters the top 10. Entering this week’s chart are “Angelica” by the delightful English duo Wet Leg, at #29, and “1982” by Dutch alternative rock band Morgendust, whose wonderful self-titled album I recently reviewed, at #30.

  1. TROPIC MORNING NEWS – The National (2)
  2. TRANSMITTER – Sea Power (3)
  3. BACKPATTERS AND SHOOTERS – The Zangwills (1)
  4. PEPPER – Death Cab for Cutie (6)
  5. LOVE FROM THE OTHER SIDE – Fall Out Boy (4)
  6. NEW GOLD – Gorillaz featuring Tame Impala and Bootie Brown (7)
  7. GHOSTS AGAIN – Depeche Mode (8)
  8. FLOWERS – Miley Cyrus (10)
  9. TROUBLE WITH THIS BED – Beach Weather (5)
  10. SOFTEN – Alex Southey (11)
  11. PAGES – White Reaper (9)
  12. BLUEBELL WOOD – Frank Joshua (15)
  13. YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO – Darksoft (12)
  14. THE WALK HOME – Young the Giant (16)
  15. I WANT YOU DEAD – Two Feet & Allie Cabal (17)
  16. KID – The Revivalists (21)
  17. PAID OFF – Oli Barton & the Movement (22)
  18. WOLF – Yeah Yeah Yeahs (23)
  19. EYEZ – The Arcs (18)
  20. WEIGHTLESS – Arlo Parks (19)
  21. MODERNISE – The Slow Readers Club (20)
  22. THE PERFECT PAIR – beabadoobee (26)
  23. JUST BEFORE THE MORNING – Local Natives (13)
  24. SUREFIRE – Wilderado (14)
  25. NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (27)
  26. GO DOWN RIVER – The Heavy Heavy (28)
  27. ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (29)
  28. DUMMY – Portugal. The Man (30)
  29. ANGELICA – Wet Leg (N)
  30. 1982 – Morgendust (N)

Top 30 Songs for April 2-8, 2023

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's11 Comments

British indie pop-rock band The Zangwills remain at #1 for a second week with their achingly beautiful song “Backpatters and Shooters”. “Tropic Morning News” by American alternative art rock band The National slides into the #2 spot, and “Transmitter” by British alt-rock band Sea Power holds at #3. Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” enters the top 10.

Four songs make their debut this week: “Not Strong Enough”, from the new album the record by American indie rock supergroup boygenius, comprised of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, entering at #27; “Go Down River” by Brighton, UK duo The Heavy Heavy, consisting of Will Turner and Georgie Fuller, at #28; “Essence” by Danish DJ and electronic house music producer Refeci and Canadian singer-songwriter and musician Shimmer Johnson, at #29, and “Dummy”, the latest single by Portland, Oregon-based alt-rock band Portugal. The Man, bringing up the rear at #30.

  1. BACKPATTERS AND SHOOTERS – The Zangwills (1)
  2. TROPIC MORNING NEWS – The National (4)
  3. TRANSMITTER – Sea Power (3)
  4. LOVE FROM THE OTHER SIDE – Fall Out Boy (2)
  5. TROUBLE WITH THIS BED – Beach Weather (5)
  6. PEPPER – Death Cab for Cutie (8)
  7. NEW GOLD – Gorillaz featuring Tame Impala and Bootie Brown (9)
  8. GHOSTS AGAIN – Depeche Mode (10)
  9. PAGES – White Reaper (6)
  10. FLOWERS – Miley Cyrus (14)
  11. SOFTEN – Alex Southey (13)
  12. YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO – Darksoft (12)
  13. JUST BEFORE THE MORNING – Local Natives (7)
  14. SUREFIRE – Wilderado (11)
  15. BLUEBELL WOOD – Frank Joshua (19)
  16. THE WALK HOME – Young the Giant (18)
  17. I WANT YOU DEAD – Two Feet & Allie Cabal (20)
  18. EYEZ – The Arcs (16)
  19. WEIGHTLESS – Arlo Parks (17)
  20. MODERNISE – Slow Readers Club (21)
  21. KID – The Revivalists (23)
  22. PAID OFF – Oli Barton & the Movement (27)
  23. WOLF – Yeah Yeah Yeahs (28)
  24. NIGHT BUS – Caitlin Lavagna (15) 20th week on chart
  25. SLEEPWALKING – All Time Low (22)
  26. THE PERFECT PAIR – beabadoobee (30)
  27. NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (N)
  28. GO DOWN RIVER – The Heavy Heavy (N)
  29. ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (N)
  30. DUMMY – Portugal. The Man (N)