Noah Kahan remains on top for a second week with “The Great Divide”, while The Neighbourhood moves into second place with their captivating “Hula Girl”. I’ve been a big fan of this Los Angeles-based group since first hearing their song “Sweater Weather” back in the summer of 2013 (it became my 4th favorite song of that entire decade), and am happy they’re still putting out exceptional music. I really love lead singer Jesse Rutherford’s ethereal sensuous vocals. “Waiting for Me” by Northern Virginia-based Talk in Waves (aka singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jake Mimikos) enters the top 10 after a long, steady climb. He’s another longtime favorite of mine who’s had numerous songs appear on my chart over the past seven years.
Two great songs make their debut this week, starting with the raucous “Your Favorite Toy” by legendary rock band Foo Fighters, entering at #29. To my ears, the song is a bit of a departure from their typical sound, and I honestly didn’t recognize Dave Grohl’s voice the first time I heard it, but I’m really liking it! Entering at #30 is “Sight Unseen” by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, featuring American indie folk artist Waxahatchee (aka singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield). Barnett’s previous single “Stay In Your Lane” recently spent 12 weeks on my chart. Both songs are from her fifth studio album Creature of Habit, which dropped this past Friday, March 27th,
THE GREAT DIVIDE – Noah Kahan (1)
HULA GIRL – The Neighbourhood (3)
WHO’S YOUR BOYFRIEND – Royel Otis (2)
LOST YOUR GHOST – Two Feet (6)
DOUBLETAKE – Edgehill (7)
I REMEMBER WHEN – MISSIO (8)
YOU GOT TO LOSE – The Black Keys (9)
THE WRECKAGE – Silversun Pickups (10)
ZOMBIE – YUNGBLUD (4) 20th week on chart
WAITING FOR ME – Talk in Waves (13)
SWEET LOVE – Stephen Sanchez (14)
SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (15)
TO SPACE – Kings of Leon (5)
THE OLD LAW – Father John Misty (20)
HEATHER – Secret Postal Society (19)
BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (21)
LOOK OUT FOR ME – Turnstile (22)
DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE – Young the Giant (24)
DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (25)
HUMAN – Brandi Carlile (11)
12 TO 12 – sombr (12) 23rd week on chart
COBRA – Geese (17)
I’VE GOT A BROKEN HEART – The Lemon Twigs (16)
STARLIGHT – Cannons (27)
BURN FOR YOU RMX – Between Daze (28)
FOOL’S GOLD – Buffalo Traffic Jam (29)
HEAVY FOOT – Mon Rovîa (30)
RUBBER BAND MAN – Mumford & Sons w/Hozier (18)
YOUR FAVORITE TOY – Foo Fighters (N)
SITE UNSEEN – Courtney Barnett featuring Waxahatchee (N)
Photo of Noah Kahan taken from his Facebook account
A new week and some exciting changes on my latest Top 30 chart. First off, Vermont-born and now Nashville-based folk pop singer-songwriter Noah Kahan takes over the #1 spot with his heartwarming song “The Great Divide”. The talented 29-year-old began releasing singles in 2017, followed by his debut album Busyhead in 2019, but burst onto the music scene in late 2022 with his breakout single “Stick Season”. Although moderately successful in the U.S. upon release, the song went viral on TikTok after American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo covered it on BBC Radio 1 in the UK, causing it to reach number one in various countries including Australia, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK, as well as reaching the top 10 in Canada, New Zealand, and the U.S. (Wikipedia) “The Great Divide”, which is currently #1 on all Billboard Alternative charts, was the lead and title single from Kahan’s forthcoming fourth album The Great Divide, to be released April 24th.
The poignant lyrics seem to be a letter to an old friend you’ve lost touch with but still care about: “I can’t recall the last time that we talked. About anything but lookin’ out for cops. We got cigarette burns on the same side of our hands. But we ain’t friends, we’re just morons who broke skin in the same spot. You know I think about you all the time. And my deep misunderstanding of your life. And how bad it must have been for you back then. And how hard it was to keep it all inside.I hope you settle down, I hope you marry rich. I hope you’re scared of only ordinary shit. Like murderers and ghosts and cancer on your skin. And not your soul, and what he might do with it. “
One of my longtime favorite acts is MISSIO, a duo from Austin, Texas comprised of singer-songwriter, musician and producer Matthew Brue and songwriter/producer and musician David Butler, who record music with the help of their silent third partner, producer and frequent collaborator Dwight Baker and drummer Jaydon Bean. I’ve written about them numerous times and four of their songs have reached #1 on my weekly Top 30. Their rip-roaring single “I Remember When” enters the top 10, leaping 14 spots to #8.
Debuting way up high at #9 is “You Got to Lose”, the latest single by another longtime favorite act of mine, Nashville-based blues rockers The Black Keys, made up of singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, that sees them return to their garage-rock roots. The song was the lead single from their forthcoming 14th album Peaches!, set for release on May 1st, and it’s quite possibly the fiercest, most raw performance I’ve ever heard from the guys. Originally written in 1958 by Ike Turner, Auerbach’s cover takes inspiration from Earl Hooker’s 1969 blues version, and George Thorogood & The Destroyer’s fiery 1977 version. Recorded while Auerbach was caring for his now late father, who was dealing with the effects of a stroke and esophageal cancer, the song and album were a cathartic release for him. He explained “We weren’t making a record. We were just jamming, like this is for us. Really primal, in a moment when all the nerves were raw, just kinda screaming. We were going through a lot, trying to lift our spirits. I think my dad getting sick made me not give a fuck and just wanna scream for a bit.” (Genius)
Also entering the top 10 at #10 is “The Wreckage” by Los Angeles-based alt-rock band Silversun Pickups. The song is from their seventh album Tenterhooks, which dropped last month, and it’s become one of my favorites of theirs. Besides “You Got to Lose”, there are two other new additions to my chart, starting with “Fool’s Gold” by Bozeman, Montana-based folk band Buffalo Traffic Jam, who are new to me. Consisting of Frankie Cassidy and Nathan Ross, who met as students at Montana State University, they released their self-titled debut EP in 2024, and quickly amassed a huge following, with over 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 142,000 followers on Instagram. They followed up with several singles which culminated in the release of their six-track EP Take Me Home, which dropped last October and on which “Fool’s Gold” is featured. The poignant song is currently #3 on the Billboard AAA chart.
Debuting at #30 is “Heavy Foot” by folk artist Mon Rovîa, another act that’s new to me. Mon Rovîa is the music project of Afro-Appalachian singer-songwriter Janjay Lowe, who was born in Monrovia, Liberia and adopted at the age of seven by an American family with whom he variously lived in Florida, Montana, the Bahamas, and Tennessee, where he’s now based. The prolific musician began releasing music in 2020 and has since dropped six EPs and an album Bloodline, released in January. Like Buffalo Traffic Jam, Mon Rovîa has quickly garnered a huge following, with over 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, 2 million followers on Facebook and nearly a million followers on Instagram. I’m really liking his music and sweet vocals.
THE GREAT DIVIDE – Noah Kahan (2)
WHO’S YOUR BOYFRIEND – Royel Otis (1)
HULA GIRL – The Neighbourhood (4)
ZOMBIE – YUNGBLUD (3)
TO SPACE – Kings of Leon (5)
LOST YOUR GHOST – Two Feet (6)
DOUBLETAKE – Edgehill (10)
I REMEMBER WHEN – MISSIO (22)
YOU GOT TO LOSE – The Black Keys (N)
THE WRECKAGE – Silversun Pickups (12)
HUMAN – Brandi Carlile (7)
12 TO 12 – sombr (8) 22nd week on chart
WAITING FOR ME – Talk in Waves (14)
SWEET LOVE – Stephen Sanchez (16)
SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (17)
I’VE GOT A BROKEN HEART – The Lemon Twigs (9)
COBRA – Geese (15)
RUBBER BAND MAN – Mumford & Sons w/Hozier (11)
HEATHER – Secret Postal Society (19)
THE OLD LAW – Father John Misty (20)
BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (21)
Australian duo Royel Otis remain at #1 for a second week with “who’s your boyfriend”, while singer-songwriter Noah Kahan moves into second place with “The Great Divide”, which currently tops both the Billboard Alternative and Adult Alternative charts. Nashville-based alternative indie rock band Edgehill enters the top 10 with “Doubletake”, which is featured on their debut album Ode to the Greyhouse, released last month.
There are four new entries to my chart this week, starting with “LOOK OUT FOR ME” by Baltimore, Maryland-based melodic hardcore band Turnstile. Formed in 2010, they consist of lead vocalist Brendan Yates, guitarists Pat McCrory and Meg Mills, bassist Franz Lyons, and drummer Daniel Fang. Coming in at #26, the song is from their critically acclaimed fourth album Never Enough, which won a Grammy for Best Rock Album on February 1st.
Entering at #28 is “Drag Path”, the latest single by my longtime favorite music act, Columbus, Ohio-based duo Twenty One Pilots, comprised of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Joseph and dummer Josh Dun. Next up is “Starlight” by L.A.-based dream pop band Cannons, made up of vocalist Michelle Joy, lead guitarist Ryan Clapham, and keyboardist/bassist Paul Davis. The song will be included on their forthcoming fifth album Everything Glows, to be released March 27th. These two, along with Two Feet and Young the Giant, are four acts with songs on this chart who I’ve seen live in concert.
Last, but certainly not least, is “Burn For You RMX” by Between Daze, another act from Baltimore, Maryland who debut at #30. A songwriting/recording project comprised of Johnny Burkhead (vocals), Scott Rodenberg (guitar) and Ken Kundratic (guitar), along with Mike Coyne (bass) and Kevin Walsh (drums), they’ve been making alternative pop/rock and roll music together for over 20 years but really began hitting their stride in 2021 with the release of their single “Burn For You”. They’ve now revisited the track with a terrific newly mastered version by Wye Wye Productions. With a sound somewhat reminiscent of 80s U2 and The Cure, the band states the song is “a poignant exploration of true love and how far one is willing to go to have it.”
WHO’S YOUR BOYFRIEND – Royel Otis (1)
THE GREAT DIVIDE – Noah Kahan (3)
ZOMBIE – YUNGBLUD (2)
HULA GIRL – The Neighbourhood (6)
TO SPACE – Kings of Leon (7)
LOST YOUR GHOST – Two Feet (8)
HUMAN – Brandi Carlile (4)
12 TO 12 – sombr (5) 21st week on chart
I’VE GOT A BROKEN HEART – The Lemon Twigs (9)
DOUBLETAKE – Edgehill (12)
RUBBER BAND MAN – Mumford & Sons w/Hozier (11)
THE WRECKAGE – Silversun Pickups (15)
LOST – almost monday (14)
WAITING FOR ME – Talk in Waves (16)
COBRA – Geese (17)
SWEET LOVE – Stephen Sanchez (18)
SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (19)
INFINITE SOURCE – Deftones (10)
HEATHER – Secret Postal Society (21)
THE OLD LAW – Father John Misty (22)
BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (27)
I REMEMBER WHEN – MISSIO (28)
ALL MY FRIENDS ARE SO DEPRESSED – Joyce Manor (13)
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):
There aren’t many changes to my chart for the final full week of 2025. Twenty One Pilots remain at #1 with “City Walls”, while Tame Impala‘s “Dracula” moves into second place and sombr‘s “12 to 12” moves up a notch to #3. English psychedelic alt-rock band Future Theory enter the top ten with “The Fear”.
Two songs – both of which have been around a while – finally enter my chart, starting with “Asking For A Friend” by venerable rock band Foo Fighters, coming in at #29. The second new entry is “Caramel” by English alternative metal rock band Sleep Token, who charted earlier in the year with their dramatically beautiful song “Emergence”. Both tracks are from their fourth studio album Even In Arcadia, released this past May.
CITY WALLS – Twenty One Pilots (1)
DRACULA – Tame Impala (3)
12 TO 12 – sombr (4)
THE WEATHER – All Time Low (2)
DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (5)
THE FATE OF OPHELIA – Taylor Swift (6)
ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men (7)
SPECTER – Bad Omens (8)
SO FAR SO FAKE – Pierce The Veil (12)
THE FEAR – Future Theory (10)
LUCY – Mt. Joy (11)
GET THE MESSAGE – The Paradox (13)
WATCH ME GO – Lord Huron (14)
ZOMBIE – YUNGBLUD (17)
REMEMBER US? – Two Feet (20)
ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (9)
TANANA – Portugal. The Man (18)
BY YOUR SIDE – Meltt (19)
RUBBER BAND MAN – Mumford & Sons w/Hozier (21)
MADALENA – Goose (22)
INFINITE SOURCE – Deftones (23)
WHITE HORSES – Wolf Alice (24)
HUMAN – Brandi Carlile (25)
STAY IN YOUR LANE – Courtney Barnett (26)
ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (15)
Photo of Twenty One Pilots from their Facebook account
It’s a particularly exciting chart this week as we approach the end of 2025, with a new #1 song and two fantastic new debuts, incidentally all by duo acts. Twenty One Pilots, my favorite music act for the past ten years, takes over the top spot with “City Walls”, marking their 14th song to top my chart, and their third this year alone, following “The Line” this past March and “The Contract” in August. Like “The Contract”, “City Walls” is from their eighth studio album Breach, which was released September 12th and serves as the final installment in their decade-long narrative arc explored by their previous albums Blurryface (2015), Trench (2018), Scaled and Icy (2021), and Clancy (2024).
(For those who’ve been living under a rock, Twenty One Pilots are based in Columbus, Ohio and consist of the dynamic duo of singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Tyler Joseph and power drummer Josh Dun. “City Walls” was written and produced by Joseph and his longtime collaborator Paul Meany, the lead singer and keyboardist for alternative rock project Mutemath, who opened for Twenty One Pilots on their Emotional Roadshow Tour that I saw in 2016.)
According to songsdiscussion.com, “‘City Walls’ delves into powerful themes of betrayal, reluctant leadership, and the immense psychological cost of rebellion, all set within the band’s established Dema and Trench narrative. The song’s core meaning centers on a protagonist who feels utterly abandoned by a trusted guide who was supposed to show him the way past the oppressive “city walls.” Now, he is forced to lead a dangerous and uncertain “breach” on his own, all while battling the severe fragmentation of his own mental state under the crushing weight of his new responsibility.“
The accompanying music video for the song, directed by Jensen Noen, runs for nearly ten minutes, making it the longest music video Twenty One Pilots have ever released. (The track itself is 5:22 minutes long.) Band frontman Tyler Joseph stated that the video serves as the proper conclusion to the story surrounding the conceptual city of “Dema”, a fictional location in the world of “Trench”, and its two central characters, Clancy (portrayed by Joseph) and Torchbearer (portrayed by drummer Josh Dun). With a production budget of $1 million, “City Walls” is one of the most expensive music videos of all time, as well as the second most expensive music video of the 2020s. Wikipedia
As I noted earlier, we have two marvelous new debuts, starting with “who’s your boyfriend” by Sydney, Australia-based duo Royel Otis. Comprised of Otis Pavlovic (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano) and Royel Maddell (lead guitar, backing vocals, bass, synthesizer), they’ve previously reached #1 twice on my chart, with “Murder on the Dancefloor” in 2024 and “moody” earlier this year. Like “moody”, “who’s your boyfriend” is from their third studio album hickey.
The second debut is “I’ve Got A Broken Heart”, the latest single by hyper-talented jangle pop-rock duo The Lemon Twigs. Based in Long Island, New York, they consist of brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, both of whom are vocalists, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. Their wonderful song “My Golden Years” reached #1 on my chart and ranks #5 on my Top 100 Songs of 2024 list (right behind “Murder on the Dancefloor”). “I’ve Got A Broken Heart” was released on November 25th as a double single also featuring “Friday (I’m Gonna Love You)”.
CITY WALLS – Twenty One Pilots (2)
THE WEATHER – All Time Low (1)
DRACULA – Tame Impala (3)
12 TO 12 – sombr (10)
DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (5)
THE FATE OF OPHELIA – Taylor Swift (6)
ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men (7)
SPECTER – Bad Omens (9)
ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (4)
SO FAR SO FAKE – Pierce The Veil (12)
THE FEAR – Future Theory (13)
LUCY – Mt. Joy (14)
GET THE MESSAGE – The Paradox (15)
WATCH ME GO – Lord Huron (16)
ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (8)
ENSENADA – Sublime (11)
ZOMBIE – YUNGBLUD (18)
TANANA – Portugal. The Man (19)
BY YOUR SIDE – Meltt (20)
REMEMBER US? – Two Feet (21)
RUBBER BAND MAN – Mumford & Sons w/Hozier (22)
MADALENA – Goose (23)
INFINITE SOURCE – Deftones (24)
WHITE HORSES – Wolf Alice (25)
HUMAN – Brandi Carlile (30)
STAY IN YOUR LANE – Courtney Barnett (29)
SUSHI AND COCA-COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (17)
Pop-punk rockers All Time Low remain at #1 for a second week with “The Weather”, while “City Walls” by my favorite band Twenty One Pilots closes in at #2 and Tame Impala‘s “Dracula” advances to #3. sombr – which my Spotify Wrapped revealed was my top artist of 2025 – enters the top 10 with “12 to 12”.
The lone new entry to this week’s chart is “Human”, a beautiful, uplifting song by the wonderful singer-songwriter and producer Brandi Carlile. Over her 21-year career, she’s released nine studio albums, one live album, one compilation album, three demo albums, 15 EPs, and 31 singles. She’s won 11 Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards, and was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for her collaboration with Elton John on the single “Never Too Late”, the theme to John’s 2024 documentary of the same name. In addition to John, she’s also collaborated with scores of artists, including Amanda Shires, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby in their country music supergroup the Highwomen, Joni Mitchell, Tanya Tucker, The Secret Sisters, Lucius, Dave Matthews Band, Pat Monahan (of Train) and Noah Kahan.
“Human” is from her latest album Returning to Myself, released on October 24th. Written by Carlile along with her long-time collaborators, twin brothers Phil and Tim Hanseroth, & watt (singer-songwriter, musician and producer Andrew Wotman), the song is about accepting that each of us in only human and on this earth for a short time, and to try and find bits of happiness and joy along the way.
THE WEATHER – All Time Low (1)
CITY WALLS – Twenty One Pilots (3)
DRACULA – Tame Impala (4)
ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (2)
DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (7)
THE FATE OF OPHELIA – Taylor Swift (8)
ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men (9)
ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (5)
SPECTER – Bad Omens (10)
12 TO 12 – sombr (12)
ENSENADA – Sublime (6)
SO FAR SO FAKE – Pierce the Veil (13)
THE FEAR – Future Theory (14)
LUCY – Mt. Joy (15)
GET THE MESSAGE – The Paradox (16)
WATCH ME GO – Lord Huron (17)
SUSHI AND COCA-COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (11)
It’s hard to believe we’re now entering the final month of 2025, and pop-punk band All Time Low take over the top spot this week with their infectious ear worm “The Weather”. 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, and 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 tenth album Everyone’s Talking!, released on October 17th.
“Ordinary Creature” by Icelandic alt-rock band Of Monsters and Men and “Spector” by American alternative metal band Bad Omens enter the top ten. Three songs make their debut this week, starting with “infinite source” by American alternative metal band Deftones, which enters at #28. Formed in Sacramento, California way back in 1988, they currently consist of frontman Chino Moreno (lead vocals), Stephen Carpenter (lead guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums) and Frank Delgado (keyboardist and turntablist). Deftones have released 10 studio albums, four EPs, three compilation albums, five demo albums, 32 music videos and 25 singles. “infinite source” is from their 10th and latest album private music, which dropped August 22nd, and follows their previous single “my mind is a mountain”, which recently spent nine weeks on my chart.
The second debut is “White Horses” by English alt rock band Wolf Alice. Formed in London in 2010, they consist of singer Ellie Rowsell (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards) Joff Oddie (guitar, vocals), Theo Ellis (bass, vocals) and Joel Amey (drums, percussion, vocals). “White Horses” is from their fourth studio album The Clearing, which was also released August 22nd. Coming in at #30 is “Stay In Your Lane”, a cool song by highly acclaimed and beloved Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, who never fails to deliver a compelling song.
THE WEATHER – All Time Low (2)
ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (1)
CITY WALLS – Twenty One Pilots (4)
DRACULA – Tame Impala (6)
ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (3)
ENSENADA – Sublime (5)
DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (8)
THE FATE OF OPHELIA – Taylor Swift (10)
ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men (11)
SPECTER – Bad Omens (12)
SUSHI AND COCA COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (7)
12 TO 12 – sombr (14)
SO FAR SO FAKE – Pierce the Veil (15)
THE FEAR – Future Theory (16)
LUCY – Mt. Joy (17)
GET THE MESSAGE – The Paradox (18)
WATCH ME GO – Lord Huron (19)
EVERYBODY SCREAM – Florence + The Machine (9)
MISTAKES – Caamp (13)
ZOMBIE – YUNGBLUD (21)
DANG – Rainbow Kitten Surprise (22)
TANANA – Portugal. The Man (23)
BY YOUR SIDE – Meltt (25)
REMEMBER US? – Two Feet (26)
RUBBER BAND MAN – Mumford & Sons w/Hozier (29)
MADALENA – Goose (30)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (20)
Alabama Shakes remain at #1 for a second week with “Another Life”, while All Time Low moves into second place with their wistful anthem “The Weather”, and “Elegantly Wasted”, the lovely collaboration by Hermanos Gutiérrez and Leon Bridges moves up to #3. Taylor Swift enters the top 10 at last with “The Fate of Ophelia”, from her latest album The Life of a Showgirl.
There are two great new additions to this week’s chart, the first of which is “Rubber Band Man”, a wonderful collaboration by English folk rock band Mumford & Sons and Irish singer-songwriter Hozier. I mean, given the combined talents of those two phenomenal acts, would you expect anything less? Hozier has previously collaborated with a number of artists, including Mavis Staples on “Nina Cried Power” (2018) and Noah Kahan on “Northern Attitude” (2023), both of which reached #1 on my chart.
The second new entry, at #30, is “Madalena” by American indie rock band Goose. Formed in Connecticut in 2014, they’re comprised of Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals, keys, guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass) and Cotter Ellis (drums). “Madalena” is from their fifth studio album Chain Yer Dragon, which was released on August 14th, just four months after their previous album Everything Must Go. With it’s terrific piano work, the song has a bit of an early Elton John sensibility to my ears.
ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (1)
THE WEATHER – All Time Low (4)
ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (5)
CITY WALLS – Twenty One Pilots (7)
ENSENADA – Sublime (2)
DRACULA – Tame Impala (8)
SUSHI AND COCA COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (3)
DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (9)
EVERYBODY SCREAM – Florence + The Machine (10)
THE FATE OF OPHELIA – Taylor Swift (11)
ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men (12)
SPECTER – Bad Omens (13)
MISTAKES – Caamp (6)
12 TO 12 – sombr (16)
SO FAR SO FAKE – Pierce the Veil (17)
THE FEAR – Future Theory (20)
LUCY – Mt. Joy (21)
GET THE MESSAGE – The Paradox (22)
WATCH ME GO – Lord Huron (23)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (15)
It’s a new song at #1 this week, as well as four terrific new debuts. Alabama blues rock band Alabama Shakes ascends to the top spot with their gorgeous and explosive single “Another Life”. Formed in 2009, they’re comprised of powerhouse singer-songwriter Brittany Howard (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Heath Fogg (lead guitar and vocals) and Zac Cockrell (bass). From 2011 to 2015, 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. She released two critically acclaimed albums, Jaime in 2019 (which earned her two Grammy nominations), and What Now in 2024 (also nominated for a Grammy). Fogg also released his own solo LP under the name Sun on Shade in 2020. Alabama Shakes reunited this past December, and on August 29th, released “Another Life”, their first new music as a band in ten years. They spent much of the summer on a 30-city tour that concluded in late September. Here’s a live performance of the song from their Red Rocks show that nicely captures Howard’s electrifying stage and musical presence:
Entering the top 10 are “Dracula” by Tame Impala, at #8, and “Everybody Scream” by Florence + The Machine, at #10. As I noted above, four songs make their debut on this week’s chart, beginning with the anthemic and heartfelt “Zombie” by English singer-songwriter and actor YUNGBLUD (born Dominic Richard Harrison), entering at #27. The song is from his fourth studio album Idols, released this past June.
Next up is “Tanana”, the latest offering by American rock band Portugal. The Man, who are no strangers to my chart. Three of their songs – “Feel It Still”, “Live in the Moment” and ” What, Me Worry?” – have reached #1, with “Feel It Still” being my top song of 2017 and ranking #6 on my Top 100 of the 2010s. Originally from Wasilla, Alaska and now based in Portland, Oregon, the group currently consists of founding member John Gourley and his wife Zoe Manville, joined by a group of touring musicians. I had the pleasure of seeing them in concert in February 2024. Named for a small Alaska town near Fairbanks, “Tanana” is from their tenth studio album Shish, which dropped November 7th. Gourley said the song “voices a generational sadness, searching for fleeting meaning in a world on edge.“
Entering at #29 is the beautiful “By Your Side”, the latest single by Vancouver, Canada-based alternative psychedelic dream rock band Meltt. Comprised of Chris Smith (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards), Jamie Turner (drums, percussion), James Porter (guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals), and Ian Winkler (keyboards, bass, guitar), they’ve released quite a bit of music since 2017, including their marvelous 2023 album Eternal Embers, one of my favorites that year which featured their gorgeous single “Within You, Within Me”. With acts like Tame Impala, Foals, Radiohead and Glass Animals among their major influences, it’s no wonder I love their sound.
My fourth new entry is “Remember Us?” by Brooklyn, New York-based singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer Two Feet (born Zachary William “Bill” Dess). A longtime favorite of mine, ten of his songs have reached #1 on my chart, with “Fire” being my top song of 2021, and “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” my #2 song of 2018. Released October 31st, “Remember Us?” is included on his new EP Drunken Fits of a Modern Age, which dropped this past Friday, November 14th. One of his best songs in a while, “Remember Us?” replaces his previous single “Lingerie”, which spent four weeks on my chart.
ANOTHER LIFE – Alabama Shakes (2)
ENSENDADA – Sublime (1)
SUSHI AND COCA-COLA – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (3)
THE WEATHER – All Time Low (5)
ELEGANTLY WASTED – Hermanos Gutiérrez feat. Leon Bridges (6)
MISTAKES – Caamp (4)
CITY WALLS – Twenty One Pilots (10)
DRACULA – Tame Impala (12)
DOWNSTAIRS – Matt Maeson (9)
EVERYBODY SCREAM – Florence + The Machine (11)
THE FATE OF OPHELIA – Taylor Swift (13)
ORDINARY CREATURE – Of Monsters and Men (14)
SPECTER – Bad Omens (15)
FIVE MORE SECONDS – Seafret & KT Tunstall (7)
AS ALIVE AS YOU NEED ME TO BE – Nine Inch Nails (8)
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 