Tag: Wild Horse

100 Best Indie Songs of 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Song Lists24 Comments
Photo courtesy of FREEP!K

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. This year, at the suggestion of John Gilbert, guitarist and lead vocalist of Missouri folk rock band Voodoo Planet, I’ve also compiled a list of my 100 favorite indie songs of 2024 (their song “Adrift” is included in this list). Because I follow, and am followed by, many indie musicians and bands on the various social media platforms, I want to highlight some of the really outstanding music being made by them that’s every bit as good as that from mainstream acts.

These are not “indie” songs in terms of genre (though there are many that fall into that overall category), but songs by independent or unsigned music acts. Some are in fact signed to music labels, but they’re usually small, independently owned labels. There are 89 acts represented in this list, the majority of which are from the U.S., Canada and the U.K., but also from Australia, Malaysia, Norway, Spain, Germany and Ukraine. 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 or even thousands of other songs that deserve to be here, except that I’ve never heard them.

Though they’re ranked from #1 to 100, it doesn’t mean that a song at #30 is better than one at #70. 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. I’ve created playlists on both Spotify and YouTube, which are included after the list itself. Enjoy!

  1. LIKE YOU DO – Talk in Waves
  2. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS
  3. THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely + The Horses
  4. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua
  5. A FORETOLD ECSTASY – Mayflower Madame
  6. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse
  7. I’VE GOT LOVING FOR YOU – Bottlecap Mountain
  8. KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters
  9. WHAT IF I FEEL LIKE THIS MY WHOLE LIFE? – HULLAH
  10. FOR US ALL – Asgard Raven
  11. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights
  12. YOU JUST PLAYED MY MIND – Oli Barton
  13. BLUSH – Vazum
  14. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT – Dead Slow Hoot
  15. FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed
  16. WAR – HEALER
  17. GOLD – Caitlin Lavagna
  18. HONEY – Mr Bewlay
  19. MIND GAME (3:33) – Collette McLafferty & John Serrano
  20. TOO MUCH OR NOT ENOUGH? – Candid
  21. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster
  22. WAKING LIFE – Nicholas a. Milillo, Dee Wolf, Bobby Jasso & Gabrielle Marella & the voice of Tony Milillo
  23. VICES – 5ilas & Shimmer Johnson
  24. ADRIFT – Voodoo Planet & Mikey J
  25. BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport
  26. PERMANENT RECORD – GG Fearn
  27. AUTUMN LEAVES – Secret Postal Society
  28. HOLOGRAM – Raker
  29. GOOD TIMES GO – The Kid and I
  30. JUST WANNA SLEEP – Halfloves
  31. IT’S OVER NOW – Oli Barton
  32. DYING TO MEET YOU – Gooseberry
  33. OH, WELL – John Serrano
  34. SUBMARINE – Homeless Radio
  35. BRAND NEW DAY – Ben Gorb
  36. DOWNING STREET – Brain Ape
  37. LOOSIE LUNA – Coppa Londra
  38. TEMPTATION – Pylon Poets
  39. WHY DO YOU CARE – The Muldoons
  40. I AM AM I? – NAVE
  41. THIS ALL ENDS HERE – Minus Cube & Natalie Lucie
  42. NEW PONY – The Nanners
  43. KEEPING SCORE – Snap Infraction
  44. WAKE ME UP – HEALER
  45. ODYSSEY – Josephine Pascoe
  46. LIKE THE SUN – A.Wake
  47. SMALL MERCIES – Brian Lambert & Marc Schuster
  48. EASIER AND EASIER – Lyia Meta
  49. VICTIM – Frank Joshua
  50. SMUDGE – Mock Deer
  51. THE LOST – The Ocean Beneath
  52. INVISIBLE INK – Ships Have Sailed
  53. BY DESIGN – Amongst Liars & Felin
  54. LITTLE SELF-INDULGENT – Western Jaguar
  55. PIECE OF CAKE – Bottlecap Mountain
  56. COLLISION – The Zangwills
  57. ROADS – HULLAH
  58. GUYS LIKE YOU – Olivia Miceli
  59. YOUTH – The 23’s
  60. STATELINE – Nathan Ball
  61. CHASING YOUR DREAMS – Asgard Raven
  62. ELEVEN – Minus Cube & P’like
  63. DREAM TONIGHT – The Ocean Beneath & Liz Mann
  64. SELF CONTROL – John Laurant, Ron van den Beuken & Shimmer Johnson
  65. THE BEST – Thunder Fox
  66. NEW MOON – Morning Fuzz
  67. REPOSSESS – Western Jaguar
  68. YOU ARE NOT A SLAVE – Amongst Liars
  69. CREATURE FEATURE – dwi
  70. BAD LUCK – The Macrotones
  71. WITCH TRAIN – The Blackburns
  72. NOCTURNALLY YOURS – Scoopski
  73. TANTALUS – John Serrano
  74. REAL COLORS – The Nanners
  75. DO YOU REALLY WANNA KNOW? – Set the Tone
  76. PRETTY ALRIGHT – Caitlin Lavagna
  77. LET’S RUN AWAY – Solar Eyes
  78. ONE ROOM PAST WAITING – Chief Springs
  79. ARE YOU REALLY FREE? – Alba
  80. FIREBIRD – Josephine Pascoe
  81. CHILDHOOD FRIENDS – naive nature
  82. SPACE TRAVEL – Sandrom
  83. MORE – Andrew Neil and Code Purple
  84. SMALL TIME FISH (BIG TIME POND) – Sorry Ghost
  85. THE VOID – Fuzzle
  86. GREEN EYED MONSTER – Olivia Miceli
  87. ALL I WANT – The Heroic Enthusiasts
  88. WHY DON’T YOU LOVE ME – Tom Burton
  89. COCK OF THE FIFTH YEAR – The Empty Page
  90. NOT READY YET – Sean Magwire
  91. GHOST – Grizzly Madams
  92. ALWAYS DO – Melody Zenith
  93. MISSED YOU – Mal Fantome
  94. WOULD YOU WANT IT (IF YOU HAD IT) – The Barons
  95. THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF WHAT IF – Eleanor Collides & Emily Gray
  96. EVERYTHING FITS – Wons Phreely + The Horses
  97. ANYWAY – The Crushing Violets
  98. PUSH IT BACK – Kiffie
  99. ALL THE SAME TO YOU – Quizboy & Marc Schuster
  100. SHADE – Microfilm

Top 30 Songs for February 11-17, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's12 Comments

Over the past year, Vermont-based singer-songwriter Noah Kahan exploded onto the music scene after seven years in the business on the strength of his third album Stick Season. Thus far, the album has generated three hits, including the title track, “Dial Drunk” and “Northern Attitude”. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kahan describes the album as a “love letter to New England.” “Northern Attitude”, which he co-wrote with producer Gabe Simon, addresses what he calls his “northern attitude”, the stereotypical perception that folks from Northern New England can be reserved or even a bit cold, thanks to the “harsh winters that toughen up the locals, with the added challenge of enduring long dark New England nights”.

Kahan teamed up with Irish singer-songwriter Hozier to release a new version of “Northern Attitude” on November 10, 2023, and it’s a match made in heaven! According to Songfacts, the two got to know each other when they both performed at the Iron Blossom Festival at Monroe Park in Richmond, Virginia, in late August 2023, and first performed this song together during a show in Nashville in October. Kahan was thrilled with the harmony Hozier brought to the chorus. “That song was recorded so quickly that we didn’t really have a ton of time or the ability, really, to go back and change a lot of it,” he explained to American Songwriter. “So having the harmony there kind of filled it out a lot. In some ways I feel like his voice lends itself to a specific feeling that maybe mine didn’t. Like, it’s more tender and forgiving in some parts but also more powerful and angry.“

It’s an exuberant Americana song in the style of early Mumford and Sons, and I just love that vibrant banjo and the guys’ gorgeous soaring harmonies. The song has spent several weeks at #1 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart and is now #1 on mine.

In other chart developments, “Beautiful People (Stay High)” by The Black Keys climbs four spots to #4, the defiantly boisterous “Blame Brett” by Toronto-based indie rock band The Beaches (which is based on the breakup of lead singer Jordan Miller and Brett Emmons from The Glorious Sons) and the hauntingly beautiful “Winter Cowboy” by English singer-songwriter Frank Joshua enter the top 10. The biggest upward mover this week is “Neon Pill” by Cage the Elephant, leaping 15 spots to #14. Making their debut are two songs I recently reviewed: “Bicycle Away” by Brooklyn, New York-based singer-songwriter Sam Rappaport, his third song to appear on my Weekly Top 30, and “Kool Aid Blue” by wonderfully-named Vancouver, Canada-based jangle pop band The Sylvia Platters.

  1. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (4)
  2. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (1)
  3. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (2)
  4. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (8)
  5. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (3)
  6. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (7)
  7. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (6)
  8. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (5)
  9. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (11)
  10. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (12)
  11. THE TOWER – Future Islands (13)
  12. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (15)
  13. ALIVE! – Bakar (14)
  14. NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (29)
  15. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (16)
  16. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (9)
  17. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (10)
  18. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (22)
  19. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (23)
  20. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (24)
  21. MEANT TO BE – Wilco (25)
  22. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (26)
  23. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (17)
  24. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (18)
  25. BLUSH – Vazum (27)
  26. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (28)
  27. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (30)
  28. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (19)
  29. BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport (N)
  30. KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (N)

Top 30 Songs for February 4-10, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's8 Comments

American genre-bending singer-songwriter Teddy Swims, whose sound has been described by Aaron Williams of UPROXX as “Post Malone singing Lenny Williams or Jelly Roll doing Teddy Pendergrass”, takes over the top spot this week with his blistering torch song “Lose Control”. With his impassioned vocals, the soaring orchestrals and that wailing guitar solo, I get chills every time I hear it. Born Jaten Collin Dimsdale in Conyers, Georgia, the gruff-voiced artist mixes R&B, soul, country, and pop to create his own unique sound that’s earned him over 26 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. Released last June (of 2023), “Lose Control” has been a bit of a sleeper hit; now in its 24th week on the Billboard Hot 100, the song is currently at its peak position of #4, and also ranks #2 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart. Thus far, it’s been streamed more than 221 million times on Spotify. The song is from his debut album I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1), which dropped last September.

Mr. Swims isn’t the only “swim” act on this chart, as the enchanting dream pop gem “All I Die For”, by Canadian indie rock band SWiiMS, moves into the #2 spot. “Northern Attitude”, by Vermont singer-songwriter Noah Kahan and Irish singer-songwriter Hozier, jumps five spots to #4, and “Beautiful People (Stay High)” by The Black Keys leaps 14 spots to enter the top 10 at #8.

Two songs make their debut this week. Entering at #29 is “Neon Pill” by Nashville-based Cage the Elephant, their first new music in nearly three years. They’re one of my long-time favorite bands, so I’m thrilled to hear new music from them. Coming in at #30 is “Diamond and the Missing Son” by Northern Ireland alt-rock band Unquiet Nights, which I reviewed last month. The song is from their third album Seasons in Exile, which dropped January 19th.

  1. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (2)
  2. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (5)
  3. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (1)
  4. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (9)
  5. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (3)
  6. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (6)
  7. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (8)
  8. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (22)
  9. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (4)
  10. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (7)
  11. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (12)
  12. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (13)
  13. THE TOWER – Future Islands (15)
  14. ALIVE! - Bakar (16)
  15. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (17)
  16. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (19)
  17. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (11)
  18. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (14)
  19. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (10)
  20. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (18)
  21. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (20)
  22. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (23)
  23. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (24)
  24. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (25)
  25. MEANT TO BE – Wilco (27)
  26. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (28)
  27. BLUSH – Vazum (29)
  28. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (30)
  29. NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (N)
  30. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (N)

Top 30 Songs for January 28-February 3, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments

Well, Green Day return to the top spot this week with “The American Dream Is Killing Me”, making it their fourth non-consecutive week at #1. It was the lead single to their critically-acclaimed 14th studio album Saviors, which dropped January 19th. Georgia genre-bending singer-songwriter Teddy Swims, whose sound has been described by Aaron Williams of webzine UPROXX as “Post Malone singing Lenny Williams or Jelly Roll doing Teddy Pendergrass”, moves into second place with his blistering torch song “Lose Control”. The song is from his debut album I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1). The captivating “All I Die For” by Canadian indie rock band SWiiMS, which I love more each time I hear it, moves up two spots to #5, while Bleachers‘ “Modern Girl” and The Last Dinner Party‘s “Nothing Matters” also advance two spots to #6 and #8, respectively. Noah Kahan and Hozier enter the top 10 with their rousing “Northern Attitude”, which is now in its third non-consecutive week at #1 on the Billboard AAA chart.

Five excellent new songs make their debut this week. The first and highest debuting is “Beautiful People (Stay High)” by one of my long-time favorite bands The Black Keys, entering at #22. The song is the lead single from their forthcoming 12th studio album Ohio Players. Entering at #27 is “Meant To Be” by Chicago alt-rock band Wilco, the lovely second single from their 13th album Cousin. Coming in at #28 is the delightful “My Golden Years” by indie rock duo The Lemon Twigs. Based in Long Island, the band is comprised of the hyper-talented and charismatic brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, who began making music in their teens. I love those jangly guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies.

Next up is “Blush” by Detroit-based deathgaze act Vazum, the music project of Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm, entering at #29. The marvelous song is reminiscent of great 80s darkwave and goth rock songs by such bands as Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure. Last but certainly not least is “Lunar Eclipse” by English indie rock band The Vaccines. Though they’ve been around since 2010, I only recently learned about them from fellow blogger Christian’s Music Musings when he featured one of their songs in a post. “Lunar Eclipse” is one of many great songs from their outstanding sixth studio album Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations, which dropped January 12th.

  1. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (2)
  2. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (3)
  3. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (1)
  4. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (4)
  5. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (7)
  6. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (8)
  7. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (5)
  8. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (10)
  9. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (14)
  10. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (6)
  11. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (12)
  12. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (13)
  13. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (16)
  14. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (15)
  15. THE TOWER – Future Islands (17)
  16. ALIVE! - Bakar (18)
  17. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (20)
  18. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (9)
  19. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (21)
  20. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (19)
  21. DARLING – Western Jaguar (11) 20th week on chart
  22. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (N)
  23. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (28)
  24. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (29)
  25. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (30)
  26. NOW AND THEN – The Beatles (22)
  27. MEANT TO BE – Wilco (N)
  28. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (N)
  29. BLUSH – Vazum (N)
  30. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (N)

Top 30 Songs for January 21-27, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments
Photo by Ryan Fleisher/imageSPACE

Brittany Howard remains at #1 for a second week with “What Now”, while Green Day‘s “The American Dream Is Killing Me” and Teddy Swims‘ “Lose Control” hold at #2 and #3 for a second week as well. boygenius move up two spots to #4 with “Cool About It”, and Mitski holds at #5 again with “My Love Mine All Mine”. Otherwise, there’s quite a bit of movement on the rest of the chart as several long-running hit songs move downward, making way for several that have been stuck in the lower reaches for weeks.

“Nothing Matters” by English all-female band The Last Dinner Party leaps 10 spots to enter the top 10 at #10. It took me a while to warm up to this song for some reason I can’t explain, but now I love it! “How Did You Get Here?” by English singer-songwriter Antony Szmierek moves up five spots to #12, “Blame Brett” by The Beaches, another all-female indie rock band, jumps six spots to #13, “Northern Attitude” by Vermont singer-songwriter Noah Kahan and Irish singer-songwriter Hozier leaps nine spots to #14, “Pretty Vicious” by English rock band The Struts moves up six spots to #15, and “Winter Cowboy” by English crooner Frank Joseph also moves up six notches to #16. Jumping eight spots each are Future Islands‘ “The Tower”, to #17, English singer-songwriter Bakar‘s “Alive!”, to #18, and American rapper Jack Harlow‘s “Lovin On Me”, to #21. “Mother Nature” by American psychedelic pop-rock duo MGMT, moves up seven spots to #20. The sole debut this week is “Normal People Things” by yet another English act, indie rock band Lovejoy, entering at #30. It’s their second song to appear on my chart, the first being “Call Me What You Like” last year.

  1. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (1)
  2. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (2)
  3. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (3)
  4. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (6)
  5. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (5)
  6. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (4)
  7. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (9)
  8. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (10)
  9. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (7)
  10. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (20)
  11. DARLING – Western Jaguar (8)
  12. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (17)
  13. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (19)
  14. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (23)
  15. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (21)
  16. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (22)
  17. THE TOWER – Future Islands (25)
  18. ALIVE! - Bakar (26)
  19. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (18)
  20. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (27)
  21. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (29)
  22. NOW AND THEN – The Beatles (11)
  23. MORE THAN A LOVE SONG – Black Pumas (12)
  24. ONE MORE TIME – blink-182 (14)
  25. HONEY (ARE U COMING?) – Måneskin (13)
  26. ATOMIC CITY – U2 (15)
  27. LOVING YOU – Cannons (16) 23rd week on chart
  28. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (28)
  29. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (30)
  30. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (N)

Top 30 Songs for January 14-20, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's9 Comments
Photo by Ryan Fleisher/imageSPACE

Alabama-born and now Nashville-based singer-songwriter Brittany Howard takes over the top spot this week with her soulful and funky kiss-off single “What Now”, displacing Green Day‘s “The American Dream Is Killing Me” after it’s three week run at #1. The astonishingly talented artist with a powerhouse voice was front woman of rock band Alabama Shakes, but went solo in 2018 when the band went on hiatus. She released her debut album Jaime in 2019 to widespread acclaim, and was nominated for numerous music awards, winning a Grammy in 2021 for Best Rock Song for her single “Stay High”. “What Now” is the lead and title single from her forthcoming second album of the same name, scheduled for release on February 2. About the single, Howard explains “It was written during the pandemic when the question “What now” was on all of our minds.  I think it is a feeling that has continued to the present moment in the world we live in. It is also the title of the new album and I think when you hear it you will understand why I landed on that title…but more on that later.” The dark video was directed by Danilo Parra, produced by Adam Braun and filmed by Benjamin Whatley. In addition to Howard, the video features Mohnsta Simmons, Anaelle Rabotoson, Laquane Barnes and Andre Lambert.

In other notable chart developments, Georgia singer-songwriter Teddy Swims is the biggest upward mover for the third consecutive week, as his bluesy and blistering “Lose Control” leaps nine spots to #3. Moving into fourth place is “Attraction”, the sweet song of budding love by talented young British trio Wild Horse, followed by “My Love Mine All Mine” by Mitski at #5. Entering the top 10 after a long slow climb are the ethereal “All I Die For” by Canadian indie rock band SWiiMS and “Modern Girl” by pop-rock band Bleachers.

Making their debut this week are two songs that couldn’t be more different from each other: Entering at #29 is “Lovin On Me” by the enormously popular rapper Jack Harlow, who’s racked up a stream of hits over the past five years, some of them collaborations with other artists. The song is already a massive hit, currently returning to the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 after all the Christmas songs that dominated the chart in December dropped off. I’m not generally a fan of his type of music, but with its infectious groove, “Lovin On You” has finally grown on me. Entering at #30 is the lovely “Your World Now” by fellow blogger, musician and all-around Renaissance man Marc Schuster. About the song, he explains: “On the surface, it sounds like it could be a wistful breakup song in the style of Jens Lekman or Belle & Sebastian, but it isn’t really influenced by any personal experiences beyond the broad strokes of realizing that the world is changing and that I’m okay with handing the reins over to people who will do things differently than I would.” I think it’s one of Schuster’s best songs yet, and his vocals have never sounded better.

  1. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (2)
  2. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (1)
  3. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (12)
  4. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (5)
  5. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (6)
  6. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (8)
  7. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (7)
  8. DARLING – Western Jaguar (3)
  9. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (13)
  10. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (14)
  11. NOW AND THEN – The Beatles (4)
  12. MORE THAN A LOVE SONG – Black Pumas (9)
  13. HONEY (ARE U COMING?) – Måneskin (10)
  14. ONE MORE TIME – blink-182 (11)
  15. ATOMIC CITY – U2 (15)
  16. LOVING YOU – Cannons (17) 22nd week on chart
  17. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (19)
  18. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (20)
  19. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (21)
  20. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (23)
  21. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (22)
  22. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (24)
  23. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (25)
  24. WILD – Brian Lambert, Harmoni Kelley & Marc Schuster (16)
  25. THE TOWER – Future Islands (27)
  26. ALIVE! – Bakar (28)
  27. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (29)
  28. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (30)
  29. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (N)
  30. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (N)

Top 30 Songs for January 7-13, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's6 Comments

Not a lot of changes to this week’s Top 30, with the songs in the top six spots remaining in place for a second week. Green Day‘s “The American Dream Is Killing Me” is #1 for a third week, while Brittany Howard‘s “What Now” holds on the #2 spot for a second week. The lovely “Cool About It” by boygenius climbs three spots to enter the top 10 at #8. The biggest upward mover again this week is “Lose Control” by Georgia singer-songwriter Teddy Swims, jumping seven spots to #12. The sole debut this week is “nice to know you” by L.A. pop-rock trio lovelytheband, who I had the pleasure of seeing in concert last June. In fact, in addition to lovelytheband, I’ve also seen two other acts on this list – Cold War Kids and Cannons.

  1. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (1)
  2. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (2)
  3. DARLING – Western Jaguar (3)
  4. NOW AND THEN – The Beatles (4)
  5. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (5)
  6. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (6)
  7. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (10)
  8. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (11)
  9. MORE THAN A LOVE SONG – Black Pumas (7)
  10. HONEY (ARE U COMING?) – Måneskin (8)
  11. ONE MORE TIME – blink-182 (9)
  12. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (19)
  13. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (14)
  14. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (15)
  15. ATOMIC CITY – U2 (12)
  16. WILD – Brian Lambert, Harmoni Kelley & Marc Schuster (13)
  17. LOVING YOU – Cannons (16) 21st week on chart
  18. GOOD OLD DAYS – The Revivalists (18)
  19. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (20)
  20. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (21)
  21. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (22)
  22. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (23)
  23. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (24)
  24. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (26)
  25. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (27)
  26. THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND – Bad Omens (17)
  27. THE TOWER – Future Islands (28)
  28. ALIVE! – Bakar (29)
  29. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (30)
  30. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (N)

Top 30 Songs for December 31, 2023 – January 6, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's14 Comments

Happy New Year! As we transition from 2023 to 2024, Green Day remain on top for a second week with their protest anthem “The American Dream Is Killing Me”. They’ve been a long-time favorite of mine, and I’m glad they’re still making music nearly 34 years after the release of their first album 39/Smooth. They’ll be dropping their 14th studio album Savior on January 19th. Brittany Howard‘s gloriously defiant “What Now” climbs five spots into second position, while Cold War Kids (who I saw open for Tears for Fears last August) enter the top 10 with “Run Away With Me”. British pop-rock band Wild Horse move up three spots to #5 with their breezy love song “Attraction”, followed at #6 by Mitski‘s contemplative “My Love Mine All Mine”. The biggest upward mover this week is the bluesy “Lose Control” by Georgia singer-songwriter Teddy Swims, leaping 10 spots to #19.

Four songs debut this week: Entering at #27 is “Northern Attitude”, a terrific duet by Vermont-based singer-songwriter Noah Kahan and Irish singer-songwriter Hozier. The song is a newly-recorded version of the track from Kahan’s critically-acclaimed album Stick Season, which also features his hit single “Dial Drunk”. He’s also recorded collaborative versions of a number of the album’s tracks, including “Dial Drunk” with Post Malone. Hozier also scored a successful and acclaimed album in 2023, Unreal Unearth, which features his hit songs “Eat Your Young” and “Francesca”. Next up is “The Tower” by always wonderful Baltimore-based synth pop band Future Islands. The song is from their forthcoming seventh studio album People Who Aren’t There Anymore, slated for release on January 26. Coming in at #29 is “Alive!” by British singer-songwriter Bakar, marking his third appearance on my chart. The song is the lead single from his second album Halo, which was released in September. Last but certainly not least is the lovely “Mother Nature” by American neo-psychedelic rock band MGMT. The song is the lead single from their upcoming fifth studio album Loss of Life, due for release on February 23, their first new music in six years.

  1. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (1)
  2. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (7)
  3. DARLING – Western Jaguar (2)
  4. NOW AND THEN – The Beatles (3)
  5. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (8)
  6. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (9)
  7. MORE THAN A LOVE SONG – Black Pumas (4)
  8. HONEY (ARE U COMING?) – Måneskin (5)
  9. ONE MORE TIME – blink-182 (6)
  10. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (12)
  11. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (16)
  12. ATOMIC CITY – U2 (10)
  13. WILD – Brian Lambert, Harmoni Kelley & Marc Schuster (14)
  14. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (15)
  15. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (17)
  16. LOVING YOU – Cannons (13) 20th week on chart
  17. THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND – Bad Omens (11)
  18. GOOD OLD DAYS – The Revivalists (18)
  19. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (29)
  20. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (23)
  21. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (25)
  22. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (26)
  23. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (27)
  24. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (28)
  25. WHITE HORSE – Chris Stapleton (20)
  26. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (30)
  27. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (N)
  28. THE TOWER – Future Islands (N)
  29. ALIVE! – Bakar (N)
  30. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (N)

Top 30 Songs for December 24-30, 2023

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's11 Comments
Photo by Emmie America

We’ve arrived at the final week of 2023, and though it would be nice to have a sweet song at the top of my chart to bring us a bit of Christmas cheer, alas, that’s not to be. Instead, Green Day‘s boisterous protest anthem “The American Dream Is Killing Me” ascends to the #1 spot. The black and white video they made for the song is pretty violent and dark, with Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool made up as zombies, performing the song amidst hordes of zombies rioting in the streets and attacking people. Some scary stuff indeed!

In other chart developments, Brittany Howard‘s “What Now” is once again the biggest climber of the week, jumping eight spots to #7. The song is now #1 on the Billboard AAA chart. After spending three weeks at #4 in November, “Loving You” by Cannons reverses its downward course and moves back up five spots to #13, followed by “Wild” by Brian Lambert, Harmoni Kelley & Marc Schuster, “All I Die For” by SWiiMS, and “Cool About It” by boygenius, all of which advance five spots. Bleachers‘ “Modern Girl” moves up six spots to #17. Making their debut are the bluesy “Lose Control” by the gruff-voiced Georgia singer-songwriter Teddy Swims (born Jaten Collin Dimsdale), at #29, and “Winter Cowboy” by silky-voiced British artist Frank Joshua, at #30. It’s Frank’s second song to appear on my chart, the first being his beautiful “Bluebell Wood”, which peaked at #6 this past Spring.

  1. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (2)
  2. DARLING – Western Jaguar (1)
  3. NOW AND THEN – The Beatles (3)
  4. MORE THAN A LOVE SONG – Black Pumas (4)
  5. HONEY (ARE U COMING?) – Måneskin (5)
  6. ONE MORE TIME – blink-182 (6)
  7. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (15)
  8. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (9)
  9. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (11)
  10. ATOMIC CITY – U2 (8)
  11. THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND – Bad Omens (7)
  12. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (15)
  13. LOVING YOU – Cannons (18)
  14. WILD – Brian Lambert, Harmoni Kelley & Marc Schuster (19)
  15. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (20)
  16. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (21)
  17. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (23)
  18. GOOD OLD DAYS – The Revivalists (17)
  19. THE SHAMEFUL – Amongst Liars (10)
  20. WHITE HORSE – Chris Stapleton (22)
  21. MY KINDA GIRL – The 23s (12)
  22. YOUR SIDE OF TOWN – The Killers (14)
  23. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (25)
  24. ANGRY – The Rolling Stones (16)
  25. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (27)
  26. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (28)
  27. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (29)
  28. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (30)
  29. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (N)
  30. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (N)

Top 30 Songs for December 17-23, 2023

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's4 Comments

We’re now into the home stretch of 2023 with just two weeks left in the year, and though the Billboard Hot 100 is dominated by vintage Christmas songs, my chart says ‘no’ to that! Accordingly, the delightful love song “Darling” by Canadian artist Western Jaguar holds onto the top spot for a second week. Green Day moves into second place with their rousing protest anthem “The American Dream is Killing Me”, while The Beatles‘ nostalgic “Now and Then” climbs three spots to #3. (The song is #1 for a second week on the Billboard AAA chart.) “THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND” by American hard rock band Bad Omens spends a fourth week at #7.

British pop-rock band Wild Horse enter the top 10 with their sweet song “Attraction”, moving up four spots to #9, and Brittany Howard‘s wonderful “What Now” is this week’s biggest climber, leaping 10 spots to #15. The lone debut this week, entering at #30, is “Nothing Matters” by British all-female indie rock band The Last Dinner Party. Although the song’s been a sizable hit on the Alternative charts, and seems to be almost everyone’s favorite, it’s taken a while to grow on me.

  1. DARLING – Western Jaguar (1)
  2. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (3)
  3. NOW AND THEN – The Beatles (6)
  4. MORE THAN A LOVE SONG – Black Pumas (2)
  5. HONEY (ARE U COMING?) – Måneskin (4)
  6. ONE MORE TIME – blink-182 (5)
  7. THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND – Bad Omens (7)
  8. ATOMIC CITY – U2 (9)
  9. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (13)
  10. THE SHAMEFUL – Amongst Liars (10)
  11. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (16)
  12. MY KINDA GIRL – The 23s (8)
  13. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (15)
  14. YOUR SIDE OF TOWN – The Killers (12)
  15. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (25)
  16. ANGRY – The Rolling Stones (11)
  17. GOOD OLD DAYS – The Revivalists (18)
  18. LOVING YOU – Cannons (19)
  19. WILD – Brian Lambert, Harmoni Kelley & Marc Schuster (20)
  20. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (21)
  21. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (22)
  22. WHITE HORSE – Chris Stapleton (23)
  23. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (24)
  24. UNDER YOU – Foo Fighters (14)
  25. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (26)
  26. EVICTED – Wilco (17)
  27. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (28)
  28. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (29)
  29. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (30)
  30. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (N)