Tag: Young the Giant

My Top 30 Songs for September 27-October 3, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's6 Comments
Photo of The Neighbourhood from their Facebook account

After spending three weeks at #2, “Private” by The Neighbourhood finally dislodges “Rein Me In” to take over the top spot on my latest chart. The captivating song is from their fifth studio album (((((ultraSOUND))))), released last November, although the track itself was actually released at the end of October but didn’t begin charting until June. Formed in Ventura County west of Los Angeles in 2011, the band consists of four of the five original members: heavily tattooed, silky-voiced vocalist Jesse Rutherford, guitarists Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels and bassist Mikey Margott, as well as drummer Brandon Fried who joined in 2014. I love their sophisticated style of alternative rock that incorporates elements of pop, electronic, hip hop and R&B.

I’ve been a big fan of The Neighbourhood from the moment I first heard their magnificent song “Sweater Weather” back in the summer of 2013. It ultimately became my favorite song of 2013 and 4th favorite song of the entire decade of the 2010s, and is obviously a favorite of many others, as it’s been streamed nearly 5 billion times just on Spotify alone. Since March, The Neighbourhood has been on their worldwide tour which will conclude in Los Angeles in December. “Private” is their fourth song to top my chart, after the aforementioned “Sweater Weather”, “Stargazing” in 2021, and “Hula Girl”, also from (((((ultraSOUND))))), this past April. I love the song’s hypnotic beat, gentle thumping bassline and intricate blend of jangly, chiming and grungy guitar notes. But most of all, I love Rutherford’s sensuous croons that add to the eerily enchanting sound.

Entering the top 10 are “Stone Over Water” by Death Cab for Cutie, “I Feel Hope Coming” by Alabama Shakes, and “We Might as Well Be Strangers” by Weezer featuring Wednesday.

For a third week there are two new entries to my chart, starting with “Good Times // End Times” by American progressive/funk rock band Goose. The song is from their sixth album BIG MODERN!, which dropped in June, and follows “Good2B”, which spent 12 weeks on my chart over the summer, peaking at #4. I’ve come to like this band a lot!

The second new entry is “Already Gone” by the enigmatic and dangerously sexy country artist Orville Peck (born Daniel Pitout in South Africa and now based in Los Angeles). In addition to his unique brand of alternative country and deep baritone singing voice, Peck (who is gay) is known for often wearing a fringed mask and not showing his face. In a 2023 interview for People magazine, he elaborated on his decision to wear a fringed mask: “I grew up loving country where there was an intersection between theatricality and very honest songwriting. Dolly’s a perfect example—the big wigs, the crazy outfits, but it’s her. For me, I was obsessed with the Lone Ranger, cowboys hiding their face, so that’s what I wanted to do.” He’s also an actor who made his Broadway debut on March 31, 2025, playing the Emcee in the revival of Cabaret for 16 weeks. “Already Gone” is from his fourth studio album Mule, released September 18th.

  1. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (2)
  2. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (1)
  3. LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (5)
  4. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (6)
  5. MARIANNE – Fontaines D.C. (7)
  6. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (4)
  7. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (3)
  8. STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (11)
  9. I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (12)
  10. WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (13)
  11. I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (14)
  12. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (10)
  13. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (8)
  14. DOORS – Noah Kahan (9)
  15. LOSER – Tame Impala (19)
  16. EVERGREEN – Young the Giant (17)
  17. EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (18)
  18. BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (20)
  19. WINDOW – Foo Fighters (22)
  20. METASTASIZED – Bealby Point (23)
  21. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (15)
  22. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (16)
  23. LOVE TO GO – Edgehill (26)
  24. YOUNG AGAIN – Shinedown (27)
  25. HIGH HOPES 3000 – ROLE MODEL (29)
  26. BLACK DOG RABBIT HOLE – Devon Gilfillian (30)
  27. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (21)
  28. SELF AWARE – Temper City (24) 20th week on chart
  29. GOOD TIMES // END TIMES – Goose (N)
  30. ALREADY GONE – Orville Peck (N)

My Top 30 Songs for September 20-26, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's8 Comments

It’s a third week on top for the beautiful “Rein Me In” by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean, as well as a third week at #2 for “Private” by The Neighbourhood, who’ve spent much of this year on their world tour which began in late March and concludes in their hometown of Los Angeles in December. Fontaines D.C. are the biggest upward movers again this week as their mesmerizing song “Marianne” jumps 10 spots to #7.

There are two new entries to my chart again this week, starting with “High Hopes 3000” by Los Angeles-based artist ROLE MODEL, the music project of 28-year-old singer-songwriter Tucker Harrington Pillsbury. The song is from his third studio album Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, which dropped August 7th. His 2025 single “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” topped my chart exactly one year ago.

The second new entry is “Black Dog Rabbit Hole” by Nashville-based soul singer-songwriter Devon Gilfillian. The song is featured on his fourth album Time Will Tell, released on June 26th. His 2020 single “Unchained” reached #10 on my chart and ranks #68 on my 100 Best Songs of 2020 list.

  1. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (1)
  2. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (2)
  3. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (3)
  4. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (4)
  5. LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (7)
  6. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (8)
  7. MARIANNE – Fontaines D.C. (17)
  8. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (5)
  9. DOORS – Noah Kahan (6)
  10. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (9)
  11. STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (13)
  12. I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (15)
  13. WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (11)
  14. I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (12)
  15. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (14)
  16. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (10)
  17. EVERGREEN – Young the Giant (20)
  18. EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (21)
  19. LOSER – Tame Impala (23)
  20. BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (22)
  21. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (16)
  22. WINDOW – Foo Fighters (24)
  23. METASTASIZED – Bealby Point (25)
  24. SELF AWARE – Temper City (18)
  25. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (19)
  26. LOVE TO GO – Edgehill (29)
  27. YOUNG AGAIN – Shinedown (30)
  28. PICKING DRAGON’S POCKETS – Modest Mouse (26)
  29. HIGH HOPES 3000 – ROLE MODEL (N)
  30. BLACK DOG RABBIT HOLE – Devon Gilfillian (N)

My Top 30 Songs for September 13-19, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's6 Comments
Sam Fender & Olivia Dean from the “Rein Me In” video

Sam Fender and Olivia Dean remain on top for a second week with “Rein Me In”, while Los Angeles alt rock band The Neighbourhood hold the #2 spot again with their captivating “Private”. “Online” by British Columbia, Canada-based artist Western Jaguar advances two spots to #3. In addition to Western Jaguar, two other Canadian acts are represented on this chart – The Beaches, whose song “Edge of the Earth” sits at #21, and Bealby Point, whose song “Metastasized” currently ranks #25. I must state that I’m both horrified and furious that our out-of-control lunatic president has started a needless economic war with our friendly neighbors to the north.

Irish band Fontaines D.C. are this week’s biggest upward movers, as their song “Marianne” leaps 11 spots to #17.

There are two new additions to my chart this week, the first of which is the wonderfully boisterous “Love To Go” by Nashville-based alt-rock band Edgehill, comprised of Chris Kelly (lead vocals and guitar), Jake Zimmermann (lead guitar and vocals), and Aidan Cunningham (drums). The trio have been putting out great songs since 2022, but I only learned about them earlier this year with the release of their song “Doubletake”, which ultimately went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart and #2 on my chart. Both “Doubletake” and “Love To Go” are from their debut album Ode to the Greyhouse, which was released this past February.

The second new entry is “Young Again” by Florida-based rock band Shinedown. Formed in 2001, the lineup presently includes founding members Brent Smith (lead vocals) and Barry Kerch (drums), as well as Zach Myers (guitar, piano, backing vocals) and Eric Bass (bass, guitar, piano, backing vocals). Shinedown has the most #1 singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts with 23, and all 37 of their released singles have reached the top five. To date, the band has sold more than 10 million records worldwide. (Wikipedia) “Young Again” is from their eighth album EI8HT, released this past May and also includes their song “Three Six Five”, which spent 12 weeks on my chart last year.

  1. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (1)
  2. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (2)
  3. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (5)
  4. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (7)
  5. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (3)
  6. DOORS – Noah Kahan (4)
  7. LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (10)
  8. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (9)
  9. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (8)
  10. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (6)
  11. WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (15)
  12. I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (16)
  13. STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (17)
  14. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (14)
  15. I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (20)
  16. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (11)
  17. MARIANNE – Fontaines D.C. (28)
  18. SELF AWARE – Temper City (12)
  19. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (13)
  20. EVERGREEN – Young the Giant 22)
  21. EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (23)
  22. BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (24)
  23. LOSER – Tame Impala (25)
  24. WINDOW – Foo Fighters (26)
  25. METASTASIZED – Bealby Point (27)
  26. PICKING DRAGON’S POCKETS – Modest Mouse (18)
  27. WE SHOULD TALK – Bleachers (19)
  28. LOVE ME NOT – Grace Potter (21)
  29. LOVE TO GO – Edgehill (N)
  30. YOUNG AGAIN – Shinedown (N)

My Top 30 Songs for September 6-12, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments
Sam Fender & Olivia Dean taken from the “Rein Me In” video

After several weeks of waiting in the wings, the gorgeous “Rein Me In” by English singer-songwriter Sam Fender and English singer-songwriter Olivia Dean (who won the Best New Artist Grammy earlier this year) ascends to the top of my chart. The song is a re-recorded duet version of the original from Fender’s third studio album People Watching. The original version of “Rein Me In” was released in June 2025 as the sixth single from the album and eventually became Fender’s first song to reach #1 on the UK Singles Chart in February 2026, as well as winning the Brit Award for Song of the Year. In addition to Fender and Dean’s great vocals, I love the beautiful piano, jangly guitar and blaring sax.

Fender debuted the new version during a show at London Stadium in June, bringing Dean on stage to perform it with him. Videos of that performance went viral, and the two performed it again nine days later at Fender’s St. James’ Park concert. Fender announced the official release of the new version on June 20th, stating that Dean “added a female perspective to ‘Rein Me In,’ and I think it’s all the better for it“. The original and duet versions ended up spending a combined 23 non-consecutive weeks at number one, making it the longest-running number-one single in UK music history. The song also topped the charts in Australia and Ireland and reached #2 in New Zealand. It became Fender’s first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 45. “Rein Me In” is his second song to reach #1 on my chart, the first being his 2021 single “Seventeen Going Under”.

In other chart developments of note, The Neighbourhood move into second place with “Private”, while Cage the Elephant‘s “Beaches In Tennessee” and Phoebe Bridgers‘ “Lost Boys” enter the top 10. The sole debut this week, entering at #28, is the enthralling “Marianne”, the new single from the always wonderful Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. The song is the lead single from their forthcoming fifth album Dopamine Chamber, set for release October 16th.

  1. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (3)
  2. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (4)
  3. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (1)
  4. DOORS – Noah Kahan (2)
  5. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (6)
  6. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (7)
  7. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (8)
  8. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (10)
  9. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (11)
  10. LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (12)
  11. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (5)
  12. SELF AWARE – Temper City (9)
  13. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (14)
  14. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (15)
  15. WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (17)
  16. I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (19)
  17. STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (20)
  18. PICKING DRAGON’S POCKETS – Modest Mouse (13)
  19. WE SHOULD TALK – Bleachers (18)
  20. I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (23)
  21. LOVE ME NOT – Grace Potter (16)
  22. EVERGREEN – Young the Giant 24)
  23. EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (25)
  24. BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (26)
  25. LOSER – Tame Impala (27)
  26. WINDOW – Foo Fighters (29)
  27. METASTASIZED – Bealby Point (30)
  28. MARIANNE – Fontaines D.C. (N)
  29. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (21)
  30. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (22)

My Top 30 Songs for August 30-September 5, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's9 Comments
Photo of Lyia and Cha Cha Girl taken from her Facefook account

“Raging Halls” by Malaysian singer-songwriter extraordinaire Lyia Meta remains atop my chart for a second week, while American singer-songwriter Noah Kahan moves into second place with “Doors”. Entering the top 10 is “no more regrets” by San Diego, California-based indie pop band almost monday.

There are three new additions to my chart this week, starting with “Loser” by Australian act Tame Impala, the music project of singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker. The song, which debuts at #27, was actually released last September (2025) as the second single from Tame Impala’s fifth album Deadbeat, which dropped a month later, but as with The Beaches’ “Edge of the Earth” is currently appearing on various alternative charts (which heavily influence my own chart). His single “Dracula” spent three weeks at the top of my chart at the beginning of this year.

Entering at #29 is “Window” by legendary American rock band the Foo Fighters. The song is from their 12th studio album Your Favorite Toy, released this past April. And coming in at #30 is “Metastasized”, the latest single by Vancouver, Canada-based indie pop-rock band Bealby Point, who currently consist of Jack Armstrong (lead vocals, guitar), Jordan Studer (bass) and Zack Yeager (drums). I’ve been a big fan of theirs since learning about them in 2021, and have featured them several times on this blog. “Metastasized” will be included on their forthcoming debut album Happiness Frontier.

  1. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (1)
  2. DOORS – Noah Kahan (3)
  3. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (4)
  4. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (5)
  5. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (2)
  6. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (7)
  7. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (8)
  8. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (10)
  9. SELF AWARE – Temper City (6)
  10. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (11)
  11. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (12)
  12. LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (13)
  13. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (9)
  14. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (16)
  15. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (17)
  16. LOVE ME NOT – Grace Potter (18)
  17. WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (19)
  18. WE SHOULD TALK – Bleachers (20)
  19. I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (21)
  20. STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (22)
  21. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (14)
  22. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (15)
  23. I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (26)
  24. EVERGREEN – Young the Giant 28)
  25. EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (29)
  26. BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (30)
  27. LOSER – Tame Impala (N)
  28. IN THE STARS – The Rolling Stones (25)
  29. WINDOW – Foo Fighters (N)
  30. METASTASIZED – Bealby Point (N)

My Top 30 Songs for August 23-29, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's6 Comments
Photo of Lyia Meta taken from her Facebook account.

Malaysian artist Lyia Meta is a highly accomplished, award-winning and Grammy-nominated Renaissance woman in every sense of the word. She’s not only an insanely talented singer, songwriter and musician, she’s also a writer, teacher, vocal coach and visual artist whose work spans multiple media formats (she surprised me with a pencil-drawn portrait of myself in 2019, which I proudly hang on my bedroom wall).

Possessing a rich contralto singing voice, she’s recorded songs across a wide range of genres including blues, jazz, pop, country, rock and metal. She ranks among my favorite female vocalists, and I’ve featured her numerous times on this blog. We’ve been following each other on social media since 2018, and I finally had the pleasure of meeting Lyia and her husband Zack in person in January when they were in Los Angeles. I’m now thrilled to place her powerful single “Raging Halls” at #1, her first song to top my chart and on the week of my birthday, no less!

The hard-hitting song was co-written by Lyia and E.G. Holmes, who co-produced the track with her longtime Nashville-based collaborator Bob McGilpin (who also played lead and rhythm guitar, bass, drums and synths). Additional contributions on the track include rhythm guitar by Christian Wentz, guitar and synths by John Foster, orchestration and keyboards by Gene Rabbai and backing harmonies by Lisa Brokop. Lyia says the song “explores the tension between desire, risk, and the moment where hesitation transforms into action.” With its soaring melodies and scorching riffs, the song calls to mind some of the great 80s anthems by Journey, Heart and Whitesnake.

Two songs enter the top 10: the captivating “The Endless Border” by Belgian alternative indie rock band Velvet Jesus, advancing three spots to #8, and “Heart Stop” by New Orleans-based alternative roots rock band The Revivalists, which moves up two spots to #10.

There are three new debuts this week, beginning with “Evergreen” by Southern California-based alternative pop rock band Young the Giant. Formed in Irvine, California in 2004, they currently consist of Sameer Gadhia (lead vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar), Payam Doostzadeh (bass), and Francois Comtois (drums). “Evergreen” is from their sixth album Victory Garden, released on May 1st, and follows “Different Kind of Love”, which peaked at #4 on my chart in early June. It’s hard to believe it’s been seven years since I saw them in concert in 2019.

Entering at #29 is “Edge of the Earth” by Canadian female pop rock band The Beaches. Formed in Toronto in 2009, they’re comprised of sisters Jordan (lead vocals, bass) and Kylie Miller (guitar, backing vocals), Leandra Earl (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals), and Eliza Enman-McDaniel (drums). “Edge of the Earth” was originally released nearly three years ago as the title track of their six-song EP, which also included their marvelous hit single “Blame Brett” that reached #5 on my chart and ranks #46 on my 100 Best Songs of 2024 list. It’s currently moving up the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart (I’m even hearing it played on my local alt-rock station here in Palm Springs), so I’m guessing it went viral on TikTok or similar.

The third new entry is the exuberant “Behind The Lines Of Reason” by the charismatic English alternative indie rock band Hardwicke Circus. Formed in 2015, the band has undergone a few changes in lineup and is now comprised of brothers Jonny (lead vocals, guitar) and Tom Foster (drums, backing vocals), along with Ben Wilde (bass, backing vocals), Zack McDade (lead guitar, backing vocals), Conor Morrissey (keyboards, backing vocals) and Andy Sax (saxophone, backing vocals). I reviewed their marvelous 2023 album Fly the Flag and am happy to see them back with “Behind The Lines Of Reason”, which dropped July 17th.

  1. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (2)
  2. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (1)
  3. DOORS – Noah Kahan (3)
  4. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (4)
  5. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (5)
  6. SELF AWARE – Temper City (6)
  7. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (8)
  8. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (11)
  9. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (9)
  10. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (12)
  11. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (13)
  12. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (17)
  13. LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (18)
  14. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (7)
  15. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (10)
  16. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (20)
  17. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (21)
  18. LOVE ME NOT – Grace Potter (22)
  19. WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (23)
  20. WE SHOULD TALK – Bleachers (24)
  21. I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (25)
  22. STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (26)
  23. WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (14)
  24. GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (15)
  25. IN THE STARS – The Rolling Stones (16)
  26. I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (30)
  27. HOMEWRECKER – sombr (19) 20th week on chart
  28. EVERGREEN – Young the Giant (N)
  29. EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (N)
  30. BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (N)

My Top 30 Songs for July 5-11, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's18 Comments

I’m pretty confident that the majority of my fellow bloggers and readers – at least those few who even bother to read my posts – probably shake their heads at my music tastes and that’s okay, as each of us likes what we like at the end of the day. That said, my new #1 song this week is “Homewrecker” by sombr (born Shane Michael Boose), who turns 21 today. Over the past year he’s become one of my favorite artists, and “Homewrecker” is his fourth song to top my chart, following “back to friends” (which was #1 on my chart a year ago today and is my top song for 2025), “undressed” and “12 to 12” (which spent five weeks at #1).

In other charts developments of note, the lovely “Exit Wound” by Ships Have Sailed, a longtime favorite act of mine from Los Angeles, enters the top 10.

And I’m thrilled to add the captivating “The Endless Border”, by Belgian four-piece Velvet Jesus, to my chart this week. I can’t remember how or where I learned about it, but I love the song’s enchanting Middle Eastern sound and beautiful intricate guitar work. Based in Leuven, the band is comprised of Anton Fannes (lead vocals, guitar, synths, samples), Bart Catoor (bass, samples, backing vocals), Christophe Vandewoude (guitar) and Peter De Clercq (drums). They released their debut single “Qatar” in 2023, which they followed a year later with their album of the same name. The band states that their latest single “is about the strange world of today, and in particular how one population imposes a border on another, while a national border is nothing more than a line on a map.”

  1. HOMEWRECKER – sombr (2)
  2. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (1)
  3. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (4)
  4. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (5)
  5. SELF AWARE – Temper City (6)
  6. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (3)
  7. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (7)
  8. GOOD2B – Goose (8)
  9. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (9)
  10. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (11)
  11. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (12)
  12. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (10)
  13. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (18)
  14. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (16)
  15. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (17)
  16. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (21)
  17. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (22)
  18. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (23)
  19. DOORS – Noah Kahan (25)
  20. DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (15)
  21. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (27)
  22. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (28)
  23. SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (13) 21st week on chart
  24. BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (14)
  25. WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (29)
  26. GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (30)
  27. TO LOVE SOMEBODY – Holly Humberstone (19)
  28. DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE – Young the Giant (20)
  29. DYING TO LOVE – Bad Omens (24)
  30. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (N)

My Top 30 Songs for June 28-July 4, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's6 Comments

The Strokes remain on top for a second week with “Going Shopping”, while sombr moves into second place with “Homewrecker”. Three songs enter the top 10: “Good2B” by Goose, “Until The Sun Explodes” by Sublime and “In My Room” by Julia Wolf, at #s 8, 9 and 10, respectively. Scottish band Gloom Is Okay are this week’s biggest upward movers as their darkly beautiful “Repeat Offender” leaps 10 spots to #12.

Four songs make their debut this week, beginning with “Private” by Los Angeles alt-rock band The Neighbourhood, which enters at #27. The song is from their fifth studio album (((((ultraSOUND))))), which also features “Hula Girl” that spent two weeks at #1 on my chart in April. I can’t think of a single song of theirs I haven’t loved, and “Private” is no exception.

Next up is “Rein Me In”, a beautiful song by English singer-songwriter Sam Fender, with added vocals by English singer-songwriter Olivia Dean, who won the Best New Artist Grammy earlier this year (which should have gone to sombr, but I digress). The song is a remix of the original from Fender’s third studio album People Watching. “Rein Me In” was released in June 2025 as the sixth single from the album and eventually became Fender’s first song to reach #1 on the UK Singles Chart in February 2026, as well as winning the Brit Award for Song of the Year. It also topped the charts in Australia and Ireland, reached #2 in New Zealand, and became Fender’s first song to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 64.

Entering at #29 is “Who Will You Follow” by American alternative metal rock band Evanescence. Formed in Little Rock in 1994, the band has undergone some lineup changes over the years and now consists of founding member Amy Lee (lead vocals, piano, keyboards, harp), Troy McLawhorn (guitar), Tim McCord (guitar, bass), Emma Anzai (bass, backing vocals) and Will Hunt (drums). They released their debut album Fallen in 2003 and followed with five more albums at the rate of one every three to six years. “Who Will You Follow” is the second single from their sixth and latest album Sanctuary, which dropped June 5th.

Coming in at #30 is “Go Fuck Urself” by English techno punk band Fat Dog. Formed in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the band consists of Joe Love, Chris Hughes, Morgan Wallace, and Ellis D, and is known for their boisterous live performances. The provocative and deliciously catchy song was released as their eighth single on May 11th and I love it!

  1. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (1)
  2. HOMEWRECKER – sombr (4)
  3. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (2)
  4. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (5)
  5. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (3)
  6. SELF AWARE – Temper City (7)
  7. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (6)
  8. GOOD2B – Goose (11)
  9. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (12)
  10. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (16)
  11. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (17)
  12. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (22)
  13. SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (8) 20th week on chart
  14. BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (9)
  15. DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (10)
  16. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (18)
  17. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (19)
  18. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (20)
  19. TO LOVE SOMEBODY – Holly Humberstone (13)
  20. DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE – Young the Giant (14)
  21. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (23)
  22. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (24)
  23. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (26)
  24. DYING TO LOVE – Bad Omens (15)
  25. DOORS – Noah Kahan (29)
  26. HEAVY FOOT – Mon Rovîa (21)
  27. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (N)
  28. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (N)
  29. WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (N)
  30. GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (N)

My Top 30 Songs for June 21-27, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's5 Comments
Press photo of The Strokes

“Going Shopping” by American rock band The Strokes ascends to #1 on my latest Top 30 chart. Formed in New York City in 1998, The Strokes consist of singer Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. Backed by a lighthearted, bouncy groove, Casablancas muses about materialism, growing older, societal alienation and the never-ending push and pull of city vs. country living. The song is from their forthcoming seventh studio album Reality Awaits, due for release on June 26th.

In other chart developments of note, “Self Aware”, the debut single by Israeli band Temper City, climbs four spots to enter the top 10 at #7. Since its release four months ago, the song has been streamed nearly 217 million times on Spotify alone. I’ve come to love “Good2B” by American rock band Goose, consequently, it’s this week’s biggest upward mover, leaping ten spots to #11. And the lone debut, entering at #29, is “Doors” by Noah Kahan. The song replaces his single “The Great Divide”, which leaves my chart after 18 weeks, three of them at #1.

  1. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (2)
  2. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (1)
  3. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (5)
  4. HOMEWRECKER – Sombr (6)
  5. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (7)
  6. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (10)
  7. SELF AWARE – Temper City (11)
  8. SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (3)
  9. BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (4)
  10. DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (8)
  11. GOOD2B – Goose (21)
  12. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (15)
  13. TO LOVE SOMEBODY – Holly Humberstone (14)
  14. DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE – Young the Giant (9)
  15. DYING TO LOVE – Bad Omens (13)
  16. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (18)
  17. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (19)
  18. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (20)
  19. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (24)
  20. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (25)
  21. HEAVY FOOT – Mon Rovîa (12)
  22. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (29)
  23. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (27)
  24. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (28)
  25. STARLIGHT – Cannons (23)
  26. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (30)
  27. BE WITH YOU – Muse (16)
  28. WAITING FOR ME – Talk in Waves (17) 20th week on chart
  29. DOORS – Noah Kahan (N)
  30. KILL ME FAST – Three Days Grace (22)

My Top 30 Songs for June 14-20, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's5 Comments

Death Cab for Cutie remain at #1 for a second week with “Riptides”, while The Strokes slide into second place with “Going Shopping”. Olivia Rodrigo finally enters my top 10 with “Drop Dead“.

Four songs enter my chart this week, and each is accompanied by a terrific video. Therefore, instead of embedding the video of my #1 song, I’m sharing the videos for each of my four new entries, the first of which is the wonderfully sultry “Back in Love” by the very beguiling English singer-songwriter, model and actress Suki Waterhouse. The song will be included on her forthcoming third studio album Loveland, scheduled for release on July 10th. It’s her second song to appear on my chart, following “Supersad”, which peaked at #11 in late 2024.

Coming in at #28 is “marathons” by the irrepressibly charming indie pop/rock band Sorry Ghost. Originally formed as a pop punk band in Baton Rouge, Louisiana but now based in Los Angeles since 2021, the band consists of Matt Polito (guitar, vocals) Dan Anton (bass, lead vocals), Tate Silver (drums) and Sean Duong (guitar, vocals). It’s their second song to appear on my chart, following last year’s delightful “polyester (yes sir)”, which ranks #55 on my 100 Best Songs of 2025 list. The guys have a wicked sense of humor, frequently delighting their fans with hilarious and endearing video reels of themselves on Instagram and TikTok. Their music videos are also highly entertaining and creative, as is definitely the case with the one for “marathons”:

Next up is “Repeat Offender” by Scottish alternative metal band Gloom is Okay. It isn’t often I’m blown away the first time I hear a song, but I have to say I was immediately stunned by the dramatic beauty and majestic impact of “Repeat Offender”. Based in Glasgow, Gloom is Okay is comprised of frontman Martin Walker (vocals, guitars, synths, programming) Iain MacLeod (bass) and Mark Norris (drums). It’s their first new music in three years, since their excellent 2023 self-titled EP Gloom is Okay, which I reviewed on this blog. “Repeat Offender” is the lead single from their forthcoming debut album Nothing Human. Walker says the song is essentially about handling narcissistic people.

Coming in at #30 is “Online” by Canadian artist Western Jaguar, the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jeffrey Trainor. Based in the beautiful Fraser River Valley east of Vancouver, British Columbia, the earnest, amiable musician makes what he calls joyfully sad music and has been a favorite of mine since learning about him in late 2018. I’ve featured him numerous times on this blog and several of his songs have appeared on my chart, two of which – “Disappear” (2019) and “Darling” (2023) – went all the way to #1. Jeff never fails to write thought-provoking lyrics set to infectious melodies, and “Online” hooked me at first listen. The song was inspired by his fear of the impact of the internet on our lives: “I wanted to capture that shady, seedy feeling the web can have. Who knows who’s real or what’s real nowadays. Hell, can I even prove to you I’m real? But there is this almost superiority complex or confidence that can come from the modern digital age that just seems off.”

  1. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (1)
  2. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (4)
  3. SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (2)
  4. BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (3)
  5. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (7)
  6. HOMEWRECKER – Sombr (8)
  7. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (9)
  8. DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (5)
  9. DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE – Young the Giant (6)
  10. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (12)
  11. SELF AWARE – Temper City (13)
  12. HEAVY FOOT – Mon Rovîa (11)
  13. DYING TO LOVE – Bad Omens (14)
  14. TO LOVE SOMEBODY – Holly Humberstone (15)
  15. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (17)
  16. BE WITH YOU – Muse (16)
  17. WAITING FOR ME – Talk in Waves (10)
  18. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (23)
  19. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (24)
  20. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (25)
  21. GOOD2B – Goose (26)
  22. KILL ME FAST – Three Days Grace (21)
  23. STARLIGHT – Cannons (22)
  24. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (29)
  25. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (30)
  26. THE GREAT DIVIDE – Noah Kahan (20)
  27. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (N)
  28. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (N)
  29. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (N)
  30. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (N)