By popular demand, the Top 10 Songs playlists are back and will be a regular feature again. Please like and share this post if you dig the tracks; it’s getting a lot of traffic!
For those of you new to our Top 10 Songs series (which was on hiatus for a bit), the list is determined by how many times (averaged out to ‘per day’ to not skew results) a track that we post within a certain month is played and downloaded.
The Top Ten Songs playlist for September 2018 is stacked with overseas bands from Scotland, UK and Norway to Iran, Sweden and Denmark, and as well as U.S. artists from Milwaukee, Portland, Austin, and Rhode Island.
Taking the No. 1 track for September is the driving, guitar-blazing indie pop rock single, “Choices” from the Glasgow alt. rock band Atlas Run. It goes without saying that they are on our Bands to Watch list.
The song demonstrates the band’s growth over the past couple of years. In 2016, the band dropped a pair of impressive debut singles. The band also released this music video for the song “Losing Touch” earlier this year.
“We make tight, honest rock music rooted deeply in Scottish culture and influenced by bands such as Biffy Clyro, The Xcerts and Fatherson,” says bassist Stefan Connor. We’ll be keeping an eye and an ear on these guys.
Now the gears shift radically into a darker, more melancholic world on the No. 2 song for September on IRC. The song was the forceful track, “Machine Run,” which originates from an unlikely band in an unlikely place – the Iranian indie rock band PinnedCrooks from Tehran.
We can’t find or think of a time when we received a submission from Iran; regardless, the band rips out a fine Cure-like single, “Machine Run,” with its forceful beat and raw ringing guitars, not to mention the avant-garde, even anti-rock, vocals.
The No. 3 track comes from a band to watch out of Denmark called The New Investors. These guys have something good going here and the listeners obviously agreed thanks to the glimmering synths and more pop-oriented song format on the single, “Deborah,” one of many songs about girls on the band’s latest effort.
While still relying heavily on its signature sound, the band says its new release features a “dreamy layer of dark Twin Peaks-like synths” as a more dominant element.
The No. 4 song comes by way of Oregon-via-Florida outfit Johnny Raincloud – a bit of a fitting moniker for a Portland band. The band’s latest single, “Idiocracy,” has a way of working into your marrow from the first chugging lo-fi chords to the 80’s tinged guitar and vocals work and the band’s fine jam at the end of the track.
The top four tracks in this Top Ten Songs playlist competed closely, based on listeners streams and downloads, for the top slots.
Taking up the No. 5 spot is the unique Norweigan indie rock band PV & The Hehehees’ with the interesting single, “Craving For Leather.” As a new band, these folks have a shot at ascending higher in our counts as time goes on and they drop new material.
Milwaukee indie rock band, Band of Dust, official performers at the SummerFest this past summer, scores the No. 6 spot for its enthralling “Vicious Love,” from the band’s new EP, Songs For All Blood Types (love that title), followed at No. 7 by UK indie rock outfit I’m No Chessman and the booming track, “Actors.”
The No. 8 slot goes to Austin debut artist Catherine Michelle, whose beautiful gospel-inspired vocals make her someone to keep an eye out for.
Closing out this set is Rhode Island musician Glen Spardello and Stockholm band Little Birds at No. 9 and No. 10.
Note: The September post, Flashback Tracks was not included because they are not new releases – but are amazing, under-rated indie songs from 2013.
[zbplayer]