The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #1

 #1. Elevation Rhythm - Goodbye Yesterday

Track: Goodbye Yesterday
Artist: Elevation Rhythm
Album: Victory Lap

 

In a wild turn of events, a year in which hard rock and metal was absolutely king of the new music empire here at Jester One, it was a worship song that ended up taking the #1 slot. It wasn't as big of a landslide as it was from the last 3 years, where the #1 track was a runaway pick at the top in terms of both plays and impact. But there was no doubt at the mindway point of 2025 that it was going to take a strong new release to push Elevation Rhythm back. 

We have to scroll back to 2019 to find the last worship song that splashed in, with James Truslow's "Overwhelmed" taking the #18 spot that year. Bethel Music's "Goodness of God" almost snuck in that year, and last year "Praise" by Elevation Worship just missed, but the absolute explosion that happened the first time I heard "Goodbye Yesterday" at church, and the tremendous dual chorus between singers Nate Diaz and Gracie Binion just knocks me backwards every time I listen to this song.

What a wild year.

Favorite line: "Again and again and again and again, you rescued me out of the mess I was in. You traded my sorrow for something to sing, now I'm dancin' on the grave that I once lived in"

Previous five #1s:

2024: LØLØ - wish i was a robot
2023: The Classic Crime - Alone in the City
2022: Forever Unknown - sad people, blue eyes
2021: Teenage Wrist - Taste of Gasoline
2020: Lilieae - Level

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #2

 #2. The Devil Wears Prada - For You

Title: For You
Artist: The Devil Wears Prada
Album: Flowers

The Devil Wears Prada has twice been just on the outside looking in, with 2019's "Chemical" and 2015's "Planet A", but they've never been a band that I really listened to much. Still, Dayton Ohio's best musical export absolutely rocketed up the list this year, from the first time I heard "For You" until today as I write this. The song starts off slow before ramping up at the chorus and slamming home the heaviest, most disgusting neck-throttling breakdown of the year. I think I've listened to that part of the song more than any one singular verse or moment than anything else this year. What a hammer. What a song. Welcome to, well, almost the top, fellas. 

Favorite line: "I could bring the world to you, but what is it worth? Whеn everything I give to you just diеs in the dirt"

Previous five #2s:

2024: Metric - Days of Oblivion
2023: The Broken Relics - Rodeo
2022: Rammstein - Lügen
2021: The Struts - Another Hit of Showmanship (ft Albert Hammond Jr)
2020: Purity Ring - stardew

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #3

#3. Lady Gaga - How Bad Do U Want Me

Title: How Bad Do U Want Me
Artist: Lady Gaga
Album: Mayhem

 

What, you thought this entire Countdown was going to be hard rock and metal?

SURPRISE! And not just any surprise, but Lady Gaga! A massive popstar! Wowza!

Okay, but for real. Lady Gaga is easily the most tolerable of the modern popstars in my book, with her bizarre artistic antics and her incredible voice and stage presence, it's hard not to like her from an outsider perspective. Naturally, it was the extrapolation of Yazoo's 1982 hit single "Only You" was what caught my ear first, but this is a fun and bouncy track on an album full of solid offerings, including "Perfect Celebrity", "Disease", and the bittersweet ballad "Blade of Grass". The song talks about a forbidden relationship, with Gaga teasing the man about his lack of commitment to her. 

Yeah, definitely a curve, or more like a knuckleball in this year's list. But a great freaking song, man.

Favorite line: "You hear my name, 'cause she's in your brain and I'm here to kiss you in real life - 'Bout to cause a scene, how bad do you want me?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previous five #3s:

2024: Watershed - Hey Lydia
2023: White Lies - Trouble In America

2022: Ronnie Martin - From the Womb of the Morning, The Dew of Your Youth Will Be Yours
2021: Acceptance - At the Edge of the Earth
2020: White Reaper - Real Long Time