Jester One 2025: Top 25 Artists

...and when I say tomorrow, what I actually meant was next month!

Artists, artists... so many bands to listen to this year. It looks as though I scrobbled 3,999 individual artists in 2025 - I guess I should've scoured to find one more, huh? 23% of those artists were new artists who I had never streamed before, which I think is fairly impressive since I've been using Last.FM since 2017 now. My top tag, of course, was Rock, while my most streamed hour was 7-8am, narrowly edging out 4-5p. 

Let's take a look at the top 25 artists for the year.

Key:

TY. Artist (LY)
Top Track: Track (TY)

25. LØLØ (19)
Top Track: wish i was a robot (1)

Two years in a row for LOLO, and back-to-back years with the most streamed song. Will that continue again next year? I have a feeling she'll probably be on the artist list, as she has a new album coming out soon.

24. Sarah McLachlan (NR)
Top Track: Building a Mystery (T136)

Since I started using Last.FM, Sarah McLachlan is my 56th most streamed artist, so it shouldn't be a surprise that she's made the year end list of most played artists. What is surprising for me is that this is her debut on the list. Although I found her new album utterly dull, I'm still enraptured by the singer from my teenage tears.

23. The Birthday Massacre (23)
Top Track: Wish (T115)

A new album from TBM brought them back to the Top 25 for the first time since 2020; their fourth appearance overall.  "Wish" was 17 on the Top 20 Countdown and in 2025 I spent a lot more time with more industrial/gothic/darker music, all leading to their return. I'm also seeing them live in 2026, so I'm fairly sure they'll be back this way again.

22. Amy Grant (NR)
Top Track: Every Heartbeat/Takes A Little Time (T115)

There's always a decent amount of Amy Grant sprinkled in to every year, but I definitely did not expect her to shoot all the way up to the 22nd most streamed artist of the year at any point. A friend of mine was highlighting his favorite albums and mentioned Heart In Motion, Amy's breakthrough smash, and I was reminded how much I also loved that record. So here we are! Surprise!

21. Whitney Houston (NR)
Top Track: How Will I Know (10)

On the strength of 2 songs in the Top 30 and 3 overall in the top 100, Whitney Houston is also making her debut on the artist list. I would say this one is less surprising since "How Will I Know" is routinely among the most played songs by the end of every year, but unlike Amy Grant before her, Whitney doesn't have a stable of Christmas music boosting her at the end of the year.

20. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (NR)
Top Track: The Dark of The Sun (4)

Tom Petty's solo efforts never actually landed in the Top 25, despite I Won't Back Down consistently ranking as one of the top 10 most played songs by the end of the year. Tom's works with The Heartbreakers finally saw him cracking through, with the rocketing popularity of "The Dark Of The Sun" after the eclipse in 2024.

19. Avril Lavigne (25)
Top Track: I Don't Give (T30)

I mean, when isn't it Avril Lavigne? Even without her new music making any mark on me, she's still the punky voice of my high school years, and she still manages to clock in 4 songs with double digit streams, including the throwback B-side "I Don't Give", which was officially released on the Let Go 20th Anniversary release.

18. Sevendust (18)
Top Track: Home (T62)

Six years in a row for Sevendust, who truly embody the "quantity over quality" method here. Well, actually, it's not their their music isn't quality, it's just that I streamed 43 different 7D songs, 23 of which got played at least twice. That's why they've made every year-end recap but two.

17. Goo Goo Dolls (17)
Top Track: Fallin' Down (T62)

While Dizzy Up The Girl and Gutterflower are two all-time albums for me, it's the deeper cut "Fallin' Down" that takes the most streamed spot for the Goos for the second year in a row, keeping them steadfast in the #17 spot for another run. I try to give a spin to any new stuff Johnny and Robbie put out, but nothing comes even remotely close to the two aforementioned records.

16. Fuel (18)
Top Track: Falls On Me/Hemorrhage (In My Hands) (T204)

Another solid year for the Fuelies, registering 11 different songs with at least 5 streams across their first 4 albums. The band has been hinting at stuff on their social media pages recently, with Carl Bell making amends with old bandmates and teasing that more things are coming soon. Unfortunately, they just really haven't hit anything big since their heyday with Brett Scallions, and I don't think they have enough magic anymore to do so. 

15. Trans-Siberian Orchestra (6)
Top Track: Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (T100)

The TSO train just keeps chugging along, even without me seeing the band live this year, I was thoroughly pleased to put them back into regular rotation come October. The greatest aberration of every year is how a band who only gets plays for (realistically) a month and a half ends up in the year end list. They're just so doggone good.

14. Boston (NR)
Top Track: If You Were In Love (8)

I had to do a double-take when I saw that Boston had never actually made the year end list. Sarah McLachlan is one thing, but Boston, who sits at 41st in the most streams over the last decade, never once being one of the 25 most played bands? Hard to believe, but it was a renewed interest in their most recent album, 2013s Life, Love & Hope that propelled them all the way up to #14 this year.

13. Switchfoot (17)
Top Track: Company Car/New Way To Be Human (T383)

Another quantity over quality effort here, as Switchfoot measured in 45 different songs and 11 of them had at least 5 plays last year. The band has garnered an increase in streams each of the last 5 years, culminating with their highest year-end ranking yet. Not bad for a bunch of California goofballs.

12. Bush (NR)
Top Track: The Land of Milk and Honey (27)

"The Land of Milk and Honey" finished the year at #9 on the Top 20 Countdown, and the album I Beat Loneliness had 4 different songs with at least 8 plays last year, marking a majestically triumphant comeback for the UKs best grungy export. 1 great comeback album is a fluke but two in a row? I'm genuinely impressed.

11. Anberlin (11)
Top Track: Time and Confusion (T164)

For many years, it was simply a given that Anberlin was going to be one of the 5 most streamed artists every single year. In fact, they garnered five straight years never going any lower than 4 before falling back last year. I wouldn't say I'm burned out from them, but their recent attemps to reinvent themselves with singer Matty Mullins have really fallen flat for me. It would be one thing if they were just making new music, but trying to force Stephen Christian's classics on us with a different singer just doesn't sit right for me. Nothing against Matty (I do enjoy Memphis May Fire), but it just feels like it's an entirely different band now.

10. Circle of Dust (10)
Top Track: Chasm - Version 2.1.0 (T73)

If asked to pick a desert album record, off the top of my head I'd definitely throw Circle of Dust's Disengage into a very small pile, probably at the top if we're being honest. The newer stuff Klayton has released recently haven't moved the needle too terribly much, but the old stuff will always be classic and required listening for me.

9. Korn (4)
Top Track: Did My Time/Divine (T383)

61 different Korn tracks got at least one stream, which with 1 play alone would've put them in the top 100 artists... but they have strength in numbers (as they usually do) and made it in to the top 10 for the third time. The fact that Korn is still chugging out decent albums is pretty cool, but I don't see them making any significant waves at this point in their career.

8. Sam Cooke (13)
Top Track: Chain Gang (T204)

Six straight years charting for the sensational Sam Cooke, who came close to his highest showing (6th in 2021) despite not having any individual songs crack the top 200 most played. Sam is consistently the highest charting "oldies" artist, and this year is no difference.

7. Evanescence (NR)
Top Track: What You Want (T136)

Evanescence ranked at #5 in 2020, and then went missing for a few cycles before resurfacing in 2025. While their demo "Origin" always ranks among the most played albums at the end of each year, it was a song off their self-titled 2011 effort that made the most waves last year for me. Unpredictable as ever, these things are. 

6. VNV Nation (2)
Top Track: The Farthest Star (24)

I guess you could call it an off year for VNV Nation, who had never finished lower than #3 before last year, in spite of The Farthest Star breaking into the 30 Most Played, and having 7 other songs with at least 10 streams. It just wasn't their year for a big jump, and looking down the list of songs and artists, it really wasn't a heavy year for electronica music.

5. Super Simple Songs (NR)
Top Track: Apples and Bananas (T62)

There was a certain point, somewhere around August or September, that I realized that Super Simple Songs was going to be highly ranked on this list. I didn't know how high, but I did know why; they have fantastic songs and videos that my preschoolers absolutely love. And they get stuck in my head too! Not that I'm listening to any of it outside of work, but we do listen a LOT while I'm teaching. Hah!

4. Demon Hunter (14)
Top Track: One Thousand Apologies/The Pain In Me Is Gone (T100)

Although Demon Hunter has made every year end artist list since I started tracking with Last.FM, they finally cracked the top 5 this year on the strength of their strongest album in a decade. The Pain In Me Is Gone made it to #18 on the Top 20 Countdown, marking their 5th such appearance. They're consistent, they're fantastic, and just when I thought they had lost a step, they came back and punched me straight in the face with this majestic record.

3. Matchbox Twenty (24)
Top Track: Bent/Unwell (T38)

In my head, I feel like I'm always listening to M20, which is why it surprised the heck out of me to find that they'd only made the most played artist list 3 times. "Mad Season" ranked 2nd among most played albums, and as a whole the band had 13 different songs with at least 5 plays during the year. I also rediscovered some gems from their comeback album "North", and although nothing will ever pass their first 3 records, they're still a pleasant surprise any time they make music.

2. Cold (1)
Top Track: When Angels Fly Away (5)

I mean, this is where the jump comes, right? Cold registered 40+ more plays than Matchbox Twenty, but still fell 26 short of the top spot. Their track record is still outrageously good; 8 years, 5 top finishes, never outside of the top 5. It just wasn't their year, for a couple of reasons... none of which were the fact that, yes, I did see them again live and, yes, it was incredible.

1. Assemblage 23 (3)
Top Track: Endure (T53)

The reason Cold wasn't #1 this year? All of the lights of destiny shined on Assemblage 23 in 2025! Although they'd never been lower than 5, they had never captured the #1 spot before this year, and deservedly so. I finally got to see them again live and the show was incredible. They also released a new record at the end of the year, which I spun twice and put away for 2026. All together they had 66 songs with at least one play, eight of which got 10 or more streams. They also have a strong chance at repeating with their first new record in 4 years. What will happen? Only time will tell... 10 months of it, in fact! 

Thanks again to Last.FM, The Universal Scrobbler, OpenScrobbler, Spotify, Pandora, CDs, tape decks, vinyl and of course my trusty car radio. Have a great 2026!

Jester One 2025: 30 Most Played

 2025 Year End Recap processing........................

I gotta give Last.FM credit - they've really ramped up how quickly they process and publish year end lists. Let's look at some numbers, shall we? 

All total, I ended the year with 32,992 total scrobbles, an 8% jump from last year. It's the highest total scrobble count since 2020, where I pushed through over 36k scrobbles during the beginning of the pandemic. Those 32k scrobbles came from 14,377 individual tracks, making for 2.29 plays per song. There were 5313 songs with at *least* two plays, meaning there were 9064 that grabbed just one little stream. I do my best to keep tags properly separated, but Spotify has made that difficult with all the remasters and little additions they've thrown on tracks to keep them separated (or together, sometimes...) and properly catalogued. It's a year-round job making sure everything is properly measured... lol

Here's the 30 most played!

Key: #TY. Artist - Song (Last year's ranking)

T30. Avril Lavigne - I Don't Give (NR)
T30. Ghost - Lachryma (new)
T30. Natalie Imbruglia - Torn (NR)
T30. White Reaper - Pages| (NR)
T30. Whole Damn Mess - Nothing In The World Feels Better (15)

Here we go again with these ties again. You've got 1 that came out of nowhere, a new song, a couple popular ones that got just enough umph, and a slowly fading former favorite.

29. Talk - Run Away To Mars (8)

This song has gotten fairly consistent play since it was released. It's a great self-loathing anthem with a perfect sing-a-long chorus.

28. Purity Ring - Heartsigh (NR)

Whisk away your heartsigh - bury it in mine... this song will always be somewhere near the most played every year

27. Bush - The Land of Milk and Honey (new)

#9 on the Top 20, another big time release from Bush. Who knew 90s bands like that could resurrect so successfully?

26. Burlap to Cashmere - Anybody Out There? (19)

The most interesting thing for Burlap to Cashmere for me, is that I really wasn't that big of a fan of theirs back in their illustrious heydey, but something happened as an adult that rocketed them back into my consciousness and daily playlists.

25. Bluey - Bluey Theme Song - Extended (NR)

I teach preschool. Bluey is great. The end.

24. VNV Nation - The Farthest Star (NR)

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Any time this song falls out, it always comes back the next year.

23. Turnstile - Light Design (new)

I appreciate the fact that Turnstile, a unique, talented and wonderful rock band, released an album that is universally agreed upon to be the best rock release of 2025. No politics, no label/magazine pushing, just a really great band making really great music.

22. Staple - Sound of Silence (21)

...not to be confused with Simon and Garfunkel and the many covers that came after them. I sometimes wonder if Staple consciously chose this title or it just happened like that.

21. Whitney Houston - Higher Love - 1990 Original Mix (NR)

Somewhere at the beginning of the year, this became my Friday morning, get jacked to finish the week anthem. And there's 52 Fridays every year... give or take.

20. Red Wanting Blue - Killer (NR)

I think what is more surprising is that this song wasn't in the most played for last year, but they rode a late season wave into 2025 and kept on plugging away.

19. Further Seems Forever - The Sound (13)

If I am being honest with myself, any time I pull up my "ALL TIME" favorite songs playlist, this is usually the song I am looking for.

18. Lady Gaga - How Bad Do U Want Me (new)

I didn't necessarily have Lady Gaga as my popstar to follow in 2025, but I'm not complaining. I still think she's great. #3 on the Top 20 this year.

17. Gin Blossoms - Until I Fall Away (NR)

A melancholy throwback that rips right into me and works when I'm only feeling decent as well. I'd love to see Gin Blossoms again live.

16. A Tiger Made Of Lightning - better parts of broken things (new)

ATMOL keeps pumping out solid material and have truly made a tremendous impact on the Ohio landscape in just a few short years. Color me impressed. #4 on the Top 20.

15. Novelists - Say My Name (new)

#5 on the Top 20 - I'm wondering if this is going to be a new band that I really enjoy now that they have a new vocalist.

14. Pinkfong - Baby Shark (NR)

Did I mention that I teach preschool? Yeah?

13. INXS - Don't Change (NR)

I don't really know? This is a really good song, and I enjoyed yelling DONT CHANGE A THING FOR ME every time it came through my speakers. I've just never really spent a lot of time with INXS.

12. Parry Gripp - Raining Tacos (NR)

Okay, so yes, I teach preschool, but I actually really enjoy this song haha who doesn't want to open their mouth, close their eyes and catch tacos raining from the sky??

11. Michelle Branch - All You Wanted (NR)

This is another one that cycles in every couple of years, clubbing away at high school Jester and reminding me why I loved Michelle so much back then.

10. Whitney Houston - How Will I Know (NR)

This is the headline song off my "Pumped" playlist, and it's hard to pass up playing this song when I want to turn my mood around or have a great day at work.

9. The Classic Crime - Alone in the City (2)

Not a dramatic slide back, from 1 to 2 to 9 in three years - actually I'd say it's more impressive that this song has stuck around. I don't really see it falling too terribly far, either.

8. Boston - If You Were In Love (NR)

When Tom Scholz decided to recruit a female vocalist to Boston, he did us all an amazing favor. Even though Kimberly Dahme isn't with the band any more, man, her contributions are outstanding.

7. The Devil Wears Prada - For You (new)

This song came out late and ripped me to shreds. It ripped my neck to shreds with headbanging, too. #2 on the Top 20, and since they released this record so late in the year, they might be re-appearing on this list (and the Top 20) again in 2026.

6. Shinedown - If You Only Knew (6)

It's a shame that Shinedown's newest album was garbage and politically tone-deaf. I rather enjoy their earlier offerings and would love to eventually see them live, but I can't get behind their foolishness.

5. Cold - When Angels Fly Away (4)

When am I not listening to this song??

4. Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - The Dark of the Sun (23)

The guitar tone on this album is one of my all-time favorites, but this song really wasn't in my orbit until the eclipse in 2024. Since then... BOOM. It's overtaken all other Tom Petty offerings.

3. Elevation Rhythm - Goodbye Yesterday (new)

There was a certain point where it was a given that this song would be in the Top 5 most played, it was just a matter of how far up it would travel. Sometimes it's a new song that makes the most played, sometimes it's a throwback. This, of course, was #1 on the Top 20.

2. Exile - Kiss You All Over (NR)

Of all the "where did this song come from" vibes in 2025, nothing was more played and more bizarre that this one. I mean I really, really really don't know what propelled it to the top. I had streamed it all of TWICE in the last 6 years before catching the fever early this year. I have a concrete memory of dancing around the infant room holding one of my kiddos as she giggled to this one.

1. LØLØ - wish i was a robot (1)

New LOLO album drops this spring. Will the old be unseated? Will she carry her momentum from the last 3 years? We shall see!

Tomorrow I'll post the top artists. Thanks Last.FM, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, and especially to The Universal Scrobbler and OpenScrobbler for helping me keep track of all this.

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

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #4

  #4. A Tiger Made of Lightning - better parts of broken things

Title: better parts of broken things
Artist: A Tiger Made Of Lightning
Album: Manticore

The #4 spot seems to be a really solid place for bands from Columbus to land lately, with Forever Unknown, Truslow, and A Tiger Made Of Lightning now landing twice at this spot in the last 5 years. A deeper dig into the archives also show that 2018, '16, and 2010 also had local offerings at #4 as well. As far as ATMOL goes, this is now their 3rd full length album since their debut EP It's Chaos, Be Kind rocketed into our eardrums four years ago. It's clear that singer Mike O'Leary has a lot to say about the state of the world, and as usual he presents it into a crushing, crunchy sonic package. Other standout tracks on the record include "It's All Worth Reaching For", "me against me against me", and the explosive title track that opens the album with 1:09 of fury.

"better parts of broken things" became something of a motto for me as I worked through this sludge-ride of a year. It's a song about making the best of the messed up landscape we see in 2025, and being the best possible human we can be. If you're not paying attention to the positivity that radiates from this band, you really need to open your eyes and ears to their message. For my money, this is their best full-length album so far, and I doubt they have any intention of slowing down.

Favorite line: "You cut me down for the last time, and I rebuilt myself to be a beacon to look to in times of despair, A person to count on as someone who cares."

"

 

Previous five #4s:

2024: The Struts - Hands On Me
2023: Gable Price and Friends - I Don't Wanna Live Like This
2022: Truslow - Abbey Dear
2021: A Tiger Made of Lightning - Little Birds
2020: Forever Unknown -  Bury Me

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #5

 #5. Novelists - Say My Name

Title: Say My Name
Artist: Novelists
Album: CODA

We've got the US, Canada, UK, Sweden, Germany, and now France represented in the Countdown this year, as Novelists rocket into the top 5 with new vocalist Camille Contréras leading the way. The band has released 3 major albums with 3 different (and rather unique) singers, but Contréras is the first to resonate with me. While the djent/core genre is rife with bands making similar sounding music and basic riffs, Novelists definitely jump around stylistically and manage to throw in some outstanding soaring solos on their newest album, CODA, featuring standout tracks "All For Nothing", "Coda", and "Maldición de la Bruja". "Say My Name" kicks the album off with the most radio-friendly of the chaotic offerings, a track about the bad side of an abusive gaslighing relationship. I think the band has finally found their niche and look forward to seeing what they have to offer in the future with Contréras.

Favorite line: "I'm so worthless that you don't even say my name. I stand alone in the dark, convinced that I'm defеated. yeah, I don't wanna fight for who I am. I stand alone in the dark, a shadow of you"

 

 

 

Previous five #5s:

2024: Softcult - Shortest Fuse
2023: The Awakening - Gabriel
2022: Silversun Pickups - Alone on a Hill
2021: Meryl Creep - Spiraling
2020: Empathy Test - Monsters

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #6

 #6. Seether - Dead On The Vine

Title: Dead On The Vine
Artist: Seether
Album: The Surface Seems So Far

Another year, another solid Seether track seeping into the rock universe. In fact, this was an entire album full of jagged head-bangers from the South African quartet. With 9 albums in 25 years under their belt, the group continues to paint angsty pictures as they bend derisive notes out of their guitars. The Surface Seems So Far feels like their best record in several years, not that the previous ones were lacking; but something special connected with me on this one. If you've been following the Countdown this year, it's been nothing but hard rock and metal songs, so maybe that's just where my mind has been. Other standout tracks include "Illusion" and "Try To Heal".

Favorite line: "Who gets to break me, then pillage and rape me, then leave me alive somehow?"

 

 

 

 

Last five #6s:

2024: Till Lindemann - Nass
2023: White Reaper - Pages
2022: YUNGBLUD - The Funeral
2021: Gang of Youths - the angel of 8th ave.
2020: TRVSS - All The Bugs

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #7

 #7. Turnstile - Light Design

Title: Light Design
Artist: Turnstile
Album: Never Enough

Is there any band out there right now that is blending unique elements into a more fun, upbeat, rocking sound than Turnstile? Whatever they're doing, it absolutely works for me, and the little bit of shoegaze and heavy dose of keyboards really rocket this song into another dimension. It's hard not to get bouncing with the synths drop in on this one. There isn't much by the way of lyrics, but it's a groover that bangs hard. Other standout tracks include "Never Enough" and "Birds".

Favorite line: "Never thought I'd be on my own, but I survived"

Last five #7s:

2024: Red Wanting Blue - Killer
2023: Teenage Wrist - Something Good
2022: Best Foot Back - Give It A Go
2021: '68 - Bad Bite
2020: King Princess - Ohio

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #8

 #8. Ghost - Lachryma

Title: Lachryma
Artist: Ghost
Album: Skeletá

Ghost hit #20 in 2018 ("Dance Macabre") and #9 in 2022 ("Spillways") and have jumped up another spot this year with their new album Skeletá. In an interesting mix of circumstance and hindsight, this is probably the album that I've enjoyed the most by Ghost, despite not feeling that "Lachryma" (Latin: tears) is any stronger than the other two songs... despite it being ranked higher. Those are all just a bunch of words and don't mean much outside of my head, but this is still a pretty darn good song on a pretty darn good album, with an edgier, less polished sound and more soaring solos.

Favorite line: "I'm done crying over someone like you - I'm done crying, hope you're feeling it too now."

 

 

 

Previous five #8s:

2024: Amira Elfeky - Tonight (Demo)
2023: Blackcarburning - Divide Us (ft Mari Kattman)
2022: Spiritbox - Sew Me Up
2021: Manchester Orchestra - Bed Head
2020: Ships In The Night - Lost Times

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #9

 #9. Bush - The Land Of Milk And Honey

Title: The Land Of Milk And Honey
Artist: Bush
Album: I Beat Loneliness

Two years after triumphantly making their return at the #9 spot of the Countdown, Bush returns with another album chock full of angsty rippers and Gavin Rossdale's trademark pipes. The band put out a couple singles and was another candidate for album of the year for me with tracks like "Scars", "60 Ways To Forget People" and the title track. I Beat Loneliness didn't feel like as strong of an album, top-to-bottom like 2023's The Art Of Survival, but its highpoints were still enough to keep multiple songs on my daily playlist, including the rage-filled "The Land Of Milk And Honey". Rossdale recently turned 60 and somehow still has the stamina to continue making worthwhile music, perhaps now with the added age he has a more cynical look at a life of angst. Either way, this album kicks off hard and keeps your head banging and ears ringing.

Favorite line: "I wasn't born in a cage, I am free to remain, I feel a darkness I can't resist"

 

 

 

 

Previous five #9s:

2024: Knox - Me, Myself & Your Eyes
2023: Bush - Heavy is the Ocean
2022: Ghost - Spillways
2021: Assemblage 23 - Factory
2020: Apollo LTD - You

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #10

 #10. Spiritbox - No Loss, No Love

Title: No Loss, No Love
Artist: Spiritbox
Album: Tsunami Sea

In 2022, Spiritbox made their debut on the Countdown with "Sew Me Up" reaching #8, and have triumphantly returned to the Top 10 with their newest album, Tsunami Sea. This is far and away my favorite of Spiritbox's album offerings, and I had a difficult time picking between songs that were my favorite. Other standout tracks include "Black Rainbow", "Soft Spine", "Keep Sweet", "Tsunami Sea" and "Fata Morgana".

"No Loss, No Love" is split between vocalist Courtney LaPlante's clean singing along with a simple drum and keyboard backing, and Spiritbox's traditionally chaotic screaming guitars and LaPlante's harsh vocals. For my money, I don't think there's anyone in the business who can flip between both vocal styles and do them both justice like LaPlante does. This is easily the most insane song on a record full of chaos and oddity. Spiritbox has made a big name for themselves in a short period of time and they consistently back it with their frenetic style and LaPlante's outstanding delivery.

Favorite line: "Twist my face in a desolate smile. Taste the salt in my blood, There is a waste, I feel no sentiment... No loss, no love"

 

Previous five #10s:

2024: Walk the Moon - Mono No Aware
2023: Phoenix - Tonight (ft Ezra Koenig)
2022: Andy Mineo - Been About It (ft Lecrae)
2021: Echo Image - Walk My Mind
2020: Loathe - Two-Way Mirror

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #11

#11. Stahlmann - Heimlich

Title: Heimlich
Artist: Stahlmann
Album:  Phosphor

I had to dig back through the archives, and with the exception of Rammstein's multiple appearances, there has never been another band singing in a language other than English on the Top 20 Countdown. I found this curious as I do spend a lot of time listening to German industrial/NDH music and try to stay current with all of the releases within, but here we are. Stahlmann isn't one that I'd consider one of my favorites of the genre (e.g. Eisbrecher, Megaherz, OOMPH!, Exfeind) but they consistently have one or two songs on every record that I enjoy. The crushing heaviness of "Heimlich" continually batters you from chorus to verse to chorus, and lyrically the song deals with death being around every corner, always lurking silently and waiting for us all. 

Definitely a switch-up from Tommy Richman and Owl City the last two years at 11, hah!

Favorite line: "Der Tod kommt heimlich, und er ist immer nah bei mir"

 

 

 

 

 

Previous five #11s:

2024: Tommy Richman - Million Dollar Baby
2023: Owl City - Kelly Time
2022: The Weeknd - Gasoline
2021: The Birthday Massacre - The NeverEnding Story
2020: Nightwish - Harvest

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #12

 #12. Black Satellite - Downfall

Title: Downfall
Artist: Black Satellite
Album: Aftermath

I first met Black Satellite back in '22 opening for Cold, and was awestruck by their live energy and heavily down-tuned industrial metal sound. It took me back to high school, listening to bands like Static X and Orgy (who, coincidentally, I would see live with Cold the next year), and Larissa Vale was an absolute beast fronting the act. We chatted for a bit, and I ended up buying a shirt with the promise of a new record coming later that year. Well, fast-forward to 2025 and that album is FINALLY out and well worth the wait. Other standout tracks include the title track, as well as "Broken", but it's Downfall, with its frenetic pace, crushing guitars and rage-filled lyrics that really propel the group all the way up to #12 on the Countdown. I'm looking forward to see what the future holds for this group, and hoping to see them again live!

Favorite line: "Just suffocate me, go ahead and hate me. Be the downfall of me"

Previous five #12s

2024: Neuroticfish - Bring The Noise
2023: Kamelot - Eventide
2022: Coheed and Cambria - The Liars Club
2021: Romy - Lifetime
2020: Alright Years - Something I Can Dance To

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #13

 #13. Nothing More - Freefall (ft Chris Daughtry)

Title: Freefall (ft Chris Daughtry)
Artist: Nothing More
Album: Carnal (Deluxe Edition)

Nothing More is another band battling to keep hard rock music alive amongst all the core and bizarre alt experiments going on around the rock scene. They've never been a band that piqued my interest much, and their album Carnal barely registered on my radar last year. However, when they released their song "Freefall" with guest vocals from Chris Daughtry, I immediately took notice and was hooked. Honestly, it's Daughtry's verse that really brings this song to life. I'm not always a fan of bands re-recording a song with a guest vocalist for the sake of making a "deluxe" edition or whatever, but it really kicks in the right direction with this one.

Favorite line: "I've got a million reasons to hold on, but I need one to let it go"

 

 

 

 

Previous five #13s

2024: Letdown. Hate Myself
2023: Meet Me @ The Altar - Say It (To My Face)
2022: Judah & the Lion - scream!
2021: The Dirty Nil - Blunt Force Concussion
2020: Slimfit - Pineapple Pizza

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #14

 #14. Off-Leash - Welcome Mat

 

Title: Welcome Mat
Artist: Off-Leash
Album: Welcome Mat single

I first came across Off-Leash when they were just teenagers, performing under the moniker "Detention" opening up for my friends in Grumpy Plum. In the 4 years since that meeting, the band has matured, gotten edgier and added a lot of grit to their skate-punk sound, as well as adding a heavy level of polish to their recordings. "Welcome Mat" showcases thunderous riffs along with lyrics that very clearly sing about a bad breakup and how the singer is looking to move on from what sounds like an awful relationship. It's a classic break-up/middle finger song that is fun to headbang along with while screaming the lyrics "Everyone but you!"

Favorite line: "Somehow it's only been a month, but I think I'm finally growing up. My welcome mat is still an open invite to everyone but you"

 

 

Previous five #14s:

2024: Soft Kill - Joy Is A Crime
2023: Beck - Thinking About You
2022: The Regrettes - Anxieties (Out of Time)
2021: beabadoobee - Last Day On Earth
2020: The Anix - Renegade

The 2025 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #15

 #15. TRUSS - Tell Me Something

Title: Tell Me Something
Artist: TRUSS
Album: Fluorescence

How do you follow up having your first two albums (one live, one studio) making the Countdown? You make a third album that might be even better than the one before. I'm not sure what makes the core trio of singer Hannah Crandall, guitarist Eric Kennedy and drummer Holden Szalek so damn good together, but this album is just crushing riff after riff, catchy choruses and power. Sheer, unabashed power from every microphone that is tracked, and especially from the vocals. Lyrically, everything on this record resonates with one or another part of my soul, which just adds to the enigma of what makes this band so freaking awesome.

The tricky part was picking my favorite song from the album - would it be the opening puncher "Headlock"? The tremendous TRUSTcompany cover "Drop To Zero"? The crown-pleasing "Soiled" with it's sing-a-long pre-chorus? Eventually, the song that locked in the best with me was, for my money, the most well-rounded song on the record, "Tell Me Something". The song is wholly introspective and shines a beam into your soul as you think about who you are, who you were, and just what has changed in your life.

Also, this is 4 years in a row that a band from Ohio has landed at #15, which also includes the last TRUSS hit, the emotionally charged "Drown" in 2022.

Favorite line: "I just want to feel something in my head but I'm drowning - all alone in a place where I can be myself again"

 

 

 

 

Previous five #15s:

2024: Flesh Field - Demon
2023: Brave the Sea - Where I Belong
2022: Truss - Drown
2021: AFI - Begging for Trouble
2020: The Unlikely Candidates - High Low