I Know What I Am – Band of Skulls

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A chugging anthem that feels like a cyclone and a dark alley. The two singers talk about cutting their teeth, being in debt and getting caught up in that head-spinning machine of having strangers assuming they know things about you … Continued

Always Love – Nada Surf

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Always Love offers a simple sentiment and acoustic guitars that unsurprisingly build into chunky power-pop. Caws isn’t just childishly mouthing something he’s overheard. He’s coming to terms with a voice he’s ignored. The guitars feed through with more power and … Continued

Right Hand On My Heart – The Whigs

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The Whigs’ Parker Gispert channels My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and takes his satin tone to a sandpaper surface. The kick-drum jabs and the cymbals sting, but the sucker punch is the wall of guitars — bright, triumphant, and yet … Continued

Skyrocket – The Murlocs

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Inspiring, motivating lyrics, commanding vocals, and a bright, rollicking melody that keeps building momentum and energy. Skyrocket is a constant reminder to keep on rolling with the punches, despite the bumps in the road. It’s accentuated with an affirmation in … Continued

Guilty – Bonnie Raitt

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A unique interpretation of a Randy Newman song about two things well known to have been problems in Raitt’s life: drinking and drugs. The music is structured like a ’60s soul ballad Otis Redding might have sung. Raitt can’t sear … Continued

Glasgow – Jessie Buckley

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‘Glasgow’ provides the musical cornerstone of the universally acclaimed film Wild Rose and is performed by Jessie Buckley with enormous passion, sincerity and genuine vocal prowess. Jessie Buckley: https://www.last.fm/music/Jessie+Buckley

155 – +44

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Catchy song that’s more techno than blink-182’s style. It’s poppy, but it’s got the right hook. +44: https://www.last.fm/music/%252B44

One To Another – The Charlatans

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Amazingly infectious riff in this slice of British 1990’s rock mixed with the best bits of late 1960’s psychedelic and Stones influences. The Charlatans: https://www.thecharlatans.net

Slight Return – The Bluetones

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Jangly Brit-pop with lush acoustic and electric guitars that are distinguishable from the easy-rolling bass, and the perfect 60’s vocal harmonies aren’t lost in a swath of distorted guitar. The Bluetones: https://bluetones.band

Ohio – Bowling For Soup

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The lyrics are witty and engagingly self-deprecating and the song delivers energy. What catchy pop-punk is supposed to sound like. Bowling For Soup: https://bowlingforsoup.com

Pieces – Sum 41

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Great melodic singing reminiscent of Green Day with a perfect solo. Less distortion than most Sum 41 tracks. Sum 41: https://www.sum41.com

Too Bad About Your Girl – The Donnas

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If the Runaways and AC/DC collided in a car crash, the Donnas would emerge. There’s no great instrumental prowess but there doesn’t need to be any. Three minutes, three chords. They’re in, they’re out. Next please. The Donnas: https://www.youtube.com/user/thedonnastv

So Like Candy – Elvis Costello

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Written with Paul McCartney, the musical tension of the song comes from the arrangement of hushed verses that are models of restraint, which makes the musical surge that kicks in when Elvis sings the chorus pack all the more punch. … Continued

I Want You To – Weezer

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An addictive, quirky, fun and enjoyable style featuring acoustic guitar that’s percussion driven with great vocals, catchy rhythm and entertaining lyrics. Weezer: https://weezer.com

Raised By Wolves – Voxtrot

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Combines the melodicism and harmony of vintage 60’s pop with the general sound of 80’s jangle pop and the 00’s revival of depth and muscle. Voxtrot: https://www.voxtrot.net

Dedication To My Ex – Lloyd

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Crazy catchy, joyfully profane, vaguely retro R&B song over a slinky, organ-splashed groove. Makes sexual angst sounds like hot fun on a Friday night. Lloyd: https://www.last.fm/music/Lloyd

Curse Me Good – The Heavy

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Whistle-enabled song with strummed guitars and sweet backing vocals that give the sense of a sunny Sunday morning stroll with a Stax boxset in your headphones. The Heavy: https://theheavy.co.uk

Dry The Rain – The Beta Band

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A dense kaleidoscope of sound. Deceptively quaint in the beginning, the track drops these little climactic bombs, each one completely defying your expectations for what a band should sound like. The initial hook, with its slide-guitar groove, could have been enough … Continued

You Know I’m No Good – Amy Winehouse

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Keeps the jazz-influenced R&B sound alive, but with enough modern sound where Amy displays her vocals at their smokey, smoldering best in a song where infidelity is betrayed by a telltale carpet burn. Amy Winehouse: https://www.amywinehouse.com

Atomic – Blondie

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An outer shell of synth and guitar twang concealing a dark core of sleaze and insinuation with Ennio Morricone-inspired guitar. The urgency of the rhythm as it lifts off – it’s dirty and futuristic, the apotheosis of American new wave. … Continued

Plane – Jason Mraz

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Melancholy track masterfully constructed and executed to the point that one can’t help but become entranced by Mraz’s voice. Jason Mraz: https://jasonmraz.com

Run, Baby, Run – Sheryl Crow

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Fantastic vocals and a brilliant guitar start off the song, and thoughtful lyrics carry this bluesy ballad with a passionate chorus. Sheryl Crow: https://www.sherylcrow.com

Possum Kingdom – Toadies

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Disturbing lyrics with a cool verse riff that switches time signatures every time it is repeated, while still sounding catchy. Toadies: https://thetoadies.com

Lump – The Presidents of The United States of America

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Weird and wonderful mix of Seattle influenced alternative and punk power pop woven together with punk sensibilities, but without falling into the trap of trying too hard. The Presidents of The United States of America: https://www.last.fm/music/The+Presidents+of+the+United+States+of+America

Naked Eye – Luscious Jackson

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If you don’t get hooked by this song, then check your pulse. It combines cool beats, stylish rapping and lush feminine vocals for an incredibly catchy winning formula. Luscious Jackson: https://lusciousjackson.us

Angels or Devils – Dishwalla

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With an irresistible mix of acoustic and electric guitars that complements JR Richard’s voice perfectly with string arrangements that build the stormy romance of the song, harking back to the idea that time heals all wounds. Dishwalla: https://www.dishwalla.com

I Get High – Fastball

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Stripped down rootsy affair in the Randy Newman vein with thoughtful lyrics, tight musicianship and a solid hook. Fastball: https://www.fastballtheband.com

Here and Now – Letters To Cleo

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Quintet from Boston that plays power-pop, enhanced by a double-guitar assault to the senses. Sweet female vocals from Kay Hanley helps keep the music focused. Letters To Cleo: https://www.letterstocleo.net

Syrup And Honey – Duffy

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With just a warm electric guitar, it’s a delicate, sunny track. A classic soul song that makes absolutely no attempt to be a classic soul song. Duffy: https://www.last.fm/music/Duffy

Girlfriend – Matthew Sweet

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Great power pop song with a jagged edge that opens with an off-the-chart intro, followed up with a great hook and a scorching guitar solo. Matthew Sweet: https://www.matthewsweet.com

Right Now – SR-71

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Energetic song with a refreshingly snotty pop-punk attitude. If Jimmy Eat World, Third Eye Blind, and Blink 182 had a baby, it would be SR-71. SR-71: https://www.last.fm/music/SR-71

Burn Down The House – Big Smith

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Blending bluegrass, gospel, and acoustic country sounds with Southern-accented rock & roll into a good-naturedly eclectic mixture, Big Smith makes arson and moonshine sound like a great combination. Big Smith: https://www.last.fm/music/Big+Smith

Mr E’s Beautiful Blues – Eels

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Infectious song that’s difficult to place in any particular genre, but regardless of your musical tastes, it’s hard not to tap your foot to this one. Eels: https://www.eelstheband.com

Almost – Bowling For Soup

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Starts off with a slow, clean guitar picking riff, and then goes into the usual pop-punk sliding with power chords. Funny lyrics and very catchy. Bowling For Soup: https://bowlingforsoup.com

Scotty Doesn’t Know – Lustra

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With their trademark style of hard rock, influenced by the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr and infused with a humorous edge, this song is indicative of the band’s distinctively naughty sense of humor. Lustra: https://www.myspace.com/lustra

Bartender Song – Rehab

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Mashing rap with rock with a southern fried twist, this drunken anthem never got wide radio play but became a jukebox favorite. Rehab: https://www.last.fm/music/Rehab

I Just Wanna Live – Good Charlotte

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A satirical look at how rock stars complain about how tough their lives are with a punchy blend of power chords, string samples, and disco beats that features Madden rapping in a Nelly-inspired flow. It’s spiked with rock power, but … Continued

City of Angels – The Distillers

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The Distillers is a band that slides down into your ear drums. They look around and decide that it’s a great place to have a party. The Distillers: https://www.last.fm/music/The+Distillers

First Day of My Life – Bright Eyes

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This song is about a lover realizing that meeting their partner started their life anew. It’s melody is so infectious that it seems like it has existed for an eternity already. Bright Eyes: https://www.last.fm/music/Bright+Eyes

Take It Off – The Donnas

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Their ’70s punk-pop sound, which includes a hint of The Ramones, a dash of The Go-Gos and a pinch of Sum 41, makes you wish you were partying with The Donnas. The Donnas: https://www.youtube.com/user/thedonnastv

Reasons – The Verbing Nouns

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High energy rock and pop brought to you by pint sized rockers. This song rocks on its own, but the fact that these kids were still in middle school when they wrote and recorded it is mind blowing. The Verbing … Continued

Are You Gonna Be My Girl – Jet

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These Australian hedonists stick to basics – a Motown swing beat, Iggy-style yowling, and the bluntest rhymes in rock history – and welded them together into the strip-club standard of the decade. Jet: https://www.last.fm/music/Jet

Shop Vac – Jonathon Coulton

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JoCo’s commentary on suburban life. It tells the story of a depressing middle class family as they slink deeper and deeper into the soulless, unsatisfying existence of their bland, suburban lifestyle. Jonathon Coulton: https://www.jonathancoulton.com

Fire Water Burn – Bloodhound Gang

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Relies on the self-deprecating humor of frontman Jimmy Pop inserting mid-90’s rap slang in between a veritable web of 80’s pop culture references long before it was hip to make 80’s pop culture references. His intended effect is to make … Continued

Short Change Hero – The Heavy

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Channels the style of Ennio Morricone to beautiful, chilling effect, with the sounds of a man-with-no-name walking into town as thunder rages in the distance and the church bell chimes behind a Spaghetti Western-tuned guitar and orchestral drum beat. This … Continued

The Start of Something – Voxtrot

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Takes its twee roots and adds a heavy dose of indie-pop. Happy melodies, catchy choruses and thought-provoking lyrics are the makeup of this group’s music. Upbeat and poppy, lovable and mysterious, edgy and dark—all in one. And you can dance … Continued

Power Lines – Telekenesis

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Michael Benjamin Lerner’s voice is like an emotional car wash. No matter what Lerner is singing about, it all comes out sounding clean, winsome, and nice. “Power Lines” has the standard Telekinesis structure: A quiet acoustic verse, an explosive chorus, and … Continued

Just Breathe – Willie and Lukas Nelson

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Willie Nelson and his son Lukas’ version of “Just Breathe”. The Pearl Jam single gets a soothing, touching rendition, with touches of harmonica and dueling vocals from the father and son, adding new dimensions to the original. Willie Nelson: https://willienelson.com 

I Love College – Asher Roth

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Roth’s vocal tone is reminiscent of Eminem’s. The accompanying music has an easy-going, reggae-like quality that undoubtedly adds to the song’s appeal among the fun-loving college crowd. Asher Roth: https://retrohash.com 

Pepper – Butthole Surfers

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With a droning guitar line, rapped verses, almost Beck-esque drums, and creepy background noises and vocals about injury and death, this song is what describes true alternative music. Add in the weird effects on the guitar, and you have an … Continued

Your Winter – Sister Hazel

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Sister Hazel goes “unplugged” in this live in the studio recording before a small invited audience of fans and friends. Sister Hazel: https://www.sisterhazel.com

LA – Gabriel Kahane

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Gabriel Kahane is an NPR Programmer’s wet dream. From a sonic standpoint, Kahane’s restlessness and ingenuity match the precociousness of his words, the album often abandoning pop’s expected patterns of build and release with a less-predictable approach that comes closer … Continued