Glass Animals, The Killers, The 1975 and AJR are among the top bands on Sirius XM’s Alt18 Countdown in 2020. Using a spreadsheet of every countdown in 2020, we used RAWGraph to map out how many weeks bands spent on the Countdown. It’s the first in a series of visualizations of Alt18 bands and their labels coming through the end of the year. And, it should lead to a searchable database of weekly lists and Alt18 tracks. Other ideas? I’d love to hear them!
No change with the Top 3 this week, but some interesting new additions from Royal Blood, Abhi the Nomad and somegirlnamedanna. Junior Mesa, JAWNY, and Claire Rosinkranz fell off this week’s list.
I’m working on a complete list of Alt18 Countdown’s for 2020. It’s close, but not quite ready. One fun fact: Glass Animals have appeared on every countdown this year — streak they continued this week with Tangerine at No. 1.
I’m getting a bit more active on social @findingalt18 on Twitter, and some kind of a newsletter is coming for anyone who wants the list sent to them. As always, would love to hear your ideas.
Alt18 Countdown – Oct. 17, 2020
18. Abhi the Nomad @abhi_thenomad – Me No Evil – Indie – (New) | Texas Monthly
17. somegirlnamedanna @somegirlnamedanna – seriously just stop – Republic Records (New) | Video
16. I Don’t Know How But They Found Me @iDKHow – Leave Me Alone – Fearless Records (+1) | Video
15. Little Hurt @LittleHurt – Alaska – Daddy Kool (-10) | Video | American Songwriter
14. Phoenix @wearephoenix – Identical – Indie – Video (-5) | Pitchfork | Video
13. Royal Blood @royalblooduk – Trouble’s Coming – Warner Brother (new) | Official audio
12. Gus Dapperton @GusDapperton – Post Humorous – AWAL (-8) | Video | Spin
11. Of Monsters and Men @monstersandmen – Visitor – Republic Records (+3) | Video
10. Beabadoobee @beabad00bee – Care – Dirty Hit (+5) | Variety
9. Tame Impala @tameimpala – Is It True – Interscope Records (+3) | Genius
8. Caamp @caamp – By and By – Mom + Pop Music (-2) | Minidoc
7. AJR @AJRBrothers – Bummerland – Indie (+3) | Video | Signature hot sauce
6. Sir Sly @SirSly – Material Boy – Interscope Records (+3) | Lyrics
5. Bastille – survivin’ – Republic Records (+3) | Video
4. Cannons @Cannonstheband – Fire For You – AntiFragile Music (+3) | Live
3. Royal and the Serpent @royalandtheserp – Overwhelmed – Atlantic Records – Video (+1)
2. The Killers @thekillers – My Own Soul’s Warning – Video – Island Records (-1)
1. Glass Animals @GlassAnimals – Tangerine – Republic Records – (+1)
After eight weeks we have a new No. 1, though it’s no stranger to the Alt18 Countdown. Glass Animals top the list with “Tangerine,” continuing their remarkable run through 2020. You could argue “Heat Waves” should still be on the countdown, but they seem to resist multiple songs by one artist. Case in point: Bastille’s ‘survivin” joined the countdown at No. 8, while the Bastille/Graham Coxon collab “WHAT YOU GONNA DO???” fell off. Junior Mesa was the other new entry this week with “Losing My Grip.” Check out their charming video at the link below.
Thanks to everyone who wrote the past few weeks. It’s cool to see people are picking up on the work. We topped 200 visitors last week — pretty cool. If you get a chance, drop a line. I’d love to connect.
Also, at the suggestion of one listener, I’m going to create one master Spotify playlist for everyone to follow, instead of weekly versions. That way you don’t have to follow multiple lists and it saves me time on the update. Let me know if you have more suggestions!
18. Junior Mesa @bitchimjunior – Losing My Grip – Nice Life Recording Records – (New)
17. I Don’t Know How They Found Me @iDKHow – Leave Me Alone – Fearless Records – (+1)
16. JAWNY @jawnyutah – Sabotage – Interscope Records (-9) | Earmilk | Billboard
15. Beabadoobee @beabad00bee – Care – Dirty Hit – (return)
14. Of Monsters and Men – Visitor – Republic Records (-8)
13. Claire Rosinkranz @clairerosinkraz – Backyard Boy – slowplay/Republic Records – (-2)
12. Tame Impala @tameimpala – Is It True – Interscope Records (+3)
11. Phoenix @wearephoenix – Identical – Indie – Video (-5) – Pitchfork
10. AJR @AJRBrothers – Bummerland – Indie – Video (+7)
9. Sir Sly @SirSly – Material Boy – Interscope Records (-1)
8. Bastille – survivin’ – Republic Records – (New)
7. Cannons @Cannonstheband – Fire For You – AntiFragile Music – Live (+5)
6. Caamp @caamp – By and By – Mom + Pop Music – Minidoc (+4)
5. Little Hurt @LittleHurt – Alaska – Daddy Kool – Video | American Songwriter (-2)
4. Gus Dapperton @GusDapperton – Post Humorous – AWAL – Video | Spin (+1)
3. Royal and the Serpent @royalandtheserp – Overwhelmed – Atlantic Records – Video (+1)
2. The Killers @thekillers – My Own Soul’s Warning – Video – Island Records (-1)
1. Glass Animals @GlassAnimals – Tangerine – Republic Records – (+1)
Sir Sly starts their ascent up the countdown jumping seven to No. 8 with “Material Boy,” while Of Monsters and Men jumped six spots with its slowburner, “Visitor.” Little Hurt bounced back to No. 3 with “Alaska,” Glass Animals continue their impressive run at No. 2 with “Tangerine,” and it’s another week at No. 1 for The Killers and “My Own Soul’s Warning.”
Beabadoobee, Matt Maeson, Phoebe Bridgers, and Juice WRLD and Marshmello all dropped off the countdown. I Don’t Know How They Found Me, and Tame Impala join the Alt18.
Added a new column this week to track record labels. Republic Records leads the way with four songs on the countdown, followed by three for Interscope.
18. I Don’t Know How But They Found Me @iDKHow – Leave Me Alone – Fearless Records – (New)
17. AJR @AJRBrothers – Bummerland – Indie – Video (+1)
16. Labrinth @Labrinth – Still Don’t Know My Name – Syco – (return)
15. Tame Impala @tameimpala – Is It True – Interscope Records (new)
14. Joji/Diplo @sushitrash @diplo – Daylight – 88rising, 12Tone (-7)
13. Phoenix @wearephoenix – Identical – Indie – Video (-5) – Pitchfork
12. Cannons @Cannonstheband – Fire For You – AntiFragile Music – Live (-3)
11. Claire Rosinkranz @clairerosinkraz – Backyard Boy – slowplay/Republic Records – (+3)
10. Caamp @caamp – By and By – Mom + Pop Music – Kimmel
9. Bastille ft. Graham Coxon @bastilledan@grahamcoxon – What You Gonna Do??? – Republic Records – Video (-3)
8. Sir Sly @SirSly – Material Boy – Interscope Records (+7)
7. JAWNY @jawnyutah – Sabotage – Interscope Records (-2) | Earmilk | Billboard
6. Of Monsters and Men – Visitor – Republic Records (+6)
5. Gus Dapperton @GusDapperton – Post Humorous – AWAL – Video (-1)
4. Royal and the Serpent @royalandtheserp – Overwhelmed – Atlantic Records – Video (+1)
3. Little Hurt @LittleHurt – Alaska – Video – Daddy Kool (+10)
2. Glass Animals @GlassAnimals – Tangerine – Republic Records – (same)
1. The Killers @thekillers – My Own Soul’s Warning – Video – Island Records – (same)
Four (great) new songs in the Alt18 this week, starting with Sir Sly and “Material Boy” at No. 15. Phoebe Bridgers joins the party with “Kyoto” at No. 11, Juice Wlrd and Marshmello with “Come & Go” at No. 10 and Joji (above) with Diplo with “Daylight” at No. 7. Beabadoobee also returned to the Countdown with “Care,” along with Matt Maeson, who somehow dropped off the list last week with “Hallucinogenics.”
Leaving the Alt18 this week: Rezz/Grabbitz, Labrinth, The Neighbourhood, Machine Gun Kelly, The 1975 and Grouplove.
18. AJR @AJRBrothers – Bummerland – Video (-8)
17. Beabadoobee @beabad00bee – Care (return)
16. Matt Maeson @MattMaeson – Hallucinogenics – Video (return)
15. Sir Sly @SirSly – Material Boy (new)
14. Claire Rosinkranz @clairerosinkraz – Backyard Boy (+4)
13. Little Hurt @LittleHurt – Alaska – Video (-10)
12. Of Monsters and Men – Visitor (new)
11. Phoebe Bridgers @phoebe_bridgers – Kyoto – (new)
10. Juice WRLD/Marshmello @juiceworlddd @marshmellomusic – Come & Go (new)
9. Cannons @Cannonstheband – Fire For You – Live (-3)
8. Phoenix @wearephoenix – Identical – Video (+3)
7. Joji/Diplo @sushitrash @diplo – Daylight (new)
6. Bastille ft. Graham Coxon @bastilledan@grahamcoxon – What You Gonna Do??? – Video (-4)
5. JAWNY @jawnyutah – Sabotage (+7)
4. Gus Dapperton @GusDapperton – Post Humorous – Video (+1)
3. Royal and the Serpent @royalandtheserp – Overwhelmed – Video (+1)
2. Glass Animals @GlassAnimals – Tangerine (new)
1. The Killers @thekillers – My Own Soul’s Warning – Video (same)
Can we agree there doesn’t seem to be much integrity to this countdown? No matter, I love it anyway. Five new songs on the Alt 18 this week, including Tangerine by Glass Animals, which seems to countdown stalwart Heat Waves. The Killers stick around at No. 1 for another week, while Labrinth enters at No. 16 with Still Don’t Know My Name, which has 100 million plays on Spotify. What’s your favorite this week?
18. Claire Rosinkranz @clairerosinkraz – Backyard Boy (new)
17. Rezz/Grabbitz @OfficialRezz@grabbitz – Someone Else (return)
16. Labrinth @Labrinth – Still Don’t Know My Name (new)
15. Of Monsters and Men – Visitor (new)
14. The Neighbourhood @thenhbd – Cherry Flavoured (-3)
13. Machine Gun Kelly @machinegunkelly – Bloody Valentine – Video (-1)
12. JAWNY @jawnyutah – Sabotage (new)
11. Phoenix @wearephoenix – Identical – Video (-3)
10. AJR @AJRBrothers – Bummerland – Video (+5)
9. The 1975 @the1975 – If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know) – Video (-3)
8. Glass Animals @GlassAnimals – Tangerine (new)
7. Grouplove – Inside Out (new)
6. Cannons @Cannonstheband – Fire For You – Live (+7)
5. Gus Dapperton @GusDapperton – Post Humorous – Video (+2)
4. Royal and the Serpent @royalandtheserp – Overwhelmed – Video (same)
3. Little Hurt @LittleHurt – Alaska – Video (+7)
2. Bastille ft. Graham Coxon @bastilledan@grahamcoxon – What You Gonna Do??? – Video (+8)
1. The Killers @thekillers – My Own Soul’s Warning – Video (same)
AJR and The Neighborhood have new songs in countdown, knocking out Billie Eilish and Blue October. The Top 2 remain unchanged, but Bastille and Graham Coxon jump to No. 3. Interesting note this week: AltNation ran last week’s list at 1 p.m. and tweeted out they made a mistake. The new list debuted at 7 p.m.
18. Beabadoobee @beabad00bee – Care (same)
17. twenty one pilots @twentyonepilots — Level of Concern (-3)
16. All Time Low ft. blackbear @alltimelow @iamblackbear – Monsters (-6) – Video
15. AJR @AJRBrothers – Bummerland – Video (new)
14. Missio @MissioMusic – Wolves – Video (+3)
13. Cannons @Cannonstheband – Fire For You – Live (-7)
12. Machine Gun Kelly @machinegunkelly – Bloody Valentine – Video (-5)
11. The Neighbourhood @thenhbd – Cherry Flavoured (new)
10. Little Hurt @LittleHurt – Alaska – Video (-1)
9. Matt Maeson @MattMaeson – Hallucinogenics – Video (+7)
8. Phoenix @wearephoenix – Identical – Video (+7)
7. Gus Dapperton @GusDapperton – Post Humorous – Video (-3)
6. The 1975 @the1975 – If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know) – Video (-1)
5. Glass Animals @GlassAnimals – Heat Waves – Video (-2)
4. Royal and the Serpent @royalandtheserp – Overwhelmed – Video (-4)
3. Bastille ft. Graham Coxon @bastilledan@grahamcoxon – What You Gonna Do??? – Video (+8)
2. Caamp @caamp – By and By – Kimmel (same)
1. The Killers @thekillers – My Own Soul’s Warning – Video (same)
All Time Low and twenty one pilots return, while Bakar and Rezz/Grabbitz fall off the list. Cannons is up to No. 6 with “Fire For You” and Machine Gun Kelly is up to No. 7 with “Bloody Valentine.” The 1975 is another jumper, moving to No. 5 with “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know).” Their song has been on the Countdown for 15 weeks and moved up 11 spots. Madison’s current fave, Gus Dapperton, reaches No. 4 with “Post Humorous.”
Here’s the countdown:
18. Beabadoobee @beabad00bee – Care
17. Missio @MissioMusic – Wolves
16. Matt Maeson @MattMaeson – Hallucinogenics
15. Phoenix @wearephoenix – Identical
14. twenty one pilots @twentyonepilots — Level of Concern
13. Blue October @blueoctober – Oh My My
12. Billie Eilish @billieeilish – my future
11. Bastille ft. Graham Coxon @bastilledan @grahamcoxon – What You Gonna Do???
10. All Time Low @alltimelow – Monsters
9. Little Hurt @LittleHurt – Alaska – Video
8. Royal and the Serpent @royalandtheserp – Overwhelmed – Video
7. Machine Gun Kelly @machinegunkelly – Bloody Valentine – Video
6. Cannons @Cannonstheband – Fire For You – Live
5. The 1975 @the1975 – If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know) – Video
4. Gus Dapperton @GusDapperton – Post Humorous – Video
3. Glass Animals @GlassAnimals – Heat Waves – Video
2. Caamp @caamp – By and By – Kimmel
1. The Killers @thekillers – My Own Soul’s Warning – Video
Fresh off the presses, here’s the new #Alt18. The Killers hit No. 1, while Caamp rebounds up to No. 2. Phoenix and Royal and the Serpent make countdown debuts, while Brye and “Lemons” falls from No. 6 to off the charts.
18. Bakar @yeabk – Hell N Back
17. Billie Eilish @billieeilish – my future
16. The 1975 @the1975 – If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)
15. Blue October @blueoctober – Oh My My
14. Machine Gun Kelly @machinegunkelly – Bloody Valentine
13. Beabadoobee @beabad00bee – Care
12. Rezz/Grabbitz @OfficialRezz @grabbitz – Someone Else
11. Phoenix @wearephoenix – Identical
10. Gus Dapperton @GusDapperton – Post Humorous
9. Missio @MissioMusic – Wolves
8. Royal and the Serpent @royalandtheserp – Overwhelmed
7. Cannons @Cannonstheband – Fire For You
6. Matt Maeson @MattMaeson – Hallucinogenics
5. Bastille ft. Graham Coxon @bastilledan @grahamcoxon – What You Gonna Do???
4. Little Hurt @LittleHurt – Alaska
3. Glass Animals @GlassAnimals – Heat Waves
2. Caamp @caamp – By and By
1. The Killers @thekillers – My Own Soul’s Warning
Glass Animals fall to No. 3 and Little Hurt completes its ascent up the chart to No. 1. My guess is a short stay with Gus Dapperton jumping 14 spots in a week, but don’t be suprised if the Missio Mafia flexes Wolves back into the top spot.
18. @beabad00bee – Care
17. @blueoctober – Oh My My
16. @bastilledan@grahamcoxon – What You Gonna Do???
15. @Cannonstheband – Fire For You
14. @machinegunkelly – Bloody Valentine
13. @billieeilish – my future
12. @dayglowband – Can I Call You Tonight?
11. @caamp – By and By
10. @the1975 – If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)
9. @yeabk – Hell N Back
8. @OfficialRezz@grabbitz – Someone Else
7. @MattMaeson – Hallucinogenics
6. @BryeMusic – Lemons
5. @MissioMusic – Wolves
4. @GusDapperton – Post Humorous
3. @GlassAnimals – Heat Waves
2. @thekillers – My Own Soul’s Warning
1. @LittleHurt – Alaska
