Alt Rock September 2024 thru December 2024 Top 50

I pulled more full day datas from September to December and the highlighted ones are songs I liked and are new and the gray one are more one hit wonders and others. I love how this radio station gives opportunities for newer artists on alternative radio. 

Sure on the top played songs there are new releases from already established bands but not all are guaranteed to be good. I'm interested in seeing who is touring because that is different than pop radio where only basically touring artists are on their charts. 

Im sure more alt acts are probably going to festivals more and I wonder if that is almost better for the artists, less costs for travel and touring party. If I was an artists, I would try and get on alt radio. Better chances of being heard besides social media. 

TikTok songs were huge a few years back but now everything seems more saturated and an evener playing field. 

Besides college radio, it seems like the best shot for air time although I don't know how Audacity, Sirius and iHeart all run their playlists. I remember hearing the max someone can play a song is once an hour but I am not sure how true that is. 

and I don't know how crazy corporate the big companies are so I'm not sure how pay to play it is, I remember hearing about payola way back when but not sure now. 

 

Top 50
HOZIER	Too Sweet	75	******
MYLES SMITH	Stargazing	67	*****
JACK WHITE	That's How I'm Feeling	61	***
OFFSPRING	Make It All Right	59	***
ALMOST MONDAY	can't slow down	59	****
HARDY	PSYCHO	57	**
SUM 41	Dopamine	51	***
DEXTER AND THE MOONROCKS	Sad In Carolina	51	***
BEABADOOBEE	Beaches	50	***
GREEN DAY	Bobby Sox	46	****	✓
JUSTICE	Neverender f/Tame Impala	44	***
BLINK-182	All In My Head	42	***	✓
MOD SUN	Hotel Lights	39	****
BADFLOWER	Detroit	39	****
LINKIN PARK	The Emptiness Machine	38	**	✓
JUDAH & THE LION	Floating In The Night	38	****
CAGE THE ELEPHANT	Rainbow	37	****
AWOLNATION	Panoramic View	34	***
WEEZER	Undone- The Sweater Song	30	*****
NIRVANA	Smells Like Teen Spirit	30	***

Anyways these are my songs I like that are new in the top 50. It seems like an easier split between new songs and older legacy songs. The new songs may not all be newer artists but I appreciate the split more than pop top 40 radio. 

Comparing Pop radio to Alternative Radio (12/26-12/27/2024)

 Detailing the radio plays compared to alternative radio its incredibly different than pop radio. With WRVW over 2 days there were 124 songs played with about half the amount as there was for alt radio (259). As shown below, the station is dominated by touring acts, with all the single played songs just one hit wonders throughout the years. 

What I do love is the variety of one hit wonders some electronic like Zedd, some alt with Paramore, Nicki Minaj with rap, and Rock with All American Rejects. But pop radio is truly dominated by just a hand full of artists. Ariana Grandes Popular and Defying Gravity was played which is surprising. 

Artist	Title
HOZIER	Too Sweet	27
SHABOOZEY	A Bar Song (Tipsy)	26
SABRINA CARPENTER	Taste	26
JELLY ROLL	I Am Not Okay	26
MYLES SMITH	Stargazing	24
LADY GAGA & BRUNO MARS	Die With A Smile	22
TATE MCRAE	It's ok I'm ok	21
SABRINA CARPENTER	Bed Chem	20
GRACIE ABRAMS	That's So True	13
THE WEEKND	Dancing In The Flames	11
ROSE & BRUNO MARS	APT	11
BENSON BOONE	Beautiful Things	11
TEDDY SWIMS	Lose Control	10
MGK & JELLY ROLL	Lonely Road	10
GIGI PEREZ	Sailor Song	10
BILLIE EILISH	BIRDS OF A FEATHER	9
SABRINA CARPENTER	Please Please Please	8
SABRINA CARPENTER	Espresso	8
POST MALONE	I Had Some Help f/M. Wallen	8
MIGUEL	Sure Thing	7
DAMIANO DAVID	Born With A Broken Heart	7
MEGHAN TRAINOR	Criminals	6
GRACIE ABRAMS	Close To You	6
ADDISON RAE	Diet Pepsi	6
TEDDY SWIMS	Bad Dreams	5
CHARLI XCX	Apple	5
TOMMY RICHMAN	MILLION DOLLAR BABY	4
SAM SMITH & KIM PETRAS	Unholy	4
MORGAN WALLEN	Love Somebody	4
JACK HARLOW	Lovin On Me	4
DOJA CAT	Paint The Town Red	4
CHAPPELL ROAN	Pink Pony Club	4
ALEX WARREN	Burning Down	4
T.I.	Whatever You Like	3
NOAH KAHAN	Stick Season	3
LADY GAGA	Disease	3
JONAH MARAIS	Slow Motion	3
CYNTHIA ERIVO F/ARIANA GRANDE	Defying Gravity	3
ARIANA GRANDE	Popular	3

Not surprised by the top songs because similar to alt radio with Hoziers Too Sweet and Myles Smith Stargazing which does feel more pop. Sabrina Carpenter dominates, Bruno Mars, Eminem, Katy Perry Nelly, Post Malone, Tate McRae, The Weeknd. 

They all had more than 3 songs on but Sabrina had 4 songs in the top 20 played over the two days 64 songs played over 48 hrs. Top 40 radio is great to find songs of artists who are touring and great one hit wonders from throughout the years from many genres as well. 

The main criticism with pop radio is there is zero middle class in terms of radio which is understandable for radio plays but is rough for up and coming artists. Honestly the best chance for up and comers is to open for larger acts than go straight to radio. 

Sometimes even college radio has great variety but I'm sure they get sent a lot of demos. Radio has to play songs for as many people to listen so it makes sense to only play bangers or only show acts that are arena touring or stadium touring. 

2024 Alt Rock Songs of 2024: September 2024 thru December 2024

 

This list almost feels like the top 20 songs of the year for alternative rock with major songs on this list that were huge this year. Basically everyone on the list was on tour too. IF this was the top 20 of the year, I would say, Hozier, huge and and deserved, Myles Smith, great for him newbie and feel good hit, 

Love that Weezer was there with The Sweater Song about 30 years old but a bangerrrrr oh and Sublime lol. Blink, Green Day, Linkin Park all putting out new music this year and had huge tours. Linkin Park way controversial but yeah can't ignore all the rumors for sure....Jack white, Sum 41, Offspring, Almost Monday, all huge when we were young bands and now warped tour bands again?

HOZIER	Too Sweet	48	******
MYLES SMITH	Stargazing	43	*****
OFFSPRING	Make It All Right	42	***
JACK WHITE	That's How I'm Feeling	42	***
HARDY	PSYCHO	39	**
ALMOST MONDAY	can't slow down	35	****
AWOLNATION	Panoramic View	34	***
CAGE THE ELEPHANT	Rainbow	32	****
BEABADOOBEE	Beaches	31	***
SUM 41	Dopamine	30	***
DEXTER AND THE MOONROCKS	Sad In Carolina	29	***
JUSTICE	Neverender f/Tame Impala	26	***
BADFLOWER	Detroit	26	****
BLINK-182	All In My Head	25	***	✓
SUBLIME	Doin' Time	24	****
LINKIN PARK	The Emptiness Machine	24	**	✓
GREEN DAY	Bobby Sox	24	****	✓
TWENTY ONE PILOTS	The Craving	23	***	✓
WEEZER	Undone- The Sweater Song	22	*****
ROYEL OTIS	Sofa King	22	**

Awolnation, Cage the Elephants both seem like super huge bands like future stadium bands. Badflower, justice was huge with Tame Impala, Dexter and the Moonrocks, and Royal Otis seem like great up and comers. oh and Beabdoobee too, seems like a Michelle branch type. 

Below are other songs with radio play that I loved, felt like more new songs this time around, for sure more rock sounding. Like I don't know if Culture Wars is going on tour next year but I'd love to see them! huge songs for sure. Judah & The Lion as well. 

Mod Suns hit was nice, Neon Trees I haven't heard from in a minute, Palaye Royales song Showbiz I lovedddd, Weathers too! new band I haven't heard of, Ekoh seems sick as well, Also the Wombats are always good. 

I'll keep posting and see if any other songs are dropping, I love finding new music, sometimes the music at Zara or H&M are fun but then when you listen to them it makes you feel like you're at a department store instead of studying or at the gym. But I'm sure the listens make huge money on a shopping stores playlist that loops everyday. 

I miss finding good live bands, Culture Wars seems like a good live band, I haven't seen too many shows that haven't worked in a minute the only one that was kinda disappointing was Glass Animals, but I think their vocal mix could have been better or just gone full DJ.