Hi friends,

You've probably heard our KCRW DJs and hosts reminding you of the importance of supporting free and independent music, and this week's top five certainly reflects it. It could be a KCRW Mt. Rushmore. Beck's exquisite Ride Lonesome moves up to #5, while Yukimi stays steady at #4 with her first song sung in Swedish, featuring dream pop & retro-soul band Dina Ögon. Leon Bridges' latest Jungle-produced feel-good mover, Happiness Anytime, sits comfortably at #3 — his 12th consecutive week in the top 10. Mystery remains if trip hop legend Tricky will go back-to-back at #1, after gifting us an unreleased forthcoming EP of interpretations of his single "Because I Don't Know," which we've been unboxing on air following his special guest visit on MBE

Another familiar name you've heard this week is iconic composer and DEVO frontman Mark Mothersbaugh, who designed our soon-to-be collector's item, sketched backstage before his Coachella set earlier this year. Our DJs have celebrated with numerous plays of his remarkable film & TV scores and work with DEVO, who surprised us this week with DEVOWEEN, an EP of remastered tracks befitting your Halloween playlist, debuting at #30. More on another amazing collab from Mark with Beatie Wolfe below.

 

In other programming news, we featured a guest mix from Polish electronic duo Catz & Dogz on Jason Bentley's Metropolis, debuting at #17, and a world premiere from The Kilans, a Salt Lake City indie rock band we think you ought to know.

Other releases trending upward include Chinese American Bear's groovy, disco-inspired psychedelic indie-pop bop "Dance Dance Dance," up 20 spots to #6, and Anderson .Paak's warm and vibrant Bill Withers-sampled single with Cordae, "A Good Day," up 15 spots to #10.

Below you'll also find Father John Misty's new single "The X-panded Universe" at #14, ahead of his sold-out Fonda show tonight; the first song with vocals in the two-decade career of Mexican acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela at #19; and our dear KCRW friend Jeremy Sole's tasty remix of "No Te Puedo Olvidar" from Rico Lopez con Armando Beltre Y Su Conjunto, debuting at #26 from our friends at Ansonia Records.

And now... drumroll please for the moment you've been waiting for: the #1 from the 657 tracks played this week on KCRW...

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At the top:

• Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life - The EP –  When we receive a gift of new, unreleased recordings on the 50th anniversary of one of the best albums of all time, that present makes its presence felt, accounting for over 14 spins. In honor of the special anniversary, the 25-time Grammy Award winner is performing the landmark album in its entirety throughout Europe and the US, ending at Crypto.com Arena on December 19th. Sounds like a perfect Christmas gift to yourself if you're like me and have never seen one of the greatest musicians of all time perform. We currently can't get enough of "It's Easier."
  
  
  
  

New & Notable:

• Michael Kiwanuka – “Summer Clothes" [Single] – Last week we learned that our dear friend Michael Kiwanuka had been in recovery from a stroke and had to put aside some plans to tour for the foreseeable future. The news came with the announcement of his forthcoming self-produced 5th album, FUDGE, out October 23rd and recorded before his ongoing health setback. The gorgeously understated but lushly symphonic introduction to the album, "Summer Clothes," debuts at #15 after just three days of plays. We are excited to hear and continue supporting his amazing work, sending love, strength, and a speedy recovery to Michael during this challenging time.
  
  
• Julia Jacklin - The Gem – The fourth studio album from the Australian Singer-songwriter debuts at #27. She named the album after the pub that inspired her to make a new start in Melbourne from Sydney in 2017. Speaking of new beginnings, we are currently loving the album opener, "Brand New."  Her North American tour in support of the album starts in California with a stop on October 22nd at the Wiltern. 
  
  

• Brian Eno & Beatie Wolfe – “Big Empty Country” [Single] – Re-entering the charts at #29 is this collaboration between pioneering ambient producer Brian Eno and visionary conceptual artist Beatie Wolfe. The duo was commissioned to create a custom edit of “Big Empty Country” for the Zumthor-designed bench in the David Geffen galleries, presented by KCRW, transforming the act of sitting and observing into a listening experience. Beatie also dropped by Wyldeflower's show for a beautiful conversation about the LACMA piece and her collaboration with Mark Mothersbaugh on Postcards for Democracy, their collective art movement supporting USPS and our right to vote.
  
   
  

There's so much more that isn't mentioned, so please catch up on all the music and subscribe to our Top 30 Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly here and now on Qobuz! Also, we now have set up a Top 30 YouTube playlist. Watch it on your monitor or listen on the go.

– Nassir (KCRW Music / Senior Producer)

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Top 30