By Josh McCann

What a summer it’s been! I’ll be attending the Green Day concert at PNC Park on Labor Day weekend. Exciting! Let’s get to the latest on Alt Nation (Sirius XM)! New songs, Alt 18 countdown, and a throwback classic that involves TRL!

New Songs I like:

Saint Motel “Stay Golden”

Michigander “Giving Up”

Phantogram “Happy Again”

Smashing Pumpkins “Sighommi”

Beabadoobee “Beaches”

The Killers “Bright Lights”

Bad flower “Detroit”

Roe kapara “Dumb”

Bishop Briggs “Mona Lisa on a mattress”

Theo Moss “Autopilot”

Almost Monday “She Likes Sports”

Jack White “That’s How I’m Feeling”

Alt-18!

Fountaines D.C. at number one has come to an end! For now at least. They have crushed the countdown all summer, having reached number one six times. Glass Animals “A Tear In Space” is the new number one. This is their second single of the year to reach the top spot. The first being “Creatures In Heaven.” Another song rising up the countdown is Winnekta Bowling League/Dawes/ Medium Build “This is Life.” It has some really cool lyrics and a catchy melody. Other acts doing well: Been Stellar, Dexter and the Moonrocks (I introduced them on the countdown recently!), Beabadoobee, Beach Weather.

It’s weird to think that the best songs of the year are already shaping up. What songs will take over the countdown for the Fall?

Breakout Band

New section alert! I thought it would be cool to spotlight bands that are having a breakthrough year. Last month Wallows was featured. This month I’m going with Royal Otis. I heard “Claw Foot” the other day and man, it’s good. They also had the wildly popular cover “Linger.” The Australian act is on a roll. Their album is awesome.

Throwback Song-Blink-182’s “All The Small Things” and MTV’s TRL!

I heard Blink-182’s “All The Small Things” the other day. There’s something really special about a song that makes you feel so much all these years later. It came out in 1999! I remember watching the video on MTV’s TRL. This was the biggest show on tv. They played music videos on the countdown. Yes, music videos on MTV! But seriously, if you had a video on the countdown, it was a career breakthrough.

I’d watch TRL and eat Doritos, my backpack filled with homework, tossed on the floor. Outside my window was nothing but cornfields. I was mesmerized by the crowds in Times Square. Carson Daly would introduce the next big video, the glass windows behind him showing the city skyline. I felt the excitement of NYC. Blink-182 was on the show to debut their video for “All The Small Things.” It was an homage to boy bands. Because that’s what was popular at the time. The song and video was an instant hit. I remember thinking how they were becoming the biggest band in the world. They’ve always had a funny sense of humor with their videos. Such a great song!

Music Video of the Month

Beabadoobee “Beaches”

As a huge fan of the beach, I was really happy about the title of this new single from Beabadoobee. Even better? The song is amazing! It’s the best song off of “This Is How Tomorrow Moves”. In the video, the band plays in water. They made a beach in the studio! At the end they splash around and you can’t help but smile. Enjoy the beach everyone!