Top 10 of the First Half of 2026
Four years in, and the mid-year Top 10 has become a tradition worth protecting. Out of 114 songs from the first half of 2026, these are the ten that earned the most real estate in the personal playlist and refused to leave.
The methodology is simple: gut instinct plus listening data. There’s no formula, just the honest answer to “which songs did I actually keep coming back to?” A preliminary list of 20 got whittled down to 10, and a few larger acts were pulled from consideration entirely. Tom Morello, Puscifer, and Silversun Pickups all had songs worth featuring, but this list is about the artists clawing their way up, not the ones who already made it.
The songs are presented in the order they appeared on the podcast this season.’
The Songs
“The Fool” – Dicey Hollow (Ep. 151): Season 4 kicked off with a swampy, powerful track that hasn’t loosened its grip since January. The production is clean, the vocals are killer, and there’s a groovy menace underneath it all that earns repeated listens.
“Leona Street” – Pool Kids (Ep. 155): This one was a slow burn that turned into a full fire. The indie pop groove resisted for months, then won completely. Their recent Audiotree recordings are also worth your time.
“Uncanny” – Ace of Wands (Ep. 160): Fringe music in the best possible way. The violin scratches a very specific Kansas-shaped itch in the brain, and the whole song occupies that prog-adjacent space with confidence.
“Dancing While the World is Ending” – Stanley Simmons (Ep. 164): The sons of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley sound nothing like KISS, and that’s entirely the point. Pure serotonin, live energy, and a grin you can’t fight off.
“2 or 3” – The Lemon Twigs (Ep. 165): An apology to Seymour, who tried to sound the alarm years ago. The album Look for Your Mind! is fantastic front to back, but this track has the hooks sharp enough to draw blood.
“The Waiting Room” – Fantastic Cat (Ep. 167): Smart songwriting, vocal harmonies that actually land, and a catalog that deserves your full attention. Their new album Cat Out of Hell is a must-listen for 2026.
“When Boy Meets Girl” – The Locustz (Ep. 169): Easily the biggest surprise of the year. What sounds like a sharp new pop rock band turns out to be Rick Springfield and the Bissonette Brothers. Zero social media presence, maximum intrigue.
“She Calls Me Love” – Banda AL9 (Ep. 170): Brothers from Brazil channeling the 60s pop-rock sound with vocal harmonies that are genuinely breathtaking. A new album drops in July, and if this track is any preview, it’s going on the calendar.
“The One That Makes You Happy” – The Greenberry Woods (Ep. 171): A 90s band discovered decades late, and Al Gore gets the blame. Catchy hook, a little guitar edge, and a 2026 flair that makes the whole thing feel current.
“Aftertaste” – The Bites (Ep. 173): The lead single from a long-awaited second album, and it delivered on every level. The drum sound alone is worth the price of admission. Daily rotation, no exceptions.
