Brant's September 2025 Playlist

I'M MAKING PLAYLISTS GREAT AGAIN!!!  EVERYONE SAYS SO.   
PEOPLE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT! 

With the holiday weekend already underway, I decided to put September's playlist out early.  I leaned into the rock stuff, but there's a little bit of everything.  Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Paint a Picture (the Hives) - I didn't realize how much I missed these guys until their new album came out.  If there were ever a time we needed rebellious rock-n-roll, I'd say it's now.  As Paste Magazine so eloquently says:  "As the United States' plunge into mouth-breathing Christofascist authoritarianism, both inevitable and ahead of schedule against expectation, caps off a worldwide embrace of strongman leadership buttressed by crony morons and fueled by subcultures whose loudest voices are only in the game to profit from oppression, cruelty, and hatred - a full-throated 'fuck you' is required."

2.  Balcony (Teen Jesus & the Jean Teasers) - And the award for Best Band Name goes to... They also serve up some energizing punk rock!  

3.  I Wish I Knew How to Quit You (Sombr) - Young up and comer, featured in June's playlist, has dropped a full album!  He's definitely one to watch moving forward.  

4.  Take a Sexy Picture of Me (CMAT) - My friend Tyler actually mentioned this song to me weeks ago.  I made a mental note but didn't follow up and actually listen to the song until recently.  Should've known I'd grow to love it!  I'd had CMAT on my April 2022 playlist, but she had slipped off my radar.  The lesson is:  Surround yourself with people who have great taste in music.  They'll keep you on track even when you get distracted! 

5.  Twin Flame (the Aces) - Catchy pop rock from reliable Indie band.  

6.  Supersonic Love Divine (Paavo with Billy Vena) - The best comeback song Justin Timberlake never released!  

7.  Cinnamon Light /Desert Fire Mix/ (Alison Goldfrapp) - Hard to believe it's been 20 years since "Supernature" came out!  Goldfrapp continues to release great EDM to this day.  

8.  Some of My Best Friends Are the Blues (Melissa Morgan) - I recently caught Melissa Morgan in concert.  She opened with this great number, and I knew it would be a fantabulous night.  It's nice to see jazz is still thriving in certain circles.  

9.  The Question (Balu Brigada) - New Zealand Indie rockers are still going strong!  This is from their sophomore album, "Portal".  

10.  Castle in Hollywood (Laufey) - More jazzy vibes from frequent Brantworld listee.  

11.  Cudn't Be Me (Jessie Reyez) - This Canadian singer/songwriter is becoming one of my go-to's for great R&B.  

12.  Old School Love (Easy Freak) - South African duo has definitely studied at the School of Nile Rodgers, and I'm here for it!  Summery R&B disco.  

13.  Lighthouse (Tim Atlas & NoMBe) - Easygoing jazzy house perfect for late-night relaxing and cocktails.  

14.  Waiting to Love You (Ruston Kelly) - Kacey Musgraves' husband is a fantastic singer/songwriter on his own!  Check him out if you haven't already.  

15.  Crucified Son (Charley Crockett) - Worth buying for the album cover alone (I told a fraternity brother he looks like a recurring villain on "Dukes of Hazzard"!) - but the Southern country rock is on point as well!  

16.  Los Angeles (Big Thief) - Warm, acoustic folk that surrounds you like a hug.  

17.  Caramel (Conan Gray) - The latest from American pop singer!  Can't wait to see him in concert this month! 

18.  Blurry Lights (Ax & the Hatchetmen feat. Albert Hammond Jr) - Chicago rockers team up with a member of the Strokes for this headbanging ditty!  

19.  Bloodline (Truman Sinclair) - Old school Bob Dylan-styled folk/rock from young singer/songwriter. 

20.  The Actor (Willow Avalon) - We last had this Georgia singer/songwriter on last March's playlist!  She was recently named one of the Top Artists to Watch 2025 by "The Tennessean".  

21.  Night & Day (DUX feat. Stan Taylor) - I don't know much about this artist, but I love the Micheal Jackson circa "Off the Wall" years vibe!  

So that's September's playlist!  Hope everyone has a great month and I'll see you in October! 

Brant's August 2025 Playlist

These "kiss cams" are adding a whole new element of risk to concert-going!

Phew!  I wasn't sure I'd get this playlist out on time.  It was almost done and then I noticed a few new songs dropped today!  Anyhoo - there's no real theme to this month's list, other than a more-than-usual amount of reboots/alternate versions/remixes.  The summer vibes are still going, along with a few returning favorites and booty-shakin' dance ditties.  Enjoy!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  All My Life (Duke Dumont & Panama) - This is sure to pop up on some summer festival DJ playlists in the next few months!  

2.  Ring, Ring, Ring (Tyler, the Creator) - Tyler, the Creator skews a bit retro with this fun hip hop offering.  Sounds like something New Edition might've done back in the day!

3.  Sun /summer version/ (Derik Fein) - Funky pop rock from Nashville singer-songwriter.

4.  Ghost Town (Purple Disco Machine feat. Retrosonix) - Purple Disco Machine never disappoints!  Unapologetic neo-disco with powerhouse vocals!  

5.  Jeans (Jessie Reyez feat. Miguel) - Last seen on Brantworld's March 2020 playlist, this Canadian chanteuse teams up with R&B star Miguel for a lighthearted love song.  

6.  Touch Me Like a Gangster (Jessie Murph) - Zach turned me on to this artist! I'm definitely getting Elle King vibes from her!  Can't wait to see what's next for this promising young singer. 

7.  Favorite Thing (Nathan Farrell feat. Lawrence) - What's more summery than East Coast beach music?  Timeless soul from NYC artist.  

8.  The Subway (Chappell Roan) - Just dropped today!!!  Slightly emo new single from pop music's "It" girl!  

9.  Vodka Cranberry (Conan Gray) - I just got my tickets for Conan's upcoming concert in Charlotte!  Can't wait to see him live.  

10.  Crystal Tears (Janne Schra) - Easygoing folk-rock from Dutch artist.

11.  The Longest Goodbye (Role Model feat. Laufey) - Two of my favorite young artists team up for this ragtime-adjacent saloon tune. 

12.  Lookin' at You, I Forgot (Rachael & Vilray) - Breezy jazz from NYC duo. 

13.  Real Thing (Drugdealer & Weyes Blood) - Lordy I love this woman's voice.  I caught her show last year and she sounds just as good in person.  This perfectly suited song sounds like Karen Carpenter singing a Carole King classic.  

14.  Fire for You /midnight version/ (Cannons) - This is from 2019, but seems like I heard it somewhere and immediately Shazam'd it.  Perfect for slow dancing at the prom (if you're in the appropriate age group to be doing that, which I'm not!). 

15.  Don't Speak (Wet Leg) - I'm still grooving to Wet Leg's latest album!!!  Check it out if you haven't already.  

16.  Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne) - I don't think it was possible to be a teenager in the 1980s and not hear this song.  Hard to believe Ozzy is gone.  RIP.

17.  New Walk New Talk (Noel Gourdin) - Classic R&B from Boston artist. 

18.  Lover Girl (Laufey) - Two Laufey songs on one playlist???  You're welcome.  This one is definitely more bossa nova than "The Longest Goodbye" (#11), but I love them both!  

19.  Nausicaä (Cameron Winter) - I saw this artist on a recent "Best of 2025" list, so decided to check him out.  It's certainly unconventional - somewhere in Rufus Wainwright and Tom Waits territory - but I like it! 

20.  Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come /Roosevelt Remix/ (the Wombats) - Another unexpected pairing of artists that I was excited to see (and hear!).  

21.  21. Night of May /Roisto Remix/ (Juicy Lemon Club) - I figured we'd end on some more dance/funk.  This Swiss band totally fit the bill!  

So that's August's playlist!  Stay cool and I'll see ya next month!