Since it’s Friday the 13th, let’s see if we can make that number 13 lucky. Like Taylor with 13 hits you should get your ears on this weekend!
If your job is finding cool songs for Top 40 or Hot AC stations, let me get started this week with Jourdin Pauline / “Sugar. ” Early believers at Energy 92.1 in Myrtle Beach and Mix 105 in Salt Lake City. No streaming story to speak of so far, but it sounds like a potential hit!
Now, try this one on for size, Jennie / “Like Jennie” 3 million plus streams this week. Solid spins from majors such as KIIS/LA and 99.7 Now in San Francisco. Yes, I’ve mentioned this one before, but it’s worth another listen!
My favorite choice this week is from an artist I’ve loved for years. Teddy Swims / “God Went Crazy” is getting some early love from Alice 97.3 in San Francisco. Teddy has another solid song for the Hot-AC format.
I want to throw another shout at Role Model / “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” with another almost 3 million streams this week and over 45 million to date. I’m not sure what’s holding some Hot AC programmers back. This could be the summer song of 2025!
Moving on to the Country universe this week, just released this week, but sounds like a summer smash, Zach Top / “Good Times and Tan Lines.” Another choice that sounds like a hit to me comes from John Morgan / “Kid Myself.”
This week, I have been listening to LOCASH / “Wrong Hearts” over and over, and New Country 96.3 in Dallas seems to feel the same way. Get your ears on this if they have not been! I have one more choice for this week from this category. Be sure to give a few listens to Tiera Kennedy / “Somebody Like You,” it’s certainly catchy and has a fun vibe!
To the Rock world this week, and here’s my choices for your ears: Flipturn / “Rodeo Clown” has a cool sound for the Alternative world. For the AAA crowd, try out Big Thief / “Incomprehensible.” It’s getting some early love from WFUV in NYC and WXPN in Philly.
From the Active Rock world, give a listen to Volbeat / “Time Will Heal,” it has been stuck in my head for days!
Now, in the Rhythm world this week, I have just two points to point you toward. I will assume most Rhythmic stations are all over Mariah Carey’s ‘Type Dangerous” as they should be!
The two choices I have for the week are Sza / “Notice Me,” which sounds like another smash from this extremely talented artist.
Also, get your ears on from the Dance world, Kaskade & Lipless / “State Of Mind” which has been getting a lot of love from “Evolution” on iHeartRadio Custom. So, there you go, the ear candy for the week. Enjoy!
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Jim Ryan writes weekly columns on the Hot AC format and ‘Hits On Horizon’ for Barrett Media. He spent 22 years programming and developing brands for Sirius XM including The Pulse (Hot AC), the 80s on 8 with the Original MTV-VJ’s and numerous other artists driven channels. Jim has spent time on-air too with APD/MD experience on Long Island and the Jersey Shore and several years in Philadelphia at Y100, Max 95.7 and 102.9 WMGK. Currently, he hosts weekends and fill-in at WAVV/WINK in Ft. Myers, and Alpha Media’s Free Country Chicago and Star 96.7. He can be reached by email at jimryan0420@gmail.com.
