Top Hits This Week - Ken's Hot Traxx | Music Videos That Rule!

After a several-month hiatus, I'm excited to feature some new music videos. I recently returned to Spotify, which has given me better access to keep up with my favorite artists.

Today, I'm excited to share new music videos from bands I've featured before, including Foster the People, Blossoms, Sedona, Geowulf, and The Black Keys. In my opinion, these latest tracks represent some of the artists' finest work to date. I'm confident you'll enjoy them as much as I do.

In addition to the bands I previously mentioned, exciting new music is emerging from groups like Tops, Almost Monday, St. Lucia, and Big Moon. If you're unfamiliar with these acts, I'm confident their songs will soon be staples on your playlists. It's wonderful to see so many promising new bands producing an abundance of excellent material.

So, let's check out my selections for the week:

Foster The People: Lost In Space

The American indie pop band Foster the People was formed in Los Angeles, California in 2009. Led by founder and frontman Mark Foster, the group also includes keyboardist Isom Innis. After years of struggling as a musician and jingle writer in Los Angeles, Foster established the band in 2009. The group's breakout song "Pumped Up Kicks" went viral in 2010, leading to a record deal with Startime International. Foster the People then gained a following through small club shows and festival appearances. Their 2011 debut album Torches featured the hit singles "Pumped Up Kicks," which reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 3, as well as "Helena Beat" and "Houdini." The album earned the band three Grammy Award nominations.

Blossoms - Perfect Me

Blossoms are an English indie rock band from Stockport, Greater Manchester. Formed in 2013, the quintet consists of Tom Ogden (lead vocals, guitar), Charlie Salt (bass, backing vocals), Josh Dewhurst (lead guitar, percussion), Joe Donovan (drums), and Myles Kellock (keyboards, synthesizer, backing vocals). The band earned recognition in 2016, finishing fourth on the BBC's Sound of New Music list. Their self-titled debut album was one of twelve LPs nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2017, and that same year they received a Brit Award nomination for British Breakthrough Act.

Sedona - Baby Run

Hailing from New York City, the electrifying dirty pop group Sedona features five members: drummer Tia, keyboardist Merilyn, guitarist Claire, bassist Lily, and lead singer Sedona. Despite their diverse personal styles, the bandmates share a passion for thrifting and an appreciation for vintage treasures.

The Black Keys - Beautiful People

The Black Keys, an American rock duo, formed in Akron, Ohio in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach on guitar and vocals, and Patrick Carney on drums. Originally an independent act, the duo recorded music in basements and self-produced their early albums before emerging as one of the most popular garage rock artists during the genre's revival in the 2000s. Their raw, blues-influenced sound draws heavily from Auerbach's love of artists like Junior Kimbrough, R.L. Burnside, Howlin' Wolf, and Robert Johnson.

Geowulf - Nightmare

The Australian dream pop duo Geowulf was formed in 2016 on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. Their debut studio album, Great Big Blue, was released in 2018, followed by their second studio album, My Resignation, on October 25, 2019. Prior to their full-length albums, Geowulf released their debut extended play (EP) Relapse in 2017, which included four songs such as "Saltwater." This single was originally released in 2016 and was also featured on the 37 Adventures compilation album Odd Numbers Volume 1.

The Big Moon - Your Light

The British indie rock band The Big Moon was formed in 2014 in London by frontwoman Juliette Jackson. Their debut album, Love in the 4th Dimension, was released on April 6, 2017 and included several tracks previously featured on their EP The Road. The album was shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Prize that year. The Big Moon is signed to Fiction Records and has toured internationally, including supporting Pixies on their 2019 UK tour.

St. Lucia - Falling Asleep

South African singer-songwriter Jean-Philip Grobler, known for his musical project St. Lucia, is based in Konstanz, Germany. Signed to Nettwerk Records, Grobler has released four albums to date: When the Night (2013), Matter (2016), Hyperion (2018), and Utopia (2022).

almost monday - can't slow down

The indie pop trio Almost Monday, based in San Diego, California, has released two extended plays to date: Don't Say You're Ordinary in October 2020 and Til the End of Time in July 2021. The band's debut studio album, Dive, is scheduled for release on September 25, 2024.

TOPS - Sunday Morning

Tops, a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, was formed in 2011 by Jane Penny, David Carriere, Riley Fleck, and Marta Cikojevic following the disbandment of the synthpop group Silly Kissers, of which Carriere, Penny, and Gillies were members along with Arbutus Records artist Sean Nicholas Savage. The band, stylized as TOPS, is prominent within the Arbutus Records and Canadian indie music scenes. Tops released their debut album, Tender Opposites, in 2012 to generally positive reviews, with the album being named the 8th best of the year by Gorilla vs. Bear. Their second studio album, Picture You Staring, was released in 2014 on Arbutus Records and featured artwork from LA-based artist Jessica Dean Harrison.

Check Out:

Ken's Hot Traxx: Mayer Hawthorne - For All Time

Ken's Hot Traxx - Yumi Zouma: EP IV

Ken's Hot Traxx - The Struts: Pretty Vicious

Ken's Hot Traxx - Cannons: Heartbeat Highway