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Panda Bear, a long-time KCRW MVP, debuts at number one with the first single ahead of his forthcoming seventh solo album Sinister Grift. That woozy, fever dream of a track, “Defense,” finds him teaming with the enigmatic, retro-bedroom-pop artist Cindy Lee. What a match. And following closely behind Panda Bear and Cindy Lee is Father John Misty's swaggering new one "She Cleans Up.” Rüfüs Du Sol and The Blessed Madonna keep their respective winning streaks going strong as KCRW DJs keep the spin count high on their dance floor-ready full-lengths. And speaking of serious winning streaks, how about Jamie xx with his sixth appearance in the top 5 since April of this year?
Trending upwards is “Just My Luck/Tomorrow Man” the double (and doubly excellent) single by Nigerian-born, London-based artist Obongjayar. It moves up 10 spots to no. 7. Plus, classically trained pianist and recent KCRW guest DJ LP Giobbi follows the release of her sophomore LP Dotr with an epic 22 spot jump on the chart.
New and notable: French electropical duo Polo & Pan crack the top ten right off the bat with their latest “Nenuphar,” Japanese-Canadian alt-pop artist Saya Gray comes through with the STATEMENT single “SHELL (OF A MAN),” and (believe it or not) indie-experimental guitar virtuoso Mk.gee (pronounced McGee) and his close contemporary analogue Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) each land on the KCRW chart for the very first time in their current single and EP cycles.
Also noteworthy are the Hall of Famers. The Cure's second single ahead of their rapidly approaching new LP Songs of a Lost World, "A Fragile Thing," makes the top 20 for the second straight week. And the one and only Joni Mitchell debuts at no. 20 with Vol. 4 of The Asylum Years Archives. Were you lucky enough to make it out to her shows this past weekend at The Hollywood Bowl? If so, we're jealous(!!!).
Next week we'll see new albums from Pixies, Shigeto, Soccer Mommy, Katie Gavin, Laura Marling, Tears for Fears, and Bryan Ferry (the retrospective). So let's meet back here just before Halloween to see which of them chart. Expect plenty of surprises as well, but treats only (no tricks). Hopefully we’ll see some Dodger home wins at the Fall Classic too. And of course, we'll all be together IRL soon enough at Masquerade.
Top 30 Albums (10.22.2024)
| 1 | Panda Bear | “Defense” [Single] |
| 2 | Father John Misty | “She Cleans Up” [Single] |
| 3 | RÜFÜS DU SOL | “Inhale / Exhale” |
| 4 | Jamie xx | “In Waves” |
| 5 | The Blessed Madonna | “Godspeed” |
| 6 | La Femme | “Rock Machine” |
| 7 | Obongjayar | “Just My Luck/Tomorrow Man” [Single] |
| 8 | LP Giobbi | “Dotr” |
| 9 | Polo & Pan | “Nenuphar” [Single] |
| 10 | Maverick Sabre | “Burn The Right Things Down” |
| 11 | Goat | “Goat” |
| 12 | The Smile | “Cutouts” |
| 13 | Confidence Man | “3AM (LA LA LA)” |
| 14 | Nilüfer Yanya | “Just A Western (Boy Harsher Remix)” [Single] |
| 15 | Saya Gray | “SHELL (OF A MAN)” [Single] |
| 16 | Yukimi | “Break Me Down” [Single] |
| 17 | Flying Lotus | “Ingo Swann” [Single] |
| 18 | The Cure | “A Fragile Thing” [Single] |
| 19 | Bon Iver | “SABLE,” |
| 20 | Joni Mitchell | “Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980)” |
| 21 | Mk.gee | “ROCKMAN” [Single] |
| 22 | Charli xcx | “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat” |
| 23 | Phantogram | “Memory of a Day” |
| 24 | Chromeo | “Adult Contemporary (Deluxe)” |
| 25 | Jean Dawson | “Glimmer Of God” |
| 26 | Babe Rainbow | “LONG LIVE THE WILDERNESS” [Single] |
| 27 | Whitey | “Mental Radio” |
| 28 | Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek | “Cool Hand” [Single] |
| 29 | Skeleten | “Love Enemy” [Single] |
| 30 | Abstract Crimewave | “The Longest Night” |