It’s the end of the year; we’re counting down a bunch of stuff. Maybe you saw our MEGA LIST, the top 25 albums of the year as voted on by XPN hosts. There’s also all our hosts individual lists, a roundup of memorable moments from Eric Schuman’s Indie Rock Hit Parade live sessions, and of course, who could forget the 885 Greatest Songs by Women countdown that wrapped up last week. In the spirit of further self-promotion, we’d like to share with you some of our most-watched YouTube content. The following is a list that not only reflects what our virtual audience has enjoyed watching, but also recounts some of the highlights in our programming this year, not to mention captures the hard work of our video production team.
Enjoy taking an audio-visual stroll down memory lane with us here at XPN. With so much happening every week, opportunities like this to reflect are a great reminder of the breadth and diversity of music that touched our lives this year. Share a video with a loved one, if you feel so compelled. Because, after all, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.”
10. Hannah Jadagu – Full Set (NON-COMM 2023)
Indie rocker Hannah Jadagu squeezed in her set at NON-COMM this year between final exams at New York University. Hear more from this breakthrough artist in Kallao’s September World Cafe interview, and browse a killer photo gallery from her PhilaMOCA concert by XPN contributor Danielle Ciampaglia.
9. Arlo Parks – “Purple Phase” & “Devotion” (NON-COMM 2023)
Another video in this roundup from NON-COMM ’23 is the spectacular Arlo Parks, who followed up her Mercury Prize-winning ’21 album Collapsed In Sunbeams with this year’s “sonically adventurous” My Soft Machine. Again, Kallao’s World Cafe interview gives thoughtful context to the star’s sophomore effort.
8. Greg Mendez: Full Set (The Key Studio Sessions)
How many times has a Key Studio Session exposed you to your new favorite local artist? Or perhaps the other way around: you love a Philadelphia artist, and found their KSS from back in the day, like this one of Alex G back in 2015, and this one from Japanese Breakfast in 2017. With all the critical year-end love coming in for Mendez and his self-titled record this year, this full set is a must-watch.
7. Frankie Cosmos: “Abigail” (Indie Rock Hit Parade Session)
Indie music vet Frankie Cosmos performed from their ’22 album Inner World Peace for Eric Schuman’s Indie Rock Hit Parade session this past January, and we can’t believe that was almost a year ago now. Fun fact: the Abigail in question is front-person Greta Kline’s puppy.
6. Caroline Rose – “Miami” (Free at Noon Concert)
Let’s talk about crying at the show for a second. It’s no secret that music is catharsis for those of us who enjoy it, so when Caroline Rose opened the floodgates that guarded the emotion behind their new, raw The Art of Forgetting, all tension in the room was shattered. Speaking as someone who attends these Free at Noon concerts every week, Rose’s was particularly memorable.
5. Wilder Woods – “Maestro (Tears Don’t Lie)” (Free At Noon Concert)
We love to see this Wilder Woods video getting some views, not only because Woods and team visually designed the heck out of this performance, but because we would’ve loved to have him at our festival this year. Among a heartbreaking number of artists who were scheduled but didn’t get to perform due to weather, the new-age country star, we’re certain, would’ve wowed you.
4. Wednesday – “Bull Believer” (Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session)
As fans of the genre, those of us who work on the Indie Rock Hit Parade sessions can be skeptical of what’s popular. While you can find merit in chart-toppers, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say, especially in the XPN audience, that we appreciate the heart and creativity in music you have to dig a bit deeper for. The numbers on this Youtube video, however, show an encouraging link between taste and popularity. Wednesday’s “Bull Believer” is an 8-minute odyssey of raucousy bliss, and we’re glad you like it as much as we do.
3. Suki Waterhouse: “Good Looking” F@N
Speaking of popularity, XPN had a brush-in with an A-list celebrity for this Free At Noon featuring super-model turned musician Suki Waterhouse. ANOTHER fun fact: the good looking boy is Waterhouse’s partner and future baby-daddy Robert Pattinson. Just a bit of gossip for ya.
2. Ralphie Choo: “Tangos De Una Moto Trucada” (Recorded Live for World Cafe Sense of Place: Madrid)
World Cafe went to Madrid for this special performance by experimental artist Ralphie Choo, whose international exposure boosted this video to number 2. Cafe host Raina Douris had the enviable job of traveling for this fantastic performance.
1. Mitski: The World Cafe Interview
Ironically, one of our most-viewed videos on YouTube this year was audio-only. The incomparable Mitski talked to Raina Douris about her new LP, The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We, and proved that, as a radio station first and foremost, our audio content is what we do best.
