New music from Leon Bridges, who clearly wants to make you dance on new single “Watch You Dance,” produced by the folks behind Jungle. Plus, Matthew Dear’s “New Drug” is as addictive as ever. We also explore new releases from War on Drugs, Sierra Ferrell, S.G. Goodman, Twisted Teens and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for October 7, 2026

• “Watch You Dance” — Leon Bridges
• “Special” — Babe Rainbow
• “New Drug (Original)” — Matthew Dear
• “Queen” — Perfume Genius
• “New York” — Cat Power
• “Let Me Get There (feat. Kurt Vile)” — Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions
• “End of the World” — Sharon Van Etten
• “Jesus, Etc.” — Wilco
• “Stay High” — Brittany Howard
• “Ride Lonesome” — Beck & Sierra Ferrell
• “Highway Anxiety” — William Tyler
• “Don’t Let Go” — Johnny Blue Skies
• “Who’s That” — The War on Drugs
• “Mint Tea” — Johnny Blue Skies & Sturgill Simpson
• “Shine” — Dolly Parton
• “Trying to Love You” — Sierra Ferrell
• “I Dig Love (2014 Remaster)” — George Harrison
• “Out In the Woods (Remastered 95)” — Leon Russell
• “Pepper” — S.G. Goodman
• “When We First Met” — Twisted Teens
• “Stabilise” — Nilüfer Yanya
• “Mirror Test” — Pigeon
• “Nome de Deus” — Sessa
• “Lady Day & John Coltrane (feat. Rahsaan Patterson) [12″ Version]” — Brian Jackson & Masters At Work
• “Low Rider” — Quando Quango
• “Toco madera” — Jorge Drexler
• “Puaj” — Salin
• “22° Halo” — pôt-pot
• “West Side” — Studio
• “There Goes the Fear” — Doves
• “oh baby (lovefingers remix)” — LCD Soundsystem

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Since the pandemic, overdose deaths are continuing to decline in Michigan. The number is dropping quickly in Metro Detroit. 

There are a lot of possible explanations for the decline. Narcan is more readily available, the state has turned toward a harm-reduction approach, and the pandemic, when people were cooped up inside, is further in the rearview mirror. 

Peer recovery coaches are also a big reason for the reduction. That work received significantly more money from the state in recent years.

What does it look like to create intimacy with someone struggling with addiction, and to help them recover?

Pepper Catt is a peer recovery coach with the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities. That’s a Troy nonprofit. She spoke about all this with The Metro’s Sam Corey. 

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Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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