Three straight hours of music released in 2025—the best of the best. Lots of my picks and lots of yours! Thanks to everyone that left a message on the In The Groove hotline with your picks; they were absolutely lovely and mixed right in with the show!

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 December 11, 2025

• “Save Me” – Emma-Jean Thackray

• “Si Chomphu” – Salin

• “SNC” – DARKSIDE

• “YUKON” – Justin Bieber

• “Found A Light (Beale Street)” – BADBADNOTGOOD & V.C.R

• “S.O.T.H.” – Sault

• “Be A Witness” – Lady Wray

• “Sad Makeup” – Yukimi

• “What It Gave Me” – Jordan Rakei & Jalen Ngonda

• “Constellation” – The Circling Sun

• “Puaj” – Salin

• “Alone (Four Tet Remix)” – The Cure

• “Angles Mortz” – Nightbus

• “Listen2me” – Foxwarren

• “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab (Daniel Avery Remix)” – English Teacher

• “Hit My Head All Day” – Dry Cleaning

• “Belong To You” – Cut Copy & Kate Bollinger

• “I’m Not Ready For The Change” – Nation of Language

• “Mercury” – Automatic

• “You got time and I got money” – Smerz

• “Lo Life” – Antibalas

• “Treat Yourself” – Franc Moody

• “Nobody New” – The Marias

• “Garden” – Maria Somerville

• “To Be A Rose” – Jenny Hval

• “Power of the Moon” – Ezra Furman

• “Sugar in the Tank” – Julien Baker & TORRES

• “Elderberry Wine” – Wednesday

• “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” – SAYA GRAY

• “It’s A Mirror” – Perfume Genius

• “Elegantly Wasted (feat. Leon Bridges)” – Hermanos Gutiérrez

• “Waves” – ISTA

• “Lecker Song” – Yin Yin

• “Stone Shadow” – Glyders

• “Take My Hand” – El Michels Affair & Rahsaan Roland Kirk 

Friday, Dec. 12, 2025

We played three more hours of your top songs and mine on Friday to officially kick off the “Best Of” week of listening. 

Follow along with what our hosts are highlighting as the defining tunes of this year and listen to all of our picks in one place on the Best Of 2025: The WDET Playlist page. 

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 December 12, 2025

• “GOOD LUCK” – KAYTRANADA

• “Another Baby!” – Dijon

• “Rush” – Gerald Clayton

• “Red Moon” – Tom Misch

• “Survivor” – Chronixx

• “Carry Me Away” – El Michels Affair & Norah Jones

• “Heaven” – Yeek

• “SPIDERS” – Lola Young

• “SOS” – Jadu Heart

• “Believer” – Annahstasia

• “Left For Tomorrow” – Perfume Genius

• “Better” – SPRINTS

• “Man Made Of Meat” – Viagra Boys

• “High Vibrations” – Theo Croker, Malaya & D’LEAU

• “Sad Piano House” – Daphni

• “Babystar” – Matthew Herbert & Momoko Gill

• “Eye To Eye (Live From The Royal Albert Hall)” – Jordan Rakei

• “The Seize” – Jordan Rakei

• “N8 Medley (Live at Audio Gold)” – Lawne

• “Nubian Lady” – Don Was

• “Dumb Feeling” – Mei Semones

• “Animaru” – Mei Semones

• “Need To Run” – Matthew Herbert & Momoko Gill

• “Invocation (feat. Onipa, Jupiter & Okwess, Otim Alpha, Damon Albarn & Joan as Police Woman)” – Africa Express

• “MISK” – Roundabout

• “DON’T LISTEN” – corto.alto

• “Coltrane (Crooked Man Remix)” – Cymande

• “Ibiza” – Butcher Brown

• “Road To Nowhere” – Roge

• “Boste” – Oreglo

• “Uno Punto Uno” – Women In Jazz & Rosa Brunello

• “SPOTTIEOTTIEDOPALISCIOUS” – Kassa Overall

• “2close2farr” – Momoko Gill

• “All That We Were” – Georgie Sweet

 

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.

This week’s episode leaned into our first big snowfall of the season here in Detroit with some holiday and winter songs from Cranes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and All My Faith Lost.

We also heard new music from Acopia, Chokecherry, Fawn, along with your favorite Big Sonic Heaven classics. 

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

• “Undenied” – Portishead
• “Chained to a Cloud” – Slowdive
• “Silhouette” – She’s Green
• “Iceblink Luck” – Cocteau Twins
• “Television” – Night Tapes
• “Deus” – Sugarcubes
• “8th Deadly Sin” – Miki Berenyi Trio
• “Pale Trembles a Gale” – The Autumns
• “Like Cockatoos” – The Cure
• “Falter” – Acopia
• “Thursday” – Asobi Seksu
• “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” – Cranes
• “Waiting For the Night” – Depeche Mode
• “Doot Doot” – Fauns
• “Feels Like the End of the World” – Chameleons
• “Nirvana” – Glazyhaze
• “Smile” – State of Grace
• “Nobody Loves You More” – Kim Deal
• “Lie in the Sound” – Trespassers William
• “Setting Yourself Up for Love” – Ashes and Diamonds
• “We Have All the Time in the World” – My Bloody Valentine
• “In the Bleak Midwinter” – All My Faith Lost
• “Sacrifice” – Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke
• “Flood the Harbour” (feat. There’s Talk & Tamaryn) – Kai Tai
• “Thoughtforms” – Lush
• “Goldmine” – Chokecherry
• “All I Want For Christmas.” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• “Fleeting Sun” – Fawn
• “Ulysses” – Dead Can Dance
• “Beauty in all Blue Satin” – Deary
• “Counting Sheep” – Acrylics
• “Wild Horses” – The Sundays
• “The Loony Bin” – Jahrund

This week’s episode of Big Sonic Heaven paid tribute to two great artists who recently passed: the bassist of The Stone Roses, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, at the age of 63, and Rorika, half of the shoegaze duo Fleeting Joys, who passed away in July of this year. The latter news just became public a few days ago.

Plus, new music from Ashes and Diamonds, The Church, Ivy, and a track from the Chameleons’ first new album in over two decades.

Check out the playlist below, along with the on-demand replay above for the next two weeks.

• Donimo – Cocteau Twins 
• Infinity Peaking – Bdrmm
• En Lögn, En Sanning – Kallsup
• Deep Ocean Vast Sea – Peter Murphy
• I Wanna Be Adored – Stone Roses
• Sapphire Door – Soft Blue Shimmer
• Holiday House – Beach House
• Hooked Into My Soul – Fleeting Joys
• Saviours Are A Dangerous Thing – Chameleons
• Carousel – Hatchie
• Fine Friend – Pale Saints
• Only So Much Light – Air Formation
• Just One Kiss – The Cure
• Hollywood – Ashes and Diamonds
• Creation – Meena
• Brother (feat. Dave Gahan) – Humanist
• All That We Had Is Lost – Postiljonen
• Say You Will – Ivy
• Double Dream – Bluhm
• The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove – Dead Can Dance
• Sacred Echoes (Part Two) – The Church
• Bedbugs and Ballyhoo – Echo and the Bunnymen
• Hazlewood – Toothpaste
• Division – Tycho
• Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) – Pixies
• Until You Come Back Home – Nother & Moon Leap
• Mandy – She’s Green
• Dagger – Slowdive
• The Big Shake – The Mary Onettes
• New Town Velocity – Johnny Marr 
• City Girl – Kevin Shields
• Bright as Yellow – The Innocence Mission  

New music from Jack Jackson and Hermanos Gutiérrez, a duo of guitar-playing brothers who grew up as fans of Johnson and now get to collaborate and tour with him this summer—including a stop at Pine Knob!

Plus, Khraungbin celebrate a decade since releasing their debut album by remixing their own work and releasing new versions of it. Spoiler alert: they might be better than the originals without losing that initial magic!

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 November 10, 2025

• “Lltb (feat. Wet)” – Jam City
• “You got time and I got money” – Smerz
• “Parasite (feat. Kindelan)” – Sean Khan & The Modern Jazz & Folk Ensemble
• “The Atlantiques (feat. Anaïs Maviel, Jeff Parker & Josh Johnson)” – Meshell Ndegeocello
• “Telepatía” – Kali Uchis
• “DNM” – Mk.gee
• “A Forest (Tree Mix)” – The Cure
• “Paper Trails” – Darkside
• “Sonido Cósmico” – Hermanos Gutiérrez
• “Hold On To The Light” – Jack Johnson & Hermanos Gutiérrez
• “Moanin’ and Groanin’” – Bill Withers
• “I Feel for You (Acoustic Demo)” – Prince & the Revolution
• “Cannock Chase” – Labi Siffre
• “Mercury” – Automatic
• “It’s Starting” – RIO KOSTA
• “Kelly Watch The Stars (Extended)” – AIR
• “Sad Makeup” – Yukimi
• “Selenge” – Céline Dessberg
• “Blueberry Beads” – John Carroll Kirby
• “Burnin’ Coal” – Les McCann
• “The Thrill Is Gone (From Yesterday’s Kiss)” – Aretha Franklin
• “Rewind / Remind” – Momoko Gill
• “I Can See The Change” – Celeste
• “How Can We Mend a Broken Heart” – Kahil El’Zabar
• “Last Forever” – Patchwork Inc. & Wyatt Waddell
• “Intimate Friends” – Eddie Kendricks
• “Ankle Injuries” – Fujiya & Miyagi
• “Adventures In Success” – Will Powers
• “Surfside Sex” – Patrick Cowley
• “Flutes” – Hot Chip
• “Sympathy Magic” – Florence + the Machine
• “People Everywhere II” – Khraungbin
• “Open This Wall” – Berlioz

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.”

 

So much to explore on this new music Friday on In The Groove! Fresh releases from Jadu Heart, Vulfmon, Franc Moody, Juana Molina, Joy Crookes, Nightbus (a new favorite around here!), plus Automatic, RIO KOSTA 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 September 26, 2025

• “Save Me” – Emma-Jean Thackray
• “Siestas ahí” – Juana Molina
• “Sharks In The Water” – Franc Moody
• “Banc de poissons” – Vulfmon & Jacob Jeffries
• “Dewy” – Resavoir & Matt Gold
• “Fade Your Heart” – Joy Crookes
• “Landslide” – Nightbus
• “Alone (Four Tet Remix)” – The Cure
• “Mercury” – Automatic
• “It’s Starting” – RIO KOSTA
• “Kelly Watch the Stars (Vegyn Version)” – Air
• “Sad Makeup” – Yukimi
• “Selenge” – Céline Dessberg
• “Nobody New” – The Marias
• “Soul On Fire” – LaVern Baker
• “Every Time He Comes Around” – Minnie Riperton
• “BOYS WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOLVES” – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
• “Bill Loves You” – Hidden Spheres
• “Stay Happy” – Broken Social Scene
• “SOS” – Jadu Heart
• “U” – Jadu Heart
• “Monsters” – SAULT
• “Sun For Someone” – Oscar Jerome
• “Little Things” – Lake Trout
• “Another Day To Run” – Bill Withers
• “Bright Moments” – Admin
• “Don’t Be Afraid” – East Coast Love Affair
• “Seoul Disco Night” – Lewis OfMan
• “Fuzz Jam (Harvey Sutherland X-Tra Fuzz Remix)” – Lazy Eyes
• “Attitude” – Lewis OfMan
• “Plasty” – LL Burns
• “Quiet Places” – Ghost Funk Orchestra
• “Loud Places” – Jamie XX, Romy
• “NEVER ENOUGH” – Turnstile
• “draw something beautiful” – Ganavya
• “Roygbiv” – Boards of Canada
• “Eple” – Röyksopp

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.

 

New music from Khaled Al Reigh, Francis Bebey, Yttling Jazz, Jimi Tenor, Africa Express and more of your listener picks highlighting your favorite new music and music discoveries from 2025!

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 August 13, 2025

• “Constellation” – The Circling Sun
• “Rolling With A Planet (Vocal Mix)” – Ari Roze
• “Zannik” – Khaled Al Reigh
• “Le Grand Soleil De Dieu (Psychemagik Remix)” – Francis Bebey
• “Illegal Hit” – Yttling Jazz
• “Ikuchi” – Jimi Tenor & Cold Diamond & Mink
• “Pit Stop (Take Me Home) [feat. Mike Patton, Jennifer Charles, Kid Koala & Dan the Automator]” – Nathaniel Merriweather
• “Fallen Again” – Matthew Herbert & Momoko Gill
• “7/4 (Shoreline)” – Broken Social Scene
• “Collage” – The Three Degrees
• “Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing (12″ Version)” – Gloria Ann Taylor
• “Heaven Scent (feat. Chloe Sevigny) [DEEWEEDUB]” – Soulwax
• “Invocation (feat. Onipa, Jupiter & Okwess, Otim Alpha, Damon Albarn & Joan as Police Woman)” – Africa Express
• “MISK” – Roundabout
• “Don’t Listen” – Corto.alto
• “Back On 74” – Jungle
• “Seu João” – Gabriel da Rosa
• “Don’t Call It Love (12″ Version)” – Zero 7
• “Siesta Freestyle (Frisco version)” – Lewis OfMan & Alicia te quiero
• “Safe And Sound” – Justice
• “Enything” – Quickly, Quickly
• “I Don’t Live Here Anymore” – War On Drugs
• “Moonshine” – Joviale
• “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore (“1999” B-Side)” – Prince
• “Glory” – Sault
• “Let Go” – Sonic Interventions
• “Down (feat. Dames Brown) [Natasha Diggs Extended Remix]” – The Vision
• “God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (feat. Yazmin Lacey)” – Ezra Collective
• “Garden” – Maria Somerville
• “Alone (Four Tet Remix)” – The Cure

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.

The music of Lewis OfMan has always been very popular on this show. I swear, every time I play it, I get a text / email / phone call / smoke signal about how much y’all dig it, so I wanted to spotlight a handful of his tracks, including the new one, “Seoul Disco Night.”

Plus, new music from LL Burns, Matthew Herbert & Monoko Gill, Mocky 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 July 10, 2025

• “Bright Moments” – Admin
• “Don’t Be Afraid” – East Coast Love Affair
• “Seoul Disco Night” – Lewis OfMan
• “Avalanche!” – Shinji
• “Obsession (feat. Grégory Louis & Robert Benjamin) [The Paris Version]” – Guy Cuevas
• “Attitude” – Lewis OfMan
• “Plasty” – LL Burns
• “Quiet Places” – Ghost Funk Orchestra
• “Loud Places” – Jamie xx
• “Dark Moon” – Okonski
• “Fallen Again” – Matthew Herbert & Momoko Gill
• “Animals” – Matthew Herbert & Momoko Gill
• “Music Will Explain” – Mocky
• “Benoego” – Don Cherry
• “Metronomic Underground” – Stereolab
• “Queenless King” – WITCH
• “Drains” – Mary in the Junkyard
• “Kill Me” – Indigo De Souza
• “What You Are” – Pete Brandt’s Method
• “Nova” – Nomo
• “No Muscle, No Memory” – Rich Ruth
• “Love Buzz” – Shocking Blue
• “Archbishop Harold Holmes” – Jack White
• “Blues” – Geordie Greep
• “Happy House (Matthew Dear vs Audion Remix – Edit)” – The Juan MacLean
• “LITE SPOTS” – Kaytranada
• “Siesta Freestyle” – Lewis OfMan
• “Água de Coco” – Marcos Valle
• “All I Ever Am (Mura Masa Remix)” – The Cure
• “House of Mirrors (feat. Harry Stone)” – Riva Starr
• “Blue Ridge Mountains” – Fleet Foxes
• “Roscoe (Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve Remix)” – Midlake
• “Draw Something Beautiful” – Ganavya
• “summer of love (Minow Remix)” – Two Another
• “Summer Sweat” – Hannah Cohen

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.