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.

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 discovery from Rogê, Ista, Larry June & 2 Chainz, The Marias, Anderson East and more, plus lots of your voicemails and picks for your favorite discoveries from 2025 (so far).

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 14, 2025

• “Get Sun (feat. Arthur Verocai)” – Hiatus Kaiyote
• “Life Is Beautiful” – Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist
• “No Bad Vibes (feat. MARISA DARGAHI & Joe Webb)” – Bluewerks & DARGZ
• “Road to Nowhere” – Rogê
• “Waves” – Ista
• “Human Behaviour (feat. Underworld) [Underworld Mix]” – Björk
• “Closer” – Mr. Fingers
• “SPACE INVADER” – KAYTRANADA
• “Love Is a Natural Magical Thing” – Laurie Miller
• “17 Days (Piano & a Microphone 1983 Version)” – Prince
• “Plasty” – LL Burns
• “Nobody New” – The Marias
• “Strange” – Celeste
• “Yeah Yeah” – Blackrock
• “All Your Love” – Magic Sam
• “You’ve Got A Woman” – Lion
• “Ruler Of My Heart” – Irma Thomas
• “You Are Mine” – Jay Robinson
• “Knife” – Grizzly Bear
• “West Side” – Studio
• “The Seize” – Jordan Rakei
• “Dispose of Me” – Omar Apollo
• “Star Blanket River Child” – Brightblack Morning Light
• “Three More Days” – Ray LaMontagne
• “Will O the Wisp” – Armando Young
• “Someone (feat. Jamila Woods) [Armando Young Remix]” – Gabriel Garzón-Montano
• “É Preciso Dar um Jeito, Meu Amigo” – Erasmo Carlos
• “1968” – Bill Frisell
• “Anyway” – Anderson East
• “Go Home” – Angel Olsen
• “The Joke” – Brandi Carlile

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.

A tribute to the late great Ozzy Osbourne. An artist spotlight on Lars Bartkuhn and his excellent 2024 album “Nomad.”

Plus, new music discovery from The Marias, Ian Lampel, Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange, Domenique Dumont, Sam Prekop 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 23, 2025

• “First Kalimba” – Lars Bartkuhn
• “Nobody New” – The Marias
• “Sexy Boy (Vegyn Version)” – Air
• “Babystar” – Matthew Herbert & Momoko Gill
• “Parque Rodó Thugs” – Ian Lampel
• “Con Altura” – Orquesta Akokán
• “Selenge” – Céline Dessberg
• “Mercy (feat. Dianne Reeves)” – Lakecia Benjamin
• “Baby Its U” – Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange
• “Amants Ennemis” – Domenique Dumont
• “Around The World” – Daft Punk
• “Roll Your Daddy Right” – John Lee Hooker
• “Nimerudi (Malcolm Catto / The Heliocentrics Remix)” – GOAT, MC Yallah
• “Living For The City” – Stevie Wonder
• “African Skies” – Lars Bartkuhn
• “Light Shadow” – Sam Prekop
• “Exile” – Swim Surreal & Zero 7
• “How Can We Mend a Broken Heart” – Kahil El’Zabar
• “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City (feat. Kameron Whalum)” – Zeshan B
• “Song for My Father” – Tenderlonious
• “Song For You (Mansionair Remix)” – Rhye
• “Baby Forgive Me (Young Marco Remix)” – Robyn
• “BACK ON” – SBTRKT
• “Because I’m Me” – The Avalanches
• “Never Lost” – Kokoroko
• “War Pigs” – Black Sabbath
• “Changes (Live Version)” – Charles Bradley
• “Planet Caravan (feat. David Jimenez)” – Brownout & Brown Sabbath

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.