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.

New music discovery from El Michels Affair & Rogê, Women In Jazz & Rosa Brunello, Girls of the Internet, Blood Orange, Dijon, Georgie Sweet 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 8, 2025

• “Super Strut” – Deodato
• “Mágica” – El Michels Affair & Rogê
• “Uno Bruno Uno” – Women In Jazz & Rosa Brunello
• “Carry Me Higher (Elite Mix) [10 Inch Version]” – The Blessed Madonna, Joy Anonymous & Danielle Ponder
• “Affirmations (feat. Anelisa Lamola) [Extended Mix]” – Girls of the Internet
• “Song For You (Mansionair Remix)” – Rhye
• “Mind Loaded (feat. Caroline Polachek, Lorde & Mustafa)” – Blood Orange
• “Vivid Light” – Blood Orange
• “YUKON” – Justin Bieber
• “Another Baby!” – Dijon
• “My Love” – Metronomy & Nourished by Time
• “Yeah Yeah” – Bubaza
• “Its My House (Special Disco Version)” – Risco Connection
• “La La La (Hard Version) Pt 1” – Segun Bucknor
• “Hard Times” – Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters
• “The Ones We Loved” – Georgie Sweet
• “Angles Mortz” – Nightbus
• “Sending All My Love Out” – Emerson
• “What Is Love” – Dee-Lite
• “Rearrange” – Sextile
• “Ankle Injuries” – Fujiya & Miyagi
• “Guess I’m Fallin In Love” – Spoon
• “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
• “More Than A Woman (triple j Like A Version)” – Lazy Eyes
• “Constellation” – The Circling Sun
• “Rolling With A Planet (Vocal Mix)” – Ari Roze
• “Zannik” – Khaled Al Reigh
• “Illegal Hit” – Yttling Jazz
• “Ikuchi” – Jimi Tenor & Cold Diamond & Mink
• “Yègellé Tezeta” – Mulatu Astatke

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.

I started re-reading James McBride’s brilliant book “Kill ‘Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul,” so I had to start the show with “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud (Pts. 1 & 2)” by the man himself. Plus, a spotlight on jazz guitarist Mansur Brown, putting Erykah Badu’s “Mama’s Gun” tour on your calendar (which lands at the Fox Theatre on November 20th) and new music discovery from Love Spells and Justin Bieber (yes, that guy).

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 21, 2025

• “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud (Pts. 1 & 2)” – James Brown
• “Him Belly No Go Sweat” – Antibalas
• “Dog It” – Digable Planets
• “Black Is… (feat. DSTL, Sareem Poems & Rich Medina) [Instrumental]” – Tall Black Guy, Ozay Moore & Malaya
• “Legs” – Darondo
• “Hard Times” – Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters
• “Woman Of The Ghetto (Reimagined)” – Melanie Charles & Marlena Shaw
• “Kiss Me On My Neck” – Erykah Badu
• “A.D. 2000” – Erykah Badu
• “Dark Clouds Rain Soul (Dub)” – Breakestra
• “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – José Feliciano
• “Wish I Didn’t Love You” – Love Spells
• “Bittersweet” – Lewis Taylor
• “Sun” – Emma-Jean Thackray
• “In The Breaks” – Galliano
• “Crosseyed And Painless” – Talking Heads
• “YUKON” – Justin Bieber
• “Faded” – Mansur Brown
• “Snitches Brew (feat. Mansur Brown)” – Kamaal Williams
• “Côte D’ivoire” – Yoni Mayraz
• “Morning Light feat. Andreya Triana (Extended Version)” – Andreya Triana & Quantic
• “Water Me Down (Pamcy Remix)” – Vagabon
• “Crushxd” – Crumb
• “Continuum 5” – Nala Sinephro
• “Continuum 6” – Nala Sinephro
• “Be Reasonable” – somesurprises
• “A Figure In The Surf” – Mount Kimbie
• “Somber The Drums” – DIIV
• “Brakhage” – Stereolab
• “Dance Yrself Clean” – LCD Soundsystem
• “Cold Little Heart” – Michael Kiwanuka

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.

How exciting to be, what I believe, the first public radio music show to go from Justin Bieber’s excellent new album into Jeff Tweedy’s excellent new solo triple album! Plus new music from Hot Chip, Girls of the Internet, Ezra Furman, Kelela 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 16, 2025

• “Devotion” – Hot Chip
• “Never Ever Ever (feat. Shiv)” – Girls of the Internet
• “Heartbeats (Logic1000 Remix)” – José González
• “summer of love (Minow Remix)” – Two Another
• “Hush” – The Marias
• “YUKON” – Justin Bieber
• “Are You Looking Up” – Mk.gee
• “DAISIES” – Justin Bieber
• “Enough” – Jeff Tweedy
• “Power of the Moon” – Ezra Furman
• “Hold On” – Leon Bridges
• “Like A Ship” – Leon Bridges & Keite Young
• “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City (feat. Kameron Whalum)” – Zeshan B
• “Fender On The Freeway (Minor Science Remix)” – DIIV
• “Teardrop” – Massive Attack
• “Baby Forgive Me (Young Marco Remix)” – Robyn
• “Waitin’ (unplugged)” – Kelela
• “You got time and I got money” – Smerz
• “Soul Lament” – Kenny Burrell
• “Crazy He Calls Me” – Aretha Franklin
• “Off Om” – Jeff Parker
• “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” – Saya Gray
• “This Is How We Walk on the Moon (feat. Tirzah)” – Speakers Corner Quartet
• “Charlie (feat. Lil Yachty)” – Lola Young
• “Be A Witness” – Lady Wray
• “Laugh At You” – Penny Beverly
• “Nightingale” – Dee Felice Trio
• “I’ve Got a Woman” – Ray Charles
• “Trying to Live My Life Without You” – Otis Clay
• “If You Don’t Want My Love” – Jalen Ngonda
• “Tikurin” – Quantic
• “Peace on Earth (Mr Scott Remix)” – Ebo Taylor
• “What’ll I Do” – The New Birth
• “Keep Me In Mind” – Kelly Finnigan & Renaldo Domino
• “Coming Home” – Leon Bridges
• “Harlem” – Bill Withers
• “Playing Your Game, Baby” – Barry White

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.