By Karen Glauber

Mercury is in Retrograde, and my head hurts. My internal alarm clock has settled on 3am as my new wake-up time, no matter when I go to sleep.

After 15 months of isolation, it was a little scary to stand outside the KROQ/DTS Sound Space while awaiting the results of a COVID test, so that Ted and I could join Mike Kaplan, Miles Anzaldo and Megan Holiday for an AJR session. Had it been that long since I’d seen the crew? The last time I was in the same room as AJR, we were together at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for The Lumineers’ show on 2/13/20, one day after “Bang!” had been released into the world. “Bang!” was followed by “Bummerland,” which peaked at #17, and then “Way Less Sad,” which has been parked at #3 for eons. During the pandemic, AJR has ascended as a core band for the format.

In the Sound Space, the staffers in attendance (plus one contest winner and guest) were treated to five songs, and, even without a bigger audience, it felt weirdly normal again. Miles’ choice of an Arcade Fire T-shirt that day was definitely appreciated! If all goes well, I’ll see AJR again in Columbus with my CD92.9 friends on 8/28 for the WonderBus Festival. I haven’t been to a restaurant in 15 months. One step at a time…

One of the best albums of 2021 was released today—Wolf Alice’s Blue Weekend on RCA. Check out the song “Smile,” especially. Speaking of RCA, Dennis Blair is already Top 20 with Bleachers’ “Stop Making this Hurt,” which feels like a contender for Song of the Summer. If I were programming an Alt station, would I be playing Olivia Rodrigo’s “Brutal?” Of course I would. I’d also be super-psyched about adding Tai Verdes’ “A-O-K,” which Nick Petropoulos just launched, along with KennyHoopla’s new one, “Hollywood Sucks.”

Weezer’s “All My Favorite Songs” is surging with the addition of AJR on the track, as Capone has “high hopes” for his ultimate Hot Alt Summer ahead.

Congrats to Dave Lombardi and the AWAL gang for girl in red’s “Serotonin” vaulting to #7. He’ll have a new Cold War Kids single next Friday, which inspired me to go back and listen to my favorite CWK song, “We Used to Vacation,” on repeat this morning.

Rob and Dave at Warners just hit the Top 10 with Mike Shinoda’s “Happy Endings,” while taking Royal Blood’s “Typhoons” Top 20. On the Triple A side, they’re building Belle Mt.’s “Famous Son,” which is a perfect song for your Father’s Day playlists.

Congrats to Christine Chiappetta at Epic for nearing Top 10 with Modest Mouse’s “We Are Between” after only a few weeks at her new gig!

Charting this week is Cannons’ “Bad Dream,” bolstered by new adds at WKQX and WLUM, not to mention continued support from the band’s earliest cheerleaders at WEQX, KKDO (where it all began) and Alt Nation.

Out today is “How Not to Drown,” a new track from CHVRCHES featuring Robert Smith of The Cure! What a phenomenal pairing. In the meantime, Michael Starr is Top 25 with “He Said She Said,” which remains the focus single.

By the time you read this, Marisa DiFrisco will be Top 20 with The Maine’s “Sticky,” which, if I’m reading the tea leaves correctly, has all the markings of a SMASH.

Amanda and Drew have a great summer song with Claire Rosinkranz’s “Frankenstein,” plus they’ll have new Bastille out momentarily.

Dirty Hit will be releasing a new beabadoobee EP this month, and I’d be shocked if the next single (which you will love) isn’t your summer anthem!

The Neighbourhood’s “Stargazing” is a definitive Alt hit—Lisa and Darice will deliver this one, just as they have every other song they’ve worked together (congrats to them for Powfu’s iHeartMusic Awards win for Best New Rock/Alternative Rock Artist!).

Congrats to David Jacobs on his 10-year anniversary of doing radio promotion. Now, play his Beach Bunny and Alice Merton records!