The year is flying by! This week, I’m featuring some of my favorite songs of the year released by metro area artists so far, as well as artists based all around the state — including Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo!

You’ll also get a chance to hear songs by artists who are currently on the ballot for 2025’s Sounds Like Detroit Musical Showcase, including Imani Bloom and Angela Davis!

There’s always so much new music being released by local artists, though, so don’t anticipate a full-on flashback-styled clip show: I also featured new and recently-released tracks by singer-songwriters like Ohly and Mark Whalen, along with new electronic sounds from the project known as Dirt Room.

Looking back at 2025 “so far,” I picked tracks from singer/songwriters like Danny VanZandt, Ryan Allen, and Taylor DeRousse, each of whom joined me in-studio earlier in the year for exclusive live interviews and song premieres. We’re also listening back to tracks from Grand Rapids-based indie-pop band Phabies who, yes, also joined me in-studio earlier this year!

Meanwhile, a reminder that you, dear listener, can vote now for our Sounds Like Detroit Musical Showcase, where you can help us select an artist for our upcoming concert at Batch Brewing on Aug. 14! Liz Warner (Alternate Take), Chris Campbell (The Progress Underground) and myself, host of MI Local, have each selected artists who are already set to perform at this event, but who else makes it to the stage is entirely up to YOU! Voting ends July 3. Click here for more info!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

MI Local Playlist for June 24, 2025

• “Jesse” – Danny VanZandt
• “If I Go” – Ohly
• “Voyeur” – Dirt Room
• “UR WORLD” – LOCAL ORGANIC
• “Long Dirt Driveway” – Dick Texas
• “The Bloodletting” – Phabies
• “Collecting” – Spencer LaJoye
• “Drinking Again” – Angela Davis
• “Fader” – Imani Bloom
• “Garden Dweller” – Tariq Gardner
• “Lost In A Daze” – Ryan Allen
• “Don’t Take Me” – bRADFORd
• “On The Mend” – Mark Whalen
• “July Love” – Pretty Island
• “Chaos” – Taylor DeRousse

What a busy night on MI Local! We premiered so much new music by metro area artists; we had exciting in-studio guests talking about an expansive emo-centric music festival happening next weekend, AND I announced that voting is now open for Sounds Like Detroit, 2025!

This is the chance for WDET listeners to cast their vote for the next Tiny Desk stars! Over 150 local musicians entered the 2025 NPR Tiny Desk Contest this year, and while none claimed the national title, Detroit’s talent is truly one of a kind! Now, we want your help to bring four standout Detroit Tiny Desk performers to the Sounds Like Detroit stage on Aug. 14 at Batch Brewing Company.

Find more info, and a link to the Sounds Like Detroit ballot, here. Voting ends July 3!

Meanwhile, on this week’s MI Local...

I opened the show with some gritty new rock ‘n’ roll from Cherry Drop, who have an album release party next Friday night at the Ghost Light in Hamtramck. We also hear new punk-rock sounds from Gusher, and a sneak-preview of a new EP by singer-songwriter Nadine Chronopoulos, who fronts the band known as DENO. MI Local gives you the chance to hear bands from all over Michigan, of course, so we also heard new alt-country/Americana sounds coming from Ypsilanti, from the project known as Cowgirl!

Joining me in-studio were Kyle Minch of The Pleasant Underground, and Spencer Roger from NOXP, both of whom have substantial experience in booking and promoting a wide range of live music events that showcase local talent. The Pleasant Underground began as a series of DIY House Shows, first hosted in the basement of a house in Pleasant Ridge (hence the name), focusing on groups that fit into the genres of indie rock, punk, Midwest emo, or post-hardcore. Next weekend, June 27-30, their third annual PUG Fest takes over downtown Ferndale, filling six venues with full lineups of high-energy bands.

Along with an interview with Minch and Rogers, we listened to a handful of bands that you can catch at PUG Fest, including the hard-rock quintet known as Former Critics, who just released the new single, “Clover.”

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

MI Local Playlist for June 17, 2025

• “Feel It” – Cherry Drop
• “Bat Night” – Gusher
• “Redhead Queen” – DENO
• “Get A Load of My Love” – Emily Seward
• “Invisible Fist” – Na Bonsai
• “With Doubt” – Cowgirl
• “Caroline” – Isaac Burgess
• “A Hard Day’s Night”– The Last War
• “Graveyard Girl” – TOED
• “Clover” – Former Critics
• “Motions” – Lester.
• “Winter Clothes” – Low Phase