At our radio station, our playlist is a carefully curated blend of current smashes, recent favorites, and timeless anthems. We listen to our audience's requests, track what gets people singing along in their cars, and feel the energy of the songs that define our sound. Unlike a global streaming chart dominated by viral moments and album bombs, our "Most Played" list reflects a commitment to familiarity, flow, and feeling. It's the soundtrack to your daily routine.
Here are the Top 20 Most Played Songs on Our Airwaves this week, featuring the hits we can't stop spinning, and the stories behind why they're station staples.
The Top 20 Most Played on Our Radio
1. "Flowers" – Miley Cyrus
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: This is a modern empowerment anthem that has become a permanent fixture. Its positive message of self-love, undeniable disco-pop groove, and massive, singable chorus make it a perfect fit for multiple dayparts—morning drive, midday energy, and evening wind-down. It's a consensus hit that appeals across demographics, guaranteeing listener retention.
2. "Beautiful Things" – Benson Boone
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: The power of a soaring, emotional ballad never fades on radio. Boone's raw vocal performance and the song's dramatic build from piano softness to a full-throated, cathartic release create a powerful "moment" on the dial. It's a song that makes people stop and listen, a key metric for any programmer.
3. "Lose Control" – Teddy Swims
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: Teddy Swims brings a timeless, soulful quality that stands out. This song's blend of classic R&B emotion with pop structure gives it incredible crossover appeal. It sounds fresh yet familiar, fitting seamlessly into mixes alongside both current hits and older classics, making it a versatile workhorse for our playlist.
4. "Espresso" – Sabrina Carpenter
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: Pure, infectious pop fun. This track is the definition of a "sunny day" song—upbeat, witty, and impossibly catchy. Its current chart success and undeniable hook make it a must-play. It delivers a quick shot of energy and positivity, perfect for keeping the mood light and engaging.
5. "Stick Season" – Noah Kahan
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: Kahan’s folk-pop storytelling has connected on a deep level. While it has an alternative heart, its anthemic, shout-along chorus ("And I'll see you when the summer's through!") gives it massive mainstream radio appeal. It adds organic, lyrical depth to our playlist, offering a change of pace that still feels communal and big.
6. "Texas Hold 'Em" – Beyoncé
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: Beyond being a hit, this song is a cultural event. Playing it aligns our station with a major musical moment. Its banjo-driven, line-dance rhythm is joyfully disruptive, sparks conversation, and showcases our commitment to playing significant, genre-evolving tracks. It’s a statement play.
7. "As It Was" – Harry Styles
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: Some songs earn permanent "gold" status quickly. This track’s melancholy synth-pop vibe, nostalgic feel, and iconic opening riff have cemented it as a modern classic. It’s a proven listener favorite that consistently performs in call-out research (audience feedback surveys), guaranteeing it stays in high rotation.
8. "Blinding Lights" – The Weeknd
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: The ultimate modern retro hit. Its pulse is synonymous with night driving and epic energy. Years after its release, it still sounds like the future. It’s a guaranteed mood-setter and arguably one of the most effective pop songs of the last decade. It never fails to deliver.
9. "Anti-Hero" – Taylor Swift
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: While Swift's newer album cuts dominate streaming, "Anti-Hero" remains her quintessential radio hit from the Midnights era. Its self-deprecating lyrics, ultra-catchy melody ("It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me"), and synth-pop production make it the most broadly accessible and replayable single for a general audience format.
10. "Save Your Tears" – The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: The duet version of this 80s-inspired smash is radio perfection. The combination of two superstar voices, the timeless synth melody, and the song's inherent heartbreak-cool vibe make it an evergreen track. It’s a seamless blend of pop, R&B, and nostalgia that fits any hour.
11. "Good 4 U" – Olivia Rodrigo
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: This song bottled the energy of pop-punk nostalgia and unleashed it for a new generation. Its angsty, high-octane release is perfect for afternoon drive time, offering catharsis and a high-energy jolt. It’s a definitive song of its era that continues to resonate powerfully.
12. "Levitating" – Dua Lipa
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: Dua Lipa’s disco-funk masterpiece is the blueprint for modern dance-pop. Its effortless cool, futuristic disco beat, and feel-good lyrics make it a failsafe play. It’s a song that unites listeners—everyone knows it, and few can resist its groove.
13. "Circles" – Post Malone
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: Posty's melodic rock-infused hit has incredible longevity. Its laid-back, rolling groove and melancholic yet sweet melody give it a wide appeal. It’s a "chill" anthem that provides balance to our more upbeat plays, proving to be a consistently reliable track that listeners never tire of.
14. "Rock and A Hard Place" – Bailey Zimmerman
Why It's On Heavy Rotation (for relevant formats): This song represents the heartland of modern country storytelling on our playlist. Its gritty vocal, relatable lyric about a tough relationship, and anthemic rock-country production make it a powerful play that connects deeply with our audience craving authenticity and emotional weight.
15. "Fast Car" – Luke Combs
Why It's On Heavy Rotation (for relevant formats): Combs' respectful and massive cover of Tracy Chapman’s classic did something rare: it introduced a timeless song to a new generation while honoring its original spirit. Its storytelling, universal theme of hope and struggle, and Combs' everyman voice make it a poignant, can't-skip moment on our air.
16. "Last Night" – Morgan Wallen
Why It's On Heavy Rotation (for relevant formats): A defining country hit of the last year. Its conversational lyric about a rocky relationship, catchy melody, and Wallen's distinctive vocal style made it inescapable. It remains a top request and a song that exemplifies the modern country-pop crossover sound our listeners love.
17. "Calm Down" – Rema & Selena Gomez
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: The global Afrobeats-pop smash. This song’s sunny, infectious rhythm and the charming chemistry between Rema and Selena Gomez make it a universal mood-lifter. It adds essential international flavor and rhythmic diversity to our playlist, representing the sound of a globally connected pop scene.
18. "Bad Habit" – Steve Lacy
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: This breakout hit brought a cool, minimalist, guitar-driven R&B vibe to the top of the charts. Its relatable lyric about missed romantic chances and its incredibly catchy, mumbled hook ("I bite my tongue, it's a bad habit") give it an alternative edge that still feels pop-perfect, attracting a younger demographic.
19. "What Was I Made For?" – Billie Eilish
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: From the Barbie movie, this is a moment of quiet, profound reflection on our air. Its delicate piano, haunting vocal, and themes of existential longing provide emotional depth and a change of pace. It’s a prestige play—award-winning, critically acclaimed, and deeply felt by listeners.
20. "Shivers" – Ed Sheeran
Why It's On Heavy Rotation: Ed Sheeran is a radio staple for a reason. "Shivers," with its upbeat, playful energy and classic Sheeran melodic craftsmanship, is a perpetual motion machine of pop. It’s relentlessly positive, easy to sing along to, and a guaranteed way to keep the energy high and familiar.
The "Radio Sound": What Our Most Played List Reveals
Our playlist philosophy is built on pillars that differ from the raw data of a streaming chart:
The Gold-to-New Ratio: A healthy radio playlist isn't just the top 20 streaming songs. It's a 60/40 or 70/30 blend of Current Hits (like "Espresso," "Beautiful Things") and Recurrents/Gold (like "Blinding Lights," "Circles"). This creates comfort and discovery. You tune in knowing you'll hear favorites, but you'll also be introduced to what's new and trending.
Listener Familiarity & "Feel": Before a song enters heavy rotation, we test it. Does it sound like us? Does it have an immediate, identifiable hook in the first 15 seconds? Does it create a positive emotional response—energy, nostalgia, catharsis? Songs like "Flowers" and "Good 4 U" passed these tests with flying colors.
Daypart Strategy: "Beautiful Things" might play more in the evening for its emotional weight, while "Espresso" and "Levitating" dominate daytime hours for their energy. Our most played list is an aggregate, but each song earns its spins by performing well in specific dayparts.
The "No-Skip" Factor: Our goal is to minimize button-pushing. Every song on this list has a high "listen-through" rate. They are crafted, proven songs with strong middle sections and endings, not just viral 15-second clips. They are complete records.
Community and Shared Experience: Radio is a live, communal medium. Playing Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" or Noah Kahan's "Stick Season" taps into a shared cultural conversation. We're not just playing songs; we're providing the soundtrack to our community's daily life.
Conclusion: Your Companion on the Dial
While streaming services offer a personalized universe, radio offers a shared, curated journey. Our "Most Played" list is a promise to you. It's a promise of quality, familiarity, and a human touch in music selection. It’s the sound of your morning coffee, your commute home, and your Saturday afternoon.
These 20 songs are more than data points; they are the pillars of our station's identity. They are the tracks we believe in, the ones you've asked for, and the ones that make us proud to be the background score to your life. Thanks for listening, and keep those requests coming!