Ambiorix Top 40 – 2025-06

Plenty of seasoned veterans this month! The top 3 alone represent a whopping 300 years of stage experience! Though I must admit, the top spot by Sparks is a joint effort from the two brothers, Ron & Russell Mael. Together, they account for a century and a half of musical delight! These beanpoles have been spinning around the globe for 80 and 77 years respectively! And they’re far from done—something they’ll hopefully prove Saturday night at the Royal Circus in Brussels! It’s the first concert I hope to attend this year! So how fitting is it that “A Little Bit of Light Banter” (#1), the fifth single from their recently released album “Mad”, tops the June list!

Tucker Zimmerman lands at #2 with “Old Hippies Lament”, earning the title of eldest among them with his 84 years! Where Neil Young is falling short in 2025, this old-timer delivers in spades: rich reflections on times gone by.

And then there’s the Man at #3 with “Remembering Now”, from his recently released self-titled album—arguably the most laid-back entry of the bunch. You couldn’t toss it off more casually if you tried!

Thankfully, there’s still some youthful fire in the top 10: “Zombie” (#5) by Yungblud, “Guiding Lights” (#6) by Swedish metal band Ghost (who’ve also been grinding for about 20 years now), and Ezra Furman with “Submission” (#7).

Welcome back, David Byrne at #12 with “Everybody Laughs”. After quite a long absence, he’s finally pulled another upbeat tune out of his hat.

But where are all the Flemish and Belgian acts when you need them? This month, only one made the list: De Mens with “Ongewoon” (#35). And even that one doesn’t quite reach the standard we’ve come to expect from Frank.

(Jan VH)

Playlist

1. Old Hippies Lament – Tucker Zimmerman
2. Remembering Now – Van Morrison
3. A Little Bit Of Light Banter – Sparks
4. Cerca de Ti (Mon amour) – ZAZ
5. Zombie – YUNGBLUD
6. Guiding Lights – Ghost
7. Submission – Ezra Furman
8. Trance State – Suede
9. Sinners (Mo’ Better Blues) [feat. Erick Sermon, Keith Murray & Jamal] – Wu-Tang Clan & Mathematics
10. Hate to Love – Eagle-Eye Cherry
11. Unravelling – Muse
12. Everybody Laughs – David Byrne & Ghost Train Orchestra
13. Faithless – Bruce Springsteen
14. Lovetalk – The Adventures
15. Who’ll Stand With Us? – Dropkick Murphys
16. Outside Again (feat. Peter Buck, Duke Garwood, Alain Johannes & Barrett Martin) – Drink The Sea
17. Love Is Cruel – Miles Kane
18. Pacific Theme – Mdou Moctar & Mikey Coltun
19. Slow Emotion Replayed – The The
20. The Pink Floyd Research Group – Luke Haines & Peter Buck
21. Alive – GHOSTWOMAN
22. Blitzkrieg Bop – Mondo Generator
23. I Don’t Want to Hate Anyone – The Minus 5
24. Don’t Change – Mason Jennings
25. Pays to Be Paranoid – Turin Brakes
26. Het Is Toch Je Kind – Rick De Leeuw
27. Make It On Your Own – Stereophonics
28. DISSONANT – The Raveonettes
29. Road Gets Rough (feat. Lilly Hiatt) – The Tell Alls
30. De Andere Vrouw – Fulco
31. Background Noise – Pulp
32. Poca Mahoney’s (feat. Lisa O’Neill) – Peter Doherty
33. Rebuilding Year (4 of Diamonds) (feat. Ezra Furman) – Hallelujah the Hills
34. In the Margin – The Lemonheads
35. Ongewoon – De Mens
36. Don’t Want to Know – World News
37. Cowbella – bar italia
38. Return Of The Sharp Heads – Baxter Dury & JGrrey
39. Love Is – Marianne Faithfull & Oscar Dunbar
40. Honey Bee – Steeleye Span

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