The Irish rock music invasion keeps on rolling!

Much like the British Invasion the 1960s and their second invasion the 1980s, 2025 has been a banger year for alternative, indie, garage, and post-punk rock music coming out of the Emerald Isle. This blog author’s favorite news song of the year is“My Favorite Monster” by Cliffords and my choice for best new album of 2025, Altar, was released by NewDad in September.

Among the rock bands from Ireland that are quickly becoming household names, are the following nine (presented in alphabetical order):

Cardinals – must listen songs – “Masquerade” and “Barbed Wire”

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Cliffords – must listen songs – All of them on their Salt of the Lee EP and the tune “Marsh.”

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Florence Road – must listen songs – All of them on their Fall Back EP, plus “Storm Warnings,” “Break the Girl,” and “Miss.”

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Fontaines D.C. – must listen songs “Favourite” and “It’s Amazing to Be Young”

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Inhaler – must listen songs (Bono’s son is the lead singer) – “You Might Get What You Want” and “Dublin in Ecstasy”

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NewDad – must listen songs – Every song, especially those on their Altar and Madra LPs

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Pillow Queens – must listen songs – “Holy Show” and “Like a Lesson”

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Sprints – must listen song – “Better”

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The Murder Capital – must listen songs : “Love of Country” and “Words Lost Meaning”

What’s really cool is the music isn’t just coming out of Dublin. Its emanating from across Ireland in places like Cork (Cliffords and Cardinals), Galway (NewDad), and Bray (Florence Road) too. Another special aspect about Irish rock is the inclusion of traditional instruments like fiddle, accordion, and trumpet into the music.

If you get a chance, check these and other terrific Irish bands out online or on your favorite music app.

Peace!

#albums #altRock #bands #cardinals #cliffords #eps #europe #florenceRoad #fontainesDC #fun #indie #inhaler #ireland #irish #music #newMusic #newdad #pillowQueens #postPunk #rock #singles #songs #sprints #theMurderCapital

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #BBC6Music's #AmyLamé

Pillow Queens:
🎵 Be A Big Girl

#PillowQueens
#newRelease 🆕 single

https://pillowqueens.bandcamp.com/track/be-a-big-girl

https://open.spotify.com/track/3tdBEe2FBbWJpWzaSyfKto

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #BBC6Music's #NewMusicFix

Pillow Queens:
🎵 Be A Big Girl

#PillowQueens
#newRelease 🆕 single

https://pillowqueens.bandcamp.com/track/be-a-big-girl

https://open.spotify.com/track/3tdBEe2FBbWJpWzaSyfKto

Five fave lesbian/sapphic love songs of alt/indie rock

Obviously, we all have individual tastes in music. As a male listening to this genre, these five lesbian/sapphic love songs share common threads with all other great love songs — they contain a heartfelt emotional vibe, feature well-written and evocative lyrics, and include great instrumentals that help draw the listener into the soul of the tune.

Of these five fave songs, three are by Canadian artists, one is by an Irish band, and one is by an American group. Peace & love!

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“Holy Show” by Pillow Queens (Ireland) –

“I’ll roll you up and crack you open
We look like a couple of teens
Just hanging back and holy ghosting
Apologise and leave” – Pillow Queens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvHd0vId3uo

“How To Breathe” by Momma (United States) –

“What a tender place to be
In her arms, I flirt with Heaven
Angels bring her down to me

She taught my body how to breathe
She taught my body how to breathe” – Momma

https://youtu.be/JT17GDAC_-w?si=PcqINQsmrND0E31Y

“Constant Craving” by k.d. lang (Canada) –

“Maybe a great magnet pulls All souls to what’s true” – k.d. lang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ4ANwlDb58

“Edge of the Earth” by The Beaches (Canada) –

“She’s a fire sign
And I don’t really know what that means
I’m a cold night
And I wanna be close to the heat
I don’t want to get burned
I don’t want love like that
But I can’t go any further ’til I start coming back” – The Beaches

https://youtu.be/FTsHU7RxuGQ?si=s8yCA-8ea0YmiaIk

“Closer” by Tegan & Sara (Canada) –

“All you think of lately is getting underneath me
All I dream of lately is how to get you underneath me” – Tegan & Sara

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJCFnqrYfcU

#altRock #Canada #gays #Ireland #kdLang #lesbians #LGBTQ_ #love #loveSongs #lyrics #Momma #music #PillowQueens #sapphic #songs #TeganSara #TheBeaches #tracks #tunes #women #writing

🔊 #NowPlaying on #BBC6Music's #6MusicsIndieForever

Pillow Queens:
🎵 Rats

#PillowQueens

https://pillowqueens.bandcamp.com/album/rats-ep

https://open.spotify.com/track/4gLUBYT2nz46m7l8TR4iIR

Too often in rock history, male drummers have received the spotlight. Well, listed below are my favorite women and non-binary drummers of today’s modern rock music. Each musician brings something special to their band from vocals, to lyrics, to other instruments being played, to being the very beating heart of each song as expressed through their drumming. These talented artists represent multiple nations (Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the USA)

Please consider giving each band a listen and see if you agree with me. Peace and rock on!

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Karah James of Valley

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Laila Wayans – Been Stellar

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Eliza Enman-McDaniel of The Beaches

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Rachel Lyons – Pillow Queens

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Ciara Doran – Pale Waves

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Danielle Haim of Haim

https://panethos.wordpress.com/2024/09/23/todays-amazing-women-and-non-binary-rock-drummers/

#BeenStellar #Canada #drummers #gay #Haim #Ireland #ladies #LGBTQ_ #music #nonBinary #PaleWaves #percussion #PillowQueens #rock #TheBeaches #UK #USA #Valley #women

🔊 #NowPlaying on #BBC6Music's #NP6Music

Pillow Queens:
🎵 Suffer

#PillowQueens

https://pillowqueens.bandcamp.com/track/suffer

https://open.spotify.com/track/06C3FmOECOes9MhxKvT7US

Pillow Queens, è la Band con la #SOTD di oggi! ☕️
https://t.co/9OzPzor4Ps
Un quartetto tutto femminile con un pezzo dal 2020!

(Ascolta al link)

#sotd #laxxvora #pillowqueens

#sotd #playlist #nowlistening #spotify #newmusic #alternativemusic