Birthdays only come around once a year, so Local Spins marks its 13th anniversary today with its top playlists, top Michigan albums of 2025 and a photo recap of Wednesday’s birthday bash at SpeakEZ Lounge.
A Birthday Rock ‘n’ Roll Romp: The Legal Immigrants at SpeakEZ Lounge on Wednesday night. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
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Who says 13 is an unlucky number?
Local Spins has been more than fortunate to survive and thrive for 13 years, exploring, showcasing and embracing Michigan’s music scene unlike any other media outlet since 2012.
On Wednesday, we celebrated our birthday at SpeakEZ Lounge with a packed house of followers who danced to rock strains from The Legal Immigrants, scarfed down birthday cake and Local Spinsation Ale, and won Local Spins gift packs in free raffles that included two tickets to an upcoming Billy Strings concert. (Browse photos from the party below.)
What’s a birthday without a birthday cake? (Photo/Pete Zadvinskis)
And since we’re marking 13 years, here are a couple of Top 13 lists for you to ogle and investigate.
First up, it’s our Top 13 Playlists of All Time, because Local Spins playlists have been insanely popular over the years — and the popularity of some of them is a bit surprising.
Because we partner with community radio station WYCE (88.1 FM) on our weekly Local Spins on WYCE showcase of Michigan music, we’re also rolling out the Top 13 Michigan Albums of 2025 (Thus Far), based on the station’s airplay of recordings by artists from the Great Lakes State.
Enjoy, and we hope to see you out and about during the summer festival and outdoor concert season.
LOCAL SPINS’ TOP 13 PLAYLISTS OF ALL TIME (Based on readership)
1. The COVID-19 Playlist: Songs for the apocalypse
Classic Stones
2. The Rolling Stones’ Top 12 Most Underrated Songs of All-Time
3. The 10 Best Primus Songs: The Local Spins Playlist (Primus performs with Puscifer and A Perfect Circle as part of the Sessanta tour stop at Van Andel Arena on May 28. Email info@localspins.com with “SESSANTA” in the message field and your name, and you’ll be placed in a drawing for two tickets to the show.)
4. 40 years later, 40 John Lennon songs that will live forever: The Local Spins Playlist
5. Nine years after his death, Prince’s legacy lives on — at Paisley Park and in West Michigan
6. The Top 10 Best Bob Dylan Covers: The Ultimate Local Spins Playlist
7. Top 10 Songs About Soldiers (and War) in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Era for Veterans Day
8. ‘Albums that Changed My World’: Greensky Bluegrass’ Paul Hoffman reveals his faves
9. Three Albums that Changed My World: The melange of Lord Huron’s Ben Schneider (Michigan-bred Lord Huron plays Meadow Brook Amphitheater in Rochester Hills on Aug. 9, touring behind their upcoming new album.)
10. In memory of John Prine: The Local Spins playlist honoring a true American legend
11. La Dispute’s Jordan Dreyer: ‘Three Albums that Changed My World’
12. Muhammad Ali: Top five songs for the legendary boxer’s birthday
13. The 10 best rock ’n’ roll birthday tracks for August
THE TOP 13 ALBUMS BY MICHIGAN ARTISTS IN 2025 SO FAR (Based on WYCE-FM airplay)
Luke Winslow-King (Photo/Jeff Brinn)
2. Michigander – “Michigander”
3. Billy Strings – “Highway Prayers”
4. May Erlewine – “What It Takes”
5. Headband Henny – “Purple”
6. crystal trench – “write the things which you have seen”
7. Mystic Dub – “International Bird”
8. The Lasso & The Go Rounds – “PETAL STEEL”
9. Adrian Wright – “The Great Let Go”
10. The Crane Wives – “Beyond Beyond Beyond”
11. Avocadsquad – “Eshkeneh Radio”
12. Ficus – “Pollinator”
13. Jennifer Westwood & The Handsome Devils – “Mad Man’s World”
LOCAL SPINS’ 13th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AT SPEAKEZ LOUNGE (5/21/25)
Photos by Derek Ketchum
