(2) Everything Must Go - 02/08/2025 vs. (1) Madhuvan - 02/07/2025

I spent the last 3 weeks face down for 24 hours a day recovering from retina surgery. Absolutely fucking brutal. This little space was an incredible distraction from what I was going through. Thank you to everyone who put this on - Ryan, Neal, and company. Thank you to all the commenters who gave me plenty to read in order to pass the time, as well. While the MKE Madhuvan was my JOTY, it looks like it’s going to an equally deserving EMG from the same run which I was lucky enough to attend with some of the best people that I know. Some were new friends at the time, but are now friends for life - and THAT is what this is all about. Looking forward to new Goose in 2026 and beyond!

It appears EMG is going to take out both of the mighty February Madhuvans. Long live the king!

The base line to kick off Madhuvan and everything following is carefully calculated madness and it's just incredible. EMG is cool, too.

Great year of jams. Can't wait to see what 2026 has in store. The band rocks and this platform is super cool.

This is pretty much Beauty vs the Beast and looks like Beauty is gonna take it lol! This has been great - thx to the AAT crew. I’m jammed out!! Give me some bubble gum pop for the rest of the week lol

Whoa… Everything Must Go may actually beat out Madhuvan! Love that both finalists were from the Milwaukee run! I was there to enjoy this amazing three night experience. Thanks to everyone running JOTY and lots of Goose love!

Rooting for a Madalena > Madhuvan to be played this year.

A heartfelt thanks to the organizers who made this possible all of whom have been named many times. It is so much fun to relisten intently and intensively to a year’s jams in recap. Also a special appreciation to the participants who take this seriously but not too seriously. A shout out to those that take the time to point out sections of jams and explain why both musically and emotionally they find them special. For me, it always gets me to relisten with a specific ear and reevaluate my assessments and appreciation. As for my vote, FWIW as Ive said before and still feel the GR 1/2 step, madhuvan and this EMG were the three special jams of the year and by a meaningful margin. EMG gets my vote here. On to 2026 👏👏😊

46mins left and EMG appears to be holding 😬📈🪿🌙✨

Not that the band should base what they do on our obsessive jam tournaments but I hope if EMG wins this it helps nudge them toward more jammed EMGs in 2026. Both February renditions were some of the best things I've ever heard. Certain songs bring out the purest essence of Goose and I think EMG is in that conversation

Big thanks to the guys who organized & have improved and evolved the site over the years. We're a long way from twitter polls! As others have mentioned, met a lot of really great people through this community and i can't wait to see you guys at a few shows this summer. Although my own JOTY was booted a few rounds earlier -- respect to the Milwaukee run. Not being dramatic when i say that run changed the course of a few lives and its impact on my own life has been WILD. So even if they weren't *MY* jam of the year love that a Milwaukee song will win. ALL HAIL WISCONSIN!

Thanks for all the hard work this year y'all. Truly appreciate the monumental effort getting this site up and running.

These were my two favorite jams of 2025. I am happy with the result, even though Gonzo YD and WV Amongster were snubbed.

Love you all! The annual Goose hibernation period is finally over in a few weeks. Looking forward to see many of you on the road.

It's nice of you to host the "Madhuvan of the year" contest that other songs are allowed to win every few years.

I just hope we get more jammed out EMGs like this and 2/13 in 2026. Looking forward to another great year of goooooooose

I’m fucking exhausted. Love you all.

Echoing many others, thanks to the AAT crew for pulling this fun little social endeavor together! This is my first year participating in JOTY and I loved hearing what others love about music that has become such a big source of joy in my life. After stalking Goose for a few years on YouTube, my first live experience was the three night Grand Rapids run. Straight magic.

This was a blast! (I feel like everyone should wear name tags with their handle for this tournament to shows!)

For the love of the game,
and not the fame.
2025 was pretty cool.
Met some real ones and deleted some fake ones. Throughout that journey, the music was the soundtrack of our lives.
Cannot wait for 2026 Goose
Peace > War

Madhuvan is Muy Bueno

Long live Bristol Wysteria
Long live Miami Cakes
Long live Battlefield One!

Go to the 15th minute on Madhuvan and JAM that’s what JOTY is 💯

I haven't commented this whole tournament but this Madhuvan was my JOTY since the night they played it, it was my benchmark for every jam that followed that year and some came close but nothing beat it in my book you could just tell something special just happened even if you were just streaming it

No matter who wins it'll be the first time I was in attendance for the JOTY. I'm going with Madhuvan, it's probably the second song I've most revisited this year (only behind the Arrow that was played about 30 minutes later that same night - aghh, those dance vibes). That applause after the song was contagious - it was like one collective moment where everybody realized just how dope that performance was - it just kept going and going. It was my Dad's first Goose show and he's already seen them 4 times (and he got Red Rocks tickets for this year too).

Goose fucks. Let's go.

Big thanks to everyone on the Team who put this bracket challenge on! This was a lot of fun, and the site turned out great 👌

And, I went with EMG 🎉

Thank you so much to Ryan, Neal, & *everybody* involved in this project. I appreciate your time and dedication! Thanks for creating this place that feels like home.

Especially @ry_storm ! You are the perfect example of *always acting on your passions*. You are an inspiration, sir! Thank you!

If this result stays the same for the last 6 hours it'll be the third time in a row my JOTY had finished #2.

Two great jams, but I have to give it to Mad. The twin guitar attack makes it for me, and the fact that Peter is prominently involved. He is quite the guitarist and in any other band, he could easily take the lead role. Can't say much else that hasn't already been said.
Except that I'm in the (slim) minority again...always have sided with the underdogs of life, so it tracks😁
Can't wait to see what this year brings...see y'all out there!
This was fun...thanks to everyone who put this on and everyone that participated!
🤘😁🖖

Also thanks @teddeadjed for the covers link - much appreciated dude

First off just want to say thank you to Ryan, Neal and the AAT crew - awesome stuff all around, this JOTY tournament is f’ing sweet and appreciate all the hard work and time you guys put into it for the rest of us fans. Also thanks to all the really knowledgeable folks on here that provide great insights in the comments section.

Wish I did this for all the matches in retrospect, but I took my time and waited until tonight to watch the YouTube videos for each one as a final listen - highly recommend doing that in the future if you don’t, it adds another element for sure.

Completely went into it thinking I would vote 2/8 EMG….but after rewatching the 2/7 Madhuvan had to surprisingly flip my vote to it.

I happened to be there live and like many people have said, the energy in that place from the crowd and band collectively was unlike anything I’ve ever seen at a rock show in my life before - I knew that going into the JOTY stuff tho already - what really changed my vote was all four of the guys standing out in their own way in an insane level throughout it that I didn’t appreciate until now.

The 2/8 EMG is one of the top jams I’ve ever heard by them and it’s gonna be listened to frequently in the future, and was really torn to not vote for it.

Clearly based on the votes right now it’s one vote apart and flipping back and forth as I type this I think.

Unbelievable two jams here no matter who wins and either way they both f’ing rock!

So grateful I got to catch both of these live! The place was electric - Goose burned the house down. Such awesome shows at MKE. The Madhuvan does it for me!

Three vote spread. I think Disco and WAMU are right on about how being there made the difference for you for Mad. The way Sim described it really hits home because he was also there for my “you had to be there” JOTY, the unrelenting, funky town express Boise Rosewood. It’s something special about being in that space with improv musicians, the fans and everything. One reason I’d rather be close than have better lights or sound, to be in the energy vortex with the band. I describe it as being in the soup, vs watching the show - from the stands or from the couch.

If this ends in a tie, is the plan still just to default to the higher seed? That convention feels less appropriate for a championship.

I understand why this EMG is so popular. However, MAMU Guy and I have been chatting, and we're thinking maybe you had to be there to truly get why this Madhuvan was so special. The jam started out as a dark, swirling void. As the darkness unfolded, the band patiently pulled everyone in the building into the vortex with them. Once we had all been swept into the void, the jam coalesced into something new. The soundscape was no longer dark, nor was it blissful. Rather, it morphed into an absolute triumph.

The Milwaukee Madhuvan was one of the most masterful examples I have ever experienced of a band sweeping an entire audience into their sonic realm. The huge roar is what happened at the end, but that was the sound of a thousand exploding suns as we all reentered the third dimension and were able to breathe again. If you weren't there, then I am not sure it is possible to grasp just how hard Milwaukee was getting...

...the fuck...

down during this journey.

As an aside, I am intrigued by the idea that I might be experiencing attendance bias is a situation where I was at both shows.

Shoutout isaac for all the mint commentary this year

Buy that kid a butterbeer!

An amazing Mad gets beaten for my vote by a nearly flawless EMG. Multiple incredible peaks, including that transition back to a major key at the end that gives me chills 100% of the time. An amazing matchup to end an amazing contest. Onward to 2026!

Madhuvan setting a golden standard. Everything Must Go - a powerful, ambitious play-through full of emotion and grace. This EMG gets my vote, not to dismiss a historic Madhuvan for the ages.

The Madhuvan while great is too dark for my taste. EMG it is! As others have said I’m looking forward to another great year of music from Goose in 2026!

Thanks for everyone's contributions to this. It's been a good tournament. Goose makes it harder every year

A close one to finish it out!! I love it!!

Thanks AAT guys for organizing this and doing everything to put it on. Goose JOTY is my favorite time of the year!

The Madhuvan freight train keeps on rolling! It’s been amazing reliving this jam and live experience that has been written about so well already. The best of what was a very special run. Hopefully Asheville provides the same second show of the year magic. Loved every second of this bracket, so thanks to the AAT team

May the best jam win. Had a good time voting and listening. Going to three shows this year maybe more. See everyone out there. Honk!

On a clear liquid diet today and that video of Mad just satiated my whole entire soul. I love this band and community so much. Awkardly crying, toodaloo ✌🏽

I just enjoyed listening to both of these several times throughout the day. Went with Madhuvan. Thanks to aatgoosepod for this! Been a fun couple of weeks.

This is JOTY of the year, not Song of the year, so I am going to disregard the fact that the 2/15 jam from Mad was my favorite of the year.

I was lucky enough to be at both these shows and able to fully experience both these jams. Both amazing and incredible representations of 2025 Goose. This is a battle of my #3 v #4 and this almost impossible to pick which I like more. At the end of the day, I can’t get past the spontaneous 2nd ovation following the Mad. I get chills thinking about how cool that was in real time. Sometimes one ovation does not do a song justice. For that reason, I am voting for the Madhuvan as my JOTY of the year.

Thank you to Neal, Ryan and the AAT Pod guys for your huge part in building this community. To those few that are (f)ans of other band(s) and/or brought negativity to this process-cheer up and I hope you find positivity in what it is you enjoy rather than in making others unhappy.

Here’s to an amazing 2026!

You’ll know how I’m voting I’ve criticized Everything Must Go enough.

Madhuvan is my kind of jam!

Been into Goose ever since co-vid when they did that acoustic set on someone’s meadow with sheep sound in the background.

But first timer for JOTY. Loved it, looked forward to it each day, favorite part was the banter among this community. Thanks everyone for a real good time.

Alumni Blues will be back next year for more jams.

Neither of these are it, very sad yall missed the point. I don’t like jams where they are constantly searching for the thing. That’s all these are to me. Sad day in JOTY history. I chose Madhuvan cuz I like the song better. That’s all I have to go on for this🤷🏻‍♀️

I was there with Disco (see below). We were in Milwaukee for these shows - he traveled from Idaho and my son and I from Maryland. So glad we did! It is amazing that we've been texting about these Milwaukee shows for a year and here they are in the championship. The 2/8 show was clearly the best of the run but the Madhuvan was the best song of the run. The EMG was special, but like Disco said, the Big Modern! might have been better... and the Borne, Hunger, Drip in the second set was almost as mindblowing as the Madhuvan on 2/7.

Thanks for this great rerun of 2025 Always Almost There, and like I said last year in New Hampshire - you guys might need to change the name to Always Actually There. Thanks so much!

Madhuvan has been my favorite song since Legend Valley '21 and it's my choice here. Love you all! (even when you voted wrong!)

I'm glad to see EMG here, but it isn't even my favorite jam from that set. It might be more original and unique, but I often skip EMG to get to Big Modern.

People keep talking about the roar at the end of Madhuvan. In 1995, I saw the Grateful Dead play Unbroken Chain for the second time ever (they had busted it out the previous week), and the Charlotte Coliseum lost its collective mind. That is the only thing I can think of as a comparison. The difference is that all the old Deadheads were going crazy because they were hearing a cool song that had sat on the shelf for 20 years. The roar after Madhuvan was the collective realization that we had just had our minds blown. The final seven or so minutes of Madhuvan is the most exhilarating seven minutes of live music I have experienced out of the hundreds of concerts I've been fortunate to attend, so it got my vote.

Thanks for this great JOTY. I work a lot these days, so I tend to overlook the shows I missed. This tournament added some great stuff to my playlist, especially the fantastic GR Dripfield! Cheers!

EMG is a very worthy victor - totally locked in. Brilliant.

This Madhuvan isn't even top 10
for me. Plus it isn't nearly as original. Pieces sound familiar. It doesn't grab at all.

THANK YOU POD and the West Coast Wizard and the Colorado male Madhuvan model for everything. Total mensches

love the new platform. can't wait for next year.

GOOSE!!

Love this band and the fans.

Show up in 2026 with pride. Be proud of who you are. Don't tolerate any kind bigotry or prejudice in Goose spaces. Be Kind. Be good stewards of the scene.

Give people grace. Don't practice selective empathy. No bullying. No mean girl/guy behavior.

Since 2/8 EMG beat GR Madhuvan, and since almost everyone agrees that 2/15 GR Mad > 2/7 Milwaukee Mad, it’s hard to not vote for EMG for the win

Perhaps the most worthy pair of finalists since AWS Perry vs. Mission Arc! These are my #1 (EMG) vs. my #2 (Madh). There's no losing today.

Perhaps that's why today feels so positive and constructive in the comments. Or perhaps it's because we have this awesome platform now (thanks, Neal!). Or maybe it's just because these tournaments rock.

There's always some shenanigans (many fewer this year!), a few moments of heartache as we all grow unusually attached and territorial over our faves, and the occasional sharp barbs. But there's also a huge amount of camaraderie engendered by the tournament. Most of my closest friends in the scene came from the early #BGT days and connections made through the 2021 JOTY. I'd care a hell of a lot less about this band without those folks in my life and the JOTY tournament as important connective tissue. I appreciate you all greatly.

As for the music, I find the tournament most valuable as an organizing principle. The idea that, once a year, all of our subjective favorites get dumped in a pile and shared and put into a process that encourages listening and debate is awesome. We'd all do it a little of it no matter what, but we do more of it because of the tourney. And what an amazing historical record we create. The 6-year E8 playlist is a killer shuffle listen!

A massive hat tip to Ryan, Neal, and Jive — and all the friends of the pod (Wys Lane!) who contribute in their own ways to make this thing what it is. Thank you!

How do I vote for Your Direction?

EMG is outrageously better than this Madhuvan. Not in the same stratosphere. Vote for the clear better jam.

Oh damn. These jams are slugging it out.

Thank you AAT guys for all the hard work and giving us a welcome distraction

I haven’t voted yet, this is so hard.

Madhuvan was 2/7’s jam of the night and jam of the run, which was the run of the year. Maybe 2/8 FITS wasn’t as elegant of a piece of music as 2/8 EMG, but at the show FITS was actually my favorite and most enjoyable jam of 2/8. This is Madhuvan’s championship moment. YouTube views would agree. 38k for MAD vs EMG’s 25k.

Went Madhuvan. EMG is so incredibly good though, really good ending to a great bracket. Thanks everyone at AAT for all the hard work, glad to be apart of this community and discussion.

We all know the real winner should be Masonic Dustin.

What a matchup to end this wonderful tournament. My #2 vs #3 jam. A sonic jam opera through space and time vs a bruising buildup played with impetus. It’s such a hard pick, but I ultimately end up leaning EMG because the band feels a little more loose and patient to me than this Madhuvan. The best part of Madhuvan from about 11:11 gets prematurely cut by Rick at about 15:24. I love the fiery ascension to the peak, but the real gem in this jam comes from that insane buildup, and it may have been my JOTY if they let it breath just a bit longer. Forgive my snobby melomaniacal take, but when you have 2 jams this good you have to be nitpicky in order to come up with a sure winner.

Finally, huge shoutout to everybody at AAT for making this so enjoyable and easy for us. They’ve proved they’re the best in the business and as a community we’re so lucky to have them.

It took a lot of collusion to keep the Wilmington AWS off the podium and it really speaks volumes. Can't believe this is what it comes down to, but I guess ill vote for the tweezer if I have to.

I feel so lucky to have attended this terrific weekend at Miller High Life Theatre, which happened to coincide with my 50th birthday (AND the 2/6 cake poster, thanks Goose)!

Madh was the JOTY after just the second eligible show of 2025. But EMG left me gobsmacked the very next set. It went places and surprised me in the best ways. A rich, fulfilling, and truly in-the-moment jam. Cheers to the winner, it’s gonna be close. And thanks to the organizers of this fun, annual tradition. Well done.

Bring on 2026 Gooooose!

Are ya feelin’ good, Milwaukee?

EMG voters came hard out of the gates after their close AIN matchup.

But the Madhuvan voters are vast and have the numbers. Madhuvan has come back to a single digit gap and has the momentum. You can’t stop this runaway freight train of sithlord Rick energy. Don’t be afraid, give in to the power of the dark side!

Looks like it's gonna be another barn burner...
I decided to vote for my 2nd favorite madhuvan of the year.
Like Neal said in an earlier match-up...maybe the real JOTY was the friends we made along the way.
Excited to start my playlist for 2026!!

This is gonna be a 1 vote margin at the end, isn't it

Yeeehaw one of the easiest votes of the tournament for me!

This Madhu fucking rules SO hard and (in my opinion) came out of the toughest region in this bracket, by far.

Every time this EMG has been in a matchup I've given it a spin with hopes I connect similarly to the rest of the community here that supports it with such immense amounts of stokage, and while I dig it, I just haven't been moved like all y'all. Not a hater though! I mean, the first section is very cool and is followed by a good dark build back to song proper.. pretty sweet for sure but just.. doesn't even touch the ground this Madhuvan covers - it's dark, powerful, cohesive and sprawling. Not a single note or second wasted and I am legitimately blown away every single time I listen.. which I'd assume is the same way lots of you feel about this EMG :)

May the best jam win! Been a pleasure running through this tournament with everyone.

I’ve participated in these since 2022 (2021s year but fairly blinded because of lack of access and time to listen) and the electorate never fails to surprise me. But the reason for that is that everyone gets hit or hears these jams in their own special way. Im not gonna lie. I have never ranked any of the EMG jams even close to the top 10 any year (the two this year, Solshine 24, or RR ‘23). Ironically I was at the debut at Pullman and knew it then and believe it now that the song is a monster, just not as a top tier jam vehicle. The jams are always consistently good but I don’t think they’re great. It is what it is. If EMG made it this far my guess is it will win. I had both winter tours Madhuvans in my top 10 all year. So I’ll be pouring one out for them this time tomorrow and toasting all of you EMG stans. Congrats!

Thanks to AAT for organizing and marketing and being the best stewards for this process and this band we all love

Thanks to all of you for all of your incredible commentary on the jams during the last month plus. It’s been fun.

Have a great ‘26 Goose fans!!!

"I have never seen anything like what happened at the end of the Madhuvan. The room was absolutely frothing with energy, and as the initial wave of cheers started to subside, we all collectively realized we weren't done roaring our appreciation yet. The second swell of absolute raw emotion you can hear in the crowd on the recording can't even begin to match the sense in the room that something incredible had just happened. "

Sim really nails what the room felt like at the end of the Grand Rapids Madhuvan, wow

When you get to this point its pretty much a coin flip, but I don't carry change, so...

I just can't be party to a 3rd Madhuvan JOTY in 6 years. Its like pulling against Bama.... ROLL EMG! 😂

Also, shout out to the AAT krewe. Thank you for making this thing happen! Again! Already looking forward to tracking 2026!

Honored to be in this vote
Feb was Joty

The MKE EMG is easily one of, if not the best jam I relistened to all year. But if I were to pick one 2025 jam to have experienced live, it would undoubtedly be the MKE Madhuvan. Tough choice.

Here's the deal: we all win here, because these are probably the 2 best jams of the year, since we aren't talking about Luna Luna ;)

The EMG is everything I ever hoped an EMG would be, and it's fitting they kicked off 2025 with the new album about to drop with this amazing rendition of it. It was flip flopping back and forth for me all year as the JotY, and the only contender it had IMO was the Madhuvan from the night before.

I have never seen anything like what happened at the end of the Madhuvan. The room was absolutely frothing with energy, and as the initial wave of cheers started to subside, we all collectively realized we weren't done roaring our appreciation yet. The second swell of absolute raw emotion you can hear in the crowd on the recording can't even begin to match the sense in the room that something incredible had just happened.

I frequently joke in the Wysteria Lane chat about jams that make stories unfold in my head as they are happening. The MKE Madhuvan had me trudging through a swamp, spear in hand, as some sort of Toad Mutant from the Thundercats, and then we were all unleashed to storm the Thundercats lair. Epic battles ensued on cliff tops with lightning flashing all around us. Utterly mind blowing and phenomenal in the room, and holds up every single time on a year's worth of re-listens.

The EMG is sooooooo good. But my vote is for Madhuvan. Come join me as we slay the Thundercats once and for all, my friends!

I can't believe I was at these shows.

In the room the Mad was probably the biggest jam of the run.

But EMG has been my #1 since the first relisten. The way Cotter shifts the jam into that moody territory is special, as is the murky build. The return to song brings tears every damn time.

Wow what a finals. Before I go into my vote I want to say a huge thanks to the entire AAT crew for setting this up and volunteering your time to provide such an amazing product for the community. Additional shout outs go to WTED radio, @6R0M7, teddeadjed and the Fem Flock for building our Goose community.

Now for the jams, the EMG is a tour de force of tension building journey. It weaves this tapestry of dark tension as it moves towards a fantastic bending release. I can’t say I’ve ever heard a jam like this from Goose before and maybe it’s a product of the four piece. This jam is a worthy JOTY for sure and ultimately will get my vote.
On the opposing corner is the MKE Madhuvan, a powerhouse of a jam, goes quickly from the disjointed breakdown into this eerie space led by some fun and crazy sounds from Peter’s guitar. Soon a repeating phrase gets brought up, I think Trevor, then the entire band locks into this and builds upon it without losing any momentum and just exploding through the peak. Perhaps the best peak they have ever done? This thing is also a worthy JOTY contender.

The Big Modern after this EMG is better ...

Thanks for running this every year, AAT! What a great community we have. I enjoy making my personal list all year and seeing what makes the cut. EMG all the way on this one! What a beautiful and exploratory jam.

Never miss a Milwaukee run.

Millwaukee FTW!

Ya think they had a little surge of creativity when they went from 5 members to 4?

Long live La Organización

Thanks AAT for another great year.

I thought the 02/15 Madhuvan was gonna be the winner. But this one’s still a close 2nd in my book. One of the longer more sustained peaks this past year! Onslaught of badassery.
Madhuvan for the 3x!

THANK YOU AAT!!! this is something I really look forward to and enjoy. I do not care that it is subjective. It is fun! I love thinking about it all year while I am watching the shows and predicting what might get entered. LOVE THIS COMMUNITY!!!

Thanks AAT crew for another great JOTY season
Super fun this year. Sad it’s over
I only got 1 jam into final 4 this year in my picks. That is this Milwaukee Madhuvan.
It gets my vote today
Cheers everyone!!!

So awesome that we have a MKE vs MKE showdown for JOTY! Being in the room for those shows was my favorite Goose experience ever, and I frequently listen to 2/7 & 2/7 on Nugs to relive the magic and good vibes.

I had to miss my hometown show last year (Chicago), and also missed MSG— feel so grateful that I got to be present in Milwaukee for such an amazing run.

May the best song win! And may there be many other kickass shows in Goose’s—and our— future. 🪿✨

Easiest decision of my life. This EMG is a FRAUD, and should by no means win. Madhuvan all the way!!!!!!!

Seems as good a time to share my non-Goose related and only WI visit story. Had a meeting with Dean at Willy St coop in Madison the morning of 7/20/21, so I flew into MKE the day before, drove into Madison that evening. Dinner @ Graze downtown then State St for a Spotted Cow following a friend's reco. Beautiful city, lively even in July.

I got an email in AM from Brewers the game I had tix for moved earlier, so I had to push my work agenda into high gear. Had a great mtg w Dean at Willy St, visited a bunch of retail w my broker between there and Milwaukee, and we skipped lunch so I could make the game. I'm more of a soccer fan, but I love classic ballparks. Everyone was super kind and in an incredible mood. What I learned from talking to people was Brewers moved because the Bucks not only hosting NBA finals that night, but if they won that game, they would clinch a title for the first time in 50 years.

Left in 8th inning and got back to my hotel to check in, couple was queued before me in Bucks gear. I asked if they were going to the game, they said they were going down to the Deer District so I asked if I could share an uber. I learned this wonderful man Mark had overcome cancer and they were in town from Appleton to soak it in. We took an uber down and the rest is history. Bucks won, huge celebration and fireworks in the street for hours. I got them on their first ever city bus back to the hotel and after going to bed around 3a I flew out at 7a, hungover AF. Wisconsin!

I love how this is coming down to two of the first shows of the year. That's super cool. Every song and every show last year was just a fun ride. I loved 2025 Goose- saw my first show (Iowa City)! and the four piece was rocking. I'm excited to see where they head this year and the journey this amazing group takes us all on- to love and enjoy the music.
Thank you to EVERYONE that organized this "tournament!"
#TEAMMAD

Thank you to AAT for this website! So much better/easier to vote and comment than previous years. Thanks for all the work!

Also thanks to all you honkers who participated, I have enjoyed reading your comments... and dare I say disagreeing with your opinions! ;-)

For me, this is an easy vote for Madhuvan! One of my favorites all year long, and now I get to vote for it for JOTY.

Regardless of what you vote for, let us appreciate GOOSE..... and.... the Miller High Life Theater! Perhaps the MHLT may be the secret ingredient in the JOTY formula for this year. For those that don't know, the Miller High Life Theater is an INDEPENDENTLY owned and operated venue. If you were at the shows, you know it is a beautiful place, and the staff (Pabst Theater Group) treats you very well there. I know the band has mentioned in podcasts how much they loved the place, and maybe that helped produce some JOTY contenders. Livenation is opening a new venue in Milwaukee and (unsurprisingly and not coincidentally) there was just a report commissioned to say that the MHLT should be demolished. F*ck Livenation, f*ck Landmark Credit Union Live, long live the MHLT.... and I can only hope and pray that Goose returns to the Miller High Life Theater very very very soon! Milwaukee & Wisco loves you Goose!!!

What a great tournament!!!! Thanks to those who pulled this together. I was so great to have the community come together. JOTY!!!!!!

Selfishly voted for the Westville AIN (attendance bias is REAL) -- however, after multiple listens to that exquisite EMG...just wow. Now it's up against the MONSTERhuvan of all Madhuvans..... how does one decide?!? I always tell people Milwaukee is a highly underrated city and they should get there at least once...I am envious of those who got these 2 beauts on back-to-back nights!! Both are equally deserving... Pete, if you're reading this....give us a Honeybee in St. Augustine -- asking for a friend. Literally. LFGOOOOOSE!

What a beautiful show, excellent jam and gorgeous song. I would love to see EMG win JOTY.

First of all, great job by everyone that put so much work into the improved approach to the bracket. It's been so easy to vote and monitor status updates and leave/read comments. Bravo. I wish there hadn't been so many shenanigans along the way, but the bottom line is I truly believe we ended up with the correct final matchup. Two outstanding jams from an outstanding run.

In the end I'm going with EMG. It spent much of the year at the top of my list, and even though it didn't end up there when it came time to submit my bracket, from the start of the touring year until now it was my most consistently respected jam of 2025.

Thank you Neal et all!

My favorite part of this final is that it increases the prospects of an MKE official release in the future :) Such a historic run!!

Thanks to you, Neal, and crew for undertaking this tournament every year. I know it's sometimes a headache, but you do a great job managing the headaches and keeping us steady through stormy weather. This my third year with the JOTYS (improbably pronounced JOATYS!), and it's been the best so far.

I really think these are the best two jams of the year representing the best two styles of jamming. EMG is a beautiful explorative narrative that twists and turns and wanders on a beautiful journey. And this Mad just is just mindblowing and goes hard as fuck. I’m voting for Mad because it has never failed to make me think “what the fuck Rick. How are you even doing this” no matter how many times I listen or watch it. He was locked the fuck in and I can’t think of an example of him shredding harder and faster for that length of time. That talent is what brought me into this community and what makes me stay. The display of talent from everyone in this Mad is unbelievable and I don’t think it’s matched in any other jam. Shoutout to Peter carrying the middle section by bringing the creepy and metal vibes - I hope they keep doing that in the future.

I think the crowd reaction during this Mad says it all. You can literally hear a surge of amazement in the final peak and the double round of applause at the end just confirms how special everyone in that room knew that jam was. By far my most listened to jam of the year.

Trevor, Peter, Cotter, Rick, if anyone of you read this I want you to know you make my life a lot better. Thank you! And thank you to the pod for putting this on, I love reading everyone’s opinions, it makes me hear each jam in a different way.

LAST VOTE:

The 2/15 and 2./7 Madhuvans were both top of my JOTY list. The 2/15 was the #1 for most of the year. Then, during the tourney, the 2/7 surpassed it for me. But it's since switched back. Despite that, this 2/7 Mad is a great JOTY.

The EMG, to my ears, is a bit overhyped. I liked the 2/13 slightly better. Still both incredible versions (that topped my A tier of JOTY).

However, both Madhuvans were S tier.

Shocked the championship comes from Milwaukee only and not Grand Rapids.

That said, easy Madhuvan pick here.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated. So far 1025 unique accounts have voted, which is remarkable. JOTY is truly special to me. The 2020 bracket had a huge hand in fostering my love of this band. Not because it was a competition, but because it was a unifying event that brought people together to listen to music and chew the fat. I never would have imagined then what this thing would become and I'm truly grateful for all of it, especially the friendships made along the way.

Special shoutout to WTED radio for the support, nugs, the folks who filled the comment section with thoughtful and engaging discourse EVERY DAY, 6R0M7 for all his hard work behind the scenes, TedDeadJed and Maxine for their support on FB and Insta, Ryan for being a tireless JOTY campaigner, Brian because people don't know about JiveGoose, and YOU for being here in the comments section reading this. ✌️🧡

Thanks to everyone at AAT for setting all this up and for making the Nugs playlists. I have the Sweet 16 playlist downloaded to my phone to play on repeat during my commute time. Both these jams are great, but the EMG nearly moves me to tears every time. Gorgeous.

It’s Friday Peter vs Saturday Peter!

My favorite thing about JOTY is thinking about future fans of this band discovering jams and hopefully reading some of the comments under these matchups. Isaac, Los Feliz Ghost, and others putting perfectly into words some of what I feel when I listen to my favorites. Shoutout to the AAT team for making this happen. The website is an incredible upgrade.

EMG has been my JOTY since the moment it happened but can't really go wrong with either of these. Listened to both last night for the first time in a while. The crowd reaction after the Madhuvan is something else and an undeniably big moment -- feels almost like a "fuck yeah this band is fine if we're moving forward as a 4-piece" roar.

Can't wait for Spring tour!

Whatever the outcome in this finals-worthy match (go, EMG!), the real champion is Goedde. Brilliant, varied use of the double light curtain — perfectly matched to musical themes. EMG with subtle emotional shape-shifting and Madh with sharper, more aggressive attack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9FC2ruOexI

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

@seekers and anyone else that's just seeing my plug for the Covers project, you dont need social media its just I have most info on my instagram. There's also a thread on the Wysteria Lane forums titled "Goose Covered 2025 Project!" with details and links as well. Trying to get all lists in by 2/26!

Oh links work here? Here's the link to the Wysteria thread:
https://community.wysterialane.org/t/goose-covered-2025-project/5295

EMG was my #2 overall seed and gets my vote here over the 2nd best Madhuvan of the year. Both are great jams and we’re all winners getting the opportunity to listen to this band regardless of the vote outcome. Thanks again to the AAT guys for putting this together!

In a perfect world this final would be Milwaukee Everything Must Go vs Grand Rapids Madhuvan

But either way, I vote EMG

I love both of these Madh's dearly (one just a hair more than the other) but my top 3 for the year were as follows and I'm going chalk here

#1 MKE EMG
#2 GR Madh
#3 MKE Madh

Everyone did a great job of seeding this year. And voting. A truly vicious Final 4. Props to the AAT Pod guys and 6R0M7 for putting in all the leg work. And props to all of y'all for being awesome and getting involved

Until 2026! May the best JOTY win

First of all, thank you to the fine folks at AAT for putting this on, I think we all look forward to it so much!

Sounding like a broken record, but still going with Madhuvan. The EMG was great as well, was present for both of these, and the peak and the transition from from dark to light gives me goosebumps and makes me teary eyed every single time, a top 5 joty for me all year long. However, while others may have preferred the GR Mad, this Madhuvan was the bees knees to me all year long and I feel like its peak(s) very much hold their own up against the EMG but I also feel like the journey it takes you on is more varied and dynamic and the little additions from both Peter and Trevor driving and informing things on this journey are what puts it over the top. Can’t go wrong and will not be unhappy with either of these winning, but just cannot get over how much this Madhuvan makes me want to run thru a brick wall, the full band chemistry on display, and Rick just ripping a hole thru the fabric of the universe the last 5-7 minutes

It’s bittersweet to be posting the final comment of this year’s competition. I always enjoy having this to look forward to after the holidays, and love spending time listening to, analyzing, debating, and ranking the best stuff to come across the stage from the past year.

HUGE shoutout to Ryan, Neal, Brian, Kevin, and anyone else on the AAT Pod team that helped to put this all together. I am sure there’s more work and more stress associated with all of this than most of us know. The changes that have been made to this year’s tournament are the best yet! Another huge shoutout to all of you who have voted, and posted comments. I’ve literally read every one of them, and love the passion for the music and the wealth of knowledge this group brings to the table.

While my top jams didn’t even make it to the Final Four (GR Madhuvan, Boise Rosewood, Columbus Wysteria, Bend Thatch)… I think we hit pretty close to the bullseye with these two fighting it out for the title. While I didn’t have the EMG as high in my picks, I’ve listened to it a ton, and have grown to appreciate it even more. I totally understand why so many love it, and if it prevails… I will celebrate it! If the Milwaukee Madhuvan triumphs… it is close enough to my top pick in its vibe that I feel it to be a good “consolation prize” (I’m just bummed that I can’t say I was present for the Jam of the Year).

I look forward to seeing y’all out there this year! Bring on 2026!

Maybe one of the hardest votes, sufficient for the finals. However, it is out of a lack of enthusiasm for either jam. These are both excellent jams but neither one do I find myself casually relistening to. These are almost just analytically good jams as analytical as music can get. Neither elicit the feelings that the Westville AIN or CBus Wysteria but the dark broodiness doesn't hit me like the 6/4 Wysteria or Gilford FITS.

Excited to relisten and hopefully have this comment be rendered obsolete but happy voting and thanks again to the AAT team for putting this together!

EMG 👑
A Truly Triumphant Jam!! 🙌🏽

Another huge thank you to Neal & the AAT guys for this. It was my first year and had a blast, hope my comments weren’t too annoying.

Let’s (Everything Must) GOOOOOOOO !

EMG! It took down my AIN

Now we Stan EMG

Congrats to the AAT team on the best JOTY yet and for bringing us all together for this 99+% positive community experience!!

This EMG is a deep exploration worthy of the finals. Beautiful stuff.

It felt like the band was shot out of a cannon for this whole winter run, and especially this entire MKE run. The freedom and joy they played with as a four piece was noticeable from the opening Rockdale. There was also tension and dark energy lurking. It was felt and it was powerful.

This all came together for its highest point during the night 2 MKE Madhuvan. The most raucous crowd energy was felt during this Madhuvan.

This dark energy Madhuvan played with new found freedom was the high point of the best 3 night run in the band’s history, and it is most certainly the 2025 JOTY.

FINALS TIME BABY!!!

Huge thank you to EVERYONE who participated in this year's JOTY - no matter what wins here, this has absolutely been the best bracket yet and we're so grateful to this community for getting involved!

Let's go EMG!