My Top Five Favourite Tracks - Ross Learmonth

After two decades fronting one of South Africa’s most celebrated rock exports, Ross Learmonth is firmly carving out his own path...

Formerly the unmistakable voice of Prime Circle, Ross has spent the past few years redefining his sound, reconnecting with songwriting on a deeply personal level—and in the process, reminding us why his music continues to transcend borders.

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | Photo by Tegan Smith

Blending heart-on-sleeve storytelling with anthemic pop-rock flair, Ross Learmonth’s sound sits comfortably alongside artists like Hozier, Harry Styles, Imagine Dragons, Jeremy Loops, and Matthew Mole—balancing raw emotional weight with vibrant hooks and layered production. His solo work has already earned widespread acclaim across South African media, with singles 'Honey', 'Because of You', and 'Opposites' all charting on some of the country’s biggest radio stations and landing major Apple Music playlists. His signature sound—anchored in powerful vocals and thoughtful lyrics—is driven by a rich pallet of instrumentation, including guitar, piano, synths, drums, and bass, offering a dynamic yet grounded listening experience that resonates across borders.

We had the opportunity to chat with Ross Learmonth surrounding his biggest influences and his top five tracks - getting to know the mind behind the melody...

It’s tough to narrow it down to just five because my favourites are always shifting depending on the mood I’m in or whatever I’ve been listening to lately. But if I had to pick, one song that’s always stood the test of time for me would be ‘Heard It Through the Grapevine’ by Marvin Gaye. That track is just timeless – I can listen to it on repeat, no matter what kind of mood I’m in.

I’m also a huge Coldplay fan, and their songwriting is just incredible. A couple of my favourites from them would be ‘Viva la Vida’ and ‘The Scientist’. Funny enough, I’ve been playing a cover of ‘The Scientist’ in my setlist recently, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser.

Then there’s ‘River’ by Leon Bridges. It’s one of those songs that I really wish I had written myself. The first time I played it on guitar for my dad, he actually teared up and said, ‘That’s the best song you’ve ever written, boy!’ I had to break it to him that it wasn’t mine, but it’s such a beautiful song, and everyone I’ve shared it with has loved it.

Now, my music taste is pretty broad, so this next one might be a bit unexpected, but I’m a big fan of ‘Nobody Died From Love’ by Tove Lo. I just love everything about it – the melody, the vibe, and even the music video. I stumbled upon her during lockdown while I was deep into one of my music rabbit holes, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Benee is another female artist that I discovered during lockdown, alongside Soccer Mommy - so for a big part of lockdown, I spent listening to these new female artists and I’ve just been so inspired. 

So yeah, those are just a few that have really stuck with me over time. It’s hard to pick just five, but these are definitely the ones that stand out.