(1) All I Need - 06/29/2025 vs. (9) Animal - 02/06/2025

Yeah, this was probably the most lopsided matchup so far...really good Animal, great AIN.

Wise words below from DaveTheWise - 100% agreed

Two wonderful bliss jams. It’s nice to compare jams on a similar vibe, that being said, All I Need outshines Animal for me.
This bliss jam seems different to me, more cohesive and with a vision than Animal’s. It felt as if the instruments were children playing together on a playground. Pure, innocent, and unified, coming together in a game of tag. I feel lifted every time I listen to this AIN. I was lucky enough to be here live for this jam and it MOVED me, thru me, within me, around me, and still does thru my own speakers. Something just seems different about it! Maybe it is my attendance bias, but AIN is JOTY for me on so many levels.
The beginning of this Animal was nassstyyyyy. That funky vibe was awesome, I kind of hoped it went into the jam a little more than it did. This jam felt less cohesive and dare I say a little ~too~ Goose. Kinda just sounds like everyone is in their own bliss supporting Rick….
Hoping to get AIN thru to the end!

Attendance bias vs attendance bias. Going with Animal, because I still can’t believe this kind-of-mid AIN is a 1 seed

LOLanimal

They pinned my two favorites against one another! Hard to choose a favorite, and both have very special places in my heart!

AIN really bright at the end, although it kind of feels like it goes through the motions in a similar way that goosemas madhuvan does. I like how assertive trevor was in '25 but his choices as to how make me question whether that is a good thing going forward. i said many times that he hijacked a jam and this is one where i feel thats what happened, he goes dissonant then funk happy (best part of the jam, the rolling mike gordon style waterfall notes) but then Rick tries to get out of that by going to a safe and often touched bliss spot and theyre on autopilot. they RIP it once there but cant help but feel in the moment this was a shoehorned jam where they forced each other rather than listened for the way then opted for the easy way out. wasnt really on my radar, my best friend mentioned to me that it was their joty and i was truly shocked had never considered that. it holds up for sure but something is off.

Ive listened to this Animal countless times this year and that means alot toward my voting. Top 10 jam for me bc i remember it vividly in the moment and after the run as among the highlights. Its just straight unhinged gas and keeps on going into a space that makes my body and mind free and easy. I love how the whole band locks in and keeps momentum going and it never once gets boring. dancing like a sprite even thinking about this party out of nowhere. When Peter comes in w the organ or whatever...stirring! And then another few minutes to hammer it home. PHENOMENAL!

i'm sure i've listened to this Animal wayyy too many and i still absolutely love it. But AIN is so freaking good, beautiful sunday bliss. Thankful to witness in person

That's a great way to look at AIN Los Feliz Ghost - agreed 100%!

Voting AIN here, but not by much. It's a beautiful and singular jam, but... I don't know. I'm surprised that folks see such a gap between these two jams. If this Animal jam had been played out of AIN at Westville while Rick was wearing a JOTY shirt, what seed would it be? I hate to play that card, but I think context matters here. (And we have pretty strong evidence that it does in this case, as Goose played this AIN jam the week prior in Echo at Mountain Jam, and that jam didn't even make the bracket.) Oh well. #endrant.

All that being said, I do think this AIN jam is beautiful and arresting, and I do think it's worthy of the sweet 16 (even if I didn't have it ranked in my top 16). I also love that it came out of AIN, which rarely has a delicate bliss build like this one.

Were it not for the fact that it ran into this behemoth, Animal makes my Sweet 16.

Sadly(?) the AIN is amazing and deserves all the love. But listen to the Animal before it gets blown out: it's fantastic.

I'm gonna ride or die with the All I Need till it end. Attendance bias and I don't care! :)

All I Need at the Music Bowl jam was 🔥

This Animal wasn’t really on my radar when I submitted my picks, but the more I listened to it, the more I understood how it made the cut (although I am still a bigger fan of the Animal from a week later in Grand Rapids). I was in Cleveland for the Madhuvan that it beat-out last round and was kinda surprised initially… but after reading all the comments and seeing all the love there is for this Animal… it all makes sense (plus… I get the whole “Madhuvan Fatigue” component). Unfortunately, this Animal will probably be heading home after today. All I Need is equally blissful, and just goes stronger… although I don’t have it ranked nearly as high as others do (I think I had it as my number 11 pick). Tip of the hat to one of the better versions of Animal… that ranks up there with my personal favorite from Brussels back in ‘23.

Easily AIN.

Great Animal, but this AIN is the JOTY. AIN is an amazing jam from start to finish and it's also a perfect pick to sum up a year where Rick looked to Trevor's bass to inspire the jam.

Really great Animal here, I was glad to see it advance. It should rightfully be slaughtered by this AIN. Just leaps and bounds better, and I'm not even the biggest fluffer of this jam.

Strictly my opinion here, but this is my biggest dud matchup of the Round of 32 - ironic cause I was lucky enough to be at both of these shows and neither one does it for me in terms of Sweet 16 (or better) quality.

Absolutely love this gorgeous AIN - patience, beauty, and a phenomenal sustained peak

Animal does the Animal thing and it's a great Rick guitar solo, which we all know people love. Not a particularly tough contest here in a battle of improvisational strength imo

This AIN gets my vote because it’s all about patience and flow. The band lets the jam unfold naturally—moving from spacious, introspective grooves into a light, propulsive build without ever forcing a peak. The dynamics breathe, the interplay stays tight, and the gradual lift feels fully earned. The seamless transition into SALT seals it, making the whole jam feel purposeful, complete, and incredibly satisfying.

Two super fun songs, Animal got such a great run in 2025 and deserves a lot more listens, but AIN is the truth