A BUNCH OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT during this Halloween week, so let's get to it.
As many had predicted, Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" heads back to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in a week that actually had some action in the top 10. The song thus logs its 25th week at the top, extending its record. It's the seventh time the song has risen to the top spot, which has to be a record. It also puts a three week "cushion" over the second longest-running song, that being Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas is You", which has accumulated 22 weeks over the past seven holiday seasons, and no doubt will add to that total in just over a month from now.
The song came back to the top despite two debuts and a big mover in the top 5. Tate McRae's "Housewife", which I mentioned last week as one of the possibilities to top the chart, debuted at #2, while country singer Zach Bryan entered at #4 with "Lies" that features Lana Del Rey. Bryan also had numerous debuts throughout the Hot 100 in an album drop. In between, we have Olivia Rodrigo's "Expectation" jumping from #63 to #3, thanks to a new remix with Chappell Roan. With both singers among the hottest in the pop world in recent years, it wouldn't be a surprise for this to eventually top the chart. Meanwhile last week's #1, "Patient Zero" by Taylor Swift, which led for the past three weeks, drops to #5.
There are still no Halloween songs on the chart; unlike the Christmas season, they usually land during the week after Halloween (the chart date usually is about a week or two lag behind the actual streaming and airplay action). Because of the activity, Tame Impala's "Dracula", featuring JENNIE, which some tabbed to possibly take the top spot, is pushed back to #8.
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| Jay-Z has been tapped as this year's performer for the Super Bowl Halftime show. |
CAN I GET A....? It was announced this week that rapper Jay-Z will be the featured performer at this year's upcoming Super Bowl in February. It continues a streak in which hip-hop performers have been primarily featured as the halftime performers this decade. Of course, by some, it was more grumbling, and yours truly had chimed in. A friend posted (which it looks like it has been deleted) about this. I had commented that this would be the third year in a row that a hip-hop performer was featured, and why can't other genres, in particular country which has been dominating the charts lately, be featured. Shania Twain was the last country performer doing the halftime show, way back in 2003.
Another Facebook friend challenged me on my comment, showing proof that hip-hop is still a presence on the Billboard charts, accounting for 21 percent, second only to 33 percent for pop. It's not a secret that the genre isn't among my favorites, and it really hasn't been for thirty years. For the most part, it's developed into the same backbeat with the rapping jammed in between many of those beats. Having said that, I do like some of them, like SZA, as a recent example. It has a long history in popular music. But I stated that this would be the third year in a row that a hip-hop performer was featured, following Bad Bunny last year and Kendrick Lamar two years ago. Usher, the performer in 2024 also has hip-hop credentials, although he is mainly in the R&B realm. The last pure pop performer was Rihanna in 2022. Wouldn't it be good to mix it up?
That commenter on that thread took me to task, defending the choice of Jay-Z, and mentioned the performers who aren't hip-hop that performed recently. But the debate then focused on Bad Bunny; that person claimed that he isn't hip-hop. The Puerto Rican performer, while specializing in other genres like salsa, reggaeton and Latin pop, is indeed a rapper. Heck, his Wikipedia page also lists Latin hip-hop. So, this is a situation where we can agree to disagree. We did come to an agreement that a multi-genre show with other performers participating would be an idea compromise. And actually, this has happened many times before.
After that, I went back and checked the past halftime performers. While there is a current streak of some point for hip-hop, going back to the 2010's there was the same for pure pop performers. Starting with 2012, we had, in succession, Madonna, Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, and Maroon 5. And don't forget that string of classic rock performers from 2005 to 2010 including Paul McCartney, Prince, The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones.
And the halftime shows are pretty much presented in spectacle form; while I wasn't a fan of Bad Bunny, for example, I did enjoy his show last year. And Jay-Z is a legend in the genre, so he does deserve a turn here, especially since many of the performers have been around a while. And while I would have loved to see more current pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, I'm sure that will come. And I am sure that there will be supporting acts added as well to the bill.
But the one remaining issue is, "why no country?". As mentioned earlier, that genre hasn't showed up as a featured performer since 2003, despite dominating the charts (there are four country songs in the top ten this week). Is it because, contrary to the other featured genres, that genre is perceived to be more "right-wing" politics-wise? Food for thought.
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| "Shirley You're Kidding" by The Mac Daddy's Band, hits the top spot on the SNS 100 this week. |
SNS 100: We have a new #1 song on my chart this week, "Shirley, You're Kidding" by The Mac Daddy's Band, which moves from #3 last week. It's the second #1 for the beach music-oriented band, following last year's "Seaside In the Sand". It's also the third blog-chart topper for its lead singer, Michael Fite, which includes his duet with Deb Browning, "I Never Wanted To". As mentioned earlier, Fite will be departing the Daddy's to join The Pink Slips beginning in 2027. The song had much of the North Myrtle beach music artists behind this, including production, songwriting and the cool video, and it paid off. The song is a fun romp with an underlying message about excessive drinking. and has been performing well on other beach music charts, including a #9 on John Hook's Beach Music Top 40 listing. I also have to add that this is the second #1 song this year to mention beach music deejay and performer Jim Quick; he was also mentioned in Vaughan Penn's "Bands on the Beach" which hit the top a few months back.
Sam Fender and Olivia Dean's "Rein Me In", #1 for the past two stanzas, drops to #2. Unfortunately, the song couldn't make traction on the Hot 100 and was removed this week due to the recurrent rule. "Monster" by The Womack Sisters, is at #3, down from #2, but the top three songs are still very tight and any of those three could take the throne next week. Completing the top five are The Jay Vons' "Want You Tomorrow" moving from #8 to #4 for the band's sixth straight top five from 2019's The Word set. If my memory serves me correctly, that's just the second album to produce six top five songs, following Fitz and the Tantrums' More Than Just a Dream. And Sir Prize and the Twomorrow Knightz' "Hilltop High" moves 7 to 5.
New to the Top 10 is Marlisa Kay Small's "In Way Over My Heart", jumping from 17 to 10. In the second ten, The Womack Sisters' former #1 "If I Let You" resurges 15-12 as someone posted the song on the WNEW-FM radio page (which salutes the New York City progressive rock formatted station).
There are no new entries in the top 20, thus Colorjoy's "Woman", with the greatest point gainer within the twenty grabs the Impact award (20-15). Further down, Maggie Rose's "The Mission" garners the Mover of the Week honor (75-50).
DEBUTS: The new entries are led by Colorjoy's second release from the band's upcoming Carve Me Out set, "To The Ground", entering at #71. Unlike the rocking "Women", this is more of a slower-tempo ballad with Emily MacMahon's vocal the standout. Once again, the move of this band to a quartet has added much depth to the texture of the music, and it's exampled best in this emotional song that still rocks with the guitar work. Definitely in the alt-rock mode. This is the last pre-released track before the album drops in a couple of weeks.
Next is the latest release from Internetters Orbis Max, "The Penny Man". This one is in sort of a "rockin' blues" groove that swings, rocks and rolls along. All the contributors to the song sound like they're enjoying themselves. The tempo reminds me of Aerosmith's "Big Ten-Inch Record" as a comparison example. Another winner for Dw Dunphy and the gang as it debuts at #77.
Jeff James has been performing all around North Myrtle Beach and is well known in beach music circles. He has his first entry on SNS as "First" debuts at #80. While I have never met him, I was actually within a few feet of him last year at Captain Archie's listening to The Mac Daddy's Band. This is a nice boogie-oriented swing/beach song with a country flair. Co-penned by Sylvia Johns Ritchie, it's already making noise at the Strand and has a shot here as well.
I added two pop hits that stormed into the Hot 100 this week: Tate McRae's "Housewife" (#86) is straight in the current pop mode but as the song gets going, you start to get hooked on it, while Olivia Rodrigo's "Expectation" (#88), in a new mix that features Chappell Roan, has a cool piano-oriented intro and the texture is very addictive. It's pop, of course, but has some dance and even alternative overtones. Debuting in between at #87 is Twin Fin's "Gasoline", has that southern rock tone that echoes bands like Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers and Pepper Creek. Several spins will clinch this one.
Further down is Michael Nau's "New Slack" at #95. Nau's "No Quit" from several years back became a huge popular blog hit last year, but his more recent material didn't do it for me. The new one is a bit better; a steady mid-tempo beat drives this one. It reminds me of the 90's band Eels, specifically "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues".
BUBBLING: Two songs that previously charted come back onto the Tremors listing: Tame Impala's "Dracula" and David F. Porfirio's "The Drifter". "Dracula" as mentioned above has a new mix with K-Popper JENNIE that has been a fixture in the Hot 100 Top 10, with Halloween arriving giving it another look; and "The Drifter" has an "alternative guitar mix" giving it another look. If either or both subsequently enter the SNS 100, it will count as the original song regarding weeks on the chart since in both cases it's not a new recording.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
October 25, 2026
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
3 |
NUMBER ONE:  (Single Release) |
10 |
|
2 |
1 |
12 |
|
|
3 |
2 |
9 |
|
|
4 |
8 |
9 |
|
|
5 |
7 |
15 |
|
|
6 |
4 |
13 |
|
|
7 |
9 |
15 |
|
|
8 |
5 |
14 |
|
|
9 |
10 |
10 |
|
|
10 |
17 |
6 |
|
|
11 |
6 |
12 |
|
|
12 |
15 |
16 |
|
|
13 |
13 |
12 |
|
|
14 |
16 |
12 |
|
|
15 |
20 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  "Woman" Album: Carve Me Out |
3 |
|
16 |
11 |
13 |
|
|
17 |
12 |
11 |
|
|
18 |
14 |
13 |
|
|
19 |
18 |
25 |
|
|
20 |
19 |
8 |
|
|
21 |
27 |
3 |
|
|
22 |
23 |
9 |
|
|
23 |
26 |
5 |
|
|
24 |
24 |
10 |
|
|
25 |
22 |
40 |
|
|
26 |
21 |
15 |
|
|
27 |
30 |
11 |
|
|
28 |
25 |
10 |
|
|
29 |
40 |
Nicole Willis
and the Soul Investigators - If This Ain't Love (I Don't Know What Is) |
3 |
|
30 |
32 |
6 |
|
|
31 |
29 |
34 |
|
|
32 |
35 |
14 |
|
|
33 |
37 |
6 |
|
|
34 |
33 |
10 |
|
|
35 |
46 |
4 |
|
|
36 |
28 |
17 |
|
|
37 |
41 |
7 |
|
|
38 |
44 |
6 |
|
|
39 |
36 |
13 |
|
|
40 |
48 |
7 |
|
|
41 |
63 |
2 |
|
|
42 |
51 |
5 |
|
|
43 |
42 |
29 |
|
|
44 |
34 |
19 |
|
|
45 |
50 |
5 |
|
|
46 |
47 |
8 |
|
|
47 |
52 |
5 |
|
|
48 |
31 |
12 |
|
|
49 |
65 |
2 |
|
|
50 |
75 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Half-Moon |
2 |
|
51 |
62 |
3 |
|
|
52 |
38 |
11 |
|
|
53 |
55 |
5 |
|
|
54 |
39 |
11 |
|
|
55 |
59 |
5 |
|
|
56 |
43 |
11 |
|
|
57 |
54 |
26 |
|
|
58 |
45 |
14 |
|
|
59 |
60 |
6 |
|
|
60 |
66 |
4 |
|
|
61 |
58 |
7 |
|
|
62 |
49 |
11 |
|
|
63 |
67 |
6 |
|
|
64 |
69 |
4 |
|
|
65 |
68 |
4 |
|
|
66 |
76 |
4 |
|
|
67 |
53 |
14 |
|
|
68 |
56 |
17 |
|
|
69 |
57 |
21 |
|
|
70 |
80 |
3 |
|
|
71 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  Album: Carve Me Out |
1 |
|
72 |
87 |
2 |
|
|
73 |
78 |
7 |
|
|
74 |
79 |
6 |
|
|
75 |
91 |
2 |
|
|
76 |
61 |
Sylvia Johns
Ritchie and Doyle Wood - I've Got the Just Can't Help Its |
25 |
|
77 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
78 |
97 |
2 |
|
|
79 |
86 |
4 |
|
|
80 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
81 |
64 |
15 |
|
|
82 |
77 |
28 |
|
|
83 |
98 |
2 |
|
|
84 |
73 |
18 |
|
|
85 |
90 |
5 |
|
|
86 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
87 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
88 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
89 |
70 |
7 |
|
|
90 |
95 |
3 |
|
|
91 |
72 |
5 |
|
|
92 |
85 |
23 |
|
|
93 |
81 |
12 |
|
|
94 |
89 |
5 |
|
|
95 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
96 |
74 |
8 |
|
|
97 |
102 |
1 |
|
|
98 |
71 |
13 |
|
|
99 |
88 |
20 |
|
|
100 |
94 |
8 |
Tremors:
101. Morgan Wallen - Been By Now
102. Tame Impala ft JENNIE - Dracula
103. David F. Porfirio - The Drifter (Alternate Guitar Mix)
104. Grace Potter - Belong
Tremors: Songs which have steady or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.
Murmurs:
Murmurs: Songs which are in the queue for future adds onto the Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist.
|
Songs with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week
●Songs garnering 25 plays on Spotify (“Scrobbles”) according to Last.Fm (effective October 2024) ▲ Songs garnering 50 plays.
Songs on the SNS 100 are included on the following public Spotify playlists
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves Top 40: Contains songs in positions 1-40 on the SNS 100
Scenes 41-100 and Newbies Songs in Positions 41-100 on the SNS 100 plus new additions
Scenes Recurrents: Songs which had been in the top 20 and/or songs on the chart 25 weeks or more, that have dropped off the SNS 100.
(Rob Sheldon is a music fan who has followed music trends the past 60 years, and covers new and classic music, specializing in pop, rock, alternative, beach, soul and country genres). He can be contacted at rsheldonx4804@gmail.com
