Now, what do I mean by "damage"? Well, that can be taken in two different ways. One way would be that it put less importance on the music (including writing and performing songs), and more on the visual aspects. Fittingly, "Video Killed the Radio Star", as popularized by The Buggles two years earlier, launched the music cable channel. It wasn't the release "so-and-so's" new single, it was their new VIDEO. You didn't necessarily have to have talent; but if your video made the mark, you were in.
But, there's another way that it did damage in a sense, at least if you were a top 40 music fan during the sixties and/or seventies. It essentially took popular music that young adults had been following since their youth and gave it back back to the kids. Let me explain. The top 40 going back to the birth of Rock'n'Roll, to the British Invasion and the garage-rock and Motown hits of the mid 60's, and even to the FM album-oriented rock in the first half of the 70's was all about the kids....those growing up shelling out money for the latest single or album. Nostalgia for older music centered on when we were kids growing up. More often than not, the artists themselves, if not the themes of the songs, were by and about being a teenager, young love, school days, etc.
As the 70's went on, that all changed. Music became sophisticated, more grown-up. The term "Kiddie-rock pop" (as some of my friends called it), was the exception rather than the norm, was frowned-upon...and embarassing to admit liking. The music audience....FM rock, but Top 40 as well, skewed older. People who liked a big hit from 1966 also listened to similar hits, albeit in a more adult vein, in 1980. Yes, there was disco, but even that was a phenomenon enjoyed by young adults (remember you had to be of age to get into those nightclubs). New artists and new genres found it hard to be accepted.
That is, until MTV came along, although not immediately. About the first year or so, things were status quo. The top 40 was really Adult Contemporary in disguise...artists like Air Supply and Christopher Cross dominated the charts, artists from the 60's and early 70's, like Don McLean and Gary "US" Bonds, had hits again...if you grew up in the sixties, you'd probably still like early 80's Adult music played on those same top 40 stations (which, like WABC, actually morphed into Adult Contemporary stations). MTV itself was like a album-oriented rock station...focusing on many rock artists, but not pop. They did feature some cutting-edge artists on the New Wave genre...one that started in the mid 70's but was pretty much stifled by the establishment, (save for Blondie and eventually The Police)....artists like The Ramones and Elvis Costello couldn't make more than a small dent in the charts between 1977 and early 1982 (the disco backlash in late '79 yielded some new rock music like "My Sharona", but just a few months later, radio focused on adults rather than kids).
But MTV finally wedged a crack in that armour....by the end of 1982, top 40 made a big comeback with songs that may finally have turned off a baby boomer...their 25 year reign was coming to an end. New wave, a second British invasion, synth-pop, even Heavy Metal, started getting airplay again. Like it or not, it was fresh.
That was escalated a step further in 1983 with the breakthough of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean". It's pretty much been stated that this was the video and song that broke the so-called 'color barrier' (very few African-American artsts received exposure on the channel up until then, and the ones that did were little-known, like Fun Boy Three or Garland Jeffreys), but it also broke the 'pop barrier'. It become OK to play a pop song again...and there were loads of them in 1983, possible the best year in pop music since the early seventies.
The rest of the eighties were an interesting era, and looking back, a load of fun. Lots of "hair-metal" and "arena" pop/rock, dance (freestyle) music, old-school rap, and of course the obligatory ballads. Popular music went back into a rut in the 1990's and this time, videos couldn't save them (MTV pretty much stopped playing them anyway, although they aired on MTV2). The current youth-era of pop music did regenerate in early 1997 and continues to this day...although probably more because of the Internet than any music channel.
Paul Simon once sang in his Graceland song "The Boy in the Bubble": "It's every generation that throws a hero up the pop charts"...and although I don't like about 80% of what's out there now....no doubt the teens do...it always happens that way. Give me the sixties anytime (or post 80s and current alternative rock and yes, even a bit country---although don't tell anyone I said that). But on the pop scene, MTV is still a part, if only because of its annual VMA awards, where apparently anything can still happen, and does...
SOUNDRAVES 100: It could have been the exposure last week on Renegade Nashville Radio, or the fact that she's been touring her heart out, but Rachel Allyn makes it a fourth week with "Say Hello To Goodbye", which miraculously holds off Plan B's 'Love Goes Down" in its tracks. A performance at Jamaroo, the Jefferson House and Kabob's essentially filled her weekend. And if that's not enough, she and her band are finalists in Shore radio station's Thunder 106 (the former alternative rocking FM106.3) house band contests, with a performance set for August 8, down in Brick. Thanks to that radio station, country is a viable genre down there once again after going about 8 years without a voice.
Thanks to some great songs holding in the top 10, Fleet Foxes and Avi Buffalo move up only one notch this week, and Best Coast only two. But some big jumps are registered by Red Hot Chili Peppers and Wilco, the latter jumping all the way from #49 to #11...it's the biggest jump registered into the top 20 since I started this list almost a year ago. New Yorkers should keep September 23 or 24th open to see them in Central Park.
Thanks to a snafu last week, the Top Debut goes to Fitz & the Tantrums "Picking Up the Pieces", the title track from their album. As you know, I finally added the new single "Don't Gonna Work It Out" last week...only to find out I downloaded the title track instead, which really blew me away! It's as soulful as one can get. On the negative side, "Money Grabber" finally drops off the chart after a record 34 weeks (which is now immediately tied by Adele's "Rolling in the Deep"); thus FATT maintains three songs on the list. Look for Mike Fitzpatrick and the gang at Grace Potter's "Grand Point North" festival the weekend of August 13th.
Other newbies this week include The Antlers' "Every Night My Teeth Fall Out". This is another band from Brooklyn, and this track is off their second album Burst Apart which dropped back in May. They are, as you probably figured out by now, and indie-rock band of the "dream pop" persuasion. Peter Silberman fronts the band. They won't be playing in this area anytime soon, but if you want to see a great doubleheader show, head to Seattle on September 9 when they'll be playing with Avi Buffalo.
A little country flavor from Jason Aldean also enters (thanks to listening one morning to Renegade Radio hoping to catch a little Rachel, but to no avail), and veterans The Jayhawks with their first effort in eight years, Mockingbird Time, which will drop on September 20.
A couple notes: Entering last week was SuperHeavy's "Miracle Worker", and jumps this week to #62. As the name implies this is one of these all-star groups (thanks to my niece Bailey for pointing this out when we saw her at the Staatsburg Block Party last weekend). The reggae song, features Damien Marley (youngest song of Bob), Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart (of Eurythmics), Joss Stone, and others.......Kings of Leon has canceled the remainder of their U.S. tour, after leader singer Caleb Followill started slurring his words in his speeches to the audience, and walked off the stage, not to return. The band, which seemed to have been running smoothly (a #2 album, including a #1 Billboard alternative hit "Radioactive"), is running on hard times. They have yet to deliver a top 40 radio-friendly single like "Lose Somebody" from their last album, and Facebook reaction to the news was negative for the band. Here on SoundRaves, their third single the Allman Brothers-flavored "Back Down South" is struggling to regain momentum at #68....the first two singles, "Radioactive" and "Pyro" reached # 7 and #8 respectively.
The Soundraves 100 for week of August 1, 2011
This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
1 | 1 |  RACHEL ALLYN "Say Hello to Goodbye" (Single Only) (4 weeks at #1) | 10 |
2 | 2 | Plan B- Love Goes Down | 6 |
3 | 3 | Katy Perry - Last Friday Night | 8 |
4 | 4 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Dear Mr. President | 8 |
5 | 6 | Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean | 12 |
6 | 7 | Avi Buffalo - How Come | 6 |
7 | 5 | Florence + the Machine - You Got the Love | 12 |
8 | 10 | Best Coast - Something In The Way | 7 |
9 | 12 | Adele - Set Fire To the Rain | 5 |
10 | 29 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" Album: I'm With You | 3 |
11 | 49 | MOVER OF THE WEEK:  WILCO "I Might" Album: The Whole Love | 2 |
12 | 8 | Train - Save Me San Francisco | 13 |
13 | 18 | Portugal the Man - Got It All | 8 |
14 | 9 | My Morning Jacket - Holdin' On to Black Metal | 11 |
15 | 17 | The Black Keys - Everlasting Light | 8 |
16 | 15 | Foo Fighters - Walk | 8 |
17 | 24 | Brilliant Colors - How Much Younger | 4 |
18 | 14 | Adele - Rolling In the Deep | 34 |
19 | 11 | The Strokes - Taken For A Fool | 12 |
20 | 13 | Adele - Rumour Has It | 15 |
21 | 16 | Lady Gaga - The Edge of Glory | 8 |
22 | 21 | Neon Trees - Your Surrender | 15 |
23 | 28 | Foster the People - Helena Beat | 4 |
24 | 22 | Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall | 9 |
25 | 31 | Maroon 5 f. Christina Aguilera - Moves Like Jagger | 3 |
26 | 41 | Los Lonely Boys - 16 Monkeys | 3 |
27 | 19 | Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi-Two Against One | 17 |
28 | 30 | We Are Augustines - Chapel Song | 7 |
29 | 35 | Wild Flag - Romance | 6 |
30 | 23 | The Raveonettes - Apparitions | 10 |
31 | 34 | Cee Lo Green - Bright Lights, Bigger City | 5 |
32 | 20 | Lykke Li - Get Some | 12 |
33 | 63 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Don't Gotta Work It Out | 2 |
34 | 43 | The Kooks - Junk of the Heart | 4 |
35 | 67 | Lykke Li - Rich Kids Blues | 2 |
36 | 25 | Kate Voegele - Heart In Chains | 12 |
37 | 39 | Generationals - Ten Twenty Ten | 5 |
38 | 37 | Gomez - Options | 10 |
39 | 40 | Arcade Fire - Month of May | 12 |
40 | 42 | Zac Brown Band f Jimmy Buffet - Knee Deep | 13 |
41 | 27 | Ray Lamontagne & the Pariah Dogs - Repo Man | 11 |
42 | 32 | Paramore - Monster | 9 |
43 | 38 | The Lonely Forest - We Sing In Time | 7 |
44 | 47 | Beastie Boys - Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win | 4 |
45 | 36 | Adele - Someone Like You | 15 |
46 | 46 | KT Tunstall - Glamour Puss | 6 |
47 | ---- | TOP DEBUT:  FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS "Pickin' Up the Pieces of Love" Album: Pickin' Up the Pieces | 1 |
48 | 48 | Sleeper Agent - Get It Daddy | 6 |
49 | 26 | Fleet Foxes - Battery Kinzie | 12 |
50 | 52 | Kenny Chesney f. Grace Potter - You & Tequila | 9 |
51 | 33 | Shontelle - Say Hello to Goodbye | 10 |
52 | 54 | Scotty McCreery - I Love You This Big | 10 |
53 | 61 | Yacht - Dystopia | 6 |
54 | 58 | Arctic Monkeys - Don't Sit Down 'Cause I Moved Your Chair | 10 |
55 | 59 | Brett Dennon - Comeback Kid | 8 |
56 | 44 | Drive-By Truckers - Everybody Needs Love | 14 |
57 | 62 | Young the Giant - Cough Syrup | 5 |
58 | 66 | Lenny Kravitz - Stand | 4 |
59 | 57 | Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks | 28 |
60 | 74 | PJ Harvey - Let England Shake | 3 |
61 | 50 | The Wombats - Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves) | 16 |
62 | 86 | SuperHeavy - Miracle Worker | 2 |
63 | 55 | Rachel Allyn - Gettin' By | 29 |
64 | 65 | Linkin Park - Iridescent | 7 |
65 | 71 | Michelle Branch - Loud Music | 4 |
66 | 45 | Cage the Elephant - Around My Head | 14 |
67 | 56 | Christina Perri - Arms | 11 |
68 | 70 | Kings of Leon - Back Down South | 8 |
69 | 73 | The Head and the Heart - Lost In My Mind | 6 |
70 | 51 | Cold War Kids - Skip the Charades | 12 |
71 | 53 | Death Cab for Cutie - You are A Tourist | 17 |
72 | 100 | Trevor Hall - Brand New Day | 2 |
73 | 64 | Lady Gaga - Judas | 13 |
74 | 80 | Goo Goo Dolls - All That You Are | 4 |
75 | 81 | Colbie Calliat - Brighter Than the Sun | 4 |
76 | 68 | Dom - Living In America | 17 |
77 | 76 | The Naked and Famous - Punching In A Dream | 7 |
78 | 60 | Peter Bjorn & John - Dig A Little Deeper | 12 |
79 | 93 | The Decemberists - Calamity Song | 2 |
80 | ---- | The Antlers - Every Night My Teeth Fall Out | 1 |
81 | 88 | The Band Perry - If I Die Young | 5 |
82 | 75 | Florence + the Machine - Dog Days are Over | 22 |
83 | 92 | Grouplove - Colours | 2 |
84 | ---- | Jason Aldean - Dirt Road Anthem | 1 |
85 | ---- | The Jayhawks - She Walks In So Many Ways | 1 |
86 | 79 | Sam Roberts Band - The Last Crusade | 11 |
87 | 69 | The Kills - Future Starts Slow | 10 |
88 | 82 | Givers - Up Up Up | 8 |
89 | ---- | Holy Ghost! - Do It Again | 1 |
90 | 78 | Rise Against - Make It Stop | 8 |
91 | 83 | Hot Chelle Rae - Tonight Tonight | 7 |
92 | 96 | Incubus - Promises, Promises | 3 |
93 | 77 | The Vaccines - Post Break-up Sex | 21 |
94 | 72 | Foster the People - Houdini | 14 |
95 | 90 | Mat Kearney - Hey Mama | 5 |
96 | 85 | Bon Iver - Calgary | 5 |
97 | 87 | 10 Years - Fix Me | 9 |
98 | ---- | O.A.R.- Heaven | 1 |
99 | 84 | Sublime with Rome - Panic | 10 |
100 | 89 | Scars on 45 - Give Me Something | 24 |
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