I try and support local "up-and-coming" artists that I do like. These include not just people I know, but friends and relatives of one as well. Usually when somebody suggests something I wish to hear, I will try and download the song and give it a listen. I bring this up, because out of my Top 20 on the SNS chart this week, no less than FIVE--that's one quarter of that upper region of the list--are artists who, either by going to a gig, or from word of mouth (Facebook or otherwise) , or any kind of buzz, have "crossed my ears'. I'm also fortunate to be friends on Facebook with them. A sixth artist, though "semi-established" and has charted as a featured performer, is friends with a friend of mine.
Leading the parade of locals is (who else?) Rachel Allyn, who this week, has her song "October", the second featured track from her first full-length, Do It Yourself, advance from #11 to #8. This becomes her seventh consecutive Top 10 on my list, in seven attempts. She's the queen of the chart, with four #1's (the most so far of any artist or group). And July will mark the third anniversary of us meeting the aspiring country singer, catching her at Kabob's, a bar on Lake Hopatcong, back in 2010. Back then, she was still going to college in Nashville, honing her country skills while melding it with classic and new wave rock, and playing the Lake Hopatcong bars during the summer. Nowadays, you'll catch her mostly playing down the Shore, Atlantic City, Hoboken, as well as the occasional gig back in her home turf of Sussex County. Occasionally, she'll open up for an established performer, such as Travis Tritt on October 5 at the Newton Theater.
TWIN SIGHTINGS: When you're a twin, it's hard to be taken seriously as an individual. Just ask Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. But when BOTH are aspiring singers, with styles somewhat different, but with similar voices, well, that makes it harder as well--especially when you play the same venue. But both Omnia and Leila Hegazy--whose talent came to me via her aunt Diane Tarantino Hegazy, who I went to school with--have what it takes to succeed. Both have had #1 songs on my chart, and both have their latest projects--Leila's full-length Looking Glass, and Omnia's EP Judgment Day yield top 20 songs. Leila second entry from her album "Monday", a former top 5, hangs in at #19, while Omnia's "Aziza", rises to #10. Next time you're in New York City, check out some of the clubs where you might find either one of these talent. It looks like Leila will be at the Apollo Theater on September 21. Omnia had gotten recent press in Fox News a few weeks back.
Finally, we come to Paul Czekaj, whose Jersey Shore summer fun anthem "At the Beach" jumps 32-15, joining his "Even Better Than Before" (5-16) in the Top 20. I talked a bit about Paul in recent columns, and I hope to catch him at a local venue soon.
I also want to mention in passing that another artist, Matthew Koma, though he has a bit of a national stature--as a featured performer, he's had #1's on the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart, but has yet to break solo. He, too was introduced by a friend---Meg Hunsicker, who, along with her daughter Lindsay are friends of his. His material, mostly a pop-style, is suitable for the current climate of the Hot 100 these days, so it would be great to see him have a national hit.
Before I leave this discussion, if there's an up-and coming artist that you want me to check out, please let me know. That also includes if YOU are an artist as well. It would be a thrill to "discover" someone who might even be up and coming!
ROCK, DON'T STOP: I only periodically look at Billboard's Hot 100 (as lately there really haven't been much to look at). Just when I fear all is lost, I check it out and there's some interesting activity near the top. If you're Pharrell Williams, you're in clover, as he is the featured performer for the top 2 songs in the country. The top belongs to Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" which also features T.I., which I haven't listened to yet. But it's the #2 song, "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk that has really intrigued me. The retro-song, enhanced by legendary guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers jumps from #19 to #6. Right behind, at #3 is "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons, a song that hit the top of the Alternative chart in double-digit weeks. I really haven't embraced the song, although I have tried. It hangs in there on my chart at #98, and has been around for 29 weeks, despite not climbing higher than #65.
But the biggest shock for me is the #13 Billboard song: "My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark" by emo rockers Fall Out Boy. Given the "guitar" ban on the top 40, it's nice to know that this one is high. The song only reached #82 on my chart in an eight week run, but I may re-add the song. The "emo" category was one frowned upon by both artists and the genre as also taken its lumps by rock fans. The band was very popular around 2007, as was the genre. But perhaps in the current state of music, ANY rock is GOOD rock.
FINALLY: Foxygen--who made the runner-up spot last year with "Make It Known", finally hit the top this week with "San Francisco", almost two years to the day that Train topped SNS with "Save Me, San Francisco". The Moglis also are currently charting with "San Francisco" (a former SNS top 20). Something about the city by the bay.
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100
June 23, 2013
|
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
|
1
|
2
|
NUMBER ONE:
FOXYGEN
"San Francisco"
Album: We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
|
10
|
|
2
|
3
|
Calvin Harris f. Florence Welch - Sweet Nothing
|
12
|
|
3
|
4
|
New Politics - Harlem
|
17
|
|
4
|
6
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League
|
19
|
|
5
|
9
|
Matthew Koma - Parachute
|
10
|
|
6
|
19
|
Daft Punk f. Pharrell Williams - Get Lucky
|
9
|
|
7
|
1
|
The Veils - Through the Deep Dark Wood
|
12
|
|
8
|
11
|
Rachel Allyn -October
|
9
|
|
9
|
12
|
Golden Void - Shady Grove
|
15
|
|
10
|
16
|
Omnia Hegazy - Aziza
|
6
|
|
11
|
10
|
Serena Ryder - Stompa
|
15
|
|
12
|
7
|
Lana Del Rey - Ride
|
20
|
|
13
|
13
|
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sacrilege
|
18
|
|
14
|
14
|
Hanson - Get the Girl Back
|
12
|
|
15
|
32
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
PAUL CZEKAJ
"At the Beach"
(single only)
|
2
|
|
16
|
5
|
Paul Czekaj - Even Better Than Before
|
11
|
|
17
|
21
|
Portugal. the Man - Evil Friends
|
6
|
|
18
|
8
|
Pink f. Nate Ruess - Just Give Me A Reason
|
16
|
|
19
|
15
|
Leila - Monday
|
16
|
|
20
|
29
|
Kurt Vile - Waking on A Pretty Day
|
5
|
|
21
|
18
|
Palma Violets - Last of the Summer Wine
|
13
|
|
22
|
28
|
Lana Del Rey - Young and Beautiful
|
4
|
|
23
|
17
|
Pageants - August Moon
|
10
|
|
24
|
23
|
Wild Belle - Keep You
|
16
|
|
25
|
22
|
Alabama Shakes - Hang Loose
|
13
|
|
26
|
24
|
Rihanna - Stay
|
9
|
|
27
|
39
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
PHOENIX
"Trying to Be Cool"
Album: Bankrupt!
|
3
|
|
28
|
20
|
The Satelliters - Gonna Get Away
|
12
|
|
29
|
27
|
Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire
|
13
|
|
30
|
51
|
The Thermals - I Go Alone
|
3
|
|
31
|
26
|
Guards - Ready To Go
|
11
|
|
32
|
36
|
Waaves - Demon to Lean On
|
5
|
|
33
|
41
|
Cayucas - High School Lover
|
4
|
|
34
|
35
|
The Black Angels - Don't Play With Guns
|
6
|
|
35
|
34
|
Local Natives - Heavy Feet
|
15
|
|
36
|
40
|
Dirty Beaches - I Dream In Neon
|
5
|
|
37
|
37
|
Phillip Phillips - Gone Gone Gone
|
19
|
|
38
|
30
|
Dawes - From A Window Seat
|
16
|
|
39
|
43
|
Dan Croll - From Nowhere
|
11
|
|
40
|
25
|
Vicci Martinez f. Cee Lo Green- Come Along
|
20
|
|
41
|
44
|
Churchill - The War Within
|
6
|
|
42
|
68
|
Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Under the Earth
|
2
|
|
43
|
50
|
Candice Glover - I Am Beautiful
|
4
|
|
44
|
58
|
KT Tunstall- Feel It All
|
3
|
|
45
|
31
|
Fun - Carry On
|
34
|
|
46
|
80
|
Neko Case - Man
|
2
|
|
47
|
38
|
Depeche Mode - Heaven
|
17
|
|
48
|
67
|
I Am Dynamite - Hey Girl
|
2
|
|
49
|
69
|
Mayer Hawthorne - Her Favorite Song
|
2
|
|
50
|
76
|
Matchbox Twenty - Our Song
|
6
|
|
51
|
33
|
Django Django - Hail Bop
|
18
|
|
52
|
49
|
Kelly Clarkson - People Like Us
|
9
|
|
53
|
66
|
Sara Bareilles - Brave
|
3
|
|
54
|
63
|
Plain White T's - Should've Gone to Bed
|
4
|
|
55
|
61
|
Michael Franti and Spearhead - I'm Alive
|
6
|
|
56
|
72
|
Little Green Cars - Harper Lee
|
3
|
|
57
|
42
|
Pure X - Things In My Head
|
18
|
|
58
|
53
|
Chelsea Light Moving - Groovy and Linda
|
15
|
|
59
|
65
|
Emeli Sande - Next To Me
|
25
|
|
60
|
100
|
Case Studies - Everything
|
2
|
|
61
|
52
|
Golden Void - The Curve
|
36
|
|
62
|
60
|
Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
|
9
|
|
63
|
79
|
Mumford and Sons - Babel
|
3
|
|
64
|
74
|
Maroon 5 - Love Somebody
|
4
|
|
65
|
81
|
Delta Rae - If I Loved You
|
3
|
|
66
|
45
|
Grizzly Bear - Sleeping Ute
|
18
|
|
67
|
78
|
Swedish House Mafia f. John Martin - Don't You Worry Child
|
6
|
|
68
|
46
|
Phoenix - Entertainment
|
17
|
|
69
|
48
|
Maroon 5 - Daylight
|
26
|
|
70
|
47
|
Leagues - Spotlight
|
21
|
|
71
|
54
|
Avett Brothers - February Seven
|
22
|
|
72
|
59
|
Linkin Park - Castle of Grass
|
11
|
|
73
|
86
|
Pepper - Fkarnd
|
2
|
|
74
|
90
|
Atlas Genius - If So
|
2
|
|
75
|
70
|
Deathfix - Better Than Bad
|
15
|
|
76
|
56
|
Depeche Mode - Soothering Soul
|
10
|
|
77
|
57
|
Rachel Allyn - Do It Yourself
|
20
|
|
78
|
----
|
TOP DEBUT:
ZZ WARD
"365 Days"
Album: Til the Casket Drops
|
1
|
|
79
|
55
|
Kurt Vile - Never Run Away
|
12
|
|
80
|
62
|
Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside - They Told Me
|
19
|
|
81
|
71
|
Wild Feathers - The Ceiling
|
6
|
|
82
|
84
|
Jay Arner - Don't Remind Me
|
9
|
|
83
|
83
|
Muse - Panic Station
|
9
|
|
84
|
85
|
MS MR - Hurricane
|
4
|
|
85
|
88
|
Ben Howard - Keep Your Head Up
|
4
|
|
86
|
93
|
Savages - She Will
|
2
|
|
87
|
77
|
The Law Langhorne Slim - The Way We Move
|
11
|
|
88
|
87
|
Jamie N Commons - Rumble & Sway
|
6
|
|
89
|
73
|
Taylor Swift - 22
|
10
|
|
90
|
89
|
The National - Don't Swallow the Cap
|
5
|
|
91
|
91
|
Crystal Fightres - You and I
|
6
|
|
92
|
92
|
Jimmy Eat World - I Will Steal You Back
|
4
|
|
93
|
----
|
Palma Violets - Best of Friends
|
1
|
|
94
|
64
|
Pageants - Musing of the Tide
|
22
|
|
95
|
----
|
The Neighborhood - Afraid
|
1
|
|
96
|
----
|
Tame Impala - Elephant
|
1
|
|
97
|
82
|
Of Monsters and Men - King & Lionheart
|
13
|
|
98
|
97
|
Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
|
29
|
|
99
|
75
|
Paramore - Now
|
20
|
|
100
|
94
|
Said the Whale - I Love You
|
5
|
TREMORS:
101. Anna Kendrick, Cups
102. The Lone Bellow, Bleeding Out
103. Daughter, Human
104. Avril Lavigne, Here's To Never Growing Up
105. Nine Inch Nails, Came Back Wanted
106. Chvrches, Recover
107. Dirty Heads, Cabin By the Sea
.
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