Usually once a month I will count down my top ten songs, or sometimes more. I get some scattered reactions to it from friends who do love to check out new stuff. This past week, I decided to go for broke and count down my top twenty. My original intention was to do the whole thing in one night. I really don't like to post all those songs on my timeline and clutter it up. Two years ago, I created a page called "Scenes 'n'Soundwaves" which I intended on using to promote my blog. Unfortunately, I could only muster up 11 likes on it. Then sometime in 2012 I introduced "Scenes n' Soundwaves Music Page", where I can post songs, and get feedback from those on the page, and use it as a forum for discussing music new and old. It took off at first, but by early this year, mostly from the introduction of a tribute page for legendary rock station WNEW-FM, it's been largely unused this year.
So it was back to my own page to post and got some good reaction. But for some reason, perhaps it was too late at night, I posted #20 thru #15. The list included Those Darlins, Wild Belle, Blake Shelton, Capital Cities and The Veils. All but Blake Shelton and Capital Cities had previous #1 songs on my blog. But still they were largely unknown. The only reaction was, no unexpectedly, to Shelton, an established country star, who has now gained fame as a coach on The Voice. The primary argument with the post was that the person who responded liked Blake, long before the Voice and would not watch the show, largely because these "music reality shows" have been burned out for a while now, specifically American Idol (thoughts on that later). None of the other songs got a reaction, surprisingly Capital Cities, whose "Safe and Sound" made Billboard's Top 10.
Tuesday, I went to post #15 to #11. The list included Smith Westerns, Matthew Koma, The Foals, Katy Perry, and Tame Impala. I delivered shout-outs for the Koma and Tame Impala songs which were introduced to me (Meg Hunsicker and Gianni Piacentini, respectively). As you'd expect, the Perry song drew the most reaction, both positive and negative. The topic concerned the state of pop music these days, and the reason my contemporaries don't listen to it. I had suggested that great new music is there, but you're not going to listen to it on the radio. Luckily there are other venues to listen: Satellite Radio, audio streaming services, and many websites dealing with up-and-coming artists. They may likely never make the Hot 100, but there is a great alternative if you seek it out. Brian Sniatkowski did provide a response to Foals, a band that has been played on alternative radio in the past as well as the current "My Number", a song, which, along with recent stuff like Bruno Mars' "Treasure", and recent works by Mayer Hawthorne and others, has that disco/funk throwback late-70's sound to it.
Wednesday, I counted down #10 to #6. Portugal. the Man, Golden Void, Wild Belle (again), Robin Thicke and Field Mouse. As you'd expect, Thicke's "Blurred Lines" got the most reaction, having been #1 nationally for most of the summer. The song has recently been under attack for its similarity to Marvin Gaye's #1 song from 1977, "Got to Give It Up", and a lawsuit was filed by the late Motown great's family. The case is still pending in court. My friend George Kupper posted a mash-up of the two songs, presumably as an indication of its similarity. Not surprisingly, opinion were on the side of Gaye. None of the other, obscure songs got any mention during that evening.
Finally by Thursday it was time to countdown the top 5. It included Lorde's current number one Billboard hit, "Royals", plus an album cut from Fitz and the Tantrums, and then Cage the Elephant, Terraplane Sun, and last week's number one "Head On" by Man Man. Reaction? Lorde got a like but that was it. It was a pretty rough day at work for me on top of it all, so I vented. Where are the music lovers? Am I wasting my time putting this blog out every week? I see many posts for new music (which I take consideration into incorporating my list each week), which I'm happy about....people are more than willing to look beyond the Top 40 and check out the cool indie bands out there.
That's not really different from when I grew up. In High School, the Top 40 regulars were Tony Orlando and Dawn, Helen Reddy, John Denver and some other pop artists. They are talented (more so than today's "stars"), but more often than not, we checked out the aforementioned WNEW-FM to get our cool music. It's a bit more reaching today, but they exist.
Though I did not expect any reaction to my post, I got a got of it. People taking note of the bands I feature and list. They may not comment but they read and listen. Wow. "Keep on posting" is what they're saying. I have to admit that when I was "behind" a few weeks it wasn't fun, but the excitement of the weekend enables me to check out the new stuff and sharing it, is nice. Thank you. And keep on posting, featuring, and recommending new music. I'll be listening.
I'M SORT OF EN-CAGED: After several weeks in the top 3, Cage the Elephant's "Come A Little Closer" finally takes the top spot and coincides with Billboard's #1 position on the Alternative Chart. The top 9 doesn't move, but Wild Belle now has two songs in the top 10 as "Backslider" joins "Keep You" up there, while "The Walker" joins "Keeping Our Eyes Out" by Fitz and the Tantrums in the top 20, and is the highest new entry there at #19. Another alternative crossover to pop hit, Avicii's "Wake Me Up" is the only other new entry there.
I always keep an eye out on the current pop trends (sort of as a "place holder" for the current times), thus I had the aforemention "What Does the Fox Say" by Ylvis. Like "Blurred Lines" and "Royals" it's got one of those catchy melodies and beats that you can't get out of your head.
WHO IS THE FAIREST RE-ENTRY OF ALL: Leila Hegazy's "Mirror Mirror" had a nice top-10, 30-week run on SNS late last year and early this year, as my featured lead track from the singer-songwriters' first full-length album Looking Glass. No single was ever announced, and thus I followed it with "Monday" and "The Reason Why". A few weeks back, she announced that she has released an official video for "Mirror...." and thus re-enters my SNS 100. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for her sister Omnia's follow-up to her top 5 "Aziza" from her latest effort. In the meantime, I'll comb her "Judgement Day" for some more featured tracks.
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY: The Fray was one of those mainstream/crossover rock bands that had a few pop hits back when Top 40 actually played rock, but like their contemporaries such as Kings of Leon, their latest efforts have gone unnoticed outside of Adult Top 40 and rock stations. "Love Don't Die" is from their upcoming fourth album Helios. The first single comes across as trying to appeal to fans of everyone from Fall Out Boy, to Nine Inch Nails, with a nice melody thrown in for good measure. "You Found Me" , it's not, but at this point in time, why bother. It's a good song.
Of a more obscure nature is "Cross My Mind" by Twin Forks. The song is from their debut self-titled EP. And no, they're not from Long Island but Boca Raton, Florida. This one fits into the more Americana-indie folk genre that has been the trend the last couple of years. Think of Mumford & Sons crossed with Of Monsters and Men and you have Twin Forks. They are on tour and came by New York back in September and are currently touring Canada.
As for the Top Debut, Ylvis, this is actually a Norwegian comedy duo whose song was posted on YouTube and went viral in September. The song is #6 on Billboard's Hot 100 and is the biggest hit by a Norwegian act since "Take On Me" by a-ha in 1985.
HOLIDAY APPROACHING. It's hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, and of course two things come to mind" Christmas songs and my year-end top 100. I'm always wanting to hear who will come out with a holiday song that would light up the season, and from who. No standouts yet, although "Nutcracker" by Straight No Chaser and "Fool's Holiday" by All the Low, sound intriguing. As for the two winners on last year's SNS, The Killers and The Hounds Of Winter, it remains to be seen. The Killers, whose entry last year, "I Feel It In My Bones" broke some records here en route to a multi-stay run at #1, put one out every year, but they just released a greatest hits set (Direct Hits) with only two new tracks (including the #45 "Shot in the Night"), with nothing seasonal on it. So we'll see. As for the Hounds, whose "Come On Christmas" reached #21, founder Tom Corea has hinted in a new seasonal song, not with the Hounds, but with his main band, Bad Attitude. Looking forward to that one.
FINAL THOUGHT: I mentioned up top about American Idol's downfall. 2012 winner Phillip Phillps' third single from his debut album, "Where We Came From" moves to #38 and is also on the Triple-A chart, another great tune. Radio is still playing his album, yet this year's winner, the talent Candace Glover, spent one week last summer in the lower reaches of the Hot 100, then disappeared. So much for having a female winner. But it says more about the show than the talent. Will anyone watch this coming season?
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100
November 16, 2013
|
This Week
|
Last Week
|
ARTIST-Title
|
Weeks on List
|
|
1
|
3
|
NUMBER ONE:
CAGE THE ELEPHANT
"Come A Little Closer"
Album: Melophobia
|
14
|
|
2
|
1
|
Man Man - Head On
|
15
|
|
3
|
2
|
Terraplane Sun - Get Me Golden
|
16
|
|
4
|
4
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - Keeping Our Eyes Out
|
12
|
|
5
|
5
|
Lorde - Royals
|
13
|
|
6
|
6
|
Field Mouse - How Do You Know
|
15
|
|
7
|
9
|
Golden Void - Rise to the Out of Reach
|
14
|
|
8
|
10
|
Portugal. The Man - Purple Yellow Red & Blue
|
20
|
|
9
|
8
|
Wild Belle - Keep You
|
36
|
|
10
|
19
|
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
WILD BELLE
"Backslider"
Album: Isles
|
3
|
|
11
|
7
|
Robin Thicke f. T.I. & Pharrel Williams - Blurred Lines
|
17
|
|
12
|
11
|
Tame Impala - Elephant
|
21
|
|
13
|
17
|
Capital Cities - Safe and Sound
|
15
|
|
14
|
16
|
The Veils - Another Night on Earth
|
12
|
|
15
|
13
|
Foals - My Number
|
19
|
|
16
|
20
|
Those Darlins - Optimist
|
6
|
|
17
|
14
|
Matthew Koma - One Night
|
14
|
|
18
|
15
|
Smith Westerns - Varsity
|
8
|
|
19
|
34
|
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS
"The Walker"
Album: More Than Just A Dream
|
3
|
|
20
|
22
|
Avicii - Wake Me Up
|
10
|
|
21
|
26
|
Emiliana Torrini -Speed of Dark
|
4
|
|
22
|
25
|
Zedd f. Foxes - Clarify
|
10
|
|
23
|
24
|
The Satelliters - Where Do We Go
|
10
|
|
24
|
23
|
Florence + the Machine - Spectrum (Say My Name)
|
13
|
|
25
|
12
|
Katy Perry - Roar
|
14
|
|
26
|
18
|
Blake Shelton - Boys 'Round Here
|
19
|
|
27
|
33
|
Fitz and the Tantrums - Out of My League
|
39
|
|
28
|
40
|
San Cisco - Fred Astaire
|
6
|
|
29
|
29
|
Arcade Fire - Reflektor
|
10
|
|
30
|
38
|
Cold War Kids - Lost That Easy
|
6
|
|
31
|
28
|
Passenger - Let Her Go
|
17
|
|
32
|
31
|
Panic! at the Disco - Miss Jackson
|
6
|
|
33
|
61
|
Paul Czekaj - Wheels On Fire
|
2
|
|
34
|
21
|
Kings of Leon - Supersoaker
|
16
|
|
35
|
37
|
Lady Gaga - Applause
|
12
|
|
36
|
45
|
Taylor Centers - Alibi
|
8
|
|
37
|
43
|
Emeli Sande - My Kind of Love
|
8
|
|
38
|
42
|
Phillip Phillips - Where We Came From
|
8
|
|
39
|
35
|
Franz Ferdinand - Right Action
|
17
|
|
40
|
30
|
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Better Days
|
15
|
|
41
|
32
|
Phoenix - Trying to Be Cool
|
23
|
|
42
|
39
|
The Avett Brothers - Another Is Waiting
|
10
|
|
43
|
51
|
Wig Party - She Figured It Out
|
10
|
|
44
|
41
|
Leila Hegazy - The Reason Why
|
15
|
|
45
|
54
|
The Killers - Shot At the Night
|
6
|
|
46
|
47
|
OneRepublic - Counting Stars
|
15
|
|
47
|
27
|
Case Studies - Everything
|
22
|
|
48
|
59
|
Coldplay - Atlas
|
6
|
|
49
|
56
|
Brent Dennen - Wild Child
|
8
|
|
50
|
85
|
Cate Le Bon - Are You With Me Now
|
2
|
|
51
|
57
|
Bonnie McKee - American Girl
|
8
|
|
52
|
81
|
Shannon Marsyada Trio - What You Do To Me
|
2
|
|
53
|
36
|
Rachel Allyn - Dear Prudence
|
16
|
|
54
|
49
|
The Livesays - Until You Kissed Me Like That
|
10
|
|
55
|
53
|
Porchistas - Johnny Miner
|
12
|
|
56
|
69
|
Eagulls - Nerve Endings
|
4
|
|
57
|
64
|
Hands - The Game is Changing Us
|
10
|
|
58
|
67
|
Bastille - Pompeii
|
4
|
|
59
|
50
|
Silversun Pickups - Dots and Dashes
|
19
|
|
60
|
58
|
The 1975 - Chocolate
|
13
|
|
61
|
78
|
King Tuff - Sun Medallion
|
4
|
|
62
|
44
|
Train f. Ashley Monroe - Bruises
|
20
|
|
63
|
52
|
Dawes - Most People
|
10
|
|
64
|
79
|
The Joy Formidable - Silent Treatment
|
3
|
|
65
|
95
|
Phosphorescent - Ride On/Right On
|
4
|
|
66
|
48
|
Bruno Mars - Treasure
|
18
|
|
67
|
60
|
The Unlikely Candidates - Follow My Feet
|
16
|
|
68
|
82
|
Of Montreal - Fugitive Air
|
3
|
|
69
|
66
|
Sara Bareilles - Brave
|
23
|
|
70
|
73
|
J Roddy Wilson and the Business - Heavy Bells
|
8
|
|
71
|
46
|
Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness
|
18
|
|
72
|
65
|
Mikal Cronin- Change
|
13
|
|
73
|
77
|
Taylor Swift f. Ed Sheeran - Everything Has Changed
|
8
|
|
74
|
----
|
TOP DEBUT:
YLVIS
"The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)"
(Single only)
|
1
|
|
75
|
90
|
Haim - Forever
|
2
|
|
76
|
83
|
Jagwar Ma - Come Save Me
|
2
|
|
77
|
55
|
Pink f. Lily Allen - True Love
|
17
|
|
78
|
89
|
Pearl Jam - Sirens
|
4
|
|
79
|
87
|
Linkin Park - A Light That Never Comes
|
3
|
|
80
|
94
|
The Colourist - Little Games
|
2
|
|
81
|
97
|
Bruno Mars - Gorilla
|
2
|
|
82
|
63
|
Foxygen - No Destruction
|
18
|
|
83
|
72
|
Cayucas - High School Lover
|
24
|
|
84
|
84
|
Ellie Goulding - Burn
|
15
|
|
85
|
62
|
Atlas Genius - If So
|
22
|
|
86
|
76
|
Grouplove - Ways to Go
|
20
|
|
87
|
100
|
White Denim - Pretty Green
|
2
|
|
88
|
----
|
Holy Ghost - Okay
|
1
|
|
89
|
----
|
The Fray - Love Don't Die
|
1
|
|
90
|
96
|
The Head and the Heart - Shake
|
2
|
|
91
|
75
|
Imagine Dragons - Radioactive
|
49
|
|
92
|
RE ENTRY
|
Leila Hegazy - Mirror Mirror
|
31
|
|
93
|
----
|
Twin Forks - Cross My Mind
|
1
|
|
94
|
----
|
Tired Pony - All Things All At Once
|
1
|
|
95
|
68
|
Palma Violets - Best of Friends
|
21
|
|
96
|
70
|
Pixies - Bagboy
|
17
|
|
97
|
----
|
John Mayer - Wildfire
|
1
|
|
98
|
----
|
Plain White T's - The Giving Tree
|
1
|
|
99
|
----
|
Valerie June - You Can't Be Told
|
1
|
|
100
|
88
|
Calvin Harris f. Ellie Goulding - I Need Your Love
|
18
|
TREMORS:
101. James Blunt, Bonfire Heart
102. Goo Goo Dolls, Come to Me
103. Caveman, Shot You Down
104. The Limousines, Love and A Dog From Hell
105. Miley Cyrus, Wrecking Ball
106. Twenty-One Pilots, House of Gold
107. Cut Copy, We Are Explorers
108. Daughtry, Waiting For Superman
109. The So So Glos, Lost Weekend
110. Imagine Dragons, Demons
111. Arctic Monkeys, Do I Wanna Know
112. Thirty Seconts to Mars - City of Angels
113. Saint of Valory, Neon Eyes
114. Jack Johnson, I Got You
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