The recording industry has referred to a "bullet" not as something coming out of a rifle, but to a record that is significantly moving up the charts. Back in the days when trade magazines like Billboard relied on manual reports from radio station manager's playlists and sales rankings coming from record shop managers, records progressed up the charts in a timely manner, gradually. If a record was significantly moving up, it would be awarded a bullet. Up until 1983, for Billboard it was in the shape of a star; other trades such as Cash Box used circles highlighting the advanced chart position of a record moving up. You could usually tell what will be a hit, especially if a song garnered a bullet several weeks in a row.
Nowadays, bullets are still used but aren't quite as reliable. They are useful when it comes to radio play, as station managers gradually increase the number of plays a song gets. However, other criteria--mostly sales and streaming, plus other factors I discussed last week, are erratic from week to week, thus on charts like the Hot 100, a song could jump way up the chart, only to drop the next week.
My list is along the old fashioned method, where a song gradually grows on me, and I move it up my chart. You'll notice that some of the numbers in the "This week" column are in red. Those are key songs that I've been liking and listening. Some songs have a red dot next to it; those are song that have been played at least 25 times on my iPod. My version of a "gold record" so to speak.
THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS: Much of the discussion with some of my hometown friends has been the issue of rock bands making a living out of the gigs they play, no matter how small. Several years ago, I blogged about many from the town that I grew up started or joined bands. It's a labor of love for these musicians who, perhaps have a day job, but nonetheless trek from bar to bar, set up, then at a late hour play some music, mostly cover tunes til well after midnight, before breaking down their equipment then going home for the night, all to receive a small amount of payment from the pub manager, if that at all
I am not necessarily talking about fledging musicians looking to make it big, like Rachel Allyn or the Hegazy twins (although, of course they are pounding the pavements and bars, trying to get that big break). But more about those my age, in their forties and fifties, doing the one thing they love--playing music. Some of my friends who are in bands include: Ron Pietranowicz, the keyboardist for Moving Company, who I caught at Roselle Park's Frenchy's back in 2011 and who will be back next month: Suburban Hillbillies, featuring another classmate, Danny Markovitch; Tom Corea, who, in spite of having a studio in his Morris County home and has recorded for SNS stalwarts Sarah Jean, the late Thom Sebastian, The Hounds of Winter and most recently, The Wizards of Winter; still tours with his Bad Attitude band in Central Jersey bars. Bob Shupp, a member of my NY Jets tailgating group, plays drums for Blueschamber; and finally local band Under a Ton, featuring another friend Thomas Hartos, who play the local pubs near me, in the western Morris County area. And let's not forget Paul Czekaj, who, in spite of recording new material, plays the classic rock'n'roll tunes at his bar gigs.
None of these artists will probably ever get rich from doing what they love. Still, going to your local joint and catching them and supporting them goes a long way. Unfortunately, the trend is moving away from live bands, in favor of DJ's spinning current music. In other words, pop and hip-hop is not only supplanting rock on the music charts, but the pubs and clubs as well. DJ's are much cheaper than bands. To me that is a big mistake. Rock is not dead--maybe to the masses it is but it's still alive and well. Classic tunes from the 1970's are still heard everywhere. Those songs are still relevant and timeless. Many places say that the pay may be cheap, but it's all about the publicity and exposure. Still, many places will have a sign that says "Live Band", without even giving the name of the band playing the gig there. Bar owners and managers need to know that the band is performing a service for them brining in clientele.
I am a fan of local music, whether it's an artist striving for the big time, or those who have been at it all their lives playing cover tunes or the occasional original. Please go out and support them. You'll be in for a nice time.
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CURRENTLY: Fitz and the Tantrums have their sixth #1 song on SNS as the third official single, "Fools Gold" ascends to the top spot, knocking out Foxygen's "How Can You Really". It's the fourth track from their sophomore More Than Just a Dream to reach the top. The song was played on the jukebox at the Liberty Tavern in Union the site last night (1/20) of a geocaching "Dive Bar" event.
Pop and alternative are again vying for my attention this week, with the top debut going to Meghan Trainor's follow up her "All About That Bass". This one is called "Lips are Moving". It is somewhat similar to her big hit, and yes, it's got that requisite rap part in it, but other than that, it's actually got a melody to it. I could see that retro vibe aspect of it with the sax supporting those portions of that song. Say what you will about artists like Trainor but with the song already in Billboard's top 10, she is not a one-hit wonder. She enters at #61.
Right behind her at #64 is the second single from Foxygen's effort ...And Star Power "Cosmic Vibrations". Just when you thought they've explored all aspects of retro, this one, the follow up to their recent four-week stint at #1, is not early 70's Todd Rundgren this time but more of an acid-blues combo that could have come out in the late 1960's. I could hear parts of Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Pink Floyd and some 60's garage rock in there. I am liking this band more and more every time I listen to it.
Entering at #79 is "Happy Idiot" by Brooklynites TV on the Radio. They've visited my chart before and they had released an album in late 2014, called Seeds, their fifth effort. The song is pure 2010's indie-rock heaven with elements of many components associated with the genre. Finally, at #88 are fellow Brooklyn indie band The Drums, with "Kiss Me Again" from their Encyclopedia album, following up their recent SNS top 40 "Magic Mountain".
WHAT"S YOUR OPINION: Since I started this blog back in 2010, its primary focus was on new music, mostly alternative but also pop, country, with some R&B thrown in there for good measure. My discussions also have been to my music experiences growing up. I know there is minimal interest in new rock out there and only a handful of people I know share their enthusiasm for it (and sadly, many of them don't read the blog, or at least "like" it). My popular music posts are the oldies. The chart aspect of the blog will always be about new music but should this be more about music experiences during my life, i.e. memories of radio, concerts I went to, etc? Should I forgo talking about new music and more about the past?
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
January
18, 2015
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 2 | NUMBER ONE:
FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS
"Fools Gold"
Album: More Than Just A Dream
|
9 |
| 2 | 3 | Hozier - Take Me To Church● | 20 |
| 3 | 5 | St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Call Me | 8 |
| 4 | 1 | Foxygen - How Can You Really? | 9 |
| 5 | 6 | Foster the People - Are You What You Want To Be | 6 |
| 6 | 4 | Meghan Trainor - All About that Bass | 9 |
| 7 | 10 | The Fresh & Onlys - Animal of One | 16 |
| 8 | 12 | Cage the Elephant - Cigarette Daydreams | 6 |
| 9 | 7 | White Fence - Like That | 10 |
| 10 | 11 | Ty Segall - Tall Man Skinny Lady | 7 |
| 11 | 8 | Vivian Girls - Take It As It Comes | 18 |
| 12 | 9 | The Big Takeover - Children of the Rhythm | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | Taylor Swift - Shake It Off | 7 |
| 14 | 15 | Yast - Heart of Steel | 7 |
| 15 | 20 | SomeKindaWonderful - California Love | 6 |
| 16 | 13 | The Black Keys - Turn Blue | 10 |
| 17 | 16 | Fitz and the Tantrums - 6AM | 18 |
| 18 | 17 | Jessica Lea Mayfield - I Wanna Love You | 16 |
| 19 | 19 | Alabama Shakes - Heartbreaker | 10 |
| 20 | 25 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
FOO FIGHTERS
"Something From Nothing"
Album: Sonic Highways
|
6 |
| 21 | 30 | Cold War Kids - All This Could Be Yours | 5 |
| 22 | 27 | The Black Keys - Gotta Get Away | 5 |
| 23 | 33 | Lucius - Hey, Doreen | 4 |
| 24 | 22 | The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt | 12 |
| 25 | 18 | Interpol - All the Rage Back Home | 8 |
| 26 | 21 | SomeKindaWonderful - Reverse● | 24 |
| 27 | 26 | Phantogram - Black Out Days | 12 |
| 28 | 28 | Wizards of Winter - Gales of December | 4 |
| 29 | 23 | The Satelliters - I Said Yeah Yeah Yeah | 10 |
| 30 | 29 | Grouplove - I'm With You | 10 |
| 31 | 36 | Arctic Monkeys - R U Mine | 17 |
| 32 | 24 | Strand of Oaks - Goshen '97 | 14 |
| 33 | 47 | MOVER OF THE WEEK:
THE RAVEONETTES
"
Killer in the Streets"
Album: Pe'ahi
|
2 |
| 34 | 35 | Colony House - Silhouettes | 8 |
| 35 | 39 | The Decemberists - Make You Better | 8 |
| 36 | 31 | Brick + Mortar - Locked In A Cage | 37 |
| 37 | 32 | Train - Angel In Blue Jeans | 12 |
| 38 | 40 | Lana Del Rey - Shades of Cool | 6 |
| 39 | 42 | The Orwells - The Righteous One | 5 |
| 40 | 38 | You+Me - You and Me | 7 |
| 41 | 43 | Lykke Li - I Never Learn | 6 |
| 42 | 41 | A Day to Remember - End of Me | 7 |
| 43 | 34 | Sam Roberts Band - Shapesifters | 14 |
| 44 | 45 | Bush - The Only Way Out | 4 |
| 45 | 61 | Christina Perri - Burning Gold | 2 |
| 46 | 51 | Maroon 5 - Animals | 5 |
| 47 | 52 | Broken Bells - After the Disco | 6 |
| 48 | 49 | Valerie June - You Can't Be Told | 25 |
| 49 | 48 | Idina Menzel - Let It Go | 24 |
| 50 | 53 | Jungle - Time | 16 |
| 51 | 55 | Lorde - Yellow Flicker Beat | 4 |
| 52 | 37 | Kelly Clarkson - Wrapped in Red | 5 |
| 53 | 65 | Fremont - All That I Needed | 2 |
| 54 | 56 | Guster - Simple Machine | 5 |
| 55 | 57 | Imagine Dragons - I Bet My Life | 4 |
| 56 | 64 | Waters - I Feel Everything | 3 |
| 57 | 68 | Junior Prom - Cheap Thrills | 2 |
| 58 | 44 | The Drums - Magic Mountain | 10 |
| 59 | 59 | Anna Calvi - Suddenly | 6 |
| 60 | 50 | Dum Dum Girls - Rimbaud Eyes | 14 |
| 61 | ---- | TOP DEBUT:
MEGHAN TRAINOR
"Lips
are Movin'
Album: Title
|
1 |
| 62 | 66 | Jack White - Would You Fight For My Love? | 5 |
| 63 | 78 | Kendrick Lamarr - I | 2 |
| 64 | --- | Foxygen - Cosmic Vibrations | 1 |
| 65 | 54 | The Hounds of Winter - Amy's World● | 28 |
| 66 | 63 | Kongos - Come With Me Now | 37 |
| 67 | 71 | Misterwives - Reflections | 3 |
| 68 | --- | Catfish & the Bottlemen - Kathleen | 1 |
| 69 | 72 | Weezer - Back to the Shack | 9 |
| 70 | 79 | Digitalism f. Youngblood Hawke - Wolves | 8 |
| 71 | 80 | Banks - Beggin For Thread | 2 |
| 72 | 81 | New Politics - Everywhere I Go | 2 |
| 73 | --- | Train - Cadillac, Cadillac | 1 |
| 74 | --- | Alvvays - Archie Marry Me | 1 |
| 75 | 85 | Airborne Toxic Event - Wrong | 6 |
| 76 | 92 | Julian Casablancas & the Voidz - Where No Eagles Fly | 2 |
| 77 | --- | Ariana Grande - Love Me Harder | 1 |
| 78 | 67 | Knox Hamilton - Work It Out | 7 |
| 79 | --- | TV on the Radio - Happy Idiot | 1 |
| 80 | 58 | The Eeries - Cool Kid | 10 |
| 81 | 90 | Shakey Graves - Dearly Departed | 3 |
| 82 | 91 | Stater-Kinney - Bury Our Friends | 3 |
| 83 | 95 | Damien Jurado - Silver Timothy | 28 |
| 84 | 46 | The Killers - Joel the Lump of Coal | 6 |
| 85 | 70 | Meg Myers - Desire | 16 |
| 86 | 96 | Bleachers - Rollercoaster | 2 |
| 87 | 60 | Alt J - Left Hand Free | 9 |
| 88 | --- | The Drums - Kiss Me Again | 1 |
| 89 | 76 | American Authors - Believer | 7 |
| 90 | 73 | Foster the People - Best Friend ● | 22 |
| 91 | 88 | Milky Chance - Stolen Dance | 16 |
| 92 | RE ENTRY | Benjaman Booker - Valent Shiver | 8 |
| 93 | 74 | Royal Bangs - Better Run | 14 |
| 94 | 86 | Avi Buffalo - So What | 18 |
| 95 | 83 | The Orwells - Who Needs You | 22 |
| 96 | 87 | MS MR - Think of You● | 28 |
| 97 | 62 | Pentatonix - Mary Did You Know | 7 |
| 98 | 82 | Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me | 6 |
| 99 | 84 | The Griswolds - Beware the Dog | 10 |
| 100 | 89 | Lily Allen - Air Balloon | 5 |
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