This of course is a music blog, and this year, pop star Katy Perry did the halftime show, with her guests :Lenny Kravitz and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot. Singing the national anthem was Idina Menzel of "Let It Go" fame (that song, which, by the way, is still on my SNS 100....no, apparently I won't let it go!).
The halftime extravaganza--and that is pretty much what you'd call it these days, not a "concert", started off with Perry riding a mechanical lion (naturally singing her hit "Roar", a song which reached #12 on my blog). What followed was a series of wild stage and costume changes. Some of them appeared computer-generated (at least watching on TV) but some were very legit. She was singing with sharks, which then morphed into a 3D chess board as she sang "Dark Horse" (her most recent SNS entry). One of her guests, Lenny Kravitz, joined her for her first big hit, "I Kissed A Girl". Later on, rapper Missy Elliot duetted with her on a number, before Perry "took off" amist some pyrotechnics, singing, of course "Firework" (a #3 SNS hit from late 2010).
OK, I've read some of the blogs and news articles, and more importantly, many friends' Facebook posts. And the reactions were pretty much predictable. My male friends who grew up in my era pretty much dissed the show, while the females and some of my younger friends loved it. You know who you are and what you said. Here is my take on things.
I like Katy Perry. Since my blog started in August 2010, she's had thirteen entries on my SNS 100 list. "Last Friday Night" reached #2 in 2011, "Firework" got up to #3. "Roar" got to #12, "The One That Got Away" to #13, and "Unconditionally" to #14. Most of those songs (plus many more) got to #1 and she matched Michael Jackson's record of five number one songs from an album. Do I think she is talented? Yes, for the most part. She's not my favorite female vocalist (that honor would go to P!nk), and no, she's no match for any classic feamle rocker like Janis Joplin, Dusty Springfield, or even Madonna. She doesn't compare to current female band leads like Brittany Howard or Grace Potter. But she is good as what she does.
Unfortunately, we live in a day and age (thanks in part to the music video era ushered in more than thirty years ago) where image and visuals can mask musical abilities. Between Bruno Mars' performance last year and Perry's, it appears we are back in the current era of pomp and grandeur. It wasn't until 1993, when Michael Jackson performed that the halftime show became relevant. Up until then, it was mostly marching bands, "Up with People", Broadway show performers and icons of the generation before us. Yes, New Kids on the Block in '91 and Gloria Estefan the following year were stars during that era, but there was less emphasis on them. In fact, in 1992, the Fox network counter-programmed with a special live episode of its hit at the time, In Living Color. In subsequent years there were still themes (i.e. Country, Motown, etc), but by 2000 the current popular music was predominant featured. That came to a head in 2004 with the "wardrobe malfunction" with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, at which time, it was switched back to straight-ahead classic acts like Paul McCartney, U2, Petty, The Who, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, etc).
Let's face it, Mars and Perry are popular, like it or not. People watch them. Perry's performance on Sunday set an all time viewer record. As for Kravitz, there were comments made as to "why should he be here", 'he hasn't had a hit in 15 years", and "people only remember two songs of his". I like Kravitz ever since my friend Wendy Initli introduced his debut Let Love Rule to me in 1989. He is a rocker and has more than those two hits (I'm presuming they mean "Are You Gonna Go My Way" and "Fly Away". First of all, his biggest hit is "It's Not Over Til It's Over" (#2 in 1991). I love his version of "American Woman" (but no, not as good as the Guess Who's original, but still). A fave of mine is "Rock and Roll Is Dead" from 1995. OK, he hasn't had a hit in awhile (his only song to make my blog chart was "Stand", #35 in the summer of 2011. But how many rockers have had hits recently?
And to be honest, that's part of the problem. It seems that that 1995 I referenced earlier is a bit prophetic. Ironically, Fall Out Boy's "Centuries", which jumps 78-46, reached Billboard's Top 10 this week, the first real rock song (i.e. guitar-driven) to do that this decade. Rock n roll is not in the public's mind or psyche these days, and the rock that is, is classic rock from forty years ago. I love classic rock as much as the next person, and I post much of those on my Facebook timeline (as opposed to current rock music which no one seems to "like", even my new music friends but that's a story for another time), but how many times can you listen to "Freebird" or "Stairway to Heaven"? It would be nice to see bands like Fitz & the Tantrums play, but i know it's not going to happen. Feel free to prove me wrong. We can do better than Katy Perry, true, but we can do worse.
One discordant note about Perry, though. What was that about her remarks towards Taylor Swift? That's another female star who I think has talent, but it seems that she is a target of constant hate. I have noticed that Perry's success has ebbed during the past year (her most recent album had several songs that missed the top 10), while Swift has been very hot. I'm not going to delve into that right now but you can read the article here.
The bottom line is Swift, Perry, Mars and the like are selling records (or should that be downloads). Blame the media, radio or any other outlet for not promoting new rock, but unfortunately, that's the way it is. I will continue to focus on alternative rock, because it should be heard, but I will also featured the pop stars of the day since that is what my friends seem to be listening to, as well as a reflection as to what is pop culture at any particular time. And to that affect, Swift climbs to #7, and Mars (with Mark Ronson, a big leap from #85 to #26, and Meghan Trainor and Ariana Grande are making leaps as well.
NEW THIS WEEK: I've been a fan of British band The Kooks going back to their mid 2000's debut. "Naive" from their debut and the title track from their 2011 Junk of the Heart set (a #2 song on SNS which stayed on for 40 weeks) have been favorites of mine. In 2014 they released their fourth effort Listen. I wasn't too happy with the first featured track "Around Town" which recently peaked at #34 on my chart. The new track, "Bad Habit", the highest debut at #72, is more to my liking. Starting with a rhythmic percussion, the guitar driven, soulful vocals take over, and it's a pleasure. Alternating between the two sounds, we have a heck of a performance. This should put them back to the top of my chart, and hopefully have people talking about it, like "Junk..." did over three years ago.
DIRTY LAUNDRY: I spent Super Sunday at a all afternoon and evening party at my friend Alan Corso's. We spent a lot of time outside, and of course, Alan the DJ to our Jets tailgate parties, had his continuous music. Twice last year, two songs that came on that I loved, produced big blog hits for me: "Take It As It Comes" by Vivian Girls hit #1, and currently at #11 is Yast's "Heart of Steel". Those two songs I didn't hear, but another one I discovered, thanks to SoundHound is the second highest debut this week. "Red River" by The Launderettes. Like the other songs I mentioned, this is a few years old, from 2011 but is a gem. This band hails from Oslo Norway and is all-female, although it doesn't really sound like it. It echos the 1960's garage-rock era in the vein of bands like the Satelliters and White Fence, but adds a late-seventies new wave attitude to the proceedings. The quartet has released four albums between 2002 and 2013, with Getaway the most recent. The album was released later that year, so I don't h ave any problems with adding the little-over-a-year-old song on my list. I'm not sure where Alan gets his music ideas from (not to mention our mutual friend Brian Sniatkowski), but that is just to my advantage.
ALSO ENTERING: It's been exactly a year since I added "Locked in a Cage" by Toms River, NJ band Brick+Mortar. The song spends its 39th week (not counting the 13 weeks of my blog hiatus this past fall) on my chart. Radio is jumping now on another track, "Hollow Tune". A steady-pulsating beat marks this one. Not an immediate impact but then again neither was the last song, which finally started to catch on after listening to it for five months. Nevertheless, it has potential. Also from their 2013 EP Bangs. Others returning to SNS include Grouplove, Weezer (second single from their latest), and Wild Cub. Making their SNS debut include Future Islands, a synth-pop band from Baltimore, with "Seasons"; Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, fronted by the man who had been in Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin, from Massachusetts and Royal Blood, an England band.
AT THE TOP: Soul outfit St. Paul & the Broken Bones, hit the top spot with "Call Me". The song is the one going through my brain lately in spite of it being on my playlist for over two months. Again, a big thanks to Facebook friend Elizabeth Sullivan for posting the song back in August. "Call Me" did get some alternative airplay in early fall but unfortunately didn't catch on. But they are a great band.
BACKING DOWN: Last week I alluded to the situation regarding Sam Smith's 2014 hit "Stay With Me" in that part of that song allegedly sounds a lot like Tom Petty's 1989 song "I Won't Back Down". The two parties reached an agreement in that Smith will give writing credit to Petty and co-writer Jeff Lynne who wrote Petty's hit. I had the opportunity to listen to both songs, and while, yes I can see some resemblance between the chorus of Smith's song and the verses of Petty's, I think it's a bit of a stretch. Yes, the progression is similar and Smith's song was a hit, hence it was ripe for a lawsuit (which Petty insist's that never came into play as Smith "did the right thing". There are so many songs out there but a limited amount of chord processions, and there are many songs that sound the time. Petty is a classic artists, but I really don't think he needed to do this. Incidentally, I re-add "Stay With Me" to my list this week; the song had only reached #60 on my list, thus I came living it another look.
FRIENDS' ARTIST WATCH: In coming weeks, three songs I am looking forward to, all recommended by friends. First and foremost is a new song by Leila Hegazy, niece of my friend Diane Tarantino Hegazy; but Leila, with three top 10 SNS hits, needs no introduction. She has released an acoustic version of a new song, "Maybe If We Try" back in December on YouTube; I am anxiously awaiting the completed version of it. It's a knockout!
Another friend, Merrill Kenny Butler, just today, gave me a link to up-and coming artist Phoebe Ryan, a daughter of one of her friends who she's known since the artist was young. Seems she is getting much publicity these days and recently was featured on a song by trance-music duo Triton. Apparently she is generating much buzz with her new song "Mind". Butler had previously tipped me off on the New York-based band Town Hall which scored an SNS top 20 hit in 2012 with "Good Boy". For a Billboard article on Ryan, check out this article:
Finally, look for Taylor Centers' "Wild" to be added in the next couple of weeks or so. She is based down in Charlotte, North Carolina, and came recommended by my friend Mary Anne Reed Nolan. Her "Alibi" reached #23 on my blog list in 2013.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
February 1, 2015
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 2 | NUMBER ONE:
ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES
"Call Me"
Album: Half the City
|
10 |
| 2 | 3 | Foster the People - Are You What You Want To Be | 8 |
| 3 | 1 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Fools Gold | 11 |
| 4 | 4 | Hozier - Take Me To Church● | 22 |
| 5 | 7 | Cage the Elephant - Cigarette Daydreams | 8 |
| 6 | 5 | Meghan Trainor - All About that Bass | 11 |
| 7 | 9 | Taylor Swift - Shake It Off | 9 |
| 8 | 8 | The Fresh & Onlys - Animal of One | 18 |
| 9 | 6 | Foxygen - How Can You Really? | 11 |
| 10 | 16 | Lucius - Hey, Doreen | 6 |
| 11 | 12 | Yast - Heart of Steel | 9 |
| 12 | 13 | SomeKindaWonderful - California Love | 8 |
| 13 | 10 | Ty Segall - Tall Man Skinny Lady | 9 |
| 14 | 17 | Cold War Kids - All This Could Be Yours | 7 |
| 15 | 21 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
THE RAVEONETTES
"Killer In the Streets"
Album: Pe'ahi
|
4 |
| 16 | 14 | The Big Takeover - Children of the Rhythm● | 14 |
| 17 | 19 | The Black Keys - Gotta Get Away | 7 |
| 18 | 11 | White Fence - Like That | 12 |
| 19 | 15 | Vivian Girls - Take It As It Comes● | 20 |
| 20 | 24 | Arctic Monkeys - R U Mine | 19 |
| 21 | 20 | Foo Fighters - Something From Nothing | 8 |
| 22 | 23 | Wizards of Winter - Gales of December | 6 |
| 23 | 18 | Fitz and the Tantrums - 6AM● | 20 |
| 24 | 31 | Christina Perri - Burning Gold | 4 |
| 25 | 29 | Colony House - Silhouettes | 10 |
| 26 | 85 | MOVER OF THE WEEK:
MARK RONSON featuring BRUNO MARS
"Uptown Funk!"
Album: Uptown Special
|
2 |
| 27 | 22 | Jessica Lea Mayfield - I Wanna Love You | 18 |
| 28 | 30 | The Decemberists - Make You Better | 10 |
| 29 | 33 | Lana Del Rey - Shades of Cool | 8 |
| 30 | 44 | Foxygen - Cosmic Vibrations | 3 |
| 31 | 36 | The Orwells - The Righteous One | 7 |
| 32 | 25 | Alabama Shakes - Heartbreaker | 12 |
| 33 | 28 | SomeKindaWonderful - Reverse● | 26 |
| 34 | 43 | Fremont - All That I Needed | 4 |
| 35 | 27 | The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt | 14 |
| 36 | 49 | Meghan Trainor - Lips are Movin' | 3 |
| 37 | 26 | The Black Keys - Turn Blue | 12 |
| 38 | 40 | A Day to Remember - End of Me | 9 |
| 39 | 38 | Lykke Li - I Never Learn | 8 |
| 40 | 39 | Bush - The Only Way Out | 6 |
| 41 | 45 | Broken Bells - After the Disco | 8 |
| 42 | 56 | Ariana Grande - Love Me Harder | 3 |
| 43 | 57 | Alvvays - Archie Marry Me | 3 |
| 44 | 35 | Grouplove - I'm With You | 12 |
| 45 | 67 | Calvin Harris f. John Newman - Blame | 2 |
| 46 | 78 | Fall Out Boy - Centuries | 2 |
| 47 | 34 | The Satelliters - I Said Yeah Yeah Yeah | 12 |
| 48 | 47 | Maroon 5 - Animals | 7 |
| 49 | 32 | Phantogram - Black Out Days | 14 |
| 50 | 48 | Valerie June - You Can't Be Told | 27 |
| 51 | 60 | Catfish & the Bottlemen - Kathleen | 3 |
| 52 | 52 | Waters - I Feel Everything | 5 |
| 53 | 50 | Lorde - Yellow Flicker Beat | 6 |
| 54 | 51 | Sam Roberts Band - Shapesifters | 16 |
| 55 | 41 | Brick + Mortar - Locked In A Cage● | 39 |
| 56 | 54 | Junior Prom - Cheap Thrills | 4 |
| 57 | 59 | Kendrick Lamarr - I | 4 |
| 58 | 37 | Interpol - All the Rage Back Home | 10 |
| 59 | 62 | Train - Cadillac, Cadillac | 3 |
| 60 | 74 | White Arrows - We Can't Ever Die | 2 |
| 61 | 42 | Strand of Oaks - Goshen '97 | 16 |
| 62 | 53 | Idina Menzel - Let It Go | 26 |
| 63 | 66 | TV on the Radio - Happy Idiot | 3 |
| 64 | 46 | Train - Angel In Blue Jeans | 14 |
| 65 | 61 | Imagine Dragons - I Bet My Life | 6 |
| 66 | 79 | Interpol - My Desire | 2 |
| 67 | 76 | Stater-Kinney - Bury Our Friends | 5 |
| 68 | 63 | Jungle - Time | 18 |
| 69 | 64 | Jack White - Would You Fight For My Love? | 7 |
| 70 | 65 | Misterwives - Reflections | 5 |
| 71 | 58 | Guster - Simple Machine | 7 |
| 72 | ---- | TOP DEBUT:
THE KOOKS
"Bad Habit"
Album: Listen
|
1 |
| 73 | 68 | Weezer - Back to the Shack | 11 |
| 74 | 69 | New Politics - Everywhere I Go | 4 |
| 75 | 71 | Banks - Beggin For Thread | 4 |
| 76 | 86 | Kjband - Man of Few Words | 2 |
| 77 | 72 | Airborne Toxic Event - Wrong | 8 |
| 78 | 73 | Julian Casablancas & the Voidz - Where No Eagles Fly | 4 |
| 79 | --- | The Launderettes - Red River | 1 |
| 80 | 82 | Deers - Bamboo | 2 |
| 81 | --- | Brick + Mortar - Hollow Tune | 1 |
| 82 | 55 | You+Me - You and Me | 9 |
| 83 | 70 | Digitalism f. Youngblood Hawke - Wolves | 10 |
| 84 | --- | Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting On You) | 1 |
| 85 | --- | Weezer - Da Vinci | 1 |
| 86 | 75 | Kongos - Come With Me Now | 39 |
| 87 | 84 | The Drums - Kiss Me Again | 3 |
| 88 | 90 | Sam Smith - I'm Not the Only One | 2 |
| 89 | 81 | Shakey Graves - Dearly Departed | 5 |
| 90 | 87 | Bleachers - Rollercoaster | 4 |
| 91 | --- | Wild Cub - Colour | 1 |
| 92 | 89 | The Bots - All I Really Want | 2 |
| 93 | --- | Grouplove - Borderlines & Aliens | 1 |
| 94 | --- | Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness - Cecilia & the Satellite | 1 |
| 95 | 93 | Benjaman Booker - Valent Shiver | 10 |
| 96 | 95 | Yelawolf- Till It's Gone | 2 |
| 97 | Re entry | Sam Smith - Stay With Me | 13 |
| 98 | 88 | Damien Jurado - Silver Timothy | 30 |
| 99 | --- | Royal Blood - Figure It Out | 1 |
| 100 | 92 | Foster the People - Best Friend ● | 24 |
|
|
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.
● Songs
with 25 or more plays on my iPod.
▲ Songs with 50 or more plays on my iPod.
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