Before we look at what I had listened to, I need to mention Billboard's #1 song of the summer. They have been compiling their top 10 from back in the 1980's. Their determination is rather formulistic; it's based on tabulated points that make up the magazines "Hot 100". For much of the summer, it appeared to be "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth, but by August, it was eclipsed by OMI's "Cheerleader" which racked up the #1 positions much of July and August, and therefore becomes Billboard's "Song of the Summer" 2015. It's not a bad choice at all; I've added this song nine weeks ago and it is bulleting up my SNS chart at #61. Unfortunately, aside from its ranking the Hot 100, it's hardly ever mentioned, certainly not like "Uptown Funk", or even "See You Again", for example. But numbers are numbers and Billboard added them up and OMI was the winner.
As for my list, I also use a point system. I had added up all the points that I assigned via a spreadsheet which determines my weekly positions on my top 100 SNS playlist chart. But of course, those points are based on my likings to a song, or if close friends are talking about it or posting it. Thus I ranked the songs all the way down (for the record, "Cheerleader" was my #110 song of the summer). Some of the songs that made my top 20 were indeed etched into my mind at one time or another, and several were talked about as well. Others not at much, as they were simply liked and came along for the ride. So, here is my countdown of my top 20 of the Summer of 2015:
20. "This Summer's Gonna Hurt.....", Maroon 5
There were four summer themed songs in 2015, and although all of them are in my top 15 currently, they were added a bit too late in the season to be considered, with the exception of this one. Perhaps penalized because of the new hip-hop wave that took place this summer, pushing the established pop artists to the side, this one only peaked at #23 on Billboard early on in the season, breaking the Adam Levine-led band's string of 8 top 10's in a row, which started with "Moves Like Jagger" in the summer of 2011. Not your positive sort of summer song (the rest of the title of this song is actually "...Like a Motherf***er"), still it's better than the other songs on their V set, and it hits my top 5. A couple people have posted the song of FB, but more about that later.
19. "Gone", Allson Ireheta & Halo Circus
This song was actually released in 2013, but having forgotten all about it, and upon the news of American Idol going by the wayside after this season, I thought about this artist who came in fourth in a relatively recent season, and how she was forced to make a formulistic pop album even though her singing leaded more alternative. The album bombed (although the song "Friday I'll Be Over U"was in my year-end top 10 in 2009). She formed a new band and released some tracks, although not an entire album. "Gone" was the first single, and it made my weekly top 20. I will be next adding their 2014, "Do You Believe in Shame", a Duran Duran cover shortly.
18. "My Type", Saint Motel
The song was a staple this summer on Alternative radio and was catchy enough to be a worthy contender in the summer. It reached #9 on the Alt chart and #18 here.
17. "Uma Thurman", Fall Out Boy
Another key song this summer. It reached #19 on my chart and is currently hovering around that position in Billboard. I heard it primarily in Asbury Park, where me and hometown friends had a beach outing there. The song was played on the loudspeakers near the boardwalk.
16. "T-Shirt Weather", Circa Waves
How better could you describe the season than the title of this song. Another catchy rock-driven pop tune would have been on any car radio this summer. Peaked at #9 on my weekly chart.
15. "Outta My Mind", The Arcs
"Weight of Love" by The Black Keys was a major song last winter and early spring, and this side project from the Keys' Dan Auerbach. The song sounds a lot like "Weight" and visions of last winter were apparent, but this one was heard totally in the summer. Peaked at #5 just a couple weeks ago.
14. "Wrong Club", Ting Tings
Band hadn't been heard from in a while, and it's been years since "That's Not My Name". Alternative stations ignored this one, but adult leaning top 40 stations joined in this summer. A #16 peak on SNS.
13. "Last Raindrop", Fitz & the Tantrums
The album and its three singles (and two other tracks I added) ran its course, but two of them "6 AM" and "Fools Gold", hung around the middle of the chart. "6 AM" and "MoneyGrabber" were played on the jukebox at Frenchy's during an even toward the end of the summer. Still, I wasn't finished with this two-and-a half year old album, and this seemed like a logical successor to the others. Without fanfare, it recently had a two week stint at the top of my list.
12. "Dead Fox", Courtney Barnett
One of the best indie female singers out there now, this really cool song with a rather comical (and dark) video permeated in my head this summer. It was also number one for a couple of weeks, and did get some airplay on Triple-A stations---until I added it, at which time it fell off that format's chart.
11. "Dreams", Beck
Yet another song that had two weeks at the top, and also reached the top at Triple-A (and is still there), and #2 alternative, this catchy song was, no doubt, popular in the wake of Beck winning the Grammy for Album of the Year. This one will be from a forthcoming effort, but unfortunately because it's a rock song, it never made the Hot 100.
10. "Run", Coin
Band received a lot of airplay on Sirius XM's "Alt Nation" channel and was at the top of their "Alt 18" list for awhile. Reached #6 here.
9. "Outside", Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Goulding
This actually peaked in late spring on Billboard, but it reached #3 on my list. The combination of Goulding's voice and Harris' signature techno breaks, was a great song to listen if you were down at all.
8. "Gimme All Your Love", Alabama Shakes
I seriously thought this would have been a contender for the top spot here, as it was #1 for four weeks. It was a staple both on the Roscoe camping trip and on a subsequent trip to Maine. It's bluesy vibe to it was a standout. Perhaps it was added too early and didn't hang near the top too long to make a biggest impact, but a great song nonetheless.
7. "Let It Happen", Tame Impala
I played songs by this band before, but I was initially reluctant to jump on this one, as it was over seven minutes in length. It rose up my list rather slowly at first, but when Sirius' Alt Nation channel started playing it, I knew it was the right choice. A #5 peak, it is now on friend Alan Corso's playlist at the Jets tailgates.
6. "Like a Mighty River" - St. Paul & the Broken Bones
"Call Me" was a hit on the Triple-A charts last summer (and a hit on my chart right after ending my hiatus in the fall). I had to add another song, and this was similar and awesome as well. Upon adding it in May, it went thru my head when I need a little soul. Also reached #5.
5. "Alive Tonight", Grace Potter
I had a mixed-feeling on her new solo single. Sure, it was a catchy pop-rock thing, but I was concerned that she'd abandon her rock roots, and I understand her new album Midnight was the same way. Because she was a rock artist, this didn't make the pop chart, although it was definitely aimed at that market. It only peaked at #40 for a week on the Billboard Triple-A chart. It reached #4 here, but was a disappointment compared to the three singles from the last Nocturnals album, which all reached #1 or #2.
4. "Ship to Wreck", Florence + the Machine
I often compare Florence Welch to Grace Potter as Grace's British counterpart, and this one was a summer hit, getting top 5 status both here and on Billboards alternative chart. Definitely a nice summer listen.
3. "Cavalry Captain", The Decemberists
Except for a brief period on the Triple-A chart, this one was pretty much all mine, and it spent a week at the top of SNS. A great song that R.E.M. could have recorded, and it was a pleasure to listen to this summer.
2. "Ex's and Oh's", Elle King
This probably should have been number one, and if you just take songs I added during the summer, it would have been. It's popular with my friends, and to be honest, it transcends the summer. It reached #2 on my list, and has been at the top of Billboard's alternative chart for two weeks and running.
1. "Thinking Out Loud", Ed Sheeran
Never underestimate the power of friends. Ed Sheeran was always a good artist; his "The A Team" reached #21 on my list a couple years back. This song, rather similar in style, wallowed around the lower regions of my chart, even as it peaked at #2 for weeks this past spring (mostly due to "Uptown Funk" and "See You Again"). An endorsement from one of my friends saw me see a positive light to the song and it quickly shot up my chart and hit the top for six weeks, and it's still in the top 20 this week. So, for everyone else, it was a spring song, but this is my chart and for me, it was the summer song of 2015.
And there you have my summer sounds for 2015. To keep up with my recent retrospectives of five years of the blog, I will write a separate blog listing my top 20 summer songs since SNS's inception. In the meantime, here are the six number one summer songs of mine.
2010 - "Tighten Up", The Black Keys
2011 - 'Say Hello To Goodbye", Rachel Allyn
2012 - "The Rifle's Spiral", The Shins
2013 - "At the Beach", Paul Czekaj
2014 - "Fever", The Black Keys
2015 - "Thinking Out Loud", Ed Sheeran
BUT YOU GOTTA HAVE FRIENDS: SNS loves it when friends post or refer to current songs. It's actually one of the ingredients as to how a song makes my playlists and rises on my blog chart. This week, especially was affected by some upward moves. While "Coming Home" by Leon Bridges, expectedly rose from #5 to my top spot in only its 5th week, there were no references from friend. On the other hand, "Ex's and Oh's" by Elle King, regains its bullet and jumps back up to its peak #2 position, thanks to some good likes and comments when I posted the video on Facebook. It was also some friends' favorite summer song, and as you see above, it was #2 on my summer list as well.
Maroon 5's "This Summer's Gonna Hurt" continues its upward movement to #4, thanks to a post by friend Meg Hunsicker last week and some other references to it. George Kupper quotes lyrics and described the song "Uma Thurman" by Fall Out Boy, which hit #19 a few weeks back; it regains its bullet and advances back up to #27. The former top five "Let It Happen" by Tame Impala was played at our Jets tailgate last Sunday; the song jumps back up to #28.
Finally, there is "S.O.B." by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, in which another friend, Robyn Carbonera indicated was her song of the summer. As it has been going through my head already, it makes a big jump from #95 to #30 as the Mover of the Week. All this goes to show you that music is excellent when shared by friends. A big thank you for either introducing me to, or playing, the current music I love.
COASTIN': Remember Best Coast, the duo from L.A.? Their song "Something In the Way", from their EP of the same name hit #5 here late in 2010; it was followed by "Our Deal" (#10), and then finally 2012's "The Only Place" (#5) in the summer of 2012. Well, they are back, and they've pretty much picked up where they left off three years ago. Their third full-length album, California Nights, was released this past spring, and the track "Feeling OK", is getting some airplay and debuts at #73. Starting out with a rather dream-poppy intro, and from there getting into a jangly-pop aura. Bethany Cosentino's vocals are strong and to the point The song itself is a strong effort, and should make them four-for-four in my top 10. Definitely a band that has been overlooked and shouldn't be.
The next debut is another track from Grace Potter's solo debut, Midnight, with the track "Empty Heart". The first track, the poppish "Alive Tonight" reached #4 but perhaps alienated some of her fans of her blues-rock persona she had with the Nocturnals. Her latest track should at least restore park of her rock standing. It is rhythmic, often hip-hoppish as far as the beat is concerned, but it is harder and tougher than the first single. Her vocals are as strong as ever, and the beat become a driving force. It even features a gospel chorus in it, and it becomes a tour de force. How it will perform remains to be seen, but Potter is an artists who puts forth a big effort into her music.
Next up is "Life's Surprise", the second song from Kjband's Real Life set and the follow-up to the top 20 "Our Art". This one takes on a different tone from that song; Ken Johnston assumes lead vocals on this one, and has more of a country feel to it. Although Johnston's vocals aren't as strong as Kayla Scott's, who sang lead on "Our Art", she does provide harmony here, and also plays mandolin, and is augmented by Marco Vitali on violin. A worthy effort that should get a few more spins.
Finally, we have the new one by The Dead Weather, one of the many side projects of Jack White. "Die By the Drop" and "Blue Blood Blues" from their 2010 effort Sea of Cowards, both hit my top 20. Their new album Dodge and Burn, due out September 25, is their first effort since then, and the featured track is "I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)". As with any Jack White project, you never know what you're going to get. But again, White proves that guitar expertise is still relevant in the 2010's. As the song goes on, it does tread familiar territory but the song is jamming enough and White has his hands full in the vocal. If you need a rock fix, this is the place to go.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
September 14,
2015
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 5 | NUMBER ONE:
"Coming Home"
Album: Coming Home
|
5 |
| 2 | 4 | Elle King - Ex's and Oh's● | 18 |
| 3 | 1 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Last Raindrop | 11 |
| 4 | 3 | Phases - I'm In Love With My Life | 10 |
| 5 | 7 | Maroon 5 - This Summer's Gonna Hurt | 13 |
| 6 | 6 | The Arcs - Outta My Mind | 12 |
| 7 | 8 | Foals - Mountain At My Gates | 7 |
| 8 | 2 | Beck - Dreams | 13 |
| 9 | 10 | Mumford & Sons - The Wolf | 10 |
| 10 | 12 | Matt Weiss - Black Magic | 9 |
| 11 | 11 | I Am Dynamite - In the Summer | 10 |
| 12 | 18 | Demi Lovato - Cool for the Summer | 6 |
| 13 | 17 | Lana Del Rey - High By The Beach | 6 |
| 14 | 16 | Alabama Shakes - Future People | 8 |
| 15 | 9 | Courtney Barnett - Dead Fox | 12 |
| 16 | 20 | Hozier - Someone New | 8 |
| 17 | 21 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
"Photograph"
Album: x
|
10 |
| 18 | 14 | Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud● | 28 |
| 19 | 15 | Borns - Electric Love | 12 |
| 20 | 13 | Coin - Run | 16 |
Tremors:
| 101 | 102 | Chvrches - Leave A Trace |
| 102 | 90 | My Morning Jacket - Compound Fracture |
| 103 | 93 | Coleman Hell - 2 Heads |
| 104 | ---- | Frank Turner - The Next Storm |
| 105 | 105 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Money Grabber▲ |
| 106 | ---- | Boots - I Run Roulette |
|
|
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.