HELLO FROM THE TOP: Let's start with what's at the top of the SNS 100 this week. Probably to no one's surprise, Adele's "Hello"---which became the 24th song to debut at the top position on Billboard's Hot 100 last week---makes the leap from #4 to the lead spot on my list. It's only the third song to reach my summit in as many weeks, and the first to do so since Fitz & the Tantrums' "Out of My League" which made it to the top in three weeks back in March of 2013. The only other song to do it in as many weeks was "I Feel It In My Bones", a holiday entry from The Killers, which did the trick in December of 2012.
"Hello" is also #2 on the Triple-A chart this week, just behind Nathaniel Rateliff's "S.O.B", which it displaces on my list; that song drops to #5. More importantly, it holds at the top spot on the Hot 100. Thus, it's the only the third song to simultaneously top both my chart and Billboard's; behind "We Are Young" by fun., and "Royals" by Lorde. It's a song that everyone has been talking about, and it's good to see radio backing this one up, given that she's been away for over three years. It's also Adele's fourth SNS #1, tying her with Rachel Allyn as the woman with the most SNS chart-toppers, as well as with The Black Keys, all for second place behind Fitz & the Tantrums' seven #1's.
You would probably think that "Hello" will have a lengthy run at the top of my chart. But not so fast. Leaping to the runner-up spot is "Queen of Peace", the third single by Florence + the Machine's album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful to reach the top three. It jumps from #8 to #2 and actually gains more favorite points than Adele's song. Unlike "Hello", this one has been under the radar with radio, in spite of her two prior singles being hits at alternative radio. For me, this is a very powerful song, and probably even more so, the video, which combines this song as well as another off the album. I will replace the previous link with the video, please scroll below to the chart to access it. Next week should be an interesting race to see who is on top.
Hozier's "Someone New" holds at #3, while Ed Sheeran's "Photograph", in spite of bulleting, drops to #4, with Rateliff at #5. Two big entries on the top 20 include pop singer Selena Gomez's driving "Same Old Love", and the third entry in the upper echelon by St. Paul & the Broken Bones, "Broken Bones and Pocket Change".
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME: The last time we heard from Leila Hegazy was back in fall of 2013, when "The Reason Why" peaked at #26. Earlier that year, "Monday" became her fourth top ten SNS hit, peaking at #5 that spring. It was last December when she excited her fans (including myself) by posting a video of a new song of hers, "Maybe If We Try". I was about to give it Top Debut honors, except for one thing: The song wasn't officially finished yet, thus wasn't available for download, a requirement for entry onto my playlist. Leila had said that more studio and production work had to be done with this and that she hoped to complete it.
And then....nothing. In the meantime, her sister Omnia, came out with the awesome rocker "Dust" which spent a week at the top last spring. Well, I am happy to report that "Maybe If We Try" finally came out as her long awaited single, presumably for a forthcoming album, almost three years in the making. The song is my Top Debut at #58 this week. It's a perfect vehicle in her hopes of crashing into the mainstream. It's got the perfect beat for pop stations to latch onto, a rather haunting, slowed-down hip-hoppish beat. But she doesn't comprise her talents in trying for this; the vocals, which I have compared favorably in the past with the likes of Corinne Bailey Rae or Rebecca Ferguson, has outdone herself this time around. It's still her laid back jazzy and blues self, unlike her sister's rock forays with her most recent song. She sings of the search and hope for love. Another winner for Leila, for sure. I love it, and perhaps this could be the song for her long overdue national breakthrough.
Further down the chart, but entering at #88 is Leon Bridges' follow-up to his #1 SNS "Coming Home" (which is still in the top 20). This one is called "Smooth Sailin'". A change of pace from his Memphis soul-influenced last hit, this one is a bit more uptempo that is not as retro, but does feature hints of, say, Motown and other R&B influences. I hope the horn punctuations in this one as well.
The three debuts in the 90's come from bands that started or became big in the, appropriately enough, 1990's. Weezer has always been a favorite, but have been somewhat of a disappointment in the blog era. They have one top 20 SNS song from back in 2010 with "Hang On". We last heard from them at the tail end of last year with "Back to the Shack", which only reached #50, from their album Everything Will Be Alright in the End, although it did hit top five on Billboard's Alternative chart. The new one is "Thank God for Girls" from an upcoming album. It is easily their best in awhile, still in their inimitable style. It's an up-tempo excursion in rock, with hints of late sixties pop and seventies new wave thrown in for good measure. Good to see them back in form.
Michael Franti & Spearhead have been around since 1994, but they're best know for their 2010 album The Sound of Sunshine, which yielded three top 25 SNS hits (but none quite reached the top 20). They did release an album in 2013, All People, which failed to make any impact. The new single "Once A Day", is a rhythmic delight, part reggae, rock, rap and hip-hop and maybe a few other genres thrown in for good measure. It is nice romp that gets you up on your feet and you'll have a good time doing so.
Finally, Gwen Stefani, who has been in the news for other reasons lately (namely her new relationship with Blake Shelton, as well as her current stint on The Voice), is back with a solo effort, "Used to Love You". It's her first solo effort in the SNS era, after a big disappointment with 2012's No Doubt comeback effort that yielded two minor SNS top 50 efforts. Her solo efforts, for the most part, have been pretty much pop and hip-hop oriented (remember "Hollaback Girl"?). I've always wanted her to so something similar to "Don't Speak", her No Doubt hit from 1995. I am happy to report that the new single, "Used to Love You", is probably the closest thing to it. Not a ballad in the sense of that big nineties hit, but more of a comprising of the soul and balladry of that song, with a beat similar to her 2000's solo hits. Put them together, and you have a great song. Look for a big jump on next week's chart. Nice to see her put together a strong effort again. The song will be from a forthcoming album.
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN: Well, we are heading to mid-November now, so it's time to think about holiday and Christmas music. I know that many stations are already playing Christmas music, and shortly, I will be taking a look at what to add to my playlist this year. A couple of local acts are hinting at holiday releases. The Hounds of Winter, the ensemble headed by Tom Corea, will be releasing a big holiday set the day after Thanksgiving. Rachel Allyn, still recording her EP Next Year's Girl, which has been delayed, is hinting at an acoustic set for this December. And of course, we'll have some songs by the established artists as well. Normally, I don't re-add songs from prior holiday seasons, but look for a re-entry from Dropkick Murphy's "The Season's Upon Us", which reached #76 in 2012. My friend Alan Corso, has been playing the song at his functions and tailgates, even during the year.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
November 8,
2015
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 4 | NUMBER ONE:
ADELE
"Hello"
Album :25
|
3 |
| 2 | 8 | MOVER OF THE WEEK:
"Queen of Peace"
Album: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
|
4 |
| 3 | 2 | Hozier - Someone New | 14 |
| 4 | 3 | Ed Sheeran - Photograph | 16 |
| 5 | 1 | Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats - S.O.B. | 8 |
| 6 | 7 | Brandon Flowers - I Can Change | 10 |
| 7 | 5 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Last Raindrop | 17 |
| 8 | 10 | Foals - Mountain At My Gates | 13 |
| 9 | 12 | Palma Violets - Danger in the Club | 9 |
| 10 | 6 | Matt Weiss - Black Magic | 15 |
| 11 | 14 | X Ambassadors - Renegades | 20 |
| 12 | 16 | Best Coast - Feeling OK | 7 |
| 13 | 22 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
"Same Old
Love"
Album: Revival
|
4 |
| 14 | 11 | Elle King - Ex's and Oh's● | 24 |
| 15 | 9 | Leon Bridges - Coming Home | 11 |
| 16 | 28 | St. Paul & the Broken Bones - Broken Bones & Pocket Change | 8 |
| 17 | 19 | Mac Demarco - The Way You'd Love Her | 12 |
| 18 | 21 | Django Django - Shake & Tremble | 8 |
| 19 | 13 | Hippo Campus - Suicide Saturday | 12 |
| 20 | 15 | Phases - I'm In Love With My Life | 16 |
Tremors:
| 101 | Phoebe Ryan - Ignition/Do You | |
| 102 | 105 | Taylor Swift - Wildest Dreams |
| 103 | 96 | Jason Isbell - 24 Frames |
| 104 | 106 | Dawes - All Your Favorite Bands |
| 105 | Titus Andronicus - I Lost My Mind |
| 106 | 107 | Big Grams - Lights On |
|
|
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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