What is interesting about the Hegazy song is that its quick ascent (top five in just three weeks) has slowed a bit. This is because the duo have already released the follow-up, the politically-charged social commentary "Here to Stay", with a new video as well. I will be exploring this song in the coming weeks. Normally, I stay away from politics on here, but since this is Hegazy we are talking about, I will be adding this in the next few weeks and will have my take on it. So stay tuned.
Rounding out the top five is Pink's "What About Us", with "Holding On" by The War on Drugs right behind. Aside from Weezer finally getting its first SNS top 10 with "Happy Hour" (13-9), that, the top 20 is relatively quiet as the Impact award is the weakest possible designation going to Moon Taxi's 'Too High" which inches 21-20. There are some really good records moving up in the middle of the chart as well. A favorite of mine is Vance Joy's "Lay It On Me" (the Mover award, 70-46) , as is The Neighbourhood's "24/7" (87-61).
HOUND SEASON ONCE AGAIN: All of the major debuts this week are holiday entries. The Hounds of Winter have been no strangers to the blog over the past year and a half, and they have certainly been no strangers to the holiday music scene, having recorded dozens of holiday songs over the past decade and a half. And as "I Get You" is ready to drop off the chart at #100, they have the Top Debut this week with this year's holiday entry, "Christmas Must Be Tonight", entering at #53. The Hounds have had at least one entry on my list going back to September 2016 when "Oh Paige" entered. And the studio group, headed by drummer Tom Corea have gotten noticed as well: The Hounds were named as one of the top indie groups in the state of New Jersey. ICharts, a trade organization for independent music in the state, named the Hounds the #7 artist this year. Great job guys! Keep up the awesome work!
Right behind are Fitz & the Tantrums with "Santa Stole My Lady". Normally when it comes to holiday releases, I try to keep it to the year it was released. I do make exceptions, however, such as last year when "Here We Come a Wassailing" by Under the Streetlamp, and "The Seasons' Upon Us" by Dropkick Murphy's, which were several years old. So I wasn't sure whether to add the Tantrums' "Santa Stole My Lady", which was originally released back in 2010. There are a few reasons why I did decide to.
First of all, it's a great song. Recorded back in 2010, it was released around the same time as their breakthrough single, "MoneyGrabber", and as such, has the retro soul and emotion that their last releases have lacked. Secondly, I have heard it for the first time on Sirius XM radio's "Holly" channel this year, and the band performed this recently on the Disney Christmas TV special last week. Finally, the band has had at least one entry on every SNS chart going back to early 2013, and with both "Fool" and "Get Right Back" about to fall off the charts (at 92 and 96 respectively), this will at least keep the band on SNS into 2018. At that point, I am not sure whether to pull another cut from their 2016 self-titled third album, or graciously let the almost five-year streak end. We shall see.
Another favorite of mine is Gwen Stefani's "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" which is a duet with her boyfriend, country star and sometimes fellow The Voice coach, Blake Shelton. Stefani is all over the television this season to promote her new holiday album of the same name. She performed at the Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as the Rockefeller Center tree lighting, and will have her own holiday special on December 12. The song itself is a winner, with Shelton's country influence very apparent. Stefani isn't new to holiday recordings, her band No Doubt's "Oi to the World", in that band's early ska style, was on my Christmas song countdown up until a few years ago; the 1997 song appeared on "A Very Special Christmas 3" compilation to benefit Special Olympics.
It seems that Kelly Clarkson releases a Christmas song every year. Her 2013 holiday set Wrapped in Red, yielded several singles over the next few years, and this year she releases "Christmas Eve", which is actually from a children's book that was written by the original American Idol star and future The Voice coach. The song joins Clarkson's current "Love So Soft" and climbing my playlist. And finally, Josh Groban, who has recorded some holiday material over the years, most notably "Believe" from the movie The Polar Express, covers the John Lennon classic "Happy Xmas (War is Over)".
Add in Sia's "Santa's Coming For Us" which I added last week, and we have a potent class of holiday fare this month. At this point, I am not sure if I will add others during the next couple weeks or so; it all depends on what is out there.
YEAR-END MADNESS: As this blog is dated November 26, and today is December 6, I am a week behind. The holiday season is very hectic and I had to cancel my annual holiday countdown because of time limitations. There will be two or three more blogs this year, at which time I will call it a year. Of course, I will feature my Top 100 of the year before my annual hiatus well into January. So it's time to think about what your favorite songs of 2017 were.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
November 26,
2017
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 1 | NUMBER ONE:
"So Tied Up"
Album: Woodstock
(3 weeks at #1)
|
11 |
| 2 | 2 | The Palms - Levitate | 8 |
| 3 | 4 | Portugal. The Man - Live In the Moment | 6 |
| 4 | 5 | Hegazy - Alive | 4 |
| 5 | 7 | Pink - What About Us | 12 |
| 6 | 9 | The War on Drugs - Holding On | 11 |
| 7 | 8 | Pageants - Chai ('n) | 8 |
| 8 | 3 | Øffguard - Strawberry Moon | 8 |
| 9 | 13 | Weezer - Happy Hour | 7 |
| 10 | 15 | Ed Sheeran - Perfect | 5 |
| 11 | 11 | The National - The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness● | 17 |
| 12 | 17 | St. Vincent - New York | 13 |
| 13 | 6 | Cold War Kids - Invincible | 13 |
| 14 | 10 | Beck - Up All Night | 11 |
| 15 | 20 | Phillip Phillips - Miles | 5 |
| 16 | 14 | Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still▲ | 30 |
| 17 | 19 | Lord Huron - The Night We Met | 12 |
| 18 | 12 | George Ezra - Don't Matter Now | 14 |
| 19 | 16 | BØRNS - Faded Heart | 11 |
| 20 | 21 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
"Two High"
(Single Only)
|
9 |
Tremors:
101.30 Seconds to Mars, "Walk On Water"
|
|
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.
The “Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100” is a list
of current and recent song playlist which I am listening to.
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