For starters, Drake is in there four times, including the top two. Is he the new Beatles? Look, I don't know that much about Drake, and I'm sure he is a nice guy, but his music (and many others, not just time) isn't all that inspiring to me, anyway. Frankly, I haven't listened to either "Nice for What" or "God's Plan" (well, I just listened to "Nice for What" for two seconds and promptly turned it off). I keep reading posts that the Beatles record of having the top five back in April of 1964 would never happen again. Believe me, it will sooner than you think. Justin Bieber had three of the top five not too long ago.
I realize hip-hop is now the dominate force in pop music, and has been around, in one form or another for almost forty years. And, sorry if I offend anyone, but where has this genre gone in the last twenty years? And why are the kids nowadays gravitated to it? Is it because their parents presumably hate it and it's out of spite (similar to our parents view on rock when we were growing up?). But, do any of these songs have a melody? Instrumentation? How, or better yet, why does this genre of music keep thriving?
I have added a few songs here and there in this genre, and there are some good artists out there. I like Kendrick Lamar, for example. But much of it simply does not do anything for me. If such a song hit number one on Billboard for a long period of time (like "God's Plan" did), I'd at least give it an add. But I can't. I cannot relate.
I miss the days where I liked at least half of the top ten. But, except for Ed Sheeran's 'Perfect" (a former Billboard and SNS #1, now at #11 on my chart), I haven't heard any of these "songs". Okay, I just heard the number three song on Billboard, Bebe Rexha, "Meant to Be", which features country outfit Florida-George Line. Okay a good song, and perhaps the mixing of artists in multi-genres, as they have done in recent years on awards shows, is a good thing, but again, same hip-hop beat, vocal phrasing and spare instrumentation. And it is at best, okay, maybe I'll add that one. But it does nothing for me in the grand scheme of things.
For me, it's all a part of the millennial culture that includes disrespecting authority, being taught and told how to act and what opinions to take politically...and apparently what music they should hear. And I wonder exactly why is this generation is preferring this music or is this being spoon-fed to them. They treat rock songs like we treated bubblegum back in the day...."uncool".
I say this because radio stations nowadays are being run by corporate America. They program what they think you should hear, regardless of the geographical area you live in. And they can quickly make artists "has-beens" if they want. If you don't believe me, I haven't seen Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, or even Pink and heck, even Taylor Swift in the top ten lately (Swift's last three singles have missed the top ten), and I know these artists still have a following. It used to be back in the "good ole days" of radio, that radio stations would contact record stores (remember those?) to see what 45's were selling. The station would then release their survey of the top songs of the week, and many would count them down Tuesday evenings or on the weekends. And there was much variety in the music. Back then you had cool pop songs, schmaltzy pop songs ("The Night Chicago Died", anyone?), a few rock crossovers, soul, R&B, cool funk, and the occasional country song. Heck, in the summer of 1966, Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night" was a number one song, amidst an era of British bands, Motown and garage rock. Do any artists from the 90's make the chart at all these days?' And the last guitar driven rock song? Ten years ago, maybe? Well, Fall Out Boy skimmed the top 10 a few years back (and their most recent output got ignored completely...par for the course). And yes, I know about the novelty alt-rock crossover, the most recent being Portugal. The Man's "Feel It Still". As for Imagine Dragons who are there frequently and are considered alternative, you can basically have them...it's the hip-hop beat that's the reason why they are there.
Let's see, further down the list, #4 is something called "Psycho" by Post Malone featuring Ty Dollar Sign. Gee, I wonder what kind of music that is? Well upon listening.....what a surprise? Was I listening to "Meant to Be" again? Hey, let's hear it for diversity!
It's funny that back in the day when we were into rock, all music lessons centered on classic music. Now, in the hip-hop area, we have "school of rock" and guitar lessons readily available. Okay, #5, "Look Alive" by BlocBoy featuring Drake. Oh wow, a piano on it, profanity, and the same uninspired beat. That's how you have a hit record. Fire the drummer, just put in the beat machine and you have a hit. Well, hit this!
Number six is something called "The Middle" by Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey. Zedd is one of those producer/DJ's that usually feature guest vocalists, and I have added their songs in the past. Morris is a country singer...interesting combination, and then adding electronic duo Grey.. This song isn't half bad, and maybe I'll consider adding it...Zedd has hit my top 20 a couple times in the past. But again, why the sparse production?
#7 is "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran. It's a former #1 and has been on the chart for 33 weeks, and has sold over four million copies. My question is, why can't there be more of songs like this? This is a nice ballad and you don't need that sparse beat. Number 8 is "I Like It" by Cardi-B featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin. Apparently Cardi -B is the hottest thing on the planet right now (at least until Corporate radio determines when she is considered over the hill). And I love it when names you never heard of automatically have big hits when struggling musicians have tried to hone their craft for years and don't get anywhere. Phoebe Ryan struggles, while Bad Bunny (what's a 'bad bunny", anyway?) gets automatic success And listening to it? Well, well, well...the same track with vocals added to it. I just hope whoever puts out this drum machine gets all of these royalties. As for Cardi-B, you can have her, at least based on this.
Number 9 is "Freaky Friday" by something called Lil Dicky. That name alone should sell records..er...streams. Oh, and look who is featured on that song? The immortal Chris Brown, he of abusing Rihanna fame. But millennials just love that so, hell, lets buy his records. Don't bother listening to it. It's the same as half of the other songs in the top 10. I'll take "Friday on My Mind", or "Friday I'm in Love" any day of the week (see what I did there?)
Finally, we have our number ten recording, "Finesse" by Bruno Mars and good ole Cardi-B. Apparently, Mars, a favorite with my friends, and whose songs I actually like, needed Cardi-B to be on the song, you know, to spice things up and for current cred. This is actually a decent song...at least you can hear actual drums and a bit of shuffling going on. Okay, I'll add this one. Maybe there is some sanity after all, Bruno never lets me down.
I don't mean to trash hip-hop---after all it does have staying power and has buried rock which disco couldn't do. But, while the various sub-genres of rock music evolve after a few years, why is this music unchanged for twenty years and continued to be popular?. Hip-hop has some positive moments, from its beginnings (Kurtis Blow, Run-DMC, etc) to the "fun" era, onto the "gangsta rap" era of Public Enemy and NWA, and even thru the Tupac and Biggie Smalls era. And where is Dr. Dre when you need him? I just wonder if, in 2035, when this current music will be nostalgic oldies, if this generation will identify these songs in any trivia contest!
So, that brings me back to this blog. I had stated awhile back that I will still put one out and keep a currents playlist until the end of the decade and then call it a life of music (at which time I'll have a big collection of music spanning six decades, which I can listen to 'til I die).
So then, what music will I feature? Alternative had been my format and genre of choice for thirty years, and I will continue to dig deep to find some worthy new music, that with freeform arranging, soul-driven lyrics and vocal delivery and an old-time rock attitude. That is how I roll, and I hope to continue that. Yes, there will be country, classic-style soul and R&B and any other music that isn't cookie-cutter. I invite you to stay with me and we will explore some night indie sounds that remind you why you loved music in the first place.
NOW FOR THE CURRENTS: Jack Antonoff holds the top spot this week. He is better known as Bleachers, from New York City and he leads with "I Miss Those Days". Hegazy slips into the runner-up spot with "Here to Stay", while Portugal. The Man. has a bit of a resurgence into the #3 position. "Live In the Moment" topped the chart last December.
Some song highlights included Allison Ireheta and Halo Circus' "Narcissist" which grabs the "Mover of the Week" honors. The outfit, led by the former American Idol contestant but who has had a fledging career in alternative music, had had a steady stream of top 20 success here on SNS but hasn't made any noise outside of that. Her Halo Circus, once a quartet, has been pared down to one person---her husband--and "Narcissist" is perhaps a departure for her. Yes, it has a hip-hop/boombastic rock slant but still considered alt-rock, and some stations are actually playing it, including WEQX in Vermont (although the song isn't currently on their playlist). They recently played a gig at Garwood NJ's Crossroads club in Union County here.
With a deficiency in new music (again, only the top 85 songs have points this week, hence some stubborn Christmas songs are still on the list), so I carefully tried to tackle new music and see what is likeable. I fell in love with the Top Debut, 'French Girl" by Swimming With Bears, an alternative-soul hybrid quartet from Austin, TX, with their initial single. It's the type of song that is sorely missed these days.
Cold War Kids have been red hot on SNS lately, and their new single "Can We Hold On", their fourth from their LA Divine set, pretty much picks up where the others left off. Leon Bridges had a surprise #1 SNS song from 2016 that you'd swear was from the 1960's soul era, "Coming Home". His debut single from this sophomore effort, Good Thing, "Bad Bad News" ditches the retro soul (as it seems to be customary these days, as artists gravitate the mainstream, not the other way around), but still is a worthy R&B number and should get a lot of airplay (and it already has on Triple-A radio).
Phillip Phillips, still the last "American Idol" to make some noise, has seen his sales drop considerable with his third album, Collateral, but the singles released thus far are stellar. "Magnetic" follows his #6-charting "Miles". Foster the People go for their tenth straight Top 20 with "I Love My Friends", the fourth from their third set Sacred Hearts Club. The War on Drugs follow "Holding On" with "Pain". Kid Rock, and Haley Reinhart also debut.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
April 2 - 9,
2018
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 2 | NUMBER ONE:
"I Miss Those
Days"
Album: Gone Now
|
7 |
| 2 | 3 | Hegazy -Here To Stay | 8 |
| 3 | 5 | Portugal. The Man - Live In the Moment● | 15 |
| 4 | 1 | Moon Taxi - Two High | 18 |
| 5 | 4 | Vance Joy - Lay It On Me | 12 |
| 6 | 11 | Tennis - Modern Woman | 5 |
| 7 | 9 | Christina Taylor - American Dreamin' | 7 |
| 8 | 12 | The Palms - Don't Waste My Time | 6 |
| 9 | 14 | Walk the Moon - One Foot | 13 |
| 10 | 6 | Alice Merton - No Roots | 15 |
| 11 | 8 | Ed Sheeran - Perfect | 14 |
| 12 | 15 | The Decemberists - Severed | 7 |
| 13 | 20 | Jeff Rosenstock - All This Useless Energy | 5 |
| 14 | 13 | Foster the People - Sit Next To Me | 13 |
| 15 | 7 | The Neighbourhood - 24/7 | 12 |
| 16 | 17 | The Killers - Run For Cover | 7 |
| 17 | 18 | Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats - You Worry Me | 7 |
| 18 | 10 | Weezer - Happy Hour | 16 |
| 19 | 16 | Hegazy - Alive | 13 |
| 20 | 24 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:
"Adore"
Album: Night Thinker
|
5 |
|
|
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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