If you had to name a handful of artists who have been around for decades and how many of them have stayed relevant (or tried to be), you probably could count figures on both hands, but hardly any more than that. Many of the legends, as we have painfully experienced over the years, are no longer with us. Some were very popular back in the day, but in recent years have fallen off the face of the earth, some of the voluntarily; others due to simply waning popularity.
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| Bruce Springsteen has kept himself in the public eye this decade by virtual of multiple media appearances |
New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen has a new single out which is my Top Debut this week, and it comes from his forthcoming 19th studio album. Now, before you say that he hasn't made the Hot 100 in a long time (11 years, if you're keeping track), you should know better in this day and age of the unimaginative sparse pop songs, that's it's not what this is about. It's about artistry, and Springsteen has done all he can to stay in the spotlight.
Forget his struggling beginnings growing up in Freehold with various bands, to his rise to stardom and the stellar reviews ("I have seen rock's future, and his name is Bruce Springsteen", one critic said). Bypass the covers of Time and Newsweek in 1975, and the seven top ten singles from Born in the USA. Go right to the 2010's and you'll know that his memories "Born to Run" , his many benefits he's done, his entry into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (as well as a special exhibit in 2010 devoted to his career), his recent stand on Broadway, plus some stellar albums, that Springsteen has been keeping himself in the public eye. One friend just recently went with a fan group "the "Spring-nuts") group on a tour through Asbury Park's clubs, as well as where he grew up, along with members of his famed "E-Street Band" which has frequently backed him up both on record and in concert; that same person also met Springsteen in person twice, and signed her book. Even after he became a household word, Bruce would still play some gigs, unannounced, in Asbury Park or its surroundings.
On Facebook, there are several groups focusing on music; a few in particular actually are tributes to a legendary rock station in New York City, WNEW-FM, 102.7, "Where Rock Lives". Beginning in 1967 as a free-form station and continuing in various forms into the late nineties, the station boasted legendary disc jockeys such as Scott Muni, Dave Herman, Pete Fornatale, Richard Neer, and "the NIghtbird", Alison Steele, among many others. The groups, however, exist mostly to focus on the music itself and they have provided many interesting posts and reads.
We get an idea as to which artists they love, and which they don't. The opinions vary a great deal as well. One artist that continuously seems to get it from both sides is Bruce Springsteen. Yes, "the Boss", the pride of New Jersey and all that. But, not everyone seems to be on his side, unusual when you figure that fans of the radio station live mostly in the New Jersey area. Of course, the reasons differ. It seems that he gets an equal amount of love and hate.
Why the hate? Well, the reasons can vary. Some pretty much tired of him after his first few albums. However, that is common with many artists. Others might be tired of hearing working-class songs (an environment that Bruce grew up with) even after he became rich and lived in a mansion. Then there are those who complain about his gravelly voice, which some say is a bit offkey. Others, and this might be the most common reason, is because of his left-leaning politics, a big issue in this day and age of a divided America. One notable example is his song "American Skin (41 Shots)", a song inspired by the death of Amadou Diallo, who was shot by New York City police in 1999, who mistook him for a rape suspect one year earlier. The song---recording during session for his album The Rising, but not included on that 2001 album---triggered much controversy and a boycott by the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, of his shows. He has performed that song in concert in recent years as well.
But in spite of it all, Bruce remains a relevant figure at the age of 69. As mentioned above, his new single, "Hello Sunshine" is my Top Debut this week at #61. The song is from his forthcoming album, Western Stars, which will be a solo effort i.e., not with the E-Street Band, will drop on June 14. As for the song, it is definitely a solo outing which sounds a bit like his "Philadelphia" hit, as well as "One Step Up". It also has a country feel to it, which is unusual for him. But other than that, it is quintessential Springsteen.
It's Bruce's third entry onto my SNS 100. His last studio album, 2014's High Hopes, spawned the #18 title track (no relation to the current Panic! at the Disco hit).
FOUR-WAY STREET: It's pretty much a four-way horse race at the top, with "Lo/Hi", by The Black Keys holding on to the top spot for a third week, but the battle is intense. Just one point behind is Lil Peep's "I've Been Waiting", holding at #2. A virtual tie between Fitz & the Tantrums' "123456" and Nick Waterhouse's "I Feel An Urge Coming On" is next, with the Tantrums taking the 3-spot on the basis of having more points last week than Waterhouse. However, both songs are just 6 favorite points back. It's possible that any of the four can be #1 next week. All except the Waterhouse song are on some kind of Billboard chart. The Keys reign at the #2 spot on Billboard's Alternative chart, and is at #1 on the Triple-A list. Lil Peep stands at #64 on the Hot 100 (down from last week's peak of 62), and at #11 on Sirius XM's Alt-nation "Alt 18" chart. Fitz and company are at #27 Alternative (down from #24 but still gaining points on that chart). Attention, Triple-A formatted radio stations: Play some Nick Waterhouse. He's perfect for your format.
MIXED BAG: It is a mixed bag for debut this week. Behind Springsteen are The Holiday Band with "Yours". They are another Carolina Beach Music band from Burlington, NC who was elected to the Beach Music Association Hall of Fame in 2015. They join The James Hunter Six and Too Much Sylvia, who both debuted last week. As I am heading to the Myrtle Beach area later this week, it should be interesting the music I will be hearing.
Beck, whose single from The Lego Movie 2, "Super Cool" is moving up my list (33-25 this week), once again, is the latest artist to release another song just weeks after the first one. The new one, "Saw Lightning" is from a forthcoming album Hyperspace, due this summer, and debuts at #66. With Beck also doing guest vocals on the new Cage the Elephant single, "Night Running" which I will add in the next couple weeks, it looks like Beck will be all over the chart this summer.
Also debuting are the latest from the Blue Stones, "Be My Fire", a worthy follow to their top 20 "Black Holes (Solid Ground)"; Meg Myers' cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill", The Lumineers, whose songs seem to always have a girl's name in the title, keeping that up with "Gloria", and Thomas Rhett's "Look What Got Gave Her", recommended by a friend, joining Blake Shelton in the country genre, who also has a song with God in the title.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100
May 5, 2019
| This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
| 1 | 1 |
NUMBER ONE:
Album: 'Let's Rock'
(3 weeks at #1)
|
7 |
| 2 | 2 | Lil Peep and IloveMakonnen f Fall Out Boy - I've Been Waiting | 6 |
| 3 | 4 | Fitz and the Tantrums - 123456 | 5 |
| 4 | 5 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK;
Album: Nick Waterhouse
|
4 |
| 5 | 3 | The Kooks - Chicken Bone | 11 |
| 6 | 9 | Slothrust - Rotten Pumpkin | 9 |
| 7 | 10 | Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper - Shallow | 19 |
| 8 | 13 | Florence + The Machine - Moderation | 6 |
| 9 | 6 | Kungs f Ritual - You Remain | 11 |
| 10 | 15 | Wild Belle - Mockingbird | 5 |
| 11 | 17 | AJR - 100 Bad Days | 6 |
| 12 | 7 | Cage the Elephant - Ready to Let Go | 11 |
| 13 | 16 | Dreamers - Die Happy | 7 |
| 14 | 8 | Mark Ronson f. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart | 12 |
| 15 | 14 | Elle King - Baby Outlaw | 14 |
| 16 | 11 | STRFKR - In the End | 12 |
| 17 | 28 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:
(Single Only)
|
3 |
| 18 | 12 | The Revivalists - Change | 13 |
| 19 | 18 | Foals - Exits | 13 |
| 20 | 22 | The Struts f. Kesha - Body Talks | 7 |
|
|
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.
¨ Songs with 100 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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