A full slate of things to talk about this week, including the top four debuts all by blog favorites, but I have to lead with the elephant in the room: The 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, which were announced last week.
Back in February, I had listed the nominees and offered my thoughts as to who deserved to get in and who shouldn't. The list pretty much went according to my predictions. The 2021 inductees are: Tina Turner, Carole King, Todd Rundgren, Foo Fighters, The Go-Go's and Jay-Z. For Turner, King and Dave Grohl, it's the second induction for each, but all well deserved.
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| Myself at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in 2010. The Hall announced its inductees for 2021. |
Tina Turner previously got in as part of husband-and-wife duo Ike and Tina Turner but it's probably more gratifying that she get in on her own, given her ex-husband's history of sexual abuse. She definitely deserves the nod; her rock cred stems from her playing The Acid Queen in the movie version of The Who's rock opera Tommy, plus her slew of 1980's hits put her over the top. Carole King had gotten in as part of a songwriting team with her ex-husband Gerry Goffin; they were an essential part of history as part of a team of Brill Building writers, but based on her classic album Tapestry, along with her follow-ups in the 1970's, getting in as a performer was well overdue. As for Dave Grohl, who had gotten in previously as part of Nirvana, his "second act' of sorts, Foo Fighters proved to be a more enduring outfit and is still making music today, their latest "Waiting On a War" just left the playlist last week.
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| The Go-Go's were among the 2021 inductees |
The Go-Go's proved that an all-female rock band could have an influence, and they definitely did: Bands such as The Bangles, as well as many alternative bands from the 1990's and beyond probably owe their success to the Go-Go's. Now, if the hall can recognize solo rock acts like Pat Benatar, the ball can really get rolling. Todd Rundgren had some solo successes; in fact, one of his hits, "I Saw The Light" was directly influenced by Carole King, but perhaps his performing work as a whole may not be HOF material, but his behind the scenes presence more than makes up for it. His production work on acts like the New York Dolls, Grand Funk, Meat Loaf and many others, makes his case strong for induction.
But what about Jay-Z? Again, it brings up the debate on whether rappers, and hip-hop artists in general should be in a "rock and roll" hall. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed quite awhile ago; the proverbial can of worms was opened years ago when the likes of The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, plus Public Enemy, N.W.A, etc got in, so it should be a non-issue by now. But, if this is an attempt to include performers of color, then I understand, but why aren't the likes of Bad Brains, Fishbone, Living Colour or Lenny Kravitz--artists of color who do make rock music included? Bad Brains was nominated once, in 2017, but the others listed haven't even attained that.
In addition, three artists got in as "Early Influences". Here is where I take exception. Spoken word/jazz pioneer Gil-Scott Heron, Electronic band Kraftwerk and Blues musician Charley Parker all got in under this category. I can totally understand Parker's inclusion: He was a true pioneer of the blues with recordings from the 1910's to 1930's, which definitely qualifies him for that honor. He passed away in 1934. As for Gil-Scott Heron, I know some of his works, much of it spoken-word commentary of the times, in the 1970's, notably addressing race and Civil Rights issues. It is definitely a forerunner of the rap/hip-hop movement, so it definitely is an influence. Kraftwerk, a German outfit, rose to prominence with its electronic-based instruments, definitely a forerunner of the electronic and EDM movements from the 1990's to the present.
But, in the case of Heron and Kraftwerk, both of these artists' works came to prominence in the 1970's, a good 15 to 20 years after the "start" of rock and roll. Shouldn't both of these acts be inducted as genuine performers? Perhaps they were early influences in their respective genres, and if there was a separate Hall for those, then yes and I get that, but to be classified as an "early influencer" of rock and roll when the genre was already two decades old, is hard to fathom.
And that leads me to the inevitable question: Why is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame even necessary, aside for the chance for bloggers like myself and other pundits to debate credentials. Like sports Hall of Fames, baseball in particular, there is a minimum requirement to nomination. A baseball player needs to be retired for five years for consideration; music artists have to wait twenty-five years after their first release. But there is where the similarity ends.
It's pretty much easy to determine whether a baseball player gets in: Just look at his stats, awards he has gotten, championship teams he has been on, and where he stands in the sport's history. While there is debate on a player's accomplishments, it's pretty much cut and dry. If you're a career .230 hitter, chances are you won't get in.
But in music, it's not that easy. How do you determine whether a musical act is hall-worthy? Record sales? Do acts like Milli Vanilli, because their album sold 8 million copies, but later revealed that the visible performers didn't perform on the record, should get in because they sold that much? Billy Ray Cyrus' debut record was number on for 17 weeks, but no way he'll get in. Conversely, Jimi Hendrix had only one top 20 hit, but he's in, because he is generally regarded as one of the best, if not THE best, guitarist of all time. Many of the Hall members never had a big string of hits or big albums; they are based on artistic genius and critical acclaim, but how exactly do you measure that? Awards? The Beatles won only three major Grammys. Everybody argues that their favorite artist of the era they grew up in should get in, because they may have had a lot of hits, but it doesn't really work that way. You could, conceivably, admit any artist who has had a great critical review or a string of hit records, and things could get way out of hand. Induction is more of a subjective nature, while an athletic sport's Hall is more of objectivity. And the determination of whether a musical performer gets in has been mainly based on the opinions of one or two people, while a full committee of beat sportswriters and the veterans committee determine who gets in Baseball's Hall. And previous Rock Hall inductees, like Steve Miller, The Sex Pistols, and Maureen Tucker of Velvet Underground are just some of the performers who have blasted the Hall in spite of being inducted. Can you really name one baseball player in Cooperstown who has criticized that organization?
Having said all that, my wife and I visited the Hall of Fame in Cleveland back in 2010. We enjoyed our visit, as this was a great way to remember musical history and we got a lot out of it. So while I agree that a visit to this museum is a must-see, the way this organization even attempted to decide who is more worthy than others, leaves much to be desired.
SCREENAGE BLITZ AND OTHER STORIES: We have a new #1 song on my SNS 100 playlist as ScreenAge's "North Star", the lead single from their forthcoming DNR set, moves 2-1 to become the Jersey outfit's second straight number one, following last year's "Blue Eyed Addiction". The song has a comfortable lead over The Weeknd's still-number one on Billboard song "Save Your Tears", which moves 4-2. Last week's playlist-topper, Fleet Foxes' "Sunblind" drops to #3 after a five week run at the top. Oneiric's "The Ride" moves back up to #4, but the big mover is the second single by ScreenAge, "Think Again" which garners Impact honors by moving 28-5 in only its second week on my chart.
That sets up an interesting possibility for next week. In my blog history, only one act has had the top two songs on my playlist: The Revivalists had the top two songs on my February 17, 2019 list with "Change" at #1 and "You and I" at #2. The variable in next week's scenario, however, could lie with The Weeknd. I love "Save Your Tears", and it is the national #1 song not only on the Billboard Hot 100, but also the Pop and Hot AC airplay charts, and even appears on the alternative chart. It is the biggest pop performing song on my blog since "Old Town Road" two years ago. Should be interesting next week to see if Emily MacMahon and company can pull off the top two. Stay tuned.
BLOG FAVES DEBUT: We have eight new songs added this week, and as seems to be the case lately, the lead four acts are blog favorites. Hot on the heels of the band's still-top 10 "Romantic Way", Winnetka Bowling League are back with "Barcelona", teaming up with Sasha Sloan, a Russian-American artist hailing from L.A. The Matthew Koma-led band scores Top Debut honors. Starting off with a '70s synth sound, it proceeds into a cool vibe with pop sensibilities. Koma and Ms. Sloan exchange vocals and it works very well. While I kind of wish the band would get back in "Kombucha" mode, this flavorful outing should result in yet another top 10 showing for the band on my list. But it's been awhile since WBL has had a national showing. They haven't really made noise since "CVS" but maybe this one should get them back. It's a more fuller sound than recent cuts. Gets better with each listen.
Next is the third outing for Matt Weiss, already on my list with his band Off Guard and as featured vocalist with EDM duo Fabler and Comet. It is the latter genre that he debuts again, this time with Long Island based alternative and electronic artist Michael Scarabino. While the Fabler and Comet song echoes the style of Calvin Harris, Scarabino's music is more fully orchestrated and not overtly electronic. To be honest, I like this one better than both "Sincere" and "Be Okay", Weiss' voice fits in very well in this song and should top both of those songs in my top 20. It should be noted that Weiss isn't the first member of Off Guard to guest vocal on one of Scarabon's songs; member Tyler Embry was featured on a prior song "Missing Nights Out".
As I had mentioned list week, David Porfirio follows up "Self Portrait"--sort of--with "Day At the Beach". The Queens artist had released this song as a single back in February, but, unlike "Self Portrait" or his #1 "That Night on Bergenline Avenue", the guitarist extraordinaire hasn't really promoted it. But I figured with summer coming this is a natural add. Listening to this evokes the golden age of surf-rock. The music compares to that of The Ventures, Dick Dale, and Duane Eddy--at least for the first two minutes. But this is Porfirio we're talking about--he of the abrupt tempo and style change. He suddenly goes from California-style surf to some far-out 80s concoction, then again to some trademark Porfirio jam (with the requisite steel drum sounds), before returning back to the early 60's for the remaining minute and a half. Sort of an off-beat piece, but then again, this is his distinctive style and a fifth straight top 20 performance is guaranteed. Also, next month, watch out for his new album 1986 which no doubt will be an interpretation of the music of the 1980's.
British band Tinkers Lane is coming off a number one blog hit with "Honey Honey" and I was wondering about a follow-up. From looking at frontman Ian Roberts' page, it seems like the cut "I Do Love You" (not the Billy Stewart/G.Q. song) has been garnering local airplay on playlists across the pond. The song is also from their debut The Noise is Beautiful. A local independent chart, "AB Independent" from the Aldora Records Bandcamp page lists the song as #2 on that chart. "I Do Love You" is also on Aldora's compilation album, Two. As for the song, don't expect "Honey Honey Part Two". This is actually more of a country-rock song that perhaps you might even hear in a bar. But the band is noted for its variety in the music, and this is a nice departure of sorts. Speaking of Roberts, he had recently posted a 2017 release, "So Fine Summertime", recorded with Tom Corea's Hounds of Winter contingent. Given the top 20 showing of that collaboration's 2015 holiday entry "Christmas At Our House", the song is under consideration for an add in the coming weeks.
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| Blake Shelton's latest, controversial single "Minimum Wage" is added this week. |
Three other notable artists with national success enter the list, led by Blake Shelton's "Minimum Wage". His follow-up to the country #1, blog top 20 "Happy Anywhere", his new one comes with a sort of controversy. The singer, a coach on The Voice, has been a sporadic favorite since his debut single "Austin" came out in 2001. However, some critics have addressed this song as being "insensitive" especially in times of COVID-19 making it sound like being out of work, or working at the minimum wage as a bad thing, but Shelton feels that listeners had misinterpreted the song. "Minimum Wage" is still moving up the Country charts so the negative reaction may have subsided a bit. As for the song, it's in his uptempo "Boys 'Round Here" style. Needless to say, Blake is my favorite country artist, twenty years on. Should brush my Top 20, similar to his other recent outings.
Alice Merton is back with her new single "Vertigo" (not the U2 song). The artist scored a big blog hit in 2017 with "No Roots" which hit #2 on my blog that year. Her new one is a rolling, infectious beat, much more rhythmic than her prior song. Very catchy, it should return her to my top 20. Australian-born Chet Faker makes his blog debut with "Low". Faker has been around since 2011 and has also recorded under his real name, Nicholas James Murphy. A steady midtempo beat accompanies this straight forward tune.
THE MAIN PRE-VENT BAN(D): Last week, I had added a Carolina Beach Music song, a remake of the twice hit "Hello Stranger" by The Main Event Band. As my blog readers might know, in spite of this being the streaming era, I still download music and a criterion for inclusion on my playlist is that the song must be available for download, or in any physical configuration (CD, vinyl, etc). Lately I usually preview the song if it's on video, add to my spreadsheet and blog, then go back to a music site and download. Unfortunately, the song wasn't available on the normal outlets or on e the band's website which is still under construction. I then went on to the band's Facebook page, and discovered that though the song had been out since the end of last year, no where did it say if it was available, and that includes streaming. Seems that the song has been at or near the top of various beach music DJ's lists, which is apparently based on the most requested songs rather than sales. Recently, the band posted that it is available on a beach music compilation CD, that you can get for $16, but that, too, isn't available as of yet. When I had asked if "Hello Stranger" is available for download, I got no response, in spite of me also posting my blog. Apparently down in the Carolinas it doesn't seem to hold much weight, especially when it comes to talking about New Jersey, New York or the U.K. That music scene, made up of bands containing seasoned, veteran musicians is a different animal from what I am used to, in spite of being a beach music fan for forty years. So, as a result, I removed the song from my playlist. If I can get my hands on the CD, I may re-add in the future.
To replace that song, I added another beach music remake of a golden oldie, "Working On a Groovy Thing" by another band from that region, The Catalinas, who DO offer a download of that band's website. The song was popularized by Patti Drew who took it to #62 on the Hot 100 in 1968. A bigger hit was the 5th Dimension's version which got to #20 the following year and which landed on my year-end list at #26. The Catalinas version borrows elements from both of those versions. The song, written by Neil Sedaka, has always been a favorite of mine, and will be a nice change of page on my playlist, like I thought "Hello Stranger" would be.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
May 9, 2021
|
This Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: DNR |
5 |
|
2 |
4 |
14 |
|
|
3 |
1 |
11 |
|
|
4 |
5 |
10 |
|
|
5 |
28 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  Album: DNR |
2 |
|
6 |
3 |
11 |
|
|
7 |
8 |
10 |
|
|
8 |
6 |
9 |
|
|
9 |
9 |
5 |
|
|
10 |
7 |
10 |
|
|
11 |
10 |
9 |
|
|
12 |
14 |
Elle King and Miranda Lambert - Drunk (And I Don'tWant to Go
Home) |
7 |
|
13 |
11 |
12 |
|
|
14 |
13 |
7 |
|
|
15 |
12 |
12 |
|
|
16 |
16 |
11 |
|
|
17 |
18 |
8 |
|
|
18 |
15 |
9 |
|
|
19 |
23 |
9 |
|
|
20 |
21 |
8 |
|
|
21 |
22 |
9 |
|
|
22 |
26 |
4 |
|
|
23 |
31 |
3 |
|
|
24 |
27 |
7 |
|
|
25 |
17 |
13 |
|
|
26 |
19 |
16 |
|
|
27 |
25 |
13 |
|
|
28 |
38 |
6 |
|
|
29 |
20 |
19 |
|
|
30 |
48 |
3 |
|
|
31 |
35 |
7 |
|
|
32 |
54 |
3 |
|
|
33 |
37 |
6 |
|
|
34 |
55 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 the Disco |
3 |
|
35 |
39 |
6 |
|
|
36 |
24 |
10 |
|
|
37 |
53 |
3 |
|
|
38 |
42 |
5 |
|
|
39 |
44 |
7 |
|
|
40 |
47 |
5 |
|
|
41 |
51 |
5 |
|
|
42 |
29 |
16 |
|
|
43 |
43 |
Black Coffee ft. Maxine Ashley and Sun El Musician - You Need Me |
14 |
|
44 |
36 |
19 |
|
|
45 |
34 |
25 |
|
|
46 |
67 |
2 |
|
|
47 |
33 |
19 |
|
|
48 |
41 |
14 |
|
|
49 |
30 |
15 |
|
|
50 |
32 |
16 |
|
|
51 |
70 |
2 |
|
|
52 |
46 |
8 |
|
|
53 |
60 |
4 |
|
|
54 |
64 |
3 |
|
|
55 |
66 |
12 |
|
|
56 |
74 |
2 |
|
|
57 |
49 |
18 |
|
|
58 |
57 |
7 |
|
|
59 |
40 |
17 |
|
|
60 |
59 |
7 |
|
|
61 |
63 |
6 |
|
|
62 |
50 |
15 |
|
|
63 |
56 |
11 |
|
|
64 |
45 |
13 |
|
|
65 |
52 |
9 |
|
|
66 |
73 |
4 |
|
|
67 |
61 |
24 |
|
|
68 |
80 |
6 |
|
|
69 |
82 |
8 |
|
|
70 |
72 |
5 |
|
|
71 |
83 |
2 |
|
|
72 |
69 |
14 |
|
|
73 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  WINNETKA BOWLING LEAGUE and SASHA SLOAN (Single Only) |
1 |
|
74 |
65 |
10 |
|
|
75 |
68 |
8 |
|
|
76 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
77 |
58 |
12 |
|
|
78 |
79 |
17 |
|
|
79 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
80 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
81 |
81 |
6 |
|
|
82 |
87 |
2 |
|
|
83 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
84 |
84 |
4 |
|
|
85 |
77 |
19 |
|
|
86 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
87 |
78 |
18 |
|
|
88 |
62 |
8 |
|
|
89 |
75 |
17 |
|
|
90 |
71 |
15 |
|
|
91 |
76 |
17 |
|
|
92 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
93 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
94 |
88 |
26 |
|
|
95 |
85 |
16 |
|
|
96 |
90 |
10 |
|
|
97 |
89 |
12 |
|
|
98 |
91 |
23 |
|
|
99 |
93 |
18 |
|
|
100 |
92 |
11 |
|
|
Songs with the greatest increase in
favorite points over the prior week. ●
Songs with
25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲ Songs with 50 or more plays.
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