TWENTY-TWENTY ONE has been the year of ScreenAge, at least on this blog, for sure. "Think Again" remains in the top position for a fourth week. That ties "Blue Eyed Addiction" which, en route to my #1 song for 2020, for most weeks at the top by that Jersey band. But that's just part of the story. The Screen-sters also have the Impact this week as "Going Back" storms 23-7, and "Questions" moves from 26 to 12. As "North Star", a former #1, hangs in there at #17, it marks the first time on my blog that an act has FOUR songs in my current top 20 listing. The two new additions allow it to slingshot ahead of both Adele and The Revivalists for most concurrent songs in the upper echelon.
Adele pretty much dominated my top 20 during a three month stretch in 2011. "Rolling in the Deep", "Someone Like You" and "Rumour Has It" were all in my top 20 continuously from May 9 to July 4 of that year. After "Someone Like You" dropped out the week of July 11, it was replaced the next week with "Set Fire To The Rain", which kept her in the trifecta for another three weeks until August 1.
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| New Jersey-based alternative and indie rockers ScreenAge this week pull off the unprecedented feat if having four songs in my top 20. |
The Revivalists, whose records for having the top two songs in a given week, as well as succeeding themselves at #1, were recently tied by ScreenAge, also had three songs in the top 20 for two weeks, February 3 and 10, in 2019. The songs were "All My Friends", "And You and I" and "Change". I also have to note that "Think Again" is ScreenAge's third straight number one, which ties Adele, Rachel Allyn, and the Revivalists for most consecutive blog toppers. Only Fitz and the Tantrums, who also had a string of three in a row, have a larger streak, 6 consecutive songs to top the SNS 100.
SUMMERTIME MADNESS, AT LEAST HERE: The official first day of summer arrived on June 20, although my tabulations for "Song of the Summer" are a month old. While next week I will give a progress report on what songs lead my tally for this year's title, many of the songs I've been featuring have a summer theme. This is in contrast to what's going on in the real world where almost no mention of the burgeoning season can be seen on the Billboard Hot 100.
Of course, having listened to music since the mid 1960's, it's not really summer without at least a few songs having a seasonal theme being played on the radio. For example, the first summer I religiously listened to top 40 radio, there was "See You in September", "Summer in the City", "Sunny Afternoon (In the Summertime)", "Summertime" and a few others from 1966. You usually had at least one song in that category every year.
Last year, only one song in memory had a summer theme: Winnetka Bowling League's "Come to the Beach". That was pretty much it. And while the established artists haven't seemed to come out with anything of note, my current playlist has several summer-themed songs climbing up my chart.
Let's start with the Carolina Beach Music scene. For those not familiar with beach music, it's an R&B/soul-based genre that goes back to the late 1940's and was popular in Myrtle Beach as well as up and down the North and South Carolina coasts. Many 1950's and 60's songs have that beat; subsequent decades, though not as much in that vein, many songs incidentally have that beat, and are thus played on certain radio stations that have either that format, or a specialty show. The Shag is a specific dance that is associated with this kind of music. I've been featuring some songs on the current beach charts for the last several years. Currently on my listing is Debra Browning's "Stop Messin' With My Man" (#43), R. Mark Black's cover of "Whispers (Getting Louder)" (#58), The Catalinas' remake of "Working on a Groovy Thing" (#71), and Too Much Sylvia's "I Wanna Go Back" at #83.
Other summer or surf-themed songs on my list include David Porfirio's "Day at the Beach" (#26), Ian Roberts' "So Fine Summertime" (#36), Surfer Blood's "Summer Trope" (#39), and Anna Lavigne's "Seashore Blues" (#49). While all fit the theme, they're in different styles: Porfirio's echoes the surf-rock early 60's sound of artists like Dick Dale, Duane Eddy or the Surfaris. Roberts' song has a mid 60's vibe not unlike the Beach Boys (although there is a bit of up-tempo Association added to it). Anna Lavigne's is slow and sultry which takes you to an exotic island or shore, and as I've mentioned before, a "Girl From Ipanema" vibe. Finally, Surfer Blood's pretty much is in the surf-punk mode.
Since you probably can't find any current songs on any format which gives you a summer vibe, I invite you to check out all eight songs listed on my playlist. Then, head to the beach!
BACK TO THE CHART: As mentioned earlier, ScreenAge's "Think Again", remains at the top for a fourth week, and still has a comfortable lead over The Black Keys' "Crawling Kingsnake", and Bebe Rexha's "Sacrifice", although both are still bulleting. However, there are big movers right below it: Middle Kids' "Questions" jumps 18-4, Kaleo's "Break My Baby" (14-5), Meg Myers' "The Underground" (16-6) and ScreenAge's "Going Back" (23-7). ScreenAge's "Questions" and Anna Lavigne's "Dare to Dream" are big movers into the teens.
Other big movers on the list include Modest Mouse's "We Are Between", Pageants' "Just Tell Me", and Dua Lipa's "Levitating", among others.
POP EMULATION, OR NOT? It's rare that songs in the Billboard Hot 100's top 10 are also on my list, but that is the case....sort of. Dua Lipa's "Levitating" (#3 this week after peaking at #2); The Weeknd's "Save Your Tears" (a former #1, this week at #7), and "Without You", by The Kid LAROI with Miley Cyrus (at #13, peaked at #8) are all doing well (or have done well on my list). Respectively on my list, they are at #48 (current Mover of the Week), #22 (after peaking at #2), and #37. However, a further look at the Billboard listing shows all three songs with a different mix of vocalists from those I've been listening to. "Save Your Tears" also features Ariana Grande; "Levitating" features DaBaby, and The Kid LAROI does NOT feature Ms. Cyrus. It's a matter of taste, but I can't see how throwing another voice into the mix helps a song. Then again, it has much to do with who is being added. I am not really a fan of Ms. Grande or DaBaby...gladly we have a choice. Of course on the other side of the coin, I've learned to love Miley Cyrus, so I chose that version of "Without You" that she is featured. And notably from two years ago, "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X was only enhanced when the remix featuring Miley's dad, Billy Ray Cyrus was added.
I guess it's all on a case by case basis.
NEWBIES: A rather "weak" week for debuts, at least compared to recent weeks, with the high entry coming in at only #81. Jerseyan Sharon Van Etten, coming off a #6 entry with "Impossible" as featured on the Deep Sea Diver song, is back in a duet with Angel Olsen, "Like I Used To". A full sound accompanies the trade-off and harmonic vocals of the two singers. Some heart and soul enters into the picture and this rather grandiose production should enable the song to grow over time. Definite possibilities. Ms. Olsen, from St. Louis, has been around since 2013 through five albums, and hit my blog chart last year with "What It Is", which peaked at #89 in a five-week run. Angel drew enough inspiration from Sharon that, she thought it would be a great idea to reach out to Ms. Olsen to do a collaboration. A nice effort.
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| Jersey City-based singer Chrissy Roberts, who performed at this week's "Groove on Grove" in that city, debuts with her first original collaboration, "I Play to Win", a duet with Ralph Capasso. The song debuts this week on my playlist. |
With the success on my blog of ScreenAge, Oneiric and the like, I'm trying to delve into more aspiring artists based in New Jersey. Last week, Friggin Fabulous Productions, the Jersey City based group headed by Nick Ciavatta, had its first live Groove on Grove earlier this week. Aside from Ciavatta's Sea of Otters, others in that community performed. Included in that event was Chrissy Roberts, who makes her blog debut with "Play to Win", a duet with Ralph Capasso. Ms. Roberts has been releasing music going back to 2003. I was going to add her latest, "I Will Carry Your Love"--until I visited her Facebook page: Hot off the presses is the new single, "I Play to Win", thus I went with that one. The song is a nice slice of indie folk/rock. She has a perfect voice for this kind of song, which grabs hold of you as it goes on and get stronger as you go on, building to a rock-ish crescendo. Another song which should get better with each listen. Hopefully I will get another opportunity to catch her live.
Saint Motel is back with "It's All Happening". A sort of a change-of-pace for the LA indie-pop outfit. This is a rather rhythmic piece with what sounds like synthesizer-driven keyboard and trumpet sounds punctuated throughout the song. Should top the recent "Preach". P!nk also returns after a bit of an absence with "All I Know So Far". I've been recently shying away from the Philadelphia singer born Alecia Beth Moore as it appeared she was drifting towards a standard, banal, pop stance; I had always loved her rock-flavored pop stance that produced two blog number one's; one of only a handful of pop singers to accomplish that here. But fear not, while the song has something of a pop production, the harder tones, and of course, the singer's strong voice, keep this song on the right track. Whether she can return to the top 10 depends on its repeated listens, but the song is good enough to be added to my playlist.
Canadian three-piece band Braids have been around since 2008, but "Slayer Moon" is the outfits first song here on SNS. This is a rather experimental song with many style changes, led by the vocals of Raphaelle Standell-Preston, and is a rather interesting concoction for this art-rock band. Lorde is back....has it been over seven years since "Royals" pulled a triple #1---Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Alternative and Scenes 'n Soundwaves 100---the only song to do that?. She is getting airplay with her latest, "Solar Power". The New Zealand singer, who had less success with follow-ups from her first two albums, releases this title track from upcoming third set. A lightly produced tune that is sort of in the same vein as "Royals" with a Billie Eilish influence. It is getting alternative airplay and with repeated listens may make inroads here with its rhythmic beat.
The two other debuts include New Jersey-based Bleachers, late of their duet with Bruce Springsteen, with "Stop Making This Hurt", which has somewhat of a mid-80's vibe to it, and an EDM song "Can't Be the One", credited to Rave Republic X Kevin Krissen and Fablers, featuring none other than Matt Weiss. Another good song which Weiss' voice is suited for, but perhaps these quick releases (this is the fourth in three months that Matt is featured in), are causing some burnout. Still, a good song that should garner some weeks on my playlist, and will check on staying power.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
June 20, 2021
|
This Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
1 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: DNR (4 weeks at #1) |
7 |
|
2 |
2 |
9 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
8 |
|
|
4 |
18 |
5 |
|
|
5 |
14 |
11 |
|
|
6 |
16 |
8 |
|
|
7 |
23 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  Album: DNR |
3 |
|
8 |
12 |
8 |
|
|
9 |
13 |
12 |
|
|
10 |
15 |
8 |
|
|
11 |
7 |
14 |
|
|
12 |
26 |
3 |
|
|
13 |
9 |
16 |
|
|
14 |
11 |
14 |
|
|
15 |
19 |
7 |
|
|
16 |
10 |
15 |
|
|
17 |
5 |
10 |
|
|
18 |
4 |
14 |
|
|
19 |
32 |
3 |
|
|
20 |
6 |
10 |
|
|
21 |
20 |
12 |
|
|
22 |
8 |
19 |
|
|
23 |
24 |
7 |
|
|
24 |
27 |
5 |
|
|
25 |
29 |
6 |
|
|
26 |
22 |
10 |
|
|
27 |
25 |
7 |
|
|
28 |
40 |
4 |
|
|
29 |
17 |
15 |
|
|
30 |
28 |
6 |
|
|
31 |
21 |
11 |
|
|
32 |
30 |
6 |
|
|
33 |
36 |
6 |
|
|
34 |
38 |
8 |
|
|
35 |
46 |
3 |
|
|
36 |
47 |
4 |
|
|
37 |
43 |
5 |
|
|
38 |
44 |
6 |
|
|
39 |
54 |
3 |
|
|
40 |
31 |
12 |
|
|
41 |
33 |
10 |
|
|
42 |
56 |
3 |
|
|
43 |
50 |
4 |
|
|
44 |
34 |
16 |
|
|
45 |
37 |
Elle King and Miranda Lambert - Drunk (And I Don'tWant to Go
Home) |
12 |
|
46 |
35 |
11 |
|
|
47 |
53 |
13 |
|
|
48 |
79 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Future Nostalgia |
2 |
|
49 |
73 |
2 |
|
|
50 |
39 |
8 |
|
|
51 |
41 |
12 |
|
|
52 |
52 |
9 |
|
|
53 |
42 |
14 |
|
|
54 |
45 |
9 |
|
|
55 |
62 |
7 |
|
|
56 |
48 |
13 |
|
|
57 |
51 |
17 |
|
|
58 |
70 |
4 |
|
|
59 |
57 |
24 |
|
|
60 |
59 |
24 |
|
|
61 |
67 |
5 |
|
|
62 |
72 |
5 |
|
|
63 |
58 |
Black Coffee ft. Maxine Ashley and Sun El Musician - You Need Me |
19 |
|
64 |
61 |
21 |
|
|
65 |
77 |
3 |
|
|
66 |
78 |
3 |
|
|
67 |
49 |
10 |
|
|
68 |
55 |
15 |
|
|
69 |
76 |
4 |
|
|
70 |
75 |
4 |
|
|
71 |
80 |
6 |
|
|
72 |
60 |
17 |
|
|
73 |
64 |
11 |
|
|
74 |
88 |
2 |
|
|
75 |
69 |
6 |
|
|
76 |
68 |
30 |
|
|
77 |
85 |
3 |
|
|
78 |
90 |
2 |
|
|
79 |
91 |
2 |
|
|
80 |
65 |
7 |
|
|
81 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  SHARON VAN ETTEN and ANGEL OLSEN (Single Only) |
1 |
|
82 |
63 |
17 |
|
|
83 |
86 |
4 |
|
|
84 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
85 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
86 |
87 |
6 |
|
|
87 |
92 |
2 |
|
|
88 |
84 |
5 |
|
|
89 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
90 |
66 |
18 |
|
|
91 |
74 |
11 |
|
|
92 |
83 |
24 |
|
|
93 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
94 |
81 |
12 |
|
|
95 |
--- |
Rave Republic X Kevin Krissen and Fablers ft Matt Weiss - Can I
Be the One |
1 |
|
96 |
96 |
2 |
|
|
97 |
98 |
19 |
|
|
98 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
99 |
71 |
16 |
|
|
100 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
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.
