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| Passaic's Capitol Theater was a popular venue for Jersey and national acts to play. |
This one is a bit late as I had quite a three days between my geocaching and catching a friend who performed up in New Paltz (who incidentally is on my countdown, but not this week!). Anyway, here is the second part of my anniversary special on those New Jersey artists whose music affected me in one way or another.
80. C. Lynne Smith
Jersey Connection: Lives and performs in Cape May County.
Years Considered: 2020
Blog Hits: "Real" (#3, 2020)
Personal Year-End: "Real", #18, 2020
This is an artist that, true to her song and album title, is very real. She plays a mixture of genres, including folk and country. Born in the Philadelphia suburbs, C. Lynne grew up with music in mind. She sang along with her family and won a talent contest singing a Cher song. She was "indie" before that was a thing, writing and performing and doing the D.I.Y. thing. That resulted in her first album, Real, which came out in 2006.
But it was just last year that I discovered this awesome talent. Two of my Roselle Park friends, Diane Carson and Suzanne Logeman, invited me to check out, during the pandemic, one of her online performances, and I was blown away. While Real got some airplay back in the day, I discovered it and added the title track to my blog playlist in 2020 as a result of her performances. We also became Facebook friends. With the pandemic winding down, she is playing live shows again, and her second album is due this year. It is on my list to catch and meet her in person at one of her shows in the near future.
79. Charlie Puth
Jersey Connection: Born and raised in Rumson
Years Considered: 2015-2018
Top Billboard Hits: "See You Again" (with Wiz Khalifa), (#1, 2015); "I Hope" (with Gabby Barrett), (#3, 2020); "Attention" (#5, 2017); "We Don't Talk Anymore" (featuring Selena Gomez) (#9, 2016)
Blog Hits: "See You Again" (with Wiz Khalifa), (#19, 2015); "How Long", (#44, 2018); "We Don't Talk Anymore" (featuring Selena Gomez), 48, 2016)
Personal Year-End: "See You Again", #164, 2015.
One of the more recent pop stars from this state, Puth started out at an early age and was a prodigy of sorts, learning the piano at the age of 4, thanks to his mother, a music teacher. He started exploring jazz at the age of 10. He would study classical and jazz at Berklee College of Music. He started his own YouTube channel in 2009 to feature his compositions. His big break came when he appeared on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show (and she will remind him that every time he subsequently appeared on it). If that sounds like Canadian Justin Beiber's path as well, that is because Puth emulated it, with similar success. "See You Again", in which Puth was featured on labelmate (and hip-hop artist) Wiz Khalifa, hit #1 on Billboard and stayed there for 12 weeks. He has released two albums on his own and has made the upper regions on the Billboard chart several times.
78. P.M. Dawn
Jersey Connection: Duo formed in Jersey City
Years Considered: 1991, 1995
Top Billboard Hits: "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" (#1, 1991); "I'd Die Without You" (#3, 1992); "Looking Through Patient Eyes" (#6, 1993)
Personal Year-End: "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss", #92, 1991; "Downtown Venus", #69, 1995.
A thinking man's hip-hop band, one that dared to stretch the boundaries of the genre. Much of their music spanned genres, in fact, merging hip-hop with classic soul and even rock. "Downtown Venus" was a hit on the alternative chart. They charted songs on the Hot 100 through 1998. Sadly, one of the members, PrinceBe, died of renal disease at the age of 46, in Neptune City, in 2016.
77. DNCE
Jersey Connection: Front man Joe Jonas is from Wyckoff; drummer Jack Lawless grew up in Middletown.
Years Considered: 2016
Top Billboard Hits: "Cake By the Ocean" (#9, 2015); "Toothbrush" (#44, 2016)
Blog Hits: "Cake By the Ocean" (#2, 2016)
Personal Year-End: "Cake By the Ocean", #15, 2016.
Joe Jonas, of course, was part of Jonas Brothers who made a big splash around 2009, but soon disbanded, albeit temporarily. In the meantime, Joe formed a self-contained quartet which played rock-oriented pop. The band released one, self-titled album in 2016 which spawned the big hit "Cake By the Ocean". It was an awesome, catchy pop-rock-funk record that pretty much swam against the tide of what was popular at the time. Several of my friends, not normally noted for their interest in pop music, loved it as well. The song went to #2 on my blog. To date that is the only album released, as the Jonas Brothers got back together. However, the brothers have now incorporated this song into their live set.
76. Spinn
Jersey Connection: Twin sister duo is from North Jersey and performs gigs all over that portion of the state.
Years Considered: 2018-2019
Blog Hits: "Crazy For You" (#10, 2018); "Bless His Heart" (#25, 2019)
Personal Year-End: "Crazy For You", #48, 2018.
Spinn is a country act, comprised of two twin sisters, Stephanie and Cheryl Lynn Spinner. In 2016 they won New York radio station NASH-FMs "Nash Next Regional Contest", beating out over 750 other acts (including fellow Jersey country artist Rachel Allyn) to win and get to tour with some name acts. I saw them play live at Chester's Food Truck Festival in September 2018 and promptly added their then-current single "Crazy For You". They have released three EP's thus far. Their live gigs are awesome and the duo play to and banter with the audience very well.
75. Saraya
Jersey Connection: The band originated in New Jersey
Years Considered: 1989-1990
Top Billboard Hits: "Love Has Taken Its Toll" (#64, 1989); "Back to the Bullet" (#63, 1989); "Timeless Love" (#85, 1990)
Personal Year-End: "Back to the Bullet", #76, 1989; "Timeless Love", #72, 1990.
Saraya was part of the "hair metal" era in the 1980's and early 90's, and one of the very few with a female lead. Sandi Saraya was featured as the face of the band and of course its lead singer. They marketed her as a female Jon Bon Jovi, referring to her fellow Jerseyan. Except for a small stint in Los Angeles, the Garden State was the band's home. They scored three straight Billboard Hot 100 charters in 1989-90, two from the band's self-titled debut, and one, the ballad "Timeless Love", from the movie Shocker. A friend of mine, Frank Tagliente was a fan of this band. However, by the time the band released its follow-up, 1991's When the Blackbird Sings, the band lost its momentum and split the following year, with only the single "Seducer" making even the mainstream rock chart. Sandi Saraya now lives in Palm Springs, CA.
74. Joe Piscopo
Jersey Connection: Born in Passaic, grew up in North Caldwell, went to West Essex H.S., lived in Lebanon and Tewksbury Townships.
Years Considered: 1985
Personal Year-End: "Honeymooners Rap" (with Eddie Murphy), #22, 1985
You probably can't get more Jersey than Joe Piscopo, who was an 80's icon. He is known for being part of the second generation of Saturday Night Live, an era which was widely panned except for he and Eddie Murphy. Part of his schtick was doing impressions of fellow Jerseyans Frank Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen, and had released an album called New Jersey (one of two artists on this list to do that). One cut from that album, "Honeymooners Rap", which features SNL colleague Eddie Murphy, was a rap spoof on the classic TV show The Honeymooners. While the song didn't made the Billboard Hot 100, it was played on New York radio station Z-100 and hit the Dance chart in 1985. By the late 1980's, Piscopo moved away from television and started getting into bodybuilding. He currently is featured on a morning radio talk show on WNYM (970 AM) called The Answer, and on Sunday night, he hosts the Sunday with Sinatra show on WABC (770 AM).
73. Gary Wright
Years Considered: 1976, 1981
Top Billboard Hits: "Dream Weaver" (#2, 1976), "Love is Alive" (#2, 1976); "Really Wanna Know You (#19, 1981).
Personal Year-End: "Really Wanna Know You", #73, 1981.
While this Jersey native is known for his music, he actually started as a child star in the 1950's, first on the TV show Captain Video and his Video Rangers, then in the Broadway music Fanny that also featured future Brady Mom Florence Henderson. But it was his musical career he is noted for. Influenced by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the Beatles, he joined British band Spooky Tooth, which released three albums in the late 1960's. When he left the band, he played with George Harrison, including keyboards on the ex-Beatle's All Things Must Pass album as well as its follow-ups. But it was his solo career he is noted for, particularly the album Dream Weaver, which had back-to-back #2 singles, and the title track was used in the 1992 movie Wayne's World. While his subsequent albums yielded minor hits, he had a comeback of sorts with "Really Wanna Know You" in the summer of 1981 from The Right Place. Aside from George Harrison, he also worked with Ringo Starr, as part of the All Starr Band from 2009-2011. He has recorded sporadically in the last few decades. He currently lives in Palo Alto, CA.
72. Patty and the Emblems
Jersey Connection: Group was from Camden
Years Considered: 1964
Top Billboard Hits: "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl" (#37, 1964)
Personal Year-End: "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl", #38, 1964.
Not much is known about this soulful pop group from Camden and the group was a one hit wonder with "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl". While I don't remember the song when it came out, it had a second life of sorts in the 1980's as it was constantly featured on a Sunday night oldies show on WKXW (Kicks 101 and a half, now NJ 101.5). Three of the four members, including lead singer Patty Russell, have passed away.
71. The Knickerbockers
Jersey Connection: Group formed in Bergenfield
Years Considered: 1966
Top Billboard Hits: "Lies" (#20, 1965); "One Track Mind" (#46, 1966); "High on Love" (#94, 1966)
Personal Year-End: "Lies", #108, 1966.
Listen to a few notes of their big hit "Lies", and you'll be shocked that they aren't from England, but from Bergen County, New Jersey! Many people thought they were the Beatles! The band formed in 1962, and got its name, not from New York's NBA team, but from Knickerbocker Road (County Road 505) which ran thru neighboring Tenafly. Their sound was tailored to current trends. Aside from the Beatles soundalike, they sang Beach Boys-like hot rod songs as well as sounding like fellow Jerseyans The Four Seasons. One member, Buddy Randell, was in the group The Royal Teens ("Short Shorts") with future Season Bob Gaudio (The Teens aren't on this list because their hit was in 1958 before my "starting" point). The band followed "Lies" with two minor hits, but stuck around for a few years with personnel changes. They split in 1970 but reformed briefly twice, in 1983 and in 1990.
70. Dramarama
Jersey Connection: Group formed in Wayne.
Years Considered: 1992-1993
Top Billboard Hits (Alternative Chart): "Last Cigarette" (#19, 1989); "Haven't Got a Clue" (#6, 1991); "What Are We Gonna Do?" (#10, 1991); "Work For Food" (#10, 1993)
Personal Year-End: "Haven't Got a Clue", #79, 1992; 'Work For Food", #43, 1993.
Another band who owes success and exposure from WHTG-FM (FM 106.3), which constantly played this band from Wayne. The group was formed in 1982 in a basement of a record store, and played many gigs in the state including the shore, along with bands such as The Whirling Dervishes and The Smithereens. The band's first album came out in 1985, Cinéma Vérité and got some airplay at KROQ in California, namely "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" which was one of the most requested songs at that station in the mid 1980's. I became familiar with the band's music around 1989 and the next few years they were successful on Billboard's Modern Rock (now Alternative) chart. One song that stuck in my mind was "Stuck in Wonderamaland", a title track from a 1989 album that starts out with the lyric "Sonny Fox plays 'Simon Says'", a reference to the children's show Wonderama, and its late host Sonny Fox. They were played regularly on WHTG-FM. The band broke up in 1994, although front man John Eastdale continued playing area clubs as well as out west. Thanks to VH1's series Bands Reunited, Dramarama reformed in 2003 and is still around today, although Eastdale is the only original member. The band released an album in 2020, Color TV, and performs at various festivals.
69. Eddie Rabbitt
Jersey Connection: Singer songwriter grew up in East Orange.
Years Considered: 1980-1982
Top Billboard Hits: "I Love a Rainy Night" (#1, 1980); "Drivin' My Life Away (#5, 1980); "Step By Step" (#5, 1981); "You and I" (featuring Crystal Gayle), (#7, 1981); "Suspicions" (#13, 1979) . Plus 17 #1 songs on the Country chart.
Personal Year-End: "Drivin' My Life Away", #91, 1980;"Step By Step", #78, 1981; "Someone Could Lose a Heart Tonight", #150, 1982..
New Jersey is not known for its country music, although four artists on my top 100 list are in the country field, but none probably more successful than Eddie Rabbitt, who was born in Brooklyn and raised in East Orange, yet somehow got Nashville in his blood (he later moved there). Growing up, he won a talent contest from a radio station and won an hour of a Saturday night radio time and performed at a Paterson bar. Rabbitt's success came first as a songwriter, penning "Kentucky Rain", which was a hit for Elvis Presley in 1970; and a #1 country song for Ronnie Milsap, "Pure Love" in 1974. By the late 1970's, Rabbitt was a force in country music and crossing over to pop as well, aside from perhaps Kenny Rogers, there probably wasn't anyone hotter at the time. Aside from his 17 #1's on the country chart, he had another 17 top 10 songs up until 1990, at which time the "new country" sound popularized by singers such as Garth Brooks, replaced him and others on that genre's chart. Rabbitt was a supporter of various charitable causes, including Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, and Special Olympics. Sadly, Eddie Rabbitt died of lung cancer in 1998 at the age of 54.
68. Vivian Girls
Jersey Connection: Cassie Ramone and Katy Goodman are from New Jersey and were part of the Ridgewood music scene.
Years Considered: 2014-2015
Blog Hits: "Take It As It Comes" (#1, 2014)
Personal Year-End: "Take It As It Comes", #26, 2014.
Although the band is officially from Brooklyn, two of the members have Jersey roots and spent time as part of the Ridgewood scene (along with two other bands on this list). They formed in 2007 in Brooklyn and played clubs there as well as Jersey. They released three albums between 2008 and 2011. In 2014, my friend Alan Corso played "Take It As It Comes", during a Jets tailgate, from their three-year old album Share the Joy. Despite the band breaking up earlier that year, I jumped on that song, and it hit #1 on my blog late in 2014. It was the only song I had added by the band as they were now kaput. However, it appears that the band reformed in 2019 with Cassie Ramone and Katy Goodman joined by new member Ali Koehler, and released their fourth album, Memory. Two singles were released. I plan to add one of them in the next few weeks. Yes, it's two years late....but then again "Take It As It Comes" was three years late!
67. Little Steven (and the Disciples of Soul)
Jersey Connection: Grew up in Middletown, a member of the E-Street Band
Years Considered: 1983-1984, 2017
Top Billboard Hits: "Forever" (#63, 1983); also four songs on the Mainstream Rock chart.
Blog Hits: "Soulfire" (#10, 2017)
Personal Year-End: "Soulfire", #61, 2017.
Definitely a Jersey icon, not only for his music, but also his acting (he played Silvio Dante on The Sopranos), Steve Van Zandt has had quite a career. Originally from Massachusetts, he moved to Middletown at age 7 and went to high school there. He started playing the Jersey Shore clubs, along with Bruce Springsteen (well before the E-Street Band was ever formed), back in the mid 1960's. He was a founding member of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and produced their first few albums. He arranged the horns on Springsteen's 1975 breakthrough, Born to Run, and has become a permanent member of the E-Street Band ever since. In the early 1980's he formed his own band, The Disciples of Soul and hit the charts with "Forever" as well as the album Men Without Women, the video got a lot of airplay on MTV. The band included drummer Dino Danelli who was originally with The Rascals. By his second album, 1984's Voice of America, he, like his friend Bruce, started getting active in politics, and was a part of Artists United Against Apartheid which released "Sun City" as a protest of South Africa's policies. Little Steven has been part of the E-Street Band when the band is together, as well as doing solo ventures. He took up acting; aside from his role in The Sopranos he also starred in Lilyhammer. A champion of vintage (and new) garage bands, he has his own SiriusXM channel, "Underground Garage". His two most recent albums are Soulfire (in which the title track became a blog hit, in 2017), and 2019's Summer of Sorcery.
66. The Bongos/Richard Barone
Years Considered: 1984 (band); 1990 (Barone solo)
Personal Year-End: "Numbers With Wings", #30, 1984; "River to River", #70, 1990.
This power-pop band was an essential part of the New York/Hoboken music scene in the early 1980's. They evolved from a band called simply 'a' and were the first to play the now-legendary Maxwell's. A series of early 1980's independent releases garnered critical praise. They also attracted notice across the pond in London. Their first U.S. release, Drums Across the Hudson, was released in 1982, but it was the following year that the band attracted regional and national airplay with Numbers With Wings, the title track in particular. The video was in rotation on MTV, and although it didn't make the Hot 100, it was a major song at the time. After the band split in 1987, leader Richard Barone went solo, with his 1990 album, Primal Dream and single "River to River' garnering notice. Since then he has branched out in many directions both musically as well as into other forms of art.
65. Ricky Nelson
Jersey Connection: Born in Teaneck
Years Considered: 1965, 1972
Top Billboard Hits: "Poor Little Fool" (#1, 1958); "Travelin' Man" (#1, 1961); "Stood Up", (#2, 1958); "Young World" (#5, 1962); "Teenage Idol" (#5, 1962); "For You" (#6, 1963); "Garden Party" (#6, 1972).
Personal Year-End: "Mean Old World" (#110, 1965)
I wasn't sure whether to include one of the earlier teen idols in the rock era, as his time spent in New Jersey was about a year when his parents moved out west; however Ricky stayed with his grandmother for another year here before going to the West Coast. Nelson, of course, was an essential part of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet which originated on radio in the 1940's (and which other actors originally portrayed both Ricky and his brother David), and then went to television in 1952 by which time he and his brother played themselves on the family sitcom. The show lasted fourteen seasons, ending in 1966. Ricky started listening to early rockabilly songs and started emulating those artists like Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins, and to impress a girlfriend took up guitar as well. He eventually landed a recording contract and started hitting the charts, often rivaling Presley. His music was featured on the television show. His "Poor Little Fool" (1958) has the distinction of being the first #1 in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. In 1962, when he turned 21, he dropped the "y" from his first name, and became Rick Nelson. His last big hit was in late 1963 when "For You" hit top 10, but his recording career was wiped out by the Beatles. Still, he continued recording. The song listed here, "Mean Old World", only reached #96 on the charts in 1965, despite him performing it on the Ed Sullivan Show (Since Ozzie and Harriet was on another network, Ozzie did not want him playing on a rival show during his heyday).
Nelson kept recording, and by the mid to late 1960's changed his style to country rock; in fact he was one of the first to pioneer that genre (another being ex-Monkee Mike Nesmith). He had a near hit in 1969 with Bob Dylan's "She Belongs to Me" and a few minor songs after that. But he was relegated to playing in the rock 'n' roll revival shows. One such concert occurred in late 1971, when after playing his classic hits, played some of his newer material. He heard boos from the crowd. Whether they were because of the newer music, or for some police action that was unrelated to the performance, was not clear. However, he wrote a song about it, "Garden Party" and that was his last hit. He faded from the charts shortly thereafter. He still played festivals and the like, but his career was cut short on December 31, 1985 when his tour plane crashed, killing him, his wife Helen Blair and five other passengers.
Ricky's accomplishments are unique as three generations of his family all achieved musical success. His father Ozzie Nelson, hit #1 in 1935 with "And Then Some", and his twin sons, Matthew and Gunnar, from his first marriage to Kristen Harmon, recording as Nelson, did the same in 1990 with "(I Can't Live Without You) Love and Affection".
64. Bleachers
Jersey Connection: Front man Jack Antonoff was from Bergenfield, grew up in Woodcliff Lake and New Milford.
Years Considered: 2014-2021
Top Billboard Hits (Alternative): "I Wanna Get Better", (#1, 2014); "Roller Coaster" (#3, 2016); "Don't Take the Money" (#3, 2017); "Stop Making This Hurt" (#13, 2021). Also charted on Triple-A.
Blog Hits: "I Miss Those Days" (#1, 2018); "Don't Take the Money" (#23, 2017); "I Wanna Get Better" (#42, 2014).
Personal Year-End: "I Miss Those Days" #56, 2018
Bleachers is a project headed by Bergenfield-born Jack Antonoff. While his band is based in New York, Antonoff is from New Jersey and the band is often associated with there. Antonoff was also in the New York band fun., which had several national and blog hits, including "We Are Young". When that band broke up in 2014, Antonoff formed Bleachers. He is a producer as well, overseeing music by Taylor Swift, Lorde and others. He has won five Grammys. He recently duetted with Bruce Springsteen on the song "Chinatown".
63. Brick + Mortar
Jersey Connection: Duo founded in Toms River
Years Considered: 2014-2016
Top Billboard Hits (Alternative): "Locked in a Cage", (#36, 2014).
Blog Hits: "Locked in a Cage" (#9, 2014); "Train" (#54, 2015)
Personal Year-End: "Locked in a Cage" #29, 2014
Brandon Asraf and John Tacon met in Middle School and started playing music together. They also were into songwriting, but were unable to get a band together beyond the two of them. Originally called Black Rhythm, they changed their name to Brick+Mortar in 2008. They played the Jersey Shore scene, and like many of the bands on this list, included Asbury Park clubs. They attracted my attention with the track "Locked in a Cage", which was one of my top summer songs of 2014. Have they released sporadic EP's and singles since then, and their debut full-length, Meta Meta Inc, came out in 2018.
62. Oneiric
Jersey Connection: Band is from Long Hill
Years Considered: 2021
Blog Hits: "The Ride" (#4, 2021); "Golden Cage" (#12, 2021); "High Spirit" (#29, 2021**); "Grace" (#41, 2021**)
**Song still climbing as of 8/1/2021
What can you say about a band, which for the most part, has existed for barely half a year, hasn't yet released an album, or performed live, but is well up my all-time list of Jersey-oriented artists? And one that is comprised of musicians aged 20, 19 and 14, but sound like they've been playing for over fifty years? Ted Torres, and bro-and-sis Evan and Emily Carpenter comprise this trio who have impressed with their 1970's-style prog rock. It's probably no surprise that their main influence is Canadian band Rush, but they also encompass acts like Jethro Tull, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Yes, and others. They are hard working and have produced four songs so far, all which made my blog list (and all of which are still on it, as of mid July). Oneiric believes in their DIY effort and realize that the best music isn't made electronically or with fancy auto-tune and drum machines, but by hard work and musicianship. They are the real deal. Incidentally, Evan and Emily's grandmother is a longtime friend and classmate Debbie Antoinette, who alerted me to these talents. They are a band to watch.
61. Juice Newton
Jersey Connection: Singer born in Lakehurst
Years Considered: 1981-1982
Top Billboard Hits: "Angel of the Morning", (#4, 1981); "Queen of Hearts" (#2, 1981); "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)", (#7, 1981); "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me" (#7, 1982); "Break It To Me Gently" (#11, 1982). Also 9 top 10's on the Country chart including 5 #1's.
Personal Year-End: "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)", #53, 1982; "Break It To Me Gently", #106, 1982.
Judy Kay Newton was born in Lakehurst and is one of four country artists on my list. Actually, she was adept in both pop and country fields and straddled both genres for many years. During childhood, she moved to Virginia Beach and graduated there, and went to college in California. She received a guitar as a gift for her 13th birthday, and at college started playing folk music. In the mid 1970's she started recording with her backup band Silver Spur and also used her nickname "Juice" as her stage name. She had a country charter as early as 1974 and charted there several times in the late 70's. While her first Hot 100 song, "It's a Heartache" became a bigger hit for Bonnie Tyler, she started hitting pay dirt in 1981 with her cover of Merilee Rush's "Angel of the Morning". She followed it with several more hits on the pop chart. When her success waned there, she concentrated on country music, and racked up many hits there in the 80's, including one with fellow Jersey native Eddie Rabbitt. She won a Grammy in 1983. She has performed since, appearing on the television show Hit Me Baby One More Time, and recording, including duet albums. She is also into horses, and is currently a horse trader, while still continuing in music.
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AND CURRENTLY: It's a familiar site at the top of my SNS 100 playlist this week as ScreenAge has the top two songs for the fourth week in the last two months. However, this time around, it's with two different songs than during the three-week stretch in late May and early June. "Going Back" holds off "Questions" to grab the brass ring for the third week in a row. The big question for next week is whether "Questions" can overtake "Going Back" for a 5th song at #1, and the fourth from the band's album DNR. The band is doing very well out on the road, having scored another success at a gig in Milltown during this past weekend. And this is the 12th consecutive week that a female-led band has had the number one blog song. And for the fifth straight week, females or female-led artists have the top six songs.
It's still a logjam, not only in the top 10, top 20, but even the top 30, as all the songs in that region, with the exception of the Screeners "Going Back" (still #1); Middle Kids' "Questions" (#3), and Bebe Rexha's "Sacrifice" (#8) are still gaining in points and most are only able to move up a position or two, or even dropping a position.
NEW, BRIEFLY: Six new adds this week, topped by "Where Did the Time Go", by Pageants, one of the many singles/videos released from the duo's latest album Sun and Settled Days. I actually held back on this one, one of several recent artists who had been releasing new songs every few weeks in advance of an album, in order to let their other songs climb a bit. With "Just Tell Me" (my favorite so far) moving 8-6 this week, it was time to add the new one. It's standard Pageants fare, with Rebecca Coleman's sweet voice blending with the mid-to-uptempo jangly pace of the song.
Chris Stapleton had a Triple-A (and blog hit) last winter with the bluesy "Cold" which got to #2 here, but he is primarily a country artist, so I add his latest "You Should Probably Leave", which is solid country fare but also retains much of the blues of that last song. Definitely worth several spins. Jerseyan Christina Alessi with her band The Toll Collectors released two songs late last year in advance of the band's debut EP (Ms. Alessi released solo material prior to this), Raindrops and Watercolors, and both hit the top 20. Now comes a third track, "Stone Meets the Sea", which lyric video came out a few months ago. It's a slowed down mix of blues, a bit of country-rock thrown in as well. A bit of a change from prior work that should renew interest in this Jersey band who performed for the first time since the pandemic at the Walpack Inn, in Sussex County, last week.
Cincinnati indie-rockers Walk the Moon, have had a steady presence on my blog, with songs like "Shut Up and Dance" (#13, 2015), and "One Foot" (#9, 2017), and they're back with "Can You Handle My Love". The band has always had a pop sensibility to them, and this easy-going, up-tempo romp that perhaps reminds me a bit of "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies. Could click. Bachelor is a new female duo comprised of Ellen Kempner of Palehound and Melinda Duterle from Jay Som, and they make their blog debut with their first single, "Stay In the Car". Nice harmonies as full ambient sound mark this one. Lastly, "Hush" by Marias is pretty much in the Billie Eilish vein.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
August 1, 2021
|
This Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
1 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: DNR (3 weeks at #1) |
9 |
|
2 |
3 |
9 |
|
|
3 |
2 |
11 |
|
|
4 |
4 |
9 |
|
|
5 |
5 |
14 |
|
|
6 |
8 |
9 |
|
|
7 |
7 |
10 |
|
|
8 |
6 |
13 |
|
|
9 |
9 |
12 |
|
|
10 |
10 |
8 |
|
|
11 |
13 |
10 |
|
|
12 |
11 |
10 |
|
|
13 |
16 |
6 |
|
|
14 |
12 |
12 |
|
|
15 |
15 |
8 |
|
|
16 |
17 |
9 |
|
|
17 |
14 |
9 |
|
|
18 |
18 |
6 |
|
|
19 |
19 |
7 |
|
|
20 |
29 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  (Single Only) |
4 |
|
21 |
27 |
5 |
|
|
22 |
22 |
7 |
|
|
23 |
24 |
9 |
|
|
24 |
30 |
6 |
|
|
25 |
41 |
3 |
|
|
26 |
28 |
11 |
|
|
27 |
31 |
5 |
|
|
28 |
34 |
9 |
|
|
29 |
36 |
5 |
|
|
30 |
54 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Promenade Blue |
2 |
|
31 |
20 |
11 |
|
|
32 |
21 |
13 |
|
|
33 |
47 |
3 |
|
|
34 |
45 |
8 |
|
|
35 |
53 |
3 |
|
|
36 |
38 |
10 |
|
|
37 |
44 |
6 |
|
|
38 |
23 |
18 |
|
|
39 |
43 |
8 |
|
|
40 |
26 |
11 |
|
|
41 |
50 |
5 |
|
|
42 |
25 |
14 |
|
|
43 |
52 |
7 |
|
|
44 |
60 |
4 |
|
|
45 |
62 |
3 |
|
|
46 |
35 |
12 |
|
|
47 |
49 |
7 |
|
|
48 |
32 |
22 |
|
|
49 |
33 |
15 |
|
|
50 |
57 |
5 |
|
|
51 |
75 |
2 |
|
|
52 |
42 |
14 |
|
|
53 |
67 |
4 |
|
|
54 |
63 |
7 |
|
|
55 |
66 |
4 |
|
|
56 |
37 |
17 |
|
|
57 |
61 |
6 |
|
|
58 |
68 |
4 |
|
|
59 |
48 |
25 |
|
|
60 |
51 |
21 |
|
|
61 |
78 |
3 |
|
|
62 |
79 |
3 |
|
|
63 |
39 |
16 |
|
|
64 |
71 |
5 |
|
|
65 |
40 |
12 |
|
|
66 |
46 |
13 |
|
|
67 |
81 |
3 |
|
|
68 |
65 |
12 |
|
|
69 |
80 |
2 |
|
|
70 |
59 |
14 |
|
|
71 |
82 |
4 |
|
|
72 |
84 |
2 |
|
|
73 |
77 |
5 |
|
|
74 |
56 |
18 |
|
|
75 |
58 |
20 |
|
|
76 |
86 |
6 |
|
|
77 |
55 |
12 |
|
|
78 |
73 |
Rave Republic X Kevin Krissen and Fablers ft Matt Weiss - Can I
Be the One |
7 |
|
79 |
76 |
Black Coffee ft. Maxine Ashley and Sun El Musician - You Need Me |
25 |
|
80 |
87 |
4 |
|
|
81 |
64 |
20 |
|
|
82 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  Album: Sun and Settled Days |
1 |
|
83 |
88 |
7 |
|
|
84 |
83 |
25 |
|
|
85 |
89 |
4 |
|
|
86 |
93 |
3 |
|
|
87 |
70 |
21 |
|
|
88 |
85 |
Elle King and Miranda Lambert - Drunk (And I Don'tWant to Go
Home) |
18 |
|
89 |
94 |
5 |
|
|
90 |
97 |
2 |
|
|
91 |
96 |
7 |
|
|
92 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
93 |
69 |
20 |
|
|
94 |
--- |
Christina Alessi and the Toll Collectors - Stone Meets the Sea |
1 |
|
95 |
72 |
16 |
|
|
96 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
97 |
74 |
14 |
|
|
98 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
99 |
95 |
8 |
|
|
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.
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