Another late blog to get out, and most likely it will be a "double week" issue next time, but as I ponder about the future of this blog---what direction it may take, or whether to even continue it---I at least notice that I am accepting more mainstream pop stars lately. Whether it's because I have accepted its direction, or, most likely, because maybe that genre is actually coming back to life again, with full production and not the usual sparse fake-drum beats and auto tune.
I originally started this blog to not only reflect my taste in music, but perhaps others close to me as well. My lane has always had a pop/rock influence, although it is mostly in an alternative/rock vein. When I started this in 2010, there were still rock songs in the upper regions...and when I mean "rock" that meant "guitar-driven" rock, which pretty much vanished shortly thereafter. Sure, there were memorable, cool, pop songs for awhile, like "Happy" and "Blurred Lines" but for the last four years, much of that music was unlistenable.
So, looking at my SNS 100 playlist for the past week, it seems that pop artists are finally getting their due on my playlist. That is evident in this week's chart topper, Ed Sheeran's "Bad Habits" which returns to the top spot. Despite getting Triple-A airplay on his first release, "The A Team", he is pretty much a pop artist. The song, while rhythmic, has a soul element to it and is one of the better pop artists out there (not to mention he has four blog #1's and is only one of a handful of artists whose had two of my year-end number one songs).
Aiding these songs on my list is that of "outside" influences. On Saturday, October 9, Roselle Park--which just hosted an Arts festival a couple weeks ago, had an "anti-bullying" summit back at its town square of Mauri Park. And yes, once again, ScreenAge came back and played five songs, but there was also a deejay spinning songs as well. It included "Bad Habits", and that is why the song re-took the top spot. Sheeran's follow-up, "Shivers" moves to #68 this week.
Rarely do I see posts from friends of current music, but one, Gail Bradley does and is the one who had gotten me into Dua Lipa. While I have added songs from her before, her style of music is very appealing, which is why she has THREE songs on my list this week. Gail had posted "Love Again" which surges 11-5 this week, for her new watermark here, exceeding her "Levitating" hit which peaked here at #10, and #2 on the Hot 100. That prior hit is still at #58 here after 17 weeks on the playlist. weeks. Also moving up is her duet with Elton John, "Cold Heart", a mash-up of three of Sir Elton's hits, advancing 62-50, which was also posted by Gail.
The Weeknd is another artist that I've gotten in to. Like Ms. Lipa, the Canadian singer has some good textured songs. "Save Your Tears" hit #2 on my blog and topped the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year and "Blinding Lights" set the longevity record on that chart (and a few weeks on here) recently. His latest, "Take My Breath", a #6 Billboard hit, is steadily moving up my list to #40. And while I'm not overtly into hip-hop, Drake, the most successful artist in the last decade sits at #95 with "Way 2 Sexy", which debuted at #1 nationally a few weeks back.
While I add these songs to mix in with alternative and local discoveries, they are on a case by case basis. Ariana Grande, who this season is appearing on The Voice, and who has been a hot artist over the last eight years or so, I have shied away from, but her upbeat demeanor on the show may result in an add to my playlist soon as her music is, let's face it, appealing.
And, while traditional rock music is pretty much dead as a doornail when it comes to mass popularity, many from the alternative music camp are finding some success on the Hot 100, and even vice versa. Billboard's #1 song this week is a collaboration between Coldplay and BTS, the Korean boy band who have been hot the last several years, and especially in 2021. While I haven't heard "My Universe" yet, I plan to add the song over the next couple of weeks. I had considered BTS' "Butter" which was Billboard's "song of the summer", but regardless, it looks like that boy band will make its debut here soon. Then there's Maneskin's "Beggin'" which moves to #3 this week and is top 20 on Billboard, but more importantly for me, is #1 on Billboard's Alternative chart. The cover of the Four Seasons' 1967 hit is done is a richly textured pop-rock vein and could very well top my chart next week.
The recent Taylor Swift album and associated songs she was featured on proved you could be "all things to everyone", and Jerseyan Halsey seems to be continuing that. Widely known as a pop artist, and while "I'm Not a Woman, I Am A God" is getting pop airplay, she also is scoring at alternative circles with the rock-oriented "You Asked For This". That song is #27 alternative and scores my Impact award this week, moving 26-18. Artists such as Glass Animals and Machine Gun Kelly have had some success on both charts, and, although they haven't really been accepted as pop stars (but should), the likes of Bebe Rexha and Phoebe Ryan have done very well on my list.
Finally, the Top Debut is the latest from Jonas Brothers, "Who's In Your Head", at #75. This is another band that, while shunned in rock circles, nevertheless have a full pop/rock sound that has been missing with many of the songs over the past several years. The Wyckoff NJ brethren trio reached #3 a couple years ago with "Sucker" and if you remember, Joe Jonas' band had a huge pop hit with "Cake By the Ocean", of which the new song is in the same vein.
While we are on the subject of debuts, another artist that seems to be directed in two genres is Matt Weiss, who has the second highest debut with "Show Your Hands". The Long Island-turned Queens artist probably hasn't slept too much this year; between his rock band Off Guard and all his EDM songs he's put out this year, his songs are all over the place. So much for concentrating on his band, as he's back again with another EDM song, this one from HIFEER and AnyMore Z. To be honest, I was getting burnt out with all the activity and was going to dismiss this one...until I heard it. His voice seems to blend in very nicely with this production, even hitting the high notes. This is his fourth EDM song release this year, and should do better than most recent material and put him back in the top 20.
We got indie-folkers The Lumineers next in line with "Brightside" (no relation to the Killers classic of almost the same name). This is a mid-tempo delight, definitely continuing their soulful take on the folk direction. To these ears, it's one of their best, and for once, there's not a girl's name in the title! It's been three years since we heard from The War on Drugs, but they are coming off two straight blog top 5 songs, "Holding On" and "Pain" back in 2017-2018. They're back with "I Don't Live Here Anymore". A good song in the center of alternative/Triple-A rock lane. Perhaps not "spectacular" as songs go, but there's nothing to hate about it. Backing them up is Lucius, who seem to be backing everyone up lately. They've been featured recently on songs by Nathaniel Rateliff, Grace Potter, and Black Pumas. That's nice and all, but c'mon girls, it's been three years since you released anything on your own. Their "Hey Doreen" hit #2 on my blog in 2014.
Also debuting are Brooklyners Oberhofer with "Let It Go", their first blog song in nine years; My Morning Jacket's "Love Love Love" which should easily top their recent "Regularly Scheduled Program"; and Modest Mouse's "The Sun Hasn't Left", a follow-up to their alternative #1, blog #3 "We Are Between". Missing from this one are The Cure-like influences, and it might take a few listens to get into this one.
 |
| ScreenAge is pictured with Roselle Park Council Gregory Johnson who is also part of the town's Diversity Committee. The town put on an anti-bullying event on Saturday October 9 in which ScreenAge performed. |
BACK TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME: Late in the week, I saw a post from ScreenAge about a gig in Roselle Park. I had assumed that this was from a few weeks ago, promoting their gig at that town's Arts Festival, but noticing that it was a new post. After scratching my head, I realized that this was Roselle Park's "anti-bullying" summit event also held at Mauri Park on October 9, promoting diversity as well as the no bullying message. As I had been at a geocaching event in Edison earlier in the day, I decided to drop in on the quartet's set. As mentioned at the top of this blog, there was deejay dance music (courtesy of DJ Lil Bruh) earlier in the afternoon, then the Screeners came on. While their originals "Think Again" (which continues its resurgence back into my top 10 this week), and "Going Back" were played again, they knocked it out of the park with a cover of "Last Nite" by The Strokes. Also included was their awesome cover of "Right Back Where We Started From", a standard at their shows. Of course, that was a 1976 hit by Maxine Nightingale, but ScreenAge makes it their own. As for the event itself, it was well done, and the crowd was, indeed diverse and showed that everyone can get along and just have some fun. Kudos to the town organizers for putting this on.
COOL STUFF ON THE HORIZON (I HOPE): Adele breaks the silence with a new song this coming week and some adds by recent blog favorites are on the way.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
October 3, 2021
|
This Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: = (4 weeks at #1) |
13 |
|
2 |
3 |
9 |
|
|
3 |
5 |
7 |
|
|
4 |
1 |
12 |
|
|
5 |
11 |
8 |
|
|
6 |
4 |
12 |
|
|
7 |
7 |
9 |
|
|
8 |
8 |
12 |
|
|
9 |
10 |
8 |
|
|
10 |
13 |
22 |
|
|
11 |
12 |
12 |
|
|
12 |
14 |
8 |
|
|
13 |
6 |
15 |
|
|
14 |
15 |
18 |
|
|
15 |
16 |
9 |
|
|
16 |
18 |
9 |
|
|
17 |
20 |
11 |
|
|
18 |
26 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  Album: If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power |
5 |
|
19 |
28 |
4 |
|
|
20 |
9 |
11 |
|
|
21 |
30 |
6 |
|
|
22 |
17 |
18 |
|
|
23 |
29 |
Christina Alessi and the Toll Collectors - Stone Meets the Sea |
10 |
|
24 |
22 |
9 |
|
|
25 |
23 |
13 |
|
|
26 |
21 |
14 |
|
|
27 |
25 |
20 |
|
|
28 |
38 |
5 |
|
|
29 |
24 |
12 |
|
|
30 |
34 |
9 |
|
|
31 |
39 |
6 |
|
|
32 |
27 |
12 |
|
|
33 |
19 |
19 |
|
|
34 |
51 |
2 |
|
|
35 |
36 |
9 |
|
|
36 |
33 |
11 |
|
|
37 |
43 |
6 |
|
|
38 |
42 |
13 |
|
|
39 |
50 |
4 |
|
|
40 |
48 |
7 |
|
|
41 |
35 |
13 |
|
|
42 |
59 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  "Pulp" Album: Pulp (EP) |
2 |
|
43 |
45 |
6 |
|
|
44 |
52 |
4 |
|
|
45 |
56 |
3 |
|
|
46 |
31 |
17 |
|
|
47 |
32 |
14 |
|
|
48 |
37 |
19 |
|
|
49 |
44 |
23 |
|
|
50 |
62 |
5 |
|
|
51 |
60 |
5 |
|
|
52 |
41 |
14 |
|
|
53 |
40 |
14 |
|
|
54 |
63 |
7 |
|
|
55 |
49 |
18 |
|
|
56 |
61 |
6 |
|
|
57 |
47 |
19 |
|
|
58 |
55 |
17 |
|
|
59 |
46 |
8 |
|
|
60 |
53 |
18 |
|
|
61 |
74 |
2 |
|
|
62 |
66 |
13 |
|
|
63 |
68 |
4 |
|
|
64 |
67 |
8 |
|
|
65 |
70 |
4 |
|
|
66 |
57 |
10 |
|
|
67 |
58 |
12 |
|
|
68 |
77 |
3 |
|
|
69 |
84 |
2 |
|
|
70 |
90 |
2 |
|
|
71 |
54 |
16 |
|
|
72 |
87 |
2 |
|
|
73 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  (Single Only) |
1 |
|
74 |
80 |
3 |
|
|
75 |
69 |
16 |
|
|
76 |
64 |
20 |
|
|
77 |
95 |
3 |
|
|
78 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
79 |
86 |
4 |
|
|
80 |
89 |
3 |
|
|
81 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
82 |
65 |
7 |
|
|
83 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
84 |
73 |
5 |
|
|
85 |
96 |
2 |
|
|
86 |
82 |
10 |
|
|
87 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
88 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
89 |
72 |
17 |
|
|
90 |
76 |
15 |
|
|
91 |
79 |
16 |
|
|
92 |
75 |
18 |
|
|
93 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
94 |
78 |
11 |
|
|
95 |
100 |
3 |
|
|
96 |
71 |
13 |
|
|
97 |
83 |
4 |
|
|
98 |
88 |
5 |
|
|
99 |
94 |
7 |
|
|
100 |
85 |
14 |
|
|
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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