Deb Browning/Six Piece Suits Hit the Top; Kate Bush in Billboard's Top 10 (!); Lizzo Top Debut (SNS week of 6/5/2022)

 TAKE ME BY THE TOP OF THE CHART:  I wasn't sure what I wanted to lead with this week, but given the new number one song this week, I gotta go with this one, as it is, in a way, a "first" for SNS.

Deb Browning's "Take Me By the Hand" which also features Florida contingent Six Piece Suits, hits the top spot on the SNS 100 playlist this week, becoming the first beach music #1 since I actively searched the Carolina-based genre charts in 2018.

Deb Browning & the Six Piece Suits' "Take Me By the Hand", moves to #1 this week, making it the first Carolina Beach Music song to hit the top since I started monitoring the beach music charts in the summer of 2018.    While Mayer Hawthorne's "The Walk" did hit the top spot in late 2011, that was pretty much incidental, as it was a blog hit thanks to it getting Triple-A airplay; I would later discover that this was a beach music song when I heard it on the radio during my trip to Ocean Isle Beach NC in May, 2019. 

The first beach music song I had added as a result of the chart was "I Don't Wanna Be Without You" by the James Hunter Six, which entered at #70 on August 26, 2018, and quickly shot from 70 to 21 to 3, where it stayed for five weeks, unable to get higher than that on my list.   Until a few weeks ago, it was the only beach-oriented song to make my top three.  "Take Me By the Hand" is at or near the top on many beach music lists this week and the buzz generated by this reception was a big reason for this making it to the pole position.

But "Take Me By the Hand" probably won't be the last. Ms. Browning is right back there with her follow-up, "3 More Minutes" at #4, while Lesa Hudson's "Sunny Days' moves up to #6. And there are seven more songs which appeared on the beach music charts here on my list between #22 and #32, as well as five of the nine debuts this week; the next few weeks should get pretty interesting for shag music.

Curtis Harding's "I Won't Let You Down", which, in my opinion SHOULD be on these charts, drops to #2 after a couple weeks at the top.  Rockers My Morning Jacket's "In Color" moves to #3, its biggest blog hit to date and is poised to be the next number one blog song.   Ms. Browning's "3 More Minutes" and Tim Izzard's "Glam Rock Star (Tribute)" round out the top five, the latter still gaining points despite dropping one position.   Hegazy, Anna Lavigne and Harry Styles are new to the top 10 with their latest songs, it's the sixth in a row for the twin sisters Omnia and Leila, seventh straight for Ms. Lavigne.  Styles, with the current Billboard Hot 100 leader, has his second blog top ten with "As It Was", following "Watermelon Sugar".  The Palms (Impact award) and The War on Drugs enter the top 20. 

A PLEASANT SURPRISE:   I think by now, you all know how I feel about the general state of pop music, but from time to time, I check out some of these artists and realize they can actually put out great product.   Over the last several years, I became fans of the likes of Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd, Harry Styles and Halsey, thanks to a departure in styles and their willingness to try something new.   This week, Lizzo's "About Damn Time" is #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.  That's no surprise, of course, since it's her fourth trip in the top five.  To be honest, I really haven't heard much of her prior hits, but I noticed she was getting some airplay in the Triple-A format, so I had to take notice.   The song is a very rhythmic, sort of 70's style; a throwback like this is always appealing.   This is something you can groove to.   Lizzo, born Melissa Viviane Jefferson, mostly sings, with a brief rap.   The song stokes positivity, and sends the message of, despite all you've gone through, you're going to be OK.     Hence, it's my Top Debut at #80.   And then to top it off, after I tabulated my playlist, I find out it debuts at #39 on John Hook's Beach Music Top 40 list!    I can definitely see this being played at the Carolina clubs and stations.  Good for her!

As for the other beach music debuts, Rick Strickland--still climbing my list with his last beach hit "Dream Come True", has been touting his new single, "Sandy", which debuts at #91-, a cool sort of a cappella-ish, doo wopp-ish confection;  The Tonez have two debuts:  The new "Me and My Music" and the prior song, "Lotta Love", the Neil Young song popularized in 1979 by Nicolette Larson which was one of my favorites.  Either or both can win out.  Too Much Sylvia, who landed in my top 10 in 2019 with "Got the Rhythm" are back with "That You Hear in a Song".

As for the other adds, two are in the Country field: Christina Taylor's latest attempt at making the big charts with "Till the Wheels Fall Off", and Thomas Rhett's "Slow Down Summer".   With the exception of Ms. Taylor's songs, as well as Zac Brown Band and Sam Hunt, which also were on beach music lists, I had been ignoring country lately, but Rhett's always been a palatable artist.  While some may criticize his pop slant, this one is modern country as it comes, borrowing from current trends, and the summer theme led this to an add this week, although like Terri Gore's current charter, it seems like it's geared to the end of the season.   Ms. Taylor's song once again proves she should be with the big guns; a lot of emotion in her voice.

As for the other two debuts, Winnetka Bowling League teams up with production duo The Knocks for the song with a weird title: "I'd Like to Hide in the Bathroom at Parties".  A steady beat, and the lyrics are just as strange as the name of the song.   The band's output has been rather erratic of late, but the combination of The Knocks and WBL should click; the duo had previously worked with WBL leader Matthew Koma on "I Wish (My Taylor Swift)", which got to #6 in 2017.   This should at least fare better than the previous "fiimy" with Demi Lovato, but the band really needs a "Kombucha"-type song to get them back on the alt-rock charts.    Finally, Ripe, a funk band from Boston, makes its blog debut with "Settling", with its 80's-style funk vibe a la Howard Jones.   A good possible contender.

Legendary U.K. artist Kate Bush finally gets her first U.S. top ten hit as "Running Up That Hill", originally peaking at #30 back in 1985, enters the Hot 100 at #8; spurred by its inclusion in the Netflix series Stranger Things.

RUNNING BACK UP THAT HILL:  This next item, in a sense, combines two different blogs I had done over the last few years or so.   I had mentioned earlier that on Billboard's Hot 100, Harry Styles is still #1, Lizzo is #4....but also in the top ten?    Try Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill", at #8!   "What?" you ask?  Is that the same song that back in 1985, it was her only hit in the U.S. that peaked at #30?  The same Kate Bush who was a superstar in the U.K. beginning with her debut hit in 1979 and through the 1980's?   Yes, the one and the same!    The question is, "Why?"

If you remember about a year and a half ago, when I blogged about the nominees for the 2021 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I questioned why Ms. Bush was included on the list when for the most part, her resume was just that one song that barely hit the top 30.    That was when Tom Corea, and Tinkers Lane's Ian Roberts corrected me that Ms. Bush was a superstar and very influential on female indie artists to come on the scene after her.    

Back in 2019, I did a blog on the Netflix series Stranger Things, which at the time completed its third season.   I remarked how accurate the songs, movie references and even products (such as "New Coke") at the time were in relation to the timeline, in which season 3 took place, namely the first half of the summer of 1985, in particular the song "Never Ending Story" by Limahl, which was sung by two of the characters in that season's finale.     

Well, Season 4 has just been released, no doubt delayed by the pandemic.  While I still haven't seen any of the new episodes, it seems that Kate Bush's song is featured throughout much of the season.  Since that song originally peaked at #30 on November 30, 1985, can I assume that the events of the show's season 4 take place just a few months after season 3 in spite of it being released three years later? Well, in just one week, a 36 year stat has just been erased and the remarkable Ms. Bush now has a top 10 U.S. hit.   In addition, "Running Up That Hill" is on Radiowave's monitor charts for both alternative and Triple-A.   If you recall, Meg Myers' cover of the song hit much of those stations' playlists, and made it up to #4 on SNS back in 2019.   If Kate Bush's song sticks around, I am open to adding the record since I wasn't on board back in 1985.

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

June 5, 2022  (Week ending June 11)

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	2	NUMBER ONE: DEB BROWNING and SIX PIECE SUITS "Take Me By The Hand" (Single Only)	12
2	1	Curtis Harding - I Won't Let You Down	9
3	5	My Morning Jacket - In Color	8
4	6	Deb Browning - 3 More Minutes	5
5	4	Tim Izzard - Glam Rock Star (Tribute)	9
6	8	Lesa Hudson - Sunny Days	8
7	3	The Black Keys - Wild Child	13
8	13	Hegazy - Do You Want Me Now	7
9	12	Anna Lavigne -  Lavender Days	10
10	15	Harry Styles - As It Was	9
11	7	Train - AM Gold	12
12	10	LP - Angels	19
13	9	Florence + The Machine- My Love	12
14	16	Milky Chance - Synchronize	10
15	18	beabadoobee - Talk	8
16	11	David F. Porfirio - Dreamscape	14
17	17	Cat5 Band ft Tim Sidden -Ain't Nothing Better	15
18	14	Parquet Courts - Watching Strangers Smile	13
19	21	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: THE PALMS "Fire" (Single Only)	8
20	23	The War On Drugs - Change	5
21	19	Deb Browning - Dancin'	13
22	25	Rick Strickland - Dream Come True	5
23	20	Avi Wisnia - Catching Leaves	14
24	24	Don Dixon  ft Dip Ferrell and the True Tones - Young Love	11
25	22	Donna Missal - (To Me) Your Face Is Love	25
26	43	My Chemical Romance - The Foundations of Decay	3
27	38	Jerry Powell and The Carnival Band  ft. Dave Sandy - Merry-Go-Round	4
28	36	Lesa Hudson - Breathless	5
29	31	Zac Brown Band - Old Love Song	16
30	39	Jack White - What's the Trick?	5
31	47	Terri Gore - Summer's Gonna Last	3
32	67	MOVER OF THE WEEK: THE MAIN EVENT BAND featuring SHARON HYLER "Poor Side of Town" (Single Only)	2
33	32	Adele - Cry Your Heart Out	10
34	35	Einstein's Dad - Back To You (Tribute to George Harrison)	8
35	40	Vance Joy - Clarity	7
36	29	Joy Again - Looking Out for You	14
37	26	Einstein's Dad - Here to Home	19
38	41	The Offspring - Behind Your Walls	6
39	44	Ed Sheeran ft. Taylor Swift - The Joker and the Queen	13
40	30	Hegazy - Maybe If We Try	12
41	28	Christina Taylor- Somebody Will	11
42	48	Joy Again - What Lovers Do	9
43	49	Sia - Unstoppable	5
44	34	Deb Browning - In My Dreams	22
45	46	Eliza and the Delusionals- Bed Song	7
46	27	Heartless Bastards - You Never Know	12
47	37	Cannons - Hurricane	9
48	33	Band of Horses - Lights	14
49	52	Interpol - Toni	6
50	78	Maneskin - Supermodel	2
51	55	Eavesdrop - Now You Know	7
52	54	Arlo Parks - Softly	5
53	72	Ava Max - Maybe You're the Problem	3
54	77	Orbis Max with Tim Izzard - Back of the Shelf	2
55	56	Nick Waterhouse - Place Names	8
56	62	Wilco - Falling Apart (Right Now)	4
57	45	Mitski - The Only Heartbreaker	14
58	71	Sam Hunt - 23	4
59	86	Main Event Band ft Sharon Hyler - Hello Stranger	3
60	66	Cat5 Band -  Drive	4
61	70	Lady Gaga - Hold My Hand	4
62	76	R. Mark Black- Let Me Make Love To You	3
63	42	Bakar - Free	8
64	51	Brandi Carlile - Broken Horses	7
65	65	Caamp - Believe	10
66	61	Babeheaven ft. Navy Blue- Make Me Wanna	13
67	64	Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats- I'm On Your Side	6
68	68	The Regrettes - Anxieties (Out of Time)	6
69	74	Teddy Swims - Blowin' Smoke	4
70	50	Portugal. The Man - What, Me Worry	15
71	84	Sharon Van Etten  - Mistakes	2
72	53	Anna Lavigne - Mindblown	18
73	83	Mitski - Love Me More	2
74	87	Huntergirl - Red Bird	2
75	91	The 502's - Just a Little While	2
76	57	Red Hot Chili Peppers - Black Summer	16
77	60	Tim Izzard - Empty My Head●	18
78	73	Deb Browning - Stop Messin' With My Man●	39
79	80	Debbie Gibson - Me Not Loving You	4
80	---	TOP DEBUT: LIZZO "About Damn Time" Album: Special	1
81	75	SadGirl - Goodbye Queenie	7
82	59	SadGirl - Little Queenie	19
83	82	Bob Moses - Love Brand New	17
84	90	The Interrupters - In the Mirror	3
85	58	Kacey Musgraves - Camera Roll	11
86	85	Maggie Rogers - That's Where I Am	7
87	63	Papercuts - A Dull Boy	16
88	92	Arcade Fire -  Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)	3
89	---	The Tonez - Me and My Music	1
90	95	Salt Luvs Pepper ft David Cornelius - Lovin' Arms	2
91	---	Rick Strickland - Sandy	1
92	81	Bishop Briggs- High Water	8
93	89	Mark Stein - We Are One	4
94	---	Winnetka Bowling League & The Knocks - I Like to Hide in the Bathroom....	1
95	---	Thomas Rhett - Slow Down Summer	1
96	69	Meg Myers - HTIS	6
97	---	Ripe- Settling	1
98	---	Christina Taylor - Till the Wheels Fall Off	1
99	---	Too Much Sylvia - That You Hear In a Song	1
100	----	The Tonez - Lotta Love	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.