Scenes 'n' Soundwaves: Country, with Top 2 on Hot 100, Making Inroads in Pop Scene; Say She She Scores 3rd SNS #1 (SNS week of 6/25/2023)

FOR THE FIRST TIME in forty-two and a half years, the top 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 are comprised of country songs. Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" tops the big chart for the 12th non-consecutive week, while Luke Combs' cover of the Tracy Chapman #6 song from 1988, "Fast Car" is right behind in the #2 slot. The last time country songs had the top two was early in 1981 when New Jersey native Eddie Rabbitt's "I Love A Rainy Night" and legend Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" had numbers one and two respectively.

On this week's Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100 chart, Wallen moves up to #40, while Combs debuts at #78. There have been many pieces on why country, which has in the past, taken a back seat to genres like pop and hip hop, but in recent years has flirted with the top ten, and definitely in the top 20, is now invading spaces that have been reserved for contemporary pop and hip-hop songs. Much of that has to do with these three genres embracing one another. Many of the current country songs, Wallen's included, has verses that are closely rapped, and the "country trap" trend from four years ago, headed by "Old Town Road", and "The Git Up", showed that those two genres, which seemed miles apart just a few years ago, can co-exist. Tik Tok, the app that has been responsible for many pop song breakouts in recent years, is credited with breaking country songs these days as well.

Morgan Wallen (L) and Luke Combs have the #1 and #2 songs, respectively on the Billboard Hot 100 the first time country songs have the top two songs on the chart since early 1981.

While there were indeed country songs that crossed over to the pop charts back in the day, the last time country really had an impact on the pop charts was thanks to the Urban Cowboy craze. That 1980 movie, which starred John Travolta and Debra Winger, did for country what Travolta's Saturday Night Fever did for disco just a couple years earlier. That was pretty much responsible for Rabbitt's and Ms. Parton's success back then, even though neither appeared in the movie; both had track records before 1981, but the trend back then influenced the high chart positions. But with the coming of the MTV-fueled "second British Invasion", along with the emergence of bona-fide 80's pop stars like Prince and Madonna, along with the increased stature of Michael Jackson to superstar status, country pretty much fell on hard times, at least in the crossover pop arena. Country songs rarely made the Hot 100, much less the top 40.

When the genre reinvented itself in the 1990's with the "new country" headed by the likes of Garth Brooks, it was still rare to have a country hit. Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" was the first in almost ten years to break the Top 5 of the big chart. It was still rare to have a country song "cross over". When country did become big thanks to line dancing in the 1990's, I really wasn't on board. I did go to a country-themed place like the now-defunct Colorado Cafe in Watchung, NJ.

My anti-country stance was softened when I met a woman originally from Houston Texas, and who moved to Jersey for a few years. She took me to several concerts, including Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney, and as a result, I actually started liking the genre. George Strait and Jimmy Buffett's "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" was my #1 song of 2003. But, while country started creeping back into the upper half of the Hot 100, it still didn't have the big impact.

That all has changed. There is yet another wave of young country upstarts making the scene. Aside from Wallen and Combs, others include the likes of Bailey Zimmerman, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina, Lainey Wilson, Zach Bryan, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney and Carly Pearce. They have started to eclipse the more veteran singers of the genre. But the seasoned veterans are still very present on the chart.

As for my chart, while country has sporadically made it to the top 20 it has taken a back set to alternative rock, pop and Carolina beach music (more on that below). Only one song by established country acts in the near-13 year history of the SNS 100 has hit #1, that being "The Fighter" by Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood. That's if you don't count local, now retired artist Rachel Allyn, who racked up four #1's and countless Top 20 singles. Ms. Allyn, who mixed country, rock and Americana in her music, hung it up in 2017 when she got married and some opportunities started drying up.

While Carolina beach music was derived from 1950's through 70's R&B, and the new strains of that genre are throwbacks to that era, the genre has embraced country as well. Keith Urban's "Texas Time", and Sam Hunt's "23" received extensive play on beach formatted stations, and Blake Shelton's "No Body" actually hit #1 on Mitch Harb's regional chart recently. Current songs like Jerry Powell's "One More Summer Night", while definitely in the soulful beach lane, has some country overtones to it. Of course, much of that has to do with the region itself, as the Carolinas are, in fact, in the south, as is much of the country-based artists.

Getting back to Wallen and Combs, as mentioned earlier, "Last Night" which its twelfth week at the top of Billboard, has pushed the song into my top 40. It's his fifth song to make my chart; his most recent, "You Proof", hit #49 late last year. "Last Night" is Wallen's third top 40 blog song, following "7 Summers" (#21, 2020) and "More Than My Hometown" (#25, 2021). As for Luke Combs, the debut of "Fast Car" is his third entry, following 2017's "When It Rains It Pours" (#81), and 2022's "The Kind of Love We Make" (#46).

SNS 100: The year is just half over, but Say She She notches its third #1 song in 2023, as "Don't You Dare Stop" rises 4-1 in only its fifth chart week. It follows "Trouble" which led the first three weeks of this year, and "In My Head", which hit the top for one week in April. Both songs are still on the list. Also, the "flip side" of "Don't..", the acid house-like "Reeling" moves 30-17. Thee Sacred Souls' "Love Is the Way" and Orbis Max's "R U OK" are in the 2 and 3 spots. Colorjoy's revamped "Blue Eyed Addiction" moves from 6-4, and with "Vacant Side" entering the top 20, the duo once again has three songs currently in the upper echelon; thus, all five singles have now charted up there. I will cull another song from Golden Age in a week or two; most likely "Apathy".

The Impact award goes to Miley Cyrus' "Jaded" (22-13). In addition to Say She She and Colorjoy, The Heavy Heavy's "Go Down River", (their second straight top 20), and Einstein's Dad's "Anytime Blues" also enter. Last week's Top Debut, Arlo Parks' "Devotion" garners the Mover award in a 77-53 rise.

STILL FEELIN' ALRIGHT: One of my favorite reggae bands, Iration, is back, with the Top Debut this week, "Daytrippin'", coming in at #60. It is the follow-up to the #6 blog "Feel Alright", which had a 23 week run on the SNS 100 late last year, and is the title track to their forthcoming album, set for fall release.. Melding classic soul with a reggae beat, this one gives me the chills. It's a very catchy romp, it has a bunch of influences to it. The band has five top tens, this will make it six, and possibly score their first #1. Love its chances.

"Fast Car", by Luke Combs, as mentioned above, is a cover of Tracy Chapman's top ten hit from 1988, and is faithful to the original; it retains the spirit of Ms. Chapman's self-penned original. The song is perfect for Combs' voice.

Miley Cyrus' other follow-up to "Flowers", "River" also enters. Unlike "Jaded", this is an uptempo pop/EDM/hop-hop confection, and it works. It took me a few listens to get it, but I do. Should make a good journey up the chart.

Alt-pop group Beach Weather makes its blog debut with "Sex, Drugs, Etc". The band has been around since 2015, although it has been on somewhat of a hiatus until now. The trio is headed by Nick Santino who was previously with the band A Rocket To the Moon. It's a mid-tempo pop/rock song that is catchy, true to its genre.

Still adding New Jersey bands to the SNS 100, this week it's Pollyanna, a quartet from Old Bridge (and no relation to a now-defunct Australian-based band from the 1990's). It is fronted by Jill Beckett. The song, once it gets going, it a very catchy blend of power-pop and alt-rock. Ms. Beckett's voice is top-notch and in a way echoes back to the female-led alt bands of the 1990's and early 2000's, but the sound is aweomse and unique enough. The song grows on you, and I love its possibilities. I will try and find out more about this band in the future.

TREMORS: Five songs debut in the Tremors section. This includes Taylor Swift's "Cruel Summer". Taken from her 2019 album Lover, this is not the Bananarama song from 1984, but a pop song with hip-hop overtones. A bit strange hearing it for the first time, but subsequent listens reveal a good pop song, and it turns into a straight-ahead foray, even reminiscent or early Miley Cyrus. Should join "Karma" in the upper reaches soon. Greta Van Fleet continues its retro throwback sound with its late-80's sounding "Meeting The Master". Give them credit for trying to revive the rock genre. Beach music artist Roger Smith has his first blog charter with "Baby Boomer", kind of an anthem of sorts to my generation. A far cry from what The Who sang about 50+ years ago, of course...55 years will do that to you, but the AARPers should flock to it. A nice jazzy-pop song that is great to dance to. It's on many beach charts already. Another beach hit, "This Song Will Last Forget" by J.D. Cash is top five on most regional lists. This one has that mid-1970's soul sound down pat, and the lyric reference many of those song which inspired it. Finally, it's been a while since we heard from Ben Folds, but he seems to pick up where he left off with "Exhausting Lover", pretty cool that could grow with airplay.

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

June 25, 2023

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	4	NUMBER ONE: SAY SHE SHE "Don't You Dare Stop"▲ (Single Only)	5
2	3	Thee Sacred Souls - Love Is The Way	8
3	2	Orbis Max with Lisa Mychols ft. Ed Ryan - R U OK	13
4	6	Colorjoy - Blue Eyed Addiction (Renewed Version)	8
5	1	Marlisa Kay Small and Jerry Thomas West - Love Really Hurts Without You●	8
6	5	The Main Event Band ft. Sharon Woodruff - Love Makes The World Go Round	9
7	11	Jerry Powell - One More Summer Night	9
8	7	Deb Browning - Think I Found Forever▲	15
9	13	The Tonez - Caught Up	6
10	10	Colorjoy - Drops of Honey▲	11
11	8	Hannah Goodall - The Girl Who Once Loved You●	11
12	14	Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson - Got it Right (The First Time)●	22
13	22	TOP 20IMPACT OF THE WEEK: MILEY CYRUS "Jaded" Album: Endless Summer Vacation	6
14	9	The Carolina Queens - The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)	13
15	12	Jimmy Ogburn's Salt Luvs Pepper ft. David Cornelius - Love Me Like I Love You	17
16	20	I-42 Band - Beach Fever On My Mind	11
17	30	Say She She - Reeling	5
18	28	Colorjoy - Vacant Side	8
19	21	The Heavy Heavy - Go Down River	9
20	23	Einsteins Dad - Anytime Blues	5
21	32	Orbis Max - No Hero	5
22	33	John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band - Day In the Sun	4
23	15	Say She She - In My Head●	17
24	29	Allison Ponthier - Hollywood Forever Cemetary	7
25	26	Tennis - Forbidden Doors	9
26	34	Ed Sheeran - Eyes Closed	10
27	35	Rhonda McDaniel - Say A Prayer	6
28	18	The Heavy - Hurricane Coming	14
29	16	Goldie Boutiiler - Cowboy Gangster Politician	15
30	39	Too Much Sylvia - It Still Is	5
31	43	Cannons - Loving You	4
32	17	Drugdealer - Valentine	11
33	25	Hanna Jadagu - What You Did	7
34	24	Miya Folick - Bad Thing	12
35	19	Marlisa Kay Small - Anyway	11
36	27	Colorjoy - Beautiful People●	14
37	41	Wayne Free - Our Paradise	8
38	40	TYTILLIDIE - Body On Me	12
39	46	Sunny War - No Reason	5
40	55	Morgan Wallen - Last Night	11
41	53	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Dreamsicle	3
42	37	Devon Gilfillian - All I Really Wanna Do●	18
43	50	boygenius - Not Strong Enough	8
44	52	Lesa Hudson - Count On Me	3
45	48	Isn't It Always - Laced Love	9
46	36	Colorjoy - Golden Age▲	16
47	49	Pageants - Worse	5
48	31	Tim Izzard - Alice Pearl	10
49	51	The Gaslight Anthem - Positive Charge	6
50	45	Arlo Parks - Weightless▲	19
51	54	Deb Browning and Six Piece Suits - It Don't Get Better Than This	33
52	44	SZA - Kill Bill	16
53	77	MOVER OF THE WEEK: ARLO PARKS "Devotion" Album: My Soft Machine	2
54	38	Beck - Thinking About You	17
55	42	Depeche Mode - Ghosts Again	17
56	47	Juliet Callahan - Depth of Soul	11
57	63	Foo Fighters - Rescued	6
58	72	Dua Lipa - Dance The Night	4
59	84	The Arcs - Heaven Is a Place	4
60	---	TOP DEBUT: IRATION "Daytrippin'" Album: Daytrippin'	1
61	65	Jim Quick and Coastline - Those Summer Days	5
62	91	Kesha - Only Love Can Save Us Now	2
63	56	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Ti Ta Ti Ta Ti Ta Ta▲	23
64	75	K.Flay - Raw Raw	4
65	82	Prairie Fire - Death of An Artist	4
66	62	Lizzo - Special	11
67	83	Sylvia Johns Ritchie - When I Wish For You	2
68	95	Eddie Testa Band - Feel The Love	2
69	74	What's Left? - Do It To Me	7
70	96	Taylor Swift - Karma	2
71	86	Highwind - Never Sitting Pretty	2
72	79	Tame Impala - Wings of Time	14
73	88	Cat5 Band - What's Love Got To Do With You	2
74	57	The Castaways - Mr. Dream Merchant	16
75	59	Steve Lacy - Helmet	15
76	61	Allie Privette - Ain't Nobody	18
77	85	Harry Styles - Satellite	3
78	60	The National - Tropic Morning News	14
79	---	Luke Combs - Fast Car	1
80	70	Moon Taxi - Classics	7
81	73	The Cowsills - Rhythm Of the World	10
82	87	Miley Cyrus - Flowers▲	23
83	99	The Six Piece Suits - That Groove	2
84	68	Grouplove - Hello	10
85	81	Say She She - Trouble●	31
86	101	Frankie Cosmos - Abigail	1
87	89	Jenny Lewis - Psychos	10
88	58	Metric - False Dictotomy	10
89	67	Pink Slips Band - Ought To Be A Song	14
90	80	Stephen Sanchez - Until I Found You●	23
91	92	Gary Lowder and Smokin Hot - I'll Be Loving You Always	8
92	64	The Arcs - Keep On Dreamin'	12
93	100	Halogens - Without Warning	2
94	---	Miley Cyrus - River	1
95	71	Phoenix ft Clairo- After Midnight	6
96	---	Beach Weather - Sex, Drugs, Etc.	1
97	103	Grace Gaustad - Disappear	1
98	---	Polyanna - Good For You	1
99	66	The Beths - Watching the Credits	9
100	76	Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Wolf	15