Scenes 'n' Soundwaves: 'Try That In A Small Town' Debuts at #2 on Hot 100; Kesha Still Tops SNS Chart (SNS week of 7/23/2023)

This blog will be very brief (especially after last week's marathon), as I am going away for a few days, but of course I had to address the situation that broke last week regarding country star Jason Aldean's current single, "Try That In A Small Town".

As I mentioned last week, the song, released two months ago and climbing the country charts, had the video come out on July 14, which attracted huge controversy in its depiction of violence. Some people declared it racist, which Aldean denies. He defends the song, saying that there was never any reference to race, and that the point of the song (which he did not write) was that the rioting, flag burning, carjacking and other violent crimes that take place in the city, will not be tolerated in the small town that the singer resides. As per usual, conservatives defended the song, while liberals attacked it.

A scene from Jason Aldean's video for "Try That In A Small Town" which has attracted controversy, but debuted at #2 on the Hot 100 this week.

However, the song, which only "bubbled under" the Hot 100 before the video came out, saw a sharp increase in both streams and digital sales (over 220,000 downloads). As a result, the song debuts at #2 on the Hot 100, and would have hit the top spot if it wasn't for Jung Kook, one of the members of the international K-Pop band BTS, who debuts at #1 with "Seven", featuring Latto. Just a few months ago, another member of BTS, Jimin, debuted at #1 with "Like Crazy".

Morgan Wallen's "Last Night", which had the top spot last week, his 14th at that pole position, drops to #3 and Luke Combs' cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" is #4. As a result, country songs hold three of the top four positions on the Billboard Hot 100.

While the controversy is growing (unjustly in my opinion), the listening public have spoken. And to be honest, the song is a great one, filled with emotion. It is an accurate accounting of what has been going on, and to protest this sends the message that violence, rape, and riots are okay. Sorry, but that's the way I feel. It's the top debut on the SNS 100 at #44 this week. While there are a couple of scenes in the video that might question its sincerity (such as the building in the backdrop that once served as a scene of a lynching, and some Black Lives Matter riot footage---which subsequently has been removed from the video), they are minor when compared to its overall message. It's a shame that instead of having a straightforward conversation about this undue violence that has been happening to our country, people just decide to mute and ban it (like country video outlet CMT has), and just call the right "racists". Aldean had said that there is no mention of race in the song (or the video for that matter...it wasn't clear that the riots were BLM, as Antifa also rioted during that time), so I wonder why people are thinking this is targeting Blacks? Until there is a civil discussion of these issues, the division this country has been suffering the last several years will indeed continue. People need to stop talking from both sides of their mouths and listen for a change.

So, what are the prospects of "Try That In A Small Town" going to #1? Or, will it have quick burnout, much like the last controversial "right-wing" song that debuted in the Top 20, that being Aaron Lewis' "Am I The Only One", which entered the Hot 100 at #15 in 2021. However, the following week it had dropped to #94, then completely off the chart. Let's hope that it at least goes down the chart more slowly, but in any event, a statement has been already made.

So, if the Jason Aldean song does drop, and "Seven", if there was any similarity to "Like Crazy" that it, too will fall off, will Morgan Wallen get back to the top spot for a 15th week? We definitely shall see.

ANYWAY, BACK to the SNS 100, where Kesha's "Only Love Can Save Us Now" (which the title of the song might be an accurate description of the turmoil mentioned above) grabs a second week at the top spot, but making a big jump is "Francesca" by Hozier from #8 to #2. That equals the peak position of Hozier's debut single, "Take Me To Church", which also hit the runner-up spot on the Hot 100. His "Someone New" is his biggest blog hit, going to #1 in late 2015. Say She She now has two songs in the top 5; the former #1 "Don't You Dare Stop" is now #3, while "Reeling" moves to #5. Incidentally, the band just released yet another single, "Astral Plane", which will debut next week, and their second album, which should include all of their three number one's as well as the other new released tracks, will drop in September.

The Tonez continue to hold up the beach music banner in the Top Ten at #4, and Colorjoy holds at #6 but still bulleted with "Vacant Side". I plan to add another song from the duo's Golden Age set, "Apathy" next week. Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" moves to #7 and entering the top ten are Iration's "Daytrippin'" (16-8), and Orbis Max's "No Hero" (12-10). Miley Cyrus' "Jaded" moves back to 9 after dropping out of the ten last week. In the 11-20 range, the standout is Lesa Hudson's fourth straight top 20, "Count On Me" (Impact award, 21-14), and Luke Combs' "Fast Car" (25-18) his first blog top 20. Too Much Sylvia moves 24-19 with "It Still Is". It's the beach music outfit's first blog top 20 since "Got the Rhythm" hit #10 in 2019.

Big movers include SZA's "Snooze" (Mover of the Week, 67-43), Taylor Swift's "Cruel Summer" (47-29, and still in Billboard's Top 10), Elle King's "Jersey Giant" (45-31), and The Faithful Brothers' "Dance My Hurt Away" (62-41).

DEBUTS: As mentioned above, Jason Aldean's "Try That In A Small Town" enters here at #44, while debuting at #2 on the Hot 100. Nationally, it's his second top 10, following, "Dirt Road Anthem" in 2011. That was his only other blog entry as well until this week, as that song peaked---coincidentally---at #44.

Briefly, here are the other entries into the Hot 100: Country star Lainey Wilson follows her "Heart Like a Truck" with the sweet country sound of "Watermelon Moonshine"; Molly Burch, who tore up the blog chart between 2018 and 2021 with seven top 10's on SNS, is back with "Physical", which might take a few listens to get into, with a indie-pop midtempo song. Jonas Brothers with the Maroon 5-ish "Waffle House"; Demi Lovato with the rock and angst-tinged "Swine", Record Company doing the R.E.M.-sounding "Talk To Me", and Allison Ponthier's "Character Development", her follow-up to "Hollywood Forever Cemetery".

(Note: As I was finishing this blog, I had gotten news that Irish singer Sinead O'Connor had passed away. More on that next time).

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

July 23, 2023

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	1	NUMBER ONE: KESHA "Only Love Can Save Us Now"▲ Album: Gag Order (2 Weeks at #1)	6
2	8	Hozier - Francesca●	4
3	2	Say She She - Don't You Dare Stop▲	9
4	4	The Tonez - Caught Up	10
5	9	Say She She - Reeling	9
6	6	Colorjoy - Vacant Side●	12
7	10	Morgan Wallen - Last Night	15
8	16	Iration - Daytrippin'●	5
9	11	Miley Cyrus - Jaded	10
10	12	Orbis Max - No Hero	9
11	3	Orbis Max with Lisa Mychols ft. Ed Ryan - R U OK	17
12	14	Einsteins Dad - Anytime Blues	9
13	15	John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band - Day In the Sun	8
14	21	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: LESA HUDSON "Count On Me" Album; Power of Two	7
15	13	Jerry Powell - One More Summer Night	13
16	20	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Dreamsicle	7
17	5	Thee Sacred Souls - Love Is The Way	12
18	25	Luke Combs - Fast Car	5
19	24	Too Much Sylvia - It Still Is	9
20	19	Rhonda McDaniel - Say A Prayer	10
21	23	Cannons - Loving You	8
22	7	Colorjoy - Blue Eyed Addiction (Renewed Version)	12
23	17	The Main Event Band ft. Sharon Woodruff - Love Makes The World Go Round	13
24	18	Deb Browning - Think I Found Forever▲	19
25	26	Arlo Parks - Devotion	6
26	22	Marlisa Kay Small and Jerry Thomas West - Love Really Hurts Without You●	12
27	36	LP - One Like You	4
28	31	Pageants - Worse	9
29	47	Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer	4
30	29	boygenius - Not Strong Enough	12
31	45	Elle King - Jersey Giant	4
32	27	I-42 Band - Beach Fever On My Mind	15
33	34	Colorjoy - Drops of Honey▲	15
34	30	Sunny War - No Reason	9
35	41	Dua Lipa - Dance The Night	8
36	42	The Arcs - Heaven Is a Place	8
37	28	Allison Ponthier - Hollywood Forever Cemetary	11
38	43	Eddie Testa Band - Feel The Love	6
39	35	Wayne Free - Our Paradise	12
40	46	Beach Weather - Sex, Drugs, Etc.	5
41	62	The Faithful Brothers - Dance My Hurt Away	3
42	37	Say She She - In My Head●	21
43	76	MOVER OF THE WEEK: SZA "Snooze" Album: SOS	2
44	---	TOP DEBUT: JASON ALDEAN "Try That In A Small Town" (Single Only)	1
45	32	Hannah Goodall - The Girl Who Once Loved You●	15
46	60	Pollyanna - Good For You	5
47	39	Miya Folick - Bad Thing	16
48	49	Prairie Fire - Death of An Artist	8
49	33	Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson - Got it Right (The First Time)●	26
50	48	Jim Quick and Coastline - Those Summer Days	9
51	38	Ed Sheeran - Eyes Closed	14
52	55	Lana Del Rey - Say Yes To Heaven	4
53	53	Taylor Swift - Karma	6
54	57	Cat5 Band - What's Love Got To Do With You	6
55	58	Frankie Cosmos - Abigail	5
56	71	Randy Clay Band - Wildflower	3
57	61	Jenny Lewis - Psychos	14
58	72	Sir Prize and the Twomorrow Knightz - Automatic Satin Circus	4
59	40	Jimmy Ogburn's Salt Luvs Pepper ft. David Cornelius - Love Me Like I Love You	21
60	66	Danielle Ponder - Roll The Credits	4
61	44	The Carolina Queens - The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)	17
62	67	Miley Cyrus - River	5
63	70	The Holiday Band - Happy Music	4
64	65	Highwind - Never Sitting Pretty	6
65	75	Roger Smith - Baby Boomers	4
66	86	Jon Pardi - Your Heart Or Mine	2
67	74	Halogens - Without Warning	6
68	56	Sylvia Johns Ritchie - When I Wish For You	6
69	59	Arlo Parks - Weightless▲	23
70	50	The Gaslight Anthem - Positive Charge	10
71	52	Tennis - Forbidden Doors	13
72	69	Deb Browning and Six Piece Suits - It Don't Get Better Than This	37
73	51	The Heavy Heavy - Go Down River	13
74	73	The Six Piece Suits - That Groove	6
75	54	The Heavy - Hurricane Coming	18
76	90	Nick Waterhouse - Hide and Seek	2
77	88	Grace Potter - Good Time	3
78	89	Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire	3
79	63	Hanna Jadagu - What You Did	11
80	87	The Linda Lindas - Too Many Things	3
81	91	Gwen Stefani - True Babe	2
82	64	Isn't It Always - Laced Love	13
83	68	Goldie Boutiiler - Cowboy Gangster Politician	19
84	77	Devon Gilfillian - All I Really Wanna Do●	22
85	80	Colorjoy - Golden Age▲	20
86	81	Colorjoy - Beautiful People●	18
87	95	Joy Oladokun ft. Noah Kahan - We're All Gonna Die	2
88	92	Loverboy - Release	3
89	97	Gabby Barrett - Glory Days	2
90	---	Lainey Wilson - Watermelon Moonshine	1
91	79	Marlisa Kay Small - Anyway	15
92	---	Molly Burch - Physical	1
93	---	Jonas Brothers - Waffle House	1
94	78	K.Flay - Raw Raw	8
95	85	Blur - The Narcissist	4
96	---	Allison Ponthier - Character Development	1
97	93	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Ti Ta Ti Ta Ti Ta Ta▲	27
98	RE ENTRY	SZA - Kill Bill	19
99	---	Demi Lovato - Swine	1
100	---	The Record Company - Talk To Me	1