As I begin this week's blog, it's September 22, the last official day of summer. It's been an interesting season for me. I definitely kept busy, doing several trips both to New England and to the south, and music, as usual played a part. There was a slew of summer songs, both referencing the season as well as those that dominated the airwaves over the past four months.
Summer is for most people, an upbeat time of year; kids are on vacation away from school, families head to the beach or to the mountains, and being outdoors is the way to go. And many of the songs reflect that experience.
So it was very interesting to find that my number one song of the summer was one that evoked so many emotions to the point where it got me misty-eyed.
 |
| Orbis Max's "R U OK" is the SNS Song of the Summer for 2023. The Internet band lead by Dw Dunphy (lower right) features Lisa Mychols (top) and Ed Ryan as guest on this song. |
"R U OK" by Orbis Max is my "Song of the Summer" for 2023.
Orbis Max is a San Diego-based Internet-oriented band, with members also hailing from Texas, Arizona, New Jersey (Red Bank), North Carolina and even across the pond in the U.K. Led by Dw. Dunphy, the band, with various combinations has delved in a multitude of genres and styles, with a revolving guest list of musicians contributing. Thanks to technology, various members record their parts using computer apps and submit them via e-mail to create a full experience.
While the contingent has been making music for several years, the band first came to my attention last year when British singer Tim Izzard collaborated on several Orbis tracks, including "Back of the Shelf", and "Elvis Has Left the Building", both of which reached the blog top 20. But the band has featured many others, especially this year when they released several new tracks as singles ahead of an eponymous album due on October 1.
"R U OK" was the second single released, coming out this past spring; the song had a slow rise up the chart the song, which features Lisa Mychols, from the band The High Frequencies, and Ed Ryan. Dunphy and Mychols trade lead vocals, with Ryan providing orchestration and a guitar solo. Core members Don Baake (guitar), Bruce Walker (keyboards), Craig Carlstrom (bass) and Dick Winter (drums) round out the lineup.
Here is a list of the Top 20 Summer songs, with a brief description of each. Scroll down for a video montage of the twenty songs.
1. Orbis Max featuring Lisa Mychols and Ed Ryan, "R U OK"
This emotional and sentimental song is about making connections and a difference in the lives of others. When I responded on the YouTube video about the song topping my summer list, Dunphy responded,
"We hope it touches people and maybe provokes them to reach out - not necessarily to rekindle relationships - but to let people know they are still loved and remembered and are grateful for their being with us."
The song hit #2, kept out of the top spot by two Carolina beach music songs (see below), but hung around the top five for weeks. I couldn't let go of the song, and it's become the band's most lauded song with many streams. The band had many other charting songs on my blog, including the follow-up, the more rocking "No Hero", which also reached top ten on the blog chart.
2. The Tonez, "Caught Up"
A blog breakthrough for this beach music band that features lead singer Laura Kepley. While last year's "Me and My Music" reached #12, this is the song that really broke through on my blog. The song had a two-week run at number 1 and is currently #2.
3. Say She She, "Don't You Dare Stop"
This Brooklyn-based band, while somehow eluding any national chart action, has taken my blog by storm. This sultry song, sometimes reminiscent of Chaka Khan's slow jams in the 1970's while with Rufus, has that summer vibe really going on. The song reigned for three weeks in July.
4. Marlisa Kay Small and Jerry West, "Love Really Hurts Without You"
Marlisa has definitely stepped out from behind singing partner Deb Browning's shadow thus far in 2023, scoring a #1 blog song, teaming with Cat 5's Jerry West for an awesome male-female duet of Billy Ocean's 1976 beach classic. Ms. Small is currently moving up the top 20 assisting Michael McMeel on another seventies classic soul cover, The Spinners' "I'll Be Around".
5. The Main Event Band featuring Sharon Woodruff, "Love Makes the World Go Round"
Another soul classic cover, delivered by another major beach music band that hit #1 on the blog for two weeks in June. The song was a hit by Deon Jackson in early 1966 but Ms. Woodruff definitely put her stamp on the song.
6. Deb Browning, "Think I Found Forever"
Two years ago,, Ms. Browning made the summer 20 list with "Stop Messin' With My Man", then followed it up with my #1 summer (and year-end, for that matter) song, with "3 More Minutes". Had the song been released a month or so later than its March date, she could have repeated, as it logged four weeks at the top in late April and early May, but, as other beach music radio stations slowly jumped on the song, it stayed in the top ten a good chunk of the summer. I had the pleasure of meeting both Deb and Marlisa when we were down there in April.
I need to add that Laura Kepley, Marlisa Small, Sharon Woodruff and Deb were part of the "Carolina Queens" who recorded a cover that went blog #1 "The Shoop Shoop Song", as well as the artist further down the list at #13.
7. Jerry Powell, "One More Summer Night"
There was a plethora of songs with "summer" in the title as well as those suggesting the season, mostly by beach acts, but significantly, also Taylor Swift's "Cruel Summer". However, it's Jerry's sentimental, looking-back song that made the top 20 list. Peaking at #6, but still hovering around the top 20 as the song continues to get chart action, ensured a top ten standing for this one.
8. Thee Sacred Souls, "Love Is the Way"
This smooth, retro-soul song, reminiscent of Marvin Gaye in my opinion, should have picked up some beach airplay but this male equivalent to Say She She, did make inroads on Triple-A. The song peaked here at #2, and its follow-up, "Running Away", enters the top 10 this week.
9. Say She She, "Reeling"
One of two acts to place two songs on the Summer Top 20, this one is a throwback to early 1990's acid house dance music. Released at the same time as "Don't You Dare Stop" ahead of their Silver set, the song reached #5 this summer.
10. Miley Cyrus, "Jaded"
One of only two songs in the Summer 20 to chart on Billboard, this was a follow-up of sorts to her monster hit "Flowers". Miley, who nabbed 2017 summer honors with "Malibu" came out with this song, a nice ballad that she does so well, reached #9 here, but couldn't really gain traction on the Hot 100 despite Hot AC airplay, only making it up to #56 on the Hot 100.
11. Morgan Wallen, "Last Night"
Here's the other song that charted on Billboard---and that's an understatement. The song was in and out of the #1 spot on the Hot 100 for 16 weeks, an all-time record for a solo artist with no featured act. It was sort of the equivalent of last year's "As It Was" by Harry Styles. "Last Night" was named Billboard's "song of the summer". On the SNS 100, after a slow start, it made its way up to #2.
12. Iration, "Day Trippin'"
One of my favorite reggae bands scored its first blog #1 a few weeks ago (and returns to the top this week). It's also crossing over to the top 30 of the alternative charts so perhaps this could be a top fall hit as well. We shall see.
13. Lesa Hudson, "Count On Me"
Much like Orbis Max's "R U OK", this is another song that assures you that people are there for you when you're struggling. Currently at its #3 peak, the song is also on the beach charts, and the singer was also a Carolina Queen. The song is from her album with her bandmate Rick Strickland, Power of Two, which yielded a huge blog hit in spring, "Got It Right (The First Time)".
14. Kesha, "Only Love Can Save Us Now"
For some reason, this pop star with hits to her credit couldn't gain traction on this one, not making any charts. Partly a LGBTQ anthem, partly a statement on her current situation with legal issues regarding a past producer, the highlights of the song are a soul/gospel singing of the title which elicits goosebumps. The song spent 3 weeks at #1 in late July.
15. Colorjoy, "Blue Eyed Addiction (Renewed Version)"
This New Jersey duo of Emily MacMahon and Sam Novotny scored the #1 song of 2021 with "Think Again" when they were part of the quartet ScreenAge. Last year, the two headed off on their own and released their Golden Age set. This song, a reimagining of a similarly named ScreenAge song that scored #1 on the year-end 2020 list, had a similar sound and reached the #2 position.
16. Colorjoy, "Vacant Side"
Both this song, and "Blue Eyed Addiction" were released at the same time in advance of Golden Age, and this one made it to #6, one of six songs from that album to hit top 10, tying a record. Colorjoy played several shows in the area this summer, including stints with two Pride festivals, a "Love and Unity" fest, an album release show in New York City's Rockwood Music Hall and most recently on at Jersey City's "PATH Performs" program where they will also return on September 28.
17. Einsteins Dad, "Anytime Blues"
Much like Orbis Max, Einsteins Dad is another "long distance" contingent that uses Internet tech apps to tie together musicians from all over. And like that band, the band employs many guest artists and spans several genres. This song is very blues-oriented and features Stefanie Kisamore on lead vocals. The core band of Steve Shouse, Richard Bradley and Mario Licata, are also joined by Italy's Daniele Silvestri who replaces Tom Corea on drums. The song peaked here at #12.
18. Too Much Sylvia, "It Still Is"
Carolina beach music did very well again this year on the Summer 20. A classic sound ensured a #13 peak for this Kannapolis, NC band.
19. John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, "Day In the Sun"
Heartland band from Rhode Island which had some big 1980's hits and contributed to the soundtrack to the Eddie and the Cruisers movies, records their first song since 1989, and shows that the Jersey Shore and Carolina beach music styles aren't that far apart. The song peaked here at #13 and is still climbing the John Hook's Beach Music Top 40 list.
20. Hozier, "Francesca"
From Hozier's third album Unreal Unearth, the song peaked at #1 here for three weeks in August. The song about a character in Dante's Divine Comedy poem, also resonated with me as a longtime friend with that name passed away this past summer. The power ballad also reached #2 on the Triple-A airplay chart.
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves Songs of the Summer - 2010-2023
- 2010: The Black Keys, "Tighten Up"
- 2011: Rachel Allyn, "Say Hello to Goodbye"
- 2012: The Shins, "The Rifle's Spiral"
- 2013: Paul Czekaj, "At the Beach"
- 2014: The Black Keys, "Fever"
- 2015: Ed Sheeran, "Thinking Out Loud"
- 2016: Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Dark Necessities"
- 2017: Miley Cyrus, "Malibu"
- 2018: Neko Case, "Bad Luck"
- 2019: Lil Peek & ILoveMakonnen featuring Fall Out Boy, "I've Been Waiting"
- 2020: Pepper featuring Collie Buddz, "Change"
- 2021: ScreenAge, "Think Again" "Change"
- 2022: Deb Browning, "3 More Minutes"
- 2023: Orbis Max with Lisa Mychols and Ed Ryan,"R U OK"
SNS 100: Iration's "Daytrippin'" returns to the top of the blog chart this week, as it continues to flirt with the top 30 on the alternative airplay chart, sneaking by The Tonez' "Caught Up" after the latter's two weeks at #1. The Tonez at #2 are joined by Lesa Hudson, holding steady at #3 with "Count On Me". All three songs have come back to earth, points-wide and are joined in the top five by Fall Out Boy's update of "We Didn't Start the Fire", and SZA's Billboard top 10 "Snooze". The Record Company, another Say She She entry ("Astral Plane"), Thee Sacred Souls' second straight top ten ("Running Away") and Taylor Swift round out the top ten.
In the second ten, three beach music artists and a reggae contingent enter. Starbuck's "On the Sand" scores the Impact award as it moves 27-13, towards a second top ten; Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot's second top 20 "Picture of You" (featuring Bridger Warlick), Roger Smith's first top 20, a witty commentary on the "Baby Boomers" generation, and finally reggae outfit Pepper joins Iration in the top 20 with "Get Me Ready"
OLIVIA BACK ON TOP: Outside the top 20, Olivia Rodrigo's "Vampire" moves 30-23; the song jumps back to #1 from the #9 position on the Billboard Hot 100; the song originally debuted on top for a week. Other songs from the album bomb the Hot 100 this week. Mover of the week goes to Black Pumas' "More Than A Love Song" for the second week in a row. Some other big movers are Cannons' "Desire", and Charlotte Sessions' "Should I Be The Man?".
THE STONES KEEP MARCHING ON: The Top Debut is "Angry" from none other than the legendary and apparently timeless Rolling Stones. It's the lead single from their forthcoming album Hackney Diamonds. The current incarnation of the band is of course original members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, plus Ronnie Wood, who joined in 1975. Of the other two primary members, bassist Bill Wyman left the band in 1993, and drummer Charlie Watts passed away in 2021. The Stones hit #1 on the blog chart in 2020 with their pandemic based "Living In A Ghost Town". That song landed as my #6 song of that year; the first time the band had a year-end SNS song in the top 10 since 1965.
As for "Angry", it's a fresh sound for the band that has been going at it over sixty years and fits right in with today's rock-based music. It's rhythmic and has an awesome guitar rift to it, and Jagger still can carry a melody with his vocals. Era after era, this band just keeps rolling on. Perhaps the groups traditional fan base may not like it, but for an alt-rock loving person like me, it's very catchy and still rocks along. It enters my chart at #67.
While Maneskin, The Sand Band, and New Jersey's Pollyanna enter the SNS 100 from Tremors, two other songs debut outright on the big chart. All female quartet The Beaches, after a couple blog mid-charters, return with "Blame Brett". This is a hard driving, forceful power-pop song that utilizes Jordan Miller's strong vocals. The band hails from Toronto. Meanwhile, beabadoobie (real name: Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus) enters with the sweet-sounding but greatly produced "The Way Things Go". The singer scored a top ten blog hit last year with "Talk", and this one has similar potential.
The latest from The Joy Formidable ("Cut Your Face"), boygenius ("Cool About It") and Bad Omens ("Limits") enters the Tremors list this week. "Cut Your Face" is hard-edge alternative rock, "Cool About It", the alt-folky "Cool About It" follows the trio's top 30 "Not Strong Enough", a cool, rootsy kind of thing; and the hard-rocking "Limits", which reminds me of Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life" albeit with a male lead. Finally, we have the reunion of producer Timbaland, with Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, both of whom he worked with frequently in the 2000's. "Keep Going Up" is a long-time follow-up to "Give It to Me" which topped the Hot 100 in 2007. Very similar song here.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
September 17, 2023
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: Daytrippin' (2 weeks at #1) |
13 |
|
2 |
1 |
18 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
15 |
|
|
4 |
6 |
5 |
|
|
5 |
5 |
10 |
|
|
6 |
7 |
9 |
|
|
7 |
8 |
8 |
|
|
8 |
9 |
8 |
|
|
9 |
11 |
8 |
|
|
10 |
4 |
12 |
|
|
11 |
16 |
6 |
|
|
12 |
17 |
Sir Prize and the Twomorrow
Knightz - Automatic Satin Circus |
12 |
|
13 |
27 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  (Single Only) |
4 |
|
14 |
19 |
9 |
|
|
15 |
23 |
Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot ft.
Bridger Warlick - Picture of You |
8 |
|
16 |
14 |
14 |
|
|
17 |
22 |
12 |
|
|
18 |
10 |
13 |
|
|
19 |
18 |
9 |
|
|
20 |
35 |
5 |
|
|
21 |
15 |
17 |
|
|
22 |
21 |
21 |
|
|
23 |
30 |
11 |
|
|
24 |
12 |
12 |
|
|
25 |
29 |
Marlisa Kay Small and Jerry
Thomas West - Love Really Hurts Without You● |
20 |
|
26 |
31 |
5 |
|
|
27 |
13 |
13 |
|
|
28 |
28 |
14 |
|
|
29 |
33 |
25 |
|
|
30 |
38 |
7 |
|
|
31 |
37 |
5 |
|
|
32 |
40 |
5 |
|
|
33 |
52 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Chronicles of a Diamond |
3 |
|
34 |
20 |
17 |
|
|
35 |
34 |
27 |
|
|
36 |
26 |
11 |
|
|
37 |
45 |
4 |
|
|
38 |
32 |
17 |
|
|
39 |
24 |
12 |
|
|
40 |
50 |
6 |
|
|
41 |
25 |
23 |
|
|
42 |
44 |
10 |
|
|
43 |
49 |
6 |
|
|
44 |
51 |
5 |
|
|
45 |
41 |
16 |
|
|
46 |
54 |
4 |
|
|
47 |
58 |
7 |
|
|
48 |
65 |
3 |
|
|
49 |
63 |
4 |
|
|
50 |
56 |
6 |
|
|
51 |
57 |
6 |
|
|
52 |
59 |
4 |
|
|
53 |
60 |
11 |
|
|
54 |
71 |
3 |
|
|
55 |
39 |
14 |
|
|
56 |
42 |
16 |
|
|
57 |
36 |
12 |
|
|
58 |
53 |
The Main Event Band ft. Sharon
Woodruff - Love Makes The World Go Round |
21 |
|
59 |
43 |
12 |
|
|
60 |
55 |
17 |
|
|
61 |
81 |
2 |
|
|
62 |
70 |
4 |
|
|
63 |
74 |
3 |
|
|
64 |
46 |
14 |
|
|
65 |
73 |
3 |
|
|
66 |
94 |
2 |
|
|
67 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  Album: Hackney Diamonds |
1 |
|
68 |
76 |
3 |
|
|
69 |
84 |
2 |
|
|
70 |
47 |
18 |
|
|
71 |
66 |
10 |
|
|
72 |
75 |
3 |
|
|
73 |
88 |
2 |
|
|
74 |
78 |
8 |
|
|
75 |
91 |
2 |
|
|
76 |
80 |
7 |
|
|
77 |
48 |
12 |
|
|
78 |
64 |
17 |
|
|
79 |
67 |
11 |
|
|
80 |
72 |
29 |
|
|
81 |
61 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the
Cornhole Prophets - Dreamsicle |
15 |
|
82 |
62 |
12 |
|
|
83 |
83 |
5 |
|
|
84 |
87 |
3 |
|
|
85 |
98 |
2 |
|
|
86 |
99 |
2 |
|
|
87 |
68 |
20 |
|
|
88 |
89 |
Portugal. The Man ft Unknown
Mortal Orchestra - Summer of Luv |
4 |
|
89 |
101 |
1 |
|
|
90 |
93 |
2 |
|
|
91 |
90 |
7 |
|
|
92 |
86 |
4 |
|
|
93 |
102 |
1 |
|
|
94 |
103 |
1 |
|
|
95 |
97 |
2 |
|
|
96 |
69 |
11 |
|
|
97 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
98 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
99 |
96 |
The Carolina Queens - The Shoop
Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) |
25 |
|
100 |
79 |
20 |
Tremors:
101. Frankie Cosmos,"Fruit Stand"
102. Ariel Pink, "I Wanna Be A Girl"
103. boygenius, "Cool About It"
104. The Joy Formidable, "Cut Your Face"
105. Bad Omens, "Limits"
106. Timbaland, Nelly Fortado, Justin Timberlake, "Keep Going Up"
Tremors:
Songs which have steady or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS
100.
▲Song garnered most plays
on Spotify, for the month, with a
superscript following the symbol if most played for multiple months ● Song
among top 5 most plays on Spotify.
Awards given during the last blog of each month. To qualify, the song must be currently or
have peaked in the top 40.
Songs
on the SNS 100 are included on the following public Spotify playlists
Scenes
‘n’ Soundwaves Top 40: Contains songs in positions 1-40 on the SNS
100
Scenes
Up and Coming: Songs below #40 that are moving up the chart.
Scenes
Recurrents: Songs which have
dropped below the top 40 but are still on the SNS 100
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