Beatles, Stones, Starbuck in Current Top 5? ; Marlisa Top Debut (SNS week of 11/12/2023)

 Again, this is way late, so I will condense this (or at least try to!).   But I may have to resort to making a "double week" issue soon.  We shall see.

Anyway, one look at the SNS 100's Top 5 and you'll swear that this chart is from the 1960's or 1970's.   The Beatles' "new" and final single, "Now and Then" hit the top spot on the blog listing in its third week, tying a record.   Meanwhile, the other notable band out of the original 1960's British Invasion, The Rolling Stones, move 9-5 with their latest, "Angry".    And to top things off, Starbuck, which had a big hit in the 1970's, "Moonlight Feels Right", is at #2 with "On the Sand", which was #1 last week.  All three bands had hits in 1976:   The Beatles with "Got To Get You Into My Life", originally from Revolver, but issued as a single from the compilation Rock 'n' Roll Music; The Stones' "Fool To Cry" from Black and Blue, and Starbuck with the title track from their Moonlight Feels Right set.

And wasn't this blog supposed to be about new music and artists?    Well, at least the other two spots in the top five are by newer artists.  That would be the duo Everybody Loves An Outlaw's "I See Red", which was released in the "modern" times of 2018, but came to me from a great version by Nini Iris in the current season of The Voice, and the song moves 7-3.     And then there's Charlotte Sessions with her "Should I Be The Man" moving 5-4.  The 22-year-old singer/songwriter from my hometown of Roselle Park has already has a resume going, also arranging and producing, and with material crossing genres.

But there's still a lot of retro going on.   The 1980's are represented by U2 and Loverboy on the current chart and of course, many of the beach music songs on the list are rooted in the decades before that.    And, if the early 2000s might seem like recent times, the fact is that it was 20 years ago, yet acts like Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, and The Killers are on here.    And while these acts are "new", 70's-style music, such as the fictional Daisy Jones and the Six, The Wheelgunners, and several of the Tim Izzard collaborations are present on the current list.

But, back to "Now and Then", which harkens back to a demo made by John Lennon in 1977, and originally attempted by the three surviving members in 1995 to release it, and then recently using AI technology by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, narrowly missed setting a record for the quickest rise to number one, moving 39-2 in its second week.   But, having hit the top in week three, ties a record by four other songs:   The aforementioned Killers, with a holiday song, "I Feel It In My Bones", in 2012, Fitz and the Tantrums' "Out of My League" in 2013, Adele's "Hello" in 2015 and earlier this year by Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson, with "Got It Right (The First Time)".

As I mentioned last week, the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #7, making it the 35th top ten song by the Fab Four.    While it didn't hit #1, The Beatles still hold the record for most number one's with 20.  As I am writing this on the following Tuesday, there is bad news as the song drops from 7 all the way to 76.   Well, at least it's still on the chart; some pundits were predicting it would fall completely off.   

As for what's on the Hot 100 now, it's still Taylor Swift's 'Cruel Summer" at the top, which, despite being in the top five all summer, seems to be ruling the fall, with its fourth week at #1.  On the SNS 100, after dropping as low as #40, it's back up to #25.    Jack Harlow's "Lovin' On Me" debuts at #2.   However, the Hot 100 chart dated 11/25/2023, shows the annual invasion of the Christmas songs.   Mariah Carey already debuts at #17, with the usual suspects Brenda Lee, Wham!, Bobby Helms and Burl Ives right behind.    This will be a subject on a future blog, as to why the same songs keep making the charts each year when there are many other worthy Christmas songs, many of which used to get airplay.    On a personal note, I am praying that "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" gets to #1 at least for one week this season.

BACK TO THE SNS 100, Maneskin gets its third top 20 blog hit with "Honey (Are U Coming)", grabbing Impact honors (21-15), and Thee Sacred Souls, in a 57-38 advance with "Easier Said Than Done" for Mover of the Week accolades.  Other big movers include Mitski's "My Love Mine All Mine", Einsteins Dad's "Rolling Indie", and Juliet Callhan's "Beacon".  

BACK TO THE...BEACH?   While it might seem that the Carolina Beach Music phenomenon has slowed down a bit, with just three songs in the top 20 (Starbuck, Carolina Blue Dots and Christina Cooper Black), it will heat up again with the top two debuts this week coming from that genre.

Marlisa Kay Small has the Top Debut this week with her new single, "No Matter Where You Go"

Leading the way is the latest from Marlisa Kay Small, with "No Matter Where You Go", entering at #70.   It's been a breakout year for Ms. Small, as she has definitely moved out of her singing partner Deb Browning's shadow.   She scored a solo top ten earlier this year with "Anyway", participated in the Carolina Queens' #1 "The Shoop Shoop Song", scored another chart topper with her duet with Jerry West, "Love Really Hurts Without You", and assisted Michael McMeel with the recent top 10 cover of "I'll Be Around".     Like her other songs, this was recorded at McMeel's "Mickey's Place" studio and is another awesome outing.   Excellent Tim Sidden production, combined with Ms. Small's heartfelt, make this another chart topping effort.  A tender ballad which should finish her awesome year with another hit.   It's already on The Wave chart, and now on SNS.

Right behind is Gary Alexander's "There's Always Beach Music", coming in at #72, but currently #1 on  Don Mark's chart.   This is quintessential beach music as I always remembered it, soulful and bouncy.   While I may be late on this one, this should be a blog hit.   With other beach music songs advancing up the chart, and many older songs holding steady due to continued beach airplay (and a resurgence of Ms. Browning's "Think I Found Forever"), beach music is far from "dead" on the SNS 100!

Richard Swift who had engineered and/or produced many artists popular on SNS, debuts with a posthumous release, "Would You?".  Swift passed away in 2018. 

Switching gears is the third debut, " Would You?", by Richard Swift.   This is another old-style ballad which has been scoring on the chart in recent weeks.    I'm not sure when this song was actually recorded, but the video shows it as 2017.    Think "Until I Found You" by Stephen Sanchez mixed with Leon Bridges' "Coming Home".   Like the Sanchez song, which I discovered watching the Netflix show Ginny and Georgia, this song was from the soundtrack to the movie No Hard Feelings starring Jennifer Lawrence.    It's another "hit my soul" song.    

While I wasn't sure who Richard Swift is (or was), I was reminded that Fleet Foxes #1 blog song "Sunblind", starts off with the lyric "For Richard Swift..".   Further research shows that, Swift (real name Ricardo Ochoa) had been recording since 2000 but was also instrumental in producing music from artists well known to the blog.  Aside from Fleet Foxes, he's produced and/or engineered songs and albums from Foxygen, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Lucius, The Shins, Cayucas, and Guster, and even played with The Black Keys.    

But sadly, Swift died in 2018 at the age of 41, having suffered from alcohol addiction throughout his life, and passed away from complications of hepatitis, kidney and liver disease.

Featured on another show (I can remember which one) is another song that came out a few years ago, "Runaway" by Varsity.  I'm not sure how these songs keep falling through the cracks when they came out, but when I see a great song, I add it.    Excellent vocal and pop sensibility, with a cool sax solo midway.   The band is a five-piece outfit from Chicago, headed by lead singer Stephanie Smith, who has an awesome voice, and it right in the alt-pop/rock wheelhouse.

Next is Jaime Wyatt's "World Worth Keeping".   2023 was the year for female eclectic singer/songwriting and Ms. Wyatt's song is definitely a part of it.    A steady, chugging beat, reminiscent of rock and soul of the 1960's, accompanied by her strong vocals, and excellent production.     Definitely worth watching.  

TREMORS:  Several songs bubbled under this week, mostly by seasoned artists.    MGMT and Green Day enter with their latest songs, the latter scoring on alternative.   Morgan Wallen follows up his monster "Last Night" with "Thinkin' Bout Me" which is has been flirting with the Hot 100's top 10 in its own right.   Finally, the first holiday songs make the listing.  One is by Cher, the other by Bon Jovi.  To be honest, neither of them hit home.  Cher's song is ridden with auto-tune and doesn't sound Christmasy at all....yet it's storming up the Adult Contemporary charts.  As for Bon Jovi, this sounds too much like their take on "I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Christmas", not to mention "Please Come Home for Christmas".    This season I hope to find some obscure gems like I have in the past.

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

November 12, 2023

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	2	NUMBER ONE: THE BEATLES "Now and Then" Album: 1967-1970 (2023 Edition)	3
2	1	Starbuck - On the Sand	11
3	7	Everybody Loves An Outlaw - I See Red	5
4	5	Charlotte Sessions - Should I Be The Man	10
5	9	The Rolling Stones - Angry	8
6	3	SZA - Snooze	17
7	10	Cannons - Desire	10
8	4	Black Pumas - More Than A Love Song	10
9	12	Orbis Max - I Think It Was Over	5
10	15	Carolina Blue Dots - Under The Moonlight▲	6
11	11	Deer Tick - Forgiving Ties●	11
12	16	Christina Cooper Black - I Miss You Babe	7
13	17	Beabadoobee - The Way Things Go	8
14	8	Fall Out Boy - We Didn't Start The Fire▲	12
15	21	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: MANESKIN "Honey (Are U Coming?)" Album: Rush! (Are U Coming?)	8
16	19	Doja Cat - Paint the Town Red	9
17	6	Pepper - Get Me Ready	12
18	20	The Beaches - Blame Brett	8
19	13	The Record Company - Talk To Me●	16
20	18	The Revivalists - Good Old Days	13
21	14	The National - Eucalyptus	11
22	28	Blonde Redhead - Snowman	6
23	36	Winnetka Bowling League - Breakfast For Dinner	4
24	22	Phillip Phillips -- Dancing With Your Shadows	14
25	29	Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer●	19
26	26	Momma - Bang Bang	10
27	27	The Tonez - Caught Up	25
28	31	The Killers - Your Side of Town	7
29	32	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Edisto	12
30	57	MOVER OFTHE WEEK THEE SACRED SOULS "Easier Said Than Done" Album: Thee Sacred Souls	2
31	23	Michael McMeel with Marlisa Kay Small- I'll Be Around	13
32	40	The Front Bottoms - Emotional	5
33	25	Iration - Daytrippin'●	20
34	24	Thee Sacred Souls - Running Away	15
35	30	Say She She - Astral Plane●	15
36	56	U2 - Atomic City	3
37	33	Rivermist - Right Place Right Time	12
38	41	Olivia Rodrigo - Bad Idea Right?	6
39	55	Einsteins Dad - Rolling Indie	3
40	49	Sir Prize and the Twomorrow Knightz - Arthurian Rhapsody	5
41	35	Loverboy - Release	18
42	34	Cold War Kids - Run Away With Me	11
43	37	Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot ft. Bridger Warlick - Picture of You	15
44	47	The Wheelgunners - Girls Alright	9
45	60	Iration ft. Maxi Priest - Last Night	3
46	69	Mitski - My Love Mine All Mine	3
47	51	The Joy Formidable - Cut Your Face	7
48	52	Deb Browning - Think I Found Forever▲	34
49	54	The Holiday Band - Drowning In the Sea of Love	5
50	38	Lainey Wilson - Watermelon Moonshine	16
51	45	Orbis Max with Lisa Mychols ft. Ed Ryan - R U OK	32
52	53	Colony House - Cannonballers	6
53	39	Jim Quick and Coastline - Eight Four Three●	14
54	66	Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot - Sitting In the Park	4
55	80	Juliet Callahan - Beacon	2
56	43	Daisy Jones and the Six - Look At Us Now (Honeycomb)	9
57	72	Sylvia Johns Ritchie and Mike Taylor - Goin' Down Swingin'	4
58	48	Local Natives ft. Suki Waterhouse -NYE	9
59	42	James Hunter Six - Heartbreak	9
60	44	Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire	18
61	46	Wilco - Evicted	9
62	59	The Sand Band - I'll Come Running Back To You	8
63	58	Marlisa Kay Small and Jerry Thomas West - Love Really Hurts Without You●	27
64	77	The High Frequencies - Eleven	3
65	62	Grace Potter - Good Time	18
66	78	Grouplove - Cheese	4
67	76	Barns Courtney - Young In America	4
68	85	Sia - Gimme Love	2
69	71	City and Colour - Underground	5
70	---	TOP DEBUT: MARLISA KAY SMALL "No Matter Where You Go" (Single Only)	1
71	61	Lesa Hudson - Count On Me	22
72	---	Gary Alexander - There's Always Beach Music	1
73	79	Gus Dapperton - Horizons	5
74	65	Noah Kahan - Dial Drunk	10
75	50	King Tappa - One Day	12
76	87	Jenny Lewis - Cherry Baby	2
77	83	Blink-182 - One More Time	5
78	67	Say She She - Reeling	24
79	81	Jerry Powell - One More Summer Night	28
80	---	Richard Swift - Would You	1
81	90	David Kushner - Daylight	2
82	94	Freecloud - Suit Still Fits	2
83	97	Blur - Barbaric	2
84	70	Kesha - Only Love Can Save Us Now▲²	21
85	63	Queens of the Stone Age - Paper Machete	13
86	98	David F. Porfirio - The Morning After	2
87	89	Royel Otis - Sofa King	4
88	68	Zach Bryan ft. Kasey Musgraves - I Remember Everything	10
89	73	Sir Prize and the Twomorrow Knightz - Automatic Satin Circus	19
90	75	Devon Gilfillian - Love You Anyway	7
91	82	Colorjoy - Apathy▲	15
92	93	Royal Blood - Pull Me Through	4
93	---	Varsity - Runaway	1
94	64	Middle Kids - Highlands	11
95	99	Orbis Max - Selling The Van	9
96	102	Latewaves and Pollyanna - Call Me	1
97	74	Jason Aldean - Try That In A Small Town●	16
98	---	Jaime Wyatt - World Worth Keeping	1
99	100	Chris Stapleton - White Horse	9
100	84	Bakar - Alive	4

Tremors:

101. MGMT, "Mother Nature"

102. The Maine, "Blame"

103. Morgan Wallan, "Thinkin' Bout Me"

104. Green Day "The American Dream Is Killing Me"

105. Train,  "I Know"

106. Bon Jovi, "Christmas Isn't Christmas"

107. Cher, "DJ Play A Christmas Song"

Tremors: Songs which have steady or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.

 

 

Songs with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.   

▲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.

 

 

Holiday Songs

 

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