Friday, December 29, 2023

Top 100 of 2023: Deb Repeats; Beach Music, Say She She, Colorjoy Dominate

 We've come to yet another year where we look back at the music we listened to in 2023.   I know everyone has their own personal favorites as to the "best" of the year.    My annual list, which I have been keeping track on and off since the 1970's, is actually based on the Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100 chart action over the last twelve months, which in itself is a good snapshot of favorites during any one particular week.



This year, it seems to be a case of deja vu, as beach music singer/songwriter Deb Browning scores the #1 song of 2023 with "Think I Found Forever".    Having previously notched the top spot in 2022 with "3 More Minutes", the CBMA Female Vocalist of the Year becomes on the third artist to score back-to-back number one year-end songs.    She joins The Beatles, who did the trick in 1964 with "She Loves You", and '65 with "Help", and ScreenAge who accomplished this just two years ago, first with "Blue Eyed Addiction" in 2020, followed by "Think Again" in 2021.  Ms. Browning is also the sixth artist to score multiple year-end #1's.   The Beatles lead with 3 (1964-65-68), followed by Tommy James and the Shondells (1966-69), Stone Temple Pilots (1994-2000), Ed Sheeran (2015-17), and ScreenAge (2020-21), with two each


Bech music artist Deb Browning scores the top song of 2023 with "Think I Found Forever".



And just like last year, Deb had an additional entry in the year-end Top Ten, once again with The Six Piece Suits.   The Florida sextet accompanied Deb with "It Don't Get Better Than This"; last year they scored with "Take Me By the Hand".

For the second year in a row, Carolina beach music dominated, grabbing six positions in the top ten and more than a quarter of the top 100.  Eight songs from that genre hit #1 on the SNS 100 during the year, with a ninth coming from the aforementioned "It Don't Get Better Than This" which topped the chart late last year but hung around strongly this year. That was the only song from the 2022 list to return this year.  

But shag music was just one of the trends that marked my blog year in 2023.    The year saw the emergence of neo-soul, with psychedelic overtones.    Leading the way was Say She She, which scored three number ones, all coming before the middle of the year, then added two more top tens from the outfits' second album, Silver; Thee Sacred Souls, and the return of Black Pumas.    Others that were soul influenced included Devon Gilfillian, and Arlo Parks.     

Meanwhile, New Jersey artists, all of the indie variety made their presence felt.   Colorjoy, the duo of Emily MacMahon and Sam Novotny who were originally in ScreenAge, released their debut album Golden Age, and hit number one twice, and six songs hit the top ten.    Charlotte Sessions, from my hometown of Roselle Park, who played this year's Arts Festival in town (as did Colorjoy in 2021), emerged as an awesome and promising talent.    And while several Jersey indie bands emerged this year on the SNS 100, only Pollyanna was able to make the year-end list.

But it was the year of the female artist.   Acts either solo, female-fronted or male-female duets took eight of the top ten slots, and 48 overall on the entire chart.     A cool trend was the eclectic woman singer-songwriter, which made its presence felt.  Among the artists who scored on the list in 2023 included Arlo Parks, Goldie Boutilier, Hannah Goodall, Ria Mae, Hannah Jadagu, and Allison Ponthier.  

While much of these "new" sounds hit the list, the year-end top 100 also had sort of a nostalgic feel as well.  The Beatles and The Rolling Stones both made the top 100 for the first time since 1969, with the Stones releasing "Angry" from their new album Hackney Diamonds.   As for the Fab Four, "Now and Then", the final "new" single that was derived from a 1977 John Lennon demo, and thanks to AI, incorporated his voice and George Harrison's guitar work, accompanied by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr's enhancement, scored four weeks at #1 on SNS, hit the top on Triple-A and debuted in Billboard's top ten.    The song, only out for eight weeks still managed to make the list at #91.   In addition, beach music remakes of "Love Makes the World Go Round", "Mr. Dream Merchant", and "The Shoop Shoop Song" hit the top regions of the chart.   And Stephen Sanchez's "Until I Found You", though new, SOUNDS like it came from the early part of the decade.

But don't slight the 1970's, either.   Starbuck, famous for its 1976 hit "Moonlight Feels Right" and which returned last year, with "You're the Reason", hit #1 this year with "On the Sand", making the year-end top 30.    Seventies remakes, again from beach artists, like "I'll Be Around" and "Love Really Hurts Without You" hit the list.

Even 1980's songs and artists got into the action.   "Fast Car" and "We Didn't Start the Fire" made a return to the top 100, while John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band and Depeche Mode scored, with the former's first recording since 1989.

Unlike many year-end lists, the tally is not just limited to songs released this year, and 2023 was no exception.   Many of the songs were several years old, including "I See Red", "Valentine", "Under the Moonlight" and most significantly, "Cruel Summer" were released in the 2010's, and one song, "Mr. Dream Merchant" by beach outfit The Castaways, came out in 1981.

Many artists were able to score multiple entries on the year-end list.    Colorjoy scored six songs, followed by Say She She with five.    Orbis Max and Bubba D. Liverance each nabbed three songs, although you could also include Deb Browning, Marlisa Kay Small, and Lesa Hudson who participated in the all-star Carolina Queens "Shoop Shoop" project to make it three entries.   Others with multiple entries include Arlo Parks, Miley Cyrus and Cannons.

Of course, every year, pop songs scoring on the Billboard Hot 100 cross over to Scenes 'n' Soundwaves, and this year wasn't any exception.    Billboard chart-toppers like Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Morgan Wallen and Doja Cat made my list, while runners-up Luke Combs and SZA did as well.   Country made one of its strongest showings in recent memory on the chart.  Aside from Combs, Wallen and Aldean, Lainey Wilson and Blake Shelton also scored.

Below you will find the Top 100 of 2023 chart but you can also view a video montage that I had posted on my Facebook page, right here:


HOT 100 UPDATE:   Since I won't resume my blog until sometime next month, I am giving you an update on the Billboard chart.  Mariah Carey scores again with "All I Want For Christmas is You", the second week this season, and now 14 overall.  Ms. Carey becomes the first artist to garner 14 weeks with three different songs.    Brenda Lee, who made news earlier in the holiday season as the 65-year-old "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" hit #1 for two weeks, settles in at the familiar #2 spot.    "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Last Christmas" once again nab positions 3 and 4.     33 vintage songs made the top 50 and finally two new songs debut:  Cher's "DJ Play a Christmas Song" enters at #94, while Meghan Trainor makes the chart, not with her Jimmy Fallon duet, but with her version of "Jingle Bells".


WISHING EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SAFE NEW YEAR!


Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves Top 100 of 2023

1

 

Deb Browning - 

Think I Found Forever

(Single)

2

 

Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson - Got it Right (The First Time)

3

 

Orbis Max with Lisa Mychols ft. Ed Ryan - R U OK

4

 

The Tonez - Caught Up

5

 

Say She She - In My Head

6

 

Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Ti Ta Ti Ta Ti Ta Ta

7

 

Marlisa Kay Small and Jerry Thomas West - Love Really Hurts Without You

8

 

Iration - Daytrippin'

9

 

Deb Browning and  Six Piece Suits - It Don't Get Better Than This

10

 

SZA - Snooze

11

 

Jerry Powell - One More Summer Night

12

 

Arlo Parks - Weightless

13

 

The Main Event Band ft. Sharon Woodruff - Love Makes The World Go Round

14

 

Miley Cyrus - Flowers

15

 

Say She She - Don't You Dare Stop

16

 

Say She She - Reeling

17

 

Colorjoy - Golden Age

18

 

Stephen Sanchez - Until I Found You

19

 

Lesa Hudson - Count On Me

20

 

Say She She - Trouble

21

 

Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer

22

 

The Carolina Queens - The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)

23

 

Devon Gilfillian - All I Really Wanna Do

24

 

Jimmy Ogburn's Salt Luvs Pepper ft. David Cornelius - Love Me Like I Love You

25

 

Kesha - Only Love Can Save Us Now

26

 

Colorjoy - Beautiful People

27

 

Thee Sacred Souls - Love Is The Way

28

 

Goldie Boutiiler - Cowboy Gangster Politician

29

 

Starbuck - On the Sand

30

 

Fall Out Boy - We Didn't Start The Fire

31

 

The Record Company - Talk To Me

32

 

Say She She - Astral Plane

33

 

Morgan Wallen - Last Night

34

 

Hozier - Francesca

35

 

Too Much Sylvia - It Still Is

36

 

Miley Cyrus - Jaded

37

 

The Heavy - Hurricane Coming

38

 

Luke Combs - Fast Car

39

 

John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band - Day In the Sun

40

 

Depeche Mode - Ghosts Again

41

 

Hannah Goodall - The Girl Who Once Loved You

42

 

Charlotte Sessions - Should I Be The Man

43

 

Colorjoy - Drops of Honey

44

 

Colorjoy - Blue Eyed Addiction (Renewed Version)

45

 

Thee Sacred Souls - Running Away

46

 

Colorjoy - Vacant Side

47

 

Einsteins Dad - Anytime Blues

48

 

Tim Izzard - Walk the Walk

49

 

Marlisa Kay Small - Anyway

50

 

Orbis Max - No Hero

51

 

Blake Shelton - No Body

52

 

Miya Folick - Bad Thing

53

 

Pepper - Get Me Ready

54

 

Black Pumas - More Than A Love Song

55

 

The Arcs - Eyez

56

 

Cannons - Desire

57

 

Michael McMeel with Marlisa Kay Small- I'll Be Around

58

 

Lainey Wilson - Watermelon Moonshine

59

 

Ria Mae - The Old Me

60

 

Deer Tick - Forgiving Ties

61

 

Allie Privette - Ain't Nobody

62

 

The Rolling Stones - Angry

63

 

Jenna Ren - Fools Gold

64

 

Sir Prize and the Twomorrow Knightz - Automatic Satin Circus

65

 

Jason Aldean - Try That In A Small Town

66

 

The Castaways - Mr. Dream Merchant

67

 

I-42 Band - Beach Fever On My Mind

68

 

Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot ft. Bridger Warlick - Picture of You

69

 

Rhonda McDaniel - Say A Prayer

70

 

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Wolf

71

 

Death Cab For Cutie - Pepper

72

 

Hannah Jadagu - Say It Now

73

 

Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Dreamsicle

74

 

Beck - Thinking About You

75

 

Everybody Loves An Outlaw - I See Red

76

 

Pollyanna - Good For You

77

 

Drugdealer - Valentine

78

 

Olivia Rodrigo - Vampire

79

 

Steve Lacy - Helmet

80

 

Christina Cooper Black - I Miss You Babe

81

 

Rivermist - Right Place Right Time

82

 

Doja Cat - Paint the Town Red

83

 

Arlo Parks - Devotion

84

 

Carolina Blue Dots - Under The Moonlight

85

 

LP - One Like You

86

 

Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Edisto

87

 

The Revivalists - Good Old Days

88

 

Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot - Don't Let Her Go

89

 

The Faithful Brothers - Dance My Hurt Away

90

 

Cannons - Loving You

91

 

The Beatles - Now and Then

92

 

Jim Quick and Coastline - Eight Four Three

93

 

Colorjoy - Apathy

94

 

The National - Eucalyptus

95

 

Beabadoobee - The Way Things Go

96

 

Allison Ponthier - Hollywood Forever Cemetary

97

 

Orbis Max - I Think It Was Over

98

 

Caroline Rose - Miami

99

 

Sam Fender - Spit of You

100

 

Local Natives - Just Before the Morning





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