Several things to cover, but I will try and make it brief this week.
CHARLOTTE SESSIONS holds on to the #1 spot on the Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100 with "Should I Be The Man?". The song loses a few points but just noses out Thee Sacred Souls' "Easier Said Than Done" which holds at #2. Charlotte, the Roselle Park native who last week became the first solo artist hailing from the town I grew up in, to head my list is preparing for a follow-up. The new song, to be released on February 2 is titled "I've Fallen For a Dragon". If that sounds rather bizarre and interesting, take a look at the photo shoot for it (I will post it on my blog when the song comes out). Ms. Sessions herself described the new song as "different from what I normally produce". I am definitely looking forward to hearing it. I've known that Charlotte's music transcends many styles and genres, so this one is much anticipated. Depending on when I publish next week's blog, it could debut here as early as next week, but if not, definitely the week after.
Meanwhile, Anna Lavigne's "Edge of the World" moves 4-3, and, like Thee Sacred Souls, could have a shot at #1 next week. If she does hit pole position, it would be her 4th blog topper. Everybody Loves An Outlaw's former #1, "I See Red", is now at #4, while Marlisa Kay Small holds at #5 but still advances in points. Blonde Redhead and Einsteins Dad enter the top 10.
Brit-pop band Blur has its first blog top 20 as "Barbaric" moves 22-16 to nab Impact honors, but close behind is beach music band Rivermist, with its second straight top 20 blog hit as "Everything Changed" jumps 32-17.
Further down, there are co-Movers of the Week: Orbis Max with Tim Izzard jumps 66-42 with "Here and Now". That advance is equaled by Teddy Swims' "Lose Control" (70-45), which is also a national top 10 hit, holding at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. Also making a big move is last week's Top Debut, Starbuck's "Coldest Night of the Year" (64-43).
DEBUTS: Several debuts this week, with two standouts: The Black Keys' "Beautiful People" (#47) and Rick Strickland's "Joined At the Heart" at #54. The Black Keys have been one of the biggest successes in the blog era, racking up 8 number one's on SNS thus far, including the very first one, "Tighten Up" way back in 2010. The duo, hailing from Akron, Ohio is about to release its 12th album, Ohio Players, presumably a play on the 1970's funk group of the same name, which drops on April 5. A listen to "Beautiful People" actually has a little funky sound that the band Ohio Players displayed with on songs like "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster". It's a bit different from the Keys' catchy, stripped-down sound, and to be honest, it took a couple listens to get into it, but the song cooks, and should be yet another catchy success for the Black Keys.
The other big debut is by beach music artist Rick Strickland's "Joined At the Heart". Stickland, the leader of the shag band which bears his name (and which includes Lesa Hudson), has had two straight #1 blog songs, "You're The One For Me", and "Got It Right (The First Time)", the latter a duet with Ms. Hudson. It's another song from the duo's current album Power of Two. Rick slows it down to create a classic beach music soulful ballad. With the success of similar ballads on my chart lately by Carolina Blue Dots and Gary Lowder, not to mention the current blog top 20 retro ballad by Richard Swift, this should fit in perfectly. Strickland's voice blends in with the soulful harmonies. It should be the seventh hit from Power of Two. If you're a beach music fan, the whole album is for you!
Many other debuts enter the chart. New Jersey rockers Real Estate debut with "Water Underground". This is cool alt-pop-rock, a bit on the light side, but still has rock credibility that is very palatable. Should be their biggest blog hit since 2020's "Paper Cup".....It's been a while since we heard from Sheryl Crow. While people often doubt that she's a rocker, her latest, "Alarm Clock" reminds us all that she can rock. A nice texture is her best in a long time. If alternative stations have any sense, they will play this song, like they played her in the 1990's. Ms. Crow hasn't hit my top 20 (or SNS, for that matter) since 2010 so she is overdue. A winner.
Middle Kids enter with "Dramamine". I was a bit disappointed with the Hannah Joy-led contingents' latest album, Faith Crisis, Pt 1, at least when compared to the Aussie band's prior album Today We're The Greatest, but Ms. Joy still sings with great authority, and she means business. This should at least top the #37 peak of the prior single "Highlands".....Porno For Pyros, for those 1990's alternative fans, was Perry Farrell's "second act" of sorts, after Jane's Addiction. The band had scored on the alternative chart with "Pets" in 1993 and hit the SNS Top 100 of 1996 with "Tahitian Moon", but their new song "Agua" is the band's first release since then. Some good folky harmonies to go along with the pure alt-rock on this one.....Finally, there's Wilco's "Meant to Be". The alt-country contingent has a cool chugger here, that in some ways is similar to the above-mentioned Porno for Pyros song. Wilco has had success here with two number ones, but perhaps with a few listens, this could scale the heights as well. Finally, Gracie May O'Connor enters with "Wipe the Slate Clean"; the singer has gotten a buzz with some videos on TikTok.
There is one re-entry this week. Alvvays is a band that has gained much momentum in recent years. Their most recent album in 2022, Alpha Rev produced a few chart entries, most notably the #11 "Easy On Your Own". "Belinda", a tribute to Go-Go's frontwoman Belinda Carlisle peaked here at #64 about a year ago, but it appears some stations are giving it a second go. It re-enters here at #69, not far from its original peak.
 |
| Singer-songwriter Melanie Safka (left), and Mary Weiss from the girl group The Shangri-La's, both passed away last week. |
TWO 'QUEENS' FROM QUEENS (NY): We lost two female music legends last week, both born and raised in Queens, NY. Mary Weiss was the lead singer of the 1960's girl group The Shangri-La's who had several hits in that decade, including "The Leader of the Pack" (a #1 hit), "Remember (Walking In the Sand)", "I Could Never Go Home Again", and several others. The group was made up of two pairs of sisters: Mary and her sister Betty, plus twins Mary Ann and Margie Ganser. The foursome stayed together until 1968. At that time, Mary gave up singing completely to work for an architectural firm in San Francisco, then came back to New York to become an interior designer She would occasionally perform reunion shows with the Shangri-La's, but it wasn't until 2007 that she dove back into music with an album, the critically acclaimed Dangerous Sound. Mary Weiss died on January 19 at the age of 75. Her sister Betty is now the only surviving member of the girl group.
Meanwhile another singer (and songwriter) from Queens passed away as well. Melanie Safka was a budding artist that also hailed from Queens, although she spent time growing up here in New Jersey as well. She performed on the first night of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in August 1969(an impromptu performance as another act declined to perform due to a rain shower) and her first hit "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" was about that experience performing at the legendary festival. She was definitely a part of the singer-songwriter genre of the late 1960's and early 1970's, along with the likes of Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and others. Melanie's songs range from topical (such as "Lay Down" and the follow-up "Peace Will Come (According to Plan)"), to witty and very light-hearted ("Nickel Song" and her #1 song "Brand New Key"). Several artists covered her songs, like "What Have They Done To My Song, Ma", a 1970 hit for The New Seekers, but also had some hit covers like The Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday" and The Shirelles "Will You Love Me Tomorrow". While her recording popularity dried-up as the 70's went on, she continued recording regularly into the 2000's.
Melanie Safka and her family moved out of Queens and to New Jersey where she spent her high school years, first at Long Branch and then in Red Bank. I had ranked her at #40 on my "New Jersey Artists that Affected Me" blog series of a few years ago. She died in her home in Nashville on January 24 at the age of 76.
FINALLY: The latest from Ariana Grande, "Yes, And?" is the latest song to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. While I am contemplating adding the song soon, four songs in the current top 10 on that chart is still on SNS: "Cruel Summer" (#67 here, #3 there), "Snooze" (#26 here, #9 there), and "Paint the Town Red" (#26 here, #7 there), plus the aforementioned Teddy Swims song.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
January 21, 2024
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
1 |
NUMBER ONE:  (Single Release) (2 Weeks at #1) |
17 |
|
2 |
2 |
9 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
6 |
|
|
4 |
3 |
12 |
|
|
5 |
5 |
8 |
|
|
6 |
6 |
10 |
|
|
7 |
9 |
10 |
|
|
8 |
10 |
8 |
|
|
9 |
12 |
13 |
|
|
10 |
13 |
10 |
|
|
11 |
16 |
8 |
|
|
12 |
15 |
11 |
|
|
13 |
8 |
13 |
|
|
14 |
7 |
10 |
|
|
15 |
18 |
7 |
|
|
16 |
22 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  "Barbaric" Album: The Ballad of Darren |
9 |
|
17 |
32 |
4 |
|
|
18 |
14 |
12 |
|
|
19 |
11 |
14 |
|
|
20 |
20 |
9 |
|
|
21 |
26 |
8 |
|
|
22 |
31 |
5 |
|
|
23 |
27 |
8 |
|
|
24 |
17 |
15 |
|
|
25 |
23 |
11 |
|
|
26 |
19 |
16 |
|
|
27 |
21 |
18 |
|
|
28 |
34 |
7 |
|
|
29 |
37 |
9 |
|
|
30 |
30 |
12 |
|
|
31 |
28 |
24 |
|
|
32 |
38 |
9 |
|
|
33 |
45 |
3 |
|
|
34 |
24 |
11 |
|
|
35 |
29 |
12 |
|
|
36 |
39 |
9 |
|
|
37 |
41 |
7 |
|
|
38 |
35 |
17 |
|
|
39 |
50 |
3 |
|
|
40 |
25 |
9 |
|
|
41 |
33 |
10 |
|
|
42 |
66 |
CO-MOVER OF THE WEEK:  (Single Release) |
2 |
|
43 |
64 |
2 |
|
|
44 |
36 |
15 |
|
|
45 |
70 |
CO-MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: I've Tried Everything But Therapy, Part 1 |
2 |
|
46 |
48 |
22 |
|
|
47 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  Album: Ohio Players |
1 |
|
48 |
42 |
32 |
|
|
49 |
78 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the
Cornhole Prophets - Something In the Water |
2 |
|
50 |
49 |
15 |
|
|
51 |
51 |
19 |
|
|
52 |
62 |
4 |
|
|
53 |
69 |
2 |
|
|
54 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
55 |
67 |
3 |
|
|
56 |
44 |
12 |
|
|
57 |
47 |
19 |
|
|
58 |
77 |
2 |
|
|
59 |
61 |
19 |
|
|
60 |
65 |
41 |
|
|
61 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
62 |
55 |
18 |
|
|
63 |
83 |
2 |
|
|
64 |
75 |
3 |
|
|
65 |
54 |
15 |
|
|
66 |
56 |
12 |
|
|
67 |
68 |
26 |
|
|
68 |
74 |
5 |
|
|
69 |
RE ENTRY |
14 |
|
|
70 |
86 |
2 |
|
|
71 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
72 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
73 |
43 |
19 |
|
|
74 |
81 |
35 |
|
|
75 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
76 |
46 |
6 |
|
|
77 |
84 |
3 |
|
|
78 |
89 |
6 |
|
|
79 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
80 |
59 |
10 |
|
|
81 |
60 |
3 |
|
|
82 |
72 |
5 |
|
|
83 |
71 |
18 |
|
|
84 |
80 |
9 |
|
|
85 |
40 |
7 |
|
|
86 |
96 |
3 |
|
|
87 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
88 |
58 |
7 |
|
|
89 |
99 |
29 |
|
|
90 |
76 |
17 |
|
|
91 |
90 |
10 |
|
|
92 |
57 |
7 |
|
|
93 |
79 |
19 |
|
|
94 |
63 |
12 |
|
|
95 |
87 |
12 |
|
|
96 |
52 |
6 |
|
|
97 |
88 |
20 |
|
|
98 |
95 |
39 |
|
|
99 |
53 |
4 |
|
|
100 |
73 |
Sir Prize and the Twomorrow
Knightz - A Glittering Christmas |
6 |
|
|
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
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