Beyonce, Swims Hold #1 Billboard, SNS, Respectively; Deb's Gospel Song; Starbuck's 'Spring Brea'k Top Debut (SNS week of 2/25/2024)

 This comes out a bit late as I had a busy weekend, but..a few things to talk about, albeit briefly.

Beyonce's country-favored "Texas Hold 'Em" which debuted at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 last week, moves up to the top spot.   The song is also the Mover of the Week here, after nabbing Top Debut honors last week.   This frame it advances 67-47.     

The song is Beyonce's 8th number one, on the Hot 100, and that doesn't count her time with Destiny's Child, where she netted four additional chart-toppers.   It remains at #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart for a second week and is moving up the Country Airplay chart as well.   

Beyonce has always been one to break barriers, and she is doing just that in the country genre.    As for myself, it took a while to appreciate her music.  I had never really "got her", despite many others having done so.  Not that I thought she didn't have talent, it was that her music wasn't in my wheelhouse.    However, 2022's "Break My Soul", which has that early 1990's "acid house" sound was the first to chart on my blog.  A Billboard #1, it peaked here at a respectable #22 on SNS.    Beyonce should be lauded for trying something new and doing it well.     Very late to the party, but here I am!

TURNING TO THE SNS 100, we have an interesting Top Ten.   Two acts with "Black" in their name, two beach music artists named Gary, a Swift who isn't Taylor, a Lavigne who isn't Avril, and a Swims, Sessions and "Souls".   And Rivermist.  Teddy Swims holds off Charlotte Sessions to claim a second week at #1 on the blog.   "Lose Control" rebounds from 5 to 3 on the Hot 100 and is still in contention for a dual #1, although it might be tough to knock Beyonce out of the national top spot.    Ms. Sessions' "I've Fallen For a Dragon" is actually in a virtual tie with the Swims song for the SNS top spot, but Teddy gets the nod having more points last week.    Anna Lavigne's "Edge of the World" holds at #3.    The Black Keys' "Beautiful People (Stay High)", still #1 on Triple-A and Top 5 Alternative, bullets 9-7, while Black Pumas' "Sauvignon" moves 11-10.    

There is a logjam in the 11-20 section of the chart with many songs moving up one or two spot, or not at all, while maintaining bullets.    Cage The Elephant grabs their 16th blog Top 20 as "Neon Pill" moves 22-19 to take Impact honors.

Turning back to the Hot 100 briefly, I had mentioned last week that Ariana Grande's current single, "Yes And?" came out with a new mix featuring Mariah Carey, and there was speculation that if the song bounced back to the #1 spot (it debuted there several weeks back), it would give Ms. Carey her 20th #1 song which would tie The Beatles for most chart-toppers.

It turns out that not only the new version of the song fell short of the top spot, not to mention the Top 10 (it moves 31-11) but the original mix with just Ms. Grande outperformed the new duo version; thus, only Ariana is listed on this week's chart.    With the song having peaked in activity early in the charting week, it's safe to assume the Fab Four's record is still safe.

EVERYBODY (STILL) BE DANCING: An interesting array of debuts this week, with 11 new songs added to the chart.   While Starbuck continues to move towards the Top Ten with "Coldest Night of the Year",  the group powered by Bruce Blackman moves from winter to a spring theme and grabs Top Debut honors with "Spring Break Shake".    Since Blackman's renaissance a couple years back with "You're The Reason", he has become a fixture on the beach music circuit with cool, easy-going 70's style ballads and mid-tempo songs.   However, Bruce "lets his hair down" with this funky, driving jam.   This is a classic slice of funk that just doesn't let up.   The accompanying video is just as mesmerizing, showing many various dancing scenes from many sources over the years.   Clips including that of Pat Benatar, Elvis Presley and a couple from The Big Band Theory. highlight the visual presentation of the song.     

The song has broken very quickly while transcending the beach music base, with 18 radio stations adding the song, the first day alone.   As of a few days ago, 40 stations in the U.S. are now on the song, and has been added to several radio stations overseas, including Scotland, Spain, Armenia, Colombia and Ibeza.    Could Starbuck return to at least the Adult Contemporary chart with this one?    I like its chances.

On this week's SNS 100, "Spring Break Shake" grabs the Top Debut at #46.    For me, the song is sort of a "full circle" for me.    It was during Spring Break in Daytona Beach in 1976 where I first heard Starbuck's classic hit, "Moonlight Feels Right".   Could this "shake" catch on for Spring Breakers in 2024, and spark a new dance craze?  I'd like to think so. 

New to the SNS 100 is Jalen Ngonda, with "So Much for Stardust".  If you like Thee Sacred Souls, you will definitely appreciate the retro-soul of this song by this newcomer.    It's refreshing to see artists pay homage to one of my favorite genres.    When a song sends chills up your spine, you know it's something special.    Should be an automatic blog hit, and its debut at #59 attests to that. 

Deb Browning is still in the news and making headlines.   While "Think I Found Forever", her #1 blog song of 2023 is still hanging in there at #73 after 46 weeks, that song is still high on beach charts.  In fact, it holds at #1 for a fourth straight week on Mitch Harb's Beach Party listing, and hanging around the middle of John Hook's Beach Music Top 40.     

Her debut this week is with a gospel song, "Chain Breaker", coming in at #62 this week and is the first single off her new Contemporary Christian album, Give Me Gospel.   "Chain Breaker" is a cover of Christian artist Zach Williams.   

A project in the religious realm is not unusual for Ms. Browning, who has spent much of her life involved with the church, starting as an organist at the age of 14 in her church in Fayetteville, NC, her hometown.  Since then, she has led praise bands, children's choirs, and accompanying adult musicals at Garner First Baptist Church.   

Her bout with breast cancer in 2011 put a hold in her career, but after beating the disease, she resumed her career, and no doubt her spirituality helped her survive and thrive to the point where she tackled beach music and garnered a couple of awards and full acceptance into the beach music community.   Thus, her new album is as a result of that thriving spirituality that is inside of her.  

While "Chain Breaker" may not be a big beach hit (the song was aimed at contemporary Christian radio stations), and is not the official follow-up to "Think I Found Forever" (more on that below), you can't deny her soulful and spiritual voice that powers this song.  We've seen that artists such as Lauren Daigle can have crossover success here, so why can't Deb?

But Deb hasn't forgotten her secular fans.   In the works is a long-awaited duet with her singing partner Marlisa Kay Small.    I am really looking forward to that one which I am sure will be pure dynamite!  Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, Orbis Max continues to be busy.   With the Internet band's collaboration with Tim Izzard continuing to bullet towards the top 10, the contingent headed by Dw Dunphy debuts with "Something About You".   Originally released as a Valentine's Day single, the song is pretty much a up-tempo love song in the bouncy pop-rock mode, that even has the Jersey Shore sound imprinted into it (Dunphy lives in Red Bank).  Very palatable, the band should continue its hit string.    But the band isn't resting on its laurels.   Another Orbis song, "Not This Time" was just released, and another collaboration with Izzard is in the works as well.   

Winnetka Bowling League had a "comeback" of sorts with "Breakfast For Dinner" which returned Matthew Koma and company back to the blog top 10.    They follow it up with "Sha La La".  While the title might suggest a happy-go-lucky song, Koma sings with some concerns.   It's an up-tempo, techno-oriented, rather dreamy, and persistent song, that has some emotional vibes to it.   It's been a few years since the "Kombucha" and "CVS" days, but it's not out of the realm for the band to recapture that era.   Has a chance.

I mentioned above that Deb Browning's "Think I Found Forever", after a year of release, is #1 on one of the beach music charts.   Well, the same thing has happened to Cannons' "Loving You".  The song tops Mediabase's Alternative chart in its 40th week and holds at #2 on Billboard's Alternative airplay list.  All this after the song peaked on my blog at #20 last summer, and the follow-up, "Desire" hit blog top 10.  Rather than re-add "Loving You", I went with the ignored (so-far) third single, "Crush".  Weaker than the other two, but only by comparison.  You can't deny Hannah Joy's vocal, it's a very dreamy song.   Cannons has been a fave the last few years, and this one has a chance to make the upper echelon as well.

Veteran beach music band The Castaways hit the blog top ten a year ago with their 40+ year old recording, a remake of Jerry Butler's "Mr. Dream Merchant".    Their new entry, which is in the here and now (it was released in January), is another cover, this time, it's Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", and it's the first chance to hear Karen Clayton fronting the classic beach band with her awesome vocal.   Ms. Clayton, already in the top 20 via her "I'm Your Puppet" remake with The Holiday Band's Mike Taylor, adds a refreshing take on Sir Elton's classic.  

While former Alabama Shakes front Brittany Howard had a big Triple-A hit with "What Now", it could only reach #86 here, but the follow-up, "Prove It To You", has already exceed it with a #76 debut.   This one is a change of pace, mostly a pulsating effort that, except for a few mellow interludes, never lets up; sort of in the EDM lane.   

Fall Out Boy follows its blog #1 cover of "We Didn't Start the Fire" with the title track from the band's current album, "So Much (For) Stardust".  More in line with their usual style, it melds that with a contemporary pop slant.    It might take a few listens to fully appreciate this one.

Another one that gets better with multiple listens is "Good People" by Mumford and Sons, featuring Pharrell Williams.     The Mumfords led the indie folk trend a decade ago, but they've ventured into different styles in recent outings.   This one is very rhythmic with Pharrell's voice highlighting the outing, and somehow is able to meld with the lead artists; the song builds as it goes along.   Look for a big jump next week.

Finally, we have New Jerseyan Pete Yorn (from Pompton Plains) who had a slew of Triple-A hits in the early and mid 2000's, debuting with "Someday, Someday", a slice of folk-oriented soft rock.   The song is on Triple-A now and perhaps can click here.

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

February 25, 2024

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	1	NUMBER ONE: TEDDY SWIMS "Lose Control" Album: I've Tried Everything But Therapy, Pt 1 (2 weeks at #1)	7
2	2	Charlotte Sessions - I've Fallen For A Dragon▲	5
3	3	Anna Lavigne - Edge of the World	11
4	6	Richard Swift - Would You●	13
5	7	Rivermist - Everything's Changed●	9
6	8	Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot - Sitting In the Park	16
7	9	The Black Keys - Beautiful People (Stay High)	6
8	5	Gary Alexander - There's Always Beach Music	13
9	4	Thee Sacred Souls - Easier Said Than Done▲	14
10	11	Black Pumas - Sauvignon	10
11	10	Varsity - Runaway	13
12	12	Orbis Max with Tim Izzard - Here And Now	7
13	15	Colorjoy - Cigarettes and Vanilla	8
14	16	Starbuck - Coldest Night of the Year	7
15	17	Rick Strickland - Joined At the Heart	6
16	18	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Something In the Water	7
17	13	Dua Lipa - Houdini	12
18	20	Karen Clayton and Mike Taylor - I'm Your Puppet	5
19	22	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: CAGE THE ELEPHANT "Neon Pill" Album: Neon Pill	5
20	14	Marlisa Kay Small - No Matter Where You Go	13
21	33	Juliet Callahan - She Was Me	4
22	19	Charlotte Sessions - Should I Be The Man●	22
23	26	Real Estate - Water Underground●	6
24	21	The Vaccines - Heartbreak Kid	12
25	31	Say She She - Never Say Never	4
26	28	Billy Joel - Turn the Lights Back On	4
27	25	Duran Duran - Black Moonlight	8
28	27	Everybody Loves An Outlaw - I See Red▲	17
29	42	Suki Waterhouse - OMG	3
30	30	Jaime Wyatt - World Worth Keeping	13
31	43	Molly Lewis and Thee Sacred Souls - Crushed Velvet	4
32	48	Nadia Shutkufski - Top Down	3
33	23	Blur - Barbaric	14
34	47	Cayucas - Punch Bowl	3
35	36	Sia - Gimme Love	14
36	44	Vacations - Next Exit	4
37	24	Mitski - My Love Mine All Mine	15
38	39	Sheryl Crow - Alarm Clock	6
39	32	Einsteins Dad - Rolling Indie	15
40	40	Carolina Blue Dots - Coolin' Out	7
41	41	Black Pumas - Ice Cream (Pay Phone)	4
42	45	M83 - Mirror	4
43	29	U2 - Atomic City	15
44	35	Carolina Blue Dots - Under The Moonlight▲	18
45	46	Sleater-Kinney - Hell	4
46	---	TOP DEBUT:  STARBUCK "Spring Break Shake" (Single Release)	1
47	67	MOVER OF THE WEEK: BEYONCE "Texas Hold Em" Album: Act II	2
48	52	The Palms - Ready or Not	8
49	38	Blonde Redhead - Snowman●	18
50	53	Foo Fighters - The Glass	4
51	37	The Beatles - Now and Then●	15
52	34	Sir Prize and the Twomorrow Knightz - Arthurian Rhapsody	17
53	68	Jaime Wyatt - Feel Good	2
54	72	The Six Piece Suits - Thought You Knew	2
55	61	Laura Jane Grace - Hole In My Head	3
56	62	Lainey Wilson - Wildflowers and Wild Horses	3
57	65	Benson Boone - Beautiful Things	3
58	70	Sadie Leigh - Finger Wave	2
59	---	Jalen N'ganda - If You Don't Want My Love	1
60	59	The Struts - Pretty Vicious	4
61	60	Love Fame Tragedy - Don't You Want To	4
62	---	Deb Browning - Chain Breaker	1
63	51	David Kushner - Daylight	14
64	49	Jenny Lewis - Cherry Baby	14
65	---	Orbis Max - Something About You	1
66	55	SZA - Snooze	29
67	75	Stephen Sanchez - High	2
68	---	Winnetka Bowling League  - Sha-La-La	1
69	50	King Tappa - Trouble	7
70	54	Christina Cooper Black - I Miss You Babe	19
71	56	Two Door Cinema Club - Sure Enough	5
72	---	Cannons - Crush	1
73	74	Deb Browning - Think I Found Forever▲	46
74	---	The Castaways - Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me	1
75	58	Tracy Chapman - Fast Car	4
76	76	Tate McRae - Greedy	5
77	79	Gary Clark Jr - Maktub	2
78	---	Brittany Howard - Prove It To You	1
79	63	The Record Company - Roll With It	12
80	---	Fall Out Boy - So Much (For) Stardust	1
81	57	Orbis Max - I Think It Was Over	17
82	83	Arianna Grande -Yes And?	5
83	---	Mumford and Sons ft Pharrell Williams - Good People	1
84	69	Carly Pearce ft Chris Stapleton - We Don't Fight Anymore	5
85	77	Luke Combs - Fast Car	22
86	90	Green Day - Dilemma	2
87	---	Pete Yorn - Someday Someday	1
88	64	Middle Kids - Dramamine	6
89	93	Susan Trexler - Whole Lotta Me	2
90	71	Starbuck - On the Sand▲	23
91	73	Rivermist - Right Place Right Time	24
92	85	Say She She - Astral Plane●	27
93	66	Freecloud - Suit Still Fits	14
94	78	Beabadoobee - The Way Things Go	20
95	80	Doja Cat - Paint the Town Red	21
96	86	Bush - Nowhere To Go But Everywhere	3
97	81	Cannons - Desire	22
98	82	Sylvia Johns Ritchie and Mike Taylor - Goin' Down Swingin'	16
99	84	The Front Bottoms - Emotional	17
100	87	Winnetka Bowling League - Breakfast For Dinner	16

Murmurs:

The Rolling Stones ft. Lady Gaga, 'Sweet Sounds of Heaven"

Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot, "It's Over"

The Decemberists, "Burial Ground"

Portugal. The Man, "Grim Generation"

Say Sue Me, "4 AM"

Kings of Leon, "Mustang"

Paramore, "Burning Down the House"

Knox, "Not the 1975"

Lucius - Stranger Danger

Dua Lipa - Training Session

SZA, 'Saturn"

Royal Otis, "Murder on the Dancefloor"

X Ambassadors, "No Strings"

Vampire Weekend, "Capricorn"

Rivermist, "Don't Walk Away"

Hot Wax, "Phone Machine"

Bleachers, "Tiny Moves"

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, "Purple Irises"

Yune, "Cake"

Debbie Gibson, "Love Don't Care"

The Tams, "Our Love Will Grow"

Orbis Max, "Not This Time"

Murmurs: Songs which are in the queue for future adds onto the Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist.

 

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; or if a song was among the top 5 most plays for two 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