I AM BACK from my camping trip, and for once we had some nice weather for all of the days we were out there in and away from Roscoe, NY. Of course, music was a big part of it. None of my friends who were there follow my blog, and we all took turns playing music at the campsite. One of them, Alan, always had eclectic tastes, and to be honest, much of the music he played I either didn't recognize or have heard it only through him. Much of it is centered around the New Wave of the late 1970's and early 80's. The thing is that most of the guys on the trip were all fraternity brothers at William Paterson University inn New Jersey, and all of them seem to know the songs! One song that came on that I didn't know, another friend, Joe, said, "the video is cool, too!". Maybe I was too focused on the mainstream then, and the only New Wave I heard were crossover stuff that was played on the radio. But it all keeps you humble.
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| Jalen Ngonda takes the top spot this week on the Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100 |
Then again, I'm sure none of those friends have heard anything in MY SNS 100 chart these days, so perhaps we're "even". And speaking of, there is a new #1 song, "If You Don't Want My Love", by Jalen Ngonda. The singer, originally from Maryland who moved to Liverpool, is the latest exponent of throw-back neo-soul, somewhat in the vein of Marvin Gaye. That kind of music is making a comeback, as another song in that lane, Thee Sacred Souls' "Easier Said Than Done". These artists are getting some national airplay on the Triple-A radio format, and let's hope that continues. While music like this is considered a "throwback" of sorts, it's done with more of a contemporary spin, and not necessarily a direct copy.
Ngonda just edges out Deb Browning and Marlisa Kay Small's beach music hit "Sunshine and Summertime" by the smallest of margins. Deb and Marlisa drop to #2 but still bulleted; we may have another big battle similar to that of Charlotte Sessions' "I've Fallen For A Dragon" and Teddy Swims' "Lose Control" several weeks back. Hozier's former Billboard chart-topper "Too Sweet" moves 5-3 in an attempt for a second straight blog number one but is far behind the top two. Deb Browning's "little ole gospel song", as she puts it, "Put Your Hand in the Hand" is #4. Juliet Callahan's "Don't Phase Me", rounds out the top five. There are no new entries in the top 10 this week.
There is more activity in the second ten. Royel Otis holds at #11, albeit still bulleted, while Sylvia Johns Ritchie, Kacey Musgraves, and Benson Boone---still on the Hot 100's upper echelon-- continue to advance toward my top 10, the Impact award goes to The Black Keys' "On the Game", the second single from the current Ohio Players set. The Akron duo have been in the news lately. They performed on the season finale of The Voice, but made waves when they decided to cancel the North American leg of their international tour, and instead focus on more intimate settings. The Keys have eight #1's on SNS (second only to Fitz and the Tantrums' 12), including the first #1 and the longest span of blog toppers. It's been said that flagging ticket sales are to blame. The Ohio Players album peaked at #26 on the Billboard 200, which broke a string of six straight top ten albums, and the worst-charting since 2006, might be a tell-tale sign that their popularity might be dwindling; hence the members deciding to "reimagine" their North American leg of the tour.
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| Akron Ohio duo The Black Keys have canceled the North American portion of their world tour, at least of large venues. Smaller, more intimate settings will soon be announched. |
I've been a fan of The Black Keys---Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, since 2006's Magic Potion set, and specifically the song "Your Touch". The two singles from the current album are still doing well both at alternative and Triple-A radio: "Beautiful People (Stay People)" topped both those charts and peaked at #3 here (and surged upward 80-68 this week), and "On The Game", is moving up those lists as well. Let's hope that the more intimate tour will bring in the fans.
Sabrina Carpenter also enters the top 20 with a 23-18 move. This seems to be the artist that friends have been talking about these days. More on her blow.
Big movers include Dua Lipa's "Illusion" (44-30), C. Lynne Smith's "Follow It Down" (48-32); Suki Waterhouse's "My Fun (49-38) and last week's Top Debut, Lissie's "Night Moves" (57-40).
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| Juliet Callahan's "Burning Up" is Top Debut. It is a remix of her original "Burning" which topped the SNS 100 in 2022. |
BURNING REDUX: I mentioned this last week, and the latest Juliet Callihan release "Burning Up" is the Top Debut at #49. The New York-based singer-songwriter is hot right now, with "Don't Phase Me" in the top five, and the former top ten "She Was Me" holding on at #80. But is "Burning Up" really new?
Actually, it's a high-tech remix of her blog #1 "Burning", and the dilemma I had was whether I should indicate the song as a new entry or treat it as a "re-entry". I was going to consider it "new" because of the slightly different title, but after hearing it, it's pretty much the same recording, only with some bells and whistles added. But what bells and whistles. The original was rock-tinged, but the new version had such a hypnotic beginning before advancing to the intro on the original. Overall, it's a new fresh take on the song, which I loved originally. As a result, it re-enters the SNS 100 at #49, and in its 27th chart week. This decision is true to Billboard's chart policy that combines any mixes of the song with the original on the chart. Now, can Juliet make a new video of the song? The original video is awesome as it is, so it'll be hard to top. The link on the chart below is to the initial "Burning" on the chart, but I invite you to check out the new remix on my Spotify "Scenes Up and Coming" playlist.
Close behind, and the top new song this week is "Feather" by Sabrina Carpenter. This was actually released before her current hit "Espresso", but it's been a mainstay on the Hot 100. The song debuted last week on John Hook's Beach Music Top 40 chart last week at #39 and moves to #29---a ten-point jump on that list is practically unheard of, where songs usually just inch upward. It's pop music with an emotion, rather dreamy as well. And apparently you can shag to it as well. It should join "Espresso" on the top 20 very soon.
Alternative fans around 2000 should remember the band Travis who had two memorable songs, "Why Does It Always Rain on Me", and "Sing". The band is still around and debut with the bouncy "Gaslight". It has some early Kinks sensibilities and is catchy enough to make a splash. The Beaches follow up the top 20 "Blame Brett" with "Edge of the Earth". Another rolling beat that is less "punky" than the prior song, but with a strolling beat with a slice of mystery, the four girls should have another blog hit on their hands.
The ever unique and innovative David F. Porfirio is back with "Spanish Harlem". No, this is not the Ben E. King/Aretha Franklin song, but another jam of his as he combines his innovative guitar playing with other exotic instruments. I hear some traces of his top 3 "Dreamscape" in here, but this is basically an original jam. And yes, it has his trademark changes in the middle of the seven-minute opus. At the very least, jazz stations should be playing this. Just saying.
Also entering are Fontaines DC from Ireland with their blog debut "Starbuster". Don't expect bagpipes here; this is a hip-hop/rock hybrid beat to it; KALEO, who had the SNS year-end #1 in 2016 with "Way Down We Go", back with the country-tinged "Lonely Cowboy", and Joywave's "Scared", with a steady beat in the alt-rock lane. Finally, Tate MacRae's "Greedy" re-enters the SNS 100 as it, like "Feather" is on the John Hook's beach chart.
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| Country star Morgan Wallen is featured on the current Billboard #1 song, Post Malone's "I Had Some Help"; however he was arrested last month for throwing a chair off a Nashville bar rooftop, and his request for his name outside his new bar was denied by the town's council. |
WALLENED IN CONTROVERSY: Morgan Wallen has had his share of setbacks, many of them self-inflected. The Country star "short circuited" again a few weeks ago, when he threw a chair off one of the rooftop bars in Nashville and got arrested on felony charges. The chair landed just a few feet away from police officers. That incident, combined with the controversy a few years ago when he yelled out racial slurs in a drunken state, apparently has cost him a chance to have his name on one of the bars on Nashville's Broadway. The Nashville council had voted against signage that would have Wallen's name in lights outside his new bar, by a 30-3 vote.
Only in recent years has Wallen been forgiven for the drunken tirade and been able to perform in country music venues and award shows and get radio airplay from country stations. "Last Night" was a monster hit in 2022, going to #1 on Billboard for sixteen weeks, and peaking at #2 on SNS.
However, so far, the latest incidents haven't affected Wallen on the chart, at least: He is featured on Post Malone's song "I Had Some Help" which debuted at #1 last week and holds that position for a second week. Kendrick Lamar's "diss song" "Not Like Us", which debuted at #1 two weeks ago, holds at #2, with Tommy Richman, Shaboozey and the new one by Billie Eilish, "Lunch" rounding out the top five on Billboard. None of these songs are on my list thus far, although Post and Billie are in the queue. However, positions six to ten are all on SNS: Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso" (#6 BB, #18 SNS); Teddy Swims' "Lost Control" (#7 BB, #53 SNS after spending three weeks at the top); Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things" (#8 BB, #15 SNS); Hozier's "Too Sweet" (#9 BB, #3 SNS); and Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone's "Fortnight" (#9 BB, #29 SNS).
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
May 26, 2024
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: Come Around and Love Me |
12 |
|
2 |
1 |
7 |
|
|
3 |
5 |
7 |
|
|
4 |
3 |
9 |
|
|
5 |
8 |
6 |
|
|
6 |
6 |
10 |
|
|
7 |
4 |
12 |
|
|
8 |
9 |
11 |
|
|
9 |
10 |
8 |
|
|
10 |
7 |
13 |
|
|
11 |
11 |
10 |
|
|
12 |
14 |
8 |
|
|
13 |
18 |
5 |
|
|
14 |
15 |
12 |
|
|
15 |
20 |
14 |
|
|
16 |
22 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  " On the Game" Album: Ohio Players |
5 |
|
17 |
19 |
11 |
|
|
18 |
23 |
4 |
|
|
19 |
16 |
16 |
|
|
20 |
13 |
13 |
|
|
21 |
12 |
13 |
|
|
22 |
17 |
11 |
|
|
23 |
27 |
6 |
|
|
24 |
28 |
10 |
|
|
25 |
21 |
21 |
|
|
26 |
33 |
6 |
|
|
27 |
34 |
5 |
|
|
28 |
32 |
9 |
|
|
29 |
35 |
4 |
|
|
30 |
44 |
3 |
|
|
31 |
24 |
13 |
|
|
32 |
48 |
3 |
|
|
33 |
37 |
6 |
|
|
34 |
26 |
20 |
|
|
35 |
31 |
17 |
|
|
36 |
43 |
3 |
|
|
37 |
42 |
5 |
|
|
38 |
49 |
3 |
|
|
39 |
29 |
15 |
|
|
40 |
57 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Carving Canyons |
2 |
|
41 |
25 |
12 |
|
|
42 |
41 |
5 |
|
|
43 |
30 |
16 |
|
|
44 |
36 |
11 |
|
|
45 |
61 |
2 |
|
|
46 |
47 |
8 |
|
|
47 |
52 |
13 |
|
|
48 |
54 |
5 |
|
|
49 |
REENTRY |
TOP DEBUT:  (Single Release) |
27 |
|
50 |
38 |
11 |
|
|
51 |
40 |
16 |
|
|
52 |
62 |
3 |
|
|
53 |
39 |
18 |
|
|
54 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
55 |
68 |
2 |
|
|
56 |
70 |
2 |
|
|
57 |
65 |
3 |
|
|
58 |
74 |
2 |
|
|
59 |
53 |
5 |
|
|
60 |
55 |
27 |
|
|
61 |
50 |
14 |
|
|
62 |
64 |
3 |
|
|
63 |
67 |
4 |
|
|
64 |
45 |
17 |
|
|
65 |
51 |
9 |
|
|
66 |
58 |
6 |
|
|
67 |
69 |
4 |
|
|
68 |
80 |
17 |
|
|
69 |
84 |
2 |
|
|
70 |
46 |
12 |
|
|
71 |
76 |
4 |
|
|
72 |
78 |
4 |
|
|
73 |
56 |
14 |
|
|
74 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
75 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
76 |
63 |
4 |
|
|
77 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
78 |
83 |
3 |
|
|
79 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
80 |
59 |
15 |
|
|
81 |
60 |
7 |
|
|
82 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
83 |
75 |
24 |
|
|
84 |
89 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the
Cornhole Prophets - Something In the Water |
18 |
|
85 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
86 |
66 |
11 |
|
|
87 |
90 |
33 |
|
|
88 |
77 |
7 |
|
|
89 |
86 |
24 |
|
|
90 |
91 |
24 |
|
|
91 |
81 |
25 |
|
|
92 |
72 |
10 |
|
|
93 |
73 |
8 |
|
|
94 |
79 |
15 |
|
|
95 |
71 |
11 |
|
|
96 |
82 |
5 |
|
|
97 |
85 |
10 |
|
|
98 |
87 |
6 |
|
|
99 |
REENTRY |
8 |
|
|
100 |
88 |
4 |
Murmurs:
Eavesdrop - Only One
Teddy Swims - The Door
Starbuck - Beach A Go-Go
Too Much Sylvia - Another Day
Orbis Max - Waiting All Night
Abi Carter - This Isn't Over
The Amplifier Heads - The Best It's Gonna Be
Nathanial Rateliff and the Night Sweats - Heartless
Billie Eilish - Lunch
Black Pumas - Mrs. Postman
Cage the Elephant - Good Time
Post Malone ft. Morgan Wallen - I Had Some Help
Michael Marcagi - Scared to Start
Train - Long Yellow Dress
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
