Battle for Blog Supremacy Continues; Black Keys Hire New Management; FTP with top Debut (SNS week of 6/9/2024)

 AGAIN, running late, but the chart was composed in the middle of last week, thus it is an accurate reflection.   But it will be brief!

While Post Malone and Morgan Wallen continue their reign atop the Billboard Hot 100 this week (and a debut on SNS 100), and Eminem debuts at #2 with "Illusion" (his biggest hit in ten years), the battle for the top spot here between Jalen Ngonda's "If You Don't Want My Love", and Deb Browning and Marlisa Kay Small's "Sunshine and Summertime" continues.   Both songs are tied in points this week, but Ngonda tops the list for a third week as it had one more point last week.   Deb and Marlisa held the top spot for two weeks before Ngonda took over, and it logs a third consecutive week at the #1 position.   The rest of the pack is well behind, so next week, it should be interesting.   While Jalen has peaked on the Triple-A chart; "Sunshine and Summertime" is still climbing various beach music lists, and is #1 on three such charts: Pat Gwinn at the Beach, Eric Bowman's The Wave, and Justin Rouse's Top 5.  My prediction is that it should move back to the top of my list next week.

The Black Keys, in the Top 10 this week, have changed management firms.

Juliet Callahan's "Don't Phase Me" holds at #3, followed by Sylvia Johns Ritchie's "Good Love Don't Come Easy", moving 7-4.  The song tops Don Mark's Surfside Top 20 this week, and it's Ms. Ritchie's biggest blog hit to date.   Anna Lavigne's "Butterfly" holds onto the five spot and is still gaining points.   New to the Top 10 is "On the Game" by The Black Keys, the duo's 15th blog top 10.    Unfortunately, the duo continues to have problems with their North American tour.    After canceling arena dates in favor of more intimate settings, it appears the Key's managers Irving Azoff and Steve Moir had quit, putting that downsized tour in question as well.   However, it appears that they have found a new manager, Red Light Management, who also handles acts such as Dave Matthews Band, Stone Temple Pilots, and the estates of Tom Petty and Jerry Garcia.  No word on whether the smaller tour date will happen.

The Keys have been on of my favorite bands for twenty years, but it seems they've been getting bad publicity with these tour decisions and managers lately.  Trouble is, that in my opinion, they've been ignored before when they had their best music, so why cut into them now?

Lissie is the Impact winner with the highest entry into the Top 20 with "Night Moves" (26-16), Bon Jovi's "Legendary" (21-19) and Dua Lipa's "Illusion" (no relation to the new Eminem song) goes 24-20).   It's Dua's 4th blog top 20, but it's the first for the Jersey band fronted by Jon Bon Jovi; "Because We Can" just missed, peaking at #21 in 2013.

Movers in the middle of the chart include Sabrina Carpenter's "Feather", which surprisingly is top 10 now on John Hook's Beach Music Top 40 after only six weeks.   The Pink Slips Band's "Dance", still topping Riptide Radio's chart, moves here (47-35), Orbis Max featuring Lindsay Murray's "Fields" (52-37); Last week's Top Debut, Starbuck's "Beach A Go Go" (Mover of the Week, 60-42) and Teddy Swims' "The Door"  (63-46) also make significant moves up the charts. 

PUMPED UP DEBUTS: Another blog fave over the years has been Foster the People, with four number one's and sixteen consecutive top 20 songs on SNS, before the streak was broken with their most recent "The Things We Do" stopped at #54 in 2021.   But they return with "Lost in Space" which is this week's Top Debut, coming in at #57.  It's the lead single from the band's new album Paradise State of Mind.  The band is reduced to a duo after the departures of Mark Pontius and Steve Cimino.  "Lost in Space" (no relation to the vintage TV series) is chugging piece of techno, dance, and synth-driven music.   The song has some 80's vibes to it.    The band hasn't had a huge Hot 100 national hit since "Pumped Up Kicks", and this might be an attempt to recreate it in a way; no doubt it will score on the Alternative chart though, and the song is catchy.

Unlike a lot of people, I really haven't, despite trying, to get into Billie Eilish, but her new one, "Lunch" might do the trick.   Debuting at #5 on the Hot 100, before dropping to #10, she seems to "come alive" to an extent on this one, without overdoing it.  It's the beat and the production that gets this one going, and her still-understated voice does blend in perfect with it.    She has a bit more soul on this than previous outings.   Billie's blog best so far was 2019's 'Idontwannabeyouanymore", going to #27, but this one should finally bring her into the top 20 on SNS.

I wasn't quite sure what Cage the Elephant song I would choose to follow up the top 3 "Neon Pill".  It was between "Good Time" and "Rainbow", and I selected the former.   "Good Time" is sort of a strange departure for them (at least the intro is), with psychedelic overtones in the verses before the more familiar chorus.    Then again, it's not really a departure, just a more flavorful version of what they do best: 21st century alternative rock.  Why this band doesn't get more publicity is beyond me.  CTE, like Foster the People and the Black Keys, have been favorites over the years; they've had two SNS #1's, and altogether, 15 top 20's here.

I mentioned above that "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen has been #1 on Billboard for four weeks, and now it debuts on SNS at #79.   Post Malone, who also is featured on Taylor Swift's Billboard #1-debuting "Fortnight" (#26 here), seems to be the latest artist who came from hip-hop, trying his hand in other genres, in this case, country.    Like Beyonce, I believe his new album is in that genre.    Post's voice is a perfect fit, and blends in nicely with Wallen's.  I can see why it's topping the charts.   It's very palatable and has chances here.    You may call it "pop country" which might piss off pure country fans, but who cares?      A lot of fun going on here.

Black Pumas have had a pair of top five blog songs from the duo's latest album, and the latest song getting airplay, "Mrs. Postman", debuts at #79.    This is an interesting one, which is piano-driven, supplemented by Eric Burton's soulful voice.    I love the intro on this, although once the song gets going, it might take a few listens to it.   It should, however, top "Ice Cream (Pay Phone)" on my chart.   Indie/alternative with a jazzy lilt to it.

Michael Marcagi makes his blog debut (and artistic one) with "Scared to Start".   It's doing well at Triple-A and Alternative (I believe it hit #1 in the former chart).  It's in the singer-songwriter vein, and his voice reminds me of Passenger of "Let Her Go" fame, and Five For Fighting.  Train is still around, with "Long Yellow Dress", getting Hot AC action.  It's a cool slice of pop-rock, a little more guitar-driven than recent outings. Pat Monahan and company are having fun on this track, and it should make some inroads here.   Finally, Tommy Richman's "Million Dollar Baby", a fixture in Billboard's top five, is the final add.   It's a persistent slice of funk and hip-hop.   The beat keeps going and the vocals move along with it.    It has a flair of both early 1970's funk/R&B, early 1990's house, and current hip-hop.   It's that persistence that has led me to add the song, and it does have possibilities here. 

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

June 9, 2024

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	1	NUMBER ONE: JALEN NGONDA "If You Don't Want My Love"▲ Album: Come Around and Love Me (3 Weeks at #1)	14
2	2	Deb Browning and Marlisa Kay Small -Sunshine and Summertime	9
3	3	Juliet Callahan - Don't Phase Me●	8
4	7	Sylvia Johns Ritchie - Good Love Don't Come Easy	10
5	5	Anna Lavigne - Butterfly	12
6	4	Hozier - Too Sweet	9
7	8	Royel Otis - Murder on the Dance Floor	12
8	9	Kacey Musgraves - Cardinal	7
9	6	Deb Browning - Put Your Hand in the Hand	11
10	14	The Black Keys - On the Game	7
11	15	Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso	6
12	13	Benson Boone - Beautiful Things	16
13	12	Mumford and Sons ft Pharrell Williams - Good People	14
14	18	The Mac Daddy's Band - Flip Flops and Margaritas	8
15	19	Rivermist -Don't Walk Away	12
16	26	TOP 20 IMPACT OFTHE WEEK: LISSIE "Night Moves" Album: Carving Canyons	4
17	10	Eavesdrop - Honest●	10
18	11	SZA - Saturn	13
19	21	Bon Jovi - Legendary	8
20	24	Dua Lipa - Illusion	5
21	22	Einsteins Dad - To The Moon	7
22	16	The Six Piece Suits - I Thought You Knew●	15
23	17	Starbuck - Spring Break Shake▲	14
24	35	Sabrina Carpenter - Feather	3
25	32	Suki Waterhouse - My Fun	5
26	25	Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone - Fortnight	6
27	30	Lenny Kravitz - Human	5
28	20	Charlotte Sessions - I've Fallen For A Dragon▲²	18
29	31	C. Lynne Smith - Follow It Down	5
30	36	Rhonda McDaniel - Better	4
31	34	Shang Hi Los - Op-Operator	7
32	33	Zac Brown Band - Tie Up	8
33	40	Juliet Callahan -Burning Up	29
34	27	Black Pumas - Sauvignon●	23
35	47	Pink Slips Band - Dance	4
36	38	Orbis Max and Tim Izzard - You Know What You're Doing	7
37	52	Orbis Max and Lindsay Murray - Fields	4
38	23	Say Sue Me - 4 AM	13
39	28	Sadie Leigh - Finger Wave●	15
40	49	Lesa Hudson - Groovalicous	4
41	29	Beyonce - Texas Hold Em	15
42	60	MOVER OF THE WEEK: STARBUCK "Beach A Go Go" (Single Release)	2
43	43	Green Day - Dilemma	15
44	48	I-42 Band - Looking So Good	5
45	44	Randy Clay Band - Party Street	10
46	63	Teddy Swims - The Door	2
47	39	Orbis Max - Not This Time	11
48	42	Rivermist - Everything's Changed●	22
49	54	Winnetka Bowling League - America In Your 20's	5
50	58	The Beaches - Edge of the Earth	3
51	67	Travis - Gaslight	3
52	37	The Decemberists - Burial Ground	13
53	45	Calypso Joe and the Coconuts - New Lattitude	7
54	41	Jaime Wyatt - Feel Good	15
55	70	Abi Carter - This Isn't Over	2
56	74	Orbis Max - Waiting All Night	2
57	---	TOP DEBUT:  FOSTER THE PEOPLE "Lost In Space" Album: Paradise State of Mind	1
58	51	Vacations - Next Exit▲	17
59	56	Gary Clark Jr ft. Stevie Wonder - What About the Children	5
60	50	The Castaways - Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me	14
61	68	David F. Porfirio - Spanish Harlem	3
62	46	Sheryl Crow - Alarm Clock	19
63	61	Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers - Cigarette	4
64	72	Eavesdrop - Only One	2
65	62	The Black Keys - Beautiful People (Stay High)●	19
66	69	The Marias - Run Your Mouth	6
67	---	Billie Eilish - Lunch	1
68	82	Too Much Sylvia - Another Day	2
69	53	Cage the Elephant - Neon Pill	18
70	78	The Ampifier Heads - The Best It's Gonna Be	2
71	76	Joywave - Scared	3
72	65	Nadia Shutkufski - Top Down	16
73	75	Fontaines DC - Starbuster	3
74	83	Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats - Heartless	2
75	---	Cage the Elephant - Good Time	1
76	64	Karen Clayton and Mike Taylor - I'm Your Puppet	18
77	73	Glass Animals - Creatures In Heaven	6
78	77	Kaleo - Lonely Cowboy	3
79	---	Post Malone ft. Morgan Wallen - I Had Some Help	1
80	55	Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot - It's Over	13
81	71	Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot - Sitting In the Park	29
82	---	Black Pumas - Mrs. Postman	1
83	59	Teddy Swims - Lose Control	20
84	66	Ariana Grande - we can't be friends (waiting for your love)	6
85	---	Michael Marcagi - Scared to Start	1
86	57	Paramore - Burning Down the House	13
87	---	Train - Long Yellow Dress	1
88	---	Tommy Richman - Million Dollar Baby	1
89	80	Rick Strickland - Joined At the Heart	19
90	87	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Something In the Water	20
91	81	Maggie Rogers - Don't Forget Me	6
92	84	Debbie Gibson - Love Don't Care	11
93	79	The Driver Era - Get Off My Phone	7
94	85	Suki Waterhouse - OMG	16
95	88	Charlotte Sessions - Should I Be The Man●	35
96	86	Orbis Max - Something About You	14
97	92	Richard Swift - Would You●	26
98	96	Tate McRae - Greedy	10
99	89	Guster - Keep Going	8
100	90	Rachel Platten - Girls	5

Murmurs:

 

Royel Otis - Foam

The Holiday Band - I Don't Want to Cry

R. Mark Black - End to End

Zach Bryan - Pink Skies

The Early November - About Me

Kate Hudson - Gonna Find Out

The Tonez - I Hear You Knockin'

Northern Tracks -  Determined (Album, track to be selected)

Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers - Radio On

Beabadoobee - Take a Bite

Nada Surf - In Front of Me Now

Kings of Leon - Nowhere to Run

Red Clay Strays - Wanna Be Loved

Einsteins Dad - After the Rain / All For the Song (EPs, tracks to be selected)

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