THIS WEEK marks the 14th anniversary of writing my first music blog. To be honest, I never really thought I'd still be writing this fourteen years later. But here I am, sometime reluctantly doing so.
I've always been a music fan, going back to even the early 1960's. I was a devout radio listener beginning in the summer of 1966, and for the most part, I never looked back. Given all the changes in musical styles and trends, that isn't easy to do, and to be honest, I almost gave it up many times.
I loved the music of the sixties and that carried over into the 1970's, which many believe is the best decade, and in some ways, it was. And I think much of my contemporaries left it there, and concentrated on that era, which we now call "classic rock", although there were other genres going on as well. While I left them there, I carried on into the eighties. Around 1982 there was sort of a musical renaissance, thanks in part to MTV; it seemed that the music the previous two years, was for "adults only". True I was one by then, but the 80's recaptured the magic of earlier eras, though the music was different. Having said that, I don't think that decade's music has aged as well as the prior two decades, but there's a lot of eighties nostalgia via various pages on social media, forty years later, so that's saying something.
I didn't like the nineties. Let me rephrase that, I didn't like pop music in the 90's. In fact, the latter half of the 80's, I started getting into alternative music, and that pretty much fueled my musical tastes from then on. There was the occasional pop hit that I like, but I thought modern rock captured the essence of the 1960's and again in the 80's in the final decade of the 20th century. Unfortunately, trends like rap rock and nu metal bore hard and then which caused me to deep dive into some of the good stuff that was out there.
And then, by about 2003, I sort of gave up.
I still listened to what was current, but I pretty much succumbed and listened to the oldies, classic hits, or whatever it was retroactively called. Some music from the mid 2000's was still memorable, but making year-end lists of my one hundred favorite songs of a given year came to an end. From 1976 to 2003, I did make year-end lists, and "counted them down" via a series of cassette tapes. Except for a couple of friends, some who participated in making them with me, nobody heard them (which might be for the best!) My lists were retroactively compiled back to 1964, the year of the British Invasion. But with a new job, and new relationship (and marriage), any real music listening was put on the back burner.
Enter social media.
It was in early September of 2008 that I joined the decadent morass called Facebook. At the end of 2009, I figured I'd once again make a year-end list of my favorites of that year, post it on my timeline since now I had somewhat of an audience. The reception was better than I thought, and by August of 2010, I had the idea of doing a blog.
At first, they were simple Facebook "Notes", and I listed my top 20 favorites of a given week (though I kept a list to eventually 100 positions). At the urging of a then-friend, beginning in April, 2011 I decided to use Blogspot and shared my thoughts as to what I'm listening to.
At first, I thought I would write one every few weeks, and update my chart as such, but since most charts refresh weekly, I wound up doing this every week. You can imagine how tedious that has become. In fact, after doing that for a few years, I tried every other week, but by 2014, I wound up being so far behind and winding up doing two hiatuses. the second lasting for three months. Talk about burnout! I was struggling at work to make up a deadline but wound up being fired anyway. At least I had more time now.
So many times, over the years, I thought I would retire this, but finding some awesome new music kept me going. Finally, at the end of 2019, I figured this WOULD be the end. You know, the end of a decade, and it was then I published my Top 200 of the 2010's. A nice way to go out!
The only problem is that the music never stops. The music business will go on indefinitely, and although you may not like a lot of what is being produced (and much of the music, in my opinion, left a lot to be desired), it only takes one or two great songs to keep you interested. A ski weekend in February 2020, up at a bar near Stratton Mountain in Vermont, I heard "Pearl Cadillac" by Gary Clark Jr, and was blown away. Now what do I do?
And then came COVID-19.
Social distancing and sheltering at home (and losing a job as a school substitute since they were now learning remotely), gave me nothing to do. Thus, in late March 2020, I reactivated Scenes 'n' Soundwaves, and except for my annual hiatus at the beginning of a year, it continues to this day.
My mission is to include favorite music, regardless of genre. While alternative rock has been my primary go-to genre, the finer pop hits, with a smattering of country, R&B and even a little hip-hop has been included. And then there's Carolina Beach Music.
That genre, which has always been a favorite of mine, I started looking into current examples of songs that fit that mold. I had blogged about my love of beach music as early as 2017, and the first intentional song I ever added (I'm not including "The Walk" by Mayer Hawthorne), came this week in 2018 when I added "I Don't Wanna Be Without You" by The James Hunter Six. But it wasn't until 2021 that I dove headfirst into that genre, and now, rarely a week goes by that I don't add one.
Retro soul has always been a favorite, and artists doing that kind of music have been successful as well. Fitz and the Tantrums' first album Picking Up the Pieces was a great example of this (and it helped the band score 12 number one's on the chart---still a record), but more recently, the likes of Leon Bridges, Curtis Harding, Michael Kiwanuka, Thee Sacred Souls, Say She She, Jalen Ngonda and Pip Millett have taken this to a whole new level.
So, where do we go from here? At the end of each year, I decide whether to continue this for another year. It does take up a lot of time to do, but when an awesome song comes on, I want to be there. But I am exploring other options to keep it going. First and foremost, I would love the chart, at least to continue, it's just a matter of finding a way to post this aside from the blog. Perhaps a podcast might be in the offering, but I have a few months to decide that. In the meantime, there's music to be heard (and charted!).
I also wanted to thank everyone, and that includes many artists who I feature, for supporting Scenes 'n' Soundwaves, and of course, those who do read it.
TURNING TO THE CHARTS, there is still a big logjam at the top of the SNS 100 this week, as last week's blog topper, "Foam" by Royel Otis, barely holds on to the #1 position. In fact, only three points separate the top five songs, and eight points for the top six. While Billie Eilish's "Lunch" and The Holiday Band's "I Got It Bad For You", still move up, albeit unbulleted, it appears that either the #4 song, "Got To Be Good" by Gotts Street Park featuring Pip Millett, or the national #1 song, "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey, #5, here, may take the top spot next week. Will the personal favorite "Got To Be Good" hold sway over Shaboozey's song, which scores its seventh week at the top of the Billboard Hot 100? Tune in next week.
More on "A Bar Song". While it's still #1, it still trails Post Malone and Morgan Wallen's "I Had Some Help" on the season-long "Song of the Summer" on the Billboard chart ending August 31, though it now has more weeks at the top (seven versus "Help's" six). But since the Malone song is still a strong #2 on the Billboard chart, it's going to be tough to dislodge. The chart week ending September 7 only includes sales, airplay and streaming data through Thursday August 29, thus there might be another chart week before that award is given out.
Aside from those two songs, there is other big movement in the SNS top ten. Cage the Elephant's "Rainbow" (11-6), The Tonez' "I Hear You Knocking" (12-7), and Kings of Leon's "Nowhere to Run" (16-9), enter the top 10. For the Kings, it's the first time in the Top 10 since 2017's "Reverend". Sylvia Johns Ritchie's former #1, "Good Love Don't Come Easy" moves back up a notch to #8, and Teddy Swim's former top five, "The Door" is at #10.
If any of those movers in the top 10 hir the top, it's going to have big competition from the second ten. Jalen Ngonda's "Here to Stay" grabs Impact honors, moving 22-11, while the other Post Malone song, "Pour Me a Drink", featuring Blake Shelton moves 24-12, outdistancing the Morgan Wallen song which falls to #82 this week (it peaked at #35 a few weeks back).
Also making an impressive move is "Back By Popular Demand" by Dustin Ahkuoi and Sharon Woodruff (32-19). This is another song by the Ocean Drive Productions team of Wayne Troutman and Melissa Hinson. This team actually scored a coup this week, as this song sits atop of two beach music charts this week: 94.1 The Surf, and Pat Gwinn's At the Beach list. But they also have the top 3 as Rivermist's "Everything's Changed" (a top five blog hit from earlier this year) is #2, and Deb Browning and Marlisa Kay Small's "Sunshine and Summertime",( a former six-week blog topper now at #14 here) is at #3 on both lists. Congrats to Wayne and Melissa, and of course to the artists involved.
Moving further down, some of the songs that were hung up in the 20's and 30's finally get a chance to move up. They include Donny Trexler (27-22), Einsteins Dad (29-23), Anna Lavigne (30-24), and Steve Cheek (34-28).
Last week's Top Debut, The Beaches' "Takes One To Know One" moves 54-30, while the other two big entries last week also move up: Jitwam's "Opendoors" (56-39) and Starbuck's "Jones About You" (60-43).
 |
| Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars debut at #3 on the Hot 100 and Top Debut at #61 on the SNS 100 with "Die With A Smile" |
WELCOME BACK GAGA AND BRUNO: The Top Debut this week is sort of a surprise, and a return to the charts for two acts who were hot nationally back in the late 2000's and much of the 2010's. Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' "Die With a Smile" debuts at #61 here, and #3 on the Hot 100. Both of these artists have had two top tens on SNS, and countless chart entries here, but have rarely charted on SNS in recent years. Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" was on the first blog chart's top ten and peaked at #7, while her duet, "Shallow" with Bradley Cooper from their movie A Star Is Born, topped out at #6. As for Bruno, he peaked at #2, featured on 2015's "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson, and at #3 in 2013, "Locked Out of Heaven". Lady Gaga did have a national #1 in a duet with Ariana Grande with "Rain on Me" in 2020 that didn't chart here. Gaga did chart here in 2022 with "Hold My Hand" at #42; Mars last song before this one was the #93 "Finesse" in 2018.
The new song, "Die With a Smile", whose title sounds like it's from a James Bond film, but isn't, is a great change of pace for both, as this is a soulful ballad. While we know that Gaga is definitely capable of a song like this (one listen to "Shallow" confirms this), it was a pleasant surprise coming from Bruno Mars. Some really soulful singing and production is a nice change from his past hits. Perhaps this is a good sign where pop music is heading. I've seen less of the "sparse pop", and more singing with heart from the top songs these days. I hope this is a trend that continues, but it looks like Mr. Mars and Ms. Germanotta have a nice comeback hit on their hands.
I wasn't sure what Black Keys song to add, and I rarely add two songs by the same artist in a given week. The duo has somewhat been maligned recently because of their canceled tour (unjustly so, in my opinion), and while their current Ohio Players set has scored two top ten's (the #3 "Beautiful People (Stay High)", and the #9 "On the Game), with the former hitting #1 on both alternative and Triple-A, it's been a relatively quick exit for the song. Spotify has recommended "Don't Let Me Go" a few times, and, while not an official single, is different enough for them to warrant an add. It's sort of a moving, exciting up-tempo tune, while not straying too far from their roots, is a breath of fresh air. It debuts at #62.
The other track, "I Forgot To Be A Lover", which was officially the second single released (after "Beautiful People"), I initially dismissed. While Billy Idol had a hit with this (as "To Be A Lover"), going to #6 in 1986), I couldn't get into the thought of the Keys doing this song.
Except that this wasn't a Billy Idol song. The original version was released in 1968 by R&B artist William Bell and was co-written by him and Booker T. Jones (of the 60's soul outfit Booker T and the MG's). It reached #45 on the Hot 100 in '68 and Top Ten on the R&B chart, and it is a slow version that Idol speeded up in his remake. Thus, I gave it a listen and was blown away. Fitting perfectly into the current retro soul revival, this is a great departure for the duo. A great display of soul and top-notch production. It was probably too much for the alternative and Triple-A crowd, which is why it didn't chart there, but maybe it'll have a chance at Hot AC, or---dare I say it---beach music, since this would be a nice slow dance at a shag club. Debuting at #67, it'll be interesting which of the two songs, if not both, takes charge.
Jack White enters with "That's How I'm Feeling". The man who I think is responsible for keeping rock alive the last couple of decades delivers a power-pop, guitar-driven rock song that isn't too far from what he's done in the past. A nice, raw, basic alt-rock song should do well. His past few releases stayed near the bottom of the SNS 100 but this one has a chance to go higher.
Another band that has embraced the retro soul movement, Thee Sacred Souls, follow up their blog #1 "Easier Said Than Done", with their new single, "Live For You". With a vocal reminiscent of Marvin Gaye, and great guitar work, the trio keep within the soulful framework of their past work. It sort of reminds me of Gaye's landmark What's Goin' On set. The field is getting crowded with this genre lately, but this is one of the best examples of retro soul, thus it should return them to the upper reaches.
Meanwhile the band Vacations, following up their #13 "Next Exit", are back with "Midwest". This one has a nice texture to it, rather a dreamy mid-tempo romp, that should bring them back to at least the top 20. This is a pleasure and joy to listen to. A very unpretentious outing here.
In my option, the man who started all this retro soul in the first place, Leon Bridges, returns with "Peaceful Place". It was "Coming Home" in 2015 that hit #1 here, with a song that sounded like it came from 1966. Subsequent releases had him move away from that sound to something more contemporary, but here, he combines that retro soul with more of a jazzy, afro-beat take. This turns into a nice cooking jam that pretty much brings him rather full circle. Gets better with each listen.
Looking to the New Jersey indie rock scene, I add "Crow-Haired Boys" by The Cynz. The band is based in the New Brunswick and it pretty much unadulterated rock and roll. Not too much of the Jersey Shore sound as it's of a more northern part of the state influence. The song rocks without being abrasive, at just the right sound. The band is headed by Cyndi Dawson and Henry Seiz. If the last name sounds familiar, it's the same one who had performed often with local Roselle Park artist Lou Pinola and who in the 80's played with Lou's band Louie Louie and the Lost Hombres (and still plays with Lou occasionally; I caught the both of them at the local Frenchy's in 2021, and the full band in 2022 at Climax Brewing Co).
English singer-songwriter James Bay, known on the blog for his 2015 #1 "Pink Lemonade", teams up with New Jersey's The Lumineers, and Noah Kahan of "Dial Drunk", for "Up All Night". This is a nice jamming slick of Americana and folk-rock. The last new entry, is a Tremor, "Does Your Mama Know About Me", from The Holiday Band, currently riding hit with "I Got It Bad For You". While neither song seemed to be on any beach music charts ("Got It Bad" first was recorded around 2013 but released to Spotify earlier this year), "Does Your Mother..." came to the streaming service recently. This is a cover of the Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers, and is a nice beach ballad. The Holiday boys do a faithful remake of it. Personally, I don't think it's the best version of the song; I prefer the version by King David & the Slaves the best. The Holiday Band just released a new song (at least I think it's new), "Fool If You Think It's Over", a cover of Chris Rea's hit from 1978, and that one is different enough from the original. That one is a better bet for a follow-up to "Got It Bad", and will be added to the Murmurs list. And of course, lead singer Mike Taylor advances with his solo "I Don't Wanna Cry", up to #70 in its second week.
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| Roselle Park artist Ryan Chatelain, now a member of The Dust-Ups, performs solo at the Library Stage of the Roselle Park Arts Festival on September 28. |
STAGED: Last week I mentioned the artists who are playing the Main Breakwater Stage at the upcoming Roselle Park Arts Festival, to be held on September 28, which included Charlotte Sessions. The festival committee has released the artists playing at the Library stage. Some faces familiar to past festival-goers here. Leading off at 12:30 is the Landz Music Band, a nice "breeding ground" for young local musicians to perform. Various incarnations of the band have played here in years past. The Saxsations, another very familiar group, of three young saxophonists, return at 2 PM. Out of Spite goes on at 3 PM, I believe a new outfit to the festival. Not much is known at this time about them. However, Ryan Chatelain, who played a couple years back and scored a top 10 blog hit with "Static" returns at 4 PM. Ryan had teamed up with another festival alumnus, Alek Speck who performed that year as well, to form The Dust-Ups with two other members that performed at the festival last year, and who released their debut album earlier this year (one of their songs, "What Getting Over You Looks Like") has been added to Murmurs. Chatelain will perform solo here this time around. Finishing things off at 5 PM is the duo of Isabelle Latore and Reanna Saldana who originally performed in 2021 as the Quaranteens, but have returned under their own names since.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
August 25, 2024
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
1 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: Pratts & Pain (2 weeks at #1) |
10 |
|
2 |
2 |
11 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
10 |
|
|
4 |
10 |
3 |
|
|
5 |
13 |
5 |
|
|
6 |
11 |
5 |
|
|
7 |
12 |
10 |
|
|
8 |
9 |
20 |
|
|
9 |
16 |
9 |
|
|
10 |
5 |
12 |
|
|
11 |
22 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  (Single Release) |
4 |
|
12 |
24 |
5 |
|
|
13 |
7 |
12 |
|
|
14 |
4 |
Deb Browning and Marlisa Kay
Small -Sunshine and Summertime● |
19 |
|
15 |
19 |
7 |
|
|
16 |
21 |
5 |
|
|
17 |
6 |
15 |
|
|
18 |
8 |
14 |
|
|
19 |
32 |
4 |
|
|
20 |
15 |
14 |
|
|
21 |
17 |
13 |
|
|
22 |
27 |
8 |
|
|
23 |
29 |
9 |
|
|
24 |
30 |
6 |
|
|
25 |
25 |
9 |
|
|
26 |
23 |
9 |
|
|
27 |
14 |
14 |
|
|
28 |
34 |
9 |
|
|
29 |
36 |
7 |
|
|
30 |
54 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  (Single Release) |
2 |
|
31 |
18 |
10 |
|
|
32 |
33 |
12 |
|
|
33 |
42 |
5 |
|
|
34 |
38 |
7 |
|
|
35 |
20 |
19 |
|
|
36 |
41 |
6 |
|
|
37 |
39 |
10 |
|
|
38 |
28 |
17 |
|
|
39 |
56 |
2 |
|
|
40 |
40 |
Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers - Radio On |
10 |
|
41 |
26 |
10 |
|
|
42 |
43 |
12 |
|
|
43 |
60 |
2 |
|
|
44 |
37 |
8 |
|
|
45 |
46 |
7 |
|
|
46 |
35 |
39 |
|
|
47 |
50 |
4 |
|
|
48 |
44 |
9 |
|
|
49 |
47 |
8 |
|
|
50 |
31 |
13 |
|
|
51 |
48 |
7 |
|
|
52 |
51 |
6 |
|
|
53 |
49 |
6 |
|
|
54 |
45 |
18 |
|
|
55 |
53 |
5 |
|
|
56 |
66 |
3 |
|
|
57 |
63 |
3 |
|
|
58 |
62 |
5 |
|
|
59 |
64 |
6 |
|
|
60 |
73 |
3 |
|
|
61 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  (Single Release) |
1 |
|
62 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
63 |
58 |
24 |
|
|
64 |
68 |
4 |
|
|
65 |
69 |
4 |
|
|
66 |
72 |
4 |
|
|
67 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
68 |
59 |
11 |
|
|
69 |
71 |
7 |
|
|
70 |
85 |
2 |
|
|
71 |
78 |
4 |
|
|
72 |
74 |
7 |
|
|
73 |
76 |
4 |
|
|
74 |
65 |
8 |
|
|
75 |
67 |
6 |
|
|
76 |
75 |
5 |
|
|
77 |
84 |
3 |
|
|
78 |
52 |
9 |
|
|
79 |
88 |
7 |
|
|
80 |
57 |
15 |
|
|
81 |
86 |
Winnetka Bowling League ft
Medium Build and Dawes - This Is Life |
2 |
|
82 |
55 |
11 |
|
|
83 |
83 |
3 |
|
|
84 |
89 |
13 |
|
|
85 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
86 |
80 |
8 |
|
|
87 |
82 |
28 |
|
|
88 |
61 |
14 |
|
|
89 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
90 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
91 |
93 |
2 |
|
|
92 |
90 |
2 |
|
|
93 |
92 |
2 |
|
|
94 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
95 |
77 |
14 |
|
|
96 |
101 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the
Cornhole Prophets - Down With That |
1 |
|
97 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
98 |
70 |
16 |
|
|
99 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
100 |
96 |
2 |
Tremors:
101. Benson Boone - Slow It Down
102. The Holiday Band - Does Your Mother Know About Me
103. Tommy Richman - Million Dollar Baby
Tremors: Songs which have steady or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.
Murmurs:
Meghan Trainor - Whoops
Classic Soul ft. Terri Gore - All Right
Pip Millett - Hard Life
David F. Porfirio - Desert Mirage
The Pozers - Missing You Missing Me/Something Pop
Sylvia Johns Ritchie - (TBD)
Juliet Callahan - (TBD)
Dana Jones and the Bruce Caldwell Project - Mohair Son
Calypso Joe and the Coconuts - Beacha' Didn't Know
Orbis Max - Tuesday Too
Royel Otis - Linger
Hippo Campus - Paranoid
Billie Eilish - Birds of a Feather
Beabadoobee - Beaches
The Holiday Band - Fool If You Think It's Over
The Dust-Ups - What Getting Over You Looks Like
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 From 41-100 that are moving up the
chart or former songs in the top 40 that dropped below but still on the SNS
100.
Scenes
Recurrents: Songs which had been in
the top 20 and/or songs on the chart 25 weeks or more, that have dropped off
the SNS 100.
