CATCHING UP: I apologize for having to skip a week. I was pretty busy getting ready for my 50th class reunion of Roselle Park High School's Class of 1974. I was in charge of the music and putting together a curated playlist for the event. I had met with our reunion committee to go over pertinent things, as well as taking requests from my classmates. I also had put together two videos; one of them with pictures of various classmates back in the day as well as prior reunions, and one featuring those no longer with us.
That, combined with getting together the night before with several classmates, then the reunion, and another get together on Sunday, needless to stay, I didn't have much time to work on the blog or update the SNS 100. It was a nice break from the current music, as, aside from what I played at the event, I put on various early 1970s playlists that I had on my iPod (remember those?). One may think that because this blog features current music, that I don't listen to what I grew up with; but that can't be further from the truth. I just don't like to listen to that constantly, especially since I've found some pretty decent current music, although I had to dig really deep to find it, which, judging from the top of my blog chart this week, I think I'm rather successful!
Thus, this is a "double week" blog, encompassing the weeks of September 15 and 22, but treated like a normal one-week increment-based. On the Billboard Hot 100, Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)", racks up a tenth and eleventh week, putting it in the front position for possible year-end honors. And on the Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100, the song advances to the top spot.
As a result, "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" becomes the 16th song in the 14+ years of SNS to top both my blog chart and the Billboard Hot 100, and it's the third song this year to accomplish that feat; "Lose Control" by Teddy Swims, and "Too Sweet" by Hozier had done it previously in 2024. "A Bar Song" becomes the 11th song to top both charts during the same week, following "Lose Control" earlier this year.
While "Too Sweet" is down to #81 on its 22nd week on the SNS 100, and "Lose Control" dropped off a few weeks ago, both songs are still high on the Hot 100, which is a cause of concern which I'll discuss in future weeks of the stagnation of the top of the big chart. This week, they are listed at #7, and #13, respectively on the Billboard list.
 |
| Deb Browning (L) and Marlisa Kay Small's rendition of "Sunshine and Summertime" is SNS's "Song of the Summer" for 2024. |
THE LIVIN' WAS EASY: With summer officially ending this past weekend, it's time to reveal my annual "Songs of the Summer" top 20 for 2024. And to be honest, the top spot probably wasn't much of a surprise, if you read this blog every week. Deb Browning & Marlisa Kay Small, after performing together in gigs for a couple of years, finally recorded a duet, "Sunshine and Summertime". Released in April, it was touted in the Carolina beach music community as the "song of the summer", and it did just that, topping several beach music charts in the region during much of the season.
Here is the list of the Scenes 'n' Soundwaves Top 20 Songs of the Summer:
1. Deb Browning and Marlisa Kay Small, "Sunshine and Summertime"
Called the "dynamic duo", Deb and Marlisa knocked it home with a great cover of a 2006 country hit by Faith Hill. The recording appeared to be set, appropriately enough in a party atmosphere, and the girls are surely having a great time recording this. Previewed to several radio and Internet stations during the course of a day, it became a big hit. On SNS, the song hit the top for a couple weeks in May, three more in June-July, and once more in August. Its six-week non-consecutive week run was the most since late 2021. For Deb, it marked her second Summer honor; she previously had 2022's winner with "3 More Minutes". As for Marlisa, this is her second straight year on the summer list; last year, she dueted with Jerry West with "Love Really Hurts Without You".
As for Deb, the big question now is, can she parlay this into a year-end blog #1? If she does, it would make history, as it would be her third consecutive honor. "3 More Minutes" topped the 2022 list, while "Think I Found Forever" reigned last year. If she pulls it off, she will tie The Beatles (1964, 1965, 1968) for most year-end blog toppers. She would also be the first to do it consecutively.
2. Sylvia Johns Ritchie, "Good Love Don't Come Easy"
The Summer of 2024 was another great year for beach music, with six songs making the Summer 20. This one was a breakthrough blog hit of sorts, from a woman who has been at the pinnacle of the beach scene for quite a while. The song, released from a new compilation album, became her first blog #1., and made a big challenge for the Summer top spot.
3. Hozier, "Too Sweet"
The Irish singer-songwriter made the list last year with "Francesa". The big difference this time around, however, was that while that great song didn't chart on the Hot 100 (although it topped Triple-A), this one hit #1 both on the Hot 100 (as well as Triple-A and Alternative), and spent a week topping SNS as well. It also landed at #7 on Billboard's Summer listing; one of two songs to make the top 20 of both my blog and Billboard.
4. Lissie, "Night Moves"
It was a few years back that this song landed on the Triple-A chart, and probably would have been forgotten if we hadn't watched season three of Loudermilk on Netflix. While that season was originally out in 2020, it had just moved to Netflix earlier this year. The Illinois artist appeared on several episodes of that show during that season, thus I checked out some of her music, and found this gem. The song topped SNS for two weeks in late July and early August.
5. Dua Lipa, "Illusion"
Since this British pop star has had several hits stateside, it might be surprising to hear that this very good song only mid-charted on the Hot 100. Peaking there at #43, from her current album, Radical Optimism, the up-tempo dance track peaked here at #2.
6. Jalen Ngonda, "If You Don't Want My Love"
For a while, it appeared that this awesome soulful record would be challenging Deb and Marlisa for the top spot, before fading by mid-summer. But its chart performance the first half of the season assured this song of a solid finish in the seasonal rankings. The song reigned for three weeks in late May and early June.
7. The Mac Daddy's Band, "Flip Flops and Margaritas"
Still popular on a few beach music charts, this song definitely had summer written all over it. A lot of Jimmy Buffett-vibes all over this one. I'm sure many along the Grand Strand heard this one when they placed their toes in the sand and enjoyed their drink. The song peaked at #5 in August.
8. Starbuck, "Beach a Go Go"
Leave it to the beach music community to embrace summer with appropriately themed songs. Bruce Blackman and company employed a nice Latin/Tropical beat to this one. Bruce actually is a "man for all seasons" of sorts, as he previously released "Coldest Night of the Year" for the winter season, followed by "Spring Break Shake", all leading up to "Beach A Go Go".
9. The Pink Slips Band, "Dance"
Four beach music songs in the Summer Top 10, including this blog breakthrough which topped many beach lists earlier in the summer. Here, the song peaked at #6.
10. The Shang Hi Los, "Op-Operator"
Realizing a need to include some indie-rock and pop bands, I started searching the Radio Indie Alliance charts, where this song from this Boston contingent topped the list. Very catchy slice of indie-pop put the genre back in the blog top 10.
11. Billie Eilish, "Lunch"
Much lauded young singer-songwriter who I had trouble really getting into, finally scored with a #2 blog hit in August. The song was also entrenched in Billboard's Top 10 and was also in the Summer Songs listing before it dropped out the final week. While the song was superseded by her follow-up "Birds of a Feather", it was "Lunch" that made me at least take further notice in the artist.
12. Teddy Swims, "The Door"
One of the gripes that I have about the Hot 100, that some songs stay at the top much too long, while equally-deserving follow-ups are ignored. While Billie Eilish above didn't have a problem with "Lunch"'s follow-up, Swims did. He followed up the dual #1 "Lose Control" with this equally good piece of pop-soul, and while it did score on Hot AC and is still moving up CHR playlists, it could do no better than #27 on the Hot 100. It reached #5 on SNS in August.
13. Orbis Max and Lindsay Murray, "Fields"
The Internet contingent that scored last year's Top Summer song with "R U OK" (featuring Lisa Mychols), employed a similar strategy this year. While the group put out many songs this season, it's this one that made it to #10 on SNS. Once again, this is a sentimental ballad, in which Dw Dunphy again shared vocals with a female vocalist, that being Lindsay Murray from the Nashville-based band Gretchen's Wheel. Definitely a worthy follow-up this year.
14. Royel Otis, "Foam"
Duo that had scored with "Murder on the Dance Floor" had a very worthy follow-up. Despite being relatively ignored at Alternative radio (the prior song hit top 3 there), this one hit #1 on the SNS 100 and stayed there for a couple weeks in August. The bouncy vibe reminded me of the 1985 Tears For Fears hit, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World".
15. Sabrina Carpenter, "Feather"
Ms. Carpenter has been a national breakout artist this year, and this made it to #6 here. While this one paled to subsequent hits by her (three of them reached the top 10, including one to come on this list), she pulled the unlikely feat of hitting #1 on John Hook's Beach Music Top 40 list, despite some grumbling in the beach community. So, can I count this as the fifth beach song on the list?
16. Deb Browning, "Put Your Hand in the Hand"
Because of her smash duet with Marlisa Kay Small, "Sunshine and Summertime", this gem from her cool spiritual album Give Me Gospel, might be overlooked, but when it comes to Deb, that is unlikely. This contemporary remake of the band Ocean's hit from 1971 (and originally done by Anne Murray), hit the #2 spot early in the summer, and was a constant presence on other beach charts this season. She is one of two artists who have two songs in the top 20. But the amazing accomplishment is that this is the THIRD year in a row that she had dual songs on the list.
17. Juliet Callahan, "Burning Up"
This one has an unusual history. The New York City-based singer songwriter first released this song (as "Burning") back in 2022, and it reached #1 on the blog late that year. Fast forward to this summer, where she remixed the song with a slightly different title and re-released it. Thus, it went into the Top 20 all over again, peaking recently at #15, and amassing a combined 42 weeks on the blog chart.
18. Kacey Musgraves, "Cardinal"
This one sort of hit home in a sense. The country/pop/folk artist hit #4 with this song about the presence of a cardinal representing a loved one from "the other side". One of my classmate friends had recently lost his wife and had posted pictures of cardinals visiting his back yard. Something very touching.
19. Sabrina Carpenter, "Espresso"
Sabrina joins Deb Browning in having two songs on this list. In addition, the song, which peaked here at #5 and on the Billboard Hot 100 at #3, is one of two songs here also to make Billboard's Top 20 Summer Songs listing. Ms. Carpenter also had "Please Please Please" make that summer listing, giving the artist the only one to place two songs on the Billboard list.
20. The Holiday Band, "Got It Bad For You"
Beach music contingent led by Mike Taylor took a back seat this summer, with Taylor recording "I Don't Wanna Cry" as a solo entry. Meanwhile, the Holidays released several older songs to Spotify this year. One of these, "Got It Bad For You" was a hit here and reached #3.
So, what about Billboard's top two songs of the summer, that being "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen at #1, and Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" at #2? "I Had Some Help" which only peaked here at #35, landed at #71 on my summer list. As for "A Bar Song" which is the current #1 here, it came in at #50, largely because I didn't add the song until July 28, thus it got a late start. But year-end #1 status is still on the table.
If you wish to view the video on YouTube, here it is:
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves Songs of the Summer - 2010-2024
·
2010: The Black Keys, "Tighten Up"
·
2011: Rachel Allyn, "Say Hello to Goodbye"
·
2012: The Shins, "The Rifle's Spiral"
·
2013: Paul Czekaj, "At the Beach"
·
2014: The Black Keys, "Fever"
·
2015: Ed Sheeran, "Thinking Out Loud"
·
2016: Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Dark Necessities"
·
2017: Miley Cyrus, "Malibu"
·
2018: Neko Case, "Bad Luck"
·
2019: Lil Peek & ILoveMakonnen featuring Fall Out Boy,
"I've Been Waiting"
·
2020: Pepper featuring Collie Buddz,
"Change"
·
2021: ScreenAge, "Think Again"
"Change"
·
2022: Deb Browning, "3 More Minutes"
· 2023: Orbis Max with Lisa Mychols and Ed Ryan,"R U OK"
· 2024: Deb Browning and Marlisa Kay Small, “Sunshine and Summertime”
BACK TO THE CURRENT CHART: As mentioned above, Shaboozey attains the top spot with "A Bar Song", but the Top 10 is very competitive. In fact, the top 9 songs, and 11 of the top 12 are all bulleted. "Got To Be Good" by Gotts Street Park featuring Pip Millett, number one for the previous two weeks, is still gaining impressively, but is pushed down to #2 this week. Cage the Elephant's "Rainbow" is a strong #3. A little bit back but also making big gains is The Beaches' "Takes One To Know One". Two new entries in the top 10 are Jitwam's "Open Doors", and the beach music duo of Dustin Ahkuoi and Sharon Woodruff's "Back By Popular Demand". Beach music has positions 9 through 12 and making fast gains toward the top ten are Marsha Morgan's "Knockin' Down Doors" (17-11) and Steve Creek's "Last Summer" (18-12). Another shag song, Starbuck's "Jones About You", grabs Impact honors in a 22-15 advance, and is joined by other top 20 newcomers Public (21-18), and The Black Keys' "Don't Let Me Go"(26-20).
Beabadoobee's "Beaches" (78-40), last week's Top Debut, is this week's Mover. Pip Millett's "Hard Life" (57-34), Dani Zanoni's "I Know" (56-34), and Nikki Briar's "Free Fallin'" (73-49) also make gains.
NEWBIES: Sort of an off week for debuts, with only six adds, with three of them debuting on the SNS 100. The Top Debut goes to the beach music duet of Doyle Wood and Terri Gore, with "Feels Like Love to Me". Wood who fronts The Autumn Tyde Band, does frequent duets, most notably "Not Tonight (I Have a Heartache)" with Sylvia Johns Ritchie which hit top five here last year. Meanwhile, Ms. Gore, "The Original Carolina Girl" (love that moniker) hit #13 two years ago with "Summers Gonna Last". This one is perfect, essential beach music, perfect for shagging with a lot of soul attached to it. A great excuse to be beach dancing well into the fall season. It enters at #90.
"Kinky" by bby, making its blog debut, is scoring on alternative charts, and is cool, rather raw, alt-pop, that could make some noise here, coming in at #94, while Lucius enters at #100 with "Old Tape". This one, which features Adam Granduciel, is a driving song with some good harmonies. For me, this band hasn't had a big hit since "Hey Doreen", eons ago (although they've been featured on some blog hits since), but this one has a chance with many spins. It is on Triple-A airplay charts.
Three songs do enter (or re-enter) from the Tremors list. Royel Otis' "Linger"(102-89), Meghan Trainor's "Whoops" (101-93), and the return of Rivermist's "Everything's Changed" (104-97), thanks to renewed voting on some of the beach music stations in the Carolinas.
New in the Tremors section include Myles Smith's "Stargazing (Take My Heart Out)", currently #1 on the Alternative chart, Indie-band The Amplifier Heads, following up "The Best It's Gonna Be" with "They Came to Rock", and The Wheelgunners, who mid-charted last year with "Girls Alright", with "Devil's Train", the title track from their current album. This is the band that featured Italian drummer Daniele Silvestri, who has also contributed to several Orbis Max and Einsteins Dad tracks.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
September 15 -- 22, 2024
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: Where I've Been Isn't Where I'm Going |
8 |
|
2 |
1 |
6 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
8 |
|
|
4 |
5 |
5 |
|
|
5 |
6 |
8 |
|
|
6 |
7 |
7 |
|
|
7 |
13 |
5 |
|
|
8 |
9 |
8 |
|
|
9 |
11 |
7 |
|
|
10 |
10 |
13 |
|
|
11 |
17 |
8 |
|
|
12 |
18 |
12 |
|
|
13 |
16 |
9 |
|
|
14 |
4 |
13 |
|
|
15 |
22 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  (Single Release) |
5 |
|
16 |
8 |
14 |
|
|
17 |
20 |
10 |
|
|
18 |
21 |
10 |
|
|
19 |
12 |
12 |
|
|
20 |
26 |
4 |
|
|
21 |
14 |
13 |
|
|
22 |
24 |
9 |
|
|
23 |
15 |
10 |
|
|
24 |
32 |
4 |
|
|
25 |
19 |
12 |
|
|
26 |
38 |
4 |
|
|
27 |
23 |
11 |
|
|
28 |
28 |
7 |
|
|
29 |
40 |
3 |
|
|
30 |
47 |
4 |
|
|
31 |
36 |
9 |
|
|
32 |
37 |
6 |
|
|
33 |
45 |
5 |
|
|
34 |
57 |
3 |
|
|
35 |
56 |
3 |
|
|
36 |
34 |
10 |
|
|
37 |
46 |
6 |
|
|
38 |
43 |
9 |
|
|
39 |
55 |
4 |
|
|
40 |
78 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  "Beaches" Album: This is How Tomorrow Moves |
2 |
|
41 |
25 |
23 |
|
|
42 |
59 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the
Cornhole Prophets - Down With That |
4 |
|
43 |
33 |
13 |
|
|
44 |
30 |
Deb Browning and Marlisa Kay
Small -Sunshine and Summertime● |
22 |
|
45 |
63 |
4 |
|
|
46 |
35 |
15 |
|
|
47 |
54 |
8 |
|
|
48 |
29 |
15 |
|
|
49 |
73 |
3 |
|
|
50 |
27 |
12 |
|
|
51 |
44 |
Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers - Radio On |
13 |
|
52 |
31 |
15 |
|
|
53 |
39 |
17 |
|
|
54 |
62 |
7 |
|
|
55 |
52 |
8 |
|
|
56 |
41 |
18 |
|
|
57 |
58 |
6 |
|
|
58 |
42 |
16 |
|
|
59 |
65 |
7 |
|
|
60 |
49 |
12 |
|
|
61 |
66 |
3 |
|
|
62 |
48 |
17 |
|
|
63 |
69 |
10 |
|
|
64 |
70 |
6 |
|
|
65 |
74 |
4 |
|
|
66 |
50 |
11 |
|
|
67 |
51 |
17 |
|
|
68 |
53 |
10 |
|
|
69 |
92 |
2 |
|
|
70 |
80 |
5 |
|
|
71 |
76 |
16 |
|
|
72 |
97 |
2 |
|
|
73 |
98 |
2 |
|
|
74 |
64 |
15 |
|
|
75 |
67 |
20 |
|
|
76 |
72 |
42 |
|
|
77 |
60 |
13 |
|
|
78 |
91 |
3 |
|
|
79 |
68 |
4 |
|
|
80 |
99 |
2 |
|
|
81 |
71 |
22 |
|
|
82 |
61 |
9 |
|
|
83 |
96 |
2 |
|
|
84 |
77 |
7 |
|
|
85 |
75 |
7 |
|
|
86 |
86 |
14 |
|
|
87 |
94 |
31 |
|
|
88 |
87 |
27 |
|
|
89 |
102 |
1 |
|
|
90 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  (Single Release) |
1 |
|
91 |
88 |
21 |
|
|
92 |
81 |
12 |
|
|
93 |
101 |
1 |
|
|
94 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
95 |
79 |
13 |
|
|
96 |
85 |
11 |
|
|
97 |
104 |
29 |
|
|
98 |
82 |
7 |
|
|
99 |
95 |
4 |
|
|
100 |
--- |
1 |
Tremors:
101. Glass Animals - A Tear in Space (Airlock)
102. Hippo Campus - Paranoid
103. Myles Smith - Stargazing (Take My Heart Out Don't Break It)
104. Amplifier Heads - They Came To Rock
105. The Wheelgunners - Devil's Train
Tremors: Songs which have
steady or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.
Murmurs:
Orbis Max - We Shall Rise Again
Kesha - Joyride
Phantogram - Happy Again
Foster The People - See You In the Afterlife
Bad Flower - Detroit
Randy Clay Band - Simple Things
Lesley Chapman - Every Time I roll The Dice
Sylvia Johns Ritchie - I Don't Care Who Knows
Einsteins Dad - Atomic Time
Arc De Soleil - Got Caught In Amsterdam
Mavis Staples - Worthy
Linkin Park - The Emptiness Machine
Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot - Driving Me Out of Her Mind
Chappell Roan - Good Luck Babe
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.
