EXTRA-ORDINARY: Alex Warren finally breaks through to the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Ordinary". Unlike many recent songs, it took the slow road to the top. It made its way through the top 10, but appeared to hit a roadblock thanks to the latest long-running #1, that being "Luther" by Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA. But last week, despite Morgan Wallen's album drop which included the top three songs, "Ordinary" snuck ahead of "Luther" despite it dropping to #4.
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| Alex Warren grabs his first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Ordinary" |
But this week, it rises to #1, dropping the three Wallen tracks to 2, 3 and 4. "Luther" holds at #5, and the rest of the top 10 (and most of the 20 for that matter) just haven't moved. "A Bar Song", in spite of Shaboozey's subsequent records which seem to be ignored, moves back ahead of "Die With a Smile" for the 6 and 7 spots. "Lose Control", now in its record-extending 93rd week moves back 11-8. "Beautiful Things" moves 14-10 in week 70. Forget her "Wildflower", it's still about Billie Eilish's "Birds of a Feather" (17-13 in week 54. While "Pink Pony Club" has logged 50 weeks, I'm a little less concerned because I just added the song recently, but that's just too long a run for the Hot 100. And although I haven't mentioned it lately, "I Had Some Help", by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen--last year's Billboard "Song of the Summer", is STILL in the top 20 as THIS summer begins. It had just beat out "A Bar Song" for that honor last year, and both songs are still up there.
I'm getting blue in the face, but this is ridiculous now. Between stick-in-the-mud pop music streamers who just won't let go of their favorite song playlists, to terrestrial radio stations who stay on a record ad infinitum because listeners just love songs they know, the chart is becoming a joke.
But that's just one problem. The other is the multiple tracks entering the chart when a new album is released. I mentioned this last week because of Morgan Wallen's 37-tracks debuting on the Hot 100, most of which stay on the chart this week.
For that, in my opinion, you can trace this back to the record labels holding back singles in the 1990's, just in order to sell albums. It was the thought that singles "cannibalized" album sales; consumers would rather buy a $3 physical single (cassette or CD) than pay $19 for a CD just to get one track. Funny though, that wasn't a problem in the 1970's when singles didn't seem to hurt album sales then. Of course, that was back in the day when almost every track on an album was excellent; it wasn't that way in the 90's.
I blogged recently about "sharing" music, and with the age of the Internet, music lovers took to Napster, an online file sharing service. CD's are digital and can be downloaded to mp3 files and thus shared to this site. While the intention was for others using the service to listen and "trade" files, it instead became a new way to copy the files to make playlists. In other words, "singles" that radio played constantly but you couldn't buy, were now ripe for the taking by downloading the song.
While the industry managed to shut down Napster and its many like platforms, they learned a lesson the hard way. Thus sites like iTunes, and Amazon started offering mp3 files for purchase when the labels realized that this was the way music was headed. While many say that the horses all escaped from the barn, so to speak, it opened up a new trend for purchasing music. You can buy any track you like from an album.
Eventually, that translated into streaming, where once again, you can listen to any track separately from an album. But in both the cases of digital downloads and streaming, ANY track is eligible to chart. And when an album comes out, superstars like Wallen, Drake and Taylor Swift are likely to debut multiple tracks from it on the chart. While many exit quickly, a few of them stay on ad Infinium.
But what can you do? Can you limit what is eligible to chart based on what is supposed to be the single? In this age, though, does it matter what the single is, especially with many artists releasing songs in advance from an album every couple of weeks (the SNS 100's two Top Debuts this week, for example are from that situation)?.
Is there anything Billboard can do about this, aside from just letting it be? It's supposed to be an accurate account for what's popular these days, but between the multiple tracks drop and the songs that won't move, is it worth all the agony?
A few articles for further reading:
Hit Songs Are Lasting Longer on the Charts – But Why? |
| Deb Browning scores her 8th SNS 100 #1 hit with "Does Your Baby Got Your Back" |
SNS 100: On my blog chart, it's a different ballgame, one that seems to be played these days by only two people: Deb Browning and Michael Fite. Two weeks ago, their duet, "I Never Wanted To" hit the top spot, only to be eclipsed by Fite's group The Mac Daddy's Band, which rose to the top with "Seaside in the Sand". But Deb strikes back this week with her latest solo outing, "Does Your Baby Got Your Back" which moves from #4 to #1.
The song becomes her 8th SNS 100 chart topper. That puts her in third place behind Fitz and the Tantrums who have 12, and The Black Keys, who recently nabbed their 9th number one with "The Night Before". Both of those acts are still active, with two entries this week for Fitz and the gang, and three for the Keys.
If you just confine the list to women, Deb is also in third place. Noelle Skaggs, the lone female member of the Tantrums, has 12. Emily MacMahon is next with 9, having garnered that total with her former band ScreenAge. who reeled off six blog-toppers, 2 with her current band Colorjoy, and one solo outing.
As for Deb, "...Back" is her fourth strictly solo #1, and her first since "Think I Found Forever" two years ago. She's been involved in four duets: two with The Six Piece Suits, one with her gig partner Marlisa Kay Small, and one with Michael Fite. She scored four #1's in 2022 alone, another one in '23, another last year, and now two in 2025. And of course, she's had the year-end #1 song three years running, unprecedented since I started keeping year-end lists in 1964.
"Does Your Baby Got Your Back" is the fourth straight Carolina beach music song to hit #1 on Scenes 'n' Soundwaves, following Sylvia Johns Ritchie's "My Heart Knows You By Heart", "I Never Wanted To", and "Seaside in the Sand". It's the sixth beach song to hit the top this year. just two off the eight that topped my chart in 2023. In addition, five of the top six are in the beach category as well.
The only new entry in the Top 10 is "Black Doves" by Einsteins Dad featuring Ruth Morayniss, but the big news in the top 20 is the sharp rise of Kelly Clarkson's "Where Have You Been", moving 43-18 and grabbing Impact honors. When she performed the song on the season finale of The Voice, streams for that song rose sharply. However, it still wasn't enough to chart on the Hot 100. Don't get me started.
Pepper Creek's "Salty Southern Saturday Night" also enters the top 20 (23-19), for their second straight hit in that region, following "We're Cruis'n" which rose to #6 earlier this year.
The Mover of the Week belongs to Steve Cheek's "Beach Walkin'" (85-59) , just nosing out Siki Waterhouse's "Dream Woman" (60-38) for the honor.
NEWBIES: The Black Keys, as I touched upon earlier, have released two new songs after their multi-chart #1 with "The Night Before". While "Babygirl" was released a few weeks ago, and it debuts high at #65, it appears the go-to single will be "No Rain, No Flowers", the title track from their latest album. That one captures the Top Debut at #54. But they are both awesome songs. "Babygirl" is a little haunting with a cool piano accompaniment to start, very bluesy, and soulful. It has sort of a "My Sharona" beat, but the whole combination works; the duo's pop sensibility is in full effect. Meanwhile "No Rain, No Flowers", also shows off their pop prowess with a steady beat. Also a bit gutsy, this is already added to some alternative stations. The last twin-debut from the band, from last year's Ohio Players set, both hit top 20. But this tandem is much stronger. Could it be number ones 10 and 11? Possible. There's a reason why I love this band.
We also have the latest from beach music singer deluxe, Rhonda McDaniel, with "Sad Girl". I was trying to find out if this was a cover, but I came up empty in my findings. If this is an original, then Ms. McDaniel has created a retro gem that harkens back to acts like The Tams, or some of the early 1970's R&B on labels like Hot Wax. Her voice, as always is suited to these kinds of songs. Rhonda hit #1 with The Carolina Coast Band three years ago with "The Thing About You"; this is her best since then.
One of the most consistent beach bands out there, Rivermist, follows its top 10 "Oceans Apart" with "Lady of the Island". This one has sort of a Latin-tinged, Santana-like sound. This definitely takes you to the tropics. This band keeps coming up with something new, and they are among the best when it comes to videos. Already making noise in beach circles, it should add to their hit string.
Although she has had some success on the Triple-A airplay charts in the late 2010's (and U.K. success in the early part of that decade), it was her appearance in a few episodes of the series Loudermilk, broadcast last year on Netflix (but originally released in 2020), that got me to appreciate her music; Lissie's "Night Moves", from her last album, reached #1 on SNS last year. She is her back with her latest, "I'll Stand By You", originally a hit in 1994 for Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders. For the most part, it's true to the original, a tender ballad, although her voice leans more towards Stevie Nicks, but does have Chrissie's texture.
The Canadian femme quartet The Beaches are back once more with "Did I Say Too Much", and their take on power pop is in full force here. They don't stray from the formula that has them on a blog winning streak (but unfortunately not on alternative stations). This one has a bit more emotion to it, and regardless, it should add to their top 40 blog streak.
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| Bartees Strange debuts at #98 with "Sober" |
Next is an artist recommended to my by my friend Deepti, as I mentioned a few weeks back; "Sober" by Bartees Strange. His latest album Horror is one from personal experience, and the songs on it echo many styles and genres. His influences include Fleetwood Mac, which this track resembles a bit. Other influences include Teddy Pendergrass, Parlament/Funkadelic, and Neil Young. The song really cooks and could be a sleeper hit.
Finally, we have Trousdale's "Growing Pains". The band is a female trio, and was recently featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show. The song is definitely in the pop and country lanes, and just keeps on coming at you. The more you hear it, the better it is.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
June 1, 2025
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|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
4 |
NUMBER ONE:  "Does Your Baby Got Your Back" (Single Release) |
7 |
|
2 |
1 |
9 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
11 |
|
|
4 |
6 |
7 |
|
|
5 |
2 |
14 |
|
|
6 |
10 |
11 |
|
|
7 |
11 |
11 |
|
|
8 |
9 |
12 |
|
|
9 |
12 |
16 |
|
|
10 |
7 |
12 |
|
|
11 |
5 |
15 |
|
|
12 |
18 |
6 |
|
|
13 |
16 |
12 |
|
|
14 |
17 |
6 |
|
|
15 |
15 |
10 |
|
|
16 |
20 |
6 |
|
|
17 |
13 |
11 |
|
|
18 |
43 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  (Single Release) |
4 |
|
19 |
23 |
5 |
|
|
20 |
8 |
14 |
|
|
21 |
22 |
8 |
|
|
22 |
27 |
7 |
|
|
23 |
26 |
12 |
|
|
24 |
33 |
4 |
|
|
25 |
29 |
8 |
|
|
26 |
31 |
17 |
|
|
27 |
34 |
6 |
|
|
28 |
32 |
6 |
|
|
29 |
36 |
6 |
|
|
30 |
19 |
13 |
|
|
31 |
35 |
The Six Piece
Suits ft. Nina Starsong - Lovers Into
Strangers |
17 |
|
32 |
14 |
9 |
|
|
33 |
21 |
13 |
|
|
34 |
24 |
11 |
|
|
35 |
37 |
15 |
|
|
36 |
38 |
8 |
|
|
37 |
28 |
10 |
|
|
38 |
60 |
3 |
|
|
39 |
25 |
14 |
|
|
40 |
41 |
9 |
|
|
41 |
45 |
17 |
|
|
42 |
51 |
4 |
|
|
43 |
46 |
7 |
|
|
44 |
40 |
10 |
|
|
45 |
47 |
19 |
|
|
46 |
48 |
6 |
|
|
47 |
53 |
4 |
|
|
48 |
50 |
8 |
|
|
49 |
59 |
3 |
|
|
50 |
61 |
3 |
|
|
51 |
49 |
11 |
|
|
52 |
30 |
17 |
|
|
53 |
39 |
19 |
|
|
54 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  Album: No Rain, No Flowers |
1 |
|
55 |
57 |
5 |
|
|
56 |
62 |
5 |
|
|
57 |
65 |
4 |
|
|
58 |
42 |
11 |
|
|
59 |
85 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  (Single Release) |
2 |
|
60 |
64 |
7 |
|
|
61 |
44 |
17 |
|
|
62 |
76 |
3 |
|
|
63 |
69 |
4 |
|
|
64 |
83 |
2 |
|
|
65 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
66 |
67 |
5 |
|
|
67 |
71 |
6 |
|
|
68 |
89 |
2 |
|
|
69 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
70 |
75 |
4 |
|
|
71 |
81 |
3 |
|
|
72 |
68 |
5 |
|
|
73 |
73 |
8 |
|
|
74 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
75 |
82 |
3 |
|
|
76 |
52 |
18 |
|
|
77 |
78 |
5 |
|
|
78 |
55 |
16 |
|
|
79 |
87 |
3 |
|
|
80 |
54 |
9 |
|
|
81 |
84 |
3 |
|
|
82 |
91 |
2 |
|
|
83 |
56 |
16 |
|
|
84 |
97 |
2 |
|
|
85 |
63 |
13 |
|
|
86 |
95 |
2 |
|
|
87 |
86 |
4 |
|
|
88 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
89 |
94 |
19 |
|
|
90 |
77 |
37 |
|
|
91 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
92 |
102 |
1 |
|
|
93 |
58 |
15 |
|
|
94 |
74 |
18 |
|
|
95 |
66 |
12 |
|
|
96 |
72 |
13 |
|
|
97 |
103 |
1 |
|
|
98 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
99 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
100 |
101 |
1 |
Tremors:
101. Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae, What I Want
102. The Pink Slips Band, God Is Great
Tremors: Songs which have steady
or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.
Murmurs:
Michael Nau - Montrose Tape
MT Jones - Punching
Lord Huron - Nothing I Need
Suki Waterhouse - On This Love
Moon Soul - Call
Shaboozey and Jelly Roll - Amen
Balu Brigada - The Question
Grace Bowers and the Hodge Podge - Going to California
Roger Smith, Just Give Me a Beach
John Foster - Tell That Angel That I Love Her
Thee Sacred Souls - We Don't Have to Be Alone
Ed Sheeran - Sapphire
Orbis Max and Tim izzard - Summerville
My Morning Jacket - Everyday Magic
Wednesday - Elderberry Wine
Lainey Wilson - Somewhere Over Laredo
Jalen Ngonda -Just As Long As We're Together
Sad Girl - Santeria
Lana Del Rey, Bluebird/Sad Girl
Murmurs: Songs which are in the
queue for future adds onto the Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist.
●Songs garnering 25 plays
on Spotify (“Scrobbles”) according to Last.Fm (effective October 2024) ▲ Songs garnering 50 plays.
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 that have not reached the top 40
Scenes
Down and Going: Song formerly in the top 40 that are
descending 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.
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