HELLO EVERYONE! It's been a very hectic couple of weeks--make that a couple of months. As I had mentioned before, this is a double-week blog and chart, with more on that below.
As many of you know by now, my wife and I are moving down to Conway, South Carolina early next week, and departing New Jersey after spending my whole life here. And while I know that the new area has a great music scene--revolving around, but not just confined to, Carolina beach music, the state that I am leaving is not too shabby, either. Maybe not to the point that there are radio formats and charts that measure it, but the vibe coming from the Garden State has its own history as well, with many legendary artists hailing from here.
This week marked the 15th anniversary of my first blog, which back then was just a Facebook "Note". It also had a rather generic title to it "Top 20 of the Week". When I posted it on my timeline, I got ZERO likes or comments! And while I had a bigger chart (the first week actually had 44 positions, which gradually rose to 100), it was just focused on those twenty songs. The chart when through various names, like "S.T.20" (Sheldon's Top 20), and "SoundRaves", the "Scenes 'n' Soundwaves" (which was the name of the blog when I moved to the Blogger platform in April 2011), eventually became the name of the chart as well.
The chart purported to encompass many styles of music as I wanted to put my own personal stamp on it. I wanted to include the favorable national hits on the Hot 100, plus some specialty formats like alternative. But I also wanted to include the up-and-coming, emerging indie artists, some of them on a very local level.
On my first chart, dated August 23, 2010 included Rachel Allyn, a then-aspiring artist who hailed from Ogdensburg, NJ. Rachel had been going to college in Nashville, and during her time there, played many of the clubs in town, then came back to New Jersey and performed at local spots in the Lake Hopatcong area. We had met her parents who were managing her at the time, and went to her many gigs---either solo, as part of a duo, and also with her full band.
Rachel was getting some great breaks on her journey, winning a New Jersey country radio station's contest as the station's "house band", and locally opening up for some big acts like Kenny Rogers and Little Big Town. She scored four number ones on the SNS 100, and released three albums or EPs. Unfortunately by 2017 her luck was running out and called it quits.
But Rachel Allyn wasn't the only local artist I supported. There are many, including those playing original music, and I was fortunate to cross paths with. And while newer music from name acts from the state, such as Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Little Steven, and onward to recent My Chemical Romance, Bleachers, Halsey, The Gaslight Anthem and Real Estate have made their mark on my chart, there are others who are emerging, either playing and writing for their own pleasure, or trying to make a name for themselves.
Here is a partial list of those that I have supported over the years:
Rachel Allyn
Christina Alessi and the Toll Collectors
The Outcrops
The Mungers
The Hounds of Winter
Sarah Teti
Paul Czekaj
Elise Farnsworth
Emily MacMahon (ScreenAge/Colorjoy)
Ryan Chatelain (The Dust-Ups)
Charlotte Sessions
Dw Dunphy (Orbis Max)
Ken Johnston (KJBand)
C. Lynne Smith
King Tappa
Phoebe Ryan (she actually made the Billboard Hot 100 featured on The Chainsmokers' "All We Know")
The Cynz
Pollyanna
After the Reign
Spinn
There are, of course, many others out there; go to any club or establishment and you can hear a lot of talent just waiting for their big break. And I left out Karen Wallo, a Jersey girl who moved to....South Carolina and currently fronts Rendezvous. More on that in a future blog.
To all those artists from the Garden State, thank you for contributing to my life's soundtrack all these years.
And even though I am no longer living there, I will still follow and support music from New Jersey artists, and I intend on making trips back there and checking out some of the gigs.
HOT 100: Last week, Alex Warren's "Ordinary" retook the #1 spot for a 10th week, replacing HUNTER/X's "Golden", but this week, only to have the latter get back to the top spot, for a second overall week. The song also debuts on SNS at #87. While "A Bar Song" finally drops out of the top 10 (#13), "Lose Control" continues its run there, now #7 in week 105. That's more than two years on the chart, and obviously, the song is still listed, after speculation that Billboard might expand a recurrent rule. But it remains to be seen whether it might be removed if it actually gets below #10. The song won't budge, so this will be a wait and see thing
SNS 100: Rhonda McDaniel's "Sad Girl" holds onto the #1 blog position in a tough battle at the top of SNS. Steve Cheek's "Beach Walkin'" and The Black Keys' "No Rain, No Flowers" switch positions 2 and 3, with the latter, a former four-week #1, actually gaining back a point. Close behind is "We Don't Have to Be Alone" by Thee Sacred Souls. Any of them could get the top spot next week, although the Mover of the Week, "My Mama (She Was Right)" by The Jay Vons (17-7) could sneak in there. The Tams' "My True Love" gets a "backward bullet" despite still gaining.
The only new entry into the top 20, and getting the Impact award, is the 16-year old track "505" by The Arctic Monkeys (29-17).
NEW: The Top Debut goes to the latest from Ruth Morayniss, "All I Need". The Toronto-based singer-songwriter has a country-rock gem here. This is a stronger song than "Easy Does It", which nonetheless enters the top 40 this week. Ruth sings with her heart and soul here. The production is top notch, and should put her back in the top 10. The song debuts at #81. Jersey rockers The Cynz returns with "Can't Help Thinking About Me". This is a vintage Brit-invasion/new-wave concoction that is very catchy, and is their best since they originally entered the chart. This originally was done by David Bowie in the mid-1960's, which very much explains the sound. As such, the song has a male vocal, possibly by member Henry Seiz.
Also, with a sixties sounds is the latest from punk-surf rockers Los Straitjackets, with "Spinout". The masked musicians (who I saw perform at the WNTI Stage concert in New Jersey ten years ago), are in rare form. They seem to enter a 55-year time warp. With summer in its final stages, this is a nice send-off.
ALSO: HUNTER/X, as mentioned above, debuts here. It took a couple of listens to appreciate it. It is well produced; it does have a P!nk-ish vibe to it...Craig Woolard's "Pretty Women Everywhere" is on several beach charts, but this sounds more like a rock/poppish thing. It has sort of a Mitch Ryder vibe or early Bob Seger, and the chorus is pretty much Bruce Channel's "Hey Baby". An interesting mixture.....Wolf Alice's "Bloom Baby Bloom" is near the top of alternative charts. has several changes in tempo during the course of the song, yet it's catchy.....In the weird catagory is Ariel Pink's With You Every Night", this guy seems to be on some kind of trip. Sort of "Sgt Pepper"-ish, but then again, this is the guy who rode "Crybaby" into the top five a few years back.....Finally, we have Boston Irish-American rockers Dropkick Murphys with "Who'll Stand With Us". A bit of politically-feud, power-to-the-people anthem complete with bagpipes and such. Interesting!
FINALLY: This is my last blog before I move to South Carolina. It'll probably take a few weeks to get back online. When I do return, I will talk about the future of this blog, and other projects I may be doing. There is also the "Song of the Summer" contest, which may run another week or two, depending on when I get back online.
Also, I have changed my email address; you can reach me at:
rsheldonx8404@gmail.com
..as my current email address will be going away as of September 2. Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
August 17 /24, 2025
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
1 |
NUMBER ONE:  "Sad Girl" Album: Reaching For the Top (2 weeks at #1) |
10 |
|
2 |
3 |
11 |
|
|
3 |
2 |
10 |
|
|
4 |
4 |
9 |
|
|
5 |
5 |
12 |
|
|
6 |
6 |
8 |
|
|
7 |
17 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: The Word |
4 |
|
8 |
7 |
The
Tams - My True Love |
7 |
|
9 |
10 |
10 |
|
|
10 |
9 |
8 |
|
|
11 |
13 |
11 |
|
|
12 |
12 |
11 |
|
|
13 |
8 |
13 |
|
|
14 |
16 |
Juliet
Callahan - Running Lights |
7 |
|
15 |
15 |
12 |
|
|
16 |
14 |
14 |
|
|
17 |
29 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  "505" Album: Favorite Worst Nightmare |
4 |
|
18 |
19 |
8 |
|
|
19 |
11 |
13 |
|
|
20 |
20 |
8 |
|
|
21 |
23 |
8 |
|
|
22 |
28 |
5 |
|
|
23 |
26 |
15 |
|
|
24 |
27 |
9 |
|
|
25 |
18 |
9 |
|
|
26 |
21 |
16 |
|
|
27 |
30 |
12 |
|
|
28 |
47 |
3 |
|
|
29 |
22 |
15 |
|
|
30 |
25 |
16 |
|
|
31 |
32 |
12 |
|
|
32 |
37 |
8 |
|
|
33 |
38 |
6 |
|
|
34 |
39 |
7 |
|
|
35 |
24 |
10 |
|
|
36 |
34 |
18 |
|
|
37 |
40 |
9 |
|
|
38 |
31 |
20 |
|
|
39 |
35 |
21 |
|
|
40 |
43 |
Ruth
Morayniss - Easy Does It |
7 |
|
41 |
45 |
KALEO
-Bloodline |
7 |
|
42 |
49 |
6 |
|
|
43 |
33 |
26 |
|
|
44 |
58 |
4 |
|
|
45 |
54 |
7 |
|
|
46 |
55 |
6 |
|
|
47 |
53 |
11 |
|
|
48 |
61 |
4 |
|
|
49 |
41 |
21 |
|
|
50 |
65 |
3 |
|
|
51 |
36 |
15 |
|
|
52 |
51 |
20 |
|
|
53 |
57 |
5 |
|
|
54 |
75 |
2 |
|
|
55 |
62 |
5 |
|
|
56 |
42 |
13 |
|
|
57 |
60 |
9 |
|
|
58 |
76 |
3 |
|
|
59 |
52 |
9 |
|
|
60 |
70 |
4 |
|
|
61 |
44 |
12 |
|
|
62 |
68 |
5 |
|
|
63 |
69 |
Sonny Russell
and Cannonball Joe - Carolina Sunshine Is Calling Me |
5 |
|
64 |
63 |
23 |
|
|
65 |
81 |
2 |
|
|
66 |
66 |
6 |
|
|
67 |
46 |
13 |
|
|
68 |
59 |
MT
Jones - Punching |
7 |
|
69 |
89 |
2 |
|
|
70 |
48 |
15 |
|
|
71 |
83 |
2 |
|
|
72 |
50 |
14 |
|
|
73 |
79 |
3 |
|
|
74 |
74 |
Psychic
Air - Phase Disintegrate |
7 |
|
75 |
78 |
4 |
|
|
76 |
56 |
8 |
|
|
77 |
64 |
17 |
|
|
78 |
86 |
3 |
|
|
79 |
67 |
9 |
|
|
80 |
91 |
2 |
|
|
81 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  RUTH MORAYNISS "All I Need" (Single Release) |
1 |
|
82 |
82 |
4 |
|
|
83 |
--- |
The
Cynz -Can't Help Thinking About Me |
1 |
|
84 |
--- |
Los
Staitjackets - Spinout |
1 |
|
85 |
71 |
13 |
|
|
86 |
94 |
2 |
|
|
87 |
--- |
HUNTER/X
- Golden |
1 |
|
88 |
95 |
2 |
|
|
89 |
--- |
Craig
Woodlard - Pretty Women Everywhere |
1 |
|
90 |
80 |
13 |
|
|
91 |
--- |
Wolf
Alice - Bloom Baby Bloom |
1 |
|
92 |
72 |
12 |
|
|
93 |
73 |
Easha -
Stunning |
7 |
|
94 |
--- |
Ariel
Pink - With You Every Night |
1 |
|
95 |
--- |
Dropkick
Murphys - Who'll Stand With Us |
1 |
|
96 |
88 |
20 |
|
|
97 |
77 |
10 |
|
|
98 |
87 |
10 |
|
|
99 |
93 |
16 |
|
|
100 |
85 |
25 |
Murmurs:
Margo Price - Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down
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
●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.
