This is my review of the year that has just gone by, and if it's sort of a "deja vu" from the last few, you can certainly be forgiven.
For an unprecedented fourth year in a row, Deb Browning has the top song of the year on the Scenes 'n' Soundwaves Top 100 of the year. "I Never Wanted To", a duet with Michael Fite of The Mac Daddy's Band, captured the number one slot on my annual year-end list, which is based on my weekly blog chart.
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| Deb Browning and Michael Fite's "I Never Wanted To" is the #1 song for 2025. For Ms. Browning it's her fourth consecutive honor. |
The beach music singer/songwriter now has more year-end chart toppers than anyone else, breaking a tie with The Beatles, who reigned with "She Loves You" in 1964, "Help!" the following year, and "Hey Jude" in 1968.
Deb first entered the SNS 100 back in 2021 with "Stop Messin' With My Man", which hit top 10 and landed in the #24 year-end tally that year. But that was just the beginning, as she topped the 2022 list with "3 More Minutes", repeated that feat in 2023 with "Think I Found Forever". She then "three-peated" in 2024 with her duet with Marlisa Kay Small, "Sunshine and Summertime", before completing her grand slam with Michael Fite on "I Never Wanted To". Deb also scored a solo number one with "Does Your Baby Got Your Back", bringing her total blog-toppers to 8, third on the all-time list.
It was a big year for Carolina beach music as a record ten songs from that genre hit the top spot this year. The top 100 also claimed 30 songs in that genre, also a yearly record. While some of the biggest pop hits from the Billboard Hot 100 also made inroads here, the trends here were, aside from beach music, retro soul acts making a big contribution, as did several indie acts, in addition to the annual cross section of alternative music. Another trend here was the discovery of songs and artists that came out a few years back, but were either featured in television shows and movies, or suggested by Spotify. For example, the #2 record, "No Quit" by Michael Nau, was released back in 2016. Another track from that album, "Love Survive" was featured in a show Running Point, starring Kate Hudson, and while I was going to feature that track, "No Quit" stood out. And while Nau did release an album this year, neither of the two singles could even break the top 100.
At number three is a band that has dominated SNS right from the start, The Black Keys. The duo scored with "No Rain, No Flowers", which was the title track from their latest album, released this year. Like Deb, they also topped the chart with "The Night Before", upping their total to 10 chart-toppers, second only to Fitz and the Tantrums' 12.
Another with two number ones on the year is by a band that came in at #4, The Jay Vons, with "Days Undone". This was a gem that was released in 2019, although videos of this band, which has roots in New Jersey, New York and Long Island are dated from 2012. The song was suggested by Spotify, and from an awesome album The Word. The quartet would score here with a second number one, "My Mama (She Was Right)". Unlike Michael Nau, the band hasn't released anything since, inviting speculation that the band may no longer be together. Hopefully, that's not the case.
Beach music takes the next four spots on the list. Jerry Powell, who had this year's "Song of the Summer" comes in at #5 with "Dance With Me", while Rhonda McDaniel's retro-sounding "Sad Girl" is at #6. Steve Cheek's "Beach Walkin'" is at #7, while Michael Fite's outfit, The Mac Daddy's Band scored with "Seaside in the Sand" at #8.
Interrupting the beach blitz is a song that probably would have fit in with some beach music, the retro soul band Thee Sacred Souls with "My Heart Is Drowning", at #9.
Probably the biggest surprise is the number ten song, "My True Love" by classic soul and beach artists, The Tams. Written by contemporary beach music artist Charlie Sattenfield, the song captures the feel of the golden age of the genre. While it's uncertain if The Tams have any original members, there does seem to be a connection to the 1960's-era group. Regardless, it's the first time the group has made my year-end list since 1968's "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" was on the list. Just missing the top ten was "Pretty Lady" by North Tower, a cover of a Lighthouse song from 1973. The band set a record, still active, with an eleven-week run (and counting) on the SNS 100.
While The Tams represented the 1960's, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, a fave group from the seventies, represented that decade with "60 Years Ago". Despite having only one original member, Randy Bachman (who also was with The Guess Who), the band toured extensively in 2025. That song featured former member Fred Turner, who shared lead vocals with Bachman, but who is retired from touring. The 80's were represented by The Cure, who landed high with "Fragile Thing", their first release in sixteen years, Songs of a Lost World, which came out in late 2024. Sadly in late 2025, the band lost their guitarist since 1991, Perry Bamonte.
The Black Keys had the most entries with four, as two other cuts from their latest album also made the list. Deb Browning had three, the two mentioned above, plus another song with Michael Fite, "Getaway Car". Fite would also appear on three; the two Browning duets and as lead singer of The Mac Daddy's Band.
Other acts with three songs on the year-end list include beach/blues band Pepper Creek, and Canadian indie artist Ruth Morayniss.
A list of acts with two entries include the following: The Jay Vons, Rhonda McDaniel, Thee Sacred Souls, Sylvia Johns Ritchie (including a duet with The Tonez, who also had two songs), My Morning Jacket, The Six Piece Suits, Rivermist, Lady Gaga (including a duet with Bruno Mars, "Die With a Smile" that landed in Billboard's top year-end slot), Starbuck, Moon Soul, MT Jones, Fitz and the Tantrums, Jalen Ngonda, Chappell Roan, Teddy Swims, and Balu Brigada.
Probably the biggest disappointment this year was the lack of any country songs or artists on the list. While that genre was still high profile in 2025, no songs from that genre hit the top 100. Coming close were Lainey Wilson's "4X4XU" at #103, Blake Shelton's "Texas" at #115, and Thomas Rhett and Teddy Swims' "Somethin' Bout A Woman" at #116, despite it peaking at #3. That song, which also scored in some beach circles, had a relatively short chart life (16 weeks) and lost much of its points as it was on for several weeks in 2024.
Another notable trend, at least for me on my chart, but also nationally, was discovering songs that had been out several years. Aside from the aforementioned Michael Dau and The Jay Vons entries, Arctic Monkeys made the list with "505", a song originally released in 2007, but didn't hit the Billboard "Bubbling Under" chart until 2022 and only discovered by me this year. And Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club", despite it being in Billboard's top ten for several weeks in 2025, was actually released in 2020.
The biggest criticism of the national charts was the very little movement on the Billboard Hot 100, as many songs that hit the top in 2024 were still kicking around near the top in 2025, and those released early in '25 stuck around almost until the end, when either they were affected by Billboard's revision of the recurrent rule, Taylor Swift's chart blitz, or the annual onslaught of holiday records. And while they didn't hang around here, many did chart well here. They include Alex Warren's "Ordinary", Huntrix's "Golden", Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club", Sabrina Carpenter's "Manchild" and the aforementioned Lady Gaga-Bruno Mars duet.
The alternative and Triple-A formats, while not the force they once were also had some moments. Hits in those formats included those from The Black Keys, Balu Brigada, Almost Monday, Lola Young and Billie Eilish.
Click above for the Top 100 of 2025 video, or scroll down below for the actual list.
S-W-E-E-P! Turning to this week's Billboard Hot 100, which is the final one of the holiday season, Mariah Carey once again sweeps it with "All I Want For Christmas Is You", garnering its fourth week atop the chart, and extending its overall record to 22 weeks in the top spot. The chart also sets a record as the top 24 spots are all holiday songs. In fact, only four non-holiday entries are in the top 50, the section where returning holiday songs are allowed to re-enter.'
The top five are exactly the same as they ended last year, although there was scrambling among the top 4 this year. Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas" tree, winds up again at #2, after dropping to 3 for a couple of weeks. Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" after setting its new high of 2 last week, retreats back to #3, although finishing ahead of its 4 position last year. Wham!'s "Last Christmas", which for a while appeared to unseat Mariah, and got to a new #2 high, faded back to #4, one position lower than last year. Ariana Grande's "Santa Tell Me" equaled last year's peak position of #5.
Nat "King" Cole's "The Christmas Song" set a new peak at #6, Dean Martin's "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" did the same at #7. While Kelly Clarkson's "Underneath the Tree" dipped a spot to #8, it did set a new high the week before at #7.
Other holiday songs equaling and setting new highs include Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" at #14, Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" (#19), Vince Guaraldi Trio's "Christmas Time Is Here" (#23), Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" (#26), Jonas Brothers' "Like It's Christmas" (#27), Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande's "Santa, Can't You Hear Me" (#30). Despite just missing its peak with "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (at #13, one off its 12 peak), Michael Bublé's version of "Holly Jolly Christmas" set a new peak of #33, as opposed to Burl Ives' original version at #12, well of its #4 peak.
Also, Dean Martin's "Baby It's Cold Outside", making a "comeback" of sort, posting a new high of #35, Ed Sheeran and Elton John's "Merry Christmas" (#37), and Darlene Love's "Winter Wonderland" (#40).
New entries making the top 50 included Sia's "Snowman" (#40), second week overall; Jackson 5's "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" at #44, second week, just behind the quintet's "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"; Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton's "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" also second chart week. Two Bing Crosby entries "Mele Kalikimka" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" complete the top 50.
Gwen Stefani's "Shake the Snow Globe" on for the first time in 2025, and as a result can chart anywhere in the top 100, finished at #55. Two new holiday debuts this week, that being Olivia Dean's version of "The Christmas Song" at #88 and Fall Out Boy's "It Feels Like Christmas" at #94.
All this is a good sign in that, while rather subtle, tastes can change from season to season. Now if we can just wean people off of Mariah Carey.......
Wishing all my readers a very Safe, Healthy and Happy New Year!
Scenes 'n' Soundwaves Top 100 of 2025
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The
Tams - My True Love● |
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The Six Piece
Suits ft. Nina Starsong - Lovers Into
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HUNTR/X
- Golden |
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Juliet
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(Rob Sheldon
is a music fan who has followed music trends the past 60 years, and covers new
and classic music, specializing in pop, rock, alternative, beach, soul and
country genres). He can be contacted
at rsheldonx4804@gmail.com
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