Carolina Beach Music Artists Gear Up for the Season (SNS week of 3/15/2026)

 AS STARBUCK lands its fourth #1 on this week's Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100 with "Robusto" and also topping Don Mark's Surfside survey for a second week; and Bruno Mars' "I Just Might", last week's #1 on SNS (and Billboard) is at #2 but also crossing over to two of the beach music charts, it's the first day of spring as I write this, and many of the artists down here are preparing (or have just release) new songs that hopefully will compete for attention not only this spring, but into the summer, hoping to have this year's "song of the summer".     

We've already seen new releases from Steve Cheek, whose self-penned "Sugar in My Coffee" is up to #24 this week, The Main Event Band's "I Shiver" right behind at #26; "Bad Time", the latest from The Mac Daddy's Band at #43, "Catch a Ride" from The Pink Slips at #49, Terri Gore's "Broken Dreams" debuting at #92, as well as entries by Salt Luvs Pepper, Groove Harbor, and Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets.  And of course, Sylvia Johns Ritchie, Jennifer Licko and Rivermist are entrenched in the current top 20. But many artists are due to release new music soon.

With spring comes warmer weather, and while we had a few warm, summer-like days down here in the Grand Strand, we've had some chilly weather as well.   But by April, things should consistently warm up for good.  Later that month is the annual Spring SOS (Society of Stranders) and that week will include performances by many current beach music artists.    Between April 16th and the 25th, performers at the Spanish Galleon include The Band of Oz, The Catalinas, The Tonez, Too Much Sylvia, The Embers (featuring Craig Woolard), Jim Quick and Coastline, and North Tower, whose "Pretty Lady" is STILL atop several beach music surveys, half a year after its release.

Meanwhile at the nearby Fat Harold's Beach Club, also in North Myrtle Beach during that time, in addition to the acts also playing the Galleon, include Rivermist, Sea Cruz, and Gary Lowder & Smokin' Hot.

Jennifer James is one of several Carolina Beach Music acts due to release new music this spring.   Her "Takin' It Easy" drops on March 27.

As for new releases, what can we expect in the next few weeks?  

• Jennifer James, coming off her "Carolina's Home" #3 smash, is releasing "Takin' It Easy" on March 27.
• The Tams, which had a massive comeback with "My True Love", hitting #2 last year, will be back with "I Tried", due April 15.
• Starbuck isn't resting on its laurels.   Bruce Blackman's project will follow up to the chart-topping "Robusto" with "Red Cadillac", with a release date in a few weeks.
• It's not spring without a new Deb Browning duet.  Having scored 2024 "song of the summer" honors with Marlisa Kay Small, and last year in contention with Michael Fite, a planned pairing with The Pink Slips' lead singer Townshend Link is due sometime soon.
• The Tonez, who scored last year with "Flip Flops" and "Ladies Man", return this week with "NMB SC (That's Where I Wanna Be)"
• The Six Piece Suits, fresh off of "He Doesn't Have a Clue", have just released "Love Felony".
• Jerry Powell, who had last year's "song of the summer" with "Dance With Me", is hinting at new music to be released soon.

HOT 100:  Turning to the big chart, it's a continuation of a merry-go-round at the top spot.   While the songs are repeats, it's a different one each week.   Ella Langley is back at the top with "Choosin' Texas", replacing "I Just Might" by Bruno Mars.   The Mars song was originally #1 for two consecutive weeks back  in January, but no song has repeated since then.   Harry Styles' "Aperture" had one week, followed by "Choosin' Texas".  Bad Bunny was next with "DTMF", followed by Taylor Swift's "Opalite" for a week.    "Choosin' Texas" returned for a second week, then was replaced again with "I Just Might", and now Ella Langley is back for a third nonconsecutive week.  

Olivia Dean's "Man I Need" continues its 2-3 pattern of recent weeks: it's back up to #2 this time around.  "I Just Might" drops to #3, while this week it's Harry Styles' turn for an album bomb.   "American Girls" debuts at #4, while "Aperture" moves back from 29 to 9; eight other songs of his debut in the top 30.  And, yawn, "Ordinary" by Alex Warren is still #5.   

SNS 100:  As mentioned above, Starbuck grabs its fourth SNS #1 as "Robusto" advances 3-1.  Has it been sixty years since "Moonlight Feels Right" became a huge national hit?   Bruce is still churning out songs that echo that era of the seventies.    Starbuck previously topped SNS with "On the Sand" in 2023, "Spring Break Shake" in '24, and "Beach Radio" last year.   It's #1 for a second week on The Surf countdown as well.

Bruno Mars' "I Just Might" drops to #2 after one week at the top, but it's logged three non-consecutive weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 and moves 8-6 on the Surf Countdown.   It's also #2 on Justin Rouse's On the Boardwalk Top 5.    The rest of the top 10 is pretty much stacked, with seven bullets, and much of the songs are unable to move up.   The only newbie in that region is Brooke Combe's "A-Game".   With her former #1 "How Can I Tell You? (To Love Me More)" now at #4, and "This Town" at #7, the Scottish artist has three songs in the top 10.  I believe this hasn't happened since July 2021 when ScreenAge had three songs in the top five simultaneously.

The second ten is also competitive, with eight out of ten songs bulleted, all of which move up two notches.  The exception is the one new entry in that region: "Whenever You're on My Mind" by The Half-Cubes, moving 26-19 to snag the Impact award.   Last week's Top Debut is this week's mover, that being Phoebe Ryan's "Something To Hope For" (49-32).

A wide range of debuts this week.   I mentioned this last week about Bruno Mars' album cut "Something Serious", which tops the newbies, coming in at #75.    Seems that Mars is trying a lot of retro 70s-styles on his new set.  "Something Serious" comes on as a cross between Santana's "Evil Ways" and War's "Slippin' Into Darkness", two early seventies faves with an urban flavor to it.      It lands the Top Debut spot at #75.

Cape May's C. Lynne Smith returns with "A Little Faith", from her newly released album Taking the Long Way, her first in 22 years.    This is acoustic singer-songwriter heaven, very down-to-earth.   Her voice is awesome and the message is definitely there.    No glitz here, but a genuine presentation.   C.   Lynne has made my top ten twice, a #3 with the title track from her 2004 EP Real.  It was her Facebook Live reels during the pandemic that introduced me to her talents.    "Follow It Down" hit #10 as a standalone single in 2024.    Next time I'm up in New Jersey I hope to finally catch a gig of hers.  Also, a big "thanks"' to her for her new CD. "A Little Faith" debuts at #80.

Hard-Fi is back after too long an absence.   The Surrey, England-based band hasn't released anything since 2011, but finally comes out with Sweating Somebody Else's Fever, and the new track "They Ain't Your Friends".   The band had some killer tracks in the 2000's such as "Hard to Beat" and "Cash Machine".   As for the new ones, the title is repeated frequently but then it gets into middle-lane alt-rock.  The song is a mover and keeps on going.  A lot going on here and with several listens, and while not as immediate as the songs mentioned above, it could be a good party record.    It enters at #84.

Beabadoobee is back, teaming up with The Marias with "All I Did Was Dream of You".  Beabadoobee has been one of my favorites the past few years, hitting my top 20 frequently.   This one is more of a ballad, slower than her other output, but it still works.    Definitely with an alt-rock sound here.   It may take a few listens, but the sound is there.  It debuts at #85. 

Djo follows "Basic Being Basic" with another alternative hit, "Delete Ya", coming in at #87, a steady-tempo song fulling in that lane.....Kelly Jean Carter is somehow all over my reels lately, so I figured I'd add her "Yellow-Back Novel".   Nice singer-songwriter song that is easy to listen to, and it sounds like something that Stevie Nicks would do, although she doesn't sound exactly like Ms. Nicks.   This has potential to do well here...We get back to the beach with the "Original Carolina Girl", Terri Gore, coming off an award-winning duet with her father Jackie Gore, with her latest, "Broken Dreams".  A beautiful performance going on here and should be a smash at beach music outlets with a steady beat......Finally, we have Madison Beer with "Yes Baby", sort of in trance mode that is a bit hypnotizing; something that has been lacking from my chart lately.

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

March 15, 2026

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	3	NUMBER ONE: STARBUCK "Robusto" (Single Release)	10
2	1	Bruno Mars - I Just Might	9
3	4	The Womack Sisters - I Just Don't Want You to Say Goodbye	7
4	2	Brooke Combe - How Can I Tell You? (To Love Me More)	9
5	5	Stephen Sanchez - Sweet Love	8
6	6	Bradley Denniston - Backbone Lover	10
7	7	Brooke Combe - This Town	6
8	8	The Jay Vons - It Was Wrong to Love You	6
9	9	MT Jones - I Don't Understand	7
10	12	Brooke Combe - A-Game	6
11	13	Jennifer Licko - Meet Me at the Shag Pad	7
12	10	Ella Langley - Choosin' Texas	9
13	15	The Jay Vons - Changing Seasons	6
14	11	Sylvia Johns Ritchie - No Place Like New Orleans	8
15	17	Rivermist - At the End of the Day	7
16	18	The Milk - I Need Your Love	6
17	19	The Black Keys - You Got to Lose	6
18	20	Sombr - Homewrecker	5
19	26	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: THE HALF-CUBES "Whenever You're On My Mind" Album: Found Pearls Pop Treasures, Vol 2	4
20	14	Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson - Every Road	16
21	21	North Tower - Pretty Lady▲	26
22	25	Silversun Pickups - The Wreckage	9
23	27	Rosecoloredworld - Rock Bottom Has a Basement	9
24	31	Steve Cheek - Sugar With My Coffee	5
25	29	WILLIS - Twist of Fate	6
26	32	The Main Event Band - I Shiver	4
27	16	Deb Browning and Michael Fite - Getaway Car●	21
28	24	Orbis Max - Not Getting Back With You	11
29	22	The Half-Cubes - Go Back	16
30	30	Laura Anglade - I Want to Be Loved	10
31	23	The Jay Vons - Keep on Moving●	18
32	49	MOVER OF THE WEEK: PHOEBE RYAN "Something To Hope For" (Single Release)	2
33	34	Jim Quick, R. Mark Black, Allie Privitte - Wait For Me	10
34	36	Durand Jones and the Indications - Let's Take Our Time	6
35	37	Rainy Day Outlaws - Manchester to Nashville	8
36	35	The Cynz - Love's So Lovely	7
37	40	Anna Lavigne - Light	5
38	42	Sienna Spiro - Die On This Hill	7
39	46	Orbis Max - Don't Lose Me Now	3
40	41	She + Him - I Thought I Saw Your Face Today	8
41	43	Cannons - Starlight	4
42	28	The Pozers - The Separation	11
43	44	The Mac Daddy's Band - Bad Time	3
44	33	Olivia Dean - So Easy (To Fall in Love)	10
45	45	Salt Luvs Pepper ft. Jimmy Ogburn - I Love To Love You Baby	6
46	51	Ella Langley - Be Her	3
47	38	Raye - Where Is My Husband	7
48	48	James Hunter Six ft. Van Morrison - Ain't That A Trip	14
49	66	The Pink Slips - Catch A Ride	2
50	39	The Happy Fits - Everything You Do	9
51	54	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Wish You Were Here	5
52	76	Randy Clay Band - We Came To Dance	2
53	79	Jalen Ngonda - Doctrine of Love	2
54	67	Vegas With Randolph - Let's Fool Around	3
55	56	Rikas - Last Train to London	5
56	57	Harry Styles - Aperture	7
57	63	Brandi Carlile - Human	4
58	50	Tim Izzard - Man Who Fell to Earth	9
59	53	Bradley Denniston - Summer Rain	10
60	58	Arctic Monkeys - Opening Night	6
61	59	Iron & Wine - In Your Ocean	5
62	60	Mitski - Where's My Phone	5
63	62	Arlo Parks - 2SIDED	5
64	71	Lykke Li - Lucky Again	3
65	72	Milky Chance - Camouflague	3
66	52	Durand Jones and the Indications - Don't You Know●	18
67	65	Taylor Swift - Opalite	11
68	78	Metric - Victim of Luck	4
69	47	Blake Shelton - Stay Country Or Die Tryin'	8
70	94	Juliet Callahan - Pieces of My Heart	2
71	55	Anna Lavigne - Dark Angel	19
72	77	Andy and Oneida -Cruising Down the Boulevard	8
73	91	Alex Warren - Fever Dream	2
74	69	The Jay Vons - My Mama (She Was Right)▲	30
75	---	TOP DEBUT: BRUNO MARS "Something Serious" Album: The Romantic	1
76	81	Noah Kahan - The Great Divide	6
77	90	Courtney Barnett - Site Unseen	3
78	86	The Temper Trap - Giving Up Air	4
79	88	Bleachers - You and Forever	4
80	---	C. Lynne Smith - A Little Faith	1
81	61	Jennifer James - Carolina's Home	24
82	97	Beck  - Be Here Now	2
83	99	Freya Skye - Silent Treatment	2
84	---	Hard-Fi - They Ain't Your Friends	1
85	---	Beabadoobee ft. The Marias - All I Did Was Dream of You	1
86	70	Alemeda - Happy With You	6
87	---	Djo - Delete Ya	1
88	64	Tame Impala - Dracula	21
89	85	Matt Maeson - Downstairs	5
90	---	Kelly Jean Carter - Yellow-Back Novel	1
91	84	Rhonda McDaniel - I Can't Wait For the Weekend	17
92	---	Terri Gore - Broken Dreams	1
93	101	Groove Harbor - No Such Thing	1
94	75	Taylor Swift - The Fate of Ophelia	20
95	87	Sombr - 12 to 12	17
96	95	Alice Merton - Ignorance is Bliss	22
97	68	Don Diablo and Fitz and the Tantrums - Radio Baby	16
98	---	Madison Beer - Yes Baby	1
99	74	Don West - Day to Night	10
100	102	Jutes - It Takes Two	1

Murmurs:

Courtney Barnett - Lotta Love

Rhonda McDaniel - It Will Stand

The Fray - Ice Cold Lakes

New Monarchy ft. Offguard - Get Out

The Last Dinner Party - Let's Do It Again!

Social Distortion - Born to Kill

Cold War Kids - Push My Luck

Blair Sparrow - Big Party Excuse

Harry Styles - American Girls

The Six Piece Suits - Love Felony

Harley Olivia - San Francisco

The Tonez - NMB SC

Aubrie Sellers - Trigger Happy

Mark Ward - Point Blank

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 41-100 and Newbies  Songs in Positions 41-100 on the SNS 100 plus new additions

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.

 

(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