WELL, THIS ONE is a bit late, so it will have to be condensed a bit.
Thanks to his new album release, Bruno Mars dominates the Billboard Hot 100 as "I Just Might" moves back into the #1 position. It also takes the top spot on my Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100 chart as well. That makes it the 18th song to top both charts since I started by blog in August 2010. The last song to top both charts was 18 months ago, once again involving Mars, in his duet with Lady Gaga, "Die with a Smile". While Bruno's "heyday" was in the 2010's, these two songs are the first ones to top my chart, although he had come close a couple of times: "Locked Out of Heaven" reached #3 in 2013, and "Uptown Funk", in which he is featured on Mark Ronson's song, got to #2 two years later. Both songs, of course, hit #1 on the Hot 100.
The Hawaiian artist, born Peter Gene Hernandez, released his fourth full-length album, The Romantic, and many other songs debut on Billboard this past week, the highest being "Risk It All" coming in at #4. He has several others down in the 20's and 30's on the chart. I haven't heard the others yet, with the exception of "Something Serious" at #46, which sounds like a cross between early Santana and War. It's been on my Murmurs list of potential adds.
Last week's #1, Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" is #2, Olivia Dean's "Man I Need" is #3 and has been hovering between the 2 and 3 positions for a while now. "Risk It All", at #4 is followed by the ever-present "Ordinary" by Alex Warren in week 55. The recently imposed recurrent rule placed last November would remove songs dropping below #5 after 78, so most likely, we may have to put up with this song for another five months, although his new song "Fever Dream" debuts #23, and if we have any luck at all, the public will start playing that one instead.
SNS 100: Turning to my chart, as mentioned above, "I Just Might" moves to the top of my list, displacing Brooke Combe's "How Can I Tell You (To Love Me More)", which held the top for two weeks, down to #2. The Bruno Mars song is still getting beach music airplay; it moves 10-8 on Don Mark's Surfside survey and enters at #3 on Justin Rouse's "On the Boardwalk" top five. It's a very competitive top ten as positions three thru nine are all bulleted. Actually, the top 13 all advance, although some not enough for a bullet. Starbuck's "Robusto" moves 4-3, as it tops the Surfside list this week. The Womack Sisters (5-4) and Stephen Sanchez (9-6) round out the top five here. Three new entries into the top 10: Brooke Combe's song from a prior album, "This Town" (11-7), The Jay Vons' "I Was Wrong to Love You" (12-8), and MT Jones' "I Don't Understand" (13-9).
The Jay Vons also enter the top 20 with another from their very awesome 2019 album The Word, with the beach music-esque "Changing Seasons" (23-15). The Milk's "I Need Your Love" (22-18), The Black Keys' "You Got to Lose" (21-19), and Sombr's "Homewrecker" (25-20). The Half-Cubes' cover of Marshall Crenshaw's "Whenever You're on My Mind" is this week's Mover (32-26).
 |
| Phoebe Ryan has released her first new song in six years, "Something to Believe It", the Top Debut at #49. |
WELCOME BACK, PHOEBE: The Top Debut this week, and a very much welcome one, is the return of a sorely missed Jersey girl, Red Bank's own Phoebe Ryan, who scores with her first new music in six years, "Something to Hope For", debuting at #49. I have followed her career for much of this blog's history, beginning with her stint in college band Town Hall. She was recommended by my hometown friend Merrill Kenny Butler, who knew her forever. "Good Boy" hit my top 20 in 2012, but it was the following years that she made her mark in the industry. This artist definitely teetered with stardom, first as a songwriter, then as a performer. She has written for acts like Britney Spears, All Time Low, Bea Miller and Wyclef Jean, plus many others. She hit the Billboard charts at #18 featured on the Chainsmokers' "All We Know". Then there was the matter of that handwritten note from none other than Taylor Swift, her "Songs that will make your life more awesome (I Promise!)", that includes her song "Mine". She signed with the major label Columbia records which released her first two EPs.
She was a force on the SNS 100. "Mine" hit #6 here in 2015, followed by her mash-up of "Ignition/Do You", hitting #12. Other blog hits of hers included "Boyz n Poizn" (#2 in 2016), "Chronic" (#5 in 2016), "Dark Side" (#5, 2017), and the aforementioned "All We Know" (#14, 2016). She continued to make my charts through 2021, including collaborating with other artists like The Knocks, Cash Cash, and Blackbear.
But music stopped being fun for her. She had left Columbia but in 2020 released her first indie project and first full-length album, How it Used to Feel. While the tracks "Ring", "Try It Sober" and "Fantasy" all hit my chart, they didn't make any noise elsewhere. Phoebe decided to take a break. She wanted to find herself, who she was, not necessarily as an artist, but as a person. While she still felt comfortable writing for others, she was convinced that her days of recording new music for herself were over. It took several years to finally make peace for herself and was time to move on.
Then in May of last year, she was in a recording studio with her producer and decided she wanted to experiment with some sounds. While Johan, that producer, thought that maybe it's best that she could start up again but just writing for others, he decided to say "hell, yeah", and let Phoebe try some songs herself in the studio. It was then that she came up with "Something to Hope For". A spark hit her; something that hadn't happened in a long time. She wanted to write and sing about an experience of her positively falling in love, something that hadn't happened before unless there was a "darkness" or "toxicity" tied to it. And while she admits that there is a trace of that in her new song, it was there mainly to express how true the love was.
Ms. Ryan, during the past several months has come onto social media, and communicating with her fans who have stuck by her these last several years. While the purple-green hair is no longer there, it's just an indication that Phoebe is just being herself, very conformable and happy to be making music once again. It was a long time coming.
As for the song, it's a reminder how sweet-sounding her voice is. It's got a steady, perhaps a bit haunting in presentation, but the message is very positive. It's a very well-constructed song. She should fit right in with current female pop artists like Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter or Chapelle Roan, but Phoebe's voice has much more heart. I only wish the best for both this song and hoping that Phoebe continues to embrace her return to recorded music.
OTHER DEBUTS: The Pink Slips, a beach music contingent that scored a #6 blog hit in 2024 with "Dance", return with "Catch a Ride". Very catchy, sax driven song that recalls some of the soulful hits of the 60's, enhanced by Townshend Link's vocals. Perfect for beach music outlets and should return the band to the top ten.......Staying by the beach, we have the latest from the Randy Clay Band, with "We Came to Dance". This one is intro'd by guitars and is nicely textured, with the emotions kicking in. This should easily top the recent "The Key"; it enters at #76.
Retro-soul artist Jalen Ngonda, who experimented with reggae in his recent "All About Me", returns to what he does best with his new one, "Doctrine of Love": Classic soul, that, if beach music outlets had any heart, would play this. But if they don't, I certainly will. A nice, bouncy beat that is great to shag to. Just saying. It should return him to the top 20, and it enters here at #79...Alex Warren finally follows up his still top five "Ordinary" with "Fever Dream". Don't get me wrong; I love "Ordinary", but it eventually burned out for me, so this new one is a breath of fresh air. It has a chugging beat and fully in the pop lane. I am glad this is on the Hot 100 and the quality of music seems to be getting better these days.
Juliet Callahan returns with "Pieces of My Heart". Sort of a change-of-pace for her, with a piano intro which is prevalent much of the song. And perhaps I haven't noticed it before, but her voice (and the song for that matter) reminds me a bit of Phoebe Ryan. Juliet definitely has the talent, and I do wish she catches on soon. Her posts on social media lately seem to be self-deprecating, remarking that she has very few fans. She deserves much more. It enters at #94......Beck returns after a bit of an absence with a cover of George Harrison's "Be Here Now" (#97). Despite being a cover from Harrison's 1973 set Living in the Material World, this is a slow, dreamy thing that reminds me of Pink Floyd's "Us and Them" in presentation, which came out around the same time as Harrison's. Beck's take is close to the original and could make some noise in alternative circles. And finally, we have Freya Skye's "Silent Treatment" (#99), in the pop lane along the lanes of some of the contemporary female pop stars of the day that is very likeable and gets stronger with each listen. Recommended.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
March 8, 2026
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
2 |
NUMBER ONE:  Album: The Romantic |
8 |
|
2 |
1 |
8 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
9 |
|
|
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
|
5 |
9 |
7 |
|
|
6 |
8 |
9 |
|
|
7 |
11 |
5 |
|
|
8 |
12 |
5 |
|
|
9 |
13 |
6 |
|
|
10 |
7 |
8 |
|
|
11 |
10 |
7 |
|
|
12 |
15 |
5 |
|
|
13 |
16 |
6 |
|
|
14 |
3 |
15 |
|
|
15 |
23 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  Album: The Word |
5 |
|
16 |
6 |
20 |
|
|
17 |
20 |
6 |
|
|
18 |
22 |
5 |
|
|
19 |
21 |
5 |
|
|
20 |
25 |
4 |
|
|
21 |
17 |
25 |
|
|
22 |
14 |
15 |
|
|
23 |
18 |
17 |
|
|
24 |
24 |
10 |
|
|
25 |
27 |
8 |
|
|
26 |
32 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Found Pearls Pop Treasures Vol 2 |
3 |
|
27 |
29 |
8 |
|
|
28 |
19 |
10 |
|
|
29 |
30 |
5 |
|
|
30 |
28 |
9 |
|
|
31 |
37 |
4 |
|
|
32 |
38 |
3 |
|
|
33 |
26 |
9 |
|
|
34 |
31 |
9 |
|
|
35 |
34 |
6 |
|
|
36 |
40 |
5 |
|
|
37 |
39 |
7 |
|
|
38 |
33 |
6 |
|
|
39 |
41 |
8 |
|
|
40 |
44 |
4 |
|
|
41 |
45 |
7 |
|
|
42 |
46 |
6 |
|
|
43 |
57 |
3 |
|
|
44 |
59 |
2 |
|
|
45 |
49 |
5 |
|
|
46 |
64 |
2 |
|
|
47 |
42 |
7 |
|
|
48 |
50 |
13 |
|
|
49 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  (Single Release) |
1 |
|
50 |
55 |
8 |
|
|
51 |
79 |
2 |
|
|
52 |
36 |
17 |
|
|
53 |
63 |
9 |
|
|
54 |
68 |
Rev. Bubba D.
Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - Wish You Were Here |
4 |
|
55 |
35 |
18 |
|
|
56 |
67 |
4 |
|
|
57 |
51 |
6 |
|
|
58 |
70 |
5 |
|
|
59 |
74 |
4 |
|
|
60 |
73 |
4 |
|
|
61 |
43 |
23 |
|
|
62 |
77 |
4 |
|
|
63 |
83 |
3 |
|
|
64 |
48 |
20 |
|
|
65 |
86 |
10 |
|
|
66 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
67 |
96 |
2 |
|
|
68 |
66 |
15 |
|
|
69 |
72 |
29 |
|
|
70 |
76 |
5 |
|
|
71 |
94 |
2 |
|
|
72 |
92 |
2 |
|
|
73 |
47 |
16 |
|
|
74 |
62 |
9 |
|
|
75 |
56 |
19 |
|
|
76 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
77 |
84 |
7 |
|
|
78 |
91 |
3 |
|
|
79 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
80 |
52 |
7 |
|
|
81 |
85 |
5 |
|
|
82 |
65 |
18 |
|
|
83 |
53 |
24 |
|
|
84 |
60 |
16 |
|
|
85 |
89 |
4 |
|
|
86 |
90 |
3 |
|
|
87 |
78 |
16 |
|
|
88 |
95 |
3 |
|
|
89 |
54 |
9 |
|
|
90 |
99 |
2 |
|
|
91 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
92 |
58 |
15 |
|
|
93 |
61 |
16 |
|
|
94 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
95 |
69 |
21 |
|
|
96 |
93 |
7 |
|
|
97 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
98 |
71 |
8 |
|
|
99 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
100 |
80 |
8 |
Tremors:
101. Groove Harbor, No Such Thing
102. Jutes, It Takes Two
Tremors: Songs which have steady or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.
Murmurs:
Djo - Delete Ya
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
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