#BILLCSTop30 #640 – May 23/22

Thanks to my recent online announcing gigs, the music from my blog continues to find new outlets online. My new music pick of the week segment airs 13 times per week, and the songs I feature on The Big 20 air 4-6 times per week. This is all growing thanks to the diligence and foresight of Russ Horton who operates two of the stations, Radio GTA and Halton Hills Online. I’m glad to be a part of this! I was a college radio station DJ, as well as Music Director, Program Director, and Station Manager, so did I ever expect to be back in the game years later, even if not on terrestrial radio? 

Make sure you read about my frequently updated ONLINE RADIO AFFILIATES (see details after the post)!

Mercer’s amazing R&B/house track “Aretha” remains locked at #1 for a second appearance with nothing currently about to take over anytime soon.

While #1 and #2 (“The Half Moon Came Up In The Sky” by Frankmusik) stay put, the rest of the Top 10 gets a shuffle.

Luca + Giam and Sam Merkin move up 5-3 with the fun dance track “Hold Me Down”.

On their latest album Dance Fever, Florence & The Machine have returned to the emotional, gothic sound that made them famous. “My Love” is now one of my favourite songs by them, and it climbs 7-4.

Also diving into the Top 5 is Harry Styles with “As It Was” rising 9-5.  His new album Harry’s House might even be as good as Fine Line with more plays. Never being a fan of One Direction, I underestimated his vocal talents over the years till he went solo.

It came 4th at EuroVision but was an overall favourite of both the public and the judges. Sweden’s Cornelia Jakobs moves up 10-6 with “Hold Me Closer”. Check out her EuroVision performance above.

New to the Top 10 is fellow Melodifestivalen contest entry “Bluffin'” by Liamoo, which rises 12-8.

Getting his second Top 10 is L.A.-based producer Damon Sharpe with top Asian DJ VIVID with “First Time”, which climbs 15-10. Damon got to #5 last year with “15 Minutes” with The Disco Fries.

 

VASSY and GT_ofice just inch outside of the Top 10 with the energy blast that is “Tuff”, climbing 14-11.

Victor Perry’s latest original “Punching Bag” is also off to a fast start, rising 20-12.

“The Edge” by Belgium’s Niviro and L.A.’s Harley Bird makes a huge jump in its second appearance, climbing 22-13.

The Fastest Riser on the chart is the funky and unique “Romance with a Memory” by The xx’s Oliver Sim, which soars 24-14.

All of that top-of-the-chart activity takes us to the new entries, and there are five of them which command your attention!

The Highest Debut at #24 is Washington-born newcomer Benson Boone with his gorgeously sung song about heartbreak called “In The Stars”. He bowed out of appearing on “American Idol” and ended up catching the attention of Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons, and landed a major label deal with Warner. Watch out for this fine new talent!

Next at #25 is a gorgeous techno instrumental created to benefit Ukraine.  It’s called “Unity” and it’s by Gareth Emery teaming up with Ukrainian producer Omnia. It’s a fantastic, highly melodic track that stands on its own. I’d love to see it featured at one of Gareth’s shows with all of the new laser works he’s been adding, most recently in his show in Las Vegas. The clip above is from Ultra Miami. “Unity” is Gareth’s third chart entry, and he reached #1 with “We’ll Be OK” (now the name of his record label), which was in the Top 10 exactly two years ago.

At #27 is social media fave Conan Gray with his best song since his duet with Lauv in “Fake” (#12, 2020) called “Memories”. This one definitely will tug at your heart strings, and the singer continues to impress me with his songwriting and vocals.

I saw French producer Hugel spin a set during Miami Music Week and was pleased at the variety of music he chose, well outside of the standard stuff you hear in so many sets. One of the songs that caught my ears was one of his called “Madonna”, a fun, manic release created with female German producer Lovra, and it arrives on the chart at #29.

Rounding out the debuts at #30 is “Let Me Down Easy (Lie)”, a thoughtful but to-the-point ballad by L.A.’s Why Don’t We. The boys just departed the chart with Jonas Blue’s “Don’t Wake Me Up”, which peaked at #5.

View the full BILLCS Top 30 right here!  Click on the hyperlink on the song titles to hear the songs or watch the videos!

Listen to the BILLCS Top 30 Songs on Spotify! You can also follow me on Spotify at the following link:  BILLCS Top 30 Songs.

Check out and ‘like’ the BILLCS Music Projects Facebook page 🙂

ONLINE RADIO AFFILIATES

You can hear me and many of my blog choices on this growing list of online radio stations and features! Links to all stations appear later in this section in blue.

Radio GTA

Listen to The Big 20 from 10pm to Midnight EST on Wednesdays as “The Musicman” James Rogers and I bring you the latest in new songs.  The show also repeats on Sunday mornings on Radio GTA at 2:00 AM EST, at 8pm EST on Sundays on Party Dog Radio, and then at 7:00 am EST Fridays on Unique Radio Australia!

On Saturdays and Sundays from Noon to 6pm EST I bring you “Your Weekend New Music Mix” six hours of commercial-free music from the 2000’s including many song choices from this blog.

Halton Hills Online

“Your Weekend Music Mix” has a second home on Saturday and Sunday evenings from 8pm to Midnight EST! It’s a different mix from Radio GTA’s show, and like that one it is also commercial free, now brought to you by the Appalachian Pub & Eatery in Georgetown, Ontario!  “The Big 20” also airs on this station at 6pm EST Saturdays.

The 3D Variety Show by Planet Radio Canada

I’m featured Tuesdays between 7 and 7:30 pm EST with my New Music Pick of the Week which debuts every week on “The 3D Variety Show” with “The Musicman” James Rogers, and I also join occasionally for looks at music from our past through some live segments.  A repeat of “The 3D Variety Show” now airs on Wednesdays at 7pm EST on Radio GTA.  

My New Music Pick of the Week also now airs on:

More new affiliates are joining and I’ll update this list as I receive new information.