BILLCSMUSIC BLOG

Must Hear New Album: Sam Dickinson – The Stories That Occurred

SAM DICKINSON, The Stories That Occurred

I like to think of today’s music world as a treasure trove of delights waiting to be discovered. I’m fortunate enough to receive previews of songs and albums, and occasionally get my socks knocked off by some terrific performers. Sam Dickinson is a relatively new UK singer whose album The Stories That Occurred is released on Monday. I already wrote about his initial single/video “How It Used To Be”, one of the standouts of the very personal songs on the album. Sam is one of those quintessential UK soul voices that comes along rarely, though guys like Charlie Brown and Daley are good company for him. But The Stories That Occurred is awash in more old school soul – definitely back to the 60’s with Sam & Dave and Aretha, but more noticeably 80’s such as Paul Young and The Style Council, but particularly Simply Red. And just as when you look at Mick Hucknall, you do not expect such a big, resonant, soul-ridden voice to come out of Sam Dickinson.

But it does, and indeed it is the showpiece of the album, as it should be. The Stories That Occurred contains upbeat songs and ballads, and is richly produced to compete with any similar sounding big label guns. His new single “Learn To Wait” is a foot-stomper that leaps out of your stereo speakers with its powerful vocal and big horn arrangement – watch the video below. The other standouts on the record are “Lift Your Head”, which is an inspirational and heartfelt song about cancer awareness, and the ballad “A Million Miles”, which uses Sam’s power and the horn arrangement to different effects.

Sam Dickinson is definitely not a talent you want to miss! Watch for the opportunity to catch his shows if you are in England. The fine work on this album speaks for itself. It should attract pop and R&B/soul fans in droves, and “Learn To Wait” is the single that will help get Sam the attention that this album deserves. Get it on iTunes!

Summer Popervescence #1: Lorde, Goldfrapp, Joée, Blake McGrath, Osvaldo Supino, and Chloe Morgan

Our first blast of Summer Popervescence takes all kinds of shapes and forms, as you will soon hear… 🙂

LORDE “Royals”

When I’ve been following the online praises about “Royals” by New Zealand singer Lorde, no one mentioned in passing that she was only 16! Yes Ella Yelich-O’Connor has a mature presence both in voice and in songwriting for this debut, which looks like it will crash the Top 40 in time after being playlisted at alt.rock radio. Its idiosyncratic yet memorable melody meshes beautifully with Lorde’s voice, which sounds like the second coming of Natasha Bedingfield but also reminiscent of lesser known singers like Jem. Before the end of the year you can expect that the world will be well-acquainted with Lorde.

GOLDFRAPP, “Drew”

Did anyone see this coming? Suddenly the much revered band led by Alison Goldfrapp has a 6th album coming out in September called Tales Of Us, which apparently will be a return to form for a lot of fans who have followed them these 12 years or so, moving away from the more commercial but successful dance/pop of 2010’s Head First. “Drew” is one mysterious duck of a preview song and video to the album, beautifully sung and striking, but it’s definitely moody and will make your spine feel like it does when watching something like “Twin Peaks”.

JOEE, “Bizarre Love Triangle”

It seems as if Toronto dance/pop singer Joée DeSimone took a long break from the music scene after a series of successes from the mid-90’s cover of Cutting Crew’s “(I Just) Died In Your Arms” with his group Intonation through to late 90’s and early 2000’s domestic hits such as “Angel”, “Arriba”, and “Sunshine” (all of which by the way were Top 10 on my personal chart). He’s back and sounding like he’s never missed a step with a contemporary and faithful cover of New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle”. So this is definitely a promising big welcome back to that distinctive voice of his, and I’m sure looking forward to more new songs from Joée.

BLAKE McGRATH, “Heaven (Follow Me)”

It looks like Toronto master choreographer/dancer/singer Blake McGrath could have his biggest success yet with “Heaven (Follow Me)”, an uplifting and joyous song supported by a colourful and inspiring video which (according to my daughter anyway) also includes some dancers who were part of Blake’s So You Think You Can Dance Canada days as a judge/choreographer. Blake’s voice has also improved through his previous releases so it’s great to see him continue to spread his talents through both song and dance. So I’m calling this one a bit of a sleeper hit well worthy of your attention 🙂

OSVALDO SUPINO, “Ma Radio”

Italian singer Osvaldo Supino is someone who continues to be on the bubble for international success. “Ma Radio” is likely is best shot yet. In its original form it’s a crunchy dance floor thumper that will not only find its way under your skin, it will crawl right down to your feet. As you will tell from the video above, wherever Osvaldo goes with his boombox suddenly becomes party central. While we know a more seductive and racy style of Osvaldo from songs on his Exposed album like “Pornographic” and “Get Laid” as well as past hit “When I Think About Sex”, “Ma Radio” (which also has an engaging Stormby remix) shows the good natured party animal that lurks beneath that slim bright-eyed body. You can find Exposed and “Ma Radio” on iTunes.

CHLOE MORGAN, “Do You Even Think Of Me”

The luminous voice of Chloe Morgan defines how we use the word chanteuse in English. It’s big and dramatic, but controlled, which could have otherwise have sent an emotional song like “Do You Even Think Of Me” into histrionics. But no, this is one beauty of a record from her recent EP Piano Forté. Chloe is from England but based in Vancouver, and was at one time part of the UK Popstars band Clea. But she clearly had her sights set on grander things and “Do You Even Think Of Me” is the best and sweetest kind of adult pop around. Pair her with fellow British singer Elouise and let her loose. Her video, featuring Chloe all made up in a beautiful gown in the dark at a beach, is most suitable and reminds me of Jane Badler’s video for “Yesterday’s Tomorrows” (the song graced my Top 10 last year).

BILLCS Top 30 #409 – July 15/13

Pardon me while my comments about Electric by Pet Shop Boys take over the top of the chart’s blog post.

Now approaching a 30 year partnership, PSB’s Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have returned to a variation on the disco/dance sound that made them famous, on their latest album, and one of their best yet, Electric. Their second lead-in to the album, “Vocal”, has scored #1 on my personal chart again for a second appearance, and doesn’t look like it will be yielding that to another song any time soon. I’ve already mentioned in weeks past that I think it’s one of their best songs in the last 20 years… a fact that is almost replicated several times over in Electric. What’s back that has been missing from more recent PSB projects are the witty lyrics, sparkling melodies, and droll vocal, as well as the sheer fun amid the adrenaline rush of most of the songs which are matter-of-factly designed to smash the dancefloor. And while the songs bring back 80’s and 90’s memories, they are all quite rightly spot-on fresh for 2013. Besides “Vocal”, you can revel in “Fluorescent”, “Thursday”, and the most one-of-a-kind song within that is simply winning PSB, “Love Is A Bourgeois Construct”. Electric is one of the year’s best records – I’m so happy to say that about a PSB album too!! Listen to the entire album right here via Rdio.com – PSB and dance/disco renaissance are here 🙂

Returning to the chart, young Anton Ewald has to settle for second place behind PSB with his contagious European hit “Begging”. Expect it to be lodged here for a while.
New to the top five at #5 is a rendition of the 80’s freestyle hit “Silent Morning” (below) that will grow on you more and more, as recorded by Parralox with Ryan Adamés, both of whom respectively have a new album and new songs due imminently.
And new to the top ten we have the smashing duet by Dan Black and Kelis on “Hearts” at #8, fastest riser and worldwide #1 “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, T.I. & Pharrell Williams at #9, and Bongiovanni’s deep house Quebec dance floor delight “I Think I Love You” (a rework of a song by rapper Dwele) at #10.

You can view the full Top 30 using the link under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** to the right, or you can click right here. You can hear all of the songs on the chart or watch their videos by clicking on the pics on the chart page. Any free downloads that are identified are sanctioned by the performer. There’s always a tiny place at the bottom of the blog post with tags and the statement “Leave A Comment” – please feel free to do so

In the past few weeks we’ve seen an explicit video for “Tunnel Vision” appear from Justin Timberlake, and then that was quickly followed by the spiffy 70’s throwback “Take Back The Night”, from his upcoming album The 20/20 Experience Part II (ab0ve), which might be better than any song on Part I. In the meantime, the funky “Let The Groove Get In” arrives at #11, which was the peak for “Suit & Tie” earlier this year.
FrankMusik recently completed his USA Between States tour, and is preparing to release an acoustic version of his album Between called Between Us. His current single “Chasing Shadows” lands at #12, followed by punchy album track “Life (Is My Revenge)” at #17.
Lawson saw their fifth single, “Brokenhearted”, featuring B.o.B., released at last, and quite fitting it arrived at #6 in the UK singles chart. And on my chart, it moves up 21-16 (video below).
If the phrase ‘indie darling’ could apply to one song right now, it’s the irresistible “Remix My Love” by Killian Wells featuring Kristinia DeBarge, which jumps 26-19 on the chart.
I’d really love it if my talented fellow Smith, he being cabaret/electropop singer Kim Smith, would post “Shooting Star” for all to hear online. The song moves up 28-21.
Don’t blame Amelia if your summer gets colder, and if you get wiser or bolder. As sung by Color Theory (aka Brian Hazard), “Colder” by Amelia’s Fault jumps 27-23. Fans of Depeche Mode and other mid-80’s electronica performers are most likely to be overjoyed at the sound of this song, which certainly gets under your skin quite easily.

New to the chart:

L.A. based singer Travis Garland just announced a small tour of central/west cities which you can find listed on his Instagram page. After the well-deserved #1 peak of “Blue Electric Roses”, I’ve delved deeper into his Fashionably Late Part II EP for the most unique-sounding song within. The intriguing “Homewrecker” bows on the chart at #24.

To me, last year’s “Timebomb” was the start of a great new phase for Kylie Minogue, and she continues that aggressive dance sound with “Skirt”, only currently available on Beatport, but arriving at #26. You can also listen to remixes on Soundcloud via her new label Rising Music, including the Cut Snake remix, available for free download below.

Lastly at #28 is “Winning Ground” by Eric Saade, which has been issued as a separate single worldwide to Eric’s Coming Home EP. It’s the best song of the lot with the potential to be a huge anthem, and you can enjoy watching Eric sing solo decked out in slick denims on the soccer field in the official video below to support women’s soccer in Sweden.

Summer Indievescence!! featuring Jarell Perry, Baiyu, Vanessa Elisha, Grids, and Dame

Because of technology and social media, there is so much well done indie music out there just dying to be taken to the next level. That means someone has to generally invest in it so that tours, merch, radio play, etc. etc. all happen. Unfortunately, in the music industry there is just no middle class, as Jay-Z has so aptly displayed recently!! So that leaves it to us bloggers and music fans to spread the word because Jay-Z doesn’t need our help… I bring you Indievescence!!

JARELL PERRY “4th of July”

Earlier this year, LA-based R&B/pop singer Jarell Perry released his album Simple Things for free download. It’s one of the best records of 2013 (a bizarre oversight on my part to my last blog post), and he keeps sending high quality freebies our way. The latest, in time for the US Independence Day holiday, is “4th of July”, which is the scene for a love that has ended, but which the singer still wants to have. Like many of the songs in Simple Things, “4th of July” is an emotional affair, flawlessly sung and produced. If a major label does come along and take Jarell out of indieland one of these days, they will have a huge hitmaker on their hands. Download “4th of July” using the Soundcloud link above.

BAIYU “Fire”

New York singer Baiyu has been releasing one song a month for free since January, and “Fire” is not only one of her most different and haunting songs, but it’s also one of her best. To me, a song like “Fire” takes the balladeer Baiyu to another level, which was sometimes achieved in last year’s Hunter mixtape. It’s got a very low key but dirty synth line that carries the imagery through to the obvious theme of playing with fire. Baiyu can kill a regular ballad with ease, but hearing a song like “Fire” is much more of an adventure. You can download it for free in the You Tube link above.

VANESSA ELISHA, Don’t Go (EP)

In follow up to her single “Home To Me”, beautiful Australian singer Vanessa Elisha has released a five song pop/R&B EP, Don’t Go, which includes that lush song still playing on repeat on my iPod. And if you enjoy the music of the aforementioned Baiyu, then Vanessa Elisha’s songs will resonate with you in a similar way in addition to songs by the likes of Anita Baker, Toni Braxton, Jill Scott… a pleasing hybrid of traditional and new. You can download the entire EP for free using the above Soundcloud link. Next best to “Home To Me” would be the memorably understated “Waiting”, though the title song probably features Vanessa’s best vocal. I’d love to hear Baiyu and Vanessa in a duet *hint hint*

GRIDS, Grids (EP)

Today, Toronto quartet Grids officially released their debut self-titled EP. What’s most ear-catching about the music of this guitars-bass-drums outfit is a raw, gritty rock sound that you might associate more with the early 90’s onset of grunge – and in Canada that means early sounds of bands like Sloan, The Doughboys, Econoline Crush, and I Mother Earth – all popular when these early 20’s guys were just kids. You can hear all four of the songs yourself and download them for free through the band’s Bandcamp page. The song that sticks in my head is the tightly played “Bathroom Tiles”, which somehow manages to combine the rawness of 90’s Seattle sound with the flourish of early 80’s post punk, and bassist Sean McKee’s voice has Bono moments reminiscent of U2’s Boy or October albums. Download “Bathroom Tiles” right here. Grids plays Toronto club Double Double Land on Saturday July 13 along with one of my ongoing favourites, fellow Toronto band River Tiber, so if you’re in Toronto it’s a mere $6.00 cover.

DAME, “Holy Moly”

Dame is an L.A. based singer (née Michelle Armstrong) whose voice is just waiting to be heard. Think of a blend of Kelly Clarkson-meets-Sheryl Crow-meets-Pink-meets-Amy Lee and you can get an idea of the kind of power and range she puts forth in “Holy Moly”, from her EP Preventions Of Heartbreak. It’s an interesting juxtaposition to feature a slight kind of phrase like holy moly in a serious song where the singer is looking for her would-be beau to commit to her and not take the relationship for granted through lust – and she’s even willing to wait for him to come around, too. The video (above) through many close-ups brings this across beautifully and the performance pieces show an earnest style which signals that Dame could be well-positioned for some success soon. I’m looking forward to seeing where Dame’s songs take her next. “Holy Moly” is a grower and a keeper. As a side note, Dame is the companion of TV hunk Matt Lauria (Parenthood, Friday Night Lights) 🙂

Voices Carry: Betty Who, Sam Dickinson, Lawson, Simon Curtis, Bac2ssential with Charly Mae, plus My Favourites of the First Half of ’13

It’s summer and the best voices soar on a clear sunny day…

BETTY WHO “Somebody Loves You”

Australia has given us another divine new voice in the form of singer Betty Who, who dropped her EP The Distance amid oodles of praise. Add my endorsement – “Somebody Loves You” is a sparkling single that could weave its spell in the same way that Katy Perry’s best singles can overtake you. And while this single just glows, the EP, which is free for the downloading right here, shows much depth that will make her a keeper in the pop world.

SAM DICKINSON “How It Used To Be”

Sam Dickinson is a new British blue-eyed soul singer based out of Newcastle. Stop. “New British blue-eyed soul singer” is almost always a good sign for me with music, but even with that positive heads up, young Sam has a unique, powerhouse voice that will blow the roof off your local club. Take heavy doses of 80’s Simply Red and Style Council via contemporary dance tunes and add significant inspiration from the Atlantic/Stax era of the late 60’s, and you will hear where Sam Dickinson is coming from in “How It Used To Be”, from his forthcoming album The Stories That Occurred, which is due in two weeks. I will have the scoop on that album for you closer to that time.

LAWSON “Missing”

Just in advance of yesterday’s official UK and Australian release of “Brokenhearted” (featuring B.o.B.) (which I wrote about right here), promising UK quartet Lawson treated us to an acoustic performance of Everything But The Girl’s classic 1995 hit “Missing”. This is particularly impressive because the original version of “Missing”, from EBTG’s Amplified Heart album, was acoustic. But all eyes and ears are on singer Andy Brown, who embodies this cover with passion and desperation, very unlike the original. I hope they perform it in concert when I see them again in late August. In fact, the boys can take it as an official request – pretty please 🙂

SIMON CURTIS “Meteor”

Lately, one of our favourite American wunderkinds of this decade, Simon Curtis, has been chatting on Twitter about how one of his songs called “Meteor” was excerpted in a new TV show called “Twisted”. Yesterday, he let on that the song was available on the Internet to hear, for those that could find it! Always up to a challenge, I have indeed located this frenzied bit of arpeggio-laden Swedish-influenced pop, which according to the Soundcloud link was discreetly posted about 10 months ago. Even if it may not receive official release, it’s certainly way beyond a lot of the fluffy Europop that will grace your ears this summer. A very shiny sign of good things to come from Simon’s work-in-progress.

BAC2SSENTIAL featuring CHARLY MAE “Waiting For You”

Though I’m still digging her anthemic “Girls Go Hard”, UK singer Charly Mae has lent her big, big voice for the first time to a deep house club banger courtesy of Bac2ssential called “Waiting For You”. It’s got that familiar, infectious house bounce that is slayed by Charly Mae’s engaging vocal. Dance club DJ’s shouldn’t overlook this one.

MY FAVOURITES OF THE FIRST HALF OF 2013

Songs (in alphabetical order)

BEGGING Anton Ewald

BLUE ELECTRIC ROSES Travis Garland

CAPTAIN FrankMusik

THE CITY River Tiber

CLARITY Zedd featuring Foxes

GET LUCKY Daft Punk featuring Nile Rodgers & Pharrell Williams

LEARN TO LOVE AGAIN Lawson

LIFTED Kwik Fiks & Bongiovanni

MAP FrankMusik

MY GIRL Willy Moon

1998 Matthew Koma

OUTTA MY MIND Matt Blue

PARACHUTE Matthew Koma

PLAY THE GIRL Tao Hypah

SAIL INTO THE SUN Gentlemen Hall

SOMEBODY TO LOVE ME Eli Escobar featuring Nomi Ruiz

VOCAL Pet Shop Boys

A WORLD APART Davis Redfield

YEAH YEAH Willy Moon

YOUR TOUCH Blake Lewis

Albums (alphabetical by performer)

MATT DUSK My Funny Valentine: The Chet Baker Songbook

FRANKMUSIK Between

TRAVIS GARLAND Fashionably Late II (EP)

MATTHEW KOMA Parachute (EP)

MIGUEL Kaleidoscope Dream

WILLY MOON Here’s Willy Moon

JARELL PERRY Simple Things (EP)

THE PRESETS Pacifica

RIVER TIBER Synapses

KIM SMITH Nova

ANDY SUZUKI & THE METHOD Born Out Of Mischief

BILLCS Top 30 #408, July 1/13

It’s fitting that the two full months of summer in the western world get started with a blast of dance, plus five new entries on the chart to keep things busy…

You can never be sure with my chart, but last week’s #4 debut has yielded the first number one on my personal chart these last 15 years for Pet Shop Boys with the stunning “Vocal” (ab0ve) from their upcoming album Electric, due in two weeks. Of course PSB would have likely had a gaggle of #1’s on my chart had it existed in their classic heyday. As I’ve mentioned, “Vocal” is their best song in 20 years and paves the way for a PSB (and disco) renaissance!
“Get Lucky” by Daft Punk featuring Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams remains at #2, still one of my favourites of the year, as the year end list will likely reflect 🙂
Travis Garland’s “Blue Electric Roses” slides almost prematurely to #3 after a month at the top, but watch for at least another song from the Fashionably Late Part II EP to land on the chart sometime soon.
Eli Escobar and Jessica 6 singer Nomi Ruiz continue to climb to #4 with the club raveup “Somebody To Love Me”.
“Begging” by Sweden’s Anton Ewald (below) has its eyes on the top of the chart as it vaults 15-5, in a tie for the fastest riser on the chart.

“This Is What It Feels Like” by Armin Van Buuren featuring ex-soulDecision singer Trevor Guthrie gets caught between a lot of movement and holds at #6, so we’ll have to see if it rides into the Top 5 in two weeks.
The recent cover of freestyle classic “Silent Morning” (intriguing new official video below) continues to turn heads as Parralox featuring Ryan Adamés climb to #8. And if you like Ryan’s vocal on this song, watch for more from him to catch your immediate attention very soon – I’m sure I will have something to say about it when it’s time! 😀
If competition on the chart wasn’t so fierce, two gems, “9 2 5” by Jarell Perry and “Too Young” (Penguin Prison remix) by Ghost Beach would be higher, but they are only now reaching the Top 10 and hope to stay there in two weeks.

Some big moves lead the next 20 songs:

Montreal’s Victor Bongiovanni and pal Kwik Fiks know how to make chilled out deep house music proud, taking rapper Dwele’s “I Think I Love You” and fashioning it accordingly. The song (above) soars 20-12.
The song that’s in a tie for the fastest riser on the chart is “Hearts”, that rhythmic dance feast from Dan Black and Kelis. Definitely headed for the Top 5, it climbs 23-13.
“Dirty Floors” is one of the most earthy and true-to-life songs amid those in Born Out Of Mischief, the full length album by NYC’s Andy Suzuki & The Method. It jumps 26-17.

Our five debuts are led, a little belatedly, by the #1 song in the world, “Blurred Lines” (above) by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams. Robin Thicke, son of my fellow Canadian, actor Alan Thicke, is no stranger to my chart. “Blurred Lines” in fact is his 9th chart entry since 2002, but first since 2009. His biggest feats have been “Wanna Love U Girl” (also featuring Pharrell, #4) and “Lost Without U” (#5), both from 2005/06. T.I. has had three appearances himself, with Justin Timberlake (“My Love”, “Dead and Gone”) and Rihanna (“Live My Life”) respectively. And Pharrell has seen #1 with his project N.E.R.D. back in 2003 with “Rock Star”, and has been featured on other songs by Mika (“Celebrate”) and Snoop Dogg (“Beautiful”). It will be no surprise if “Blurred Lines” doesn’t make even a bigger presence on the chart in two weeks 🙂
Next up is an album track from Between, the third release from FrankMusik. “Life (Is My Revenge)” is possibly the fiercest song on the album several listens later, it is an anthem about moving forward with life, definitely the best kind of way to say ‘I told you so’! It bows at #24.

I’ve written about the next three independent releases already, and am so glad that they are making quick headway on to the chart 🙂 :

“Remix My Love” by Killian Wells and Kristinia DeBarge (above) is possibly the sunniest sounding song of summer to arrive recently, with a gloriously colourful and fun video. It debuts at #26.
Completely the opposite, “Colder” (below) by Amelia’s Fault featuring a supurb vocal by singer Color Theory is definitely chilly electro to keep you calm and collected (and maybe a tad frosty) during the hot months to come. And if it doesn’t, well then you can just blame Amelia. “Colder” arrives at #27.
Lastly, from the dynamic album Nova comes the thoughtful and energetic “Shooting Star” which takes cabaret pop into electropop courtesy of the very talented Kim David Smith at #28.

Love Power from Armand Deluxe & SIRPAUL and Casey Stratton, Plus 3 Terrific Covers

A lot of thoughts came to my mind this week with the USA supreme court ruling concerning the magical and often elusive thing that is LOVE. Almost every person has their own definition of what it means to them, and how they behave in loving others and being loved by them. Too many people however allow labels and hatred to get in the way, when it’s really so easy to substitute kindness, peace and happiness in order to move forward.

Two songs also happened to truly resonate with me this week because of this, and while they have significantly different styles, the basis of each song is general enough to be far-reaching.

ARMAND DELUXE featuring SIRPAUL, “One Love”

“One Love” is one beauty of a summer dance anthem by producer/remixer/DJ Armand Deluxe and veteran NYC dance performer SIRPAUL. It really doesn’t say anything new – “one heart, one mind, one love”, asking us to stand up and join hands, and so forth. But these two artists get the message across with a joyful, positive and enthusiastic approach that simply makes you stop what you’re doing to get up and dance and celebrate love. “One Love” is worthy of worldwide attention and I’m hoping the two can create a video for the song. In tandem with this, Armand has started a Facebook page called The Global Love Project, where people can post their own stories. It’s an interesting idea and we’ll see where it goes. “One Love” and The Global Love Project can only do the world some good!!

CASEY STRATTON, “Love Is Love”

Prolific and very reliable Michigan-based singer Casey Stratton recently dropped his latest album Sea Into Sky. And as I was listening to the album this week, before any of the activity in the US started to come to a head, the second song on the album “Love Is Love” struck me perhaps as Casey’s best song in a while. It immediately stays in your head with its quiet and lyrical start which builds to a powerful and emotional crescendo after the three minute mark. Fans of Loreena McKennitt, Kate Bush, Tori Amos and others should flock to this, but for others like me Casey has written simple yet powerful lyrics that have arrived with fortuitous timing. As always, Casey’s elegant voice and musicianship is striking, making “Love Is Love” one complete package you need to hear that will warm your heart, soul and mind. You can buy “Love Is Love” and Sea Into Sky through Casey’s store.

Three splendid cover versions have caught my attention recently by some familiar names you know well from this blog 🙂

NICK, “Get Lucky”

It’s getting closer to that time when a single from Nick Hagelin’s upcoming Streamline/Interscope album is due for release. So with his cover of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”, we have a more produced effort but boy does it ever pack a punch. I love the song as is (currently #2 on my chart), but I love this version too!! Nick’s vocals positively rule this song, he changes up the approach with a gentle and sexy vocal that allows his falsetto to seep in. The guys look like they are having a blast, and I hope Nick’s album can show off a lot of these qualities that you often don’t find in major label releases.

ADAM TYLER, “The A Team”

Given all of the You Tube versions of Ed Sheeran’s worldwide hit, you’d think that one more might just get caught in the blur. But it doesn’t. LA-based singer Adam Tyler, currently on my chart with his EDM hit “Fade Into The Light”, strips the song down to basics as he has done before with other covers like “Torn” and ‘Turning Tables”, and sings a brilliantly heartfelt rendition that breaks loose the numbness after hearing the original so many times now. This bodes well for our Adam as he strides forward to create a follow up of originals to his winning 2011 album Shattered Ice.

MATTHEW KOMA, “Clarity”

Now that Zedd & Foxes’ original of “Clarity” looks like it will crack the Pop Top 10, it’s highly appropriate for Zedd’s pal Matthew Koma (who sang on the #1 dance hit of 2012 “Spectrum”) to interpret his friend’s huge hit. This is an acoustic version recorded live at the Cherrytree House where Matthew does not strive to copy Foxes’ vocal range and instead adapts the song beautifully to his lower register.

Kickstart Your Summer with Kim Smith’s Super Nova!

You may recall my mini-raves for two initial tasty treats from Australian-born New York-based cabaret charmer Kim Smith, “Jealous” and “Never Ever”. Well the full deal is available for you in iTunes as a part of Mr. Smith’s electropop album Nova.

The album is a thorough delight all of the way through. It’s hard not to find the lyrics and melodies resonating with you, for they are of the highest calibre courtesy of a cast of many: lyricist Charlie Mason, Måns Ek, Dirty Dasmo, Crush Boys (Daniel Volpe and Thomas Lipp), Erik Gold, Dirk Homuth, Johan Emmoth, Erik Lidbom, Richard Hymas, Ricardo Autobahn, Anders Lystell, Linda Stenmark, Florian Buba and Neele Ternes (officially out of breath now). And the songs in turn are enlivened by Kim’s rich and spot-on vocals, perfectly suited for each flavour within, whether he’s singing about having the “Radio” on, the quieter and pensive “These Tiny Little Things”, or even songs that require a very successfully campy approach, namely the haunting “Tarantula” and “Zombiez”. Best of all to me is the song that blazes like the album title, and that is the emotional affair that is “Shooting Star”.

In the meantime, reacquaint yourself with the video for “Jealous” and the Chameleon Musique Glitter Ball disco-influenced remix of “Never Ever”. If you reside in or will be visiting New York City this summer, do try to catch a Kim Smith show for me 🙂 I will settle for a live performance video 😉 Nova is one of the year’s most unexpected treasures from a classic talent who will be as enjoyed in the pop world as with his cabaret shows!

Chart Blog: 500 Personal Chart Faves 1998 to present

This is a mid-year celebration of my 15th anniversary of posting my personal chart online, The BILLCS Top 30. The chart has amassed an archive of over 1,600 songs, some of which are pretty obscure, but all have been officially released in some form – single, download, free download.

Here’s a quick legend to this listing. It’s broken down by a category, for example #1 with 10 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances. The listing is alphabetical by performer within that listing. * song is still on my chart and has not yet peaked ** song charted when my chart was a Top 10 only 1998 to mid 1999 *** special notation to Everybody Here Wants You by Jeff Buckley, which as a tribute to him, was #1 for 6 appearances, the entire length of its run.

All songs on my chart can run a maximum of 10 consecutive appearances and leave if they are holding or moving downward. The one exception to this was Rolling With The Deep by Adele, which moved up to #2 in its 11th consecutive week, and then left the chart. There have been a few non-consecutive exceptions ^ notably: Memorize Me by Rune RK & DATABOY which debuted before its release for 3 appearances and later got to #1; Millennium by Robbie Williams, which had two separate runs and got to #1 the second time; You Want Me Don’t You by Nelson Clemente, which had two separate chart runs in 2008 and 2009 due to a Spekr Freks remix; as well as Ryan Star’s Last Train Home, the longest running non-consecutive appearance (17 charts). The order is PERFORMER Song Title Date of Chart Entry

So here goes… it’s a long post, and I may convert it into a list to link at the right side of this blog in time. If you have any questions or comments please post them or tweet them to me @billcs – thanks and enjoy the list 😀

#1 with 13 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

RUNE RK & DATABOY ^

Memorize Me

20120130

#1 with 12 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

WILLIAMS, ROBBIE ^

Millennium

19990621

#1 with 10 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

100 AKRES F/ ROZ BELL	Pink Cadillac	20090817
3 DOORS DOWN	Kryptonite	20000403
ADELE	Chasing Pavements	20080107
AMERICAN HI-FI	Flavor Of The Weak	20010326
BACHMAN, TAL	Romanticide	19990829
BEDINGFIELD, DANIEL	Gotta Get Thru This (D’n’D Radio Edit)	20020610
BEDINGFIELD, DANIEL	James Dean (I Wanna Know)	20021014
BLACK, DAN	Alone	20091012
BLACK, DAN	Symphonies	20090803
BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT	Love Part II	20100913
BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT	New Word To Say, A	20100524
BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT	Waiting For The Feeling	20120409
BT	Simply Being Loved (Somnambulist)	20030721
BT featuring ROSE McGOWAN	Superfabulous	20030818
BUCKLEY, JEFF	Eternal Life (Mystery White Boy live version)	20000515
CAESARS	Jerk It Out	20050404
CARLSSON, AGNES	Release Me	20081222
CASSIUS with STEVE EDWARDS	Sound Of Violence, The	20021223
CHRISTIAN TV	Love 2 Baby	20110131
CURTIS, SIMON	8-Bit Heart	20100510
CURTIS, SIMON	Beat Drop	20100329
CURTIS, SIMON	Delusional	20091109
CURTIS, SIMON	Flesh	20110606
CURTIS, SIMON	Laser Guns Up	20110815
D’AGOSTINO, GIGI	I’Ll Fly With You (L’Amour Toujours)	20010813
DANISHEI, RO F/ SIMON CURTIS	Wicked Baby	20110829
DATABOY	Dreams Are Gold	20120618
DAY, HOWIE	Collide	20050221
DEEPEST BLUE	Deepest Blue	20030915
DEEPEST BLUE	Give It Away	20040126
DIDO	Here With Me	20001030
DUFFY	Mercy	20080303
DUTCH featuring CRYSTAL WATERS	My Time	20031124
ELECTRONIC	Twisted Tenderness	20001002
ESTELLE F/ KANYE WEST	American Boy	20080414
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL	Five Fathoms (Love More)	19991025
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL with DEEP DISH	Future Of The Future (Stay Gold), The	19991011
FLOWERS, BRANDON	Crossfire	20100705
FRANKMUSIK	Fear Inside, The	20101206
FRAY, THE	Over My Head (Cable Car)	20060306
FRAY, THE	You Found Me (Lenny B Mix)	20090427
FREEMASONS F/ AMANDA WILSON	Watchin’	20060220
GUETTA, DAVID F/ J.D. DAVIS	World Is Mine, The	20050711
HAINES, EMILY & THE SOFT SKELETON	Doctor Blind	20061127
HAYES, DARREN	Crush (1980 Me)	20020527
HAYES, DARREN	How To Build A Time Machine	20071210
HAYES, DARREN	Me, Myself And (I)	20071015
HAYES, DARREN	Step Into The Light	20070528
HILL, LAURYN	Lost Ones	19990110
HILTON, TYLER	Letter Song, The	20041213
HUNTER, MITCHELL	They Might Say	20041004
INXS	Pretty Vegas	20051003
ISAAK, CHRIS	I Want You To Want Me	20060529
ISAAK, CHRIS	Speak Of The Devil	19981109
JAKE	Let Me Know	20000724
JASEFOS F/ CLAIRE VAN DER BOOM	Do What U Want	20051003
JERONIMO	One Kiss	20120507
JEWEL	Serve The Ego (Gabriel & Dresden Club Remix)	20021028
JIMMY EAT WORLD	Middle, The	20020418
KAISER CHIEFS	Ruby	20070219
KEANE	Is It Any Wonder	20060529
KEYS, ALICIA	You Don’t Know My Name	20031208
KOMA, MATTHEW	1998	20121119
KOMA, MATTHEW	Parachute	20121105
KWIK FIKS & BONGIOVANNI	Lifted	20130211
LADY GAGA	Teeth	20100118
LIFEHOUSE	Hanging By A Moment	20001225
LIFEHOUSE	Spin	20020819
LOW MILLIONS	Eleanor	20050207
MAROON5	This Love	20040223
MARTIN, RICKY	Livin’ La Vida Loca	19990426
MARTIN, RICKY	Loaded	20010115
MATCHBOX TWENTY	Bent	20000417
MCCARTNEY, JESSE	Relapse	20080915
MCLAUGHLIN, JON	Beating My Heart	20080707
MCLAUGHLIN, JON	You Can Never Go Back	20081124
MICHAEL, GEORGE	Amazing (Full Intention remix)	20040308
MICHAEL, GEORGE	Flawless (Go To The City)	20040628
MIDWAY STATE, THE	Never Again	20081110
MOTORCYCLE	As The Rush Comes (Tiesto’s Exclusive Demo Mix)	20030609
MRAZ, JASON	Remedy (I Won’t Worry), The	20030317
MRAZ, JASON	Wordplay	20050515
N SYNC	Pop	20010521
NEW RADICALS	You Get What You Give	19981109
NOAH	Mannequin	20090525
NOBREGA, CARLOS	Music Makes You Lose Control	20120827
NOZUKA, JUSTIN	After Tonight	20080526
OCEANLAB	Satellite (Above & Beyond Mix)	20040531
PENGUIN PRISON	Golden Train	20101108
PENGUIN PRISON	Worse It Gets, The	20100412
PINK	There You Go	20000207
RIVER TIBER	Someday	20120227
ROYKSOPP F/ ROBYN	Girl And The Robot, The	20090511
RUFF ENDZ	No More	20000904
SAADE, ERIC	Backseat	20120102
SAADE, ERIC	Popular	20110328
SAADE, ERIC F/ DEV	Hotter Than Fire	20111121
SANCHEZ, ROGER F/ GTO	Turn On The Music	20060306
SANTANA featuring ROB THOMAS	Smooth	19990802
SHAND, REMY	Take A Message	20020218
SHAPESHIFTERS	Lola’s Theme	20040726
SNOW PATROL F/ MARTHA WAINWRIGHT	Set The Fire To The Third Bar	20061127
SONIQUE	It Feels So Good	20000207
SOULDECISION	Faded	20000110
SPARKS, JORDIN F/ CHRIS BROWN	No Air	20080218
STABILO	Flawed Design	20060417
SUGAR RAY	Every Morning	19990118
TAUBENFELD, EVAN	Cheater Of The Year	20090316
TAYLOR, SAM	Run Away	20090216
THOMAS, ROB	Lonely No More	20050221
THOMAS, ROB	This Is How A Heart Breaks	20050711
TIMBALAND F/ KERI HILSON, D.O.E. & SEBASTIAN	Way I Are, The	20070709
TIMBALAND F/ ONE REPUBLIC	Apologize	20070820
TIMBERLAKE, JUSTIN	FutureSex/LoveSound	20060918
TIMBERLAKE, JUSTIN	LoveStoned/I Think She Knows	20061211
TIMBERLAKE, JUSTIN	Rock Your Body	20030217
TIMBERLAKE, JUSTIN	SexyBack	20060724
TRAVIS	Driftwood	20000515
USHER, DAVID	Black Black Heart	20010924
VAN BUUREN, ARMIN featuring RAY WILSON	Yet Another Day (Riva Remix)	20030526
VAN HELDEN, ARMAND	My My My	20041115
VAN HELDEN, ARMAND, featuring DUANE HARDEN	U Don’t Know Me	19990524
WAINWRIGHT, RUFUS	April Fools	19980803
WAINWRIGHT, RUFUS	California	20010604
WAINWRIGHT, RUFUS	Foolish Love	19980803
WALLACE, CHRIS	Remember When (Push Rewind)	20120702
WINEHOUSE, AMY	Tears Dry On Their Own	20070709
WOON, JAMIE	Night Air	20110117
ZEDD F/ MATTHEW KOMA	Spectrum	20120813

#1 with 9 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

ARCHULETA, DAVID	Crush	20080818
BLUE, MATT	Can’t Help Myself (Keep Dancing)	20111024
BROWN, CHRIS	With You	20080218
dbCLIFFORD	Simple Things	20070205
DEPECHE MODE	Dream On	20010326
EVANESCENCE featuring PAUL McCOY	Bring Me To Life	20030428
FRANKMUSIK	Map	20130225
FRANKMUSIK F/ COLETTE CARR	No I.D.	20110926
KEANE	Spiralling	20080915
KONRAD, LAURENT	Rock U	20040503
MAROON5	Makes Me Wonder	20070416
MECK F/ LEO SAYER	Thunder In My Heart Again (Miami Calling Mix)	20060123
MIKA	Rain	20100104
N.E.R.D.	Rock Star (Jason Nevins Remix Edit)	20031208
NEGRO, JOEY	Make A Move On Me (Club Mix)	20060724
RIVER TIBER	City, The	20130114
SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA F/ JOHN MARTIN	Don’t You Worry Child	20121008
TEMPER TRAP, THE	Resurrection (Penguin Prison Remix)	20101012
USHER	You Make Me Wanna…	19970910
USHER featuring LUDACRIS & LIL JON	Yeah	20040126
VAN BUUREN, ARMIN F/ CHRIS JONES	Going Wrong	20080428
WATERS, CRYSTAL	Come On Down	20020107

#1 with 8 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

BEYONCE	Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)	20081124
BLIGE, MARY J. F/ THE GAME	MJB Da MVP	20050627
BUBLE, MICHAEL	Sway (Ralphi’s Salsation Vox Edit)	20040726
DATABOY	Just Once	20110704
MARTIN, RICKY	Cup Of Life, The (The Official Song Of The World Cup ’98) [Spanglish Radio Remix]	19990705
NEXT**	Too Close	19980413

#1 with 7 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

JOEE**	Angel	19971119
STRATTON, CASEY	Blood (Junior Vasquez Mix)	20050221
UNDERDOG PROJECT	Summer Jam	20010730
VERVE, THE**	Bitter Sweet Symphony	19971022

#1 with 6 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

JAI**	Heaven	19980302
GOOD BAND, MATTHEW**	Indestructible	19980330
BUCKLEY, JEFF***	Everybody Here Wants You	19980608
DIVINE INSPIRATION	The Way (Put Your Hand In My Hand)	20030217
GARLAND, TRAVIS*	Blue Electric Roses	20130408

#1 with 5 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

FASTBALL**

Way, The

19980330

#1 with 4 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

JAI**

I Believe

19980216

#2 with 11 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

ADELE

Rolling In The Deep

20110103

#2 with 10 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

ASHCROFT, RICHARD	Song For The Lovers, A	20000515
AXWELL	Feel The Vibe (Til The Morning Comes)	20060123
BARONE, RICHARD	Glow	20100927
BELL, ROZ	Papercut	20071015
BITCH HOTEL F/ RIVAZ, THE	End Of Time	20050711
BLACK, DAN	Pump My Pumps	20091026
CHASEZ, JC	Until Yesterday	20061016
CHEMICAL BROTHERS	Star Guitar	20020218
COLDPLAY	Clocks (Gabriel & Dresden Remix)	20030303
DAREY, MATT F/ ANTOINE & MARCIA JUELL	Beautiful Day (Sunburst Radio Mix)	20070416
DAVID, CRAIG	Can’t Be Messing ‘Round	20020318
DR. DRE featuring EMINEM	Forgot About Dre	20000207
ELOUISE	Pretender	20100802
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL	Temperamental	19991108
FAULKNER, NEWTON	Dream Catch Me	20080623
FEEDER	Just The Way I’m Feeling	20030217
FRANKMUSIK	Hurt You Again	20110214
FRANKMUSIK F/ FAR EAST MOVEMENT	Do It In The A.M.	20110425
HAYES, DARREN	I Like The Way	20041213
HILTON, TYLER & BETHANY JOY LENZ	When The Stars Go Blue	20050321
IAN VAN DAHL featuring MARSHA	Castles In The Sky	20010716
IIO	At The End	20030303
MADONNA	Sorry	20060109
MAROON5	She Will Be Loved	20040614
MARTIN, RICKY	She Bangs	20001002
MARTIN, RICKY F/ DADDY YANKEE	Drop It On Me	20051017
MAYER, JOHN	Waiting On The World To Change	20060904
MCFLY	That Girl	20040906
MIKA	Blame It On The Girls	20091012
MOON, WILLY	Yeah Yeah	20121105
MRAZ, JASON	Absolutely Zero	20030623
MYA	Case Of The Ex (Whatcha Gonna Do)	20000918
NEW ORDER	Crystal	20010924
PIERRE	Broken	20090105
RADIN, JOSHUA	Fear You Won’t Fall, The	20070820
RIHANNA	S&M	20101122
SECADA, JON	Just Another Day (George Acosta Remix)	20060515
SPARRO, SAM	Black And Gold	20080609
STAR, RYAN	Right Now	20081222
WINEHOUSE, AMY	You Know I’m No Good	20070219
ZEDD F/ FOXES	Clarity	20130114

#2 with 9 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

BELL, ROZ	Yesterday Man	20070625
BLUE MAN GROUP featuring VENUS HUM	I Feel Love	20031027
ENUR F/ NATASJA	Calabria	20071126
FLORENCE & THE MACHINE	Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)	20090720
HILL, LAURYN	Doo Wop (That Thing)	19980928
JANET featuriMISSY “MISDEMEANOR” ELLIOTT & CARLY SIMON	Son Of A Gun	20011119
JELEN, BEN	Falling Down	20040712
MURPHY, ROISIN	Ramalama (Bang Bang)	20060918
NINA SKY	Move Ya Body	20040531
OUTKAST	Hey Ya	20031110
PENGUIN PRISON	Something I’m Not	20100301
PROPELLERHEADS featuring SHIRLEY BASSEY	History Repeating	19980427
RIVER TIBER	Symmetry	20120326
RUDOLF, KEVIN F/ LIL’ WAYNE	Let It Rock	20080929
WEST, KANYE F/ JAMIE FOXX	Gold Digger	20050919

#2 with 8 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

3 DOORS DOWN	Better Life	20000821
COLDPLAY	Talk	20051226
DIRTY VEGAS	Days Go By	20020513
K-OS	Crabbuckit	20040823
OXYGEN featuring ANDREA BRITTON	Am I On Your Mind	20030217
SAADE, ERIC	Made Of Pop	20110718
SEMISONIC	Singing In My Sleep	19980831
SUPERMEN LOVERS	Starlight	20020204

#2 with 7 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

ISAAK, CHRIS	Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing	19990815
OUTKAST featuring SLEEPY BROWN	Way You Move, The	20031208
THORN, TRACEY	It’s All True	20070305

#2 with 5 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

SWIRL 360	Hey Now Now	19980803
DAFT PUNK*	Get Lucky	20130422

#3 with 16 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

CLEMENTE, NELSON ^

You Want Me Don’t You

20080303

#3 with 10 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

ALCAZAR	Crying At The Discotheque	20020107
ALI, NADIA	Love Story (Victor Franco Radio Mix)	20090413
AMERICAN HI-FI	Geeks Get The Girls, The	20050502
BEYONCE	Naughty Girl	20040308
BLACK EYED PEAS	Hey Mama	20040322
BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT	Disco Moment	20110801
BT featuring JC CHASEZ	Force Of Gravity (Do You Cry Your Eyes To Sleep), The	20030901
CIARA F/ MISSY ELLIOTT	1, 2 Step	20041115
COLDPLAY	Viva La Vida	20080707
D-CRU featuring GOLDEN CHILD	Never Never	19990215
DARIN F/ KAT DELUNA	Breathing Your Love	20081222
DEPECHE MODE	Precious	20050919
FAITHLESS	God Is A DJ	19990329
FILTER	Take A Picture	19991025
FLOWERS, BRANDON	Jacksonville	20101025
FREEMASONS F/ AMANDA WILSON	Love On My Mind	20051017
FURTADO, NELLY	Maneater	20060724
GAUDINO, ALEX F/ CRYSTAL WATERS	Destination Calabria	20070514
GEIGER, TEDDY	For You I Will (Confidence)	20060123
GENTLEMEN HALL	Sail Into The Sun	20130211
GREEN DAY	Wake Me Up When September Ends	20050725
GUETTA, DAVID F/ CHRIS WILLIS	Love Is Gone	20070820
HAYES, DARREN	Bloodstained Heart	20110912
HILTON, TYLER	When It Comes	20040823
IIO	Rapture (Tastes So Sweet)	20020121
JAMIROQUAI	Little L	20010924
JAVI	Situation (Monsieur Adi Remix)	20100301
JELEN, BEN	Give It All Away	20041004
JONAS, JOE	Make You Mine	20111205
KELLEY, JOSH	Only You	20050822
LEWIS, LEONA	Bleeding Love	20071210
LIFEHOUSE	Everything	20010716
LIFEHOUSE	Halfway Gone	20091123
LIFEHOUSE	You And Me	20050307
MIKA	We Are Golden	20090817
MOFFATTS	Bang Bang Boom	20000724
MRAZ, JASON	I’ll Do Anything	20030707
OAKENFOLD	Ready Steady Go	20020527
RIHANNA	Don’t Stop The Music	20071001
RYAN, KATE	Desenchantee	20020819
SAADE, ERIC	Fingerprints	20120116
SCRIPT, THE	Before The Worst	20090216
SHAND, REMY	I Met Your Mercy	20020318
SKY	All I Want	19990927
STAR, RYAN	Start A Fire	20100816
STONE, ANGIE	Life Story	20000529
TAUBENFELD, EVAN	Boy Meets Girl	20090706
TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB	Something Good Can Work	20100607
USHER, DAVID	Kill The Lights	20080804
WAINWRIGHT, RUFUS, MARTHA & LOUDON, AND KATE MCGARRIGLE	What’ll I Do	19981123
WILLIAMS, ROBBIE	No Regrets	19990621

#3 with 9 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

ADELE	Someone Like You	20110314
BIM	Head Over Heels	20100719
EMMICH, VAL	Get On With It	20081110
FABOLOUS F/ NE-YO	Make Me Better	20070806
FOSTER THE PEOPLE	Pumped Up Kicks	20110704
FURTADO, NELLY	Say It Right	20061127
JAMIROQUAI	White Knuckle Ride (Penguin Prison Remix)	20100927
MATCHBOX TWENTY	Disease	20021014
NISSIM, OFFER F/ MAYA	Perfect Love	20060320
PATRICK, KYLE	Go For Gold	20120716
PENGUIN PRISON	Don’t Fuck With My Money	20111107
SONO	Keep Control	20010910
TIESTO F/ CHRISTIAN BURNS	In The Dark	20070430
TRAVIS	Why Does It Always Rain On Me	20000320

#3 with 8 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

BRAN VAN 3000 featuring CURTIS MAYFIELD	Astounded	20010521
CHRISTIAN TV	I’m In Love	20110523
CURTIS, SIMON	Joystick	20100329
FLORENCE & THE MACHINE	Spectrum (Say My Name) (Calvin Harris Remix)	20120730
KELIS	Acapella	20100426
MICHAEL, GEORGE	Precious Box (Shapeshifters Remix)	20060123
R.E.M.	Imitation Of Life	20010423
REID, JERRY F/ BEN WATERS	Out Without Your Boyfriend	20110606
SEMISONIC**	Closing Time	19980413
STELLAR PROJECT F/ BRANDI EMMA	Get Up Stand Up	20050124
TAO HYPAH	Celeb	20120507
WHITE STRIPES, THE	Seven Nation Army	20030609

#3 with 7 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

BEASTIE BOYS	Intergalactic	19980817
CRAZY TOWN	Butterfly	20010219
DADDY DJ	Daddy DJ	20010618
RYAN, KATE	Scream For More	20011217

#3 with 6 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

HILL, LAURYN	Ex-Factor	19990201
LASGO	Something	20021209
NOEMI	In My Dreams	20030303

#3 with 5 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

LOVE, INC.**	Broken Bones	19980202
BLUE, MATT*	Outta My Mind	20130422

#3 with 4 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

RAY, JIMMY**	Are You Jimmy Ray	19980302
FUEL**	Shimmer	19980622
SASH! featuring LA TREC**	Stay	19980803

#4 with 17 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

STAR, RYAN ^

Last Train Home

20090216

#4 with 10 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

AALIYAH	Are You That Somebody	19980831
BACHMAN, TAL	She’S So High	19990426
BEDINGFIELD, NATASHA	Unwritten	20051114
BLACK, JULLY	Rally’N	19990621
BLIGE, MARY J.	Family Affair	20010813
CHERRY, EAGLE-EYE	Save Tonight	19980831
CHIMES, RUSS	Never Look Back	20100913
COX, DEBORAH	Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here	19981109
DAVID, CRAIG	7 Days	20011203
FIRSTMAN, JOE	Now You’re Gorgeous, Now You’re Gone	20030901
GO, GARY	Wonderful	20090803
HANSON	This Time Around	20000320
HARRIS, CALVIN	Ready For The Weekend	20090831
HILTON, TYLER	Missing You	20060220
IAN VAN DAHL	Will I	20020121
LADY GAGA	Bad Romance	20091109
LEWIS, ANDREA F/ SIMON CURTIS	Talk To Me	20101025
LEWIS, BLAKE	Heartbreak On Vinyl	20100201
LIFEHOUSE F/ NATASHA BEDINGFIELD	Between The Raindrops	20120924
MARIANAS TRENCH	Masterpiece Theatre Part 1	20090608
MATT & KIM	Daylight	20090914
O TOWN	Liquid Dreams	20001127
ORGY	Blue Monday	19981207
PRESETS	If I Know You	20090330
REDFIELD, DAVIS	World Apart, A	20130114
SENNE, CLAYTON	Wonderland	20100315
SHEIK, DUNCAN	We’re Here To Tell You	20090119
SOULDECISION	Cadillac Dress	20040726
THICKE, ROBIN F/ PHARRELL	Wanna Love U Girl	20051031
TYLER, ADAM	Friction (Ricardo Autobahn Edit)	20100719
USHER, DAVID	Blinded	20020401
VERTICAL HORIZON	Everything You Want	20000124
WAINWRIGHT, RUFUS	Tulsa	20070611
WALLACE, CHRIS	Time Bomb (Walk Away)	20121119
WEST, KANYE F/ DAFT PUNK	Stronger	20070806
WHITE, MATT	Best Days	20071112
WOLF, PATRICK	Magic Position, The	20070416
ZELMERLOW, MANS	Rewind	20090803

#4 with 9 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

BLACK, JULLY	Sweat Of Your Brow	20050612
DANISHEI, RO F/ SIMON CURTIS	Michelle	20110117
FRANKMUSIK	Captain	20130225
FREEMASONS F/ SYLVIA MASON-JAMES	Nothing But A Heartache	20061225
JESSICA 6 F/ ANTONY HEGARTY	Prisoner Of Love	20110801
JONES, HOWARD	And Do You Feel Scared (Eric Prydz Mix)	20060612
LADY GAGA	Speechless	20100104
LIVE	Dolphin’s Cry, The	19990829
MCMASTER & JAMES	Love Wins Every Time	19991122
MUNROE, COLIN F/ PUSHA-T	Fight Of My Life, The	20120227
PERPETUOUS DREAMER	Sound Of Goodbye, The	20020708
POSNER, MIKE	Cooler Than Me (Gigamesh Mix)	20100426
SPARRO, SAM	Hot Mess	20081013
SUMMER, DONNA	Stamp Your Feet	20080623
TAO HYPAH	Play The Girl	20121105
TIMBERLAKE, JUSTIN	Cry Me A River	20021125
TIMBERLAKE, JUSTIN	Like I Love You	20020930
USHER	U Got It Bad	20011105
USHER, DAVID	Music, The	20070305
VAN DYK, PAUL F/ REA GARVEY	Let Go	20080428
VINCENT DID IT F/ QUIGLEY	Notice Me	20120423
WALTERS, STONE	Home	20111219
WINEHOUSE, AMY	Wake Up Alone	20070205

#4 with 8 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

ANGEL CITY featuring LARA McALLEN	Love Me Right	20040223
COLTON, GRAHAM	Best Days	20080204
DISTINCT NATURE	Human	19990815
EVANESCENCE	Call Me When You’re Sober	20060821
FRAY, THE	How To Save A Life	20061002
GREEN DAY	Boulevard Of Broken Dreams	20041115
IN-GRID	Tu Es Foutu (You Promised Me)	20040322
JOEE	Sunshine	20020527
KILLERS	All These Things That I’ve Done	20050627
KILLERS	Dustland Fairytale, A	20090525
KNIGHT, JORDAN	Give It To You	19990412
LOPEZ, JENNIFER	I’m Real	20010716
LOST BROTHERS featuring G TOM MAC	Cry Little Sister	20040126
MADONNA & JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE FEATURING TIMBALAND	4 Minutes	20080331
MINOGUE, KYLIE	Timebomb	20120702
PET SHOP BOYS	Viva La Vida/Domino Dancing	20091207
RIHANNA	S.O.S. (Rescue Me)	20060206
SHEIK, DUNCAN	Mirror In The Heart, A	20010409
STRIEMER, NAOMI	Run	20041213
USHER	U Remind Me	20010702
WAINWRIGHT, RUFUS	Greek Song	20010716
WANTED, THE	Glad You Came	20120312
WATERBOYS	Let It Happen	20010326

#4 with 7 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

BLUNT, JAMES	You’re Beautiful	20050822
JANET	All For You	20010312

#4 with 6 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

CURTIS, SIMON	Superhero	20110523
HAYES, DARREN	Talk Talk Talk	20110704

#4 with 4 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

GOOD BAND, MATTHEW**

Everything Is Automatic

19980119

#4 with 3 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

USHER**

Nice And Slow

19980216

#5 with 10 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

AGUILERA, CHRISTINA	Not Myself Tonight	20100426
BASEMENT JAXX featuring JC CHASEZ	Plug It In	20040322
BLACK, JULLY	Seven Day Fool	20071001
BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT F/ MYKAL KILGORE	Feel It	20120910
BRYLIN, KYLE	Everything I’m Missing	20110314
CAST OF “HAIRSPRAY”	You Can’t Stop The Beat	20070903
CHRISTIAN TV	When She Turns 18	20100830
DAY, HOWIE	She Says	20050822
EVANS, FAITH	Love Like This	19981123
FOSTER THE PEOPLE	Houdini (Green Children Remix)	20120730
GOOD BAND, MATTHEW	Hello Time Bomb	19990927
GOULDING, ELLIE	Anything Could Happen	20120827
JAKE	Take My Heart Away	20000918
JOEE	Arriba	19990815
KARDINAL OFFISHALL F/ AKON	Dangerous	20080512
LAUPER, CYNDI	Shine (Tracy Young Radio Edit)	20020916
LAWSON	Learn To Love Again	20130128
MAESTRO	416/905 (T.O. Party Anthem)	19990215
MARIANAS TRENCH	Shake Tramp	20070723
MCCARTNEY, JESSE	Leavin’	20080303
MGMT	Electric Feel	20080901
MOBILE	Out Of My Head	20060501
NEW ORDER	Krafty	20050307
PAUL, SEAN	Temperature (Keeping You Warm)	20050612
RUSH, DAVID F/ LMFAO, KEVIN RUDOLF & PITBULL	Shooting Star (Rock Party Remix)	20090928
SAINT MOTEL	Dear Dictator (Sam Sparro Remix)	20100816
STAR, RYAN	Breathe	20100510
STERBINSZKY & TRANZIDENT featuring JEWLS	Gates Of Mind	20030317
STRIEMER, NAOMI	Fall Behind	20041004
THICKE, ROBIN	Lost Without U	20061016
TIESTO featuring BT	Love Comes Again	20040419
USHER, DAVID	My Way Out	20020121
WAINWRIGHT, RUFUS	Vibrate	20030929

#5 with 9 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

AGUILERA, CHRISTINA	Ain’t No Other Man	20060612
ANDAIN	Beautiful Things	20030623
BACHMAN, TAL	Aeroplane	20040209
BEDINGFIELD, DANIEL	Wrap My Words Around You	20050404
BROWN, CHRIS	Forever	20080609
CHYNN, TAMI F/ AKON	Frozen	20081013
CLEMENTE, NELSON	90 Days	20100118
DARIN	Girl Next Door	20090608
FOSTER THE PEOPLE	Call It What You Want	20120312
GADJO F/ ALEXANDRA PRINCE	So Many Times	20051128
GRAFFITI 6	Free	20120213
IIO	Smooth	20031208
ISAAK, CHRIS	We Let Her Down	20090302
JAM & SPOON	Be.Angeled (Paul Van Dyk Club Mix)	20020513
JAY-Z F/ ALICIA KEYS	Empire State Of Mind	20091026
JON B	Don’t Talk	20010205
LADY GAGA	Born This Way	20110228
MEAT LOAF F/ MARION RAVEN	It’s All Coming Back To Me Now	20060807
MINOGUE, KYLIE	Can’t Get You Out Of My Head	20011217
MISSTRESS BARBARA F/ SAM ROBERTS	I’m Running	20090525
MOBILE	See Right Through Me	20060821
RAC F/ PENGUIN PRISON	Hollywood	20120618
ROC PROJECT, THE, featuring TINA ARENA	Never (Past Tense)	20030707
SHINY TOY GUNS	You Are The One	20070430
SOULDECISION	Don’t Dance Close To Me	20041227
STREISAND, BARBRA	Night Of My Life (Junior’s Roxy Anthem)	20051017
TAUBENFELD, EVAN	Pumpkin Pie	20100524
TYLER, ADAM	I Won’t Let You Go	20110131
TYLER, ADAM	Pull The Trigger	20110912
UNDERWORLD	Two Months Off	20021125
WILLIAMS, ROBBIE	Tripping	20050919

#5 with 8 Bi-Weekly Chart Appearances

BEDINGFIELD, DANIEL	Secret Fear	20120604
CRYSTAL METHOD F/ EMILY HAINES	Come Back Clean (Kaskade Radio Edit)	20100104
DATABOY	Stupid (Brad Walsh Remix)	20110411
DEL REY, LANA	Blue Jeans (Penguin Prison Remix)	20111024
KLEERUP F/ TITIYO	Longing For Lullabies	20090511
LINKIN PARK	In The End	20011022
MANIC STREET PREACHERS	If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next	19990802
MOBY	Natural Blues	20000221
MONIFAH	Touch It	19981012
MOON, WILLY	My Girl	20130311
ORSON	No Tomorrow	20060710
PERPETUOUS DREAMER	Dust.wav	20030512
SHAND, REMY	Rocksteady	20020610
WEBB, MATT	Cinnamon	20110606
WEST, KANYE F/ JAY-Z, RICK ROSS, BON IVER & NICKI MINAJ	Monster	20101122

BILLCS Top 30 #407 – June 17/13

Travis Garland’s sweet and sexxy “Blue Electric Roses” holds on to #1 on my personal chart for a second appearance with ease, but that could change in two weeks!

Will it be Daft Punk’s huge hit featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, “Get Lucky”, that gets to the top? The song advances 4-2. But another song is brewing below.
Will it be the spectacularly high debut for “Vocal” by Pet Shop Boys at #4 (above)? I still call it their best song in about 20 years, when you consider their classic heyday with songs like “It’s A Sin”, “What Have I Done To Deserve This”, “West End Girls”, their mashup “Where The Streets Have No Name/Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”, “Can You Forgive Her”, “Heart” and lesser known gems like “Love Comes Quickly”. “Vocal”, however, is this year’s anthem for music lovers (particularly EDM/dance/disco/electronica).
Will it be the enticing “Somebody To Love Me” by Eli Escobar featuring Nomi Ruiz, which climbs 8-5? Only “Outta My Mind” by young Dutchman Matt Blue seems to have peaked at #3.

And here’s where some rising songs get stuck and others start to fall because of the incredible competition in the Top 5.

“This Is How It Feels Like” by Armin Van Buuren featuring Trevor Guthrie (above) inches up to #6 but should still get to the Top 5. It was a homecoming for Canadian Guthrie, performing at Canada’s Much Music Video Awards this past weekend.
“Your Touch” by Blake Lewis and “Pompeii” by Bastille are much played on my iPod Touch but tumble a few notches in the face of (gasp) stronger songs.
“One Night” by Matthew Koma from his upcoming album Arcadia slides into the Top 10 at #10. Watch Matthew perform Zedd’s “Clarity” below 🙂

They move up 2 + 2 + 2 and closer to the Top 10, all very unique songs: “Too Young” (Penguin Prison remix) by Ghost Beach, Parralox & Ryan Adames with “Silent Morning”, and “On My Way” by Charlie Brown – 12, 13, and 14 respectively.
The fastest riser on the chart is rising megatalent from Sweden, Anton Ewald with the insanely catchy “Begging”, bounding 27-15 (below).
Right behind are JT’s “Let The Groove Get In” at #16, FrankMusik’s beautifully vocalized “Chasing Shadows” at #17, and “Fade Into The Light” by Adam Tyler at #18.
Continue to climb are Bongiovanni’s bass thumping deep house song “I Think I Love You” at #20, soulful Slow Knights with “Shame” at #21, and “Brokenhearted” by Lawson and B.o.B. at #22.

Aside from “Vocal” by Pet Shop Boys crashing the chart way up at #4, there are two other fine debuts:

He’s back!! Musical alchemist Dan Black teams with Kelis for “Hearts” at #23 (ab0ve). Mr. Black took over my chart back in 2009/10 with two #1’s, “Symphonies” and “Alone”, #2 “Pump My Pumps”, and #7 “U + Me”, all from his debut album UN, and then guested on Bag Raiders’ “Sunlight” (#7, 2011). Kelis is no stranger to the chart either, particularly with her 2010 #3 “Acapella”, which gives great voice to all us single folks.
I just raved about their album Born Out of Mischief, so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see my favourite song from that album bowing on the chart. NYC’s Andy Suzuki & The Method arrive with the impressive rocker “Dirty Floors” at #26 (below).