India-born, Toronto-based electronic producer Dr. Ozi will push your limits with “Youth In Asia”. It’s a colourful, herky-jerky track that will keep your attention and impress you with how deftly he moves between rhythms and styles, all in one song! It’s more apt to please folks who like their electronic dance music on the heavy side, with lots of familiar dubstep moments to ride along the way. It’s also incredibly melodic and detailed, so it’s no wonder he’s attracted attention from the likes of Zomboy (for whom he opened on a recent tour). “Youth In Asia” is a feast for your ears if you like your dance music on the progressive side and your electronic music riddled with all kinds of sounds.
Lexxi Raine is a talented new singer/songwriter from Buffalo, New York who arrives with her 7 song EP Fun While It Lasted. While all of the songs aren’t entirely successful, with too sparse production sometimes a culprit, the EP focuses on showcasing her razor sharp songwriting skills, and to me, her songs are easily transferable to be promoted to and recorded by other artists as well. She has a great way with words and telling a story like so many other songwriters cannot do. She calls her style “pop-punk” but it’s really cut from the same cloth that made The Go-Go’s, The Bangles, The Waitresses, and other women artists all the rage in the 80’s, which also influenced male bands like Green Day and Blink-182. The songs are often acoustic, with vocals not always on key (but someone tell that to team Billie Eilish 😉 ), but the best ones rock out with full band effect. So I’ll draw your attention to the gritty “He Says, She Says” and the cutting “Dear Kellie”, both below. But don’t get me wrong, Lexxi Raine is on a very contemporary path with the telling and provocative video for “What The Lonely People Do” (above), where the protagonist wants a relationship to be all about her and not about others. Lexxi Raine has just completed a small tour of the UK where she is obviously establishing a fan base. She’s someone to check out at this ground-level stage and has the potential to go far with the right songs and production.
My last chart of the year, and decade, is here, which means my year end Top Songs list will be following on December 31. What a year it’s been for music! Though it doesn’t compare as much to other years in this decade, it still had so much to offer. There are four debuts on this new chart, and a contender for the top in two weeks.
A reminder that the music from my chart and blog will be featured regularly on the new online radio station Radio GTA. You can hear their Big 20 on Wednesday evenings with ‘The Musicman’ James Rogers and listen for songs from the chart too 🙂 Scroll down the station’s main page to listen to lots of variety from across the decades! I’m the new music consultant for the station so you can expect even more in 2020 🙂 You can start by joining our new interactive Facebook group too!!
It’s Harry Styles Week in most of the world, at least according to the album charts. Fine Line is the top album in North America and elsewhere in the world, and deservedly so with its find blend of contemporary and many past styles which make an incredibly diverse album that goes down really easy. Oh, and can I mention Harry’s super vocals yet again? 🙂 Not only does “Lights Up” (above) get a third appearance (6th week) at #1 on this chart, but “Watermelon Sugar” advances 25-19 and “Adore You” (below) has the highest debut two positions down at #21!
It seems likely that Tritonal and Henry Dark could take Harry Styles away from #1 in two weeks as the new Sanskrit-chanted festival anthem for 2020, “Shivohum”, soars 9-2. This riveting song keeps your ears glued and your feet very happy.
I never thought I’d see Dolly Parton in my Top 5 in the 2010’s or 2020’s, but here she is with dance superstars Galantis retooling John Hiatt’s “Have A Little Faith In Me” into the jubilant and fun dance track, “Faith”, rising 7-5. Dolly’s classic, recognizable vocal goes so well with Mr. Probz’s soulful one too.
Speaking of soul on a dance music song, Aloe Blacc lends his trademark voice to Hellberg’s “Punching In The Dark”, which glides 11-7.
Also new in the Top 10 are “Mad” by Brandon Colbein (12-9, above, with a tender, acoustic, stripped down version), his second following the #1 “So Bad” in 2016 (billed then as Brandon Skeie), and Sam Smith’s glorious cover of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” (13-10, below). It’s Sam’s tenth top tenner here, including his featured vocals with Disclosure on “Latch” and “Omen”.
Peter Foldy’s “Toxic World” is a wonderful new release by the veteran Canadian singer/songwriter and it rises 15-11.
The Fastest Riser on the chart belongs to R3HAB, Zayn and Jungleboi with the short but deeply involving “Flames”, which goes into fast gear, up 20-12. Zayn with his compelling vocal as a demon or the devil? Yes please!!
L.A. indie alt.rock quartet Awolnation has one of the most infectious songs out there with “The Best”, which climbs 22-16.
I’m hoping that pop radio will jump all over “if we never met” by Florida-based singer/songwriter John.k soon. It moves up 21-17.
Halifax dance producer Famba acquires his first American dance radio Top 10 hit with my second new entry, which is “Storm”, featuring vocalist Kyra Mastro at #27. It’s from Famba’s upcoming release Wishes Vol. 1, due just after the new year, and follows his Canadian radio hits “Wish You Well” and “Swear To God” (which peaked at #3 on this chart). I’m waiting for Canadian stations to jump all over it – what are you waiting for?
I’m also surprised that radio in general is ignoring Adam Lambert’s sensational performance in covering Cher’s “Believe”, brought to life over a year ago at the Kennedy Centre Honours performances (above), and bows at #28. It’s Adam’s first appearance on the chart since 2016, which was on the last charting hit by our #2 song’s lead act Tritonal called “Broken” (#4). Fascinatin’ fact: “Breaking Hearts” (#15) singer Benedict Cork co-wrote Adam’s single from earlier in the year “Feel Something”.
Pulling in at #30 is “Hard To Say Goodbye”, another in a series of excellent emotional electronic songs, this time in collaboration with Vancouver’s Ekali and Denver’s Illenium, and a heart-wrenching vocal by Chloe Angelides. It’s Ekali’s second chart entry following last year’s #12 “Blame” with ZHU, and is Illenium’s 6th chart appearance (including the current #8 “Broken Ones”).
View the full BILLCS Top 30right 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! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify:BILLCS Top 30 Songs
Continuing with his successful blend of progressive electronic music with gritty alt.rock music, deep house, and trap, Los Angeles-based producer PatrickReza is back with “November”. After repackaging last year’s first forays into this stylish mix with “Tip Toe” and “The Wall” into the EP Strung Out (featuring the title song), as well as his white-listed remix of Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” (which she shared in her socials and has acquired 3.5 million plays on Soundcloud alone), “November” offers a herky-jerky Nine Inch Nails melody, downbeat guitar work, and a disaffected semi-spoken vocal. It’s a taut blend that gets revved up briefly about halfway through, but it all works quite well. Modern rock radio would have fun with this one as would clubs for late night play.
It’s the second last BILLCS Top 30 of 2019 already! Unlike others I don’t tally up my year end chart until after my last chart is published. In the meantime, I have a new chart that is chock full of debuts… in fact, there are six of ’em, with another lineup of songs waiting to join them in two weeks. So this blog post will be focused on the newcomers!
A reminder that the music from my chart and blog will be featured regularly on the new online radio station Radio GTA. You can hear their Big 20 on Wednesday evenings with ‘The Musicman’ James Rogers and listen for songs from the chart too 🙂 Scroll down the station’s main page to listen to lots of variety from across the decades! I’m driving Russ Horton crazy each week by sending him lots of new music from the blog and chart to join the mix too!
It’s amazing how pop music can cause you to shift styles and genres at the drop of a hat. So while I’ve been caught up with Illenium’s music these past few months – and he’s still on the chart with “Broken Ones” joining the Top 10, and another collaboration, this time with Canada’s own Ekali, on deck in two weeks – all ears are now on Harry Styles as “Lights Up” (above) continues at #1. Not only that, but “Watermelon Sugar” debuts at #25, and the third single from Fine Line, “Adore You” (below, if you haven’t seen it yet) has arrived with a triumph of a video and is also in waiting for the chart for two weeks from now.
Talk about staying power! Lostchild’s “Like Like” in its OKJAMES remix gets a fourth appearance at #2 (that’s eight weeks).
Slow-burners “Breaking Hearts” by Benedict Cork (4-3, above) and “Flicker” by Anden (6-4, below) both move up to new peaks.
The remaining new arrival in the Top 10 is also the Fastest Riser on the chart. It’s the intense, provocative, and joyous banger “Shivohum” by Tritonal and Henry Dark, which soars 21-9, with designs on the top of the chart!
There are several songs waiting to make their big moves mid-chart, but the ones making the most noise on their own are Sam Smith’s jolting cover of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” (17-13, above); Peter Foldy’s pensive and positive ode to today with “Toxic World” (19-15, also above); and John.k’s delightful “if we never met” (27-21, below).
And I have to get a quick word in about Sam Fender, who is selling out shows across the UK thanks to the success of his album Hypersonic Missiles. “Will We Talk” is from that album and climbs 20-17. And one of the happiest moments on Twitter that you will see this week is Sam greeting a really young fan backstage. That’s what magic moments are made of!
Leading the six debuts at an impressive #20 is “Flames” by R3HAB, Zayn and Jungleboi. Dutch legend R3HAB is having a monster year, with one of his biggest club hits being the cover of the A*Teens’ “All Around The World”. And on “Flames”, his second chart entry here following “All Into Nothing” with Mokita (#15), he and Jungleboi manage to pull out what I believe is Zayn’s best vocal to date. “Flames” isn’t really a dance song, it’s definitely more pop radio friendly, and a nice follow up on Zayn’s underrated Icarus Falls album.
It seems that it’s time for alt.rock and dance music to become friends again, and I’m hearing more successful blends of these genres for the first time in many years. Is it the ‘new’ new wave when songs like “The Best” by Los Angeles group AWOLNATION start to get my attention? It’s the band’s first appearance on the chart, bowing in at #22.
The Weeknd is back and has been listening to a lot of 80’s new wave, if the keyboard riffing in “Blinding Lights” is any indication. The song arrives at #26 – a far cry from his other single “Heartless”, which I don’t care for at all – becoming my Scarborough neighbourhood boy Abel Tesfaye’s 6th chart entry. The Weeknd got to #1 on the chart in 2016 with “Starboy”.
Battling it out for the last two positions on the chart are: “Dirty Mirrors” by Scotland’s Ben Davidson and England’s Sean Smith in a smashing duet that lands at #29 in its Matt Pop edit (above). It’s Ben’s debut on the chart, while Sean has got to the Top 10 twice, with the Andy Sikorski remix of “Magic” in 2017, and last year with Peter Wilson in another duet called “Verona”; and at #30 is “Ain’t Deep Enough” (below), slick Chicago house from production duo Autograf featuring a fine vocal by Jared Lee, who just left the chart with Midnight Kids on “Those Were The Days” (#5).
View the full BILLCS Top 30right 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! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify:BILLCS Top 30 Songs
In quite a contrast to other recent and often darker releases, Germany’s ANIQO – singer, songwriter, producer, and film-maker – returns with “LoveLife”. The song is an alt.pop celebration of freedom, people, and of course love of life. And what better way to convey a message with a smile and a hug, just for no reason at all? As the video shows, most people are receptive to a few moments of unbridled joy, while others still resist. And in Europe, a 30 year celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall shouldn’t go unrecognized, so “LoveLife” captures the anniversary of a triumph of freedom and democracy too. The video is well shot with many humorous moments and ANIQO shows off her video-making skills as well as creating her most positive and diverse song to date. Be sure to check out “LoveLife” above.
“Lost To The Night” is a compelling song that asks the question: What would you say to a loved one in your immediate family who you haven’t spoken to in many years? The answer lies in the chorus “brother, come home”. Chuck Shirock is a singer/songwriter who divides his time between Nashville and Los Angeles, but “Lost To The Night” is hardly what I would call conventional of either music city. Influences here come from U2 – C.SHIROCK sounds a lot like Bono at times – Coldplay, Peter Gabriel, and too many others to think of, particularly from the 80’s. The big production in contrast to the emotion of the song is consistent with U2 or Peter Gabriel records. C.SHIROCK’s vocal will definitely move you, and a good companion song to it is the recent and deeply personal single by Cobi called “Island In My Mind” which I wrote about a few weeks back. C.SHIROCK definitely holds a lot of promise and with songs like “Lost To The Night” clearly has a lot to offer.
Raynes is an L.A.-based trio consisting of Americans Mat and Joe and UK native Mark. And with “Lemon Drop” they seem to have taken all of the best elements of songs by Coldplay, Bastille and Keane to create the wonderful original “Lemon Drop”. Featuring a memorable chorus which will have you singing, these guys know their way around writing a great song, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they get offers to write for some famous names. The performance is engaging and the vocals are top notch – you can’t ask for more than that in an independent pop release. Well done!!
Edition #575 is the third last chart before the end of 2019, and what a whirlwind of music it has been! To whit, there is a new #1 and four diverse debuts from performers who have all charted previously.
A reminder that the music from my chart and blog will be featured regularly on the new online radio station Radio GTA. You can hear their Big 20 on Wednesday evenings with ‘The Musicman’ James Rogers and listen for songs from the chart too 🙂 Scroll down the station’s main page to listen to lots of variety from across the decades!
It’s definitely “Lights Up”, thumbs up, whatever’s up, for 25 year old Worcestershire, England-born Harry Styles as the first single from his forthcoming album Fine Line grabs #1. His only other previous entry “Sign Of The Times” reached #7. “Lights Up” is proving to me that Harry – controversial opinion forthcoming – has the best voice of all of the One Direction members. His hosting and performing gig on Saturday Night Live on November 16 was excellent – the lad has comedic talent as well! And his second single “Watermelon Sugar” is a lovely one too. Not bad at all considering I never charted a single One Direction song! Check out both songs above.
Just in time to stay at #2 for a third appearance (6 weeks), we have a light and fun video for the OKJAMES remix of “Like Like” by UK indie electronic performer Lostchild. This second video for the catchy song shows off the immense performing appeal of the singer as he makes the most of one lone prop (a bunch of balloons).
“Flicker” by NYC-based producers Anden climbs 9-6. There’s an extended version of the song available which you can hear above, which also appears on their EP.
Both Ryan Shepherd and The Disco Fries acquire their latest Top 10’s with “Who’s Gonna Love U” (11-8, his third) and “Family Affair” (12-9, their second) respectively, while the Galantis-Dolly Parton-Mr. Probz collaboration of “Faith” (13-10) gets each artist their first.
For now, you can check out the lyric video for “Mad” by L.A.-based singer/songwriter Brandon Colbein, which climbs 19-14. But an official video is in the works and is coming soon!
Sam Smith’s spot on cover of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” may not tear it up on radio but dance clubs are loving it. “I Feel Love” rises 22-17.
The fastest riser on the chart belongs to L.A.-based Canadian singer/songwriter and multi-talent Peter Foldy with his optimistic ode to today called “Toxic World”. It soars 27-19 and is a real grower, so best you latch onto it now! Check out the new lyric video above with a rare appearance from the singer himself!
“Will We Talk” is also a great introduction to British alt.rocker Sam Fender from his album Hypersonic Missiles. “Will We Talk” moves up 23-20.
The highest debut on the chart is “Shivohum”, the latest release by Austin producers Tritonal in partnership with Australian producer Henry Dark. It bows at #21 and is a Sanskrit dance mantra for your head and feet, which will kill it at festivals this coming winter. Remember where you read about it! It’s Tritonal’s first chart entry since the #5 “Broken” which featured NYC producer Jenaux and the amazing Adam Lambert, from the Painting With Dreams album.
NYC-based, Slovenia-born producer Gramatik also returns to the chart at #24 with “Don’t Give Up”, featuring singer Ryan Shaw and hip hop artist ProbCause. It’s from his album Re:Coil, PT II, and his last chart entry, “Native Son Prequel” (featuring Leo Napier) was a #1 for me in 2016, appearing on the the chart at the same time as Tritonal’s “Broken”! It was also featured in a Jenaux remix! How coincidental.
Florida-based singer/songwriter John.k returns to the chart with the extremely likeable “if we never met” at #27. He last appeared two years ago with Ricky Remedy on the #8 “Gold”. That was an independent release, and he’s now signed to Epic Records!
The final debut is by France’s RetroVision, who hustled his way onto the chart and got to #3 last year with “Get Down” and its dance-floor filling paean to “Lola’s Theme”. This year he has another fun one for clubs called “Take Off”, which arrives at #28.
View the full BILLCS Top 30right 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! Click on this link to take you there, and follow me on Spotify:BILLCS Top 30 Songs
Canadian alt.rock trio Nikki’s Wives have proven them to be a formidable force in concert over the last 18 months, with successful gigs throughout North America. Their tight set of originals at last week’s Indie Music Awards showcased recent singles, at least one new song, and music from the new EP Bloom. The EP does include the singles “Playing with Fire”, “Bones” and “Shaking Hands With The Devil”, which you’ve read about in these pages. There are three new tunes, the emotional but punchy “Keep Breathing”, the heavy-hitting “Wanna Know”, which is like Heart meets Evanescence at times, and my personal fave, the bluesy and gritty “Physical Life”. The latter two are somewhat different from the rest of the songs on Bloom but to me continue to show the growth in their songwriting. I’m predicting great things for Nikki’s Wives in 2020. They have huge potential to deliver that knockout rock song you’re waiting for.
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