Twostepcublog

    " 8th World Wonder " - Kimberley Locke from the album One Love (2004) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #49    This week's "robbed hit" comes from Kimberley Locke , who came in third place on the second season of the singing competition television program American Idol , behind Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken.  A native of Tennessee, Locke was popular enough on the show to get signed to Curb Records (without the burden of having to deal with the Idol machine). But before that, she appeared on the RCA Label's Idol franchise releases, and her duet with Aiken on " Silver Bells " from the Great Holiday Classics set reached #16 on Billboard magazine's Adult Contemporary radio chart in the 2003 Christmas season.  In the spring of the following year, Locke released her first album on Curb, One Love . The first single from the set is the light dance-pop of "8th World Wonder". Written by Kyle Jacobs (who mostly writes country music and eventuall

    " Don't Tell Me " - Avril Lavigne from the album Under My Skin (2004) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #22 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 10   Today's song comes from Canadian pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne , who scored a trio of top ten hits on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 from her debut album with " Complicated ", " Sk8er Boi ", and " I'm With You ".  In the spring of 2004, Avril Lavigne returned with her sophomore effort Under My Skin . Bringing on a new set of producers, Lavigne's first single from the set was "Don't Tell Me". Written by the singer with her guitarist Evan Taubfield, the lyrics have Lavigne confronting a "presumed" boyfriend that is pressuring her to go all the way. She stands her ground that he just can't "charm...you in my pants". At the end she declares that she's better off alone. The production from Butch Walker goes completely away from the bright pop-punk she

    " Move Ya Body " - Nina Sky featuring Jabba from the album Nina Sky (2004) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #4 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 22   Today's song is from the duo Nina Sky , who are twin sisters Nicole and Natalie Albino (they used the first two letters from each name for their moniker), who were born in Puerto Rico and grew up in Queens, New York. They were discovered by producers Elijah Wells & Lionel Bermingham (aka the Jettsonz), who would help them get signed to the Next Plateau label (which back in the day sported Salt-n-Pepa). The pair released their self-titled debut album in 2004, with the song "Move Ya Body" as the lead single. Written by the sisters and producers along with Luis Diaz and Cordel Burrell, the track uses the "Coolie dance" style of dancehall riddim (as suggested to them by another production duo, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes) as a foundation for a dance party track. The lyrics are simply about

  Saturday's here, and it's time to run down my top hit tunes from the week. Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars stay at #1 for a fourth week, while Chappell Roan (pictured above) leaps into the top ten. Songs from Green Day, Ella Langley/Riley Green, and Calvin Harris/Ellie Goulding make the biggest jumps (moves of 10+ places highlighted in red), while former big hits from the Offspring, AWOLNATION, and Marsha Ambrosius drop off my chart. And under the list everything is Spotify playlisted for 5 1/2 hours of the biggest in pop, rock, R&B, country, and dance music. PTOWN I AM IN YOU! This Week           Song/Artist (last week's position in parentheses) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Die With A Smile - Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (1) 2. Birds Of A Feather - Billie Eilish (2) 3. Stargazing - Myles Smith (4) 4. I Am Not Okay - Jelly Roll (6) 5. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart - Taylor Swift (3) 6. Hot To Go

      " Hey Mama " - Black Eyed Peas from the album Elephunk (2003) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #23 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 10   Today's song from the R&B/Hip-Hop/Pop hybrid group the Black Eyed Peas , whose breakthrough single " Where Is The Love " with help from Justin Timberlake made the top ten on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 in the summer of 2003. Their next single, " Shut Up ", made the top-40 on the Mainstream Top-40 radio chart at #30, but failed to even make the Hot 100 (it deserved better). However it was a big success overseas, going to #1 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada (Sales), Czechia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Poland (Airplay), Romania, Sweden, and Switzerland, and hit #2 in the United Kingdom. For the third release from the set the Peas put out "Hey Mama", written by the group's rappers Will.I.Am, Apl.de.Ap, and Taboo along with Anthony "Tippa Irie" Henry, who si

    " Dude " - Beenie Man featuring Ms. Thing from the album Back To Basics (2004) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #26 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 6   Today's song comes from dancehall DJ/toaster Beenie Man , who had scored his second top-40 hit on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 in the autumn of 2002 with " Feel It Boy " with help from Janet Jackson. So momentum was primed for his next release, Back To Basics, which arrives in 2004. The lead single from the set went back to his reggae roots with "Dude", which also featured fellow Kingston, Jamaica native Nateshia "Ms. Thing" Lindsey. Written and produced by Dave Kelly, the lyrics have the pair trade come-ons to their readiness, to, well, you know . Beenie claims that he can " put it on when dem wiggle and scream". while Ms. Thing wants a " dude who will do me in his van". Classy. The production from Kelly, which uses the "Fiesta riddim" backdrop instead of the o