Twostepcublog

Hey gang, it's time to run down my top 100 tunes from the week. American Authors command the top spot for a fifth week, while Ellie Goulding (pictured above) finally makes it into my top-10. Songs by Cher, Vassy, and Lady Gaga make the biggest moves on the list (jumps of 10+ places highlighted in red ), while former big hits from John Mayer and Joe Nichols drop off the chart. Are you ready for some footballllll????? This Week                Song/Artist (last week's position in parentheses) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. The Best Day Of My Life - American Authors (1) 2. Pompeii - Bastille (3) 3. Say Something - A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera (5) 4. Come A Little Closer - Cage The Elephant (2) 5. Do I Wanna Know? - Arctic Monkeys (6) 6. Stay The Night - Zedd f/Hayley Williams (4) 7. Sirens - Pearl Jam (7) 8. Let Her Go - Pa...

John Hunter - "Tragedy" from the album Famous At Night (1984) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #39 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 2 Today's Song of the Day is by singer and songwriter John Hunter , who came from Chicago to muddle around for a bit in a couple of rock bands before striking out as a solo artist in the 80s. He released his debut album on Private I Records (home to Matthew Wilder of "Break My Stride" fame), and the first single from the set, his self-penned "Tragedy", finally got him his break... "Tragedy" became the singer's only hit on the pop chart making the top-40 in February of 1985. In fact, I'd say it's one of the most obscure singles to have made the top-40 in the decade. I had to actually import the album on CD from Estonia. Really. According to his Facebook page, John's now an executive in a non-musical field, but there's YouTube video of him still performing in the area recently. Up tomorro...

I'm back to bring you another shot of 80's throwback, and this week we stop at 1987, the year the Canadian town of Frobisher Bay changed its name to the native Iqaluit, eventually becoming the capital of the territory of Nunavut. (I've included links to buy anything on CD or MP3 when available) Carly Simon - " Give Me All Night " from the album Coming Around Again (1987) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #61 Songwriters: Gerard McMahon, Carly Simon Give Me All Night (Music Video) from cryptkeeperfun on Vimeo . One of Carly's four top-ten easy-listening hits from her delicious 1987 album. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Hey gang, it's 70s Throwback Thursday time, and this week I'm back to 1977, the year record company EMI "fires" the Sex Pistols....(I've included highlighted links to buy anything you see) Debby Boone - " You Light Up My Life " from the album You Light Up My Life (1977) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Joe Brooks Up until the 80s, this was the chart-geek pinnable, the song that spent the most weeks at #1 (Elvis' double-sided "Don't Be Cruel"/"Hound Dog" did manage a week more, but that's an asterisk) By the end of the 90's that record was broken over and over... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Duran Duran - " Save A Prayer " from the album Rio (1982) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #16 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 8 Today's Song of the Day is by the 80's "Fab Five", Duran Duran , who were as big as you could get by the end of 1984, with two top-ten albums and three top-ten pop singles in America, including their add-on single to their live album, " The Wild Boys ", which almost made the top spot at the end of the year. With no new album coming, fans were still hammering radio with requests, and one of those was the live version of a track from their second album Rio that never was released before as a single. "Save A Prayer" had gotten major play especially in my hometown, where it consistently made the top-5 requests of the night every night. The song had already gone to #2 back in 1982 in their native England, and now it was time for the band and Capitol Records to release the song as a single here, with an edited vers...

It's time to head Down Under to check out the songs making the top-selling singles chart in Australia this week, as Pharrell dons his hat for a fourth week with " Happy "... The top entry at #23 is from American soul singer Aloe Blacc, the voice behind Avicii's international smash "Wake Me Up!" (a #1 hit here), with "The Man".  In 2010 his debut single " I Need A Dollar " went to #11 here (an awesome song, I must say)... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's time for this weeks 60's trip, and this week I'm back to 1967, the year Charlie Chaplin's last movie A Countess From Hong Kong opens in Britain. (I've included links to buy anything on CD or MP3) The Doors - " Light My Fire " from the album The Doors (1967) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1  Songwriters: John Densimore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison The Doors' debut came out in January of 1967, and this moody and seductive number kept a lot of women warm during that winter. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Madonna - " Material Girl " from the album Like A Virgin (1984) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 12 Today's Song of the Day is from the queen of 80s pop, Madonna , who closed out 1984 on a high note with her first #1 single " Like A Virgin " from her second album of the same name. To follow up such a huge statement, she needed to go big or go home, but go big she did, with a song co-written by an artist with a string of his own hits, Peter Brown, who went to #8 back in 1978 with the sublime "Dance With Me". Together with Robert Rans he penned "Material Girl", a winkingly comic take on greed that Madonna took on with the nuance of idol Marilyn Monroe, whom she recreated in the music video in a classic remake of Monroe's performance in "Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend". Nile Rodgers produced a totally non-chic record from this.. Material Girl reached the runner-up spot on the American pop...

I'm ready to cross the border to Germany to check out the songs making their official singles chart, as Pharrell spends a second week at #1 with " Happy "... The top entry up at #17 is from German YouTube comedy team Apecrime with "Swing Dein Ding" ("Swing Your Thing").  It's their highest of their two hits to date... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's time again to scoot back across the Atlantic to check out the songs making the official singles chart in France this week, as Pharrell Williams spends a seventh non-consecutive week on top with " Happy "... The top debut of the week belongs to megastars Shakira and Rihanna, who team up at #6 with "Can't Remember To Forget You". The Colombian singer has topped the singles chart in this country five times, the latest with " J"aime a Mourir " in 2011, while the Barbados-born diva also has five #1's to her name here, with " The Monster " with Eminem just leaving the peak a few weeks ago... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Survivor - " High On You " from the album Vital Signs (1984) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #8 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 11 Today's Song of the Day is by the mainstream rock band Survivor , who had weather the loss of lead singer Dave Bickler with the recruitment of Jimi Jamison and a top-20 single with " I Can't Hold Back ". They followed that song up with a synth-heavy rocker written by core members Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan, "High On You". I can see that the video director most likely watched the hell out of the Police's "Wrapped Around Your Finger" before filming their clip... "High On You" did even better then their previous single, scoring their second top-ten pop hit in March of 1985, while reaching the same peak on the rock radio chart in Billboard magazine. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Bronski Beat - " Smalltown Boy " from the album Age Of Consent (1984) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #48 This week's "robbed hit" was a landmark single for gay and lesbian-themed pop music, from the electronic-pop trio of Bronski Beat. Named for member Steve Bronski, the group came together in London and released their debut album Age Of Consent in 1984. With defiant politics in the lyrics and a listing of actual "ages of consent" on the album cover, the set was jubilant as well as edgy, and scored a surprising hit in the still-Thatcherized Britain. The first single from the record, "Smalltown Boy", was a mournful story of a kid ostracized for who he was, and the video matched the message... "Smalltown Boy" was big in England, going all the way to #3 on the singles charts, and crossed over to the States, were the video managed to get some play on MTV, and peaked right under the top-40 at #48, though it topped the Dance Club...

Well the first "album sweep" of the year to be broken in two came this week, and you can check out yesterday's part by clicking here . Here's the rest of the albums making their first appearance on Billboard magazine's Top 200 Albums chart. As before, I've included highlighted links to buy anything if possible. Critically-heralded alt-country singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams' self-titled debut album from 1988 finally makes the chart this week courtesy of an expanded re-release and remaster, which places at #39 this week. In 2008 she made it to #9 with Little Honey .... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Eric Carmen - "I Wanna Hear It From Your Lips" from the album Eric Carmen (1985) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #35 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 4 Today's Song of the Day is by singer/songwriter Eric Carmen , who got his big break as the leader of the power-pop band The Raspberries. The Ohio-based group had a top-10 hit in 1972 with " Go All The Way ". They only lasted a few years, as Eric left in 1975 to start a solo career, and released his self-titled debut, which scored his biggest hit to date, " All By Myself ", which went to #2 in the US and #12 in Britain. Its follow-up, " Never Gonna Fall In Love Again ", made it to the top of the adult-contemporary radio chart the following year. In 1985, Eric Carmen switched labels to Geffen Records, and released another self-titled set as his fifth album. The first single from the set, "I Wanna Hear It From Your Lips", was a midtempo seductive number written by Carmen with Footloo...

The end of the weekend is finally here, and time to check out the songs making their appearance on the just-released official singles sales chart in Britain this week... There's a new king in town, as the top-selling song of the week is the new one by English electronic group Clean Bandit with "Rather Be", with vocals by Jess Glynne, and it's my " Brit Pick of the Week '... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

It's time again for another "album sweep", sampling the records spending their first week on Billboard magazine's Top 200 Albums chart. After a few weeks of holiday and post-holiday blahs, the regular release schedule is getting back in swing again, with 19 debuts, so I'll split it between today and tomorrow....(I've included links to buy anything if possible)... The top-selling album of the week is by "The Boss", Bruce Springsteen, with his eighteenth studio album High Hopes . Selling just under a hundred thousand copies, it becomes his eleventh release (including a live box set and a greatest hits collection) to go to #1. He first topped the albums chart in 1980 with his fifth set The River ... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Pat Benatar - " The Ooh Ooh Song " from the album Tropico (1984) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #36 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 3 Today's Song of the Day is by 80s rocker supreme Pat Benatar , who lightened up a bit in 1984 with her album Tropico , scoring her biggest pop hit with " We Belong ". She followed it up with "The Ooh Ooh Song", a fun little no-brainer written with hubby Neil Geraldo that has a nice a-cappella break and harmonica riff... "The Ooh Ooh Song" became Pat's second top-40 hit from Tropico in February of 1985, while ascending to #22 on Billboard 's rock radio chart. I think the chorus drew radio away from the quite cool arrangement of this bopper, which is a shame. Up tomorrow: A former "berry" needs to know first-hand.

We're at the finish line of this week's "chart sweeps", checking out the songs reaching the singles lists in Billboard magazine, and I'm wrapping up with the newest dance jams in the clubs and on the radio. On the DJ-polled Dance Club Play chart, Demi Lovato takes her second song to #1 with " Neon Lights "... The top entry of the week at #45 belongs to British singer Ellie Goulding with "Burn" (already at #2 on the dance airplay chart). She topped the chart already with " Anything Could Happen " and as a guest on Calvin Harris' " I Need Your Love " last year... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

I'm back with part four of today's "chart sweeps" with the new songs making the charts in Billboard magazine, and this time it's the latest country songs on the radio... On the Country Airplay chart, The Zac Brown Band score their tenth #1 hit with " Sweet Annie "... Coming in at #45 is crossover country duo Florida Georgia Line with "This Is How We Roll", from their expanded debut album. The song features Luke Bryan... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

We're at the "hump" of today's "chart sweeps", sampling the songs reaching the singles charts in Billboard magazine, and now I'm serving up the lastest R&B songs on the radio.. On the main R&B/Hip Hop Airplay chart, Drake's 14-week run is over thanks to Beyonce and Jay Z who jump from #5 to #1 with " Drunk In Love ". I guess a little Tina Turner-bashing is good for them. It's Beyonce's fifth #1 airplay hit... The top entry of the week at #34 is "O.G. Bobby Johnson" from Que. Okaaay. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Round two of this week's "chart sweeps" is up, with the latest songs to make the singles charts in Billboard magazine. This time up it's the newest on rock radio... On the main Rock Airplay chart, Cage The Elephant spend an eleventh week on top with " Come A Little Closer "... Rocketing in at #9 is the latest from alt-rock trio Foster The People, "Coming Of Age", my " Rock Pick of the Week ".  It's the first single from their sophomore album Supermodel coming in March. Back in 2010 they went to #3 here with " Pumped Up Kicks "... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Hey gang, it's time to kick off the first of today's "chart sweeps" checking out the songs making their way on to the singles charts in Billboard magazine. As always, I'll start with the pop charts and the "biggie"... On Billboard 's Hot 100 , which combines radio airplay, sales, and internet streaming tallies, Pitbull and Ke$ha settle in for a third week at #1 with " Timber "... The superstar pair or Shakira and Rihanna claim the top entry of the week at #28 with "Can't Remember To Forget You". Shakira, who topped the chart in 2006 with " Hips Don't Lie ", was last on the chart in a cameo on Pitbull's " Get It Started ", which peaked at #89 last year... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Billy Joel - " Keeping The Faith " from the album An Innocent Man (1983) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #18 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 10 Today's Song of the Day is by singer/songwriter/piano man Billy Joel , whose retro-rific album An Innocent Man had already produced five top-40 singles, including the chart-topping " Tell Her About It ", the harmonic " Uptown Girl ", the dramatic " An Innocent Man ", the a cappella wonder of " The Longest Time ", and the harmonica-tinged " Leave a Tender Moment Alone ". Proving it's status as one of the biggest albums of the decade, a sixth single from the ten-track set was issued with "Keeping The Faith". With a different mix than on the album, and a campy video featuring a courtroom of 60s and 50s  music lookalikes with Billy on trial, and with it he scored another hit... "Keeping the Faith" became Joel's sixth top-40 hit from An Innocent Man ...

Hey gang, Friday is finally here, and time for my top-100 tunes for the week. This week American Authors and Christina Aguilera hang tight for a fourth week at #1, while the Arctic Monkeys leap into the top-10 with "Do I Wanna Know" (pictured above). Former big hits by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin drop off my list, while songs by Cher and Tritonal make the biggest jumps (moves of 10+ places highlighted in red ). Go away, polar vortex! This Week                 Song/Artist (last week's position in parentheses) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. The Best Day Of My Life - American Authors (1) 2. Come A Little Closer - Cage The Elephant (2) 3. Pompeii - Bastille (3) 4. Stay The Night - Zedd f/Hayley Williams (4) 5. Say Something - A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera (6) 6. Do I Wanna Know? - Arctic Monkeys (11) 7. Sirens - Pearl Jam ...

John Parr - " Naughty Naughty " from the album John Parr (1984) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #23 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 8 Today's Song of the Day is by British singer/songwriter John Parr , who worked with Meat Loaf in his "low" period before getting signed as a solo act, and released his self-titled debut album in 1984. The insanely catchy first single from the project, "Naughty Naughty", became his first hit in the States... "Naughty Naughty" reached the American Top-40 in March of 1985, while going all the way to #6 on Billboard 's rock radio chart. However the mullet-headed wonder stalled out at #58 on the singles chart in his native Britain. Up tomorrow: the Piano Man mentally perseveres.

I'm ready for this week's 80's throwback, and right now I've got eight more from 1986, the year Spain and Portugal entered the EU (European Union)...(I've included links to buy anything if possible) The Firm - "All The King's Horses" from the album Mean Business (1986) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #61 Songwriter: Paul Rodgers This song from this supergroup featuring Led Zep's Jimmy Page and Bad Company's Paul Rodgers sounds an awful lot like Asia. It topped the rock chart for a whole month back in 1986. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Hey gang, it's 70s throwback time, and this week I'm back to 1976, the year that attempted assassin Sara Jane Moore was sentenced to life in prison for trying to off Gerald Ford. Chicago - " If You Leave Me Now " from the album Chicago X (1976) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Peter Cetera The jazz-rock band scored their first #1 single with this ultra-sappy break-up ballad that I adored as a kid. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Teena Marie - " Lovergirl " from the album Starchild (1984) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #4 (one week) Weeks in the Top-40: 13 Today's Song of the Day is by R&B singer/songwriter/guitarist Teena Marie, who after being led by producer Hal Davis to sign with Motown Records, came under the mentorship of funk star Rick James, who helped produce and sang on her first album, Wild And Peaceful , in 1979. The first single, " I'm A Sucker For Your Love ", made the top-10 of the R&B chart, while her face was absent in the record covers (probably to not let on and Teena was a "white" performer), though the pair would come on Soul Train as the first Caucasian to appear on the show. The song also just missed the American Hot 100 (#102) and British Top-40 (#43). She would remedy that the following year, as her jam " Behind The Groove " became her first big club hit, topping at #4, and reaching #6 on the UK singles chart. Her next single...

It's time to head Down Under to check out the latest songs making the official chart in Australia this week, as Pharrell spends a third week on top with " Happy "... The top debut of the week at #18 is from Swedish-born singer Kim Cesarion with "Undressed"... (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Hey gang, it's time to head back to the 60s, and this week I'm back to 1966, the year that Robert Weaver became the first African-American member of the US Cabinet (as Housing and Urban Development Secretary). (I've included links to buy anything you see)... Simon & Garfunkel - " The Sounds Of Silence " from the album The Sounds Of Silence (1966) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 Songwriter: Paul Simon This song, originally released as a stark acoustic number in 1964, got renewed life with a "remix" featuring drums and guitars, but in my book nothing beats the chilling version with just their voices. (Click below to see the rest of the post)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - " Relax " from the album Welcome To The Pleasuredome (1984) Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10 (two weeks) Weeks in the Top-40: 10 Today's Song of the Day is by the eccentric British new wave band Frankie Goes To Hollywood , who had almost made the top 40 in America on their second try with the political club-filler " Two Tribes ". After that, the band re-released their first single, a song that brought them infamy and riches in their homeland, "Relax". A pulsing dance march based on thinly veiled sexual lyrics and sonic special effects courtesy of producer Trevor Horn, the single became one of the biggest-selling records of all time in the UK, despite a ban at the BBC for playing the track. It spent five week at #1 on the singles charts, while originally stalling at #67 in the States. The ban was brought on not only because of the racy words, but also from the erotic single cover, painted by artist Anne Yvonne Gilbert an...