Rock Sweep: April 12, 2014...

Round two of this week's 'chart sweeps' is up, sampling the songs making the radio charts in Billboard magazine, and this time I've got the newest rock songs on the airwaves...

On the main aggregate Rock Airplay chart, the Arctic Monkeys stick around at #1 for a seventh week with "Do I Wanna Know?"...

Rocketing in at #2 is the song most likely to take the crown from the Monkeys, the Black Keys, with the first single from their eighth album, Turn Blue. "Fever" recreates the mood of their previous work with a glossier sheen for pop consumption, but still is a worthy addition to their repetoire. They've topped this chart with the first singles from their previous two albums, "Tighten Up" and "Lonely Boy"...

(Click below to see the rest of the post)


The Monkeys are possibly getting ready for the fall of DIWK as their next single "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" arrives on the chart at #37. This follows the big-drum sound of their previous hit, with a decidedly more "British" slant on being soused. (Don't be alarmed, the song starts at the minute and a half mark).

Brighton rockers Royal Blood enter at #45 with "Out Of The Black", which also makes it to the top-20 on the Mainstream Rock chart. If you wonder what the Black Keys would sound like doing post-grunge, here ya go...

Lorde's "Glory And Gore", which hasn't even been given the full promo push, nonetheless rushes the chart at #48. The song also jumps fourteen spots to #26 on the Alternative chart, but it is still competing with former hits "Team" (still in the top-10) and "Royals", both similar-sounding...

At #49 is the song holding tight at #17 on the Mainstream Rock list, "Immortal" by Eve To Adam. Guitarist Adam Latiff did a stint in Puddle Of Mudd, and it shows here...

...and now on to the rock radio format charts...

On the Mainstream Rock radio panel, The Pretty Reckless stay on top for a fourth week with "Heaven Knows", while the aforementioned "Fever" by the Black Keys lands at #28...

The South African family rock group Kongos, who move up to #1 on the Alternative chart with "Come With Me Now", see it now cross over to this format at #30. It's nice for a song on this chart start with an accordion. Whether they'll be the next Black Keys or the next Dirty Heads success-wise is yet to be seen...

Alt-metal veterans Sevendust come in at #36 with an acoustic version of their song "Black". They've been to the top-10 on this chart four times, with "Unraveling" reaching #7 in 2010. I love the emotion in Lajon Witherspoon's voice - he's one of the best in the metal genre.

Another metal act, Righteous Vendetta, hail from Cody, Wyoming, and they place "This Pain" at #40. It sounds like they've listened to a lot of Linkin Park records, no? Still, it's a tight record and they have the chops to pull off a LP-style song...

Meanwhile, on the Alternative/Modern Rock chart, the Kongos move up to #1 as I covered with "Come With Me Now", while the Black Keys drop in at #6 with "Fever"...

The other entry at #39 is the current leader at Triple-A, "Blue Moon" from Beck. He's been to #1 at this format twice; with "Loser" in 1994 and again with "E-Pro" in 2005. As this format has been leaning more "Modern Rock" than "Alternative" lately, it's good to have some balance like this in their playlists...

Lastly, on the Triple-A (adult album alternative, or "hipster rock") format, while "Blue Moon" is #1 for its second week, "Fever" bolts in at #9...

Irish blues musician Hozier makes his debut at #23 with a song he took to #2 on his homeland's singles chart, "Take Me To Church". This has an emotionally stunning video that makes you think and doesn't provide any answers, only questions, and it's my "Rock Pick of the Week"...

The aforementioned Kongos hit "Come With Me Now" also makes this list at #29...

I'll return in an hour and a half with the latest on R&B radio. Rock on!