Posts filed under 'Chart Updates'
Chart update 6/19/09
This morning, I posted the latest update to my Top 25 dance chart, covering the period through last Friday. No real shockers or big movers; the top three just jockeyed a bit. Here are a few miscellaneous comments:
- Katy Perry rose with the infectious Waking Up in Vegas. Probably her best single to-date, this one’s a crowd-pleaser, and I just dig her cool vocals and the funky songwriting.
- Oceana’s Body Rock moved-up to #4, and I continue to really like this track (and so do the people I play for). It’s just one of those nice, gritty tracks that pushes you up off your butt and onto the dance floor… You can’t help it.
- Livvi Franc’s Now I’m That Bitch, at #20, is one I’m really liking too, probably just because it’s a song with attitude. I still can’t believe that there’s a version some people are playing that’s been sanitized to Now I’m That Chick. Please! The word “bitch” is that offensive? That damaging to “the children?” Whatever…
Have a great week.
Add comment June 22, 2009
Chart update 6/12/09
This morning, I posted an update to my weekly dance chart, covering through last Friday. I’m happy to report that after 7 weeks at the #1 spot (which certainly must be some sort of record for my chart), Danny Saucedo has finally been pushed from it. And considering I haven’t seen Saucedo in anyone else’s dance chart, nor is the track even for sale in the U.S. last I checked, I clearly must be nuts. But anyway…
Hardly surprising, but David Guetta’s fab track with Kelly Rowland takes the #1 spot this week. I’ve blogged enough about the track, but when good songwriting, good production, good vocals, and decent promotion all collide, a hit is sort of a given.
Taking-up #2 is another really incredible song from Agnes Carlsson, winner of the second season of Swedish Idol and now making a name for herself simply as “Agnes.” Release Me is another one of those songs that you just can’t help but like, as if it was carefully engineered to succeed. Carlsson has a tremendous voice, and the songwriting is strong.
The #3 spot is another that’s not a surprise to me; Daisy with Everytime. What really makes this track work for me isn’t so much the capable vocals of Daisy (whoever she is; and who decided that mononymousness was a good idea?), but the stellar production work of Buzz Junkies, who are responsible for the mix I spin. Buzz Junkies are UK-based Rob Searle and Mark Allan, and they never fail to impress. Everytime is arguably their bes work to-date; it’s got a perfect gritty, deep, and textured sound that just forces you up out of your chair to groove.
You can check out the chart to see the rest, but a couple of quick comments on the Hot Adds this week:
- I’m really enjoying a new track from Estonia’s Ithaka Maria, Confession. The mixes all seem to have a sort of unusual quality that appeals to me, along with its lyrical interest.
- New artist Vincent Medugno with We Are Meant to Be is another great new track from Casa Records. There are a number of great mixes, but I’ve been playing the one from singer/producer Georgie Porgie. It’s another infectious track.
Have a great week.
Add comment June 15, 2009
Chart update 6/5/09
My Top 25 Dance Chart was posted yesterday, covering through last Friday. While Danny Saucedo is stuck at #1 yet again this week, there are some other interesting things to talk about:
- The absolutely amazing track Everytime from Daisy is climbing up quickly. There’s just nothing not to like about this track, especially as remixed by Buzz Junkies, which is the version I play. It’s a good track in general, and Daisy’s vocal are terrific. But Buzz Junkies did such an outstanding, energetic treatment of the song, it’s hard not to jump to one’s feet the moment it comes-on… The mark of any good remix, I think.
- The Perry Twins have a great song out right now called Bad, Bad Boy. There are a zillion different mixes of the song (probably too many), but it does give a lot to choose from. Regardless, however, the song is strong, and the vocals of Niki Haris (misspelled on my chart, I just noticed) are terrific, soulful, and fun.
- Next Plateau have been move heavily promoting their dance releases lately, and they’ve been working some amazing tracks. Including Steelers feat. Naomi, with Time 2 Wait. I can’t quite put my finger on what I like about this one, except it’s just… Fun… Bouncy. The vocals work well, and I dig the production work. Unfortunately, the only mixes I have are a vocal radio edit and a mis-labeled extended dub from their promo CD, but they meshed nicely in Ableton to form the custom extended vocal mix I was looking for.
- Casa have just released a single from Vincent Medugno, titled We Are Meant to Be. Rather confidently promoted as “Billboard bound,” I think they’re right. I favor the Georgie Porgie remix, but Vincent’s vocals are good, the songwriting is solid, and I agree this one’s destined for the Billboard charts in the coming weeks. Great track indeed.
We’ll see what pops-up next time. Have a great week.
Add comment June 9, 2009
Chart update 4/24/09
I finally got last Friday’s chart posted to the web site last night, and I suppose in a way, it’s nice to see some things moving around a little finally.
- I’ve mentioned the Danny Saucedo track in previous posts, but All On You takes the #1 spot this week. I’m just wild about this track for some reason. The kid has a great voice, the song is nicely put together, it sounds fresh and unique, and well, for me, it just works.
- Carol Hahn stays in the top three, which is hardly a shock. Showing vividly that dance music doesn’t have to be songwriting pap, this well-written song (I Can Stop the Rain) is apt to continue to get strong favor in my sets.
- Speaking of well-written songs, the #3 spot is held by another great example of this: Vertigo pres. Peyton. All That Matters is a beautiful song, well-sung, and well-produced. It is mellow in feel as dance music goes, mostly due to the warm vocals, but it’s a current fave.
No real surprises for me on the rest of the chart, frankly. The one hot add for the week is the upcoming release from CAPP Records, Numb. This incredible rock cover from Jan Wayne and RainDropz! will be out in the next couple of weeks, and I really love what the guys did with it. Expect it to be played quite a bit in the weeks ahead.
Have a good rest of your week.
Add comment April 28, 2009
Chart update 4/10/09
Last night I posted the chart update for last week (a bit late), and I guess it’s starting to get a little dull with those first five entries sort of jockeying around amongst themselves.
In fact, I don’t find any surprises on the chart this week, but here’s a few, brief notables:
- Pleasure Center’s If I Sound Excited makes its entry at #14. I’ve blogged about this hot new track already, and I expect it to be on the chart for awhile.
- On the last chart update I mentioned Tod Miner’s Luv N Music, and I still find myself a little surprised it on my chart at all considering my initial impression of the song. Frankly, the more I hear it, the more I like it, and it shows at #8 this week.
- Speaking of tracks I like more the more I hear them, I blogged about Danny Saucedo last week, and his track All On You is really a fave right now. His track enters at #23.
- The sole hot add for this week comes from Radikal Records’ Plasco with a cover titled Stay. It’s originally by the country act Sugarland, and I always have a “thing” for country covers; they’re just… Fun, and a little different sounding. What I think makes this work particularly well for me is that it’s a sort of “soft techno.” It’s 142 BPM, so it’s very fast, and the percussion is very hands-up like, even if the song itself isn’t quite. Interesting track regardless.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens on next week’s chart, given that there’s a new release I’m very, very excited about. But that’ll have to wait for tomorrow’s blog posting.
Add comment April 14, 2009
Chart update 4/5/09
I can’t believe that even with the recent time change (Daylight Savings) I’m starting to miss the sunrise again already each morning. It’s throwing-off my rhythm big-time. But that’s not kept me keeping a chart update rhythm going for the last week, which I completed and posted last night.
The Top 5 just sort of juggled position a little bit, but Carol Hahn, Jamie Knight, “The Damiens” (Damien J. Carter and Damien Heck), Junior Caldera and Taylor Swift are all still there. Perhaps the only surprise is that John Kano isn’t in that mix, sitting at #6, but aside from Taylor, none of it’s surprising because I could have named them all anyway. (The chart is based on play frequency, so I’m sometimes as surprised with the results as anyone.)
So rather than rehash anything, I’ll talk a bit this morning about the new entries.
One of them is Tod Miner at #20 with Luv N Music. This is one of those tracks that I just did not like. Not the first time I heard it, not the second, not the third. Harry Towers is promoting the record, and after giving him my reaction to it, he encouraged me to listen one more time to a specific mix (the so-called “Rubber Mix” for reasons I can’t explain), and finally, I thought, “OK, so this isn’t that bad.” After listening to and playing the song, I have to say it’s growing on me. In fact, I think I can safely say now that I like it.
At #18 is Vertigo pres. Peyton. I don’t know much about this track, All That Matters, but I do like it and it’s fantastic lyrics. Peyton, a US-born singer living in the UK now, has had a number of dance tracks in the past, most notably A Higher Place.
Lily Allen’s smash hit The Fear isn’t a favorite, but I have been playing it, and it makes an entry at the bottom at#25. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a catchy song with an interesting if somewhat goofy lyric, but considering it’s one of those tracks that’s getting played everywhere by everyone, it’s already growing a little tiresome. I even heard the non-remixed version while out and about someplace over the weekend; as is often the case, I didn’t even know the track was mainstream.
Have a great week ahead.
1 comment April 6, 2009
Chart update 3/29/09
Once again, my task list has exceeded the available clock cycles the past few weeks, and the chart updates are lagging. I just got them current this morning. Yay!
Not surprisingly, the amazing Carol Hahn is in the #1 position with her awesome new single, I Can Stop the Rain. I just love Carol’s work, and this new track is arguably her very best yet.
I’ve been spinning Sleeping Satellite, the latest from France’s Junior Caldera, for weeks. People love the track, and I’m surprised how many people remember Tanita Tikarim’s original. OceanLab (Above & Beyond) covered this as Satellite a few years ago to good effect, but I really love Caldera’s superb take on the song. Interestingly, Polydor Records have been promoting dance tracks very vigorously to DJs, and yet, the music isn’t for sale anywhere… Not Amazon, not iTunes, not any of the other “usual suspects” for digital music sales. I don’t get it.
Damien J. Carter and Damien Heck’s incredible Glacier in the Sun holds the #3 position. I just cannot get enough of this one (as I blogged last week, I believe). It’s an incredible track.
CAPP Records’ latest European import comes from Andrew Spencer (Zombie and To Be With You) and Lazard, and it’s a cover of 3 Doors Down’s track Here Without You. Lots of great mixes, and people really dig this track. It’s at #6.
Two more noteworthy tracks. At #9 is John Kano amazing I’m Done With the Pain, another track that like Glacier in the Sun has so much going for it, it’s gonna get played for a long time to come. And at #10, my buddy Mike Bordes (a great NYC DJ) with his new track Don’t Know What U Got with Angela Severiano, which plays well and has gotten a great reaction.
Enjoy…
Add comment March 29, 2009
Chart updated 3/9/09
With everything going on in my life and career lately, I’ve not been doing a great job of keeping my dance chart up-to-date, nor saying anything about it when I do. But here’s a late new year’s resolution to do better on this front, especially since some people have been telling me they’ve missed it.
So yesterday, I did update my chart, so here are a few words about that.
At the top position is French producer Junior Caldera. I don’t think I ever heard his name until a couple of months ago, and now I see it plastered on all manner of songs and remix projects. The track is Sleeping Satellite, a song originally by British singer/songwriter (and pretty much one-hit wonder) Tanita Tikaram and her debut 1988 album, and which was already covered under the shortened title Satellite by OceanLab in 2004. Caldera’s take is incredibly solid, and I’ve been getting requests to hear it. I can’t get enough of it myself.
Producer John Kano may have the world’s worst MySpace page, but he’s applied his talents to the #2 song, I’m Done With the Pain, featuring the incredible vocals of Sarah Mattea. I love the funky groove of the song, and the thoughtful, well-written lyrics really make it work.
At #3 is Girls Aloud, the UK girl band, with their track The Loving Kind. I actually prefer the original pop version of the song, and that version sounds reminiscent of Bananarama and countless other girl groups over the years, with tasty harmonies and a very commercial sound. But I’ve been spinning the dance remixes (of course) to good reception. Another song where I like the lyrics, and you just want to sing along while you’re letting loose on the dance floor.
Some other notables include:
- My friend Carol Hahn has a new track out, I Can Stop the Rain, which I blogged about recently. People seem to enjoy this track and its solid range of remixes; it comes-in at #5.
- The latest track from my friends at CAPP Records is at #6, from Andrew Spencer (Zombie) and Lazard (Your Heart Keeps Burning), titled Here Without You. I loved this one the first time I heard it, but then, the young German Spencer been turning-out some really fab tracks in his home country, most of which have found their way to the U.S. via CAPP.
- The #9 spot is held by a song I continue to really enjoy, Trona’s Jaded Love. While technically a cover of the 80’s track Tainted Love from Soft Cell, I think of it more as a reinterpretation, which probably accounts for the change in title. The lyrics and melody are the same as Tainted Love, but the entire approach to the song is quite different, and quite refreshing. I drone-on (a lot) about remakes, but this radical a departure from the original can be very interesting, and it is in this case.
Lots more I could talk about, but I’ll save some for next time. You can see the whole chart on my web site.
Add comment March 10, 2009
Chart updated: 11/10/08 (and some other music news)
I was struck this evening by the fact that while I’m a dance DJ, and I love dance music, the truth is, I just love music, dance or otherwise. But before I get into that, and perhaps some of the surprises that go with it, I’ll briefly talk about the chart update.
This past week, Britney Spears ended-up at #1 with Womanizer. Say what you will about the woman, but her producers (and the various remixers on the project) sure know how to turn out good material. There are several terrific mixes floating around, and apparently I’m not the only one who’s digging them.
At #2 is my friend Jacinta, with her latest, Electric Universe, which I blogged about recently. The more I hear this song, the more I like it, and the more I’m enjoying some of ther mixes other than the Robert G. mix I initially fell for.
You can view the chart here for the rest, but one other notable is mid-chart… Milk & Sugar Presents MS2, with Stay Around. There’s a superb mix from Germany’s Spencer & Hill that I always play, and really, really enjoy. The production’s great, and I love the soulful vocal. A friend of mine commented, “Someone should buy that girl some more lyrics,” and yeah, I would agree it’s a bit redundant. But it’s nonetheless enjoyable to my ears.
OK, back to the music surprises.
I was listening to some DJ promos online tonight, and some of the promos are pop, alternative, country, etc. Normally I limit myself to dance (obviously), but I decided to preview some of the other tracks, including a new single from LeAnn Rimes, and it suddenly struck me… Yes, I love dance music, but as I said at the beginning of this post, I also just love music, period. No, I don’t spend much time listening to country. But what’s not to appreciate when you have a talent like LeAnn Rimes?
Two tracks really stood out that are deserving of mention.
First, Keane’s new single, The Lovers are Losing. Their notable hit single from a couple of years ago, Is it Any Wonder? was my ringtone for months, and Lovers has the same incredible hit potential. Great songwriting, great lyrics, and an incredible performance make this an almost surefire hit. For dance lovers like me, there were some great remixes of Wonder, and I hope that some might be made available soon for Lovers. In the meantime, this one’s finding a home on my iPod.
Second, Canadian Idol’s most recent winner, Theo Tams, offers-up Sing. As near as I can determine, this track is unavailable in the U.S., which is a shame. While Sing is the “winner’s song” written and selected for him by the show’s producers, it is nonetheless a pleasant, enjoyable, ballad with a nice piano foundation, and with great hit potential as well since it’s likely to crossover well between AC, AAA and other mainstream radio formats. Typical of the Idol franchise, anyone from the teen fans of Tams to someone like my mother could enjoy this track.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this brief break. Back to the dance music.
Wes
2 comments November 11, 2008
Some changes to the chart “buy” links
Those who’ve seen my weekly Top 25 Dance Chart are probably aware that I place “buy” links in the rightmost column for every entry I can. I do this for several reasons:
- To support the artists by making it easy to buy their material.
- As a service to listeners so they can know immediately that a track is available for sale, and can go buy it on-the-spot.
- To make a few pennies each time somebody buys something.
To that third point, believe me, I make about enough money each month to buy a snack at Taco Bell (but I think of you each time I do, of course).
Until today, I’ve been linking to iTunes and Beatport. These referral and commission systems are called “affiliate programs” in the web business, and for high-visibility, high-traffic web sites, they can be a real money maker for the site referring the traffic, and for the stores being referred to.
In any event, I’ve pulled the plug on Beatport, and replaced it with links to Amazon’s MP3 download store. Like Beatport, they sell MP3 files, free of DRM (copy protection), that can be loaded onto any portable music player, or played by virtually anything that can play digital music at all (cell phones, PCs, whatever).
But unlike Beatport, Amazon doesn’t play favorites with record labels, they don’t care about an affiliate’s sales volumes, and they don’t force customers to use a slick Flash-based web interface that looks sexy but otherwise inhibits usability. Beatport also seems to over-emphasize certain genres of dance and electronic, which is fine I suppose, but they honestly just don’t carry a lot of the stuff I play anyway.
Many people have told me they don’t like iTunes; others don’t seem to care. I have nothing against iTunes per se; I have an iPod (three of them, actually), so I shop there too from time to time. iTunes Plus certainly removes the DRM aspect from the discussion, but they still sell AAC files, not MP3s. And given that MP3 files will play on just about anything, I will probably start emphasizing Amazon links going forward.
In the end, I don’t really care much whether you click the links on my chart or not, or whether you prefer Amazon, or iTunes, or Masterbeat, or Beatport. The real thing for me is that music consumers support the music and the artists they love by buying their music instead of stealing it. Most musical artists make their money through live performances, not records, and that’s been true since before the music industry starting falling apart. But for dance artists, live performance opportunities are few, leaving music sales as the main revenue source. Hopefully you’ll ponder that a bit the next time you’re wanting the lastest dance track, and keep an already very small “industry” alive.
Wes
1 comment October 21, 2008
