By Roger Nead
June 22, 2004
BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE CHART ROCK ‘N ROLLED:
In fact, it’s been a full year since a Rock title claimed the #1 spot on the album chart. The last “Rock” release to top the Billboard Top 200 chart was METALLICA’S ST. ANGER on June 21ST, 2003.
Since then, R&B/Hip Hop and Pop albums have ruled the chart. But this week, Rock not only owns the #1 spot, but rock acts make up half of the Top 10.
VELVET REVOLVER debuts at #1, with CONTRABAND, their first release. The bands members are not strangers to #1 however, lead singer SCOTT WEILAND topped the Top 200 in 1994 as leader of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, with PURPLE, and Revolver members SLASH, DUFF McKAGAN, and MATT SORUM reached the top spot twice with their former band GUNS ‘N ROSES, in 1988 with APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION, and in 1991 with USE YOUR ILLUSION II.
Joining VELVET REVOLVER in the Top 10 this week are rockers HOOBASTANK, 311, SLIPKNOT, and the various rock artists from the VANS WARPED TOUR 2004 compilation.
NOT A BAD WEEK TO BE A DEAD POP-STAR:
For a fourth consecutive year, the King of Rock and Roll, ELVIS PRESLEY has a single debuting on Billboard’s Single Sales chart. A fifty-year anniversary release of “That’s All Right,” first released as a single in July of 1954, comes in at #11 this week.
In 2001, Elvis’ rendition of “America The Beautiful” went to #6 on the sales chart, in 2002 the remix version of “A Little Less Conversation” spent three weeks at #1, and in 2003 the remix version of “Rubberneckin’” held the top spot for 2 weeks.
Also this week, another 1950s pop star has a posthumous return to a Billboard chart. CONWAY TWITTY, who had a #1 pop hit in 1958, with: “It’s Only Make Believe” returns to the Country Singles chart for the 98TH time, with “(I Wanna Hear) A Cheatin’ Song,” a duet with ANITA COCHRAN. However, Twitty’s been dead for almost 11 years, and “Cheatin’” is his second posthumous hit on that chart, following 1993’s “I’m The Only Thing (I’ll Hold Against You.)”
That’s nothing compared to JIM REEVES, country music’s answer to 2PAC. Reeves had 28 Top 40 hits on the Country Singles chart in the 20 years after dying in a plane crash in 1964.
U.S. Singles Chart:
Here are this week’s Top 10 singles:
1) Burn by USHER
2) Confessions Part II by USHER
3) The Reason by HOOBASTANK
4) I Don’t Wanna Know by MARIO WINANS Featuring ENYA & P. DIDDY
5) If I Ain’t Got You by ALICIA KEYS
6) Overnight Celebrity by TWISTA
7) Naughty Girl by BEYONCE
8) This Love by MAROON5
9) Freek-A-Leek by PETEY PABLO
10) Yeah! by USHER Featuring LIL JON & LUDACRIS
U.S. Album Chart:
Here are this week’s Top 10 albums:
1) Contraband by VELVET REVOLVER
2) Confessions by USHER
3) Under My Skin by AVRIL LAVIGNE
4) Here For The Party by GRETCHEN WILSON
5) Musicology by PRINCE
6) The Reason by HOOBASTANK
7) Greatest Hits ’93-’03 by 311
8) Vans Warped Tour 2004 Compilation by VARIOUS ARTISTS
9) D12 World by D12
10) Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) by SLIPKNOT
Top 10 Most Downloaded Tracks:
Here is this week’s Top 10 Hot Digital Tracks:
1) The Reason by HOOBASTANK
2) Roses by OUTKAST
3) Let’s Get It Started by BLACK EYED PEAS
4) Accidentally In Love by COUNTING CROWS
5) Burn by USHER
6) Hey Mama by BLACK EYED PEAS
7) Leave (Get Out) by JOJO
8) This Love by MAROON5
9) Pieces Of Me by ASHLEE SIMPSON
10) Ocean Avenue by YELLOWCARD
Modern Rock Tracks:
Here are this week’s Top 10 Modern Rock tracks:
1) Ch-Check It Out by BEASTIE BOYS
2) Slither by VELVET REVOLVER
3) Cold Hard Bitch by JET
4) Float On by MODEST MOUSE
5) Lying From You by LINKIN PARK
6) Talk Shows On Mute by INCUBUS
7) Broken by SEETHER Featuring AMY LEE
8) The Reason by HOOBASTANK
9) Time Is Running Out by MUSE
10) Just Like You by THREE DAYS GRACE
U.K. Singles Chart
Here are the Top Ten singles in the UK:
1) I Don’t Wanna Know by MARIO WINANS Featuring ENYA & P. DIDDY
2) Come On England by 4-4-2
3) Dragostea Din Tel by O-ZONE
4) Trick Me by KELIS
5) All Together Now 2004 by THE FARM Featuring S.F.X. BOYS CHOIR
6) F.U.R.B. (F U Right Back) by FRANKEE
7) Hotel by CASSIDY Featuring R. KELLY
8) F**K It (I Don’t Want You Back) by EAMON
9) Born In England by TWISTED X
10) All Falls Down by KAYNE WEST Featuring SYLEENA JOHNSON
My Own Personal Top 30 Chart:
1) Am I The Same Girl by KING RADIO
2) Passing By by ZERO 7
3) The Road Leads Where It’s Led by SECRET MACHINES
4) Better by COWBOY MOUTH
5) Trouble by DJ ME DJ YOU
6) Hold Me Up by YEAR OF THE RABBIT
7) Walking Around Waiting Downtown by REVERIE SOUND MACHINE
8) The One You Want by THE GET UP KIDS
9) Madness by DELTRON 3030
10) Looks Like They Were Right by LIT
11) California Songs by LOCAL H
12) The Reasons by THE WEAKERTHANS
13) Hello Tomorrow by ZEBRAHEAD
14) Assessment by THE BETA BAND
15) Check Your Messages by THE MELIGROVE BAND
16) Primitive (The Way I Treat You) by AMBULANCE LTD
17) Breathe by SECRET MACHINES
18) Mr. Brightside by THE KILLERS
19) Errant Geese by THE BON MOTS
20) The Saddest Story Ever Told by MAGNETIC FIELDS
21) For Members Only by NORTHSTAR
22) Unbroken (Hotel Baby) by MONSTER MAGNET
23) Wake Up by THE VANISHED
24) Don’t Forget To Breathe by BEULAH
25) Take Your Mama Out by SCISSOR SISTERS
26) It’s All The Same by REVERIE SOUND REVUE
27) Met A Girl Like You Once by ZACK HEXUM
28) Without You Here by EVE 6
29) C’mon by GO BETTY GO
30) Spitting Games by SNOW PATROL
FUN & GAMES:
LISTEN TO THE MUSIC:
Check out my radio show
This week: Hear the official weekly Billboard Top 50 chart from 26 years ago, June 22ND, 1978!
THE LOST 80’S
It’s back to the 80’s again, for an all-new radio show of long-lost classics! Click here and relive some music lost memories with such artists as: ALDO NOVA, ART OF NOISE, BUCKS FIZZ, DUKE JUPITER, ENUFF Z’NUFF, HONEYMOON SUITE, HOODOO GURUS, JULIAN COPE, LE ROUX, SIOUXIE & THE BANSHEES, and many, many more!
I’ll up date this one every couple of weeks.
TOP O’ THE CHARTS:
Let’s go through time and see what was at #1 this week on the various popular music charts!
#1 Song on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart, June 22, 1998:
I Lie In The Bed I Make by BROTHER CANE
#1 Song on Billboard’s Modern Rock Chart, June 22, 1993:
Pets by PORNO FOR PYROS
#1 Album on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart, June 22, 1988:
OU812 by VAN HALEN
#1 Song on Billboard’s R&B Chart, June 22, 1983:
Juicy Fruit by MTUME
#1 Song on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart, June 22, 1978:
Shadow Dancing by ANDY GIBB
#1 Song on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart, June 22, 1973:
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by BETTE MIDLER
#1 Song on Billboard’s Country & Western Chart, June 22, 1968:
D-I-V-O-R-C-E by TAMMY WYNETTE
#1 Song on the UK Chart, June 22, 1963:
I Like It by GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS
REMEMBER THESE?:
Here are the official Top Ten Charts, 8, 18, 28, and 38 years ago this week:
JUNE 22, 1996:
1) Tha Crossroads by BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY
2) You’re Makin’ Me High by TONI BRAXTON
3) Give Me One Reason by TRACY CHAPMAN
4) Always Be My Baby by MARIAH CAREY
5) Because You Loved Me by CELINE DION
6) California Love by 2 PAC Featuring DR. DRE & ROGER TROUTMAN
7) Theme From “Mission: Impossible” by ADAM CLAYTON & LARRY MULLEN
8) Nobody Knows by THE TONY RICH PROJECT
9) You’re The One by SWV
10) Ironic by ALANIS MORISSETTE
JUNE 22, 1986:
1) On My Own by PATTI LaBELLE & MICHAEL McDONALD
2) There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) by BILLY OCEAN
3) Crush On You by THE JETS
4) Holding Back The Years by SIMPLY RED
5) No One Is To Blame by HOWARD JONES
6) Who’s Johnny by EL DEBARGE
7) A Different Corner by GEORGE MICHAEL
8) Invisible Touch by GENESIS
9) Nasty by JANET JACKSON
10) Sledgehammer by PETER GABRIEL
JUNE 22, 1976:
1) Silly Love Songs by WINGS
2) Get Up And Boogie (That’s Right) by SILVER CONVENTION
3) Misty Blue by DORTHY MOORE
4) Sara Smile by DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
5) Shop Around by THE CAPTAIN & TENNILLE
6) More, More, More (Part 1) by ANDREA TRUE CONNECTION
7) Afternoon Delight by THE STARLAND VOCAL BAND
8) Love Hangover by DIANA ROSS
9) I’ll Be Good To You by THE BROTHERS JOHNSON
10) Kiss And Say Goodbye by THE MANHATTANS
JUNE 22, 1966:
1) Paperback Writer by THE BEATLES
2) Strangers In The Night by FRANK SINATRA
3) Paint It, Black by THE ROLLING STONES
4) Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind? by THE LOVIN’ SPOONFUL
5) I Am A Rock by SIMON & GARFUNKEL
6) Red Rubber Ball by THE CYRKLE
7) Barefootin’ by ROBERT PARKER
8) Cool Jerk by THE CAPITOLS
9) You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me by DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
10) Sweet Talkin’ Guy by THE CHIFFONS
ROCK & ROLL TRIVIA QUESTION:
LAST WEEK’S QUESTIONS:
THE ANSWERS:
1) Name the four TV theme songs that were on the Top 50 chart on June 15TH, 1976. THE ANSWER: All four of the charting TV themes this week were from popular shows on the ABC network: “Happy Days” performed by PRATT & McCLAIN was at #11, “Baretta’s Theme (Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow)” by RHYTHM HERITAGE (the only one of the four not to be performed by the original artist) was at #20, “Welcome Back,” from WELCOME BACK KOTTER, was at #24, after the JOHN SEBASTIAN tune peaked at #1 a month earlier, and “Making Our Dreams Come True” from HAPPY DAYS spin-off LAVERNE SHIRLEY, was at #32, and performed by CYNDI GRECCO.
2) Which Top Ten hit from this chart was performed by a porn star? (This song remains the only Top Ten hit every by a porno actress!) THE ANSWER: “More, More, More (Part 1)” which was sitting at #8 this week, was performed by THE ANDREA TRUE CONNECTION, and True herself was probably starring in one of her porn classics, at your nearest adult theater.
3) Which Top Ten hit from this chart is about a dead dog? (It’s the highest charting pop hit about a deceased pooch, ever!) THE ANSWER: “Shannon,” by HENRY GROSS (a former member of popular retro-band SHA-NA-NA), was at its peak position of #6 this week.
4) The song at #50 on June 15TH 1976 was a remake of a #1 hit by the band that has the song at #40. Who are they? THE ANSWER: They are THE BEACH BOYS, and they were at #40 with their version of CHUCK BERRY’S classic “Rock & Roll Music,” the same week that progressive rock singer/producer TODD RUNDGREN was at #50 with his take on the boys third #1 hit “Good Vibrations.”
5) Which TV star/heartthrob was at #31 on this chart? It was his first chart hit! THE ANSWER: JOHN TRAVOLTA, who was starring at the time on TV’s WELCOME BACK KOTTER, was at #31 with his chart debut: “Let Her In.”
6) Which hit on this chart was sung by an un-credited Mickey Thomas (who would later lead STARSHIP to two consecutive #1 hits!) THE ANSWER: Mickey sang the leads on ELVIN BISHOP’S Top Ten hit: “Fooled Around And Fell In Love,” which was at #34 on June 15TH, 1976. Thomas scored back-to-back #1’s with STARSHIP’S “We Built This City,” in 1985, and “Sara” in 1986, and then returned to the top in 1987 with “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.”
7) Which hit on the June 15TH 1976 chart was a nine year old album track by the most popular rock band of all time? THE ANSWER: Capitol Records released THE BEATLES “Got To Get You Into My Life” as a single in 1976, to promote the release of the new fab four compilation LP “Rock ‘N’ Roll Music.” The belated single, original released on THE BEATLES “REVOLVER” album in 1966, made it all the way to #7 in the summer of ’76.
THIS WEEKS QUIZ:
Below is a list of four male pop singer/writers who’ve all had varying degrees of success on the Hot 100. In terms of their pop chart success, they all share one very distinctive fact in common. What is it?
1) BOB DYLAN
2) GENE PITNEY
3) RANDY NEWMAN
4) BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Answer next week!
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