The first half of this year has seen a deluge of new releases, particularly by the women currently dominating the popular music conversation. Over the next two weeks, I’ll offer quick takes on eight new releases by those artists — and because I like to rank things, I’ll do it in countdown fashion.
But first, I’ll address a couple of other new releases that don’t fit into the “New Albums by Women Who Rock” category.
The week The week of June 12, 2004, finds a lot of repeats atop the Billboard Hot 100 — songs I’ve either covered during Throwback Weekends or at some other point on the blog.
At #1 is Usher’s ‘Burn,’ followed by ‘I Don’t Wanna Know‘ by Mario Winans. Then comes Beyoncé with ‘Naughty Girl‘ and Usher again with ‘Yeah!‘
That brings us to #5, where alternative rock band Hoobastank sits with their biggest hit, ‘The Reason.’
Throwing back to the week of June 11, 1994, we find All-4-One atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘I Swear.’ As I noted a few weeks ago, this song spent 11 straight weeks at #1, making it one of the longest-running chart-toppers in history.
Holding the #2 spot is Madonna with the ballad ‘I’ll Remember,’ a soundtrack cut from the forgettable film With Honors (do you remember a movie about a Harvard student played by Brendan Fraser befriending a homeless man played by Joe Pesci? Neither do I.).
I’ve noted that 1995 was a big year for debut albums, so I’m closing out this edition of Decades with another notable first album. This one is interesting because it didn’t become a hit until two years after its release.
Jewel wrote most of the songs on Pieces of You as a teenager, busking her away across the country in search of a music career. She eventually drew the interest of record labels while playing in coffeehouses and signed a deal to record an album. Released when she was 21, the record failed to make a splash.
I’ve always felt like I have the potential to be a big Matthew Sweet fan. I don’t really know any of his music, but I’m aware enough of his sound to get that he lands in the same general ballpark as a lot my favorites.
Sweet is a power pop singer-songwriter who hails from Athens, Georgia, and once formed a band with R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe. He has the DNA of an alternative rocker raised on 50s and 60s pop.
Meet Me In Montauk 