One of the most rewarding projects on this blog — for me, anyway — has been the Deep Dive. I love digging through an artist’s discography, album by album, to understand the historical context and explore all the connective tissue.
So far I’ve given the Deep Dive treatment to Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Madonna, Bob Marley, Lana Del Rey, The Rolling Stones, and Jim Croce.
Ray Parker Jr. claimed #1 on the Hot 100 the week of August 11, 1984, with ‘Ghostbusters.’ Prince sat at #2 with ‘When Doves Cry,’ relinquishing the top spot after five weeks.
At #3 was The Jacksons with ‘State of Shock,’ the first single from their album Victory. This was the only Jacksons album to include all six brothers. It was released on the heels of Michael’s record-shattering Thriller.
Throwing back to the week of August 10, 1974, we find Roberta Flack atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love.’
This soulful R&B classic gave Flack her third #1 hit in three consecutive years, following ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ in 1972 and ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’ in 1973. What a trio! The first two won Record of the Year at the Grammys, making Flack the first artist to claim that award back-to-back.
Closing out this installment of ‘What the Kids are Listening To,’ I have to jump over Billie Eilish at #13 (her great ‘Birds of a Feather‘ has already been featured on the blog) and land on yet another Morgan Wallen track — his third of the past two weeks.
‘Cowgirls’ is the eighth single from Wallen’s blockbuster 2023 album One Thing at a Time. All eight made it to the Top 20, and four made it to the Top 10. This one peaked at #12.
At #12 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 we have the second appearance of Morgan Wallen. His ‘Lies Lies Lies’ peaked at #7 before falling out of the Top Ten. It says a lot about the recent surge in country music on this chart that this song’s performance could be viewed as a bit of a disappointment.
‘Lies Lies Lies’ is the first single from an upcoming Wallen album. It’s a traditional booze-soaked heartbreak song dressed up in the modern production that has made Wallen a major crossover success.
Meet Me In Montauk 