In the final episode of our year in review we venture back 50 years to 1970 and I present some of my favorite songs of 1970 (and 1969) to Jeff. It begins and ends with 2 stories that are just 2 more of the myriad coincidences that have happened to me since beginning this adventure.
In the middle of the episode, we end up paying homage to a band that has been cranking out quality music for the better part of 3 decades. By the end of the episode we have discussed drugs a number of times, I decided that 2020 was a year of discovery and hope (for me), and folded in more discussion about Jeff’s daughter Eva, Hanson, and AJR. Oh, and a newer song that has infiltrated my mind in a fantastic way.
Of the 43 songs featured we span from 1960-2020. Songs you know, songs you don’t, and songs you should. I hope you find some joy out of the joy that I experience in putting these podcast episodes together.
Listen on Spotify here
On the BR250 The Weeknd nudges past Miley and Dua to claim the #1 spot. The song has been compared to songs as disparate as Post Malone’s “Circles”, Everything She Wants” by Wham and, ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky”. The bigger news this week is the song “Drivers License” smashing into the top 5 pretty much out of the box. It was on 1 chart before this cycle and gained 37 adds for the explosive debut. The song and artist, Olivia Rodrigo, have broken many records globally, most notably becoming the female singer with the most weekly streams ever, surpassing Mariah Carey and “All I Want For Christmas Is You”.
The other big debut this week belongs to Foo Fighters with the ballad “Waiting On A War” at #41. This song that ends in a raucous fashion and could be their biggest song in a long while. This makes 3 songs by the band in the top 50 as “Shame Shame” drops 7-10 and “No Son Of Mine” moves into the top 25 (42-22).
5 other songs enter the top 25 this week. The return of Kings of Leon with “The Bandit” flies from 66-14, a song not veering at all from their signature sound. Harry Styles’ “Treat People With Kindness” gives him his 6th top 20 from “Fine Line” as it moves up to #18. It has been #1 on my chart for 4 weeks.
As Ariana Grande drops to #20 with “Positions” she lands at #21 with “34+35”. Sorry but she bores me so. SZA makes a nice leap into the top 100 with “Good Days”, moving 105-24. The song currently is #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Finally “The Valley of the Pagans”, the collab between Gorillaz and Beck sneaks into the top 25, up 28-23. This is the 1st Gorillaz song to make my personal top 100 since “Dare” in 2006. It should make my top 40 at least.