The News of Today

[Live in Phoenix]

One Direction singer Liam Payne dead after falling from Buenos Aires hotel balcony

https://www.reuters.com/world/one-direc ... 024-10-16/

[Pierre]

Original Iron Maiden singer Paul Di'Anno died at the age of 66.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0l0nnnekdo

[Live in Phoenix]

Phil Lesh, the Grateful Dead's co-founder and bassist, has died at age 84.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... e=edit-vip

[Pierre]

And I actually gave a spin to "Two from the Vault" today. What an unfortunate coincidence. R.I.P.

[Live in Phoenix]

I need to get a better social media feed… I didn’t even know that The Cure had a new album out. Songs of a Lost World debuted in the UK at #1, and just now on the Billboard 200 at #4. It’s collected strong reviews on Wikipedia.

[Rob]

I need to get a better social media feed… I didn’t even know that The Cure had a new album out. Songs of a Lost World debuted in the UK at #1, and just now on the Billboard 200 at #4. It’s collected strong reviews on Wikipedia.

Wikipedia? It debuted at #3 of the year on our own MegaCritic chart: http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/forums/vi ... hp?t=15549

[Live in Phoenix]

^ I haven’t visited Metacritic in many years but I see it’d be just as well to just cite them instead.

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Shaboozey Now Has The Second Longest-Running #1 Hit Of All Time

“A Bar Song (Tipsy),” the Virginian country and hip-hop artist’s genre-jumbling, J-Kwon-interpolating super smash, is #1 on the Hot 100 singles chart for a 17th nonconsecutive week … The 17th week at #1 for Shaboozey pushes the 16-week chart-toppers to third all-time. Those include Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” (1995); Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber’s “Despacito” (2017); and Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” (2023). The record of 19 weeks, held by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road,” feels within reach.

https://www.stereogum.com/2287052/shabo ... time/news/

[garth]

Compared to other mega chart toppers like "Despacito" I don't think I ever would have picked this one out as having the same potential.

Nothing against the song, it just doesn't sound like a mega-hit to me.

[Live in Phoenix]

Compared to other mega chart toppers like "Despacito" I don't think I ever would have picked this one out as having the same potential.

Nothing against the song, it just doesn't sound like a mega-hit to me.

I know what you mean, and I didn't suspect that Morgan Wallen had a mega-hit, though he's been utterly dominating the Country album charts in recent years.

Here's a list of mega-hits from Billboard.com, by weeks at Number One (starting from the Hot 100’s intro in 1958, hence no Elvis’s “Hound Dog,” nor pop hits from long ago). There are some cool songs, but also a fair amount of head-scratchers.

19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, April 13, 2019

17 (to date), “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey, July 13, 2024

16, “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, March 18, 2023
16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, May 27, 2017
16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995

15, “As It Was,” Harry Styles, April 16, 2022

14, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey, Dec. 21, 2019
14, “Uptown Funk!,” Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, Jan. 17, 2015
14, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009
14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005
14, “Candle in the Wind 1997”/“Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997
14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996
14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994
14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992

13, “The Boy Is Mine,” Brandy & Monica, June 6, 1998
13, “End of the Road,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 15, 1992

12, “Shape of You,” Ed Sheeran, Jan. 28, 2017
12, “Closer,” The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey, Sept. 3, 2016
12, “See You Again,” Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, April 25, 2015
12, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, June 22, 2013
12, “Boom Boom Pow,” The Black Eyed Peas, April 18, 2009
12, “Yeah!,” Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris, Feb. 28, 2004
12, “Lose Yourself,” Eminem, Nov. 9, 2002
12, “Smooth,” Santana feat. Rob Thomas, Oct. 23, 1999

11, “The Box,” Roddy Ricch, Jan. 18, 2020
11, “God’s Plan,” Drake, Feb. 3, 2018
11, “Independent Women Part I,” Destiny’s Child, Nov. 18, 2000
11, “I’ll Be Missing You,” Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112, June 14, 1997
11, “Un-Break My Heart,” Toni Braxton, Dec. 7, 1996
11, “I Swear,” All-4-One, May 21, 1994

10, “Easy on Me,” Adele, Oct. 30, 2021
10, “Butter,” BTS, June 5, 2021
10, “In My Feelings,” Drake, July 21, 2018
10, “One Dance,” Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla, April 23, 2016
10, “Hello,” Adele, Nov. 14, 2015
10, “Happy,” Pharrell Williams, March 8, 2014
10, “We Found Love,” Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris, Nov. 12, 2011
10, “Low,” Flo Rida feat. T-Pain, Jan. 5, 2008
10, “Irreplaceable,” Beyoncé, Dec. 16, 2006
10, “Gold Digger,” Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx, Sept. 17, 2005
10, “Dilemma,” Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland, Aug. 17, 2002
10, “Foolish,” Ashanti, April 20, 2002
10, “Maria Maria,” Santana feat. The Product G&B, April 8, 2000
10, “Physical,” Olivia Newton-John, Nov. 21, 1981
10, “You Light Up My Life,” Debby Boone, Oct. 15, 1977

https://www.billboard.com/pro/hot-100-s ... ing-no-1s/

[Live in Phoenix]

SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that sank in Lake Superior during a storm on November 10, 1975, with the loss of the entire crew of 29 men.

I was reminded of this by, of all places, NFL Primetime — a recap show that airs in various versions on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, so I kept being reminded of it — by a man nicknamed “Boomer” (though probably because of his volume instead of his age).

[Live in Phoenix]

Kendrick Lamar surprise drops new album, ‘GNX’

Capping a standout year, the Pulitzer-winning rapper dropped a new album on the world with zero warning.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/20 ... streaming/

[Live in Phoenix]

Yesterday, the anniversary of JFK’s death, I was listening to Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways, including “Murder Most Foul.” My wife countered with AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” because my selection was “giving me chills down my spine, of sadness.” Well, it was that sort of day for Dylan (and Lou Reed, the Byrds, David and Don Was, you name it).

18 Songs That Mention President Kennedy

https://www.billboard.com/lists/jfk-son ... mine-1965/

A good article mentioning the age of some of the musicians at the time (though some songs are just about JFK in general). One song they missed was “11 MPH” by Was (Not Was).