RADIO REPORT: POP! Goes The Picks (March 2015)

It’s time once again to analyze the airwaves and find out if your favorite new singles will be lighting up the national charts in 2015. Which tracks will climb to the top and which ones will hit a stop? Here’s a selection of new singles being serviced in March on the AAA, Alternative, CHR and Hot AC formats in this month’s Radio Report:

CHR (*) and HOT AC (**)

THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT – “California” (March 2) (**)
Label: Epic
Best known for their 2009 hit “Sometime Around Midnight”, their only charting single on the Hot AC survey to date, the Los Angeles band is looking to rank again with a song named after their home state. Their latest album is Dope Machines.

EDEN XO – “The Weekend” (March 2) (*)
Label: Virgin/Capitol
Late in 2014, “Too Cool To Dance” was gaining airplay at the CHR format, but its sales were never spectacular and as the new year began, it quickly fell off playlists. Luckily, there’s now a follow-up on the air, another glossy girl’s night anthem.

SCARS ON 45 – “Tasted Every Tear” (March 2) (**)
Label: Nettwerk
The English quartet have a split single release in action for the moment, with “Take You Home” still climbing at the AAA format and “Tasted” now being serviced at Hot AC. Both songs are taken from Safety In Numbers, released last October.

JACQUIE LEE – “Tears Fall” (March 9) (*)
Label: 300/Atlantic
No need to cry over two tearful titles on the schedule this month, that’s just how it happens sometimes. This new single, a second radio attempt from the former The Voice contestant, is the follow-up to 2014’s “Broken Ones” and a Sia co-write.

DJ SNAKE & ALUNAGEORGE – “You Know You Like It” (March 16) (*)
Label: Interscope
The French DJ/producer, born as William Grigahcine, was behind one of last spring and summer’s big party anthems, the top five single “Turn Down For What”. The English duo, known overseas, is enjoying their first chance at a CHR radio hit.

RIHANNA – “Towards The Sun” (from Home) (March 16) (*)
Label: Westbury Road Ent.
While “FourFiveSeconds” continues to climb up the charts, the Barbadian performer has another single on deck with this release from the forthcoming DreamWorks film Home. She also voices the lead character, a lovable teenager named Tip.

CARLY RAE JEPSEN – “I Really Like You” (March 23) (*)
Label: Interscope
We really, really, really, really, really, really liked “Call Me Maybe” and “Good Time” back in 2012, and her album Kiss is still highly regarded in the pop community. Needless to say, the fast reaction has been really positive for Jepsen’s return.

AVRIL LAVIGNE – “Give You What You Like” (March 30) (**)
Label: Epic
Nearly two years after her self-titled era launched with the moderate success of “Here’s To Never Growing Up” and a few smaller releases, Lavigne is getting a fourth U.S. single from the project. The mellow cut went to Canadian radio last year.

—

ALTERNATIVE (*) and AAA (**)

LIFE IN FILM – “Get Closer” (March 2) (*)
Label: +1/300
Here’s a new name on the list of acts going for adds. Several years ago, these four indie rockers formed their band in East London, and after a couple of EPs, Dominic, Edward, Micky and Sam land their first American single. Look out for more.

NATE RUESS – “Nothing Without Love” (March 2) (* + **)
Label: Fueled By Ramen/RRP
It’s no fun without fun., and so, lead singer Ruess is putting together a solo project, which will be released later this year. The anthemic song is already impacting (and charting) at multiple formats and looks like a sure winner during the spring.

IMAGINE DRAGONS – “Shots” (March 9) (*)
Label: Interscope
Breathing fire once again onto the format are these four fellows and their recent #1 album, Smoke + Mirrors. If “I Bet My Life” could only reach #3, bets might be off for this one going to the top, but its initial sales suggest that it’ll still peak well.

JAMES BAY – “Hold Back The River” (March 9) (*)
Label: Republic
Newcomer Bay’s song is already a top ten hit in his native England, along with Australia and New Zealand, and that buzz is translating well here in the States. Cruising well into the top 30 at AAA, this will be on the Alternative airwaves very soon.

DELTA RAE – “Scared” (March 16) (**)
Label: Sire/ADA
The pride of North Carolina broke onto the AAA scene in 2012 with “Bottom Of The River”, to minor chart numbers, and “If I Loved You”, making a run at the top five in 2013. Their haunting hit leads an anticipated sophomore set due in April.

HOZIER – “Work Song” (March 16) (* + **)
Label: Columbia
Coming off two big singles at the AAA format (“From Eden” lacked Alternative support), the soon-to-be 25-year-old Irish singer’s third U.S. release seems like a no-brainer at both formats. Will it lead the “Church” of programmers? We will see.

BØRNS – “Electric Love” (March 23) (*)
Label: Interscope
If you’ve been living under a rock, then you’ve missed all the co-signs, syncs and other hype on this talented newcomer, a Michigan native that’s now based in sunny California. Given all that prior love, this could be a monster as 2015 continues.

RUEN BROTHERS – “Summer Sun” (March 23) (*)
Label: Republic
This is the debut U.S. single from English siblings Henry and Rupert, which was pushed back from an initial radio date of a few weeks ago. Several Alternative outlets are soaking it all in so far, and as temperatures build, so will the song’s gains.

—

Which songs would you like to see do well from the list above? Let me know! Comment below or click the “Get Social!” tab to find PGTC on social media.

RADIO REPORT: POP! Goes The Picks (June 2014)

If you follow the radio charts like I do, you’ll want to be on top of only the freshest music being serviced across the nation. So, I’m bringing back an early PGTC feature with a bit of a revamp. With this monthly series, I’ll be highlighting some great tracks at a few different radio formats I enjoy that will be fighting for airspace over the next few months. So, what are we waiting for? Let the battles begin.

CHR (*) and HOT AC (**)

AVICII featuring AUDRA MAE – “Addicted To You” (June 3) (*)
Label: PRMD/Island/Republic
Sweden’s Tim Bergling has been having a massive era on the U.S. charts with two hits in a row: “Wake Me Up!”, with a vocal from Aloe Blacc, and “Hey Brother”, featuring Dan Tyminski. Now, he’s out with his third single from True, though “Addicted” hasn’t been nearly as big on the worldwide charts. Still, it should receive some proper airtime here.

GLENN MORRISON featuring ISLOVE – “Goodbye” (June 3) (*)
Label: Robbins
I first discovered “Goodbye” last summer when it was picked up by SiriusXM’s two pop channels before it slowly rose up the radio charts in Morrison’s native Canada, where it has since been certified Platinum. Now, the record is getting a push to multiple U.S. formats. Will radio says “hello” to the 28-year-old or wave him away before the song takes off?

JANELLE MONÁE – “Heroes” (June 3) (**)
Label: Caroline/Capitol
Two years ago, Monáe scored a #1 song at the Hot AC format as a featured act on fun.‘s “We Are Young”, but hasn’t seen any significant action on these airwaves since it. 2013’s The Electric Lady gave her biggest debut thus far on the Billboard 200, and you’ll find this oft-covered David Bowie cut on Pepsi’s Beats Of The Beautiful Game soundtrack.

JESSE MCCARTNEY – “Superbad” (June 10) (*)
Label: Eight0Eight/INgrooves
Previously covered in a post I wrote three weeks ago about former boy band members going the solo route, the single finally goes to radio this month. It follows “Back Together”, which unfortunately didn’t do much last year. Though he is firmly committed to going the independent way, this kind of song would do better on a major. It’s a really hot track.

JACQUIE LEE – “Broken Ones” (June 17) (**)
Label: 300/Atlantic
You may remember Lee from Christina Aguilera‘s team during the fall 2013 season of The Voice. She placed as the runner-up behind Tessanne Chin, but Lee is already making her move with 300 Entertainment, Lyor Cohen’s label. They previously charted with Eric Bellinger at Rhythmic, and have a few dozen spins on Alternative with Panama.

—

ALTERNATIVE (*) and AAA (**)

AMERICAN AUTHORS – “Believer” (June 10) (*)
Label: Mercury/Republic
It barely went top 50 on the Alternative chart last year, but thanks to the enormous numbers put up by “Best Day Of My Life” over the last few months, “Believer” is getting a second chance on the airwaves. It’s already top 40 at Hot AC and should go top 50 here rather soon. You can catch them on tour with OneRepublic and The Script this summer.

JAMIE SCOTT – “My Hurricane” (June 10) (**)
Label: Virgin/Capitol
With both a Graffiti6 album and a Scott solo album in 2014, it may just be the best year ever. No lies detected. This first single from effort, due September 9, is going to AAA radio, the same format where “Free” reached the top ten and “Stare Into The Sun” bounced up into the top 20. This storm’s a-brewing and the weather report is calling for a smash.

STU LARSEN – “Thirteen Sad Farewells” (June 17) (**)
Label: Nettwerk
If you’re a fan of the musician named Passenger, then you probably know who Larsen is. He and Mr. Rosenberg have been good friends for a while and often perform together. After a few self-released EPs, his debut album for Nettwerk, titled Vagabond, lands in stores on July 15. The performer is currently wrapping up a small U.S. tour in Los Angeles.

THE GRISWOLDS – “Beware The Dog” (June 17) (*)
Label: Wind-Up
I saw these guys at CMJ back in October along with the band Sheppard, and although “Heart Of A Lion” failed to take off at Alternative, the Australian four piece is trying again with this single. The blog coverage of the song is off to a fast start and it’s easily their most accessible release to date for the U.S. market. This puppy is barking away for your love.

TWIN ATLANTIC – “Heart And Soul” (June 24) (*)
Label: Red Bull
About to break the top 20 on the Singles Chart in the United Kingdom, “Heart” is already the group’s highest charting single across the pond. With Red Bull’s multi-year campaign for AWOLNATION‘s “Sail”, launching it at Alternative  in the fall of 2011 and then at CHR in the summer/fall of 2013, this could be the label’s next enduring hit. Stay tuned!

—

Which track(s) would you like to see do well from the list above? Let me know! Comment below or click the “Get Social!” tab to find PGTC on social media.