Inspired by the May 26 birthdays of Stevie Nicks, Ms. Lauryn Hill, The Band’s Levon Helm, Peggy Lee, Lenny Kravitz, Swinging Blue Jeans’ Ray Ennis, Alphaville’s Marian Gold, Nashville Teens’ Art Sharp and Black; and the May 25 birthdays of The Jam’s Paul Weller, Disclosure’s Guy Lawrence, Tom T. Hall, The Tokens’ Mitch Margo, and Jessi Colter.
Inspired by the May 22 birthdays of Morrissey, Marshall Tucker Band’s Doug Gray, Jigsaw’s Des Dyer, Johnny Gill and Icehouse’s Iva Davies.
Inspired by the passing of Little Richard and the May 9 birthdays of Ghostface Killah, Sam & Dave’s Dave Prater, Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, Billy Joel, Andrew W.K., Hank Snow, The Housemartins/The Beautiful South’s Paul Heaton, The Crickets’ Sonny Curtis, The Ventures’ Nokie Edwards, Cyrkle’s Don Dannemann, Clint Holmes and Tommy Roe.
Earlier this week I mentioned that the Village People suddenly find themselves with a hit song on the Adult Contemporary chart. Because 2020 needs to be even stranger, that classic group is joined in the upper reaches of that chart by Corey Feldman. Corey Feldman. Corey Feldman’s “U R Free” is in the top 20 of Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart. Corey Feldman. 2020, am I right, people?
Today’s playlist is inspired by the May 8 birthdays of Earth Wind & Fire’s Philip Bailey, Toni Tennille, Basement Jaxx’s Felix Buxton, Rick Nelson, Martha Wainwright, Katy B, Bloodstone’s Charles McCormick, Darren Hayes and Jack Blanchard.
Inspired by May the Fourth and the May 4 birthdays of Nic Ashford, Little Boots, Sharon Jones, Dick Dale, The Angels’ Peggy Santiglia, Green Day’s Mike Dirnt, New Radicals’ Gregg Alexander, and Pia Zadora.
2020 seemed like just another year, until this week. Something mind-boggling happened. No, the president of the U.S. didn’t display empathy. Get this: The Village People are presently in the Top 40 on the Adult Contemporary chart with a ballad taken from their 2019 Christmas album. The key terms in that sentence: Village People, presently, Top 40, Adult Contemporary, ballad, Christmas. It’s 2020! The song is called “If You Believe” and it jumped from #53 to #25 this week with a 310% increase in radio airplay over last week. “If You Believe?” More like “Hard to Believe!” Am I right, people?
Today’s playlist is inspired by the May 3 birthdays of James Brown, Frankie Valli, Father John Misty, Soft Cell’s David Ball, Pete Seeger, Christopher Cross, Mary Hopkin and Napoleon XIV.
Inspired by the April 21 birthdays of The Cure’s Robert Smith, Iggy Pop, Elaine May, Disposable Heroes of Hiphopracy’s Michael Franti, John Cameron Mitchell and Patti LuPone.
Inspired by the April 12 birthdays of David Cassidy, Saint Etienne’s Sarah Cracknell, Herbie Hancock, Indigo Girls’ Amy Ray, Steppenwolf’s John Kay, Mellow Man Ace, Everclear’s Art Alexakis, Pat Travers, Tiny Tim, Hot Butter’s Stan Free and Get Wet’s Sherri Beachfront.
Inspired by the April 7 birthdays of John Oates, Billie Holiday, Kraftwerk’s Florian Schneider, Janis Ian, Bobby Bare, Carol Douglas, Alexis Jordan, Mongo Santamaria and Percy Faith.
Inspired by the March 30 birthdays of Eric Clapton, Tracy Chapman, Norah Jones, M.C. Hammer, Duck Sauce’s A-Trak, Lene Lovich and Pete Holmes.