Month: March 2023

They Just Wanna, They Just Wanna….

This week in 1983 Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun was the number 1 song in Canada and Australia. The song was actually written, and first recorded, in 1979 by American musician Robert Hazard. 

Cyndi’s album, She’s So Unusual, was the first debut album by a female artist to achieve four top-five hits on the American Billboard Hot 100 – Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Time After Time, She Bop, and All Through the Night – and earned her the “Best New Artist award” at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985.

When Amadeus Rocked The USA

This week in 1986 Rock Me Amadeus, a tribute to the famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Austrian musician “Falco,” hit number 1 in America. It was the first, and so far the only, German language song to peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Prior to this, 99 Luftballons by “Nena” had peaked at number two. 

Introducing The BossHoss

The BossHoss are a German band from Berlin, formed in 2004, They originally started by making country and western style cover versions of famous pop, rock and hip hop songs. That included the cowboy clichés in clothing such as cowboy hats, sleeveless T-shirts and large sunglasses. Their success to date has mostly been confined to Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The band’s new album, Electric Horsemen, will be released in May. For their latest single, You, the group has teamed up with Dutch country and pop rock singer-songwriter Ilse DeLange.

You is new this week on RadiJohan.

RadiJohan Top 10 on 25 March 2023

TWLWArtistTitle
105Belle and SebastianI Don’t Know What You See In Me
93 Six60 Never Been Tonight
89The Interrupters ft The SkintsLove Never Dies
78LyrreCall In The Wind
66RiversideFriend or Foe
57InhalerIf You’re Gonna Break My Heart
410Ian HunterBed of Roses
34 Those Damn CrowsThis Time I’m Ready
22Noel Gallagher’s High Flying BirdsEasy Now
11DMA’sFading Like a Picture

Watch this week’s Top 10 by clicking the play button below.

When Townes Met Adams

Tenille Townes is a Canadian Country music singer who is the reigning Canadian Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year. She has teamed up with one of the best-selling music artists of all time, fellow Canadian Bryan Adams after a chance encounter on her way out of a studio where she had been recording, not realising that the studio belonged to Bryan.

We talked for just a few minutes, and I was so happy to meet him because his path as a fellow Canadian has been incredibly inspiring to me, with a collection of songs that have impacted the world in such a huge way. Later that night, I thought about ‘The Thing That Wrecks You,’ a song I’d written a while before with Kate York and Daniel Tashian, and how the spirit of that song made me think about his voice. I decided to go out on a limb and sent him the song along with a letter asking if he might be up for singing on it with me. Fast forward to now, where not only have I gotten to sing with a hero of mine, but I have also found a mentor and friend through this whole adventure. This song is evidence to me that putting a wild thought out in the atmosphere and believing in it is a powerful thing.”

The Thing That Wrecks You, by Tenille Townes and Bryan Adams, is new this week on RadiJohan

Don’t Tell My Heart, My…

Achy Breaky Heart by “Billy Ray Cyrus” was released this week in 1992. It would become Cyrus’ signature song and his biggest hit. The music video led to the explosion of the “line dance” into the mainstream.

Even though the song topped the charts in New Zealand and Australia, and was a top 10 hit in a number of other countries, it is also considered by some as one of the worst songs of all time and featured at number 2 on VH1’s list of the “50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs Ever”. However, considering The Heart of Rock & Roll by “Huey Lewis & The News” was number 10 on that same list we suggest this can’t be taken at all seriously.

The Return of Roxanne

Not many bands can say they are releasing their third album thirty-five years after their debut. Originally formed in the late 80’s, “Roxanne” garnered commercial success with their 1988 self-titled debut album which was well received with two songs charting on rock radio in the US; Cherry Bay and Sweet Maria, as well as a cover of the “Wild Cherry” song Play That Funky Music.

“Roxanne” has returned with Stereo typical. Released last month it is their first album in five years and features ten new songs. Only a Call Away, a ballad on the album featuring the vocals of dUg Pinnick from the band “King’s X,” is new this week on RadiJohan. It is a song about friendship and the importance of spending time with the ones who matter most while you can.

Nothing Compares To U

On the 20th of March 1990 Sinead O’Connor released her second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. The album’s second single, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” written by Prince, became a worldwide hit and propelled her to stardom. The song topped charts in O’Connor’s native Ireland, Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Geronimo!!! Sheppard are Back!

One of Australia’s most successful musical exports, with millions of record sales and over a billion streams worldwide, are back! “Sheppard,” formed in 2009, have released Good Time, the first single from the band’s upcoming fourth studio album. The song has an undeniable singalong chorus that will soon be lodged in the heads of millions of people around the world.

In the midst of all that’s been happening in the world, the band wanted to write a pop song that lifts spirits and encourages enjoying good times with those who matter most. They may well have succeeded. Sheppard’s Good Time is new this week on RadiJohan.

RadiJohan Top 10 on 18 March 2023

TWLWArtistTitle
10NewIan HunterBed of Roses
9NewThe Interrupters ft The SkintsLove Never Dies
8NewLyrreCall In The Wind
7NewInhalerIf You’re Gonna Break My Heart
610RiversideFriend or Foe
54Belle and SebastianI Don’t Know What You See In Me
45Those Damn CrowsThis Time I’m Ready
31Six60Never Been Tonight
23Noel Gallagher’s High Flying BirdsEasy Now
12DMA’sFading Like a Picture

Watch this week’s Top 10 by clicking the play button below.