The Life of Bryan

New Music

Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams is one of the most successful and best-selling music artists of all time. Bryan joined his first band when he was only 15 years old and, at age 20, released his eponymous debut album. His 1984 album “Reckless,” which contained six charting singles and included the classic “Summer of 69,” made him a global star.

Numerous albums and singles later Bryan appears to have no thoughts of slowing down. His 2022 album “So Happy It Hurts” went to number 2 on the German and Swiss album charts and reached number 3 in the UK and Austria. Earlier this year the single, The Thing That Wrecks You,” a collaboration with Canadian country music star, Tenille Townes, rose to number 4 on the RadiJohan Top 10.

Bryan has started off the month of September 2023 by releasing two new songs. “Sometimes You Lose Before You win” and “You’re Awesome are both from the soundtrack for the upcoming Comedy Central feature film “Office Race.” 

“Sometimes You Lose Before You win” is new this week on RadiJohan.

Gary Wright Dead at 80

News

Gary Wright, the musician best known for his hit singles “Dream Weaver” and “Love is Alive” has died. He was 80. 

Wright, a soulful singer, keyboard player and synthesiser pioneer, was a founding member of British blues rock band “Spooky Tooth.” He was also an in-demand session musician who played on all of George Harrison’s solo albums, Ringo Starr’s early singles, songs by Nilsson, B.B. King and many others.

Gary’s son Justin shared that his father died on Monday morning at his home in California surrounded by family. He had been suffering from Parkinson’s and Lewy Body dementia for several years.

Tainted Love

Flashback

This week in 1981 “Soft Cell,” a British synth-pop duo consisting of Marc Almond and Dave Ball, hit number 1 in the UK with an electronic cover of “Tainted Love,” a song originally released by the American soul singer Gloria Jones in 1964. The song also topped the charts in a number of other countries.

While often thought of as a one-Hit Wonder, Soft Cell had a number of other hits in the UK but Tainted Love was their only number 1.

A Cry For Help

Flashback

On this day in 1965 The Beatles started a three-week run at number 1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Help!,” the title of their second film and the group’s ninth U.S. number 1.

“Help!” was written by John Lennon with some help from Paul McCartney. John once said that the song was one of his favourites among the Beatles songs he wrote. During an interview with “Playboy” in 1980, he recounted: “The whole Beatles thing was just beyond comprehension. I was subconsciously crying out for help”.

Jimmy Buffett Dead at 76

News

American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett has died. The singer, author and businessman was 76 years old. According to a statement on his website he died peacefully on the night of September 1, surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs.

Although Buffett released numerous albums and singles, his 1977 classic Margaritaville was his only really big hit. However, that hit became the foundation for his business empire. Business magazine Forbes estimated the singer’s fortune at one billion dollars this year. His Margaritaville franchise included restaurants, resorts and merchandise.

One of Jimmy Buffett’s more recent songs, “Down at the Lah De Dah,” spent two weeks at number 1 on RadiJohan’s top 10 countdown in 2020.

According to The Washington Post the singer was good friends with Warren Buffett, the well-known investor. Apparently they even had a DNA test done to establish if they were related but that was not the case. Warren Buffett, himself a billionaire, is said to have acted as a mentor to his musical namesake, who called him “Uncle Warren.”

According to the New York Post, Buffett had to cancel performances in recent months after a number of hospitalizations. His cause of death has not been disclosed.

RadiJohan Top 10 on 02 September 2023

Top 10
TWLWArtistTitle
105joansuperglue
9NewYusuf/Cat StevensPagan Run
8NewRick AstleyDippin My Feet
73RouletteSummer Day
69Dan + ShaySave Me The Trouble
510Noel Gallagher’s High Flying BirdsOpen The Door See What You Find
48Gatling GunDangerous Life
34Suzi Quatro & KT TunstallShine a Light
21The Defiants19 Summertime
12Goo Goo DollsRun All Night

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

He’s Alice

New Music

“Alice Cooper” was originally a band, formed in 1964 with Vincent Furnier as lead singer. The Alice Cooper band was one of the few glam rock acts to achieve mainstream popularity in the United States, rising to fame in 1971 with the hit single “I’m Eighteen.” Success continued with the album “School’s Out,” and with the UK number 1 single of the same name name.

The band peaked in popularity in 1973 with the album “Billion Dollar Babies” which topped the album charts in America and Britain and produced the UK top 10 singles “Elected,” “Hello Hooray” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” They split up in 1974 but Vincent Furnier legally changed his name to Alice Cooper and began a successful solo career.

Now the legend, and pioneer of “Shock Rock” from Detroit has returned once again with his new album “Road.” Written, composed and recorded with his current touring band, the album is said to channel the spirit of old school Alice with instantly recognisable grit and plenty of gusto.

Alice Cooper’s “I’m Alice,” the first single released from “The Road,” is new this week on RadiJohan.

Heading For The Highlands

New Music

Sydney-based three piece Middle Kids are a band from Sydney, Australia who first gained attention in 2017 with their debut single, “Edge Of Town.” Since forming in 2016, the band have released two EPs and two albums. The albums, “Lost Friends” (2018) and “Today We’re The Greatest” (2021) both made the Australian Top 10. Thanks to the success of those albums, the band have been able to tour as support act for the likes of “Bloc Party,” “Kings of Leon,” “The War on Drugs” and “Cold War Kids.”

Middle Kids singer Hannah Joy, commenting on their new single “Highlands,” stated:

“Since I was young, I’ve had this yearning to be free. In this song, I used an image of the ‘highlands’ as a euphoric place where I have the space to be me, and you have the space to be you.”

“Highlands” by Middle Kids is new this week on RadiJohan.

Sweden Just Keeps on Rocking!

New Music

Rian is a melodic hard rock band from Sweden who play classic melodic rock music reminiscent of the second half of the eighties. Rian’s sound appears influenced by bands like Bon Jovi, Winger, Dokken, Europe, Queensryche, and Survivor but has a distinctive and contemporary flair that sets them apart.

Rian released their first album “Out of The Darkness” in 2017 independent of a record company and received favorable reviews, especially in Europe. A second album, “Twenty-Three”, which really put them on the Melodic Rock map, followed in 2021 after signing with “Frontiers Music.”

Rian’s newest album “Wings” has just been released and appears to pick up where its predecessor, “Twenty-Three” left off,  with lots of groove, grand guitar riffs, infectious refrains, superb vocal arrangements, and slick guitar solos.

The album’s opening track and first single, “Carry My Wings,” is new this week on RadiJohan.

RadiJohan Top 10 on 26 August 2023

Top 10
TWLWArtistTitle
10NewNoel Gallagher’s High Flying BirdsOpen The Door See What You Find
9NewDan + ShaySave Me The Trouble
8NewGatling GunDangerous Life
77The Teskey BrothersRemember The Time
63Robert Jon & The WreckWest Coast Eyes
52joansuperglue
49Suzi Quatro & KT TunstallShine a Light
34RouletteSummer Day
25Goo Goo DollsRun All Night
11The Defiants19 Summertime

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