Step Back in Time: June 3rd 1990

So the time machine this week has skidded to a stop in the year 1990, yes the year that Madonna would go on to make one of the most iconic music videos of the decade and somehow Michael Bolton was a hitmaker but anyway more of that later.

At number ten is Billy Idol with "Crade of Love", this song peaked at number 10. Of the hit Billy Idol songs, this is one I remember least. It was a number 2 hit in the USA.

Number nine finds Roxette with "Dangerous" which is where it peaked in Australia (unfortunately because it's a damn great song). Went as high as number 2 in the US and number 3 in the UK

Wet Wet Wet slid down to number 8 from number 7 with "Sweet Surrender", It peaked at number 7 in Australia. It went number 6 in the UK in September 1989.

At number 7 is "Infinity (1990s...Time for the Guru)" by Guru Josh which climbed 7 places into the top 10. It would go on to peak at number 4 in Australia and at number 5 in the UK.

Belinda Carlisle remained at number 6 this week with her single "Summer Rain" which is where it peaked in Australia. "Summer Rain" experienced it's most success on the charts in Australia, it only managed 23 in the UK and 30 in the US.

Paula Abdul was finding successful in Australia with her former number 1 "Opposites Attract" down to number 5. It was also a number 1 hit in the US and number 2 in the UK.

Michael Bolton recovered from a dip the week before to number 5 by climbing back to number 4 with "How Can We be Lovers", this song peaked at number 3 in Australia and also in the US.

Speaking of number 3, we say hello to "Mona" by Craig McLachlan and Check 1-2. It was the highest selling Australian single for the year 1990 by peaking number 3 (yes, I know what you are thinking), it peaked at number 2 in the UK.

Heart were having some wonderful success in the US and had racked up several chart toppers by 1990 so of course "All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You" was going to be a huge hit, it would go on to be a number 1 hit in Australia however surprisingly it was only a number 2 hit in the US and went number 8 in the UK.

The Pop Music Queen of the 80s returned in 1990 and she was back to dominate the charts, I'm talking about Madonna of course, spending what would turn out to be its final week at number 1 was "Vogue", the song was a worldwide smash hit peaking at number 1 in the UK and the US also.

So that wraps up Step Back in Time for this week. Next week, we head back to June in 2000 where Beyonce was experiencing plenty of success in a girl group known as Destiny's Child, this is "Say My Name"

See you on Saturday for the ARIA Top Ten, it seems like "Despacito Remix" may remain at number 1 but we'll find out on Saturday then New Music Friday Review featuring Lorde, 5th Harmony and Julia Michaels to follow next week

New Music Friday Review: One of the best pop songs of 2017 has landed

It's time to review some of the new music unleashed on New Music Friday. Some big releases including Nick Jonas, Little Mix and Rita Ora.

Song: Remember I Told You
Artists: Nick Jonas, Anne Marie, Mike Posner




Oh man, we have found a confused Nick Jonas here, trying to be all Drake in the verses but then pulling out his best Justin Timberlake impersonation for the chorus, that said the song generally isn't all that bad. Anne Marie gives it a bit of life when she plays her role as the woman in the relationship gone. Mike Posner delivers a pretty braggy but on point chorus.

Rating: It's an okay song I guess. 6/10


Song; Mended
Artist: Vera Blue




The second single from Vera Blue's forthcoming new album. "Mended" is a song" about an unresolved relationship and I have to say I do kind of like this, yeah, lyrically its a bit short on detail but for a spacious song like this which allows for Vera Blue's voice to shine, I'm not so sure the extra detail is needed. I'll take this. Good song

Rating: 7/10



Song: Power
Artists: Little Mix feat. Stormzy





Well the girls load up on the power in their vocals and also go down the path of a little bit of rap in this song and it sounds absolutely fantastic but yet again we come back to the old issue with Little Mix and god damn it ruined "No More Sad Songs" for me which is their constant pedance of needing rappers for guest vocals in their songs, this time inviting Stormzy to rap on this track which to me adds absolutely nothing to what could be a great song instead it's just good.


Rating: The unnecessary Stormzy guest pushes it back to a 6/10



Song: Your Song
Artist: Rita Ora.





Speaking of Little Mix, Rita Ora's lyrics in "Your Song" sound like they have been taking inspiration from Little Mix's "No More Sad Songs". Really musically there's not much to this song apart from Ora telling her lover that she's had enough of sad songs and that she only wants to hear her lover's song because it makes her feel good. Meh.

Rating: 5/10. Bit boring.




Song: Cut to the Feeling
Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen





I am no fan of Carly Rae Jepsen here, "Call me Maybe" still infuriates me to this day so I was half inclined not to bother with "Cut to the Feeling" but boy am I glad I did decide to give it a listen because this song is damn good, very summery vibe which isn't great for winter in Australia but its perfect timing in the US where summer is just starting. In the words of another Jepsen song, I really really really like this. Check it out if fun old school pop is your thing


Rating: 8/10


Song: There for You
Artist: Martin Garrix featuring. Troye Sivan





Martin Garrix is following up his single "Scared to be Lonely" which featured Dua Lipa with a more upbeat vibe compared to "Scared to Be Loney" and I kind of like this more a bit more than "Scared to be Lonely". Its a song about being there for a friend or lover (although Sivan took to Twitter to say it was about his fans) and yeah I don't hate this, it kind of works. Sivan's vocal is nice enough.


Rating: 7/10



Song: New Takeover
Artist: Stan Walker




Former Australian Idol winner Stan Walker is back with a song entitled "New Takeover" and yeah, I wish I could say I am a fan of this but ugh, why is it that every R&B artist thinks that in order to get a hit song, they have to copy or attempt to copy Drake's sounds. It's all a bit forgettable. Pass on this.


Rating: 3/10


Other songs to check out:
"Circles on the Water" by Samantha Jade 7/10
"Cali God" by Grace Mitchell 8/10
"Strangers" by Halsey featuring Lauren Jauregui (Yes, Lauren from 5th Harmony) - 2/10



Best new song

I'm giving it to Carly Rae Jepsen for "Cut to the Feeling". Been a long time since we had a feel good pop song as good as this one in the charts


Worst new song

"New Takeover" by Stan Walker. Bored of the attempted Drake sound-a-likes already.


Next New Music Friday

"Down" by Fifith Harmony (feat. Gucci Mane)
Unknown new single from Lorde
"The Only High" by The Veronicas
"Uh Huh" by Julia Michaels


Later today, "Step back in time" goes back to 1990 so see you then,

ARIA Top Ten May 29th 2017: Slow week much?

It was more than a bit of a quiet week in the top 10, okay, sure we had a couple of moves and one song move into the top 10 but wow other than that we really didn't see much movement at all.

"Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay left the top 10 dropping two spots to number 12 from last week.

For the third week, "Despacito Remix" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber remains at number one, Surprisingly Australian radio is catching onto this song.

At number 2 remains "I'm the One" by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Chance The Rapper, Quavo and Lil Wayne.


Miley Cyrus remains where she is off her debut last week at number 3 with "Malibu"


"Galway Girl" by Ed Sheeran jumps one place to number 4 switching with "Sign of the Times" by Harry Styles which dropped one to 5.

Former long term chart topper "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran remains inside the top 10 at number 6.

"HUMBLE" by Kendrick Lamar" stays static at number 7, as does "There's Nothing Holding me Back" by Shawn Mendes at number 8 and "Symphony" by Clean Bandit and Zara Larsson.

Now for the new entry to the top 10. Niall Horan's "Slow Hands" rounds out the top 10 at number ten after a 7 place move up.


As for the new entries to the chart, they are all songs which I mentioned last week on New Music Friday review. The highest debut went to Liam Payne featuring Quavo at number 11 with "Strip That Down" (it debuted at number 3 in the UK this week).

Selena Gomez entered the chart number 13 with " Bad Liar"

We have to go all the way down to 37 to find a chart entry for "Swish Swish" by Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj.

At 38 is the new one for Imagine Dragons entitled "Thunder"


Logic's song about suicide called "1-800-273-8255" which features Alessia Cara and Khalid has entered the ARIA chart at 43. Will be interesting to see if the song strikes a chord here.

Finally Camila Cabello rounds out the new entries with "Crying in the Club" at number 45. I will be reviewing her new single "I have Questions" in my New Music Friday Review.

Speaking of such things, New Music Friday Review should be up on Tuesday at some point, hopefully we get a more interesting ARIA chart next week.

Step Back In Time: 24th May 1998

Special Saturday edition of Step Back in Time due to illness. We're looking at this week in 1998 and at this time, pop still had something of a stranglehold on the charts with the Spice Girls, Aqua and others still charting hits.

As usual we start at number 10 where we find Usher with "You Make Me Wanna" which had dropped 3 places from number 7 in the week previous.  "You Make Me Wanna" reached a peak of number 6 in Australia and hit number 2 in the United States Billboard Hot 100.

Neighbours alumni Natalie Imbruglia had a 2nd hit inside the top ten with "Big Mistake" at number 9 however it was a one place drop. "Big Mistake" peaked at number 6 in Australia and number 2 in the United Kingdom.

"Big Mistake" pretty much switched places with the Spice Girls single "Stop" which is at number 8 this week. The Girl Power agents of the 90s peaked at number 5 with "Stop" in Australia and only at number 2 in the United Kingdom, it was the first Spice Girls song to not go number 1 in Britain.

Former number 1 "My Heart will go on" by Celine Dion slid back 4 places to number 7, this song from the film 'Titanic' was a worldwide number 1.

Madonna had a new entry at number 6 with "Ray of Light". Number 6 is where this song would peak in Australia.

The Living End clinbed two places to number 4 with "Prisoner of Society". This song also peaked at number 4

Seminal R 'n' B song "All My Life" by K-Ci and Jojo was also up two places to number 3. It would go on to peak at number 2 and got to number 1 in the USA.

Steps found their way to number 2 with  "5, 6, 7,  8". This song peaked at number 1 however it only peaked at number 14 in the UK

It's arguable that country music doesn't get the attention it deserves but this week in 1998, it was a country song that had hit the top of the ARIA charts in the weeks previous. Shania Twain's "You're Still the One" was ruling the charts.

So that's all for this week. Next week we're going to go back to the week of 3rd June in 1990 and one of the songs to feature is Guru Josh with a song called  "Infinity (1990's.

Time for the Guru)" but we've also got the ARIA top ten (like that's even interesting this week) and New Music Friday Review (now that is interesting compared to the ARIA top ten)

ARIA Chart top 10 May 22:

It really was just a matter of time before it happened, we have a new number one and it was all so predictable when the song first dropped but before we get to that we lost "Stay" by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara from the top ten, it sits at number 12.

"Despacito Remix" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber is your new number one despite this remix being just about the thing the current charts needed the least because the original of "Despacito" is a pretty good song and I'll repeat my point from last week, the fact its number one is not down to the charm or singing of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee but down to the fact that despite Justin Bieber being an absolute disrespectful twat, there are still people who are willing enough to buy this instead of the original of "Despacito". Ugh!

At number two is a song with less personalty or swagger than a face that's been plugged full of botox, "I'm the One" drops off the number one spot for DJ Khaled, Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne and Quavo because yet again if Justin Bieber wasn't involved, it wouldn't be a hit.

At number three is a new entry courtesy of Miley Cyrus with "Malibu" which is just about this song's best debut performance this week around the world apart from Scotland where it entered at number 2 there. I know there's been a mixed reaction from critics but I think this song is okay.

Harry Styles gets a sizeable new album boost for "Sign of the Times" which jumped from 9 all the way up to 4, his album is the ARIA number one album and isn't all that bad despite the first two single releases.

At number 5 sits "Galway Girl" by Ed Sheeran down from 3 last week and quite honestly I don't know where its getting to get a boost from to help go any further up the chart.

"Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran continues to travel down the top ten but only as far as number 6 down from 4 last week.

"Humble" by Kendrick Lamar continues to stick around quite surprisingly at number 7. I mean sure its a drop of two places but this song is doing rather well all things considered.

Shawn Mendes sits at number 8 with "There's Nothing Holding Me Back" down from 6 last week. Its probably likely to slide out of the top 10 in the next two weeks unless something totally weird happens,

"Symphony" by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson looks like making a hasty exit from the top 10 which is a pity because its a decent song, it dropped from 7 to 9 this week. 

Rounding out the top 10 is "Something Just Like this" by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay which also dropped two places and I suspect with all the new entries coming next week, this song and "Symphony" might very well fall out of the top 10 next week.

As for new entries outside of the top ten, there were two that I looked at on New Music Friday, neither I thought that were that good really but "Rollin'" by Calvin Harris featuring Future and Khalid debuted at 40 and Harry Styles "Sweet Creature" debuted at number 45.

There's so much instability on the ARIA chart at the moment, will we get another new number one next week courtesy of Miley Cyrus or maybe a new song going straight to the top? We can only wait and see until then be sure to check out this week's New Friday Music Review featuring the new songs for Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello, Iggy Azalea and Liam Payne and also Step Back in Time which went back to this past week in May 1989.

So until Thursday for Step Back in Time where are going to go back to 1998, I'll see you all then.

New Music Friday Review: Katy and Nicki diss and miss as Selena hits.

So as I hinted in "Step Back in Time" blog, we have a massive week of new music to look at courtesy of the last of the members of One Direction stepping out on his own, a former 5th Harmony member releases her first song as a solo act and we have another new single from Katy Perry but this time she has help from Nicki Minaj so let's get stuck into it beginning with the latest from a former boyband member.

Song: Strip That Down
Artist: Liam Payne featuring Quavo (officially...unofficially also contains Ed Sheeran)





It's not like Quavo isn't over exposed at the moment is it? Seems like he is the one member of Migos that nearly everyone in pop music currently wants to work with, although to be fair, he only makes a relatively short appearance on this debut from former One Direction member Liam Payne, a Justin Timberlake merged with Ed Sheeran pop song which is no surprise given Ed recorded backing vocals,

The only real let down is the gang vocals in the background, if its meant to be sexy, the gang vocals are about the least sexiest thing I can think of.

As for the controversy over the line "You know, I used to be in 1D. (Now I'm out, free). People want me for one thing (that's not me)". I suspect the line is more a stab at One Direction's management rather than dissing One Direction itself, only have to read Zayn Malik's interview in regard to life in the band and how the band members were not allowed to be themselves in their songs but One Direction fans need to take one under the tongue and calm down, hardly the biggest deal ever considering Chris Brown is releasing songs that are charting with lyrics like "Licking your private parts", a line about One Direction's management is hardly anything to bleat about.

Rating: The gang vocals kill the sexiness of this song for me. Ehh. Gets a pass. 6/10


Song: Swish Swish
Artist(s): Katy feat. Nick Minaj




Does it seem like Katy Perry's record label are hitting the panic button here to you? This is the third song released from upcoming fourth album entitled Witness released in a relatively short space of time especially after the trainwreck that was Bon Appetit which debuted at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 and exited the next week, Ouch.

So anyway Katy has teamed up with Nicki Minaj and yeah, its got nothing to do with windscreen wipers on a bus, its pretty much a diss track where both a bored sounding Perry and Minaj call out those they have issues with, in fact you could argue that it's Perry 's reply to Taylor Swift's not particularly good 2015 hit "Bad Blood" and really I am not sure this is any better than what Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar offered up on "Bad Blood" especially considering I can barely hear Perry over the production in the chorus and I suspect 'bish' is a slurred "Bitch" because they needed something to rhyme with 'swish'. Its just lazy, at least Nicki sounds reasonably on form which kind of saves this song from being an all out train wreck in terms of the lyrics and production.

Rating: It's marginally better than Bon Appetit but man, I am worried about this new album from Katy especially given it took a guest vocal to save this song. 5/10



Song: Bad Liar
Artist: Selena Gomez



If there was one artist that I'd least expect to hear a Talking Heads sample during one of their songs, it would have to be Selena Gomez. Now of any new song this week, "Bad Liar" is actually interesting for its sounds that don't embrace the current boring trend in pop music which is an over pedance of trap sounds, synth and singing smothered in autotune.

Gomez has sampled "Psycho Killer" for "Bad Liar" which is a surprisingly introspective song about struggling to conceal her feelings for somebody and her frustration when she can't and vocally reminds me of "Marlena" by Suzanne Vega.

Rating: It works for me, is different to a lot of what is on the charts right now and got a nod of approval from David Byrne so what more can you ask for? 8/10


Song: Crying in the Club
Artist: Camila Cabello





I got to be honest I wasn't hanging out for this song or the return of former 5th Harmony member Camila Cabello, I wasn't impressed with her collaboration with Machine Gun Kelly (who is currently being widely panned for his new album 'Bloom') entitled "Bad Things" which blatantly ripped off Fastball so quite honestly there were other releases I was looking forward to more so than "Crying in the Club"

But because it is one of the bigger releases this week and likely to be on the chart next week, I may as well review it so how does "Crying In the Club" turn out? It's self esteem anthem that's been done time and time again to the point of being boring and to be bluntly honest it sounds like a 2015/16 offcut from Sia's last album that she decided wasn't worth putting on the album so gave it to Camila Cabello to release as her first single as a solo artist.

Next song please.

Rating: 3/10


Song: The Way I Are (Dance with Somebody)
Artist(s): Bebe Rexha feat. Lil Wayne.





What's with all the references in songs to Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown in songs lately? Its a bit disturbing considering how abuse that relationship was but it seems that Rexha is playing off Whitney Houston's 1987 hit "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" in the lyrics for this song as a bit of a shot at her record label and about being comfortable with yourself.

It's actually a good song when Bebe sings but when Lil Wayne joins in....oh boy...his verse references Bobby Brown and then goes into luring a girl back home with him for sex with one clusterfuck of a lyric "Kiss both boobs before I sign them". What the hell?

Rating: I think if Bebe was to release a version of this song without Lil Wayne's involvement, I might like this a little more but as it is 6/10


Song: Switch
Artist(s): Iggy Azalea feat. Anitta



After the shocker that was "Mo Bounce", Iggy Azalea has followed up with a MASSIVE improvement called "Switch". Yeah it contains Iggy bragging but it kind of makes sense when you read what the song is about which taking control of your own life.

Not convinced that Iggy can rap but this song is actually reasonably good.

Rating: 6/10





Song: How to Boil an Egg
Artist: Courtney Barnett




Courtney Barnett is back with a cracking song called "How Boil an Egg" which she used to sing when she was 21 and is seemingly an offcut but damn its a good song complete with an electric guitar. In amongst a lot of nonsense this week, I'll gladly listen to this while I boil an egg.


Rating: 8/10


Other songs to look out for
"The Line" by RAYE (Genuinely good song. Check it out when you have the chance. 8/10)
"Hook, Line and Sinker" by Royal Blood (Not as good as "Light out" but I'll take it 6/10)
"Lonely" by Casey Donavan (Yes that Casey Donavan is back with a pretty decent new song 7/10)
"Woodstock in my Mind" by Lana Del Ray (Her take on politics. Meh. 5/10)


Best song: I'm going to give it to "How to boil an egg" by Courtney Barnett in a tie with "Bad Liar" by Selena Gomez.

Worst song: "Crying In the Club" by Camila Cabello. Its not bad per se but its a bit derivative of Sia and not something that says what Camila is going to be as an artist (She has claimed that will be her next single but why not make that statement with your first single? It's a weird strategy she and her record label have going.

Next week
New Rita Ora single called "Your Song", Pia Mia has teamed up with Jeremih for "I'm a Fan". Beyond that who knows?

See you later tonight for the ARIA chart top ten, hoping beyond hope that we have a new number one.

Step Back in Time: This Week in May 1989

It's time to step in the time machine and travel back to 1989, yes, a year with more turbulence than Donald Trump's seemingly ill fated US Presidency. To be exact we're travelling back to this week in 1989 where Madonna had spent several weeks at number one with "Like A Prayer", did she keep it? We're about to find out.

But before we get to the top ten. A future number one debuted. Roxette's "The Look" entered the chart at number 45 this week in 1989.

At number ten is The Black Sorrows with "Chained to the Wheel" which dropped to number 10 after reaching a high of number 9. Still a seriously good song today if you ask me!

Debbie Gibson was also dropping places, she'd dropped 2 places to number 9 with "Lost in Your Eyes", this song peaked at number 7 in Australia. It was a number 1 hit in both the USA and Canada. Never quite reached the same heights in Australia though

Well I mentioned Roxette earlier and their future number one. Another song that was headed to number one this week was The Bangles with "Eternal Flame" which climbed 4 places to number 8 this week. Number 1 in the USA, United, Kingdom and parts of Europe.

The Proclaimers had a top 10 hit with "I'm On My Way" dropping 3 places to land at number 7, it peaked at number 3.

At number 6 is Paul Norton's "Stuck On You" which was rise of two places. Yes, a song I don't remember all that well but it ended up peaking as high as number 3.

Colette climbed 1 place to number 5 with a cover of Anita Ward's big hit "Ring My Bell"...yoou can ring my beellll...anyway, it would stay at number 5 for three weeks. I'd recommend not pressing play on the below video unless you are keen on making your ears bleed.

At number 4 is Sam Brown's "Stop", a climb of one spot. This song was huge in Europe where it was number 1 in Norway and Belgium and also hit number 4 in the United Kingdom

Maintaining its position was former number 1 "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals at number 3. It also went to number 1 in New Zealand and Austria.

After 5 weeks at number 1, Madonna's "Like a Prayer" made way to go to number 2. Doesn't need to be said just how big this song was around the world, does it? Pretty darn obvious, of course some of it can be argued due to the controversy over the clip but its still a wonderful song that holds up today.

The new number 1 this week in 1989 belonged to Mike and the Mechanics with "The Living Years". It went number one in the US and Canada also however it wasn't a long time number one in Australia and would be knocked off the next week.

So that brings an end to this week's Step Back in Time. Next week I think we're winding the clock back to 1998 but we'll see but anyway here's one of the songs, you'll see, it's Usher with "You Make Me Wanna"

Coming up ARIA Chart top ten where we'll find out if "I'm the one" has held on to number one and also a massive New Music Friday Review this week with some big names releasing new singles including Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello strikes out completely on her own for the first time since leaving 5th Harmony and Liam Payne is the last of the One Direction lads to release a solo single.

See you then.