Did you feel the Earth move? If so, you felt the quake of Arlo Parks finally being overtaken at the top of the NACC 200, a place she has resided in quite comfortably since early February. After 12 record-shattering weeks at #1 Parks has stepped aside (though she’s still #1 at NACC NEXT for a record-extending 12th week). The beneficiary of Parks’ newfound generosity on the NACC 200 side is Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner. As a solo artist Wasner records as Flock Of Dimes. The Baltimore native’s second solo LP, Head Of Roses (Sub Pop), becomes just the third #1 of 2021 (for some context, this time last year we’d already had nine #1s) and her first on the NACC 200 as it steps up 2-1 this week.
Two albums reach the NACC Top 10 this week. The 13-member hip hop boy band BROCKHAMPTON rises 13-9. But it’s indie-rock stalwarts Dinosaur Jr. that makes by far the biggest climb, racing 38-5 with the band’s 12th LP, Sweep It Into Space (Jagjaguwar). Formed in 1984 (and boasting all three original members: J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph), the Massachusetts trio has thrown their hat into the future NACC 200 #1 ring.
Another College Radio mainstay makes waves this week. The ubiquitous Guided By Voices, led by Robert Pollard, formed in Dayton, Ohio in 1983 and after 38 years, are still making music indie radio gobbles up. They leap aboard the NACC 200 at #16 this week with their (gasp!) 33rd LP, Earth Man Blues (GVBInc).
Last week’s most-added album, Civilisation I & II (Polyvinyl), wastes no time scaling the NACC 200. London-based trio Kero Kero Bonito skyrockets from 162-18 this week with a combination package of their two latest EPs and, in the process, get noticeably closer to scoring their second NACC 200 #1.
This week’s NACC 200 Recap showcases College and Non-Comm Radio’s amazing duality of breaking fresh, exciting new artists while still honoring the long-vital artists that made indie radio what it is. Dating back to 1986, Maine native Juliana Hatfield (both on her own/with the Juliana Hatfield Three and as a member of Blake Babies, Some Girls, The Lemonheads) was one of the most prolific voices of the 90’s Alternative scene. Proving she still has a voice music lovers are eager to hear, her 19th LP, Blood (American Laundromat) gives Hatfield the most-added new album of the week.
Taking over the top spot on the NACC Singles Chart is The Black Keys. The Akron, Ohio duo’s upcoming 10th LP, Delta Kream, is due May 14th. The first single is a cover of Junior Kimbrough’s “Crawling Kingsnake” and it rises 2-1. This week’s most-added single comes from Willow (yes, Willow Smith). Her new song, “t r a s p a r e n t s o u l,” features Blink-182’s Travis Barker on drums and is the first single from a yet-unnamed fourth LP due out later this year.
The Top 5 overall NACC Adds, this week’s genre chart-toppers, and the week’s most-added genre records are included below. In addition to a return to #1 on the NACC Non-Comm Chart, there are new chart-toppers at R&B/Soul (Prince!), Chill, Hip Hop, and Electronic this week.
NACC 200 CHART: TOP 5 ADDS
# | ARTIST | TITLE | LABEL | # OF ADDS
1) JULIANA HATFIELD Blood [American Laundromat] // 54
2) MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA The Million Masks Of God [Loma Vista/Concord] // 52
3) ROSIE TUCKER Sucker Supreme [Epitaph] // 50
4) TEKE::TEKE Shirush [Kill Rock Stars] // 41
5) CRUMB Ice Melt [Self-Released] // 39
NACC 200 CHART: TOP 5 DEBUTS
# | ARTIST | TITLE | LABEL | DEBUT
1) GUIDED BY VOICES Earth Man Blues [GVBInc] // 16
2) ART D’ECCO In Standard Definition [Paper Bag] // 22
3) JEFF ROSENSTOCK Ska Dream [Polyvinyl] // 25
4) CRUMB Ice Melt [Self-Released] // 35
5) TEENAGE FANCLUB Endless Arcade [Merge] // 37
NACC 200 CHART: TOP 5 CLIMBERS
# | ARTIST | TITLE | LABEL | MOVE
1) KERO KERO BONITO Civilisation I And II [Polyvinyl] // 144
2) ARMED, THE ULTRAPOP [Sargent House] // 106
3) JUNGLE Loving In Stereo (Advance Tracks) [Caiola/AWAL] // 70
4) SUNNY WAR Simple Syrup [Hen House/ORG] // 58
5) TENO AFRIKA Amapiano Selections [Tapes From America] // 52
#1 ON NACC GENRE CHARTS:
GENRE: ARTIST Title [Label]
NON-COMM: VALERIE JUNE The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers [Fantasy/Concord]
NACC NEXT: ARLO PARKS Collapsed In Sunbeams [Transgressive/PIAS]
BLUES: CURTIS SALGADO Damage Control [Alligator]
CANADIAN: CHAD VANGAALEN World’s Most Stressed Out Gardener [Sub Pop]
CHILL: LONDON GRAMMAR Californian Soil [Ministry Of Sound/Metal & Dust]
ELECTRONIC: FLOATING POINTS, PHAROAH SANDERS & THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Promises [Lauka Bop]
FOLK: RHIANNON GIDDENS AND FRANCECSO TURRISI They’re Calling Me Home [Nonesuch]
HEAVY: CANNIBAL CORPSE Violence Unimagined [Metal Blade]
HIP HOP: BROCKHAMPTON ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE [Question Everything/RCA]
JAZZ: DR. LONNIE SMITH Breathe [Blue Note]
LATIN: DOM LA NENA Tempo [Six Degrees]
R&B/SOUL: PRINCE Welcome 2 America [NPG]
WORLD: JUPITER AND OKWESS Na Kozonga [Everloving]
MOST-ADDED @ NACC GENRES:
GENRE: ARTIST Title [Label]
ELECTRONIC (tie): LEON VYNEHALL Rare, Forever [Ninja Tune]
TOR Oasis Sky [Eleuthera]
FOLK: ANNA ELIZABETH LAUBE Annamania [Ahh…Pockets!]
HEAVY: IMMORTAL SYNN Force Of Habit [Self-Released]
HIP HOP (tie): DAWN RICHARD Second Line [Merge]
RACQUEL JONES IgnoRANT [Magnetic Moon]
JAZZ: BENITO GONZALEZ Sing To The World [Rainy Days]
WORLD: KASAI ALLSTARS Black Ants Always Fly Together, One Bangle Makes No Sound [Crammed]
NACC SINGLES:
GENRE: ARTIST Title [Label]
#1 SINGLE: BLACK KEYS, THE “Crawling Kingsnake” [Nonesuch]
MOST-ADDED SINGLE: WILLOW “t r a n s p a r e n t” feat. Travis Barker [MSFTS/Roc Nation]