I like to dream big, and music is the medium that makes it possible!
The holiday season is going strong, but Philby season is just getting started!
The Philbys are my awards for “brilliant musical achievment” given once a year for songs and albums!
Although I approach every year with a little trepidation and anxiety–after all it causes me to compile quite a bit of information as well as force me to get organized (Well, at least organized on one thing!), once I put together most of the Philby Hot 100 Songs List, I develop a case of Philby Fever!
And that fever can be with or without cowbell!
Either version is acceptable!
I have just a few words about the 2021 Philby schedule and what to expect:
The Philbys start this Wednesday, December 15, on my “Theme Attic” show from 1PM-4PM!
At the moment until further notice, the show can only be heard on a stream.
You can this link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!
The best way to make sure that you don’t miss a single note is to stream the show from the “listen live button” on the www.WHFR.FM website, by the TuneIn App, download the 89.3 WHFR.FM android app from our website homepage, or ask Alexa to find it for you!
As long as the show remains three hours long, I will feature 20 Philby selections in the first two hours.
The final hour will usually include a weekly Top 9 Countdown, too!
Two Countdowns per Philby show!
I also intend to take my time with the Philby shows.
They will probably be every other week, if not further apart.
Ever since I went to a one hundred song format, I typically focused on them until they were finished–and with very few exceptions.
Until the last few years, that was fairly easy to do: I had two shows so I had options when arranging the Countdowns, weather typically cooperated, and the world had never been on the verge of a health catastrophe.
I like the idea of going slower.
I can do themes and New Music Showcases in between Philby weeks! Possibly even–dare I say it?, guests!
The past few years I’ve been forced by circumstances to slow things down.
Now I’m accepting it as part of the process!
And every year, I keep saying that I don’t know how the Philbys could possibly take longer…and then more often than not, they do!
I’ve missed doing the Cowboy Show during the Cowboy Poetry Week in Nevada!
The Winter Olympics and Mardi Gras are more themes that I look forward to!
Guess what? I intend to do them as well as anything else that strikes me with a theme!
Going slower has benefits, too! The winning artists can be celebrated at a more leislurely pace!
The Philbys don’t have to be an assembly line process!
And that aligns with my own approach to many things.
For example, like reading a book.
I don’t look ahead to the ending and sneak a peek. I’m very content to enjoy the total experience. I’ve even slowed down reading a book I like to prolong said experience even when I know I will like the final result!
Like the Philbys!
I also enjoyed doing the songs countdown until they reach 21 and then switching to the album countdown until the same point, followed by two (!!) Top 20 Countdowns!!
It’s possible that more tweaking will take place, but for now, this will be the format!
I enjoyed having a short off season since the end of the 2020 Philbys!
Let me give another example.
I also enjoy basketball, and I usually enjoy the playoffs and championship series.
However, the day that a champion wins is both the best and worst day of the season.
That means it’s a long way not only until the start of the season, but the beginning of the playoffs!
It pleases me to extend the “season of Philbys!”
One last reminder: Unless a song appeared on a weekly Faves List, it will not appear on the Hot 100 List. There were more than one hundred songs for this year.
I guess there’s nothing left to do but to ask you to join me, and to let the Philby Festivities begin!!!
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Here’s a section on submissions:
I am accepting entries for Philby consideration!
The album selections are made from a sliding four year pool of music.
The pool for 2021 is 2018-2021.
One of the reasons that I use a multiple year submission scale is that just getting music out to the world is sometimes difficult for an artist.
A lot of them are not really wired for self promotion.
Making music is totally different than drumming up interest in it, especially for independent musicians.
Yes, there are promoters that can help with that. And nothing against promoters because they have a role to play. But they cost money, and the artist already had to pay to record the music, and may not be prepared for the process of promoting it.
After looking at how some other independent awards are handled, I figured a four year window allows me enough time to serendipitously run across someone’s music.
I have told this story several times, but I try very hard to listen to everything that is submitted.
Although I work on my list, starting literally on January 1st, using a four year sliding window, I carry over some of what would qualify from the prior years.
So, if you’ve made some music dating back as far as 2018, I will accept that music for consideration.
If you have something older than 2018, send that, too, but identify the release date. I’m always looking for GREAT music.
For the Philbys, I’m looking for full albums.
However, if you only have a single, I’ll accept that, too. Don’t forget that I also have a Philby Hot Songs list, and more artists are releasing singles these days.
But please don’t send me an incomplete album if you have one.
So, please don’t edit for me.
I dislike that and I might not even check out the item. I don’t know why anyone would only send selected songs instead of their whole work of art for consideration.
Please don’t send me links to listen to music. That’s not how I listen to music. And I probably won’t listen to it if you send me a link to stream it. Either send me the album to download or request my mailing address to send a physical copy.
Every year I say that if your item came out later than May, it may not end up on this year’s list. So it’s possible that submissions entered now may only be considered for 2021. (It sounds so good to think of 2020 being finished!)
However, this year will be totally different than other years. I have not received any where near the amount of releases that I normally do.
It might be an excellent year to send a submission.
I will accept any genre of music. I like a variety of styles, even on the same album!
So, please e-mail your mp3s, and please make sure it is an mp3 only, to phil@philmaq.com.
If you want a physical address or have other questions, please e-mail me at the same address. Because selections will be considered for more than a single year, there isn’t an expiration date at the present.
If you want someone who will actually listen to your music, I am that person.
If you want some recognition for working hard and baring your soul, that might be me, too. I can’t make any promises, but I will listen to your music.
If you are reading this and are not a musician but know someone who is, please forward this to them.
Good luck to all who participate!
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My weekly radio show “Theme Attic,” can be heard Wednesdays, 1PM-4PM ET!
The show can be heard on WHFR 89.3 FM in the Dearborn-Detroit area of Michigan, or it can be streamed with this link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!
It almost always includes a weekly countdown of my favorite albums or songs and some shows feature two countdowns!
There’s plenty of other musical things to browse on my website!
Here’s the link to the complete history of all the Fave Albums: https://philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-albums/!
Here’s a link for the complete history of all the Fave Songs: https://philmaq.com/phils-lists/phils-faves-songs/!
Another list that you might find interesting is my list for “The Most Awesomest Songs of the Day”: https://philmaq.com/most-awesomest-songs/!
If you’d like to know what I think are even better than the awesome songs, have a look at “The Greatest Songs Ever Recorded”:https://philmaq.com/the-greatest-songs-ever-recorded/! Occasionally, an “awesome song” crosses over to become a “Greatest Song!”
My somewhat unusual Hall of Fame can be explored here: https://philmaq.com/hall-of-fame/!
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for outstanding musical achievement! https://philmaq.com/philbys/!
If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
#Philby #Philbys
