One of our Indie Artists asked me this week, How do I do JB's Top Ten song List?  He, being the first to ask that question after 9 months of doing JB's Top Ten. So I took a few minutes and Answered him. I thought I would also post that answer here...

Hi , after doing this 9 months now, someone has finally asked how I do the Top Ten ... I guess Now is as good a time as any to explain how I do it. Even though I have left  a message in the blog on the TOP TEN page I think One person has actually  "submitted" a song for me to listen to.   No one really writes me and says, "Hey James I heard a song the other day I think you should check it out" no one writes. So Here is how I do it.

1.  I have a list of 10 Songs Plus

2. A Bullet Song (a song that I think might be a hot one- a good one for the list)

3.  usually I pick 1 song for an Honorable Mention. Sometimes in my search for the bullet song and the honorable mention I might run across another good song that deserves to be mentioned.

The first thing I do is drop 2 songs off the chart. the ones that had run the longest, or not good enough to get up into the top 5 or simply no room and it has had its play time (4-5 weeks).

Next I go to the Newest Songs and the jukebox submitted during that week on IndieGospelArtists and give a listen. My rule of thumb is to listen to the song for about 45 seconds, if it hooks me in that time I write it down. If not, I go on

I usually will end up listening to about 30 songs to get the Bullet Song  or the Honorable Mention. Sometimes I get Lucky...Usually I will start listening Thurs and Friday and make the Chart early Sat morning and load it up on the page Sat afternoon.

Now last weeks Bullet Song and Last Weeks Honorable Mention will usually hit the chart somewhere around 8 - 10 in the ranking. The two songs I took off for that week leaves a hole for the Bullet Song and Honorable Mention.

Then after the selection is done its time to do the New Weeks Top Ten. Very seldom will a song stay at number 1 for two weeks in a row. But "Jesus is the Rock" and "Holy Ghost Power Fall On Me" did. They also ran the longest, 14 Weeks. Gary Weldon Sr. has had a few that hit #1 as well as a few other artists like Barry and Teena Winslow. Isaac Brown, Jessica Elam, Mike Abrams, I could go on and on, there are some great artists on Indie Gospel that are "Raising the Bar". 

I work with a Spreadsheet chart every week.  on it, it shows: The number of weeks the song has been on the chart, The Position on the chart, which never changes it is a constant, The next column is the position that it held last week, Then the Title, Then the Artist's name ... in the right margin I take a ruler and pencil in a line to be able to realign the next weeks songs in the new order or position.

Then I take that chart with the penciled in new positions and go to the Spreadsheet on my computer and make the new weeks Spread sheet with the new positions, the new Bullet Song, The New Honorable Mention Song and also .. The Artist of the Week spot. You see, while I was searching for the new songs I was listening to the artists as well.  This coming week is Eva Sabinano. what a talent and she is only a teenager now.

ON the bottom of my spread sheet I keep track of the songs that "fell off the Chart", The Past #1 Song for the current week and the week that it was number 1 and finally, I keep track of the songs that had the longest runs .. Right now its tied with Jesus is the Rock and HolyGhost Power Fall On Me" at 14 weeks... Without Jesus by AFC Praise has been the current longest running song at 11 weeks.

So In answer to your question , now you see how I do it.  Also if I hadnt heard of a new song from an artist that I know is good, I'll go their page and check it out to see if there are any new ones or one that I might have missed.

All in all it is fun to maintain this list. I know that my taste in music may be laid back, but I still like to get into the good ol fashion Rock , some contemporary, and good ol ballads. I have recorded my own album, and have been in the music business most of my life. I have led Praise and Worship in Church, and I found that most artists want to hear my views on their songs because I wont say its good unless it is.

I have only had one of my songs on the list in 9 months and Marty (my Wife) has had two. the second one hits this week as an Honorable Mention. (Living in the Last Days)