Melvin van Peebles’ “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” was a hit independent movie and the first of what was known as “blaxploitation” films back in 1971. It was a huge hit and established the multi-talented Melvin, a cult hero in film and music. His son, Mario van Peebles, may be even better known to you as an actor and director.

So wait– what happened to the “Sweet Sweetback” soundtrack, all music written by van Peebles and performed by a then unknown Earth, Wind, & Fire? This was two years before “Shining Star” put EWF on the map. The album isn’t on Spotify, and has been lost to the generations.

No more! Just got word from Stax/Concord that they’re finally issuing a proper LP and digital download on May 26th. I sure hope they put out a top grade CD as well. “Sweet Sweetback” ranks among the greatest R&B albums of all time. It needs to be heard again. (I’m listening right now to the press link, and kvelling.)

This reissue is part of the Stax Records’ 60th anniversary reissue series. There are new and beautifully repackaged, remastered albums by Otis Redding, Booker T & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Sam & Dave, The Dramatics — with more to come! Not one of these is to be missed if you want to know anything about real R&B, and historic music. Also, you can dance to it!

Get over to Amazon and get all this stuff now! Summer is here!

PS Melvin is turning 85 in August, he’s the youngest cat around, lives right here in New York. Congrats to him!

There’s trouble right now in Top 40 land. The oldsters are beating the kids on the radio, and on the charts.

On the charts: “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2,” soundtrack from the massive hit movie, is Number 1 on iTunes. Kids– or someone, maybe their parents– are downloading all the 70s hits like David Bowie’s “Moonage Dream,” Looking Glass’s “Brandy,” and the ooga chocka version of “Hooked on a Feeling.”

“GOTG2″ has knocked popster Harry Styles’ debut album to number 4. In between them” “GOTG1,” the first volume of 70s sets from the original movie.

What’s worse: in New York, the number 1 radio market, Classic Oldies station WCBS FM is number 1. It’s beating Z100, the formidable Top 40 station, by a mile. In fact, Z100, aka WHTZ-FM, is having a tough time right now. Ratings are down, down, down. The April ratings were 5.3, down from 5.9 in March. In neighboring Long Island, where Z100 is a force, ratings fell from 6.1 to 5.0 last month. These are substantial drops in audience.

Where are the kids? The fear is that they’re leaving terrestrial radio for places like satellite– meaning Sirius XM– and streaming– Spotify. Pandora, AppleMusic, etc.

Last month, Z100’s parent, I Heart Media, announced — frighteningly– that it might not be around in a year. They’re carrying way too much debt, payments are due, and audiences are in decline. And this is from a company that really is great at promotion. The rebranding from Clear Channel to IHeart literally everything is everywhere. There are IHeart conventions, awards shows, concerts, the Jingle Balls at Christmas time. If anything Z100 should be booming.

Meanwhile, adults (old people like me) — unattractive to advertisers, they say, but I think that’s wrong since we have the money– are buying nostalgia. Witness all the TV reboots, things like “Roseanne” coming back to ABC. and Netflix reviving show after show.

And: the 50th anniversary reissue of The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”– priced at $117.99– is about to be released May 26th. Pre-orders have put it in the top 20 on Amazon for weeks. Just listen to it: how is it possible this was made in 1966? Everything today sounds inferior in every way.

Don’t discount oldies as Comfort Food for the ears, though. One theory I have: we are so freaked out by Trump and the chaos in Washington that singing along to old songs is an excellent way to calm down. Of course, in the actual 70s we were freaked out by Nixon. That’s why there was a huge 1950s early rock and roll revival during Vietnam and Watergate. “American Graffiti” kicked it off in 1972, and “Happy Days” followed soon after.

Ouch!

Where are all the One Direction fans? Harry Styles’ self titled album is going in exactly one direction since it was released on Friday: down.

Today, “Harry Styles” is at number 4 on iTunes after a three day run at number 1.

“Sign of the Times,” which was a bust upon release, had a flurry of movement after Harry’s “Today” show appearance. But it’s at number 7 right now. More importantly, none of the other tracks on the album are on the iTunes chart. With a Kendrick, Drake, Adele, Beyonce album, even a One Direction album, you’d see at least four or five tracks on the chart independent of the album. But none of them are moving.

Over at Spotify, “Sign of Times” is nearing 90 million streams. That sounds like a lot but it isn’t. On the Streaming Chart, “Sign” has languished around number 17 and never gotten higher.

Also on Spotify, “Sweet Creature” is up to 14 million sreams.  But the rest of the tracks are averaging at around 3.5 million streams. Very, very low.

Last week, on the Song Revenue chart, Harry earned just $65,000 from streams and downloads on “Sign of the Times.” The single was the 26th highest earner.

Radio is still waiting to kick in on “Harry Styles.” So far, it’s been a tough haul.

This week, Styles is on James Corden’s “Late Late Show” every night rather than Fallon, Kimmel, or Colbert.  This could be out of friendship with Corden (they’re Brits). But it also may point up disinterest from the earlier shows’ musical directors. Usually when you book the Today show and “SNL,” Fallon comes with it. Not this time.

 Here’s the clip from last night, which sounds remarkably like the record and all the other live shots: