AT40: Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé (1) - Week Of February 3, 2018

Hello, fam! In case you didn't know, I am finally finished with my Year-End posts as I did my Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Review this week. You can check it out in my previous post. I also created a page pertaining to the 2017 Year-End posts, so those who have missed it can check it out right here. Now, I just need to work on reviewing the Grammy Awards and the performances. That should come within the next week or so. Today, let's review the first American Top 40 of February, shall we? So, this would be my birthday weekend. I'm going to be 26 on Sunday. How did things go on the American Top 40, you might ask? Well, to put it short, I was very happy with the way it turned out. Though not much has come and gone in terms of debuts, our new #1 is greatly appreciated by me. This is going to be fun to talk about. Let's get on with it! Before we get to this week's countdown, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• New by Daya (#39)

The Countdown:

Last Week's #1 Song: Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug

40. Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara (#40) [=] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1] (Not a color-coding error)

39. Lemon by N.E.R.D. featuring Rihanna (DEBUT)

38. Believer by Imagine Dragons (#37) [–1]

37. I Like Me Better by Lauv (#35) [–2]

36. Mic Drop by BTS featuring Desiigner (#36) [=]

35. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes (#34) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

34. Feels Great by Cheat Codes featuring Fetty Wap (#31) [–3]

33. Slow Hands by Niall Horan (#32) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

32. Tell Me You Love Me by Demi Lovato (#33) [+1]

31. Attention by Charlie Puth (#29) [–2] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]

30. River by Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran (#30) [=]

29. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (#38) [+9]

28. 1-800-273-8255 by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid (#27) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

27. LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari (#25) [–2]

26. Too Much To Ask by Niall Horan (#22) [–4]

25. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo (#21) [–4] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

24. One Foot by Walk The Moon (#24) [=]

23. Young, Dumb, and Broke by Khalid (#26) [+3]

22. Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man (#18) [–4] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

21. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line (#23) [+2]

20. What Lovers Do by Maroon 5 featuring SZA (#12) [–8]

19. Best Friend by Sofi Tukker featuring NERVO, Alisa Ueno, and The Knocks (#19) [=]

18. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. (#28) [+10]

17. Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato (#14) [–3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

16. Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt (#16) [=]

15. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey (#17) [+2]

14. Filthy by Justin Timberlake (#20) [+6]

13. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha (#15) [+2]

12. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash (#13) [+1]

11. Let You Down by NF (#11) [=]

10. End Game by Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future (#10) [=]

9. Thunder by Imagine Dragons (#8) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

8. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello (#7) [–1]

7. How Long by Charlie Puth (#9) [+2]

6. Too Good At Goodbyes by Sam Smith (#6) [=]

5. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage (#5) [=]

4. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug (#1) [–3] [Spent 7 Weeks At #1]

3. New Rules by Dua Lipa (#4) [+1]

2. Bad At Love by Halsey (#3) [+1]

1. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé (#2) [+1] [1^st Week At #1!]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Scars To Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara (1^st of 2 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: What Lovers Do by Maroon 5 featuring SZA (–8)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. (+10)

New Entrants
- We have only one new entrant this week. This time, Rihanna makes her return along with N.E.R.D. in their new single titled Lemon. For those who are unaware, N.E.R.D. is a band led by Pharrell. Other than his feature on Feels with Calvin Harris and his single Happy which was huge in 2014, we haven't heard much from these guys since their last album Nothing back in 2010. As far as the song goes, I can say I kinda like this. Rihanna can showcase some of her rapping skills in this one. Yeah, I may not be sold on the lyrics, but there's just something about it that pulls me in. Overall, I can say that this one is a guilty pleasure of mine.

Do You Remember The Blurb?
- So, we're in the second month of 2018 and already we say good-bye to one song after it spent only one week on this chart. New by Daya wasn't really all that amazing in the big picture and I'm kinda happy that it left us so soon. Who knows? Maybe someday, she can actually release some good music for once (besides Don't Let Me Down).

- Now, you're probably wondering why I have Mic Drop by BTS featuring Desiigner in orange. Well, I took a couple of listens this past week and I just suffered. Yeah, I don't really get what's so good about this song. Sorry, but I'm just simply not buying into the hype.

- Of course, there's that big jump from Never Be The Same in its third week here. Not surprising given how big Camila is at this moment. I can predict that this will be another hit for her soon.

- Looks like Too Much To Ask by Niall Horan won't become another hit for him after all, seeing as it's dying out pretty much elsewhere. I'm not necessarily heartbroken about this, given that people seem to prefer the upbeat Slow Hands over this one.

- On the note of other big drops, What Lovers Do took a nosedive down to #20. Looks like this is pretty much the end of the road for this one in the wake of its successor starting to blow up, even though that one hasn't entered this countdown yet.

- However, as a consolation, Finesse made a very nice jump into the teens this week! It's one of the first of many great things that have happened on my birthday weekend! Now here's to hoping it can keep climbing higher.

- Not too much has changed in the Top 10 except some of the songs moved some spots.

- And then we come to our new #1, in which Perfect by Ed Sheeran takes the crown this week. It's no surprise that this would get there eventually. I'm definitely pleased to see it at the top. This was indeed the perfect (no pun intended) way to start my birthday weekend!

Breakouts/On The Verge

• I Miss You by Clean Bandit featuring Julia Michaels
• I Fall Apart by Post Malone
• Beautiful Trauma by P!NK

Extras/Optional Extras

• Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran
• I Don't Wanna Live Forever by ZAYN featuring Taylor Swift
• That's What I Like by Bruno Mars
• Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt
• Despacito by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber
• Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay
• Issues by Julia Michaels
• Scars To Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara

Fun fact: All of these songs became hits in 2017.

Top 20 Breakdown:

0 – Garbage:

20. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage

1 – Bad:
19. Let You Down by NF 
18. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
17. Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato
16. Too Good At Goodbyes by Sam Smith
15. Filthy by Justin Timberlake

4 – Good:
14. Best Friend by Sofi Tukker featuring NERVO, Alisa Ueno, and The Knocks
13. How Long by Charlie Puth

5 – Great:
12. What Lovers Do by Maroon 5 featuring SZA
11. Thunder by Imagine Dragons
10. Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt
9. End Game by Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future
8. New Rules by Dua Lipa
7. Bad At Love by Halsey
6. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey
5. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé
4. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
3. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
2. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.

Total Score: 80/100 = 80% (B–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Remember The Time by Michael Jackson (1992)

Most Missed Song: Hymn For The Weekend by Coldplay featuring Beyoncé

#1 Recommendations For The American Top 40: For You by Liam Payne featuring Rita Ora and Last Young Renegade by All Time Low

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Paris by The Chainsmokers

My Top 5 Picks
1. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.

2. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
3. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
4. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
5. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé

My Bottom 5 Picks

1. Mic Drop by BTS featuring Desiigner
2. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
3. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
4. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo
5. I Like Me Better by Lauv

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:

Do You Mind by DJ Khaled featuring Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, August Alsina, Jeremih, Future, and Rick Ross: This big collaboration turned out pretty well. I like the production, and the verses flow pretty nicely. Not much else beyond that.

Words by Daya: This song is another reason why the songwriting is not good, not to mention the drop is really annoying. Like I said, I'm hoping she can release good music for once.

Paris by The Chainsmokers: While I won't say it's quite as good as Closer or even Something Just Like This, at least Andrew Taggart shows what he is really capable of. As a plus, we get un-credited vocals from Emily Warren, which is cool.