Zedd & Maren Morris (4) - Week Of March 31, 2018

Hello, fam! Happy Easter weekend to you all! I hope you all enjoy spending time with your family and friends on this holiday weekend. This was another week in which we had a great deal of activity, not just in terms of new debuts, but also some songs moving all over the place. We had a big shake-up on Hit-Bound as well. You'll see what I mean in a moment. So without further adieu, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• Imagine Dragons – Believer (#36) [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
• Niall Horan – Slow Hands (#43) [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
• Demi Lovato – Sorry Not Sorry (#44) [Spent 1 Week At #1]
• Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl (#45) [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]

The Countdown:

Last Week's #1 Song: Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle

45. Dua Lipa – New Rules (#42) [–3]

44. Portugal. The Man – Feel It Still (#41) [–3]

43. Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future – End Game (#38) [–5] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

42. Keala Settle & The Greatest Showman Ensemble – This Is Me (#31) [–11]

41. AJR featuring Rivers Cuomo – Sober Up (#39) [–2]

40. Alan Walker featuring Noah Cyrus and Digital Farm Animals – All Falls Down (#25) [–15]

39. Symon – Lonely Girl (#40) [+1]

38. Panic! At The Disco – Say Amen (Saturday Night) (DEBUT)

37. Kelly Clarkson – Love So Soft (#37) [=]

36. Khalid – Young, Dumb, And Broke (#17) [–19]

35. Charlie Puth – How Long (#26) [–9] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

34. Demi Lovato – Tell Me You Love Me (DEBUT)

33. Bazzi – Mine (DEBUT)

32. Shawn Mendes – In My Blood (#32) [=]

31. Camila Cabello – Havana (#27) [–4] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

30. Noah Kahan featuring Julia Michaels – Hurt Somebody (#34) [+4]

29. Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello – Wolves (#21) [–8]

28. Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton – Say Something (#28) [=]

27. Taylor Swift – Delicate (#29) [+2]

26. Bad Wolves – Zombie (DEBUT)

25. Charlie Puth featuring Kehlani – Done For Me (#35) [+10]

24. Imagine Dragons – Thunder (#16) [–8] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]

23. Halsey – Bad At Love (#19) [–4] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1] 

22. P!NK – Beautiful Trauma (#24) [+2]

21. Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie – Friends (#30) [+9]

20. Macklemore featuring Kesha – Good Old Days (#9) [–11] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

19. Fall Out Boy – Hold Me Tight Or Don't (#12) [–7]

18. NF – Let You Down (#7) [–11]

17. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low (#20) [+3]

16. Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. – Finesse (Remix) (#23) [+7]

15. Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman (#33) [+18]

14. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Want You Back (#14) [=]

13. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same (#11) [–2]

12. Niall Horan – On The Loose (#22) [+10]

11. The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me (#15) [+4]

10. Ed Sheeran – Perfect (#4) [–6] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

9. Meghan Trainor – No Excuses (#18) [+9]

8. Maroon 5 – Wait (#6) [–2]

7. Lauv – I Like Me Better (#13) [+6]

6. Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be (#10) [+4]

5. G-Eazy featuring Halsey – Him & I (#5) [=]

4. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes (#8) [+4]

3. Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt – Let Me Go (#3) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

2. Walk The Moon – One Foot (#2) [=]

1. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle (#1) [=] [4^th Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You (8^th of 9 Weeks At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: Khalid – Young, Dumb, And Broke (–19)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman (+18)

New Entrants
- So, we got another week with four debuts. First, we'll begin with the return of Brendon Urie and company with their latest release. They left the countdown last fall with L.A. Devotee. Since then, many were wondering if they would hear from Panic! At The Disco again. At #38, many are finally getting their wish when Say Amen (Saturday Night) makes its debut this week. I recently watched the music video for this one and I have to say, it's pretty gruesome. I won't go into depth about the video; I'll just talk about the song itself. Now, I do like the production for the most part. Brendon Urie showcase his vocal talent all throughout the song. He is definitely one of the more talented singers all around, especially in the chorus which is great overall. Do I think it's the best Panic! At The Disco has to offer? No, but it's still a really enjoyable song. I'm sure this will do well on this countdown given Hits 1's love for Brendon Urie. But ultimately, time will tell on that.

- This next debut is one I'm sure many here (myself included) are pleased about. Demi Lovato replaces herself on the countdown with her next single called Tell Me You Love Me, the title track from her album. The song basically talks about needing someone to tell them they love each other, especially whenever they had a bad day. It's definitely something we can relate to, especially for those who are in a relationship. Now, I do think it's a step up from her predecessor, vocals-wise. We truly get to hear what Demi is really capable of in this song. I absolutely love the chorus. The gospel-like production is really amazing. It definitely fits Demi's voice more. This is definitely a great choice for her next single. I'm in love with this.

- We have newcomer Bazzi making his very first appearance on the countdown. His debut single is titled Mine. I talked about this one when it debuted on the American Top 40 last week. It's one of the shortest songs I've ever heard, clocking in at barely over 2 minutes. Not too much about the song stands out overall, but there are some things I like about it. His vocals are rather solid for the most part, and the production isn't too bad, though I feel like it doesn't quite have enough to make this a great song. It's a decent song for the most part, though it's not something I'll be coming back to in a year from now.

- With the highest debut of the week, we have a new band called Bad Wolves, who also make their very first appearance on the countdown. Their song is a cover from The Cranberries. It's actually a tribute to Dolores O'Ridian, who sadly passed away early this year. The cover in question is titled Zombie. Let me just simply say it's nowhere near as good as the original version, but I'm still very impressed with how it turned out. They did a really nice job with the vocals. Listening to them, they pretty much remind me of Three Days Grace's music. Overall, this is a really good cover from The Cranberries. I hope to see some success out of it.

My Heart Will Blurb On

- So, our four exits consists of songs which have all hit #1 on the countdown at some point in time. I'm sure many are happy with the departure of Sorry Not Sorry. As for me, I never hated it and it never really tested my patience, unlike some other songs currently on the countdown. Slow Hands had a good run and it was enjoyable, but I wasn't too sad to see it off. That leaves us with two songs. Galway Girl was fun with a lot of folk vibes and some cool lines. I'm glad it was successful on this countdown (mainly because Hits 1 seems to love Ed Sheeran) despite it not being a hit elsewhere. For an Ed Sheeran song, I thought it left too early, much like River did a couple weeks ago. I was expecting it to last longer, but I guess not. And finally, we have the departure of Believer. After going strong on the countdown hanging around in the Top 20 for a long time and eventually lasting a year, it is officially no more. As Spyder Harrison once said, it was "the song that would never go away", much like he said for songs like Unsteady and My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light 'Em Up). And keep in mind, their other song, Radioactive, also lasted a year and thus would hold this honor. Now we'll have to see how long its successor, Thunder, can hold up. Goodbye, Believer. It's been real.

- This Is Me sadly has fallen into the Bottom 5 this week. I'm not too surprised about this since the post-Oscars hype was short-lived. However, we also have Sober Up in that region as well.

- On that note, Young, Dumb, And Broke took a big drop out of the Top 20 in only its third week. Yikes! Looks like this song may be in for a short countdown run.

- I'm quite surprised to see In My Blood did nothing this week. You would think that it would jump big in its second week given the hype for Shawn Mendes, but apparently the voters seem to disagree. Though, I'm certain it'll do something within the next week or so.

- Spyder Harrison mentioned upon introducing Finesse that Cardi B. plans to address the rumors about her being pregnant. If that's true, then it looks like she may have her work cut out for her. Also keep in mind that she just released her new song, Be Careful, just yesterday. I wonder how much more work she'll be able to have?

- On The Loose and Woman made some big jumps this week, with the latter having the biggest jump. It's nice to see both of those songs catching on. We'll see how long they stick around.

- In terms of our Top 10, we have I Like Me Better making an unwelcome return to that region. I'm not thrilled about this. It's slowly starting to catch on elsewhere, so we may be stuck with it for a while. Then you have No Excuses, which somewhat surprisingly makes its entrance. I guess some people miss Meghan Trainor after all.

- Not much has changed in the Top 5 other than Whatever It Takes making its entrance. We'll find out if this can be another #1 for Imagine Dragons in the near future.

- However, I most certainly don't mind The Middle being #1 again. This may end up being bigger than Stay was last year. They both now have the same number of weeks at the top spot, but something tells me that The Middle will likely surpass that. Like I said before, it's nice to see a country star like Maren Morris get some recognition.

Hit-Bound:

• Drake – God's Plan
• Echosmith – Over My Head (DEBUT)
• Rudimental featuring Jess Glynne, Macklemore, Dan Caplen – These Days
• Dustin Atlas featuring Erin Bowman – Fake Friends
• Why Don't We – Trust Fund Baby (DEBUT)
• Portugal. The Man – Live In The Moment
• Alice Merton – No Roots
• The Chainsmokers – Everybody Hates Me (DEBUT)
• Dua Lipa – IDGAF
• Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA – All The Stars (DEBUT)
• Maren Morris – Rich (DEBUT)
• Halsey – Alone
• Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign – Psycho
• Foster The People – Sit Next To Me

- Once again, we have another huge shake-up on Hit-Bound. First, we say good-bye to two songs. Walk On Water I'm sure some here are disappointed about. Legendary left us for the second time and unfortunately, it may be gone for good. This song definitely deserved better in my opinion and it's unfortunate that it had to get underrated. Thank you for your time on Hit-Bound, Legendary. You will be missed.

- We'll begin with the return of Echosmith with their latest single titled Over My Head. It's been a while since we heard from them. They had songs like Cool Kids and Bright, both of which were pretty successful. They did just recently release their EP titled Inside A Dream last fall and I thought it was really good overall. I was hoping they would choose Get Into My Car or 18 as their singles. Still, I'm enjoying Over My Head. I love the chorus throughout the song, and the production is great. Sydney Seriota shows what she is capable of. I'll talk more about this should it hopefully make its debut.

- Next, we have more Why Don't We, this time with their new single titled Trust Fund Baby. Unlike Something Different, which I kinda like, this one I can't get on board with. The lyrics talk about bragging about stuff and what not. I don't like the production either. It sounds too much like something I'll hear on some of the mediocre hip-hop songs, which also have weak production and some awful lyrical content. And keep in mind that this was written by Ed Sheeran of all people. Yeah, this was not good songwriting on his part. I'm sorry, but I am not sold on this at all.

- The Chainsmokers make their return once again, by the name of Everybody Hates Me. I can't say I'm loving this one, mainly because of the vocals. Here, they're losing what made them stand out. Songs like Closer, Roses, Don't Let Me Down, and Something Just Like This are pure evidence. More on this when it debuts.

- Another single from the Black Panther soundtrack makes its arrival on Hit-Bound. We have Kendrick Lamar collaborating with SZA in the song All The Stars. I talked about this in my American Top 40 post last week. Feel free to check that out if you haven't already. But to put it easily, I love SZA's contribution in the song, especially in the chorus. Kendrick Lamar doesn't disappoint at all. His verses are good as well. Here's to hoping it debuts soon.

- Finally, we have Maren Morris herself with her solo single, titled Rich. Unlike her part in The Middle, which I still love, this one is a different story. The lyrical content is what kills the song for me overall, and I don't think her voices shines here. I'll stick to songs like our current #1 and 80's Mercedes.

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks

1. Rudimental featuring Jess Glynne, Macklemore, Dan Caplen – These Days

2. Dua Lipa – IDGAF

3. Echosmith – Over My Head

4. Alice Merton – No Roots

5. Halsey – Alone

Top 20 Review:

0 – Putrid:
20. Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be
19. Lauv – I Like Me Better
18. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low
17. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same

1 – Bad:
16. Maroon 5 – Wait
15. NF – Let You Down

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
None!

4 – Good:
None!

5 – Great:
14. Fall Out Boy – Hold Me Tight Or Don't
13. Meghan Trainor – No Excuses
12. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Want You Back
11. Ed Sheeran – Perfect
10. Macklemore featuring Kesha – Good Old Days
9. Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt – Let Me Go
8. Walk The Moon – One Foot
7. Niall Horan – On The Loose
6. G-Eazy featuring Halsey – Him & I
5. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes
4. Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman
3. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle
2. Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. – Finesse (Remix)

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me

Overall Grade: 73/100 = 73% (C–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Céline Dion – My Heart Will Go On (1997) (Since yesterday was her 50th Birthday, so Happy Birthday to Céline Dion!)

Most Missed Countdown Song: Paramore – Ain't It Fun

Most Missed Hit-Bound Drop-Out: Paramore – Hard Times

#1 Recommendation For Hits 1: Paramore – Rose-Colored Boy

Favorite Countdown Song One This Week Year Ago: Kygo featuring Selena Gomez – It Ain't Me

My Top 5 Picks

1. The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me

2. Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. – Finesse (Remix)

3. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle

4. Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman

5. Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello – Wolves

My Bottom 5 Picks

1. Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie – Friends

2. AJR featuring Rivers Cuomo – Sober Up

3. Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be

4. Lauv – I Like Me Better

5. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Ariana Grande featuring Future – Everyday: Out of all the singles from Dangerous Woman, this is probably her weakest. I'm not sure why she decided to add Future to the mix, because he didn't add much to the song. She has done better.

QOTW: Besides My Heart Will Go On, can you name one of your other favorite songs from Céline Dion?

AT40: G-Eazy & Halsey (1) - Week Of March 31, 2018

Hello, fam! I hope you all had a good week as we finish the first quarter of 2018 and head into the month of April. So, baseball season is finally upon us. Again, if you're like me and absolutely love watching sports, I'll be happy to talk about it with you. If you don't want to, that's perfectly fine with me. Also, this weekend is another holiday weekend, which is Easter. So, I hope you all enjoy that. The countdown looks good for the most part. We have a good class of entrants and a great #1 song. You'll see what I'm talking about shortly. So with that being said, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar featurign Zacari (#29)
• Beautiful Trauma by P!NK (#31)
• Attention by Charlie Puth (#40) [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Let You Down by NF

40. On The Loose by Niall Horan (DEBUT)

39. 1-800-273-8255 by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid (#38) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

38. Walk On Water by Thirty Seconds To Mars (#39) [+1]

37. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo (#36) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

36. IDGAF by Dua Lipa (DEBUT)

35. What Lovers Do by Maroon 5 featuring SZA (#34) [–1]

34. Beg by Jack & Jack (#35) [+1]

33. Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man (#32) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

32. Want You Back by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#37) [+5]

31. My My My! by Troye Sivan (#27) [–4]

30. Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato (#25) [–5] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

29. All The Stars by Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA (#33) [+4]

28. Mine by Bazzi (#30) [+2]

27. No Excuses by Meghan Trainor (DEBUT)

26. Lemon by N.E.R.D. featuring Rihanna (#26) [=]

25. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#28) [+3]

24. Thunder by Imagine Dragons (#23) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

23. I Like Me Better by Lauv (#24) [+1]

22. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage (#19) [–3]

21. Tell Me You Love Me by Demi Lovato (#22) [+1]

20. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons (#21) [+1]

19. Young, Dumb, and Broke by Khalid (#16) [–3]

18. Bad At Love by Halsey (#15) [–3]

17. Say Something by Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton (#18) [+1]

16. Wait by Maroon 5 (#17) [+1]

15. How Long by Charlie Puth (#10) [–5]

14. God's Plan by Drake (#20) [+6]

13. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug (#12) [–1] [Spent 7 Weeks At #1]

12. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha (#11) [–1]

11. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar (#14) [+3]

10. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (#13) [+3]

9. New Rules by Dua Lipa (#6) [–3] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]

8. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash (#8) [+1]

7. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello (#5) [–2]

6. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line (#9) [+3]

5. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#8) [+3]

4. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé (#4) [=] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

3. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. (#3) [=]

2. Let You Down by NF (#1) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

1. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey (#2) [+1] [1^st Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran (5^th of 10 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Tie between Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato and How Long by Charlie Puth (–5)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: God's Plan by Drake (+6)

New Entrants
- To start our new round of arrivals, we have more Niall Horan once again. After Too Much To Ask failed to live up to the expectations chart-wise like its predecessor Slow Hands did, he's looking to get back on track. This time, he has a new single titled On The Loose from his latest album, Flicker. Production-wise, it's a step up from his two predecessors, in large part because it is more fast-paced. He does well with his vocals. In fact, he shines more in this song than in Too Much To Ask. I just recently realized that there are two different versions of the song. One which I've been hearing while driving is the shorter version, which unfortunately edits out the guitar solo, while the original version keeps it intact. Despite this, it's still a good song overall. I would love to see it become a hit.

- Now with New Rules slowly starting to fade elsewhere, Dua Lipa follows up with another new single from her self-titled album. Enter IDGAF. The title itself basically says it all. Heh, it's like she doesn't care about what others say, haha. Anyway, it's about cutting off on someone that you used to love. It's something that we can relate to and I'm sure we've been through that kind of relationship at one point in time. Now, I won't quitesay it's as good as its predecessor in terms of the production. The song is basically just hearing what Dua Lipa is really capable of. She shows that she does have a good voice all throughout the song. I do love the use of guitars. It's another solid track all around and it's a good choice for a single. Can lighting strike twice for Dua Lipa in terms of her getting another big hit? Only time will tell on that. We'll just have to wait and see.

- Finally, we have the all-important debut of the week. Much to most people's displeasure, Meghan Trainor makes her official return to the American Top 40 this week. This time around, she has a brand new single titled No Excuses. Again, I don't find Meghan Trainor to be annoying unlike most people here. I do like her music, at least somewhat. Though I'll admit her last album was not very good, what with Me Too being a horrible single all around, and NØ was a disappointment to some but I did like it. There was also I'm A Lady, which virtually never took off (and for good reason). As for her new song, I guess you can say I like it. It's a step up from what she's been releasing lately. Sure, the lyrics aren't that good, but some of the other aspects make up for it. The production here is pretty cool and I like her vocals for the most part. Overall, it's actually not a bad song as some say it is. We'll see how long it sticks around.

Best Debut Of The Week: IDGAF by Dua Lipa

And That's The Way It Blurbs
- So, our three exits consist of two great songs that I wished deserved better, and one song which did really well. Both LOVE. and Beautiful Trauma were unfortunately underrated and did not deserve to leave so soon. I could go on, but I'm sad about their departures. Attention, meanwhile, was a big hit for Charlie Puth and it was enjoyable. I'm glad he took on a different sound and not something along the lines of Nine Track Mind, which sucked. I'm looking forward to what he has to offer in Voicenotes. That said, the song will be somewhat missed by me.

- We have a new #1 this week! G-Eazy and Halsey managed to take the top spot with Him & I. It's good to have G-Eazy back in the spotlight after Good Life unfortunately flopped. It helps that Halsey's presence made this song a hit. This is a great collaboration between the two artists (or couple, I should say) and I'm glad that it's getting the recognition it deserves.

- Entering the Top 5 this week is The Middle. That I'm definitely pleased with. I'm seeing big things happening for the song. It already hit #1 on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown, and the same will likely ring true in the coming weeks. Also, I would like to say congratulations to Maren Morris on her marriage last weekend!

- Before introducing New Rules, Ryan Seacrest mentioned that Dua Lipa had to cancel some shows because she had to get her wisdom teeth removed. Ouch! That must be a painful experience for her. I had this experience before, and yeah it was not pleasant. Hopefully, she'll get through this.

- Pray For Me is inching closer to the Top 10. It's good to see this song become successful, in large part due to the Black Panther hype still going strong. This one has gotten better for me with more listens, hence why it's my favorite song on the countdown right now. The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar both make a great collaboration. I would love to see them work together more often.

- Last week's debuts (Want You Back and All The Stars) made some small, but reasonable jumps this week. It's nice to see them get some momentum. While I doubt the former will get big, I do think the latter has more of a chance of becoming a moderate hit. It would be nice to have both Kendrick Lamar songs become big simultaneously.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Sit Next To Me by Foster The People
• Trust Fund Baby by Why Don't We
• Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Extras/Optional Extras:

• I Fall Apart by Post Malone
• Pillowtalk by Zayn Malik
• Bad Things by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Camila Cabello
• There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes
• Hold Me Tight Or Don't by Fall Out Boy
• One Call Away by Charlie Puth
• Too Much To Ask by Niall Horan
• Let Me Love You by DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber
• LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari
• Paris by The Chainsmokers

Top 20 Review:
0 – Garbage:
20. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
19. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello
18. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash

1 – Bad:
17. Wait by Maroon 5
16. God's Plan by Drake
15. Let You Down by NF

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
14. Young, Dumb, And Broke by Khalid

4 – Good:
None!

5 – Great:
13. How Long by Charlie Puth
12. Bad At Love by Halsey
11. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé
10. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
9. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
8. New Rules by Dua Lipa
7. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey
6. Say Something by Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton
5. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons
4. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
3. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
2. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar 

Total Score: 72/100 = 72% (C–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: That's The Way It Is by Céline Dion (1999) (Today is her 50th birthday. So, I would like to wish a Happy Birthday to the great Céline Dion!) 

Most Missed Song: Lights by Ellie Goulding

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Rose-Colored Boy by Paramore

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay

My Top 5 Picks
1. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
2. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.
3. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
4. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
5. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
4. I Like Me Better by Lauv
5. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Cake by Flo Rida featuring 99 Percent: Blech. A song that talks about just picking up the cake and not partying just does not sit well with me. Almost everything about the song just doesn't work for me at all. When it's being featured on the same EP as songs like Watch Me and Juju On That Beat, that's a bad sign.
Scared To Be Lonely by Martin Garrix featuring Dua Lipa: Before New Rules came and went on to become a breakout hit for Dua Lipa, there was this collaboration. And guess what? It's from the same EDM artist who made In The Name Of Love, which I still love to this day. While not as good as its predecessor, it's still enjoyable overall.
Slide by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos: This was a big step up from This Is What You Came For. Calvin Harris's new sound was liked by many bloggers and YouTube critics alike. And who would've thought that Migos would actually sound good here?

Zedd & Maren Morris (3) - Week Of March 24, 2018

Hello, fam! So, Shawn Mendes hosted this week's countdown in place of Spyder Harrison. And with it, he has new music in its stead. Well, two new songs, actually (including one which debuted straight to the countdown, and we'll get to that in a bit). Let's get right into things. Before we get to this week's fresh 45, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• Troye Sivan – My My My! (#32)
• Shawn Mendes – There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back (#40) [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
• X Ambassadors – Ahead Of Myself (#41) 
• Maroon 5 featuring SZA – What Lovers Do (#45)

The Countdown:

Last Week's #1 Song: Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt – Let Me Go

45. Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl (#37) [–8] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]

44. Demi Lovato – Sorry Not Sorry (#44) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

43. Niall Horan – Slow Hands (#43) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]

42. Dua Lipa – New Rules (#42) [=] 

41. Portugal. The Man – Feel It Still (#31) [–10]

40. Symon – Lonely Girl (#38) [–2]

39. AJR featuring Rivers Cuomo – Sober Up (#35) [–4]

38. Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future – End Game (#29) [–9] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

37. Kelly Clarkson – Love So Soft (#34) [–3]

36. Imagine Dragons – Believer (#39) [+3] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]

35. Charlie Puth featuring Kehlani – Done For Me (DEBUT)

34. Noah Kahan featuring Julia Michaels – Hurt Somebody (DEBUT)

33. Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman (#36) [+3]

32. Shawn Mendes – In My Blood (DEBUT)

31. Keala Settle & The Greatest Showman Ensemble – This Is Me (#24) [–7]

30. Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie – Friends (#27) [–3]

29. Taylor Swift – Delicate (DEBUT)

28. Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton – Say Something (#33) [+5]

27. Camila Cabello – Havana (#25) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

26. Charlie Puth – How Long (#22) [–4] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

25. Alan Walker featuring Noah Cyrus and Digital Farm Animals – All Falls Down (#23) [–2]

24. P!NK – Beautiful Trauma (#8) [–16]

23. Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. – Finesse (Remix) (#15) [–8]

22. Niall Horan – On The Loose (#26) [+4]

21. Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello – Wolves (#21) [=]

20. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low (#16) [–4]

19. Halsey – Bad At Love (#19) [=] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1] 

18. Meghan Trainor – No Excuses (#18) [=]

17. Khalid – Young, Dumb, And Broke (#30) [+13]

16. Imagine Dragons – Thunder (#28) [+12] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]

15. The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me (#17) [+2]

14. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Want You Back (#20) [+6]

13. Lauv – I Like Me Better (#9) [–4]

12. Fall Out Boy – Hold Me Tight Or Don't (#10) [–2]

11. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same (#13) [+2]

10. Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be (#14) [+4]

9. Macklemore featuring Kesha – Good Old Days (#5) [–4] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

8. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes (#6) [–2]

7. NF – Let You Down (#7) [=]

6. Maroon 5 – Wait (#12) [+6]

5. G-Eazy featuring Halsey – Him & I (#11) [+6]

4. Ed Sheeran – Perfect (#4) [=] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

3. Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt – Let Me Go (#1) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

2. Walk The Moon – One Foot (#2) [=]

1. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle (#3) [+2] [3^rd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You (7^th of 9 Weeks At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: P!NK – Beautiful Trauma (–16)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Khalid – Young, Dumb, and Broke (+13)

New Entrants

- We have four new songs entering the countdown this week. Let's start with Charlie Puth with yet another new single, by the name of Done For Me, which features Kehlani. A year ago, most people weren't looking forward to his latest album Voicenotes, what with the singles from Nine Track Mind not to their liking (and for good reason). But when Attention came around, their perception changed almost completely and would be a harbinger of what his album would sound like. Following the release of How Long back in the fall, it was clear that Charlie was trying something new, and so far it appears to be working from a critical standpoint. This week's debut, Done For Me, is another one of those tracks which shows that his two predecessors were not a fluke and that he has indeed improved from his last album. The production here, which believe it or not is where he's doing most of the work, is spot on for the most part. I do love how their vocals blend together, especially in the chorus. Both of them did a good job with the verses overall. It's similar to his two predecessors in terms of the lyrical content, which talks about a love story between the couple. So yeah, it's another solid track for Charlie overall, and I'm definitely looking forward to listening to that album of his, which doesn't come out until May.

- For our next debut, we have newcomer Noah Kahan making his first appearance on the countdown. Enter Hurt Somebody, which features Julia Michaels. If you remember Julia Michaels, she bought us Issues and Uh Huh, two songs that were not to anyone's liking. As for this collaboration, I can't really say that I care for it too much. I do like the instrumentation throughout the song, and their vocals are good for the most part. But this one lacks something that makes it unique. It's not a bad song by any means, and I can see it growing on me. But right now, I'm split on this.

- As I mentioned in the introduction, Shawn Mendes released two new songs this week, including one which made it straight to the countdown without spending a week on Hit-Bound. At #32, he replaces himself with his new single titled In My Blood. Similar to Charlie Puth's last album Nine Track Mind, many hated the entirety of Illuminate (other than his two singles I won't mention) and were not looking forward to hearing more from Shawn. One of the singles from that album, Treat You Better, was on many Worst Of The Year lists for 2016. I liked that one at first, but I realized it wasn't good and many of the YouTube critics knew what they were talking about. Here in his latest single, In My Blood, I'm not quite sure what to think as of yet. I do like the song, mainly for the production, which seems to be leaning a little more rock while being acoustic. It has some Kings Of Leon vibes to it. I do like his vocals, and he does a pretty good job with the chorus. Will this stick with me in the big picture? Maybe not, but I'll consider it a good song for now. He did just release another new single, which is titled Lost In Japan, which is a step up from this production-wise. I'm hoping that one can get big soon, but I'm okay with his first single for the time being.

- When Taylor Swift made her big return with Look What You Made Me Do, it seemed destined to become another hit for her and thus would start another string of #1 hits for her latest album, Reputation. Well, it actually did start that way when the song debuted at #1 on Billboard by no surprise because of her star power. But the song was not very well liked by many YouTube critics and audiences alike. And soon enough, it got hit pretty hard with bad radio call-outs and would start a massive free-fall to the point where it would eventually fade away. It set the tone for her other singles that would also end up flopping big time. And with End Game dropping to near the bottom of the countdown (more on that in the blurbs) and will likely miss the Year-End list on Billboard, many have started to wonder will she have another hit from her album? Well, only time will tell on that. But she's looking to redeem herself chart-wise with her latest single, Delicate, which makes its debut at #29. Normally, this would be another hit in the making. But seeing as her singles fared so badly, I'm not so sure anymore. Anyway, it took me several listens throughout the week (not including the music video I watched in its entirety), but I've come around to it. There's more singing going on than her other songs combined, and like I said numerous times, Taylor Swift isn't one to disappoint me (at least not yet). I do love the production overall. Basically, the song is about her being happy and living the care-free life. The music video that just recently came out shows her basically just being happy. Again, I'm not entirely sure how this will fare chart-wise, but one is hoping that it becomes an actual hit. I do like the song now, some I'm hoping for some success.

Blurbs In The Wind

- For our exits, What Lovers Do was fading on me, but I did enjoy it even though it wasn't Maroon 5's best work. The other three songs we're really good and I'm sad to see them off. Both My My My! and Ahead Of Myself never got much success elsewhere and they deserved better. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back, however, was a different story. It became another hit for Shawn Mendes and it was a different sound compared to some of his previous singles. While some may find you old and annoying right now, I'm not one of them. Thank you for your time on the countdown. You will definitely be missed.

- Shawn Mendes mentioned during his introduction for Galway Girl that Ed Sheeran wants Beyoncé to sing at his wedding. That would be very interesting. I'll bet she would want to sing Perfect.

- Feel It Still has officially fallen to the Bottom 5 of the countdown after spending a seemingly long time in the 20's for a few months. Now I wonder how long will this hang around?

- Beautiful Trauma took a disappointing drop out of the Top 10. I thought P!NK would have another hit on her hands. Never mind. It doesn't look like it's going to happen.

- And Finesse is back to square one again. You would think this would be in the Top 5 here on this countdown given that it's very high on many other charts. But Hits 1 logic seems to work differently, and not in a good way.

- Last week's debuts (other than Young, Dumb, and Broke) didn't jump much this week. And to my pleasure, one of them (Friends) actually dropped this week. Yeah, that song is only getting worse every time I hear it. The production is not great, Anne-Marie's vocals are underwhelming, and the song's premise does not sit well with me at all. It's very possible that this could be orange soon.

- Thunder somehow makes a big jump back into the Top 20 this week. I would've been much more happy with this maybe about a month ago when I was still in love with that song. I do still like it somewhat, but I'm starting to see why some hate this now (including a certain someone who I won't mention). Imagine Dragons have done better in the past.

- Here we go again with Meant To Be being back in the Top 10. Who is making this a Top 5 hit on Billboard?! And why is this at #10?! Seriously, Bebe Rexha has done MUCH better in my opinion, yet none of her singles got this high up. I'm very fed up with this, people.

- I'm also not thrilled with Wait making its entrance into the Top 10. Of course, it was destined to enter that region given that Maroon 5 are still relevant and all, but it doesn't make me happy. This song lacks the groove that they once had. When compared to their previous albums, there's easily a difference.

- Halsey makes her way back into the Top 10 (and Top 5) with Him & I. Apparently, one week without a song from Halsey in that region is forbidden based on Hits 1 logic. But I'm definitely okay with this. As I said, it's a powerful collaboration for a powerful couple. (Again, they're not that powerful, but you know what I mean. :P)

- It was only a matter of time until The Middle would take back the #1 spot. But I'll surely take it. Though, I know some people are not happy about this. Also, Shawn Mendes mentioned that the song is amazing and is one of the best songs he's heard. Some people are going to disagree with him on that one, Shawn. :P

Hit-Bound:

• Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign – Psycho
• Alice Merton – No Roots
• Bazzi – Mine
• Halsey – Alone
• Demi Lovato – Tell Me You Love Me
• Foster The People – Sit Next To Me
• Portugal. The Man – Live In The Moment
• Dustin Atlas featuring Erin Bowman – Fake Friends
• Panic! At The Disco – Say Amen (Saturday Night) (DEBUT)
• Drake – God's Plan
• Welshly Arms – Legendary (RE-ENTRY)
• Rudimental featuring Jess Glynne, Macklemore, Dan Caplen – These Days
• Dua Lipa – IDGAF
• Thirty Seconds To Mars – Walk On Water

- Brendon Urie from Panic! At The Disco is hosting this week's edition of Hit-Bound in place of Mikey Piff. And the band has a new single titled Say Amen (Saturday Night). They just released the music video for the song, which was pretty gruesome after I watched it. The song itself is good, though. Not too much I can say about it except that I do like the chorus and production. Brendon Urie shows that he's a great singer in the song. I'll have more on this when it debuts.

- It's nice to see Legendary make a re-entry to Hit-Bound. I'm still holding out hope that it can make the countdown soon. It's one of the better alternative rocks songs at the moment and I would like to see it be successful.

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks

1. Demi Lovato – Tell Me You Love Me

2. Welshly Arms – Legendary

3. Dua Lipa – IDGAF

4. Rudimental featuring Jess Glynne, Macklemore, Dan Caplen – These Days

5. Alice Merton – No Roots

Top 20 Review:

0 – Putrid:
20. Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be
19. Lauv – I Like Me Better
18. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low
17. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same

1 – Bad:
16. Maroon 5 – Wait
15. NF – Let You Down

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
14. Imagine Dragons – Thunder
13. Khalid – Young, Dumb, And Broke

4 – Good:
None!

5 – Great:
12. Fall Out Boy – Hold Me Tight Or Don't
11. Meghan Trainor – No Excuses
10. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Want You Back
9. Ed Sheeran – Perfect
8. Halsey – Bad At Love
7. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes
6. Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt – Let Me Go
5. Macklemore featuring Kesha – Good Old Days
4. Walk The Moon – One Foot
3. G-Eazy featuring Halsey – Him & I
2. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me

Overall Grade: 69/100 = 69% (D+)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Elton John – Candle In The Wind (1997) (since his birthday is tomorrow, so Happy early Birthday to the great Elton John!)

Most Missed Countdown Song: The 1975 – The Sound

Most Missed Hit-Bound Drop-Out: Carly Rae Jepsen – Cut To The Feeling

#1 Recommendation For Hits 1: Shawn Mendes – Lost In Japan

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Kygo featuring Selena Gomez – It Ain't Me

My Top 5 Picks

1. The Weekend featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me

2. Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. – Finesse (Remix)

3. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle

4. Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman

5. Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello – Wolves

My Bottom 5 Picks

1. AJR featuring Rivers Cuomo – Sober Up

2. Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be

3. Lauv – I Like Me Better

4. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low

5. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie – Rockabye: A song that talks about motherhood works well for me, especially when the production is solid all around, and Anne-Marie shines throughout the song, unlike her current representation on the countdown.

QOTW: Shawn Mendes has released two new singles (In My Blood and Lost In Japan) this week. Which of these is your favorite out of the two and why?

AT40: NF (2) - Week Of March 24, 2018

Hello, fam! Spring is finally upon us. I hope you all enjoy some warm weather in the coming days. Anyway, I don't have much to really talk about for my introduction. Let's just review this week's countdown on the American Top 40. So without further adieu, here are the songs dropping out this week:

• Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt (#24)
• I Fall Apart by Post Malone (#34)
• Hold Me Tight Or Don't by Fall Out Boy (#39)

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Let You Down by NF

40. Attention by Charlie Puth (#40) [=] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]

39. Walk On Water by Thirty Seconds To Mars (#36) [–3]

38. 1-800-273-8255 by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid (#36) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

37. Want You Back by 5 Seconds Of Summer (DEBUT)

36. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo (#35) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

35. Beg by Jack & Jack (#38) [+3]

34. What Lovers Do by Maroon 5 featuring SZA (#32) [–2]

33. All The Stars by Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA (DEBUT)

32. Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man (#29) [–3] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

31. Beautiful Trauma by P!NK (#31) [=]

30. Mine by Bazzi (DEBUT)

29. LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari (#20) [–9]

28. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#33) [+5]

27. My My My! by Troye Sivan (#27) [=]

26. Lemon by N.E.R.D. featuring Rihanna (#28) [+2]

25. Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato (#26) [+1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

24. I Like Me Better by Lauv (#25) [+1]

23. Thunder by Imagine Dragons (#22) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

22. Tell Me You Love Me by Demi Lovato (#24) [+1]

21. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons (#30) [+9]

20. God's Plan by Drake (#21) [+1]

19. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage (#18) [–1]

18. Say Something by Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton (#19) [+1]

17. Wait by Maroon 5 (#17) [=]

16. Young, Dumb, and Broke by Khalid (#16) [=]

15. Bad At Love by Halsey (#13) [–2]

14. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar (#15) [+1]

13. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (#14) [+1]

12. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug (#11) [–1] [Spent 7 Weeks At #1]

11. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha (#12) [+1]

10. How Long by Charlie Puth (#6) [–4]

9. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line (#10) [+1]

8. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#9) [+1]

7. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash (#8) [+1]

6. New Rules by Dua Lipa (#4) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]

5. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello (#7) [+2]

4. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé (#2) [–2] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

3. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. (#5) [+2]

2. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey (#3) [+1]

1. Let You Down by NF (#1) [=] [2^nd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran (4^th of 10 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari (–9)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons (+9)

New Entrants
- We have three debuts to cover this week. First, we'll begin with the return of 5 Seconds Of Summer with their latest single titled Want You Back. As I said before, this song is a different sound for the band in terms of the production. The vocals are spot on for the most part, though I'm not necessarily huge on the chorus. The song is basically about wanting someone back, hence the title. Do I see this being successful? Not really. While I much prefer something along the lines of Jet Black Heart, this one is still pretty solid all around, even though it may not stick with me in the long run.

- Next up, we have another single taken from the Black Panther movie soundtrack. Kendrick has another collaboration in its stead, this time featuring SZA in the song called All The Stars. There's no doubt that Pray For Me is the much superior track off of the album, but that doesn't mean I don't like this song at all. It's actually really good. Probably the best thing about it is SZA herself. She pretty much shines throughout the chorus. Once again, Kendrick doesn't disappoint me with his verses. He shows that he's a good rapper in this song. Overall, I like this collaboration. It works well and I hope to see some success out of it.

- With the highest debut of the week, we have Bazzi making his very first appearance on the countdown with his debut single titled Mine. Now, he's another one of those artists that went viral thanks to Vine, like some of the other artists who I won't mention. Putting that aside, the song itself is one of the shortest songs I've ever heard, only running at barely over 2 minutes. Now, it's actually not a bad song for the most part. I do like the guy's vocals, and the production is okay. However, it lacks something that makes it stand out. One of my concerns about the song is that there's no bridge. While it's not special, it's a decent song for a debut artist.

All The Blurbs Are Closer
- For our exits, I Fall Apart left for the second time after it's re-entry three weeks ago, but I'm definitely pleased to see it depart. Hold Me Tight Or Don't only lasted a mere two weeks here. I guess people have moved on from Fall Out Boy. Lastly, there's Let Me Go, which unfortunately ended up being a flop on this countdown and will miss the Year-End list. But at least it's doing well on Hits 1 (It hit #1 last week on the countdown, so it's a lock for Hits 1's Top 45 Of 2018). It was definitely an enjoyable song all around and Hailee Steinfeld truly shows what she's capable of. Good-bye, Let Me Go. You will be missed by me.

- Both Him & I and Finesse have reached new peaks of #2 and #3, respectively. I would like to see one of them take the top spot, ideally next week. I'm sure the latter will get there at some point in time. However, I do think the former has a shot at making it first.

- In other Top 5 news, we have Wolves reaching a new peak at #5. That I also like to see. Unlike the other two songs however, I doubt it'll hit #1 given that it's just now dying out elsewhere. But I'm thankful for the success that it had so far. It's definitely one of the best things both artists have been a part of.

- Whatever It Takes takes a big jump closer to the Top 20 this week. I'm  looking forward to seeing that one become another big hit for Imagine Dragons. With it now starting to catch on in terms of sales, it won't be much of a problem.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• On The Loose by Niall Horan
• IDGAF by Dua Lipa
• No Excuses by Meghan Trainor

Extras/Optional Extras:

• One Foot by Walk The Moon
• End Game by Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future
• The Hills by The Weeknd
• Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean
• I Miss You by Clean Bandit featuring Julia Michaels
• Same Old Love by Selena Gomez
• Too Good At Goodbyes by Sam Smith
• Cold Water by Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and MØ

Top 20 Review:
0 – Garbage:
20. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
19. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
18. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash
17. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello

1 – Bad:
16. Wait by Maroon 5
15. God's Plan by Drake
14. Let You Down by NF

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
13. Young, Dumb, And Broke by Khalid

4 – Good:
12. How Long by Charlie Puth

5 – Great:
11. Bad At Love by Halsey
10. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé
9. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
8. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
7. Say Something by Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton
6. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey
5. New Rules by Dua Lipa
4. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
3. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
TIE: 1. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.

Total Score: 67/100 = 67% (D+)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Candle In The Wind by Elton John (1997)

Most Missed Song: Side To Side by Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris
3. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
4. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
5. New Rules by Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
2. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
3. I Like Me Better by Lauv
4. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash
5. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Green Light by Lorde: It was Lorde's big return in the spotlight with this fantastic masterpiece of a song. Unfortunately, it never got anywhere after the initial hype. It definitely deserved much better.
Not Nice by PARTYNEXTDOOR: Not much I can say about this one. Bland production, meh vocals, and weak lyrics doesn't make me want to get on board with this. Thankfully, it only lasted one week here.

Hailee Steinfeld (1) - Week Of March 17, 2018

Hello, fam! I would like to wish you all a happy St. Patrick's Day today. I hope you enjoy your entire day of not getting pinched. :P Anyway, March Madness just started this week. So if you're like me and love watching sports (Yes, I'm a sports junkie, too), then you'll probably enjoy watching the games all weekend long. If you don't really care for sports, then that's fine. We all have different hobbies, whether it be reviewing music (which I am doing right now), watching sports, or playing video games. It really doesn't matter. I do respect everyone's interests. If I have some spare time soon, I may plan on doing a Q&A post, where you can ask me different questions about pretty much everything. But right now, that's another topic. We're going to focus on one thing and one thing only: the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown! Spyder Harrison is back on the job this week after being absent last week for whatever reason. I'm glad he came back at the right time, because this was a hell of a week! We had a lot of activity going on with songs moving all over the place, including a surprise new #1! Things are starting get interesting as we get into Spring. By the looks of it, we may be done with spring cleaning before we know it. Now with all of this being said, let's get on with it! Before we get to this week's fresh 45, here are the songs we're saying good-bye to this week:

• Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran – River (#19) (Dang!)
• The Chainsmokers – Sick Boy (#39)
• Post Malone featuring 21 Savage – Rockstar (#41) (!!!!!!!!!!!)
• Louis Tomlinson – Miss You (#45)

The Countdown:

Last Week's #1 Song: Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle

45. Maroon 5 featuring SZA – What Lovers Do (#44) [–1]

44. Demi Lovato – Sorry Not Sorry (#43) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

43. Niall Horan – Slow Hands (#42) [–1] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]

42. Dua Lipa – New Rules (#37) [–5] 

41. X Ambassadors – Ahead Of Myself (#40) [–1]

40. Shawn Mendes – There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back (#38) [–2] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]

39. Imagine Dragons – Believer (#32) [–7] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1] (Happy one year anniversary!)

38. Symon – Lonely Girl (#35) [–3]

37. Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl (#36) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]

36. Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman (DEBUT) 

35. AJR featuring Rivers Cuomo – Sober Up (#28) [–7]

34. Kelly Clarkson – Love So Soft (#33) [–1]

33. Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton – Say Something (#34) [+1]

32. Troye Sivan – My My My! (#24) [–8]

31. Portugal. The Man – Feel It Still (#30) [–1]

30. Khalid – Young, Dumb, And Broke (DEBUT)

29. Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future – End Game (#29) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

28. Imagine Dragons – Thunder (#8) [–20] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]

27. Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie – Friends (DEBUT)

26. Niall Horan – On The Loose (DEBUT)

25. Camila Cabello – Havana (#26) [+1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

24. Keala Settle – This Is Me (#27) [+3]

23. Alan Walker featuring Noah Cyrus and Digital Farm Animals – All Falls Down (#31) [+8]

22. Charlie Puth – How Long (#18) [–4] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

21. Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello – Wolves (#5) [–16]

20. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Want You Back (#22) [+2]

19. Halsey – Bad At Love (#7) [Spent 2 Weeks At #1] [–12]

18. Meghan Trainor – No Excuses (#20) [+2]

17. The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me (#21) [+4]

16. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low (#11) [–5]

15. Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. – Finesse (Remix) (#23) [+8]

14. Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be (#11) [–3]

13. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same (#12) [–1]

12. Maroon 5 – Wait (#15) [+3]

11. G-Eazy featuring Halsey – Him & I (#16) [+5]

10. Fall Out Boy – Hold Me Tight Or Don't (#25) [+15]

9. Lauv – I Like Me Better (#14) [+5]

8. P!NK – Beautiful Trauma (#13) [+5]

7. NF – Let You Down (#9) [+2]

6. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes (#17) [+11]

5. Macklemore featuring Kesha – Good Old Days (#3) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

4. Ed Sheeran – Perfect (#4) [=] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1] 

3. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle (#1) [–2] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

2. Walk The Moon – One Foot (#6) [+4]

1. Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt – Let Me Go (#2) [+1] [1^st Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You (6^th of 9 Weeks At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: Imagine Dragons – Thunder (–20)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Fall Out Boy – Hold Me Tight Or Don't (+15)

New Entrants

- So we have four new debuts that I'll be covering this week. First, we have the long-awaited arrival of Woman, which is Kesha's latest single from her album, Rainbow. As the song title suggests, it's basically a female self-empowerment song. I have a thing with these kinds of songs. I really enjoy them because of what it has to offer. Woman is no exception. Kesha's vocals shine like always. I absolutely love the production. It definitely has a lot of Western vibes. I'm curious to see how well this does on the countdown, since it's not big elsewhere. But it's an amazing song that deserves better.

- Hits 1 is late to the party with this next debut. Khalid makes his second appearance on the countdown. This time as a solo artist with the song titled Young, Dumb, And Broke. It has been around for a while and it even made the Year-End list for Billboard. Now to say the least, I'm starting to come around to his music and he does have a good voice. However, the song itself isn't really all that interesting. The production can be underwhelming at times, but he sounds pretty good throughout most of the song. The lyrical content does have something going for it, mainly because we are all young (though I'm not in high school). Overall, it's a decent song, but it's not something that I'll be coming back to in a year or so.

- It's been a year since we've heard from Anne-Marie, what with her featuring in Rockabye with Clean Bandit. She makes her return, this time collaborating with Marshmello in their single titled Friends. Now, I can't say I'm too fond of this one. It's basically a anthem about being stuck in the "friend zone". I'm not sure if I wanted a song like this. The production here is a bit of a step down from Wolves, though it's okay for the most part. But one of the problems I have with the song is Anne-Marie. Don't get me wrong. She does have a good voice, but she doesn't really do much with her vocals. And I simply don't her spelling out the word "friends". Her singing about just being friends doesn't really sit well with me, especially when someone wants to be more than just that. Simply put, I'm not really a fan of this. It's in blue for now, but it's closer to red for me than it is green.

- Finally, we have more Niall Horan, and he's On The Loose with his latest single (see what I did there). This song is a bit more fast-paced than its two previous singles. The production here is lively all around, especially when we're used to hearing acoustic songs from him. Niall showcases his vocals here. I don't really have too much else to say about it. He did just recently released a music video for the song. Do I see this being a hit for him? Probably not. But it's still a very enjoyable track and one of his best songs from Flicker.

Best Debut Of The Week: Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman

I Don't Wanna Miss A Blurb

The title says it all. I chose this because there was a lot going on this week. I wasn't going to miss reviewing the whole thing, now wouldn't I? Let's get jiggy with it!

- To start, we have our exits. First and foremost, I am shocked that River left from a very high position. Dang! The last time a song left from this high of a position was back in 2015 when Sam Smith – Like I Can left from #12. Wow. Second, there's Miss You, which was bound to exit eventually given that no one is kind to Louis Tomlinson's solo work. Then, we also have Sick Boy leaving early as well, especially for a song from The Chainsmokers. Given the success that they had lately, I was expecting this to be a moderate hit at the very least. But boy, I was proven wrong, and instead it ended up flopping. Even though the song itself wasn't going to stick with me in the big picture, I do kinda wished it deserved better. And last but not least, we have a song that tested my patience from the very beginning. For a countdown that doesn't even care for the hip-hop/rap genre, they picked it up anyway and it was something I was never fond of from the start. And by no surprise, it ended up not doing so well, which I'm very pleased about. I'm going to simply say these words: LET US CELEBRATE AS ROCKSTAR HAS FINALLY LEFT THE COUNTDOWN!!! IT'S ABOUT TIME!!! WOOT WOOT!!!

- So, New Rules has officially fallen to the bottom of the countdown, which is pretty sad especially when it's done so well everywhere else, including its four weeks at #1 on the American Top 40. It's time may be over on this countdown. And much like with Rockstar which thankfully flopped here, the same unfortunately was true for New Rules. Hopefully, its successor doesn't follow it's footsteps and ends up being big on this countdown.

- This week marks one year when Imagine Dragons – Believer made its debut on the countdown. I'm quite impressed with its run on the countdown so far. Here's another fun fact: Imagine Dragons had another song which also lasted a year on the countdown, and that song was Radioactive. So, I would like to say happy one-year anniversary to Believer!

- It's nice to see Sober Up continue its downward trajectory. I don't get why Hits 1 continues to pick up on their music. Almost everything they've released so far has been complete garbage, and this song is no exception. I cannot stand the obnoxious vocals at all. Hopefully, it can leave the countdown soon, like maybe next week.

- Say Something seems to be having a weak run on the countdown so far, especially for a Justin Timberlake song. One would assume that it'd be in the Top 10 by now, but in reality it doesn't appear to be the case. It's pretty darn sad if you ask me because it is a really good song and easily the best off of Man Of The Woods. I guess people soured on Justin Timberlake after its predecessor flopped hard and the Super Bowl hype is all but gone.

- I'm also not thrilled about My My My! dropping big this week. Much like with Say Something, it's also a really good song that deserves better. Unlike Justin Timberlake, Troye Sivan doesn't have the star power. So I shouldn't be surprised by its under-performance, but it certainly doesn't make me happy.

- In terms of other big drops, we have Imagine Dragons – Thunder dropping big out the Top 10 entirely. This is also the second week in a row in which Imagine Dragons had the Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week. Ouch! Although I don't like it as much as I used to, I was expecting it to hang around in the Top 20 for a long time just like Believer did. But I guess not. It looks like the end may be coming sooner than we think. I could be proven wrong however, but we'll see what happens from here on out.

- Two other songs, Wolves and Bad At Love, also dropped out of that region as well. The former I'm very sad about, but it did quite well spending a lot of time in the Top 10. The latter I'm also sad about, thought it has been here for a while and I'm thankful for its success as well. We'll see how long they hang around.

- Speaking of Halsey, I mentioned yesterday that I read an article saying that she'll be playing Wonder Woman in the Teen Titans Go! movie. I have nieces and nephews who love that show and they watch it all the time. I doubt they know anything about it, but I probably should tell them soon. I wouldn't want them to miss out on that!

- I'm very pleased to see Finesse making it back into the Top 20 after that unnecessary drop last week. Unfortunately, it had to be sandwiched between the bad songs, much like Beautiful Trauma did last week. I'm hoping that changes next week where it can be surrounded by the good songs currently in the Top 20.

- Then we get to our Top 10, and my goodness! Talk about a big shake-up! We have four new songs making their way into that region. One which is not so good (I Like Me Better) and the other three (Hold Me Tight Or Don't, Beautiful Trauma, and Whatever It Takes) I'll certainly take. The big jump from Hold Me Tight Or Don't was quite shocking to me, since I wasn't expecting too much out of that song given that Fall Out Boy's latest music didn't take off elsewhere. Whatever It Takes is a different story, as its been successful in terms of sales. But the one thing that surprised me was that how quickly it jumped, and in the third week of its countdown run. Something tells me it's going to stay in that region for a long while.

- On that note, I'm also surprised by the success of Good Old Days on this countdown. Not only has it spent a while in the Top 10, but it also hit #1 here despite not being big elsewhere. Keep in mind that Glorious also spent some time there, but it never got into the Top 5. I guess Hits 1 loves to hear from Macklemore, heh.

- In terms of other songs that aren't successful elsewhere, we have One Foot somehow reaching a new peak of #2. This is the first time that Walk The Moon has had a song in the Top 5 since Shut Up And Dance. Perfectly fine by me as this song is a fun listen from start to finish. I love how energetic the chorus is all throughout the song and the production is simply divine across the board. It's one of their best songs, along with its predecessor. If it somehow gets lucky, we may see it at #1 at some point. I'm also hoping it may go after the record of weeks its predecessor had, but that's asking for too much. I'm just happy that it's successful on Hits 1 even though it's not big elsewhere.

- And finally, in what appears to be a stunning move, we have a surprise new #1 this week! Hailee Steinfeld somehow manages to dethrone The Middle for the top spot with Let Me Go. I'm definitely cool with this at the top. I love how Hailee Steinfeld can show what she is really capable of in this song. I can say the same for F.G.L. as well. As I said, this is a much better version of Starving in terms of both the production and the lyrical content. It's definitely a meaningful song all around. I'm glad that the better song from both of these artists is doing very well on this countdown because it deserves it. I'm hoping the song can get at least a few more weeks at the top spot, but one week is just good enough. So I'm pleased by this.

Hit-Bound:

• Foster The People – Sit Next To Me
• Dua Lipa – IDGAF
• Rudimental featuring Jess Glynne, Macklemore, Dan Caplen – These Days
• Drake – God's Plan (DEBUT)
• Thirty Seconds To Mars – Walk On Water
• Taylor Swift – Delicate (DEBUT)
• Halsey – Alone (DEBUT)
• Portugal. The Man – Live In The Moment
• Bazzi – Mine
• Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign – Psycho
• Alice Merton – No Roots
• Demi Lovato – Tell Me You Love Me
• Charlie Puth featuring Kehlani – Done For Me (DEBUT)
• Dustin Atlas featuring Erin Bowman – Fake Friends

- On this week's edition of Hit-Bound, we have another shake-up in terms of debuts. But first, we unfortunately have to say good-bye to Welshly Arms – Legendary. That one deserved much better. It's a shame that it had to be underrated as it was a good song.

- I wasn't looking forward to having Drake back on Hit-Bound. But alas, here he is with his latest single God's Plan. Simply put, I just don't like that song. I'm just not a fan of his vocals and I don't like the production. That's really all I can say about it. I'm certain it'll make its debut, which I don't want. But if anything, I'll take something like this over Psycho any day.

- Taylor Swift has yet another new single from her album, Reputation. Enter Delicate. Normally, this would be a sure-fire hit for her. But given how badly her recent singles have fared, I'm not entirely sure anymore. Anyway, it's one of the more low-key songs from her album. I've heard better from Taylor, but it's definitely not a bad song. I'll have more on this should it debut.

- Are you tired of Halsey? If your answer is yes, then I've got bad news for you. She has released another new single in its stead, titled Alone. Now, is this her best song? No, I'd much prefer Strangers to become her next single. But she does showcase her vocal talent throughout the song, like she did with its predecessor.

- Finally, we have more Charlie Puth with his latest single from Voicenotes. This time, he's collaborating with Kehlani in the single titled Done For Me. I'm surprised he decided to choose her for this one, but I have no complaints about it at all. I was quite impressed with how it turned out. Once again, the production is on point for the most part and their vocals blend together well. I'll talk more about this come its inevitable debut.

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks

1. Demi Lovato – Tell Me You Love Me

2. Dua Lipa – IDGAF

3. Rudimental featuring Jess Glynne, Macklemore, and Dan Caplen – These Days

4. Halsey – Alone

5. Alice Merton – No Roots

Top 20 Review:

0 – Putrid:
20. Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be
19. Lauv – I Like Me Better
18. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low
17. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same

1 – Bad:
16. Maroon 5 – Wait
15. NF – Let You Down

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
None!

4 – Good:
None!

5 – Great:
14. Meghan Trainor – No Excuses
13. Fall Out Boy – Hold Me Tight Or Don't
12. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Want You Back
11. P!NK – Beautiful Trauma
10. Ed Sheeran – Perfect
9. Halsey – Bad At Love
8. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes
7. Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt – Let Me Go
6. Walk The Moon – One Foot
5. G-Eazy featuring Halsey – Him & I
4. Macklemore featuring Kesha – Good Old Days
3. The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. – Finesse (Remix)
TIE: 1. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle

Overall Grade: 74/100 = 74% (C)

Throwback Picks Of The Week: Candi Stanton – Young Hearts, Run Free (1976) and Aerosmith – I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing (1998) 

Most Missed Countdown Song: A Great Big World featuring Christina Aguilera – Say Something

Most Missed Hit-Bound Drop-Out: Little Mix – Shout Out To My Ex

#1 Recommendation For Hits 1: Echosmith – Over My Head

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Kygo featuring Selena Gomez – It Ain't Me

My Top 5 Picks

TIE: 1. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle

TIE: 1. Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B. – Finesse (Remix)

3. Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns – Woman

4. Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello – Wolves

5. The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me

My Bottom 5 Picks

1. AJR featuring Rivers Cuomo – Sober Up

2. Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be

3. Lauv – I Like Me Better

4. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low

5. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Panic! At The Disco – L.A. Devotee: For a almost two year run for Brendon Urie and company, this was definitely a way to go out. The rock vibes fit well with the song, and I love his vocals.
Imagine Dragons – Believer: Two years since I Bet My Life was a moderate hit, these guys make their return. It's definitely a cool song with some nice rock elements. As I said, I'm quite impressed with the run its had on this countdown.

QOTW: So with Arizona and Virginia now out of the picture, who do you think will win the March Madness?