AT40: Maroon 5 & Cardi B. (4) - Week Of September 1, 2018

Hello, fam! So, I would like to say Happy Labor Day weekend to you all as we close in on the month of September! This year has flown by faster than the speed of light. Okay, well I don't really mean it like that, but you get the picture. Anyway, this is the second week in which we have a guest host as Ryan Seacrest is absent. This time, it's Alessia Cara who wanted to talk her new album, which comes out this fall. I'm definitely looking forward to what she has to offer. Before we get to this week's fresh 40, here are the songs we're saying good-bye to this week:

• Nice For What by Drake (#30)
• Dinero by Jennifer Lopez featuring DJ Khaled and Cardi B. (#32)

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.
40. Let You Down by NF (#39) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
39. The Way I Am by Charlie Puth (#40) [+1]
38. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line (#37) [–1]
37. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid (DEBUT)
36. Nevermind by Dennis Lloyd (#36) [=]
35. New Rules by Dua Lipa (#34) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
34. Let You Be Right by Meghan Trainor (#33) [–1]
33. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar (#31) [–2]
32. Bed by Nicki Minaj featuring Ariana Grande (#23) [–9]
31. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons (#29) [–2]
30. Jackie Chan by Tiesto & Dzeko featuring Post Malone and Preme (#35) [+5]
29. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD (#38) [+9]
28. Wait by Maroon 5 (#27) [–1]
27. Side Effects by The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren (DEBUT)
26. Home With You by Madison Beer (#26) [=]
25. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (#24) [–1] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
24. Lie by NF (#28) [+4]
23. Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine (#22) [–1]
22. In My Blood by Shawn Mendes (#17) [–5]
21. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha (#21) [=]
20. Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys (#19) [–1]
19. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#18) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
18. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (#25) [+7]
17. I Like Me Better by Lauv (#15) [–2]
16. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel (#16) [=]
15. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper (#20) [+5]
14. Growing Pains by Alessia Cara (#14) [=]
13. Mine by Bazzi (#11) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
12. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#12) [=]
11. In My Feelings by Drake (#13) [+2]
10. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (#8) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
9. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa (#10) [+1]
8. Delicate by Taylor Swift (#4) [–4] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
7. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#3) [–4]
6. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#6) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
5. Back To You by Selena Gomez (#9) [+4]
4. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani (#7) [+3]
3. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (#5) [+2]
2. Better Now by Post Malone (#2) [=]
1. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B. (#1) [=] [4^th Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Attention by Charlie Puth (1^st of 5 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Bed by Nicki Minaj featuring Ariana Grande (–9)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD (+9)

New Entrants
- So, we have newcomer Benny Blanco making his first appearance on the countdown this week. Here, he has an interesting collaboration between Halsey and Khalid in the single titled Eastside. When I look at the song title, it basically reminds me of the days of high school. Let's be real, though: that's not the name of the school I went to, thankfully. Anyway, I do love pretty much everything about the song. The verses from both Halsey and Khalid are well done. Their vocals blend together very nicely. I love the lyrical content about wanting to meeting each other and falling in love. These artists did a nice job with the song overall. I would love to see this be successful.

- Next, we have the return of The Chainsmokers. And this time they collaborate with Emily Warren, who wrote most of their singles from their previous albums. Their new single is called Side Effects. This one I talked about in detail when it debuted on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown, but I'll recap. The Chainsmokers have been flopping with their latest music, which in the long run really wasn't to my liking. In Side Effects, they stepped up big time. Emily does the singing instead of Andrew Taggart. She sounds amazing. I love the production these guys put together. The music video just recently came out and it stars Camila Mendes from the TV series, Riverdale. I thought she did an excellent job as a dancer throughout the entire video. Anyway, this is a big win for The Chainsmokers and Emily. They fully impressed me with the song.

Best Debut Of The Week: Side Effects by The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren

Come On And Give Me Some Blurbs Tonight
- As far as our exits go, Nice For What didn't quite do as well here unlike everywhere else. This is one of Drake's best off of Scorpion and I'm a little disappointed that it left us so soon. But at least it made the countdown. Good riddance to Dinero. Jennifer Lopez has done so much better with her music. I'm glad that song didn't last long.

- Though we do still have the same #1 song, there's been quite a shift in the Top 5 this week as Love Lies and Back To You both jump into that territory. Love Lies entering was expected given that it's still gaining even though the song has been out for a while. I believe this is Khalid's second Top 5 hit since last year when he collaborated with Logic in the song 1-800-273-8255.

- I'm a little surprised about Back To You. I didn't quite think it would be successful. I'm glad I was wrong. Given that the song is still going strong, it would be nice to see it hit #1 soon.

- It's about damn time Friends has dropped out of the Top 5! Spending all those weeks in that region made me feared this would be #1, but I'm glad it wasn't. Now let's get the song to drop more.

- Blech. Lucid Dreams makes a big jump this week. This song is just annoying all around. It's unfortunate that the song is still popular elsewhere. So, I don't expect it to leave anytime soon. :/

- Not surprised about the drop from Bed. I'm fine with that because there's really nothing to the song. Though I won't say it's a bad, Nicki and Ariana have done better.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Almost Love by Sabrina Carpenter
• Broken by lovelytheband
• Natural by Imagine Dragons

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Blank Space by Taylor Swift
• Teenage Dream by Katy Perry
• Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara
• Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars
• Love The Way You Lie by Eminem featuring Rihanna
• Here by Alessia Cara
• Demons by Imagine Dragons
• Wild Things by Alessia Cara
• Scars To Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
20. I Like Me Better by Lauv
19. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
18. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

1 – Bad:
17. In My Feelings by Drake

2 – Mediocre:
16. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin

3 – Decent:
15. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper
14. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.

4 – Good:
13. Mine by Bazzi

5 – Great:
12. Better Now by Post Malone
11. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
10. Back To You by Selena Gomez
9. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
8. Delicate by Taylor Swift
7. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel
6. Growing Pains by Alessia Cara
5. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa
4. Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys
3. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey

Total Score: 75/100 = 75% (C)

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

Most Missed Song: Sing by Ed Sheeran

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Happy Now by Zedd featuring Elley Duhé (I sure hope this gets picked up soon. This is AMAZING!!!)

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Praying by Kesha (#17)

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
TIE: 1. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
TIE: 1. Let You Be Right by Meghan Trainor
4. Side Effects by The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren
5. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande

Honorable Mentions: Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid, Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys, and One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. I Like Me Better
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
4. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
5. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Mi Gente by J. Balvin featuring Willy William: This song is just an embarrassment to the Latin genre. These two artists have no personality whatsoever. Not even the remix from Beyoncé could save it unfortunately.
What About Us by P!NK: It may not be P!NK's best by any means, but it still shows just how talented she is vocally, and the production here is pretty good. It's too bad that nothing else from her latest album has caught on since.

Fall Out Boy (1) - Week Of August 25, 2018

Hello, fam! This post came out a little later than expected. My apologies, but I had a very busy weekend. So, I went to the movies and saw Crazy Rich Asians, and I fell in love with it. If you haven't watched it yet, I highly recommend it. Anyway, here's the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown post! Well, how about that! This was a week that I'm sure quite a few people around here were wanting to see for sometime. There was no doubt a lot of activity going on, and we got a new #1 which virtually came out of nowhere. Sure, this'll be a lot of fun to talk about. Let's get on with it! Before we get to this week's fresh 45, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – Meant To Be (#21) [Spent 1 Week At #1]
• The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me (#33)
• Walk The Moon – One Foot (#39)
• U2 featuring Cheat Codes – Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way (#41)
• MNEK featuring Hailee Steinfeld – Colour (#43)
• Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift – Babe (#44)
• Bazzi – Mine (#45)

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes
45. Lauv – I Like Me Better (#34) [–11]
44. Meghan Trainor – Let You Be Right (#40) [–4]
43. Drake – In My Feelings (#36) [–7]
42. Charlie Puth featuring Kehlani – Done For Me (#42) [=]
41. Alessia Cara – Growing Pains (#24) [–17]
40. 5 Seconds of Summer – Want You Back (#37) [–3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
39. George Ezra – Shotgun (DEBUT)
38. Camila Cabello – Never Be The Same (#28) [–10] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
37. Train featuring Cam and Travie McCoy – Call Me Sir (DEBUT)
36. Halsey – Alone (#35) [–1]
35. Brown & Gray – Top Down (DEBUT)
34. PNAU – Go Bang (#38) [+4]
33. Weezer – Africa (DEBUT)
32. Niall Horan – On The Loose (#29) [–3]
31. Dennis Lloyd – Nevermind (DEBUT)
30. Dua Lipa – IDGAF (#26) [–4]
29. Maroon 5 – Wait (#25) [–4]
28. The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren – Side Effects (#20) [–8]
27. Charlie Puth – The Way I Am (DEBUT)
26. Madison Beer – Home With You (#32) [+6]
25. Post Malone – Better Now (#14) [–11]
24. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess (#30) [+6]
23. PRETTYMUCH – Summer On You (#27) [+4]
22. Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin – I Like It (#22) [=]
21. Dan + Shay – Tequila (#31) [+10]
20. Ariana Grande – God Is A Woman (DEBUT)
19. Imagine Dragons – Natural (#17)
18. Khalid featuring Normani – Love Lies (#16) [–2]
17. Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie – Friends (#18) [+1]
16. Foster The People – Sit Next To Me (#15) [–1]
15. NOTD featuring Bea Miller – I Wanna Know (#6) [–9]
14. Shawn Mendes – In My Blood (#23) [+9] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
13. Taylor Swift – Delicate (#10) [–3] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
12. Ariana Grande – No Tears Left To Cry (#12) [=]
11. lovelytheband – Broken (#19) [+8]
10. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle (#4) [–6] [Spent 9 Weeks At #1]
9. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes (#9) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
8. Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa – One Kiss (#8) [=]
7. Backstreet Boys – Don't Go Breaking My Heart (#13) [+6]
6. Selena Gomez – Back To You (#2) [–4]
5. Panic! At The Disco – Say Amen (Saturday Night) (#5) [=] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
4. Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B. – Girls Like You (#11) [+7]
3. 5 Seconds of Summer – Youngblood (#3) [=]
2. Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes (#1) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
1. Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones (#7) [+6] [1^st Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Charlie Puth – Attention (1^st And Only Week At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: Alessia Cara – Growing Pains (–17)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Dan + Shay – Tequila (+10)

New Entrants
- Wow. We have seven (Yes, SEVEN) debuts that I'll be talking about this week. So, buckle up everyone. First up, we have the return of George Ezra with his latest single titled Shotgun. For those who don't know him, I'll just simply tell you the story. He went mainstream back in 2015 when he had Budapest, which was a good song. I remember first listening to it and I thought that he has a unique voice. That was one of the reasons why I liked the song. His new single is really no different. Once again, his voice stands out here for the most part. The production here is nice, and I like the use of the guitars throughout the song. It sounds great and it fits well for an alternative song. Overall, it's a nice comeback single for George Ezra. I do hope it can last long.

- For our next debut, we have the return of Train, who collaborate with Cam and Travie McCoy in their latest single titled Call Me Sir. The last time we saw them was last year when they had Play That Song, which I still detest even to this day. Call Me Sir is not any better. In fact, the song is basically Play That Song 2.0. I don't see anything good about this whatsoever. Pat Monahan's voice sounds grating. I'd say that's the worst aspect of the song. I'm also not a fan of the contribution we get from Cam and Travie McCoy. They sound good in parts of the song, but they don't stand out. So yeah, I'm not fond of this at all. Hopefully it doesn't stay for too long like its predecessor.

- While we have Dan + Shay with their current representation on the countdown, there's also another country duo that makes its debut this week. Brown & Gray, who consist of Kaci Brown and Sam Gray, have their debut single titled Top Down. Right off the bat, it's one of the better country songs around, along with Tequila. The production here is very well done. These guys put forth the effort in working the song. I love how their vocals blend together. They sound really good all throughout the song. Simply put, this was a great first impression for the country duo. I would like for it to stick around.

- I was not looking forward to having Weezer making an appearance on the countdown. But alas, here they are with the song title Africa, which is the cover of the 1982 song from Toto. I first took a listen of this song and I thought to myself that it's not good. Although the production is okay, my problem here is the vocals we get from Rivers Cuomo. It's underwhelming, especially in the verses he sings. To put it easy, this is nowhere near as good as the original version. It's just a weak cover of a song and Weezer did a poor job of executing the song. NEXT!

- Next, we have newcomer Dennis Lloyd with a song titled Nevermind. I did talk about this one when it debuted on the American Top 40. But let's recap what I said. I do think the production is decent, especially with the use of guitars. But I'm not too big on his vocals. I feel like he didn't really stand out for much of the song. Also, the song is repetitive, especially when looking at the lyrical content. Personally, I think more could've been done with the songwriting. So yeah, it's not really a bad song, but I most likely won't remember it in a year or so.

- Charlie Puth has yet another new single from his latest album Voicenotes, this time he has chosen The Way I Am. As I explained quite a few times, Charlie has improved from the dreck that was Nine Track Mind when he released Voicenotes. It was praised by many YouTube critics in contrast to its predecessor, which they panned because the songs were too generic. It showed basically a different side of Charlie with songs such as Attention, How Long, and Done For Me. As for The Way I Am...well I can say it's not quite as good as what he's been releasing lately. But still, it shows Charlie's growth in terms of his songwriting and his vocals. What the song talks about is dealing with anxiety and social insecurities. We have times where we can be shy and not as confident and this is something most of us can relate to. Parts of the song kinda remind me of the Michael Jackson song Smooth Criminal, especially with what it sounds like. When I listen to that song, I often compared to Charlie's single. Anyway, it's a pretty good song from Voicenotes, though not as good as the others. We'll see if it ends up getting big.

- Ariana Grande has just released her brand new album Sweetner this month. One of the songs from that album, titled God Is A Woman, makes its highest debut this week. Now I haven't really listened to her entire album as of yet, but I'm willing to bet it's a good album all around. God Is A Woman is definitely an amazing song in my opinion. I love Ariana's voice all throughout the song. Although there's not really much to the production, her vocals easily make up for it. I'm sure some people can be turned off by the song title itself given that it can be controversial. But I'm not among that crowd. It's definitely a great follow-up to its predecessor. I'm looking forward to seeing that one do well.

Best Debut Of The Week: Ariana Grande – God Is A Woman

Blurbs Down In Africa
- As always we'll begin with our exits, and boy we cleaned house! First off, the departure of Mine was expected, especially since it performed pretty poorly on this countdown as opposed to everywhere else. Babe was underrated for a country song. Colour wasn't destined to last long especially after that big drop last week. That leaves us with three big songs. One Foot had a nice tenure here even though the song itself didn't get as big as Shut Up And Dance. Walk The Moon has another song on Hit-Bound and we'll get to that later. But I'm pleased with its countdown run. Pray For Me also did well, too. It was a nice collaboration between The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar and I enjoyed its presence. That one will be missed by me. And finally, let us celebrate as Meant To Be has officially left the countdown! This was a horrible mix of county and pop, and Bebe Rexha has done better. At least it's finally gone. Good riddance.

- It's very pleasing to see I Like Me Better drop all the way down to the bottom of the countdown. I will never understand the appeal to this song. It won't be long until it leaves hopefully.

-  Before introducing Alone, Spyder Harrison mentioned that G-Eazy and Halsey appeared to be getting back together again. Looks like they may end up becoming a couple again, but only time will tell on that.

- Spyder Harrison mentioned during the introduction for On The Loose that Niall Horan was spotted kissing Hailee Steinfeld. I have a feeling that he may have a thing for Hailee. Could they end up being a couple in the near future? We'll have to wait and see for ourselves.

- The music video for Side Effects just recently came out and it actually features Camila Mendes from the TV series, Riverdale. Although I don't really watch that show, I did see the music video and she turned out to be a very good dancer. She has some groove. That said, I'm not thrilled to see the song drop out of the Top 20. I hope it gets back up there like real soon and doesn't lose its momentum.

- Before introducing Tequila, Spyder Harrison mentioned that Dan + Shay celebrated by throwing a street party. I'll bet they probably had a lot of fun with their friends and all. I'll bet one of these guys was a party animal.

- I Wanna Know took quite a drop out of the Top 10. I was starting to lose interest in the song, though I'll admit it did quite well during its countdown run.

- This is the first time The Middle is not in the Top 5 since I don't know how long. It's been quite a ride. For some reason I still love, love, LOVE this song even though it's been out for a long while. I'm very thankful for the success that it has. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing it become #1 of the year on Hits 1's Top 45 Of 2018.

- Girls Like You has now entered the Top 5 after spending quite a while outside of that region. I'm sure it'll probably end up hitting #1 here as well.

- So, the music video for High Hopes just came out, and I was quite impressed with how Brendon Urie was able to walk on buildings like that just to get to the top. Did he had some magic shoes or something like that?

- Finally, we've come to our brand new #1 for this week! The Last Of The Real Ones took a surprise jump into the Top 5 and then take the #1 spot. I definitely did not see that coming. Hits 1 has been kind to Fall Out Boy for sometime, since their previous singles have hit #1. The Last Of The Real Ones is easily the best song off of MANIA and I'm glad these guys chose it as a single.

Hit-Bound:

• DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Chance The Rapper, and Quavo – No Brainer
• Marshmello featuring Bastille – Happier (DEBUT)
• Sabrina Carpenter – Almost Love
• Zedd featuring Elley Duhé – Happy Now
• The Vamps – Just My Type (DEBUT)
• LSD – Thunderclouds (DEBUT)
• Panic! At The Disco – Hey Look Ma, I Made It (DEBUT)
• NF – Lie
• Clean Bandit featuring Demi Lovato – Solo (DEBUT)
• Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello – Beautiful
• Walk The Moon – Kamikaze (DEBUT)
• Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith – Promises (DEBUT)
• Anne-Marie – 2002
• AJR – Burn The House Down
• Bryce Vine – Drew Barrymore (DEBUT)

- Alright, everyone. We have a bunch of new songs entering Hit-Bound this week, so let's cover them all!

- I've been pretty mixed with Marshmello's music lately. Songs such as Wolves and Every Day were both amazing, but Friends was annoying all around. His new single kinda lands somewhere in the middle as far as my opinion goes. I do like the vocals, but the production here is still relatively mediocre, especially for Marshmello. It's a step up from Friends, but it's still pales in comparison to his two predecessors.

- Next we have the return of The Vamps, by the name of Just My Type. Right off the bat, it's quite a fun and enjoyable song all around. It's a little more fast-paced than their previous singles. The production here is good and they sound better vocals-wise. I'll have more on this when it debuts.

- A new group called LSD, consisting of three artists Labrinth, Sia, and Diplo, has a new song titled Thunderclouds. I'm sure some here are familiar with Sia, who had quite a few huge hits in recent years. Anyway, I cannot stand Sia's vocals at all. She sounds scratchy in most parts of the song and the production is garbled many times. Simply put, this song is a mess. I do hope it doesn't debut.

- Once more, Panic! At The Disco have another new single, this time it's Hey Look Ma, I Made It. I'll have more on this when it inevitably debuts. But let me just simply say that Brendon Urie and company have impressed me yet again.

- We have the return of Clean Bandit, who collaborates with Demi Lovato in their latest single titled Solo. I love the work Clean Bandit has done here, and Demi sounds amazing. I'll have more on this should it debut.

- As one song from Walk The Moon leaves the countdown, another is coming to take its place. Their next single off of What If Nothing is called Kamikaze. It actually the same name of the song from MØ, that which I'm sure will bring back bad memories for those who don't like it. The intro to the song pretty much resembles Happy Now when I first listened to it. The song is pretty enjoyable, though not quite as good as its predecessor.

- Next, we have Calvin Harris with his next single and it features Sam Smith, by the name of Promises. I can't say it's as good as One Kiss. But I do like Sam Smith's contribution in this one. More on this if it debuts.

- Finally, Bryce Vine has a song that is somewhat gaining momentum, titled Drew Barrymore. I talked about this one when it debuted on the AT40. But to recap, it's not really all that interesting for the most part. The production is decent, but I'm not too fond of his vocals. That's all I have to say about it.

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks
1. Zedd featuring Elley Duhé – Happy Now
2. Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello – Beautiful
3. Panic! At The Disco – Hey Look Ma, I Made It
4. Clean Bandit featuring Demi Lovato – Solo
5. Walk The Moon – Kamikaze

Top 20 Review:
0 – Putrid:
20. Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie – Friends

1 – Bad:
None!

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
19. NOTD featuring Bea Miller – I Wanna Know
18. Foster The People – Sit Next To Me
17. Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B. – Girls Like You

4 – Good:
16. Shawn Mendes – In My Blood

5 – Great:
15. lovelytheband – Broken
14. Imagine Dragons – Natural
13. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes
12. Khalid featuring Normani – Love Lies 
11. Selena Gomez – Back To You
10. Panic! At The Disco – Say Amen (Saturday Night)
9. Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes
8. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood
7. Taylor Swift – Delicate
6. Ariana Grande – No Tears Left To Cry
5. Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa – One Kiss
4. Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. Ariana Grande – God Is A Woman
TIE: 1. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle
TIE: 1. Backstreet Boys – Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Overall Grade: 91/100 = 91% (A–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (1983) (This week would've been his 60th Birthday, so Happy Birthday to the late Michael Jackson)

Most Missed Countdown Song: Demi Lovato – Heart Attack

Most Missed Hit-Bound Dropout: Lorde – Green Light

#1 Recommendation For Hits 1: Tori Kelly featuring Kirk Franklin – Never Alone

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Kesha – Praying (#20)

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. Backstreet Boys – Don't Go Breaking My Heart
TIE: 1. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle
TIE: 1. Ariana Grande – God Is A Woman
4. The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren – Side Effects
5. Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones

Honorable Mentions: Ariana Grande – No Tears Left To Cry, Meghan Trainor – Let You Be Right, and Alessia Cara – Growing Pains

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Lauv – I Like Me Better
2. Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie – Friends
3. Train featuring Cam and Travie McCoy – Call Me Sir
4. Weezer – Africa
5. Drake – In My Feelings

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey – Glorious: It was nice to see the return of Macklemore. And he bought along Skylar Grey. I was happy with how the collaboration turned out. I felt like this should've been bigger than it was.
Imagine Dragons – Thunder: Although the song itself is catchy, I'm starting to see why some here aren't too fond of it. I'll probably have more to say about this in my Year-End posts. But I'll just say that Imagine Dragons have done better.

QOTW: What are your thoughts on Ariana Grande's latest album, Sweetner? What is your favorite song? Least favorite? Why?

AT40: Maroon 5 & Cardi B. (3) - Week Of August 25, 2018

What's up, guys? This week, I've finally posted my 100,000 Pageview Special! For those of you who haven't already checked it out, it's on the right side under Pageview Specials. Once again, I would like to say thank you all for reaching 100,000 Pageviews. You guys here are really the best. Anyway, Ryan Seacrest is absent this week as the band 5 Seconds Of Summer took over as the host. I thought they did pretty good at hosting for the most part. Let's get right into things. Before we get to this week's fresh 40, here are the songs we're saying good-bye to this week:

• All Night by Big Boi (#31)
• Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé (#40) [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.
40. The Way I Am by Charlie Puth (DEBUT)
39. Let You Down by NF (#38) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
38. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD (DEBUT)
37. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line (#36) [–1]
36. Nevermind by Dennis Lloyd (#39) [+3]
35. Jackie Chan by Tiesto & Dzeko featuring Post Malone and Preme (#37) [+2]
34. New Rules by Dua Lipa (#32) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
33. Let You Be Right by Meghan Trainor (#34) [+1]
32. Dinero by Jennifer Lopez featuring Cardi B. and DJ Khaled (#33) [+1]
31. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar (#30) [–1]
30. Nice For What by Drake (#20) [–10]
29. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons (#28) [–1]
28. Lie by NF (#29) [+1]
27. Wait by Maroon 5 (#25) [–2]
26. Home With You by Madison Beer (#26) [=]
25. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (#35) [+10]
24. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (#22) [–2] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
23. Bed by Nicki Minaj featuring Ariana Grande (#24) [+1]
22. Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine (#23) [+1]
21. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha (#21) [=]
20. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper (#27) [+7]
19. Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys (#19) [=]
18. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#17) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
17. In My Blood by Shawn Mendes (#16)
16. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel (#18) [+2]
15. I Like Me Better by Lauv (#13) [–2]
14. Growing Pains by Alessia Cara (#15) [+1]
13. In My Feelings by Drake (#14) [+1]
12. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#12) [=]
11. Mine by Bazzi (#8) [–3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
10. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa (#11) [+1]
9. Back To You by Selena Gomez (#10) [+1]
8. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (#7) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
7. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani (#8) [+1]
6. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#6) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
5. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (#5) [=]
4. Delicate by Taylor Swift (#3) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
3. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#2) [–1]
2. Better Now by Post Malone (#4) [+2]
1. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B. (#1) [=] [3^rd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes (1^st And Only Week At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Nice For What by Drake (–10)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (+10)

New Entrants
- Charlie Puth makes his return to the countdown with the next single off of Voicenotes, titled The Way I Am. His music has been improving since the days of Nine Track Mind. His first three single off of his latest album have been more likable among the blogging community and YouTube critics alike. As for his latest single The Way I Am, I can't say it's as good as the other three. But it still shows how much Charlie has improved. I do like his vocals here, and he does quite well with handling the production itself. I'll talk more about this later this weekend when it debuts on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown. But yeah, Charlie has done well impressing me so far.

- For our second and final debut of the week, we have Juice WRLD with the song called Lucid Dreams. I'm just going to simply say that right off the bat, I don't see the appeal to the song whatsoever. Now, I do think his vocals are okay, so I don't see it as a problem. But there are many reasons why I don't like it. I'm not a fan of the lyrical content and parts of the song are actually annoying, especially when we get to the bridge. The production here is weak all throughout the song. So yeah, this was not a good first impression at all in my book. I do hope it doesn't last too long.

Best Debut Of The Week: The Way I Am by Charlie Puth

That's Just The Way I Blurb
- We'll start with our two exits. First off, I'm pleased to see All Night by Big Boi not last very long here. Second, we have the departure of Perfect by Ed Sheeran. With that, this will be the first time we don't have a song from Ed Sheeran on the countdown just January 2017. I'm sad to say that we won't be getting anymore singles from him for a while. He did have a very nice run and I enjoyed most of his singles from Divide. I'm sure some here are bidding good riddance to Perfect, but I'm not one of them. It's definitely a candidate for My Top 50 Songs of 2018, which I plan on getting started on very soon. Good-bye Perfect. It's been a fun ride.

- Post Malone hits a new peak of #2 with Better Now. I wouldn't be surprised if it somehow ends up being a #1 song down the road. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing it at the top soon.

- There were a couple of big jumps worth mentioning. No Brainer making a 7-spot jump was no surprise, but I'm not all that thrilled about it. However, I'll gladly take the big jump from God Is A Woman. I liked the performance from the VMA's and Ariana sounded amazing live. I hope that song continues it success.

- On the opposite end of the spectrum, Nice For What takes a big drop. It's quite a shame to see this one not do as well as its predecessor. I still like that song quite a lot. It's one of the best songs off of Scorpion.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Almost Love by Sabrina Carpenter
• SoulMate by Justin Timberlake
• Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid
• Side Effects by The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Can't Hold Us by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton
• Somebody by Natalia Ja Rose featuring Jeremih
• She's Kinda Hot by 5 Seconds Of Summer
• Habits by Tove Lo
• She Looks So Perfect by 5 Seconds Of Summer
• Super Bass by Nicki Minaj
• What I Like About You by 5 Seconds Of Summer
• All Of Me by John Legend
• Want You Back by 5 Seconds Of Summer

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
20. I Like Me Better by Lauv
19. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
18. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

1 – Bad:
17. In My Feelings by Drake

2 – Mediocre:
16. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin

3 – Decent:
15. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper
14. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.

4 – Good:
13. In My Blood by Shawn Mendes
12. Mine by Bazzi

5 – Great:
11. Better Now by Post Malone
10. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
9. Back To You by Selena Gomez
8. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
7. Delicate by Taylor Swift
6. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel
5. Growing Pains by Alessia Cara
4. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande
3. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
TIE: 1. Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys

Total Score: 74/100 = 74% (C)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Will You Be There by Michael Jackson (1993)

Most Missed Song: Give Your Heart A Break by Demi Lovato

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Happy Now by Zedd featuring Elley Duhé

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Praying by Kesha (#21)

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris 
3. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
4. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande
5. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa

Honorable Mentions: Let You Be Right by Meghan Trainor and Growing Pains by Alessia Cara

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. I Like Me Better
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
4. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
5. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Know No Better by Major Lazer featuring Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, and Quavo: I'd say this is one of Major Lazer's worst singles. The production here is underwhelming, especially for a EDM artist who made a breakthrough with Lean On. Not to mention that none of the artists made any contribution here.
Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man: Some here have faded on this one by now, and for some other it stuck with them. As for me, well I'll just say that it was nice to see an indie group of this caliber come up with this sleeper hit, even if the song itself may not be interesting to some here anymore.

100,000 Pageview Special: 2000's Billboard Hot 100 Decade End List

Hello, fam! This month, my blog has finally hit 100,000 Pageviews! As such, I did something special for the occasion. So for this post, I decided to turn back the clock and review the Billboard Hot 100 Decade-End Chart for the 2000's. Now, I don't really do Billboard posts often because simply it's just too time consuming for me (unless maybe I'm doing maybe a Year-End post or something special for the occasion). But I do know that the Billboard is a more accurate representation of what songs that are popular today. Just last month, the Billboard Hot 100 recently celebrated its 60th Anniversary. I find it a little hard for me to believe that it's been around for a long time. Now, you're probably asking why do I sometimes do a post related to Billboard? Well, it's because every once in a while, I like to post something different as opposed to doing weekly reviews of both countdowns (such as the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown and the American Top 40). 

I chose the 2000's because I felt like it was a memorable decade for the most part. For one, it was the start of the new millennium. Also, this was a decade where MP3's were prominent and sites such as YouTube were coming into the fold. While radio was still determining which songs get popular, the rise of MP3's would begin to impact most charts throughout the course of the decade. How did the 2000's eventually stack up? Well, you'll have to read on and just see for yourself! Now with all that being said, here is the color code that I'll be using and the number of points each song will get:

• Purple – Best Song (6 Points)
• Dark Blue – Song Is In Top 10 (5 Points)
• Green – Great (5 Points)
• Blue – Good (4 Points)
• Pink – Decent (3 Points)
• Yellow – Mediocre (2 Points)
• Turquoise – Bad (1 Point)
• Red – Garbage (0 Points)
• Dark Red – Song Is In Bottom 10 (0 Points)
• Orange – Worst Song (0 Points)

And there you have it. I won't really do a full-on review for each song on the list, but I'll share my thoughts on some of them in the blurbs. Afterwards, I'll do a Top 100 Breakdown similar to the one I did in my earlier Billboard posts. The maximum score will come out to 500. We'll see how well the decade of the 2000's fared. So with that, I now present to you the Billboard Hot 100 Decade-End list for the 2000's!

The Hot 100 Chart:
100. Forever by Chris Brown (2008) (#2)
99. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) by Beyoncé (2008) (#1, 4 Weeks Total; 3 in 2008, 1 in 2009)
98. Try Again by Aaliyah featuring Timbaland (#1, 1 Week in 2000)
97. Hey There Delilah by Plain White T's (#1, 2 Weeks in 2007)
96. Work It by Missy Elliot (2002) (#2)
95. Let Me Blow Ya Mind by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani (2001) (#2)
94. Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne (2007) (#1, 1 Week)
93. Kiss Kiss by Chris Brown featuring T-Pain (2007) (#1, 3 Weeks)
92. So What by P!NK (2008) (#1, 1 Week)
91. Stronger by Kanye West (2007) (#1, 1 Week)
90. U Remind Me by Usher (2001) (#1, 7 Weeks)
89. Photograph by Nickelback (2006) (#2)
88. Check On It by Beyoncé featuring Slim Thug (2005) (#1, 5 Weeks in 2006)
87. Stand Up by Ludacris featuring Shawnna (2003) (#1, 1 Week)
86. You're Beautiful by James Blunt (2005) (#1, 1 Week in 2006)
85. Love In This Club by Usher featuring Young Jeezy (2008) (#1, 3 Weeks)
84. My Humps by The Black Eyed Peas (2005) (#3)
83. Complicated by Avril Lavigne (2002) (#2)
82. Always On Time by Ja Rule featuring Ashanti (2001) (#1, 2 Weeks in 2002)
81. It Wasn't Me by Shaggy featuring Ricardo and Ducent (2000) (#1, 2 Weeks in 2001)
80. Right Round by Flo Rida (2009) (#1, 6 Weeks)
79. Bubbly by Colbie Caillat (2007) (#5)
78. Bent by Matchbox Twenty (2000) (#1, 1 Week)
77. Love Song by Sara Bareilles (2007) (#4)
76. Smack That by Akon featuring Eminem (2006) (#2)
75. I Wanna Know by Joe (1999) (#4)
74. Ignition by R. Kelly (2002) (#2)
73. Love Story by Taylor Swift (2008) (#4)
72. Right Thurr by Chingy (2003) (#2)
71. Buy U A Drank by T-Pain featuring Yung Joc (2007) (#1, 1 Week)
70. Get Low by Lil Jon featuring East Side Boyz and YingYang Twins (2003) (#2)
69. Hot N Cold by Katy Perry (2008) (#3)
68. Here Without You by 3 Doors Down (2003) (#5)
67. Unwell by Matchbox Twenty (2003) (#5)
66. I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry (2008) (#1, 7 Weeks)
65. All For You by Janet Jackson (2001) (#1, 7 Weeks)
64. Disturbia by Rihanna (2008) (#1, 2 Weeks)
63. Temperature by Sean Paul (2006) (#1, 1 Week)
62. Ain't It Funny by Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule (2002) (#1, 6 Weeks)
61. I'm Yours by Jason Mraz (2008) (#6)
60. SexyBack by Justin Timberlake (2006) (#1, 7 Weeks)
59. 1, 2, Step by Ciara featuring Missy Elliot (2004) (#2)
58. How To Save A Life by The Fray (2006) (#3)
57. Umbrella by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z (2007) (#1, 7 Weeks)
56. Bad Day by Daniel Powter (2005) (#1, 5 Weeks in 2006)
55. Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon (2000) (#1, 1 Week)
54. I Knew I Loved You by Savage Garden (1999) (#1, 4 Weeks in 2000)
53. The Way I Are by Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson (2007) (#3)
52. Candy Shop by 50 Cent featuring Olivia (2005) (#1, 9 Weeks)
51. If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys (2004) (#4)
50. Get Busy by Sean Paul (2003) (#1, 3 Weeks)
49. Viva La Vida by Coldplay (2008) (#1, 1 Week)
48. Drop It Like It's Hot by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell Williams (2004) (#1, 3 Weeks)
47. Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson (2005) (#2)
46. With Arms Wide Open by Creed (2000) (#1, 1 Week)
45. Lean Back by Terror Squad featuring Fat Joe and Remy (2004) (#1, 3 Weeks)
44. Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland (2006) (#1, 6 Weeks)
43. Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down (2000) (#3)
42. Poker Face by Lady Gaga (2008) (#1, 1 Week in 2009)
41. Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani (2005) (#1, 4 Weeks)
40. Crazy In Love by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z (2003) (#1, 8 Weeks)
39. Lollipop by Lil Wayne featuring Static Major (2008) (#1, 3 Weeks)
38. Baby Boy by Beyoncé featuring Sean Paul (2003) (#1, 9 Weeks)
37. Live Your Life by T.I. featuring Rihanna (2008) (#1, 6 Weeks)
36. My Boo by Usher featuring Alicia Keys (2004) (#1, 6 Weeks)
35. Just Dance by Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'Donis (2008) (#1, 3 Weeks in 2009)
34. Run It by Chris Brown (2005) (#1, 5 Weeks)
33. Smooth by Santana featuring Rob Thomas (1999) (#1, 12 Weeks Total)
32. Hot In Herre by Nelly (2002) (#1, 7 Weeks)
31. Goodies by Ciara (2004) (#1, 7 Weeks)
30. I'm Real by Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule (2001) (#1, 5 Weeks)
29. Fallin' by Alicia Keys (2001) (#1, 6 Weeks)
28. Lose Yourself by Eminem (2002) (#1, 12 Weeks Total; 8 in 2002, 4 in 2003)
27. Breathe by Faith Hill (#2) (1999)
26. Hanging By A Moment by Lifehouse (2000) (#2)
25. Irreplaceable by Beyoncé (2006) (#1, 10 Weeks Total; 3 in 2006, 7 in 2007)
24. In Da Club by 50 Cent (2003) (#1, 9 Weeks)
23. Crank That by Soulja Boy (2007) (#1, 7 Weeks)
22. The Way You Move by OutKast featuring Sleepy Brown (2004) (#1, 1 Week)
21. Burn by Usher (2004) (#1, 8 Weeks)
20. Hey Ya! by OutKast (2003) (#1, 9 Weeks Total; 3 in 2003, 6 in 2004)
19. Foolish by Ashanti (2002) (#1, 10 Weeks)
18. Independent Woman Part I by Destiny's Child (2000) (#1, 11 Weeks Total; 7 in 2000, 4 in 2001)
17. Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis (2007) (#1, 4 Weeks in 2008)
16. Whatever You Like by T.I. (2008) (#1, 7 Weeks)
15. U Got It Bad by Usher (2001) (#1, 6 Weeks Total; 3 in 2001, 3 in 2002)
14. Maria Maria by Santana featuring The Product G&B (1999) (#1, 10 Weeks in 2000)
13. Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie (2007) (#1, 1 Week)
12. Family Affair by Mary J. Blige (2001) (#1, 6 Weeks)
11. Dilemma by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland (2002) (#1, 10 Weeks)
10. Apologize by Timbaland featuring OneRepublic (2007) (#2)
9. Gold Digger by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx (2005) (#1, 10 Weeks)
8. Let Me Love You by Mario (2004) (#1, 9 Weeks in 2005)
7. Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas (2009) (#1, 12 Weeks)
6. No One by Alicia Keys (2007) (#1, 5 Weeks)
5. I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas (2009) (#1, 14 Weeks)
4. How You Remind Me by Nickelback (2001) (#1, 4 Weeks Total; 2 in 2001, 2 in 2002)
3. Low by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain (2008) (#1, 10 Weeks)
2. Yeah! by Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris (2004) (#1, 12 Weeks)
1. We Belong Together by Mariah Carey (2005) (#1, 14 Weeks)

We Blurb Together
- I know this may be an unpopular opinion to some people here, but I actually don't think Singles Ladies was that bad. In fact, I actually really really like it. Sure the production may not sit well with some people, but I love everything else about it. Beyoncé sounds amazing like she always does.

- On that note, I can definitely say the same when it comes to Irreplacable. I don't really get hate for this. I'm among the crowd who actually loves this.

- Avril Lavigne became a favorite of mine throughout the decade with songs such as Complicated and Girlfriend. As far as my opinion on the latter goes, I find it to be way over-hated nowadays. Some may not like the song mainly because it's too loud for their tastes. But I fell immediately love with it. Personally, if I was reviewing my best songs for 2007, I'd say that Girlfriend would've been in my top 5 for that year. That's how much I love the song.

- Love Song was amazing back when the song was brand new and it still is even to this day. It was a great first impression for Sara Bareilles overall. She has an amazing voice and she uses it very well. Though she didn't get another hit until the next decade, it was nice seeing her rise to prominence with Love Song.

- It's crazy how much my opinion has changed on Bad Day by Daniel Powter. I used to really like that song back when it was brand new. But after hearing it again, I finally start to realize how whiny his voice is. And the lyrics aren't much help either. Sorry to those that still like it, but yeah.

- I don't know about you, but I find Hollaback Girl to be annoying in and of itself. I simply do not like Gwen's voice in this song, and not helping is that the lyrical content is basically poorly-written and in some parts, just dumb. So yeah, that one blows.

- Some of the artists who have been relevant this decade (2010's) were up and coming stars at that time, especially in the latter half of the 2000's. Artists such as Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna have made first impressions with their earlier singles and would eventually become the stars as we know them today.

- There have been quite a few songs from 1999 to make the decade-end chart for the 2000's, mostly because of their longevity. Songs such as Maria Maria, Smooth, and Breathe were one of the few to make this list.

- On that note, Breathe by Faith Hill was actually the #1 for the 2000's despite it not spending a week at #1 throughout its tenure. This is because it had spent so many weeks at #2. Talk about an impressive run. I have always thought highly of Faith Hill in the country music genre. This song is a definite stand-out and I think it helped me get into country music. Faith has never really been the one to disappoint me with her music.

- The Black Eyed Peas have not one, but two songs in the Top 10. They rose to prominence in the latter part of the decade with I Gotta Feeling and Boom Boom Pow. These songs have spent 26 weeks combined at #1, hence why both of them are so high on the list.

- I'm quite surprised to see Kelly Clarkson have only one song make the Decade-End chart. One would think that given her rise to star power since she won on American Idol that she would have at least three songs on there. But I guess not. At least one of her best songs, Since U Been Gone, was able to do so.

- And finally, we've come to the #1 song of the decade! We Belong Together by Mariah Carey was a definite favorite of mine. Mariah has consistently impressed me with almost every release and this song is no different. This is one of my favorite songs from her overall. So yeah, she definitely deserved the #1 spot for the decade.

Top 100 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
100. Buy U A Drank by T-Pain featuring Yung Joc
99. You're Beautiful by James Blount
98. Crank That by Soulja Boy
97. Lollipop by Lil Wayne featuring Static Major
96. Maria Maria by Santana featuring The Product G&B
95. Hey There Delilah by Plain White T's
94. Always On Time by Ja Rule featuring Ashanti
93. Candy Shop by 50 Cent featuring Olivia
92. Smack That by Akon featuring Eminem
91. Ain't It Funny by Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule
90. Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani
89. With Arms Wide Open by Creed
88. Bad Day by Daniel Powter
87. No One by Alicia Keys
86. Kiss Kiss by Chris Brown featuring T-Pain
85. Right Thurr by Chingy
84. I'm Real by Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule
83. I Knew I Loved You by Savage Garden
82. Check On It by Beyoncé featuring Slim Thug

1 – Bad:
81. Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down 
80. Goodies by Ciara
79. It Wasn't Me by Shaggy featuring Ricardo and Ducent
78. Dilemma by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland

2 – Mediocre:
77. Foolish by Ashanti
76. You Got It by Usher
75. Let Me Blow Ya Mind by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani
74. I Wanna Know by Joe

3 – Decent:
73. I'm Yours by Jason Mraz
72. In Da Club by 50 Cent
71. The Way I Are by Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson
70. Love In This Club by Usher featuring Young Jeezy
69. How To Save A Life by The Fray
68. Photograph by Nickelback
67. Forever by Chris Brown
66. The Way I Move by OutKast featuring Sleepy Brown

4 – Good:
65. Lean Back by Terror Squad featuring Fat Joe and Remy
64. 1, 2 Step by Ciara featuring Missy Elliott
63. Unwell by Matchbox Twenty
62. Everything You Want by Vertical Horizon
61. Hanging By A Moment by Lifehouse
60. Run It by Chris Brown
59. My Boo by Usher featuring Alicia Keys
58. Bent by Matchbox Twenty
57. U Remind Me by Usher
56. Hot In Herre by Nelly
55. Drop It Like It's Hot by Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell Williams
54. Baby Boy by Beyoncé featuring Sean Paul
53. How You Remind Me by Nickelback
52. If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys
51. All For You by Janet Jackson
50. Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

5 – Great:
49. Stand Up by Ludacris featuring Shawnna
48. Gold Digger by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx
47. Whatever You Like by T.I.
46. Get Low by Lil' John featuring East Side Boyz and YingYang Twins
45. Stronger by Kanye West
44. Try Again by Aaliyah featuring Timbaland
43. Work It by Missy Elliott
42. Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas
41. Burn by Usher
40. Ignition by R. Kelly
39. My Humps by The Black Eyed Peas
38. Temperature by Sean Paul
37. Get Busy by Sean Paul
36. Lose Yourself by Eminem
35. Right Round by Flo Rida
34. Here Without You by 3 Doors Down
33. SexyBack by Justin Timberlake
32. Viva La Vida by Coldplay
31. Live Your Life by T.I. featuring Rihanna
30. Let Me Love You by Mario
29. Family Affair by Mary J. Blige
28. Crazy In Love by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z
27. Hey Ya! by Outkast
26. Low by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
25. Independent Woman Part I by Destiny's Child
24. Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland
23. Umbrella by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
22. Complicated by Avril Lavigne
21. I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas
20. Fallin' by Alicia Keys
19. Love Song by Sara Bareilles
18. So What by P!NK
17. Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis
16. Hot N Cold by Katy Perry
15. Disturbia by Rihanna
14. Breathe by Faith Hill
13. Irreplaceable by Beyoncé
12. Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie
11. Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne
10. Single Ladies by Beyoncé
9. Yeah! by Usher featuring Lil John and Ludacris
8. Poker Face by Lady Gaga
7. I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry
6. Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson
5. Apologize by Timbaland featuring OneRepublic
4. Love Story by Taylor Swift
3. Just Dance by Lady Gaga
2. Smooth by Santana featuring Rob Thomas

BONUS: 6 – Best Song:
1. We Belong Together by Mariah Carey  

Final Score: 346/500

Whew! Now, that was a lot of work! So as far as that decade went, I won't quite say it was as good as the 1990's. But we still had plenty of good music back then. A score of 346 indicates that this was a great decade overall. Once again I would like to thank all of you for reading this blog every single day. You guys are all amazing and this blog is still going on because of you all. I'd like to know what you guys think! Again, thank you all for reading this 100,000 Pageview Special! I hope you guys enjoyed it!

AT40: Maroon 5 & Cardi B. (2) - Week Of August 18, 2018

What's up, guys? So, I just realized that the MTV Video Music Awards will take place tomorrow night. I'll most likely be watching the performances, and if I get a chance I may do a review of the entire show. We'll see. Anyway, I have the AT40 countdown post for you guys. Before we get to this week's fresh 40, here are the songs we're saying good-bye to this week:

• God's Plan by Drake (#32)
• Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey (#38) [Spent 1 Week At #1]

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.
40. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé (#40) [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
39. Nevermind by Dennis Lloyd (#39) [=]
38. Let You Down by NF (#36) [–2] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
37. Jackie Chan by Tiesto & Dzeko featuring Preme and Post Malone (#37) [=]
36. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line (#34) [–2]
35. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (DEBUT)
34. Let You Be Right by Meghan Trainor (#35) [+1]
33. Dinero by Jennifer Lopez featuring DJ Khaled and Cardi B. (#33) [=]
32. New Rules by Dua Lipa (#30) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
31. All Night by Big Boi (#29) [–2]
30. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar (#28) [–2]
29. Lie by NF (#31) [+2]
28. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons (#26) [–2]
27. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper (DEBUT)
26. Home With You by Madison Beer (#27) [+1]
25. Wait by Maroon 5 (#24) [–1]
24. Bed by Nicki Minaj featuring Ariana Grande (#22) [–2]
23. Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine (#23) [=]
22. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (#18) [–4] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
21. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha (#25) [+4]
20. Nice For What by Drake (#17) [–3]
19. Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys (#19) [=]
18. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel (#20) [+2]
17. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#15) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
16. In My Blood by Shawn Mendes (#13) [–3]
15. Growing Pains by Alessia Cara (#16) [+1]
14. In My Feelings by Drake (#21) [+7]
13. I Like Me Better by Lauv (#12) [–1]
12. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#14) [+2]
11. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa (#9) [–2]
10. Back To You by Selena Gomez (#10) [=]
9. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani (#11) [+2]
8. Mine by Bazzi (#5) [–3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
7. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (#6) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
6. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#4) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
5. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (#8) [+3]
4. Better Now by Post Malone (#7) [+3]
3. Delicate by Taylor Swift (#3) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#2) [=]
1. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B. (#1) [=] [2^nd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Despacito by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber (5^th and Final Week At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (–4)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: In My Feelings by Drake (+7)

New Entrants
- With Ariana Grande's new album Sweetener having just been released, it's only natural that she would have a new single start gaining traction. Her second song, God Is A Woman, makes its debut to the AT40 countdown this week. There's plenty to love about this song. Easily the best thing I like about it is Ariana's voice. She is just amazing all throughout the song. I do love the production as well. I'll probably have more to say about this when it debuts on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown. But yeah, this is easily the best debut of the week. Ariana has impressed me once again.

- So, we have the return of DJ Khaled. And guess what? He's teaming up with Justin Bieber once again in their latest new single titled No Brainer. In fact, they both collaborate with Quavo and Chance The Rapper. If you recall, they worked together in I'm The One last year, with the only difference being Lil' Wayne was present in that song. Right off the bat, this is basically a rehash of I'm The One. I like Justin's part in the song. I think he makes a good contribution like he did in its predecessor. But where the song is pretty weak at is the production itself. I feel like more could've been done. Also, the contributions we get from Quavo and Chance The Rapper aren't too interesting. Much like with its predecessor, I can definitely see myself getting sick of this before long.

Best Debut Of The Week: God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande

In My Blurbs
- So, we had two exits this week. The departure of God's Plan by Drake is one I'm pretty pleased about. It wasn't really interesting to me and Drake has had better from his latest album, Scorpion. Then we have Him & I, which I was starting to get sick of. Thus, I don't really have any complaints about our exits.

- Before introducing I'm A Mess, Ryan Seacrest mentioned that Bebe Rexha's latest single is basically a representation of herself. It sounds like she's basically trying to express herself. There have been many songs in which artists do express themselves.

- Before introducing Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Ryan Seacrest mentioned that the Backstreet Boys organized some sort of marriage proposal. Heh, I've never heard of anyone do this before. I guess there's a first time for everything.

- In My Feelings by Drake has jumped big for the second week in a row. Not very thrilled about this. Unfortunately, I don't see it dropping anytime soon since it's still going strong right now.

- I figured Love Lies would enter the Top 10 this week. I think it's once of Khalid's best and it is nice to see the song do well. Though it did kick One Kiss out in the process. But at least a good song is there in its place.

- As far as our Top 5 goes, we have two new songs entering that region this week, I Like It and Better Now. I'll admit the former has slightly grown on me and isn't quite as bad, but it's still not something I want to see hanging around. The latter, on the other hand, I'm definitely okay with. It's one of Post Malone's better songs and I would like to see it hit #1 soon.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• SoulMate by Justin Timberlake
• Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
• Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid
• Almost Love by Sabrina Carpenter
• The Way I Am by Charlie Puth

Extras/Optional Extras:

• All The Stars by Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA
• Closer by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey
• Familiar by Liam Payne featuring J. Balvin
• Castle On The Hill by Ed Sheeran
• Sit Next To Me by Foster The People
• Starboy by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk
• Praying by Kesha
• Slide by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
20. I Like Me Better by Lauv
19. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
18. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

1 – Bad:
17. In My Feelings by Drake

2 – Mediocre:
16. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin

3 – Decent:
15. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.
14. In My Blood by Shawn Mendes

4 – Good:
13. Mine by Bazzi

5 – Great:
12. Better Now by Post Malone
11. Nice For What by Drake
10. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
9. Back To You by Selena Gomez
8. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
7. Delicate by Taylor Swift
6. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel
5. Growing Pains by Alessia Cara
4. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande
3. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
TIE: 1. Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys

Total Score: 75/100 = 75% (C)

Throwback Picks Of The Week: Respect by Aretha Franklin (1967) and Into The Groove by Madonna (1985) (Happy 60th Birthday to Madonna)

Most Missed Song: Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara

#1 Recommendations For The American Top 40: Happy Now by Zedd featuring Elley Duhé and Side Effects by The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Tie between Symphony by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson (#40) and Praying by Kesha (#24)

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
3. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
4. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande
5. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. I Like Me Better by Lauv
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. All Night by Big Boi
4. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
5. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Symphony by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson: These guys managed to wow me even more with this follow-up from Rockabye. It was very nice hearing from Zara Larsson again. Unfortunately, this never got anywhere like its predecessor.
Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane: This was another one of Selena's extremely mediocre singles. The song in and of itself is bad enough, but the addition of Gucci Mane only makes it worse. Good thing this didn't get anywhere.
Back To You by Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals: Whenver I think of Back To You, I always think of Selena Gomez's song, not this. But I do love the one Louis did. Bebe is easily the best thing about it.
Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato: I can say that while it's not one of Demi's best songs, I do like how we show a different side of her personality. I like how she's loud and confident, even though some people may feel differently.