AT 40: Charlie Puth (2) - Week Of September 9, 2017

So, we had a short week due to Labor Day Weekend.  This was quite an eventful week for the most part, some for better and some for worse.  This may be a sign that things are beginning to pick up speed as we're closing in on the fall season.  Also, my thoughts go out to those on the path of Hurricane Irma and to those still affected by Hurricane Harvey.  Now with that being said, here are the songs dropping out this week:

I Don't Wanna Live Forever by Zayn featuring Taylor Swift (#40)

Rockabye by Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie (#38)

Issues by Julia Michaels (#35)

The Countdown:

40. Mama by Jonas Blue featuring William Singe (DEBUT) [=]

39. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash (DEBUT) [=]

38. Say You Won't Let Go by James Arthur (#32) [-6]

37. Mi Gente by J. Balvin featuring Willy William (#39) [+2]

36. Know No Better by Major Lazer featuring Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, and Quavo (#36) [=]

35. Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran (#29) [=] [Spent 10 Weeks At #1]

34. Friends by Justin Bieber featuring BloodPop (DEBUT) [=]

33. Khalid - Location (#34) [+1]

32. Glorious by Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey (#31) [-1]

31. Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay (#25) [-6]

30. Most Girls by Hailee Steinfeld (#30) [=]

29. Versace On The Floor by Bruno Mars (#18) [-11]

28. Congratulations by Post Malone featuring Quavo (#23) [-5]

27. That's What I Like by Bruno Mars (#21) [-6]

26. 1-800-273-8255 by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid (#27) [+1]

25. What About Us by P!NK (#37) [+12]

24. Castle On The Hill by Ed Sheeran (#19) [-5]

23. Back To You by Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals (#26) [+3]

22. Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane (#28) [+6]

21. Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man (#33) [+12]

20. It Ain't Me by Kygo featuring Selena Gomez (#15) [-5]

19. Get Low by Zedd featuring Liam Payne (#24) [+5]

18. Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato (#22) [+4]

17. Honest by The Chainsmokers (#20) [+3]

16. Now Or Never by Halsey (#10) [-6]

15. Praying by Kesha (#17) [+2]

14. Unforgettable by French Montana featuring Swae Lee (#16) [+2]

13. I'm The One by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper, and Lil' Wayne (#12) [-1]

12. Redbone by Childish Gambino (#14) [+2]

11. No Promises by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato (#13) [+11]

10. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt (#11) [+1] (...)

9. Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara (#7) [-2]

8. Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean (#9) [+1]

7. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo (#8) [+1]

6. Slow Hands by Niall Horan (#6) [=]

5. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee (#4) [-1]

4. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller (#5) [+1]

3. Believer by Imagine Dragons (#3) [=]

2. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes (#2) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

1. Attention by Charlie Puth (#1) [=] [2nd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Ride by TWENTY ØNE PILØTS (1st of 2 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Drop Of The Week: Versace On The Floor by Bruno Mars (-11)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Tie between What About Us by P!NK and Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man (+12)

New Entrants

- To start off our new round of entrants, we have Jonas Blue collaborating with William Singe with their new single called Mama.  Jonas Blue previously made a song titled Perfect Strangers, which I didn't really care for that much.  His new single, Mama, is quite a step up from his predecessor.  William Singe's vocals blend well with the tropical vibe and melody, both of which are much stronger than it was in Perfect Strangers.  I do like the lyrics about wanting to live life to the fullest and never looking back.  Overall, this track (although short clocking in at three minutes) is pretty solid and I'm hoping this one sticks around for a while.

- Next, we have a song that's currently on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown, in the form of Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash.  Now to be honest, I'm just simply not a fan of this one.  This is one of those songs in which I really can't explain why I don't like it that much.  While I do somewhat like the lyrics and the vocals, the rest of the song is just underwhelming to me, in part because I just don't find it fun and catchy.  Maybe it's just me, though.  I feel like if it were done by someone else, then I'll probably would like it.  But right now, I'm not enjoying it.

- Anyone tired of Justin Bieber, yet?  Yes?  Well, too bad, because he has just recently released his new single titled Friends.  With Despacito still losing its steam pretty much everywhere right now, he has decided to release its follow-up single.  It's another break-up song like his previous singles have been lately.  This time, he about wanting to stay friends with his ex-girlfriend.  I do like the production BloodPop put together in this track.  I recently read somewhere that Bieber was collaborating with Martin Garrix but he turned it down.  This isn't the first time BloodPop had been working with Bieber; they worked together on producing Purpose back in 2015.  I also read that he co-wrote it with Julia Michaels.  I guess she didn't have any issues with helping him on this solid track.  But anyway, I'm sure most people will find this one more likable at this point.  We'll see how long this one stays.

Hey, Mama, Don't Blurb Your Mind

- As always, we'll start with our exits.  I'm sure many are happy with the departure of Issues, and I won't miss it too much either, at least not right now.  Also, there was I Don't Wanna Live Forever which I did like, but it wasn't seriously worth caring for in the long run.  Lastly, we have Rockabye, which was a huge favorite of mine and I enjoyed its presence.  While I know some are rejoicing its departure, I'm not one of them.  Farewell, Rockabye.  You will definitely be missed!

- Charlie Puth was able to hold at #1 for the 2nd week in a row.  I wonder how long he'll last at the top spot until a new contender comes along.  I'm hoping for Wild Thoughts to spend a week at #1, but I still enjoy Attention somewhat.  Thus, I have no complaints about this one.

- I'm not at all pleased about the arrival of Body Like A Back Road in the Top 10.  I still think it's one of the worst songs of the year.  I can't believe North America is letting that New-York-Giants sized piece of trash get popular than some of the other country songs out there.

- I'm also not okay with Fetish getting closer to the Top 20.  Seriously, what happened to the Selena Gomez I used to know?  Her recent singles have not been good lately and I'm hoping this one does not get any higher.

- In terms of other not-so-good news, we have Versace On The Floor taking a huge drop this week.  It doesn't look like Bruno Mars is going to have another hit.  I guess people were very fond of his upbeat groovy tracks than his slow songs.  Oh well.

- On a more positive note, we have What About Us taking a huge jump this week.  Perfectly fine by me as I do still enjoy this song at the moment, and as I've said before, P!NK almost never disappoints me with her music.  I'm hoping that this can end up getting big or at least stick around for a long while.

- So, I now have an opinion on Know No Better.  It sucks.  The production is underwhelming, the vocals aren't too good, and the lyrics don't make sense at all.  In this song, they're basically singing about how people don't know other artists better than them, which is completely false.  Guess what?  I know plenty of singers better than them.

- Looks like this is pretty much it for both Shape Of You & Say You Won't Let Go, though they did have an great run while it lasted.  While I know some are rejoicing the latter, the former was more likable by most people.  I wonder how much longer will these two be with us?

Breakout/On The Verge

• Two Ghosts by Harry Styles
• Hoodie by Hey Violet
• Look What You Made Me Do by Taylor Swift
• Something Different by Why Don't We

- We can now celebrate as Uh Huh by Julia Michaels failed to debut on the American Top 40!

Extra/Optional Extras

• The Way I Are (Dance With Somebody) by Bebe Rexha featuring Lil' Wayne
• Payphone by Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa
• Symphony by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson
• This Town by Niall Horan
• Bad Things by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Camila Cabello
• Time Of Your Lives by Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo
• Love Story by Taylor Swift

Top 20 Breakdown

0 - Awful:

20. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt

1 - Bad:

19. Redbone by Childish Gambino

18. Strip That Down by Liam Payne

2 - Mediocre:

17. I'm The One by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper, and Lil' Wayne

16. Now Or Never by Halsey

3 - Decent:

15. Get Low by Zedd featuring Liam Payne

4 - Good:

14. Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara

13. No Promises by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato

5 - Great:

12. Honest by The Chainsmokers

11. Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato

10. Slow Hands by Niall Horan

9. Believer by Imagine Dragons

8. It Ain't Me by Kygo featuring Selena Gomez

7. Attention by Charlie Puth

6. Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean

5. Unforgettable by French Montana featuring Swae Lee

4. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee

3. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller

2. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes

BONUS: 6 - Best Song On The Countdown

1. Praying by Kesha

Total Score: 78/100 (C+)

My Top 5 Picks

1. Praying by Kesha

2. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes

3. Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay

4. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller

5. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee

My Bottom 5 Picks

1. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt

2. Congratulations by Post Malone featuring Quavo

3. Mi Gente by J. Balvin featuring Willy William

4. Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane

5. Location by Khalid

10,000 Pageview Special: My Top 30 Songs Of 2015

So, this is my 10,000 Pageview Special!  For this one, I'm going to list my Top 30 favorite songs of 2015.  2015 was widely regard as the best year for music, at least for this decade.  There were plenty of break-out artists, and we had some of our favorites releasing better music in general.  With that in mind, here is a list of My Top 30 favorite songs of 2015:

30. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Downtown
Most rap songs nowadays generally have some of the worst lyrics I've ever heard.  It's basically all nonsense (from money to drugs, etc.).  The lyrics to this song aren't that good either, but least Macklemore can make up for it with his excellent rapping skills.  I do love the chorus in this one, though.  Although not his best, I still enjoy this.

29. Taylor Swift - Wildest Dreams
When it comes to writing love songs, Taylor Swift does it best.  She does a good job with the chorus overall, especially near the end.  I do like how she was portrayed as a actress in the music video.  Much like her other singles off of 1989, she basically has the same kind of energy and charisma in this song, albeit a little less.  Still, that doesn't mean it's bad per say; it's quite enjoyable for the most part.

28. Ella Henderson - Ghost
Don't you love it when an unknown artist comes into the fold and makes a great first impression?  That's what Ella Henderson did with Ghost.  The nice guitar riffs, the excellent lyrics, and her amazing vocals blend together really well in this song.  Not much else to say about this, but overall it's a win for Ella Henderson.

27. Elle King - Ex's & Oh's
Much like Ella Henderson impressed me with Ghost, Elle King managed to wow me just the same when she released Ex's & Oh's.  She has more charisma in this than some of the other artists trying to make a first impression.  I love the folk vibe in this song.  The lyrics about her ex-boyfriends as ghosts wanting to come back to her, were well written.  I'm glad we got some rock music like this being successful worldwide.

26. Alessia Cara - Here
Oh, look.  Another artist who succeeds at making a first impression.  The Alessia Cara in this one was quite different than what we hear today.  Both the intro and the outro were really cool.  We hear a man talking in the background before the song starts.  I can't help but pull myself in.  Unlike most party songs in which people dance to the music, this is actually an anti-party anthem.  It helps that Alessia's voice sounds good here.  Overall, it's a great start for Alessia Cara.

25. Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood
I would just review her solo version, but I actually like the one with Kendrick Lamar better. This is basically Dark Horse, except a tad better.  Unlike some critics who weren't too kind to this mainly because it doesn't fit Taylor very well, I'm not one of them.  Right off the bat, I love how Taylor mixed pop and hip-hop together.  Although I'm disappointed Hits 1 edited out Kendrick's verses (most likely because they don't seem to like hip-hop in general), at least it got to hit #1 twice.  Personally, I think if it weren't for Shut Up And Dance, this probably would've been the biggest hit of the summer.  Still, I have no complaints about this at all.  I'm thrilled about the way it turned out for both Taylor & Kendrick.  It was a new sound Taylor Swift opted for and she did well.

24. One Direction - Night Changes
I love how a band can go from being upbeat to making a slow song.  Though it is boring, it's one of the band's best songs thus far.  You can make people love slow songs when done right, and that's exactly what they did here.

23. DJ Snake featuring AlunaGeorge - You Know You Like It
The drop here is cryptic, yet it so good.  I definitely love the vocals in this one.  It's so catchy that some called this the best song of 2015.  Although I don't quite like it on their level, it's still one of a kind.

22. The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face
I think this was a breakout hit for The Weeknd himself.  Right off the bat, this song has me dancing every time I play it.  Unlike Earned It which was slow and not as appealing, this is more upbeat and in general, more likable from a critical standpoint.  My favorite parts about this is both the chorus and the build-up leading to it.  This follow-up to Earned It (along with its successor) is what got me into liking The Weeknd as an artist.

21. Little Mix - Black Magic
I find Little Mix to be better than Fifth Harmony in general, in part because they make better music, and this one is no different.  I absolutely love the line, "Take a sip from a secret potion, I'll make you fall in love".  I can't help but pull myself in.  It helps that they have better vocals than Fifth Harmony.  It's definitely Little Mix's best single to date.

20. Ellie Goulding - On My Mind
I absolutely love Ellie Goulding!  She is very gorgeous, and almost never disappoints me with her music.  This song is no different.  I like how she attempts to make a love song and executes it perfectly.  Although it didn't quite get as big as her predecessor, I still love it for what it is.

19. Tori Kelly - Should've Been Us
Well, look what we have here: another artist making a great first impression.  This is easily Tori Kelly's best single to date, with Hollow coming in a close second.  The chorus in this one, plus the catchy trap-like beat has me hooked.  Although the lyrics aren't quite as good, at least they do make sense.  It basically reflects a lost relationship.  It definitely deserved to do better on the charts, because she sounds awesome in this track.  Here's to hoping she becomes a big superstar in the music industry.

18. Kelly Clarkson - Heartbeat Song
Honestly, I feel very alone with this opinion, but I don't care because I actually like this song.  And no, it's not just because I have always loved Kelly Clarkson as an artist.  I love the lyrical content about making a comeback, and Kelly's vocals are amazing as always.  Although this song doesn't quite live up to her best singles, it's still enjoyable for what it is.

17. TWENTY ØNE PILØTS - Tear In My Heart
Before this song and its successor came along, I've never really heard of TWENTY ØNE PILØTS.  Their vocals aren't necessarily all that good.  But when it comes to certain songs, I don't really care that much for the vocals; it's about writing good lyrical content.  And they did a nice job with that.  I loved how they mixed rock with some EDM put into it.  Overall, it was a great first impression for them.

16. Fall Out Boy - Uma Thurman
Adrian's most hated song of 2015, but I beg to differ.  It's the perfect theme for an action movie.  There were a lot of rock elements put together.  I love the part after the chorus where the guitar comes in, and the drumroll in the end as well.  Overall, it's one of Fall Out Boy's best singles to date.

15. The Weeknd - The Hills
Arguably one of, if not the best single from The Weeknd by many YouTube critics (TheDoubleAgent ranked this as his #3 song of 2015) and fans alike, and for a good reason.  Although it was underrated on Hits 1, it was still a bigger hit elsewhere, reaching #1 on many charts.  The darker atmosphere definitely fits The Weeknd very well.  Based on the lyrics, we explore a different side of himself and find out what's going on in his mind.  He created this masterpiece and it pretty much became a fan favorite (along with his successor I Feel It Coming and his other singles off Starboy).

14. Major Lazer featuring DJ Snake and MØ - Lean On
This was both Major Lazer & MØ's successful song of their career thus far.  DJ Snake previously had some success when collaborating with Lil' John in Turn Down For What.  I personally think this song opened the gateways to making tropical house a current trend in the music industry.  The tropical elements used in this sounds great and MØ's vocals blend in pretty well.  Combine that with a catchy beat and you can see why most people (including myself) like this.

13. Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand
Not many people in the blogging community were very fond of this.  I'm sure many still like her collaboration with Clean Bandit in their single Rather Be.  I myself, think the opposite when it comes to Hold My Hand.  Jess Glynne has more energy in this than she did in Rather Be, especially in the chorus.  I do love the piano work done throughout.  Overall, it's definitely one of Jess Glynne's best and didn't really deserved to be underrated like this.

12. Tove Lo - Talking Body
This song is very unique when compared to some of the other pop songs in general.  The part that I love about this song is the chorus.  The sexy lyrical content and some of the other cool stuff impresses me.  Tove Lo does a nice job with her sultry vocals overall.  It's definitely one of the best sexy songs and I'm very thrilled to see her score a big hit worldwide.

11. Taylor Swift - Style
Again, Taylor Swift almost never disappoints.  There is a little more rock in this one than in her other singles in 1989.  This song actually takes place during a relationship and even though things might not turn out well, at least she's willing to take that risk.  Taylor's vocals are divine in this one.  Actually, pretty much everything about this song is divine, hence why some people consider this the best single off of 1989.

10. Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance
There are some people who still think this is overrated, mainly because it hogged the #1 spot for 12 weeks on Hits 1 and refused to give it up.  Here's a question: which would you rather have at #1?  A rap song whose lyrics are nonsense, or an overrated dance song?  Anyway, this reminds me of an 80's rock song, except they added some EDM to it.  It took a while for this to gain steam elsewhere.  But by then, pretty much everyone in the blogging community soured on it to the point where they just got annoyed with it in general.  I myself, on the other hand, say otherwise.  It stuck with me for a long while, and I pretty much enjoyed this 80's rock & EDM mixed together in this one song.

9. Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth - See You Again
This song was a tribute to the late Paul Walker.  To put it easy, it was put together beautifully.  This was actually the first time we hear from Charlie Puth.  He impressed me with his vocals and his piano work.  Wiz Khalifa actually contributes to the song.  Although his vocals aren't necessarily the best, at least he shows heart in this.  I'm glad it became a success that I wanted to be.  While I know some people who were sick of this song when it became overplayed, I wasn't one of them. I'm glad this one stuck with me.

8. Demi Lovato - Cool For The Summer
Easily my favorite song from Demi Lovato, and her biggest hit to date.  While it was a departure from her days as a Disney star, Demi still delivered with her new mature sound.  From her energetic chorus to the electric guitar, this song definitely has me hooked every time I listen to this.  If this isn't Demi's best single, I don't know what is.

7. Audien featuring Lady Antebellum - Something Better
EDM and Country generally don't mix well.  But after listening to this I've got to say: I was very impressed with how it turned out!  It starts out with the piano.  Then the pre-chorus comes in and we get this awesome beat put together.  I absolutely love Hillary Scott's vocals in this one.  Her voice has always been good ever since Need You Now became one of the biggest hits of this decade.  Audien put together a superb EDM production from start to finish.  It's too bad this didn't become a bigger hit I wanted to be, but at least this song charted and got some recognition.  As the title itself says, this was definitely something better.

6. Taylor Swift - Blank Space
Possibly her best single of all time, and for a very good reason.  From Taylor's vocals to the amazingly catchy beat, I pretty much love everything about this song.  Personally, I think this song is even more divine than Style.  The lyrical content about her love life is excellent.  I easily fell in love with the music video, which shows her relationship with another man.  The fact that this hit #1 for six weeks on Hits 1 made me love this song even more.  I'm sure many people will still remember this as her most iconic single to date.

5. Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do
Taken from the Fifty Shades Of Grey soundtrack, this became Ellie Goulding's biggest hit of her career, and for a very good reason.  She has been a rising pop star since Lights became a hit back in 2011.   Ellie Goulding just looks absolutely beautiful, but that's not why she's had some success with her music.  As I mentioned with On My Mind, she almost never disappoints, releasing every single that grabs the attention of myself and many in the blogging community.  Falling in love with Ellie Goulding was easy enough for me, but this is just icing on the cake.  This song actually manages to impress me from start to finish.  Ellie's vocals fit very well with this love song.  My favorite part about this is the line "What are you waiting for", especially where the final chorus kicks in.  No, scratch that: the chorus is actually my favorite part of the song.  It showcases just how well Ellie Goulding can sing overall.  Looking back at this, I think this her best and I'm very pleased that it got the success it deserved.

4. Rachel Platten - Fight Song
Honestly, I actually like this way more than I should.  When it comes to songs such as Love Me Like You Do and a few others, there are people who can at least agree with me on why they like or dislike it.  Fight Song, however, is a different story.  Many YouTube critics weren't very fond of this song, mainly because it's seen as a generic self-empowerment anthem with no melody whatsoever. Much like with Heartbeat Song, this is another song in which I feel very alone with this opinion, but I don't care because I absolutely love this song.  Rachel Platten definitely made a very good first impression with her single (not to mention she is absolutely beautiful!).  Her vocals, the chorus, the build-up leading to it, and its lyrics are all divine.  But the one thing that carries it to #4 for me, is that it's one of the most deeper self-empowerment anthems I've ever had the pleasure of hearing in my life.  It's basically an inspiration to many people because it teaches them to never give up and motivate them to strive for the better.  Whether you're struggling to get through a situation or whatever else that maybe holding you back, this song is for you.  Overall, it's easily a win for Rachel Platten and I hope she continues to make more singles like this.

3. Adele - Hello
Ah, yes.  We have the triumphant return of Adele after three years.  Right off the bat, I fell in love with this song.  It starts off kinda slow, but then we get to the chorus and Adele delivered it perfectly.  The piano work and the lyrical content are very well done.  This is, in my opinion, the best lead single ever for any artist and I'm glad it became a massive success worldwide, reaching #1 in many different countries.

2. X Ambassadors - Renegades
If you've watched many car commercials, then you've probably have heard this song before.  It took a while for this to get mainstream, but I'm glad it caught on with the general public.  The vocals in this one are great, and I love the guitar solo at the end, which was very cool.  But the one other thing that makes this my #2 song is the deeper lyrics.  It's basically about wanting to succeed in spite of one's shortcomings.  What I didn't realize back then was that one of the band members, Casey Harris, is actually blind.  Still, that didn't stop him from contributing to creating this epic song for a car commercial.

And finally, my #1 favorite song of 2015 is....

1. Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
You guessed it!  The #1 song on Billboard's Year-End List for 2015 and one of Billboard's biggest hits of all time.  The new funky sound mixed with Bruno's vocals makes it sound like a Michael Jackson song.  Growing up, I've always listened to Michael Jackson and some other artists who broke color barriers and most of their songs sound very similar to Uptown Funk.  Bruno Mars actually started this new sound with Treasure back in 2013.  Many YouTube critics and fans alike praised this song, but the blogging community actually felt the exact opposite, especially when this song was massively overplayed.  And ever since then, they've basically stopped liking Bruno Mars in general.  They preferred his older singles better (Just The Way You Are, Grenade, Locked Out Of Heaven, and even When I Was Your Man).  As for me, I like both the old & new Bruno Mars.  True, his older work, despite being hits, wasn't seen as great from a critical standpoint, but I say otherwise.  Bruno Mars has shown he has a incredible voice, and this is no different.  He is basically the Michael Jackson of our generation. Mark Ronson himself did an excellent job at putting together this epic dance song for the ages. Overall, this is stupendous win for both of them.

Niall Horan (1) - Week Of September 2, 2017

So, fall is upon us, and that means football, sweaters, hoodies, etc.  Anyway, going off-topic.  Let's talk about the countdown, shall we?  This is the Labor Day Edition of the Weekend Countdown, and we certainly had a great deal of activity, even if the results weren't necessarily to my liking.  It helps that we do have a familiar face returning to the countdown.  I've decided to turn off comment moderation.  But if it gets out of control, I may turn it back on again.  Before we get to this week's fresh 45, we say good-bye to these songs leaving us this week:

• Childish Gambino - Redbone (#43)
• Hailee Steinfeld & Grey featuring Zedd - Starving (#42) [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
• DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber and Chance The Rapper - I'm The One (#41)
• James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go (#27)

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Charlie Puth - Attention

45. Selena Gomez - Bad Liar (#45) [-5]

44. Steve Aoki featuring Louis Tomlinson - Just Hold On (#45) [+1]

43. Julia Michaels - Issues (#44) [+1]

42. Bruno Mars - That's What I Like (#34) [-8] [Spent 1 Week At #1] (NOOOOO!!!)

41. Train - Play That Song (#37) [-4] (LEAVE OR I'M GONNA LOSE IT!)

40. DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller - Wild Thoughts (#30) [-10] (NOOOOOOOO!!!!!)

39. Lady Gaga - The Cure (#38) [-1]

38. The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey - Closer (#39) [+1] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1]

37. Linkin Park featuring Kiiara - Heavy (#27) [-10]

36. Halsey - Now Or Never (#32) [-4]

35. Shawn Mendes - Mercy (#35) [=]

34. Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato - No Promises (DEBUT) [=]

33. Julia Michaels - Uh Huh (#31) [-2]

32. Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee - Despacito (#21) [-11] (HOW IS THIS EVEN OKAY?!)

31. Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl (DEBUT) [=]

30. Bruno Mars - Versace On The Floor (#18) [-12]

29. Panic! At The Disco - L.A. Devotee (#11) [-18] (YIKES!)

28. Kygo featuring Selena Gomez - It Ain't Me (#23) [-5]

27. AJR - Weak (#26) [-1]

26. Imagine Dragons - Thunder (#33) [+7]

25. Hey Violet - Hoodie (#28) [+3]

24. The Chainsmokers - Honest (#25) [+1]

23. Kesha - Praying (#20) [-3]

22. Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell and Katy Perry - Feels (#16) [-6]

21. Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You (#13) [-8] [Spent 9 Weeks At #1]

20. Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey - Glorious (#36) [+16]

19. Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals (#19) [=]

18. Mono Mind - Save Me A Place (DEBUT) [=]

17. P!NK - What About Us (#22) [+5]

16. Fall Out Boy - Champion (#15) [-1]

15. MAX featuring Gnash - Lights Down Low (#24) [+9]

14. All Time Low - Good Times (#17) [+3]

13. Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do (HIGHEST DEBUT OF THE YEAR) [=] 

12. Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry (#14) [+2]

11. Hailee Steinfeld - Most Girls (#12) [+1]

10. Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill (#6) [-4] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]

9. The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay - Something Just Like This (#8) [-1] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]

8. Imagine Dragons - Believer (#2) [-6] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]

7. Zedd featuring Alessia Cara - Stay (#10) [+3] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]

6. Charlie Puth - Attention (#1) [-5] [Spent 1 Week At #1]

5. Linkin Park - One More Light (#9) [+4]

4. Shawn Mendes - There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back (#3) [-1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]

3. Sam Hunt - Body Like A Back Road (#4) [+1] (...)

2. Liam Payne - Strip That Down (#5) [+3]

1. Niall Horan - Slow Hands (#7) [+6] [1ST WEEK AT #1] (WHEW!)

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop The Feeling (10th And Final Week At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: Panic! At The Disco - L.A. Devotee (-18)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey - Glorious (+16)

New Entrants
- To start off our round of debuts, we have more Demi Lovato collaborating with Cheat Codes in their new single No Promises.  When it was first announced that they would do a collaboration, I was interested to see how it would turn out.  I didn't quite like it at first, but I slowly grew into it as it started to gain steam.  I don't think it's the best EDM song of the year, but these two do a good job on making the single together.  Both of their vocals are pretty good and I do like the lyrical content.  Overall, while it's not their best, it's certainly a keeper.

- Second, we have more of Ed Sheeran with the best song off of Divide.  Galway Girl has that folk vibe that makes me fall in love with this song.  I definitely love the lyrical content about him wanting to dance with his girl.  The lines "She played that fiddle in the Irish band" pulls me in.  Overall, this is easily a win for Ed Sheeran and I hope it becomes a hit.

- Our next debut surprisingly comes from Mono Mind with Save Me A Place.  I've heard this many times throughout the week.  I thought it was one of those songs that would play randomly throughout the week and not be on any weekend shows, but I was proven wrong.  It somehow managed to debut this week (and at a high position at #18).  Now, I do love the EDM production they put together, along with some nice vocals.  While it's not the best EDM song, at least this is still enjoyable.  Overall, it's a great first impression for Mono Mind.

- Finally, we have the highest debut of the year (and possibly the highest debut ever).  It comes from returning artist Taylor Swift with her brand new single titled Look What You Made Me Do.  Her new single seems to be getting mixed reactions from both YouTube critics and fans alike, mainly because it a major departure from her previous work.  Now, ever since I Don't Wanna Live Forever left the countdown several weeks ago, I had been anxiously waiting for her return.  To put it easy, after first listening to this, she didn't really disappoint me at all.  I'm intrigued by the dark and edgier direction she's going for in her new album.  Her new music video which premiered last weekend was pretty darn epic.  I definitely love the intro where Taylor herself has arisen as a zombie when she starts singing.  That reminds of the time I watch Thriller so many times back in the day when Michael Jackson was turned into a zombie and starts dancing.  There were scenes of many different versions of Taylor, including a self-parody in the end where they all come together.  When all was said and done, her single broke all kinds of records.  In terms of how it'll fare on the charts, it's going to spend a insane amount of time at #1 for weeks (and maybe even months) to come.  This is pretty much the Closer of 2017.  Remember last year, The Chainsmokers were a rising EDM artist and that song spent 12 Weeks at #1 on Billboard.  Anyway, even though it comes close to topping her best work, it's still a win for Taylor Swift and it's almost certain to do extremely well on the charts.

I Blurb It Once, Then I Blurb It Twice, Oh!
I have a long list of blurbs, guys.  There's plenty I want to say here.  So, get ready.

- Now to start things off, this was a important week in terms of the exits.  I'm The One dropped out of the countdown after not doing much, which is no surprise considering Hits 1 doesn't care for hip-hop.  There's also Say You Won't Let Go, which managed to become a sleeper hit worldwide and I did enjoy it while it lasted, but I know a certain someone is going to throw a be-gone party over that one.  On a positive note though, I was never really fond of Redone, so I'm very pleased about its departure.  However, the exit that I am most pleased about is Starving.  Thank you voters for getting that song off the countdown!  It's about time it left us!

- I'm surprised to see Just Hold On still here.  It's been in the bottom 5 for a seemingly long time.  Goes to show that Hits 1 still loves One Direction no matter what.  I don't really mind this song staying for another week as I still enjoy it.

- Looks like this is the end of the road for That's What I Like.  Oh well.  It was nice having you around.

- I can't believe people are still voting for Play That Song!  This song is torture to my ears!

- Before introducing Closer, Spyder Harrison mentioned that he thought the song was going to win a award at the MTV Video Music Awards, but it didn't.  I'm sure he was disappointed when it lost to I Don't Wanna Live Forever for Best Collaboration Video.  I was hoping it would win also, but I guess not.  At least it became a bigger hit, though.

- So, yesterday I watched a video on YouTube that was posted by album reviewer ARTV about a month ago.  He talked about Uh Huh, which he listed as his "Top 10 Fantastic Songs You NEED To Hear".  However, I'm sure that many in the blogging community (myself included) will say otherwise, because almost nobody here is very fond of this song.  But that's just his opinion, though.

- Wow, Hits 1.  Just wow.  Is this some kind of freakin' joke?!  Just when I thought Despacito couldn't get any lower, it drops out of the Top 30 entirely.  It's still in the Top 5 elsewhere and yet somehow, it's being underrated here.  I mean, how is this even okay?!  That is so not cool, Hits 1.  Not cool at all.

- On the note of other things that really pissed me off this week, we have Versace On The Floor taking a New-York-Giants sized drop out of the Top 20.  Wow, North America.  You're really underrating some quality music here.

- Yikes!  L.A. Devotee I had been growing out of, but it took a shocking New-York-Giants drop this week.  It had been here for a while and had a nice run in the Top 20, so props to that.

- Before introducing Thunder, Spyder Harrison mentioned that Dan Reynolds launched a Love Loud foundation in order to talk about true love.  I like how's he more open to spreading love, which we so desperately need given what's going on right now.

- Before introducing Honest, Spyder Harrison mentioned that The Chainsmokers went to a friend's wedding and performing one of their songs.  Hmm...I wonder, which songs did they sang?  The ones on the countdown, or maybe a brand new single we haven't even heard yet?

- With Shape Of You dropping out of the Top 20, this may actually be the end for this song.  I'll say this, though; it had an incredible run and became his biggest hit single to date.

- Glorious is certainly welcome in the Top 20.  I'm hoping it can stay there for a long time.  Also, when I heard it as Ear Poppin' Music! earlier this week, it wasn't the official voice-over for Hits 1 saying the name of the song.  It was actually Macklemore himself who did the voice-over.  That was pretty cool.

- So, I recently read an article saying that Shawn Mendes was sick while recording There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back.  According to him, his rasp voice that he had while he was sick actually made it sound cool.  Even if he wasn't sick, whatever he was doing, I'm sure he did a fine job at it.

- I will scream out of anger if Body Like A Back Road hits #1.  Keep Strip That Down and Slow Hands at the top if necessary.  Just don't let Body Like A Back Road get any higher than it already is.

- Thankfully though, Slow Hands manages to hit #1 over Strip That Down.  I had a feeling it was going to happen since Hits 1 loves One Direction, what with several of their songs either hitting #1 or enter the Top 5 and staying their for a while.  That song has been getting slightly better with each listen, so I'm glad it made the top spot this week!  And Niall, you better enjoy it while it lasts, because Taylor Swift is coming for that #1 spot very soon.

Summer Throwback

Hits 1 did their Summer Throwback hits yet again.  Here's the list of songs they've played (NOTE: This list will be updated throughout the weekend):

• B.O.B. featuring Hayley Williams - Airplanes
• Katy Perry - Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
• One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful
• 5 Seconds Of Summer - She Looks So Perfect
• Fall Out Boy - My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (So Light 'Em Up)
• Eminem featuring Rihanna - Love The Way You Lie
• Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX - Fancy
• Maroon 5 - Payphone
• Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do (This song is still fantastic!)
• Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance
• Omi - Cheerleader
• Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman
• fun. featuring Janelle Monae - We Are Young
• Magic! - Rude
• Florida Georgia Line - Cruise
• Sia featuring Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills
• Twenty One Pilots - Ride
• Robin Thicke featuring Pharrell and T.I. - Blurred Lines
• LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem
• Taylor Swift - Bad Blood
• Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
• Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth - See You Again
• Katy Perry - California Gurls
• Mike Posner - I Took A Pill In Ibiza
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton - Can't Hold Us
• Maroon 5 - Love Somebody
• Miley Cyrus - Party In The U.S.A.
• Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo and Afrojack - Give Me Everything
• Charli XCX - Boom Clap
• Demi Lovato - Cool For The Summer

My Top 5 Summer Throwback Hits
TIE: 1. Eminem - Love The Way You Lie
TIE: 1. Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do
3. Demi Lovato - Cool For The Summer
4. Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
5. Mike Posner - I Took A Pill In Ibiza


Hit-Bound

• The All-American Rejects - Sweat
• Halsey - Bad At Love
• Rita Ora -Your Song
• Selena Gomez - Fetish
• Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still
• Sabrina Carpenter - Why
• Zedd featuring Liam Payne - Get Low
• Andy Grammer - Give Love
• Evaride - Heartless (DEBUT)
• Maroon 5 featuring SZA - What Lovers Do (DEBUT)
• Justin Bieber featuring BloodPop - Friends
• Harry Styles - Two Ghosts
• PRETTYMUCH - Would You Mind

- We have new band Evaride hosting Hit-Bound this week.  Consisting of Hayden, Sean, & Josh, they're a new band that's formed in January.  Founding member Josh was actually a drummer for One Direction.  I wonder is he the guy behind their hits because he uses his instruments well. Anyway, let's review Hit-Bound.

- First off, we have Evaride themselves with their debut single, Heartless.  This is a pretty good start for the band.  I do like the lyrics and the rock vibe.  While it's not quite a stand-out, at least it's a keeper.

- Next, we have Maroon 5 once again, this time with What Lovers Do.  I'll say it's a quite a step up from what they've been releasing lately.  However, it still pales in comparison to their previous work.  I can see myself growing into it in the near future, but right now I don't have much of an opinion.  I'll have more words when it debuts.

- Before introducing Why, Everide mentioned that one of Sabrina Carpenter's embarrassing moments was when she performed with her teeth stained from her lipstick.  I'm sure she has something to wash all that off, but she'll have to be careful next time and not put on too much lipstick, heh.

- Before introducing Get Low, that Liam Payne's favorite movies are all from the Toy Story franchise.  Back when I was a kid, I used to watch the Toy Story movies all the time, especially the first one since it's the one I remember the most.  A new Toy Story film is currently in the works, set to be released sometime in 2019.  I'm interested to see how the storyline plays out.

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks
1. Hasley - Bad At Love
2. PRETTYMUCH - Would You Mind
3. Justin Bieber featuring BloodPop - Friends
4. Evaride - Heartless
5. Harry Styles - Two Ghosts

Top 20 Review
0 - Awful:
20. Sam Hunt - Body Like A Back Road

1 - Bad:
19. MAX featuring Gnash - Lights Down Low
18. Liam Payne - Strip That Down

2 - Mediocre:
None!

3 - Decent:
None!

4 - Good:
17. All Time Low - Good Times
16. Linkin Park - One More Light
15. Hailee Steinfeld - Most Girls
14. Zedd featuring Alessia Cara - Stay

5 - Great:
13. Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill
12. Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry
11. Mono Mind - Save Me A Place
10. Fall Out Boy - Champion
9. Imagine Dragons - Believer
8. Charlie Puth - Attention
7. Niall Horan - Slow Hands
6. Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals - Back To You
5. P!NK - What About Us
4. Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey - Glorious
3. The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay - Something Just Like This
2. Shawn Mendes - There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back

BONUS: 6 - Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do

Overall Grade: 84/100 (B)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Elton John - Candle In The Wind (1997) (In honor of Princess Diana's passing)

Most Missed Countdown Song: Zedd featuring Hayley Williams - Stay The Night

#1 Recommendation For Hits 1: Demi Lovato - Tell Me You Love Me (I'm in LOVE with this song!)

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Tie between Ariana Grande - Into You and Coldplay - Hymn For The Weekend

My Top 5 Picks

TIE: 1. Kesha - Praying

TIE: 1. Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do

3. Shawn Mendes - There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back

4. Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl

5. Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee - Despacito (Sorry, Miles lol)

My Bottom 5 Picks

TIE: 1. Sam Hunt - Body Like A Back Road

TIE: 1. Julia Michaels - Uh Huh

3. Selena Gomez - Bad Liar

4. Train - Play That Song

5. AJR - Weak

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:

Katy Perry - Rise: This song was used for the 2016 Olympics.  Despite the fact that it wasn't well-received by YouTube critics (ex. Spectrum Pulse), I actually didn't really mind this song quite a bit, even though it's nowhere near Katy Perry's best.  

The Strumbellas - Spirits: One of Parker's most hated songs of last year, but I beg to differ. I definitely love the folk vibe and that chorus gets stuck in my head.  The song kinda reminds me of The Lumineers - Ho Hey, which became a huge hit back in 2012.   

Flume featuring Kai - Never Be Like You: I actually like the twinkly stuff at the beginning, and Kai's vocals are pretty good.  Is it me, or does that beat sounds very similar to Justin Timberlake's 2007 hit, My Love?

Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and MØ - Cold Water: If I'm being honest, I'm more obligated to listen to this any day.  I don't care what people say about Justin Bieber at this point. While it doesn't quite live up to Lean On, it's still pretty solid.

AT 40: Charlie Puth (1) - Week Of September 2, 2017

Hello guys!  I haven't decided on what I should do for my 10,000 Pageview special as of yet, but I'll try to think of something I can post in the near future.  Also, on an unrelated note, my hearts and prayers go out to the people in Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey.  But anyway, let's review the American Top 40.  As far as this week goes, it was pretty interesting if you ask me.  While not much has happened, this is the second week in a row in which we have a different #1.  Things are about to get interesting as we close out the summer, and hopefully for the better.  I've also introduced three new color codes specifically just for the AT 40.  Here they are:

• Dark Blue - Song Is In My Top 5
• Dark Red - Song Is In My Bottom 5
• Dark Yellow - Song Is Old, But I Still Like It

And there you have it.  You can check out the new color codes on the right side of my page.  So without further ado, here are the songs dropping out this week:

2U by David Guetta featuring Justin Bieber
Last Week: #33 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 9

Down by Fifth Harmony featuring Gucci Mane
Last Week: #26 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 9

The Countdown:

40. I Don't Wanna Live Forever by Zayn featuring Taylor Swift
Last Week: #40 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 35

39. Mi Gente by J. Balvin featuring Willy William (DEBUT)
Last Week: N/A | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

38. Rockabye by Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie
Last Week: #37 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 32

37. What About Us by P!NK (DEBUT)
Last Week: N/A | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

36. Know No Better by Major Lazer featuring Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, and Quavo [+3]
Last Week: #39 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 2

35. Issues by Julia Michaels [-1]
Last Week: #34 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 30

34. Location by Khalid [+1]
Last Week: #35 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 4

33. Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man
Last Week: #38 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 2

32. Say You Won't Let Go by James Arthur
Last Week: #31 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 27

31. Glorious by Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey
Last Week: #31 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 5

30. Most Girls by Hailee Steinfeld
Last Week: #30 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 8

29. Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran [Spent 10 Weeks At #1]
Last Week: #27 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 33

28. Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane
Last Week: #36 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 3

27. 1-800-273-8255 by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid
Last Week: #28 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 7

26. Back To You by Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals
Last Week: #29 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 3

25. Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay [-1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
Last Week: #24 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 25

24. Get Low by Zedd featuring Liam Payne [-1]
Last Week: #23 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 5

23. Congratulations by Post Malone featuring Quavo [-1]
Last Week: #22 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 11

22. Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato [+3]
Last Week: #25 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 3

21. That's What I Like by Bruno Mars [-2] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
Last Week: #19 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 30

20. Honest by The Chainsmokers [=]
Last Week: #20 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 5

19. Castle On The Hill by Ed Sheeran [-3]
Last Week: #16 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 18

18. Versace On The Floor by Bruno Mars [=]
Last Week: #18 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 9

17. Praying by Kesha [+4]
Last Week: #21 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 4

16. Unforgettable by French Montana featuring Swae Lee [+1]
Last Week: #17 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 7

15. It Ain't Me by Kygo featuring Selena Gomez [-2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
Last Week: #13 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 26

14. Redbone by Childish Gambino [=]
Last Week: #14 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 10

13. No Promises by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato [+2]
Last Week: #15 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 13

12. I'm The One by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper, and Lil' Wayne [-3]
Last Week: #9 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 16

11. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt [+1]
Last Week: #12 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 13

10. Now Or Never by Halsey [-4]
Last Week: #6 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 19

9. Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean [+2]
Last Week: #11 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 8

8. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo [+3]
Last Week: #10 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 11

7. Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara [=] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
Last Week: #7 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 25

6. Slow Hands by Niall Horan [+2]
Last Week: #8 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 14

5. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller [=]
Last Week: #5 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 9

4. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee [-2] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
Last Week: #2 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 15

3. Believer by Imagine Dragons [+1]
Last Week: #4 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 15

2. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes [Spent 1 Week At #1]
Last Week: #1 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 16

1. Attention by Charlie Puth [+4] [1st Week At #1]
Last Week: #5 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 14

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Cheap Thrills by Sia featuring Sean Paul [5th And Final Week At #1]

Biggest Drop Of The Week: Now Or Never by Halsey [-4]

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane [+8]

New Entrants
- To start our two debuts this week, we have another Latin song, in the form of Mi Gente by J Balvin featuring Willy William.  I don't see the appeal to this song at all.  One of the worst aspects to this song is the lyrical content, which is pretty flimsy if you ask me.  The endless loop and the vocals are annoying as well.  It's almost like the song isn't finished, much like some of the mediocre to bad rap music that is currently flooding the charts nowadays.  When listening to the song, I can hear Willy William trying to make a Pitbull impression.  He's not doing a good job at it, because he has virtually no personality whatsoever.  J Balvin pretty much sucks also, both in terms of his vocals and personality.  To put it easy, this song blows.  NEXT!

- Our second (and final) entrant of the week comes from returning artist P!nk with her new single What About Us.  Although it doesn't quite live up to her previous single, P!nk still showcases her great vocals throughout.   I do love the lyrics to it and the production is great also.  Here's to hoping it becomes a hit much like Just Like Fire did back in 2016. 

We Are Blurbs That Want To Be Solved
- So we begin with our two exits.  The first being Down, which I was a never a fan to begin, so no complaints about that.  The second was 2U, which took a brutal exit after that huge drop last week.  I didn't really care for the latter that much and it wasn't gaining steam elsewhere, but dang!

- Charlie Puth somehow managed to hit #1 here also, just like he did last week on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown.  Though quite unexpected, I'll take it.  Looks like Charlie Puth has essentially established himself as a rising artist, what with See You Again and One Call Away becoming big hits for him.

- It looks like Despacito's reign at the top is pretty much over, what with it losing steam elsewhere (both in sales and streaming).  And especially now that we have a resurgence of a familiar face with a new single (which we'll get to shortly), Despacito going to face some hard competition in the coming weeks.  I still respect this song despite the fact that it's soured on many at this point.

- I'm very pleased that Praying managed to get to the Top 20 this week.  I'm hoping that it keeps rising, because this song is still fantastic.

- It doesn't look like Get Low will become a big hit like Stay did, unless something drastic happens.  I won't be too heartbroken if it flops, though, as I'm starting to lose interest in it.

- Not surprised that Fetish would have a big jump this week, but it doesn't make the song any better for me.

- Most Girls doesn't seem to be doing much here on the AT 40.  It's been holding at #30 for a few weeks now, not even getting above that spot.  Meanwhile, it's doing relatively well on Hits 1 jumping back into the Top 20 last week.

Extras/Optional Extras

Malibu by Miley Cyrus
Slide by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos
Story Of My Life by One Direction
Love Somebody by Maroon 5
Stay With Me by Sam Smith
Work From Home by Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Breakout/On The Verge

Friends by Justin Bieber featuring BloodPop
Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash
Mama by Jonas Blue featuring William Singe
Uh Huh by Julia Michaels

- Of course, Uh Huh would end up being a Breakout on the AT40.  Hopefully, it does not debut.  I'm already having to deal with it on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown.  We don't need it to debut here, also.

- I'm quite surprised to see Look What You Made Me Do not on the list, especially given that it's Taylor Swift and the fact that it's quickly gaining steam.  One thing's for sure, though: it's almost certain to debut within the next couple of weeks or so.

Top 20 Breakdown
0 - Awful:
20. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt

1 - Bad:
19. Redbone by Childish Gambino
18. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo

2 - Mediocre:
17. I'm The One by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper, and Lil' Wanye
16. Now Or Never by Halsey

3 - Decent:
None!

4 - Good:
15. Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara
14. No Promises by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato

5 - Great:
13. Honest by The Chainsmokers
12. Castle On The Hill by Ed Sheeran
11. Believer by Imagine Dragons
10. It Ain't Me by Kygo featuring Selena Gomez
9. Slow Hands by Niall Horan
8. Attention by Charlie Puth
7. Versace On The Floor by Bruno Mars
6. Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean
5. Unforgettable by French Montana featuring Swae Lee
4. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee
3. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller
2. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes

BONUS: 6 - Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Praying by Kesha

Total Score: 80/100 (B-)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Praying by Kesha
2. There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back by Shawn Mendes
3. Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay
4. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller
5. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt
2. Congratulations by Post Malone featuring Quavo
3. Mi Gente by J Balvin featuring Willy William
4. Location by Khalid
5. Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane