Saturday, December 15, 2018

The Chainsmokers & Kelsea Ballerini (1) - Week Of December 15, 2018

Hello, fam! Starting next week, I'll begin posting my Year-End lists. I have two of them that are ready, so it's likely you'll see them this week. Also, I would like to remind everyone once again that I'll be doing a rankdown. You can still submit your rankings right here. The deadline to send me your submissions will be January 5, 2019 at 11:00pm. I may end up extending it if I have to. We're getting ever closer to Christmas, which is 10 days away. So hopefully, you all have bought gifts for your family. You can share your thoughts in the comments about what do you want for Christmas. Alright, I've said enough for my introduction. Let's begin reviewing! Before we get to this week's fresh 45, here are the songs we're saying goodbye to this week:

  • Loud Luxury featuring Brando – Body (#34)
  • Alex Aiono – Big Mistake (#36)
  • Ariana Grande – God Is A Woman (#45)

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: 5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood
45. Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith – Promises (#43) [–2]
44. Shawn Mendes – In My Blood (#44) [=] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
43. Taylor Swift – Delicate (#42) [–1] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
42. Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello – Beautiful (Remix) (#41) [–1]
41. George Ezra – Shotgun (#37) [–4]
40. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle (#38) [–2] [Spent 9 Weeks At #1]
39. Charlie Puth – The Way I Am (#39) [=]
38. NOTD featuring Bea Miller – I Wanna Know (#40) [+2]
37. Lady Gaga featuring Bradley Cooper – Shallow (#33) [–4]
36. Silk City featuring Dua Lipa – Electricity (#30) [–6]
35. Olly Murs featuring Snoop Dogg – Moves (DEBUT)
34. Panic! At The Disco – Say Amen (Saturday Night) (#35) [+1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
33. Shawn Mendes – Lost In Japan (#32) [–1]
32. Lauren Jauregui – Expectations (DEBUT)
31. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes (#31) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
30. Ava Max – Sweet But Psycho (DEBUT)
29. Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B – Girls Like You (#20) [–9]
28. Selena Gomez – Back To You (#28) [=]
27. Backstreet Boys – Don't Go Breaking My Heart (#25) [–2]
26. The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren – Side Effects (#26) [=]
25. Lauv featuring Julia Michaels – There's No Way (#29) [+4]
24. David Guetta featuring Anne-Marie – Don't Leave Me Alone (#22) [–2]
23. Alec Benjamin – Let Me Down Slowly (#27) [+4]
22. Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj – Woman Like Me (#19) [–3]
21. TWENTY ØNE PILØTS – My Blood (#18) [–3]
20. Camila Cabello – Consequences (#16) [–4]
19. Shawn Mendes – Nervous (#13) [–6]
18. Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid – Eastside (#24) [+6]
17. The Struts featuring Kesha – Body Talks (#15) [–2]
16. Ariana Grande – Thank U, Next (#21) [+5]
15. lovelytheband – Broken (#11) [–4]
14. Post Malone featuring Swae Lee – Sunflower (#17) [+3]
13. Dan + Shay – Tequila (#9) [–4]
12. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess (#14) [+2]
11. Panic! At The Disco – Hey Look Ma, I Made It (#23) [+12]
10. Khalid featuring Normani – Love Lies (#10) [=]
9. Anne-Marie – 2002 (#8) [–1]
8. Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones (#7) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
7. Ariana Grande – Breathin' (#12) [+5]
6. Imagine Dragons – Nautral (#5) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
5. Halsey – Without Me (#6) [+1]
4. Marshmello featuring BΔSTILLE – Happier (#4) [=] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
3. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood (#1) [–2] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
2. Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes (#3) [+1] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1]
1. The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling (#2) [+1] [1st Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug – Havana (Ooh, Na-Na) (1st And Only Week At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B – Girls Like You (–9)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Panic! At The Disco – Hey Look Ma, I Made It (+12)

New Entrants:
- Let's start things off with the return of Olly Murs with a groovy new single of his, by the name of Moves. Olly Murs has had quite a few songs on the countdown before, with his last being Wrapped Up back in 2015. Since then, he's been basically irrelevant, though he did have a couple of songs show up on the YouTube 15. It's nice to see him back. Anyway, Moves is a solid song overall. It has that groove to it, similar to Hundred Handed – Too Good. It's basically something that Bruno Mars would sing to. But I do like his voice and it sounds groovy. It's nice to see Olly go for something different with Moves.

- After Camila Cabello and Normani, we get a new entrant from another member Fifth Harmony who has a new solo single. Lauren Jauregui makes her debut this week with Expectations. I'll start by saying that Lauren has probably the best voice out of all the members from this group. Earlier, she did a collaborated with Steve Aoki in All Night, which I still absolutely love to this day. She sounded amazing in the song and I loved the production as well. Coming into her solo single, I had expectations (no pun intended) that she would deliver. I can say that she did meet some of them. The story of the song is basically about wishing they had no expectations, which is something most people don't really have. Often times, people have high expectations and they ended up not meeting those goals. As for the rest of the song, I do like her voice in the song for the most part, though she doesn't particularly shine in the chorus. But where the song gets me at is the production itself. The guitars are well used. Overall, I do love the song. I like to see some success out of it.

- With the highest debut of the week, we have newcomer Ava Max making her very first appearance on the countdown with her debut single titled Sweet But Psycho. Right off the bat, I can easily say that this a great first impression. First off, I love Ava's voice. It sounds very unique and it shows when she sings the chorus. I didn't have much else to say about it until I found out about the lyrics. What she is telling us is that a person is just being herself and not really psycho. I don't quite get it just yet, but maybe if I look deeper I'll probably have a better understanding. Still, it doesn't make me dislike the song any less. The song is just divine all around. I hope to see it do well.

Best Debut Of The Week: Ava Max – Sweet But Psycho


Baby Don't Blurb Me, No More
- As always, we'll begin with our exits. To start, I didn't exactly care for Body in the long run but I kinda still like it in a guilty pleasure way. Big Mistake is still enjoyable, but I didn't think it would last long. Finally, we lost God Is A Woman. As polarizing as the song was, I still fell in love with it and I can safely say that it's one of my favorite songs of the year. While I'm sure there are some happy about its departure, I'm not among that crowd.

- So, I read somewhere that Maroon 5 are struggling to find new artists to perform with them in next year's Super Bowl. I wonder what's up with that? I guess some people are just not interested. At least Justin Timberlake has some artists perform with him last year.

- Hey Look Ma, I Made It makes a massive jump back into the Top 20. It looks like the song is starting to gain back its momentum. We'll see how long it lasts.

- The Last Of The Real Ones has spent a seemingly long time in the Top 10. Not that I'm complaining though, as I still like the song. I have a feeling that it may end up being ranked high on the Hits 1 Year-End Countdown, which is next weekend.

- Speaking of the Top 10, we have Breathin' make its entrance in that territory. I would've thought the presence of Thank U, Next would kill its momentum. But it's not the case. I much prefer Breathin' over its successor, though. I'm hoping its success continues.

- Finally, we've come to our brand new #1 song for this week! I'm definitely pleased that This Feeling was able to take the crown. It's easily their best song since Closer. They did perform this at the halftime show during the Chiefs-Rams game and I have to say, the performance was just divine. Kelsea was just phenomenal with her singing. Hopefully it can hold at #1 for a while.

Hit-Bound:

  • Dan + Shay – Speechless
  • Alessia Cara – Trust My Lonely
  • TWENTY ØNE PILØTS – Chlorine
  • Seeb featuring BΔSTILLE – Grip (DEBUT)
  • Zara Larsson – Ruin My Life
  • Imagine Dragons – Machine
  • Steve Aoki featuring BTS – Waste It On Me
  • Dean Lewis – Be Alright
  • Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo – Close To Me
  • Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus – Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
  • James Arthur – Empty Space
  • Charli XCX featuring Troye Sivan – 1999 (DEBUT)
  • Khalid – Better
  • Lauren Daigle – You Say (DEBUT)
  • 5 Seconds Of Summer – Killer Queen

Entrant Reviews:
- Ryan Sampson is filling in for Mikey Piff as the host of Hit-Bound this week, who seems to have taken a vacation. We've got three new songs on the list, starting with Seeb collaborating with BΔSTILLE in their latest single, Grip. If you remember Seeb, then you probably know they were the ones who did the remix for Mike Posner – I Took A Pill From Ibiza back in 2016. This is better than Happier. The production is better and I like Dan's voice. More on this when it debuts (hopefully).

- Charli XCX and Troye Sivan both take us back to 1999 with their single making its debut on Hit-Bound. I talked about this on the YouTube 15 a couple months ago when it was trending. To me, I find this to be better than Anne-Marie's single, 2002. I like their vocals and they blend together nicely. We'll see if it ends up debuting.

- Finally, we have Lauren Daigle with You Say. I know this may be an unpopular opinion to some people, but I actually really like this song. I personally Lauren has a great voice, and I like the piano work in this one. Here's to hoping it debuts soon.

Best Debut On Hit-Bound: Lauren Daigle – You Say

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks
1. Dan + Shay – Speechless
2. Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo – Close To Me
3. Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus – Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
4. Zara Larsson – Ruin My Life
5. Lauren Daigle – You Say

Top 20 Review:
0 – Putrid:
20. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess

1 – Bad:
19. Halsey – Without Me

2 – Mediocre:
18. Marshmello featuring Bastille – Happier

3 – Decent:
17. Shawn Mendes – Nervous
16. Anne-Marie – 2002
15. Post Malone featuring Swae Lee – Sunflower

4 – Good:
14. lovelytheband – Broken

5 – Great:
13. Ariana Grande – Thank U, Next
12. Camila Cabello – Consequences
11. Khalid featuring Normani – Love Lies
10. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood
9. Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes
8. Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones
7. Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid – Eastside
6. Panic! At The Disco – Hey Look Ma, I Made It
5. Imagine Dragons – Natural
4. The Struts featuring Kesha – Body Talks
3. Ariana Grande – Breathin'

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. Dan + Shay – Tequila
TIE: 1. The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling

Overall Grade: 83/100 = 83% (B)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Haddaway – What Is Love (1993)

Most Missed Countdown Song: The Chainsmokers featuring ROZES – Roses

Most Missed Hit-Bound Dropout: Pentatonix – Hallelujah

#1 Recommendation For Hits 1: Avril Lavigne – Tell Me It's Over

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Kesha – Praying (#12)

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling
TIE: 1. Dan + Shay – Tequila
3. Ariana Grande – Breathin'
4. Shawn Mendes – Lost In Japan
5. The Struts featuring Kesha – Body Talks

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess
2. Lauv featuring Julia Michaels – There's No Way
3. Halsey – Without Me
4. Marshmello featuring BΔSTILLE – Happier
5. NOTD featuring Bea Miller – I Wanna Know

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Symon – Lonely Girl: It was this time last year that Symon, who is currently one of the hosts for Hits 1 In Hollywood, came out of nowhere with this single. It's quite a sweet song for what it is. It's better than her predecessor in more ways than one.
Macklemore featuring Kesha – Good Old Days: The collaboration between these two artists turned out to be a great one. The song is just beautiful in every way possible. That's all I can say about this one (for now).

QOTW: What is your favorite song from Avril Lavigne? And why?

AT40: Marshmello & Bastille (3) - Week Of December 15, 2018

Hello, fam! Welcome to the last AT40 countdown of 2018! This was another week in which we don't have a lot going on in terms of activity. We did have some big moves here and there, but nothing else. I'm sure that by the start next year, we can expect to see more activity. Let's get right into things. Before we get to this week's fresh 40, we say good-bye to the songs leaving us this week:

  • Natural by Imagine Dragons (#39)

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille
40. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#40) [=]
39. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#38) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
38. Tequila by Dan + Shay (DEBUT)
37. Delicate by Taylor Swift (#36) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
36. Body by Loud Luxury featuring Brando (#33) [–3]
35. Mine by Bazzi (#34) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
34. Trust My Lonely by Alessia Cara (#35) [+1]
33. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (#32) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
32. Be Alright by Dean Lewis (#37) [+5]
31. Don't Matter To Me by Drake featuring Michael Jackson (#27) [–4]
30. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#28) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
29. Taki Taki by DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna, and Cardi B (#
28. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha (#17) [–11]
27. Better by Khalid (#29) [+2]
26. Close To Me by Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo and Swae Lee (#31) [+5]
25. I Like It by Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (#24) [–1]
24. Shallow by Lady Gaga featuring Bradley Cooper (#25) [+1]
23. This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini (#26) [+3]
22. Thunderclouds by LSD (#23) [+2]
21. Sicko Mode by Travis Scott featuring Drake (#22) [+1]
20. Back To You by Selena Gomez (#20) [=]
19. Consequences by Camila Cabello (#19) [=]
18. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa (#18) [=]
17. Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande (#21) [+4]
16. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes (#15) [–1]
15. Sunflower by Post Malone featuring Swae Lee (#16) [+1]
14. Broken by lovelytheband (#14) [=]
13. Beautiful (Remix) by Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello (#13) [=]
12. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (#12) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
11. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD (#6) [–5] 
10. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B (#9) [–1] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
9. Better Now by Post Malone (#8) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
8. Without Me by Halsey (#10) [+2]
7. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid (#11) [+4]
6. Lie by NF (#7) [+1]
5. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani (#5) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
4. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#4) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
3. Breathin' by Ariana Grande (#2) [–1]
2. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco [+1]
1. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille (#1) [=] [3rd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug (1st of 7 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha (–11)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Tie between Be Alright by Dean Lewis and Close To Me by Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo and Swae Lee (+5)

New Entrants
- For the second week in a row (and for the final entrant of the year), we have country duo Dan + Shay with a song that been around for a while, titled Tequila. The American Top 40 was a little late to the party when it comes to picking up the song, but I'm glad it's here anyway. It's probably one of the more premier country songs of the year. I love the vocals we get from these guys. They both sound good together, especially in the chorus. The lyrical content is well written. I feel like they put forth the effort in writing the song. I've been enjoying this with each listen and I can safely say that it's probably one of the best country songs I've heard in a long time. I hope it ends up doing well here.

Silver Blurbs

- So, we say good-bye to Natural. And its departure brings an end to Imagine Dragons' countdown run. Feels like it's been a long time since we last had a countdown without a song from Imagine Dragons. Talk about a good run.

- It's nice to see I'm A Mess not only dropping out of Top 20, but also having the biggest fall off the week! I'm very pleased with this! I'm glad it won't be much longer until it leaves.

- Before introducing Beautiful, Ryan Seacrest mentioned that Bazzi had never performed live before. I guess he may have a little bit of a stage fright. Maybe he should take some advice from Shawn Mendes, who has a song that talks about being nervous. Heh.

- Although I do not like the presence of Without Me in the Top 10, I love the new entrant we get from Eastside. It's a great song overall and Halsey sounds much better in the song than Without Me. Again, I'm hoping it ends up having the same success.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

  • Ruin My Life by Zara Larsson
  • 8 Letters by Why Don't We
  • Waste It On Me by Steve Aoki featuring BTS

Extras/Optional Extras:

  • Promises by Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith
  • Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran
  • One More Night by Maroon 5
  • Cold by Maroon 5 featuring Future
  • Same Old Love by Selena Gomez
  • Ride by TWENTY ØNE PILØTS
  • Hey Mama by David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, and Afrojack
  • See You Again by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth
  • What About Us by P!NK
  • Mirrors by Justin Timberlake
  • Chandelier by Sia

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
20. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD

1 – Bad:
19. Without Me by Halsey

2 – Mediocre:
18. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille

3 – Decent:
17. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.
16. Sunflower by Post Malone featuring Swae Lee
15. Broken by lovelytheband

4 – Good:
14. Lie by NF

5 – Great:
13. Beautiful by Bazzi featuirng Camila Cabello 
12. Back To You by Selena Gomez 
11. Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande
10. Consequences by Camila Cabello
9. Better Now by Post Malone
8. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco
7. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
6. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
5. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
4. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid
3. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa
2. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Breathin' by Ariana Grande  

Total Score: 82/100 = 82% (B–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Silver Bells by Bing Crosby (1950)

Most Missed Song: The A Team by Ed Sheeran

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Speechless by Dan + Shay

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Praying by Kesha (#11)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Breathin' by Ariana Grande
2. This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini
3. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
4. Tequila by Dan + Shay
5. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes

My Bottom 5 Picks

1. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. Thunderclouds by LSD
4. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
5. Sicko Mode by Travis Scott

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line: I'd say this is probably one of the most disappointing singles Bebe Rexha has released thus far. I'll have more to say about this one soon, but Bebe is capable of better.
Best Friend by Sofi Tukker featuring NERVO, Alisa Ueno, and The Knocks: I remember first hearing this when watching the commercial for the iPhone X and thinking, "this is something different". I don't quite like it as much as others do, but I still think it's a pretty cool song.

Monday, December 10, 2018

5 Seconds Of Summer (5) - Week Of December 8, 2018

Hello, fam! So, before we get to this week's countdown, I would like to say congratulations to Atlanta United (the MLS soccer team) for giving the city its first world championship since the Braves did so in 1995! It's been a long time coming, but I'm glad they were able to get it done. So, thank you Atlanta United for all the hard work! Now with that, I have the countdown post for you all. There are no songs leaving the countdown this week, so let's get right to it!

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes
45. Ariana Grande – God Is A Woman (#44) [–1]
44. Shawn Mendes – In My Blood (#45) [+1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
43. Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith – Promises (#41) [–2]
42. Taylor Swift – Delicate (#40) [–2] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
41. Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello – Beautiful (#43) [+2]
40. NOTD featuring Bea Miller – I Wanna Know (#39) [–1]
39. Charlie Puth – The Way I Am (#38) [–1]
38. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle (#37) [–1] [Spent 9 Weeks At #1]
37. George Ezra – Shotgun (#42) [+5]
36. Alex Aiono – Big Mistake (#26) [–10]
35. Panic! At The Disco – Say Amen (Saturday Night) (#36) [+1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
34. Loud Luxury featuring Brando – Body (#35) [+1]
33. Lady Gaga featuring Bradley Cooper – Shallow (#30) [–3]
32. Shawn Mendes – Lost In Japan (#31) [–1]
31. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes (#32) [+1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
30. Silk City featuring Dua Lipa – Electricity (#22) [–8]
29. Lauv featuring Julia Michaels – There's No Way (#34) [+5]
28. Selena Gomez – Back To You (#24) [–4]
27. Alec Benjamin – Let Me Down Slowly (#28) [+1]
26. The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren – Side Effects (#14) [–12]
25. Backstreet Boys – Don't Go Breaking My Heart (#20) [–5]
24. Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid – Eastside (#18) [–6]
23. Panic! At The Disco – Hey Look Ma, I Made It (#25) [+2]
22. David Guetta featuring Anne-Marie – Don't Leave Me Alone (#29) [+7]
21. Ariana Grande – Thank U, Next (#27) [+6]
20. Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B – Girls Like You (#17) [–3]
19. Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj – Woman Like Me (#33) [+14]
18. TWENTY ØNE PILØTS – My Blood (#23) [+5]
17. Post Malone featuring Swae Lee – Sunflower (#16) [–1]
16. Camila Cabello – Consequences (#21) [+5]
15. The Struts featuring Kesha – Body Talks (#15) [=]
14. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess (#8) [–6]
13. Shawn Mendes – Nervous (#19) [+3]
12. Ariana Grande – Breathin' (#12) [=]
11. lovelytheband – Broken (#13) [+2]
10. Khalid featuring Normani – Love Lies (#10) [=]
9. Dan + Shay – Tequila (#11) [+2]
8. Anne-Marie – 2002 (#3) [–5]
7. Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones (#9) [+2] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
6. Halsey – Without Me (#5) [–1]
5. Imagine Dragons – Natural (#6) [+1] [1 Week At #1]
4. Marshmello featuring Bastille – Happier (#4) [=] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
3. Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes (#1) [–2] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1]
2. The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling (#7) [+5]
1. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood (#2) [+1] [5th Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Halsey – Bad At Love (1st of 2 Weeks At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren – Side Effects (–12)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj – Woman Like Me (+14)

Blurbs Like Me
- Spyder Harrison mentioned during the introduction for Beautiful that Camila Cabello became an ambassador for saving kids while they're in poverty. It's nice to see a singer do their part to help out children of need. Hopefully, she'll give them some pizza to eat, perhaps?

- The big drop from Side Effects was a little saddening. But at the same time, I'm not all that surprised considering that it's been around for a while. It had a nice run, but it's time may be nearing its end. Hopefully, it'll stick around for a little longer.

- Speaking of Camila, Spyder Harrison also mentioned before introducing Consequences that she calls Shawn Mendes by her nickname, Shawnito. I'd say that's a creative nickname. I wonder, does Shawn have a nickname for her as well? If he does, I'd like to find out!

- Good to see I'm A Mess finally drop out of the Top 10. That song still blows big time. Now if we can get it to drop some more, or better yet leave the countdown, that would be great.

- In Top 10 news, I'm pleased about Tequila making its entry. Just a few weeks ago, it looked like the song was done. But boy, I was wrong. It's nice to see it get a second wind.

- Then, we get This Feeling in the Top 3 this week. It would be a miracle if this somehow manages to hit #1 despite it not being very popular elsewhere. I'm glad it has peaked higher than their recent singles from Sick Boy.

Hit-Bound:

  • Steve Aoki featuring BTS – Waste It On Me
  • James Arthur – Empty Space
  • Olly Murs – Moves
  • Dan + Shay – Speechless
  • Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo – Close To Me
  • Imagine Dragons – Machine
  • 5 Seconds Of Summer – Killer Queen
  • Zara Larsson – Ruin My Life
  • Khalid – Better
  • Lauren Jauregui – Expectations
  • TWENTY ØNE PILØTS – Chlorine
  • Alessia Cara – Trust My Lonely
  • Mark Ronson featuring Miley Cyrus – Nothing Breaks Like A Heart (DEBUT)
  • Dean Lewis – Be Alright
  • Ava Max – Sweet But Psycho

Entrant Reviews:
- We get only one new song on Hit-Bound this week. We have Mark Ronson, the artist behind easily one of my favorite songs I won't mention, collaborate with Miley Cyrus in their new single Nothing Breaks Like A Heart. After hearing this in full, I can say that it's nowhere near his best song. But there's plenty to like about this. I do like Miley's voice in this one, and the lyrics are nice. I'll have more on this should it debut.

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks
1. Dan + Shay – Speechless
2. Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo – Close To Me
3. Ava Max – Sweet But Psycho
4. Olly Murs – Moves
5. Zara Larsson – Ruin My Life

Top 20 Review:
0 – Putrid:
20. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess

1 – Bad:
19. Halsey – Without Me

2 – Mediocre:
18. Marshmello featuring Bastille – Happier

3 – Decent:
17. Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B – Girls Like You
16. Shawn Mendes – Nervous
15. Anne-Marie – 2002
14. Post Malone featuring Swae Lee – Sunflower

4 – Good:
13. lovelytheband – Broken

5 – Great:
12. Khalid featuring Normani – Love Lies
11. Camila Cabello – Consequences
10. Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes
9. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood
8. Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones
7. TWENTY ØNE PILØTS – My Blood
6. Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj – Woman Like Me
5. Imagine Dragons – Natural
4. The Struts featuring Kesha – Body Talks
3. The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling
2. Ariana Grande – Breathin'

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Dan + Shay – Tequila

Overall Grade: 80/100 = 80% (B–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Queen – We Are The Champions (1977)

Most Missed Countdown Song: Paramore – Still Into You

Most Missed Hit-Bound Dropout: MKTO – Superstitious

#1 Recommendation For Hits 1: Imagine Dragons – Bad Liar

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Kesha – Praying (#16)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Dan + Shay – Tequila
2. Ariana Grande – Breathin'
3. The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling
4. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle
5. Shawn Mendes – Lost In Japan

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess
2. Lauv featuring Julia Michaels – There's No Way
3. NOTD featuring Bea Miller – I Wanna Know
4. Halsey – Without Me
5. Marshmello featuring Bastille – Happier

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
None!

Saturday, December 8, 2018

AT40: Marshmello & Bastille (2) - Week Of December 8, 2018

Hello, guys! It's been another busy weekend for me, but at least I was able to get this post out a little earlier. As far as this week went, we didn't have too much going on in terms of activity other than a huge drop and a huge jump. We're basically coming down to the wire as 2018 is nearing its end. Let's just get into things. Before we get to this week's fresh 40, here are the songs we're saying goodbye to this week:

  • Promises by Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith (#24)

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille
40. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#39) [–1]
39. Natural by Imagine Dragons (#14) [–25]
38. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#37) [–1]
37. Be Alright by Dean Lewis (#36) [–1]
36. Delicate by Taylor Swift (#35) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
35. Trust My Lonely by Alessia Cara (#38) [+3]
34. Mine by Bazzi (#33) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
33. Body by Loud Luxury featuring Brando (#34) [+1]
32. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (#30) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
31. Close To Me by Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo and Swae Lee (DEBUT)
30. Taki Taki by DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna, and Cardi B (#32) [+2] 
29. Better by Khalid (#31) [+2]
28. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#27) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
27. Don't Matter To Me by Drake featuring Michael Jackson (#28) [+1]
26. This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini (#29) [+3]
25. Shallow by Lady Gaga featuring Bradley Cooper (#26) [+1]
24. I Like It by Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (#22) [–2]
23. Thunderclouds by LSD (#23) [=]
22. Sicko Mode by Travis Scott featuring Drake (#25) [+3]
21. Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande (#40) [+19]
20. Back To You by Selena Gomez (#18) [–2]
19. Consequences by Camila Cabello (#21) [+2]
18. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa (#20) [+2]
17. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha (#13) [–4]
16. Sunflower by Post Malone featuring Swae Lee (#19) [+3]
15. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes (#17) [+2]
14. Broken by lovelytheband (#16) [+2]
13. Beautiful (Remix) by Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello (#15) [+2]
12. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (#3) [–9] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
11. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid (#11) [=]
10. Without Me by Halsey (#12) [+2]
9. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B (#5) [–4] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
8. Better Now by Post Malone (#6) [–2]
7. Lie by NF (#10) [+3]
6. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD (#8) [+2]
5. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani (#4) [–1] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
4. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#2) [–2] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
3. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco (#9) [+6]
2. Breathin' by Ariana Grande (#7) [+5]
1. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille (#1) [=] [2nd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Thunder by Imagine Dragons (2nd And Final Week At #1) 

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Natural by Imagine Dragons (–25)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande (+19)

New Entrants:
- Our only new song entering the countdown this week comes from the long-awaited return of Ellie Goulding! She has a new single titled Close To Me, which features Diplo and Swae Lee. I can say that when I first heard the new single being announced, I was intrigued by the prospect of Ellie collaborating with Swae Lee. And after hearing the song in its entirety, I can safely say that I was not disappointed with how it turned out. Now, do I think it's amazing? Not really. Nothing can top her previous singles (Love Me Like You Do, Burn, and especially Lights). But Close To Me still shows just how talented Ellie Goulding is as a singer. She has a good voice and uses it well. Swae Lee does a nice job with his verse, also. The lyrical content is pretty good, and while it's not quite as special it just shows that Ellie Goulding knows how to write a good song. The verdict: it's a great song and once again, Ellie does not disappoint.

Close To Blurbs
- We say goodbye to Promises this week. I thought it was another solid track for Calvin Harris, even though it's didn't quite live up to One Kiss. And the addition of Sam Smith was welcoming. I'm rather disappointed it didn't go as far in terms of success. It feels like he hasn't had many hits since This Is What You Came For two years ago.

- Natural by Imagine Dragons made a massive drop this week from the Top 15 all the way down to the Bottom 5. Yikes! The same thing happened with No Brainer just recently as a month ago. With that, both songs now have the biggest drop in the Ryan Seacrest era.

- On the flip side, we have Thank U, Next with a massive jump up to near the Top 20. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up in the Top 10 in record time.

- Without Me by Halsey entering the Top 10 is not very pleasing for me to see. It's a shame to see this song become more successful when she has done better. I would much prefer if Eastside would take its place, but it's very unlikely.

- As far as the Top 5 goes, we have Breathin' hitting a new peak at #2, which isn't surprising. But then, we have High Hopes now in the Top 5 as well. This would seem unimaginable about a few months ago. My, how things have changed since then. It's unfortunate that neither of them will make the Year-End list for this year, but they'll be there next year I'm sure.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

  • Tequila by Dan + Shay
  • 8 Letters by Why Don't We
  • Ruin My Life by Zara Larsson

Extras/Optional Extras:

  • Now Or Never by Halsey
  • Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé
  • Look What You Made Me Do by Taylor Swift
  • I Feel It Coming by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk
  • Bad Things by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Camila Cabello
  • Thunder by Imagine Dragons
  • Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine
  • Cake By The Ocean by DNCE
  • Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man
  • I Like Me Better by Lauv
  • Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
20. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha
19. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD

1 – Bad:
18. Without Me by Halsey

2 – Mediocre:
17. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille

3 – Decent:
16. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.
15. Sunflower by Post Malone featuring Swae Lee

4 – Good:
14. Broken by lovelytheband

5 – Great:
13. Lie by NF
12. Back To You by Selena Gomez 
11. Beautiful by Bazzi featuirng Camila Cabello
10. Consequences by Camila Cabello
9. Better Now by Post Malone
8. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco
7. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
6. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
5. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
4. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid
3. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa
2. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Breathin' by Ariana Grande  

Total Score: 79/100 = 79% (C+)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson (2004)

Most Missed Song: Lights by Ellie Goulding

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Bad Liar by Imagine Dragons

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Praying by Kesha (#9)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Breathin' by Ariana Grande
2. This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini
3. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
4. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes
5. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. Thunderclouds by LSD
4. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
5. Sicko Mode by Travis Scott featuring Drake

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Dusk Till Dawn by ZAYN featuring Sia: To this day, I still think it's ZAYN's best song. The vocal chemistry between him and Sia is just phenomenal. Honestly, I wish the song was bigger than what it deserved.
End Game by Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future: I would never thought of the idea that Taylor and Ed would collaborate with Future, but I'm kinda glad it turned out pretty well. Too bad it ended up not being a huge success.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Panic! At The Disco (8) - Week Of December 1, 2018

What's up, guys? This post, along with my AT40 post, was late. Again, my apologies, but I was super busy last weekend. Anyway, Kid Kelly took over for Spyder Harrison this week, as he was got married this weekend. So, congrats to Spyder Harrison on his marriage! Before we get to this week's fresh 45, here are the songs leaving the countdown this week:

  • LSD – Thunderclouds (#33)
  • Walk The Moon – Kamikaze (#39)
  • NF – Lie (#41)
  • Juice WRLD – Lucid Dreams (#43)

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: 5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood
45. Shawn Mendes – In My Blood (#42) [–3] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
44. Ariana Grande – God Is A Woman (#31) [–13]
43. Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello – Beautiful (#45) [+2]
42. George Ezra – Shotgun (#44) [+2]
41. Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith – Promises (#22) [–19]
40. Taylor Swift – Delicate (#40) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
39. NOTD featuring Bea Miller – I Wanna Know (#38) [–1]
38. Charlie Puth – The Way I Am (#37) [–1]
37. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle (#35) [–2] [Spent 9 Weeks At #1]
36. Panic! At The Disco – Say Amen (Saturday Night) (#36) [=] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
35. Loud Luxury featuring Brando – Body (#20) [–15]
34. Lauv featuring Julia Michaels – There's No Way (DEBUT)
33. Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj – Woman Like Me (DEBUT)
32. Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes (#29) [–3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
31. Shawn Mendes – Lost In Japan (#13) [–18]
30. Lady Gaga featuring Bradley Cooper – Shallow (#21) [–9]
29. David Guetta featuring Anne–Marie – Don't Leave Me Alone (DEBUT)
28. Alec Benjamin – Let Me Down Slowly (#34) [+6]
27. Ariana Grande – Thank U, Next (DEBUT)
26. Alex Aiono – Big Mistake (#26) [=]
25. Panic! At The Disco – Hey Look Ma, I Made It (#23) [–2]
24. Selena Gomez – Back To You (#24) [=]
23. TWENTY ØNE PILØTS – My Blood (#27) [+4]
22. Silk City featuring Dua Lipa – Electricity (#16) [–6]
21. Camila Cabello – Consequences (#28) [+7]
20. Backstreet Boys – Don't Go Breaking My Heart (#17) [–3]
19. Shawn Mendes – Nervous (#32) [+13]
18. Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid – Eastside (#18) [=]
17. Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B – Girls Like You (#19) [+2]
16. Post Malone featuring Swae Lee – Sunflower (#30) [+14]
15. The Struts featuring Kesha – Body Talks (#15) [=]
14. The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren – Side Effects (#11) [–3]
13. lovelytheband – Broken (#12) [–1]
12. Ariana Grande – Breathin' (#14) [+2]
11. Dan + Shay – Tequila (#25) [+14]
10. Khalid featuring Normani – Love Lies (#9) [–1]
9. Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones (#6) [–3] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
8. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess (#7) [–1]
7. The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling (#5) [–2]
6. Imagine Dragons – Natural (#8) [+2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
5. Halsey – Without Me (#3) [–2]
4. Marshmello featuring Bastille – Happier (#4) [=] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
3. Anne–Marie – 2002 (#10) [+7]
2. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood (#1) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
1. Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes (#2) [+1] [8th Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl (4th And Final Week At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith – Promises (–19)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Tie between Post Malone featuring Swae Lee – Sunflower and Dan + Shay – Tequila (+14)

New Entrants:
- We'll get the most displeasing debut out of the way first. I was not looking forward to more Lauv, especially after we got slammed by I Like Me Better for most of the year. But alas, here he is and he's collaborating with Julia Michaels in his latest single titled There's No Way. Yeah, I'm not in love with this, as you can tell. I do find both of their vocals to be underwhelming, and they don't shine at all in the chorus. However, I'll go ahead and say that production-wise, it's a huge step up from its predecessor. That's the only redeeming quality of the song. But other than that, it's not very good in most aspects. So yeah, I'm not a huge fan.

- Immediately after that, we get the return of Little Mix! Now they've had quite a few songs on the countdown before, such as Wings in 2012 and especially Black Magic back in 2015. The latter was a huge favorite of mine, and it still is to this day. Here, they're collaborating with Nicki Minaj in their latest single titled Woman Like Me. The song does remind me of Side To Side, in which it does have a reggae vibe to it. I do like what Little Mix is going for in this one. Adding Nicki Minaj was a great idea as she contributes nicely to the song. The way she raps in some of the verses is just awesome. I love how they blend together in the chorus. I think they have a great vocal chemistry. To put it short, Little Mix's new single just rocks.

- The last time we've heard from David Guetta was three years ago, I believe, when he had Hey Mama as one of his biggest hits of 2015. Today, he makes his return to the countdown by collaborating with Anne-Marie in his new single titled Don't Leave Me Alone. Right off the bat, I can say that this is better than anything Anne-Marie has been a part of thus far (outside of Rockabye). I think she has a nice voice and she uses it well in the song. I also like the production David put together. He put forth the effort while doing his work on the song. The verdict: it's an enjoyable song and both of these artists don't disappoint me there.

- Unless you've been living under a rock for the past month or so, then you probably know by now that Ariana Grande has her new single titled Thank U, Next, which has been reigning at #1 for a few weeks now. Not only that, but her music video is breaking records left and right. Anyway, the song basically talks about Ariana simply thanking her ex-boyfriends, including the late Mac Miller, who passed away a few months ago. I do like the song in large part because of Ariana alone. As I've said before, she has a great voice and she uses it very well most of the time. My only concern for the song is that there's not too much going on in terms of the production. I do think a little more could be done in my opinion. Although this is probably one of her weakest lead singles out of all of them, it's still a good song on its own. I'm looking forward to seeing this one become a success here on this countdown, which it probably will.

Best Debut Of The Week: Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj – Woman Like Me

Don't Leave Blurbs Alone
- We'll start with our exits this week. First off, good riddance to both Thunderclouds and Lucid Dreams, especially the former. I could not stand that song at all. But I'm glad it's gone. As for the other two, Lie sputtered after having the biggest drop of the year a couple months ago and never recovered. And Kamikaze was not destined to last long. Too bad Walk The Moon will forever remain as one-hit wonders.

- High Hopes is back at #1 once again. That song has been dominating on Hits 1 for the second half of this year and it looks like with it still gaining momentum, it may very well carry on into 2019.

- 2002 has entered the Top 5 this week, which I'm okay with. Though I would much prefer if this didn't hit #1 as I'm slightly starting to lose interest. But if anything, I'll definitely take this over a certain song I won't mention any day.

- So in case anyone's wondering, yes, I do indeed have Tequila as my new favorite song on the countdown. This song has been getting better with each listen. I can safely say that this is one of the premier country songs of 2018 in my opinion. It's nice to see it make a massive jump back into the Top 20 this week!

- On the minus side, we have Lost In Japan making a big drop this week unfortunately. I had thought that it was a shoe-in to become another hit for Shawn Mendes. Boy, I was wrong. Not helping is that it's losing momentum elsewhere. Oh well.

Hit-Bound:

  • Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo – Close To Me
  • Dean Lewis – Be Alright (DEBUT)
  • Zara Larsson – Ruin My Life
  • Imagine Dragons – Machine
  • Lauren Jauregui – Expectations
  • Dan + Shay – Speechless (DEBUT)
  • 5 Seconds Of Summer – Killer Queen
  • Olly Murs – Moves
  • Alessia Cara – Trust My Lonely (DEBUT)
  • Khalid – Better (DEBUT)
  • James Arthur – Empty Space
  • Ava Max – Sweet But Psycho
  • Steve Aoki featuring BTS – Waste It On Me
  • TWENTY ØNE PILØTS – Chlorine

Entrant Reviews:
- We have a new round of arrivals that I'll be covering. First, we have Dean Lewis with Be Alright. When listening to the song, I find that Dean has a good voice. But what stands out to me is the lyrics. I think they are well written for the most part. Overall, I can say it's a good song.

- Next, we have more Dan + Shay, this time with Speechless. I personally think this is just as good as their current representation on the countdown. I love their vocals, the production is great, and the lyrics are solid. What more can I say? Here's to hoping it makes its debut soon. I think they're the best duo in the country genre right now.

- We have more Alessia Cara with one of her weakest singles from her latest album, The Pains Of Growing which came out this week, titled Trust My Lonely. I talked about the song when it debuted on the American Top 40 last week. To recap, the production is just pretty weird and out of place. Alessia's vocals are okay, but she doesn't really stand out for much of the song. Not really a bad song, but she's had better.

- Finally, we have more of Khalid with his latest single, Better. Much like with Trust My Lonely, I find Khalid's voice to be okay, but doesn't really shine in the chorus. However, the production in the song is better, and I do like the lyrics though.

Best Debut on Hit-Bound: Dan + Shay – Speechless

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks
1. Dan + Shay – Speechless
2. Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo – Close To Me
3. Ava Max – Sweet But Psycho
4. Zara Larsson – Ruin My Life
5. Lauren Jauregui – Expectations

YouTube 15:

  • Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B – Girls Like You
  • Benny Blanco featuring Calvin Harris – I Found You
  • Billie Eilish – Come Out and Play
  • Juice WRLD – Lucid Dreams
  • Cher Lloyd – None of My Buisness
  • Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid – Eastside
  • ZAYN featuring Nicki Minaj – No Candle No Light
  • Ariana Grande – Breathin'
  • Clean Bandit featuring Marina And The Diamond and Luis Fonsi – Baby
  • Marshmello featuring Bastille – Happier
  • Loren Gray – Kick You Out
  • Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes
  • Alan Walker featuring AuRa and Tomine Hacket – Darkside
  • Halsey – Without Me
  • Jake Miller – Wait For You

Song Reviews:
- First off, we have Billie Eilish, who you guys probably know as been charting with a few songs on Billboard. Here, she has Come Out And Play. I'll go ahead and say that she has a unique voice for the most part. And I say this when it comes to her music in general.

- Next, we have ZAYN collaborating with Nicki Minaj in his latest titled No Candle No Light. It's a bit of a step up from its predecessor in some ways. I like the production in the song, and both artists did a nice job with their verses. Overall, it's a good song, but it pales in comparison to Dusk Till Dawn, which is easily his best song.

- Following that, there's Loren Gray with her single, Kick You Out. I like pretty much every aspect of the song. I think she has a good voice overall. She does well singing in the chorus, and I kinda like the lyrics in this one. Overall, it's a good song.

- Finally, Jake Miller has a single titled Wait For You. There's not a whole lot I can say about this one. I kinda like his voice here, but the production is a little too basic and I'm not big on the lyrical content. So yeah, I'm not really feeling the song.

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks
1. Alan Walker featuring AuRa and Tomine Hacket – Darkside
2. Ariana Grande – Breathin'
3. Billie Eilish – Come Out And Play
4. Clean Bandit featuring Marina And The Diamond and Luis Fonsi – Baby
5. Loren Gray – Kick You Out


Top 20 Review:
0 – Putrid:
20. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess

1 – Bad:
19. Halsey – Without Me

2 – Mediocre:
18. Marshmello featuring Bastille – Happier

3 – Decent:
17. Shawn Mendes – Nervous
16. Post Malone featuring Swae Lee – Sunflower
15. Anne-Marie – 2002
14. Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B – Girls Like You

4 – Good:
13. lovelytheband – Broken

5 – Great:
12. Khalid featuring Normani – Love Lies
11. Panic! At The Disco – High Hopes
10. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Youngblood
9. Backstreet Boys – Don't Go Breaking My Heart
8. Fall Out Boy – The Last Of The Real Ones
7. The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren – Side Effects
6. Benny Blaco featuring Halsey and Khalid – Eastside
5. Imagine Dragons – Natural
4. The Struts featuring Kesha – Body Talks
3. The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling
2. Ariana Grande – Breathin'

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Dan + Shay – Tequila

Overall Grade: 80/100 = 80% (B–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Britney Spears – Oops!... I Did It Again (2000)

Most Missed Countdown Song: George Ezra – Budapest

Most Missed Hit-Bound Dropout: Little Mix – Touch

#1 Recommendation For Hits 1: Imagine Dragons – Bad Liar

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Kesha – Praying

My Top 5 Picks
1. Dan + Shay – Tequila
2. Ariana Grande – Breathin'
3. The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling
4. Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle
5. Shawn Mendes – Lost In Japan

My Bottom 5 Picks

1. Bebe Rexha – I'm A Mess
2. Lauv featuring Julia Michaels – There's No Way
3. NOTD featuring Bea Miller – I Wanna Know
4. Halsey – Without Me
5. Marshmello featuring Bastille – Happier

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Harry Styles – Kiwi: I love how Harry went for the 70's-80's rock vibe in this one. And hearing this again, it does somewhat remind me of I Love Rock And Roll by Joan Jett.
X Ambassadors – Ahead Of Myself: These guys haven't really had much to offer since both Renegades and Unsteady became big hits. This one is interesting in almost every way. While it's not as good as Renegades, at least it's something I can enjoy.
Nick Jonas – Find You: Since Nick started going solo after the break-up of the Jonas Brothers, he's had a few singles I loved. This turns out to be one of them. The song does sound similar to Lady Gaga – Perfect Illusion, especially when listening to the intro.

Monday, December 3, 2018

AT40: Marshmello & Bastille (1) - Week Of December 1, 2018

Hello, fam! This post came out much later than usual, my apologies. I had a busy weekend, meaning I barely had time to work on this post. But I finally got this out, so that's all that matters. Anyway, welcome to the month of December!  We're one step closer into 2019. So, my plan in the coming weeks will be all about doing my Year-End posts. Also, I want to remind everyone that I'm going to be doing a rankdown. Details will be at the page above. I still don't have a deadline set yet. I'll work on that. Until then, you guys have ample time to send me your submissions. Before we get to this week's fresh 40, here are the songs we're saying goodbye to this week:

  • Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine (#19)
  • I Like Me Better by Lauv (#40)

The Countdown:
Last Week's #1 Song: God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
40. Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande (DEBUT)
39. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#38)
38. Trust My Lonely by Alessia Cara (#39) [+1]
37. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#36) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
36. Be Alright by Dean Lewis (#37) [+1]
35. Delicate by Taylor Swift (#34) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
34. Body by Loud Luxury featuring Brando (#35) [+1]
33. Mine by Bazzi (#32) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
32. Taki Taki by DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna, and Cardi B (DEBUT)
31. Better by Khalid (#33) [+2]
30. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (#29) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
29. This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini (#31) [+2]
28. Don't Matter To Me by Drake featuring Michael Jackson (#28) [=]
27. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#26) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
26. Shallow by Lady Gaga featuring Bradley Cooper (#30) [+4]
25. Sicko Mode by Travis Scott featuring Drake (#27) [+2]
24. Promises by Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith (#23) [–1]
23. Thunderclouds by LSD (#25) [+2]
22. I Like It by Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (#21) [–1]
21. Consequences by Camila Cabello (#22) [+1]
20. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa (#20) [=]
19. Sunflower by Post Malone featuring Swae Lee (#24) [+5]
18. Back To You by Selena Gomez (#17) [–1]
17. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes (#16) [–1]
16. Broken by lovelytheband (#18) [+2]
15. Beautiful (Remix) by Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello (#15) [=]
14. Natural by Imagine Dragons (#13) [–1]
13. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha (#12) [–1]
12. Without Me by Halsey (#14) [+2]
11. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid (#10) [–1]
10. Lie by NF (#8) [–2]
9. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco (#11) [+2]
8. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD (#7) [–1]
7. Breathin' by Ariana Grande (#9) [+2]
6. Better Now by Post Malone (#6) [=] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
5. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B (#5) [=] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
4. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani (#4) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
3. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (#1) [–2] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
2. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#2) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
1. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille (#3) [+2] [1st Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Thunder by Imagine Dragons (1st of 2 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Tie between God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande and Lie by NF (-2)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Sunflower by Post Malone featuring Swae Lee (+5)

New Entrants:
- Only two debuts to cover this week. First, we have Ariana Grande with her lead single from her upcoming fifth album, titled Thank U, Next. As you already know, the song had been reigning at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three last few weeks now. Right off the bat, I can say that I do like the song overall. However, I can also say that it's over of her weaker singles, though it's definitely not a bad song. Ariana shows that she has a good voice, and I do like the lyrical content about her ex, including Mac Miller who sadly passed away a few months ago. I'm not necessarily big on the production. It lacks something that makes it interesting. I'm sure it'll end up doing well on this countdown and seeing as I do like the song right now, I'm looking forward to it.

- Our other debut for this week comes from the return of DJ Snake. Here, he has an interesting collaboration with Selena Gomez, Ozuna, and Cardi B in his new single, Taki Taki. I like the Latin-based vibe that DJ Snake is going for. The verses in the song flow pretty nicely. I think all of the artists here are better suited for a song like this, especially Cardi B. She has proven that she's able to rap in a different language. Overall, it's quite a fun song. I would like to see it stick around.

Best Debut Of The Week: Taki Taki by DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna, and Cardi B

Trust My Blurbs
- Good riddance to two of our exits. Drew Barrymore was simply uninteresting and ultimately unappealing to me. At least it didn't become a sleeper hit elsewhere. But more importantly, we must celebrate as I Like Me Better by Lauv has finally left the countdown! That song will never be missed.

- As you probably can tell, I'm not all that thrilled about our new #1 song. It's just mediocre EDM for me. Although I can say that it's better than Friends lyrically, I find the production to be underwhelming and Dan's voice only okay. It's a shame that this had to be the bigger hit over Wolves, which his easily the best thing Marshmello has been a part of.

- There's really not a lot of action as both Lie and our former #1 God Is A Woman dropped big by only 2 spots. The only other big move we get this week was Sunflower, which has risen 5 spots into the Top 20.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

  • Tequila by Dan + Shay
  • Close To Me by Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo and Swae Lee
  • 8 Letters by Why Don't We

Extras/Optional Extras:

  • Jackie Chan by Tiesto & Dzeko featuring Preme & Post Malone
  • Rather Be by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne
  • Animals by Maroon 5
  • Time Of Our Lives by Pitbull & Ne-Yo
  • Done For Me by Charlie Puth featuring Kehlani 
  • Locked Out Of Heaven by Bruno Mars
  • Needed Me by Rihanna
  • Bodak Yellow (Money Moves) by Cardi B
  • Demons by Imagine Dragons
  • Song About You by Mike Posner

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
20. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha
19. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD

1 – Bad:
18. Without Me by Halsey

2 – Mediocre:
17. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille

3 – Decent:
16. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.
15. Sunflower by Post Malone featuring Swae Lee

4 – Good:
14. Broken by lovelytheband

5 – Great:
13. Lie by NF
12. Back To You by Selena Gomez 
11. Beautiful by Bazzi featuirng Camila Cabello
10. Better Now by Post Malone
9. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco
8. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
7. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
6. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid
5. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
4. Natural by Imagine Dragons
3. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa
2. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Breathin' by Ariana Grande  

Total Score: 79/100 = 79% (C+)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: ...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears (1998)

Most Missed Song: In The Name Of Love by Martin Garrix featuring Bebe Rexha

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Bad Liar by Imagine Dragons

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Praying by Kesha

My Top 5 Picks
1. Breathin' by Ariana Grande
2. This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini
3. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
4. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes
5. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. I'm A Mess by Bebe Rexha
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. Thunderclouds by LSD
4. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
5. Sicko Mode by Travis Scott featuring Drake

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Silence by Marshmello featuring Khalid: Interestingly, Marshmello had two songs debut on this countdown one year ago. As far as Silence goes, I thought he did a pretty nice job with the production, and I like the addition of Khalid. But this pales in comparison to...
Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello: This song. Easily the best thing Marshmello has done thus far. Again, I'll have more to say about this in a few weeks or so.