What’s up, guys! So, with the news that Hurricane Irma impacting Florida and many are still affected by Hurricane Harvey, I can’t help but think about all the people struggling to get through this. My hearts and prayers are still with them at this time. Despite this, Spyder Harrison somehow managed to host this week’s countdown. We did have a short week due to Labor Day weekend. To say the least, this was a heck of a week for the most part. We got rid of three big pieces of garbage (including the all important one), and there was a great deal of activity much like last week. Things are definitely heating up as we head into the fall. Before we get to this week’s fresh 45, here are the songs we’re saying good-bye to this week:

• Halsey – Now Or Never (#36)
• Shawn Mendes – Mercy (#35)
• Steve Aoki featuring Louis Tomlinson – Just Hold On (#44)
• Selena Gomez – Bad Liar (#45)
• Train – Play That Song (#41)
• Julia Michaels – Uh Huh (#33) (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Niall Horan – Slow Hands
45. The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey – Closer (#38) [-7] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1]
44. Julia Michaels – Issues (#44) [=]
43. DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – Wild Thoughts (#41) [-2]
42. Linkin Park featuring Kiiara – Heavy (#37) [-5]
41. Bruno Mars – That’s What I Like (#41) [+1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
40. Harry Styles – Two Ghosts (DEBUT) [=]
39. Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell and Katy Perry – Feels (#22) [-17]
38. Lady Gaga – The Cure (#39) [+1]
37. Andy Grammer – Give Love (DEBUT) [=]
36. Kygo featuring Selena Gomez – It Ain’t Me (#28) [-8]
35. Portugal. The Man – Feel It Still (DEBUT) [=]
34. Halsey – Bad At Love (DEBUT) [=]
33. Panic! At The Disco – L.A. Devotee (#29) [-4]
32. Justin Bieber featuring BloodPop – Friends (DEBUT) [=]
31. Fall Out Boy – Champion (#16) [-15]
30. Bruno Mars – Versace On The Floor (#30)
29. All Time Low – Good Times (#14) [-15]
28. AJR – Weak (#27) [-1]
27. Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You (#21) [-6] [Spent 9 Weeks At #1]
26. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low (#15) [-11]
25. The Chainsmokers – Honest (#24) [-1]
24. Hailee Steinfeld – Most Girls (#11) [-13]
23. Maroon 5 featuring SZA – What Lovers Do (DEBUT) [=]
22. Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee – Despacito (#32) [+10]
21. Hey Violet – Hoodie (#25) [+4]
20. Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey – Glorius (#20) [=]
19. Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl (#31) [+12] 
18. Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals – Back To You (#19) [+1]
17. Imagine Dragons – Thunder (#26) [+9]
16. Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato – No Promises (#34) [+18]
15. P!NK – What About Us (#17) [+2]
14. Charlie Puth – Attention (#6) [-8] [Spent 1 Week At #1] (Dang!)
13. Kesha – Praying (#23) [+10]
12. Mono Mind – Save Me A Place (#18) [+6]
11. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill (#10) [-1] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
10. Taylor Swift – Look What You Made Me Do (#13) [+3]
9. Demi Lovato – Sorry Not Sorry (#12) [+3]
8. Imagine Dragons – Believer (#8) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
7. Zedd featuring Alessia Cara – Stay (#7) 
6. Linkin Park – One More Light (#5) [-1]
5. The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay – Something Just Like This (#9) [+4] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
4. Niall Horan – Slow Hands (#1) [-3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
3. Sam Hunt – Body Like A Back Road (#3) [=]
2. Liam Payne – Strip That Down (#2) [=]
1. Shawn Mendes – There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back (#4) [+3] [FIVE WEEKS AT #1!] (WHEW!  AGAIN!)

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: The Chainsmokers featuring Daya – Don’t Let Me Down (1st Of 3 Weeks At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell and Katy Perry – Feels (-18)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato – No Promises (+18)

New Entrants
– We have a major shake-up in terms of debuts this week. First, let’s start with returning artist and One Direction member Harry Styles in the form of Two Ghosts. This is another one of those 70’s-80’s type rock songs we’re getting from him. Two Ghosts isn’t as good as Sign Of The Times from earlier this year, but I still like this. It’s basically about being in a relationship, though it’s not what it’s used to be. Harry Styles has show he can write pretty good lyrical content. Despite being a slow rock ballad, it’s quite solid and it works for me.

– Second, we have the return of Andy Grammer with his new single called Give Love. With the recent news we’ve been watching lately, we needed a song about coming together and spreading love, and sure enough, he was able to release a song about it. Do I think it’s the best song? Not really, but at least it works for me, especially at this moment in time.

– Our next debut comes from a song that is currently gaining steam elsewhere. Enter Feel It Still, which is sung by the band Portgul. The Man. Feel It Still sounds much different compared to other pop songs currently on the countdown. It’s quite fun at times, and I like the groove in this. My main problem here is the vocals, in part because of the weak falsetto. I was juggling between blue and green on this one.  But right now, I’ll going with blue, though it may be green at some point.

– As one song from Halsey departs, another one takes it place.  Enter Bad At Love, the second single off of her album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom. This is a step up from her predecessor, mainly because the production is more lively and not as underwhelming. Halsey showcases her vocal talent much better in this one. Spyder Harrison mentioned upon introducing this one that Halsey was getting together with rapper G-Eazy and wondered is she going to be good at love? Time will tell on that and I’m sure their relationship will work out quite well. Anyway, we’ll see how long her new single sticks around.

– Is anyone tired of Justin Bieber, yet? If your answer is yes, too bad, because he’s back for another round in his follow-up new single titled Friends, as Despacito is losing steam elsewhere (it was recently dethroned by Taylor Swift’s new single this week). I know many are sick of its predecessor at this point, but not me. Now, Friends is basically another one of those break-up songs, only this time it’s about wanting to still be friends with his ex-girlfriend even after they broke up. As I mentioned this in my AT40 review, I read that it was rumored that Martin Garrix would collaborate with Bieber, but he turned it down. I wondered how that song would turn out if that actually did happen? Hmm…no one really knows. Anyway, most people will find this more likable, in large part because they’re sick of its predecessor right now.

– With the highest debut of the week, we have the return of Maroon 5 not long after the departure of Don’t Wanna Know, with their new single What Lovers Do which features SZA. This is quite a big step up from both Cold and its predecessor. While the production isn’t necessarily the best, the lyrical content here is much better. It still doesn’t live up to their best work, but for now, I kinda like this. Will this be another hit for Maroon 5? Only time will tell on that, but let’s see how well it does here.

Lookin’ At My History, I’m Bad At Blurbs
– Okay. Now, as much as I want to save the best for last, I always, ALWAYS start with the exits! No exceptions! And I have my pride, so be it! WE MUST NOW CELEBRATE AS JULIA MICHAELS – UH HUH, ONE OF THE WORST SONGS I’VE EVER HEARD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, HAS OFFICIALLY LEFT THE COUNTDOWN!!! GOOD FREAKING RIDDANCE, YOU NEW-YORK-GIANTS SIZED PIECE OF TRASH!!!

– As for the other exits, good riddance to both Play That Song and Bad Liar, especially the latter of the two. Bad Liar was atrocious from the very beginning. I’m so glad it’s gone. That was absolute trash right there. And thank the high heavens above for the departure of Play That Song! That song has put the countdown through hell for so long! It’s about time Play That Song left us! I may never ever hear from it again! Okay, at least not until my Year-End posts. Now Or Never, on the other hand, I did kinda like to a degree unlike some people and it’s too bad Halsey didn’t score another big hit much like Closer, but it’s nothing worth losing sleep over. Finally, we have both Just Hold On and Mercy, the latter which was a big favorite of mine. I know some people are going to be happy about them leaving given that they’ve both spent a long time on the countdown, but not me. I enjoyed both of those songs for a while and they’ll likely have a place in My Top 45 Songs Of 2017. Goodbye Just Hold On and Mercy. You will both be missed.

– Shawn Mendes manages to hit #1 yet again for the fifth time this year, and his 10th week at #1 overall as an artist. I’m ecstatic to see that this song is getting much bigger than I expected it to be. I’ll most certainly take it over our #2 and #3 songs.

– On that note, can we please get Body Like A Back Road out of the Top 5, or even better, out of the countdown? I’m tired of constantly being on the edge of my seat hoping it doesn’t hit #1.

– While I don’t like seeing Body Like A Back Road in the Top 5, I do like the new Top 10 entries from both Sorry Not Sorry and Look What You Made Me Do. Look What You Made Me Do is almost certain to enter the Top 5 within the next week or so.  Sorry Not Sorry, while not quite as big as the latter, is still picking up steam.  Thus, I’m expecting it to enter that region, also.

– When I listened to Save Me A Place, I can’t help but think that the vocals sound pretty much like Ellie Goulding.  I wonder, did she have uncredited vocals in this one, or did she secretly joined the band itself?

– It’s good to see Praying jump back into the Top 20 this week!  I’m hoping it’ll hit the Top 10, or even Top 5, but I doubt it somehow, though I’ll be delighted if it did though.

– Before introducing Attention, Spyder Harrison mentioned that Charlie Puth loves James Taylor and says he’s the reason why he writes music. It’s always good to turn to someone for inspiration when writing music when you’re a rising artist. That said, I’m shocked that this dropped out of the Top 10 just after it hit #1 two weeks ago. Dang!