Hello, fam! For those who are unaware, My 50,000 Pageview Special has finally been posted. If you haven’t already, feel free to check it out right here. Now with that finally out of the way, I now send you to this week’s Hits 1 Weekend Countdown. Simply put, this was a great week to close out the month of February. We had plenty of activity going on. We had two familiar faces returning, songs moving all over the place, and an unexpected new #1, which I’m totally cool with! Let’s get down to the action! Before we get to this week’s fresh 45, we say good-bye to the songs leaving us this week:

• Niall Horan – Too Much To Ask (#28)
• Taylor Swift – …Ready For It? (#41)

The Countdown:

Hello, fam! For my 50,000 Pageview Special, I’ve decided to travel back in time and review the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 for 2015. The Billboard Hot 100 is very different from the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown, in which they count down the Top 100 songs, usually in ascending order from 1-100. How do those songs make the Year-End list, you might ask? Well, for a song to make the Year-End chart, three factors come into play: streaming, sales, and radio. Nowadays, streaming has been the key factor in deciding which songs become a hit. But that alone doesn’t always mean that sales and radio don’t matter. There are many songs that become hits based on those other two factors. When I review music, I look at the quality of the song based on certain things, and no, I don’t buy into songs being overplayed as one of those factors. Because otherwise, reviewing the entire Year-End list wouldn’t be fun to talk about. So how was 2015 in terms of music? Well, you’ll just have to read and find out! Here is the color code that I’ll use and the number of points each song gets:

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

100. How Deep Is Your Love by Calvin Harris featuring Disciples (#27) [3; Decent]
Here, we have a Calvin Harris song that managed to barely make it on this list. I would’ve preferred Outside over this, but that one didn’t really take off. Still, that doesn’t mean How Deep Is Your Love is bad at all. Her vocals are nice, though I’ll admit the production isn’t all that amazing to me. I’ll most certainly take this over This Is What You Came For any day.

99. Back To Back by Drake (#21) [4; Good]
This was the start of a comeback year for Drake. To say the least, it wasn’t such a bad start. I thought he did a good job with his rapping skills, and the lyrical content is pretty good. It took me a while to figure was this song was about, but basically its supposed to be a diss track and it worked well for the most part. While it’s not quite Drake’s best work so far, at least he was able to produce a solid single.

98. Night Changes by One Direction (#31) [5; Great]
I feel like some people hate this because they find it boring. No, I’m sorry, but I’m not going to use that as an excuse when I critique music. I judge the song based on quality, not how boring it is. Sure, we all love upbeat songs, but even some slow songs can be good too, and Night Changes fits into that category. It’s one of the more stand-out tracks from One Direction. The vocals are nice, and I love the melody all throughout the song, espeically when the chorus starts to kick in. Overall, it’s probably one of the best songs they’ve done. And with Zayn making his departure for his solo career afterwards, this was a great way to go out.

97. She Knows by Ne-Yo featuring Juicy J. (#19) [0; Garbage]
I usually like to hear music from Ne-Yo for the most part. He’s made some solid music in the past, but this song right here is pure trash. While his vocals aren’t awful, almost everything else about this song is poorly produced, from the lyrics on down to the production. And was it really necessary to include baby noises in the background? Yeah, pretty much everything else about this blows. NEXT!

96. El Perdon by Nicki Jam featuring Enrique Iglesias (#56) [3; Decent]
Here, we have music from the Latin genre. Now, I’ll just say that the production is nice and the vocals are good. I do kinda like how their verses flow. But it’s not all that memorable in the big picture. Still, it’s a nice Latin song I can listen to every once in a while.

95. Waves by Robin Schulz featuring Mr. Probz (#14) [3; Decent]
For a EDM song, this is pretty decent. While I’m not neccessarily big on the vocals, I do love other aspects of the song in general, such as the use of guitars and the beat. Not necessarily memorable, but I can see the appeal to this.

94. Here by Alessia Cara (#5) [5; Great]
The Alessia Cara we know today sounds a bit different in this one. It’s basically an anti-party anthem, kinda like Royals by Lorde, except it’s a little more lively. I love the intro were you can hear the guy talking. From that point, the rest of the song itself is history. Alessia delivers very nicely with her vocals. It’s different and cool at the same time. We don’t really hear this often on the radio. So, I’m thirlled to see Alessia Cara make a breakthrough with her debut single. This would be the beginning of her success and what was to come after that.

93. Ghost by Ella Henderson (#21) [5; Great]
If I’m being honest, I didn’t even think about including this one in my Top 10 when I reviewed My Top 30 Songs of 2015, because I recently took another listen to this song and I was very impressed with the way it turned out. This is indeed a pop masterpiece! This, my friends, is how an artist makes a good first impression. Ella’s voice sounds amazing! She is definitely a talented artist and she showcases her talent all throughout the song. The guitars are awesome and the lyrical content is excellent. Simply put, this song is fantastic from start to finish. While there are some here who aren’t fond of this seeing as this was ranked too low on the 2015 Hits 1 Year-End Rankdown, I am not among that crowd. I would love to hear more from Ella Henderson soon.

92. Don’t by Ed Sheeran (#9) [5; Great]
Before he made a comeback in 2017, this was my favorite song from Ed Sheeran. At the time, he was coming off of his success with Sing, which was also one of my favorites back in 2014. This song was a bit of a step up from its successor. I love how Ed Sheeran can tell a story about a relationship. From what I’ve heard, it’s basically a diss track. The production is pretty top-notch and the lyrics are well-written, both of which I expected from Ed Sheeran. I’m glad he was able to make it work and thus, become the hit he wanted this to be.

91. Heartbeat Song by Kelly Clarkson (#21) [5; Great]
Kelly Clarkson has always been one of my favorites ever since she won on American Idol. She has since made really good music that wowed me from start to finish. Even if Heartbeat Song doesn’t quite match her previous singles, I can’t deny that it’s still a really, really good song. But for some reason unbeknownst to me, this one isn’t really liked by some. I’m not exactly sure why some feel that way. I don’t exactly know. Anyway, I don’t just love this song because I’ve always think highly of Kelly Clarkson. Actually, yes I do. Let’s just leave it at that. But the point I’m trying to get across is, I was happy with the way it turned out. Kelly grabbed my attention with her awesome vocals, the production is solid, and I love the lyrics. There’s not much else I can say about this other than that it’s enjoyable.

90. Chandelier by Sia (#8) [5; Great]
Easily the best song from Sia in my opinion. Chandelier is basically everything I love about Sia. She has outstanding vocals, especially when we get to the chorus, which along with the powerful production, are the two best things about it. I love how she sounds energetic throughout the song. It sounded like to me that she was having fun recording it. Honestly, if I had started reviewing the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown back when this was big, this would likely be in purple, because everything about this rules. 

89. Budapest by George Ezra (#32) [5; Great]
This song is very unique when compared to some of the other songs on this chart. It’s not your ordinary pop song. We don’t really hear this on the radio every day. George has a unique voice, and it shows throughout the song. He makes better use of the guitars. It’s a good song overall, and I’m glad he was able to get a minor hit in the U.S.

88. Blessings by Big Sean featuring Drake and Kanye West (#28) [4; Good]
I can’t really explain this one in detail, but I’ll do my best. To put it short, this one isn’t bad at all. The verses from these artists flow pretty nicely for the most part. However, the lyrical content is solid. I do like the verses from all of these artists. I think they did a good job with it. Basically, it’s a good song overall.

87. Kick The Dust Up by Luke Bryan (#26) [0; Garbage]
I’ve been disappointed with the quality of music in the country genre ever since Cruise became a huge hit. That one was rotten across the board and thus, became one of my worst songs of 2013. This song is one of many examples of the decline of the genre in terms of quality. To say the least, the lyrics are really stupid all around, especially when he talks about turning cornfields into parties. I don’t get it. That doesn’t even make sense. The production is weak and I’m not a fan of his vocals and the way he delivers it. No, that’s no way to win me over with this kind of song. In fact, it just makes me want to change the station every time. But the sad thing is, I’d rather hear this than a certain country song that I won’t mention. The point I’m trying to get across is that this song absolutely blows. NEXT!

86. Ayo by Chris Brown featuring Tyga [0; Garbage]
Blech. Here we go with many of the mediocre to bad hip-hop music that I’ll be talking about. This song being one of them. Chris Brown isn’t necessarily my go-to artist, but has made some good music in the past. Unfortunately, Ayo is a different story. It has some nonsensical lyrics, lazy production, and not-so-good vocals. Plus, Tyga doesn’t really add anything to this song at all. What more can I say? So yeah, I’m disappointed in the new direction Chris Brown is taking right now. Let’s move on.

85. House Party by Sam Hunt (#26) [4; Good]
Even though Sam Hunt hasn’t been a good country artist in my eyes, that doesn’t mean all of his songs are bad. There’s at least one good song from him, and this is probably the only tolerable single from him. House Party is one of those songs in which Sam actually sounds good. While I do question the lyrics, I like how he’s trying to have fun singing. He showcases his vocal talent more than he does in some other songs. Even though I won’t go as far and say it’s a great song, at least he has something that’s more listenable.

84. Downtown by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Eric Nally (#12) [5; Great]
Macklemore has been the type of rapper who doesn’t really disappoint me, unlike some of the other mainstream rappers nowadays. I enjoyed some of his songs, such as Thrift Shop and Can’t Hold Us. Downtown is no different. Sure, the lyrics are questionable, but that alone doesn’t make this song bad. He does showcase his talent all throughout the song, and the chorus is pretty awesome. Though it was never a Top 10 hit, at least it was respectable elsewhere.

83. Hit The Quan by iLoveMemphis (#15) [0; Garbage]
This one I’m sure most YouTube critics can explain better than I can. But simply put, it’s another one of those nonsensical rap songs that is executed poorly. No, I’m not a fan of some of the lines. Not only that, but it is also repetitive in some parts. I can’t stand his voice at all. I’m not sure what he’s going for here, but it’s not working for me. How this became a hit, I will never understand.

82. Tuesday by ILoveMakonnen featuring Drake (#12) [2; Mediocre]
Another forgettable song. Though, I’ll admit it’s not as bad mainly because it does have some funny lines. But the vocals aren’t really that good, nor is the production. I don’t really have too much else to say about it.

81. Lay Me Down by Sam Smith (#8) [5; Great]
Sam Smith made his presence known in the music business back in 2014 when Stay With Me became a massive hit. His success would continue from there when I’m Not The Only One also became big. He would eventually keep chugging along when this song came out. Lay Me Down is one of his best songs (along with Like I Can, which unfortunately failed to take off elsewhere). One of the reasons I feel this way is because there’s more going on in terms of the production, though it’s not noticeable right away until we progress further into the song. Sam definitely shows what he’s capable of in terms of his vocals. There was also a remix to the song which features John Legend, and it was pretty divine as well. Both are good songs overall.

80. Bang Bang by Jessie J. featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj (#3) [5; Great]
If I was reviewing music back in 2014, I probably would’ve had this as my favorite song on both countdowns that I do every week (Hits 1 and American Top 40) at one point. The reason being is because this is definitely a fun and energetic song. It sounds like these girls are having fun. I can tell when listening to this in its entirety. Their vocals are on point, especially when they showcase their charisma. The verses from all three of these artists are awesome. I’m glad that this big collaboration turned out well. Can we get more collaborations like this, please?

79. CoCo by O.T. Genasis (#20) [0; Garbage]
Ugh. I’m not even going to explain this one. No way. Actually, I’ll just briefly describe this. I’m sure It’s just another song with poorly-written lyrics all around. Plus, the production is straight up bad and the vocals are just terrible. Overall, not a good song. Moving on.

78. The Hanging Tree by James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence (#12) [2; Mediocre]
This song, taken from the The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 Soundtrack, is kinda interesting and it’s not something you hear on the radio every day. Basically, the entire song is all about hearing the vocals from Jennifer, which I don’t mind for the most part. Outside of that, there’s not a whole lot to it. I guess the build-up is okay, but I expected better. While I can say it is interesting, it’s nothing memorable in the long run. The remix to the song does have some life to it, so I’ll give them that.

77. Habits by Tove Lo (#3) [5; Great]
I love when new artists try to make a breakthrough in the world of music. Tove Lo released this song, and I was pretty impressed. I love the lyrical content about some of the unhealthy behaviors. This is something that many can relate to and we all have some bad habits in our lives. The production is pretty well-done and I love the vocals from Tove Lo. It’s a great start for her and it’s definitely something I’ll be coming back to.

76. Like I’m Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend (#8) [5; Great]
I know this may be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t really find Meghan Trainor to be annoying at all. Sure, her music has been a mixed bag for me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find a song that I like from her. This is one of them. I love its premise and it works well. I love Meghan’s voice in this one, and John Legend contributes very nicely. I do really like it, mainly for the sentiment and what it has to offer. These two artists managed to grab my attention with this slow, but solid song.

75. Marvin Gaye by Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor (#21) [0; Garbage]
Speaking of Meghan Trainor, I had said before that her music has been a mixed bag. And unfortunately, this was one of the songs she was a part of. After Charlie Puth made his presence known with See You Again, it was not surprising to seem him continue his journey and thus began releasing solo music of his own. This was the lead single off of Nine Track Mind, which was hated by many and for good reason. I absolutely hate the line, “Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on”. No, a song that has references to Marvin Gaye does not sit well with me, especially with stupid lines and weak verses. It really makes me sad that this would become a minor hit. And it’s not just this song, either; One Call Away was equally bad as well. So yeah, this song is stiff all around and it’s easily the worst thing I’ve heard that year.

74. Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainor (#14) [0; Garbage]
Unlike her two debut singles (All About That Bass and Lips Are Movin’) which I actually liked, this one was insufferable if I do say so myself. It sounds like she is being superior, but in reality she’s anything but. I don’t like it when artists try to be something they’re not, because that’s not how you impress me when making music. Even the rather solid production in this one can’t save it. This may be an unpopular opinion, but this, along with Marvin Gaye, are easily two of the worst things she was a part of. I’m certain she’ll do MUCH better than this.

73. Ex’s And Oh’s by Elle King (#10) [5; Great]
Here, we have another artist making a good first impression. Elle King made a breakthrough when this song became a hit. Right off the bat, the folk vibe is what gets me. Her vocals fit very well with the folk rock sound. Looking at the lyrics, it’s basically saying that her ex-boyfriends want to come back to her as ghosts. For the most part, it’s very well-written. Overall, it’s a great first impression for her, though it’s too bad that this was her only hit since.

72. Classic Man by Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur (#22) [1; Bad]
This is basically Fancy 2.0, except it’s slightly worse. Now, I’m not neccesarily huge on the vocals, but they aren’t awful. As for everything else, well the production is okay, but the lyrics are kinda meh. Not too much else I can say about it.

71. Riptide by Vance Joy (#30) [5; Great]
I can’t really explain this one in detail, but I’ll do my best on this. Vance Joy is one of those indie acts that caught on with the public with this single. I love the chorus in this one. The way he uses the guitars are pretty good, and his vocals are nice. It’s an enjoyable song overall, and I’m just glad that he was able to get a minor hit with this song.

70. No Type by Rae Sremmurd (#16) [0; Garbage]
Blech. This song is another example of how much rap music has declined in quality. Lazy production throughout the song and bad vocals makes this song forgettable to say the least. But making matters much worse is the lyrics, in which he is bragging about stuff and saying he has no type. No, this is the kind of stuff that drives me off the wall. I’m sorry, but I can’t with this. NEXT!

69. All Eyes On You by Meek Mill featuring Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj (#21) [2; Mediocre]
Not a whole lot I can say about this. In terms of the production, there’s a little more going on, so I’ll give them that. But I’m not necessarily a fan of their verses for the most part, and the lyrics are pretty questionable. So yeah, it’s pretty forgettable to say the least.

68. Chains by Nick Jonas (#13) [5; Great]
Nick Jonas didn’t really impress me with his debut single Jealous, but this was a huge step up. It has a darker vibe in contrast to its predecessor, in which it was a little lighter. Nick sounds much better here. In fact, his voice fits perfectly when combined with the darker, edgier production and better lyrical content. Overall, it was nice to see Nick improve drastically from there. I do wish it was a bigger hit than its predecessor, but it did quite well enough to make it on this list, so props to that.

67. One Last Time by Ariana Grande (#13) [5; Great]
There’s no denying that Ariana has a great voice. She has proven time and time again with songs such as Break Free, Problem, and a few others I can’t name. Sure, One Last Time isn’t quite her best, but it’s still a really good song anyway. Ariana still showcases her vocal talent all throughout the song, the production is nice, and the lyrics are great as well. Not much else I can really say beyond that. Those who like this song a lot can explain more about it in detail better than I can. But simply put, this was another win for Ariana in my book.

66. Truffle Butter by Nicki Minaj featuring Drake and Lil’ Wayne (#14) [3; Decent]
This Nicki Minaj song is much better than the atrocious mess that is of Only, where she only got one verse. Though, I can’t really say it’s her best, at least not in my eyes (or in music terms, my ears). There’s a little more going on in terms of the production, and the verses flow pretty smoothly. The lyrics are questionable, which is what brings the song down for me. Still, I’ll certainly take this over Only any day.

65. Drag Me Down by One Direction (#3) [4; Good]
The first time I heard this song was when I found out that Zayn was no longer part of the band and instead decided to go solo. It has nice instrumentation, and it sounded like they were becoming more mature. I noticed this with a few more listens that they sounded better without Zayn. Their production is nice, and the vocals are pretty good. Overall, it’s a good start for the album that would be their last.

64. Slow Motion by Trey Songz (#26) [2; Mediocre]
You know, I came close to really liking this, in part because Trey Songz did a nice job with his vocals here, until I looked deeper into the song itself. It’s a sultry song that talks about being in a intimate relationship with a special someone. But I feel like it wasn’t well executed and I think there were some aspects to improve upon, such as the production. Overall, while it’s not necessarily an exciting song by any means,it’s certainly not bad.

63. Girl Crush by Little Big Town (#18) [1; Bad]
This one had some controversy going on around it, mainly because of a certain line that I won’t mention. Anyway, there really isn’t a whole lot for me to like about this. Sure, it’s not the worst country song I’ve heard. There are plenty other bad country songs out there that are far worse. Still, it’s pretty undesirable. This song is about jealously, and I get that this is something people can relate to. But I feel like this was poorly done, mainly because of the rather weak production and underwhelming vocals. Simply put, I’m just not too fond of this.

62. The Heart Wants What It Wants by Selena Gomez (#6) [4; Good]
You know, Selena Gomez has been the type to make love songs involving Justin Bieber. It seems to me she’s been having a love/hate relationship with him given that I read the news about it every day. Anyway, this song basically describes how she feels about him. At least Selena does shine with her vocals, and the production is rather nice. I feel like she should do more songs like this where she can actually sing, and not whispering like she does in songs like Hands To Myself and Bad Liar.

61. 7/11 by Beyoncé (#13) [0; Garbage]
Beyoncé has made plenty of music that I fell in love with. But unfortunately, I was never fond of this from the start. To me, this is her worst single to date. In this song, it sounds like she doesn’t show any personality whatsoever. And not helping is the lazy production and the poor lyrics. So yeah, not a whole lot I can say about this. But one thing’s for sure though: Beyoncé can do MUCH better.

60. Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy (#22) [5; Great]
Ah yes, Adrian’s bane of 2015. But I beg to differ. When listening to this song, it sounds like a theme for an action movie. The guitars are amazing, and the drum-roll at the end of the song is pretty divine as well. I love some of the lines, such as, “She wants to dance like Uma Thurman”. It’s the part that actually grabbed my attention the most. Patrick’s vocals don’t sound too bad. It’s definitely a cool tune from Fall Out Boy and I’m glad it wasn’t a flop.

59. You Know You Like It by DJ Snake featuring AlunaGeorge [5; Great]
Back in 2014, Turn Down For What put DJ Snake on the map as an up and coming EDM artist. Then this song comes along and thus, would help him make a breakthrough in mainstream. Some people consider this the best song of 2015. While I don’t quite like it on their level, there’s a lot to like about the song. The cryptic drop is very good, and I love the vocals here. It’s just catchy, for the lack of a better word. There’s not much else I can say about this one, but I definitely like it a lot. It’s a cool EDM tune that’s probably one of the catchiest hits I’ve heard that year.

58. Stay With Me by Sam Smith (#2) [3; Decent]
You know, I wish people wouldn’t hate on a song just because it’s slow and boring. I’m sorry, but slow and boring doesn’t always equal bad. That’s not how I do things. I criticize music based on quality. Sure, I like to hear something fun and enjoyable. But at some point, we all need songs that can help us relax and cool down for a while. Even if this song isn’t quite as good as some say it is, at least I don’t consider it bad just because it’s slow. Anyway, this bought him into the limelight back in 2014. The chorus is nice, but I think the production was a little too weak for my tastes. Still, I can definitely appreciate what this has to offer. Not really a bad start for Sam Smith, if I do say so myself.

57. Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift (#5) [5; Great]
Writing love songs has always been one of Taylor’s strongest attributes, and Wildest Dreams was no exception. Coming off the success of Bad Blood, which was a definite banger and a fun jam, we get a toned down love song. As I would expect, the result was she produced another good song in my book. The chorus is amazing, especially the part where shes sings “Wildest Dreams, ah”. It pulls me in. The music video was pretty cool, in which she was playing the role of an actress. While it’s not quite my favorite off of 1989, it’s enjoyable for the most part.

56. Love Me Harder by Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd (#7) [5; Great]
Like I said, there’s no denying that Ariana has a great voice. And with each release, she has proven this time and time again. This song is no exception. In fact, this was The Weeknd’s first foray into pop music. To say the least, this was a great start. Ariana, as always, sounds really good throughout the song, but it is really the production that gets me. It’s the best thing I love about this, with the melody and the great use of instruments. The songwriting is fantastic. Both of these artists did very well with the verses. Simply put, it’s a very enjoyable song and is a first sign of how Ariana’s music would eventually turn out. It would also be the beginning of what would be The Weeknd’s success in 2015.

55. I Don’t Mind by Usher featuring Juicy J. (#11) [1; Bad]
Don’t get me wrong. I like Usher. Most of his music I listen to were fun and enjoyable for the most part. But this was a step down from his previous work. Now, this isn’t really an awful song. I’ve seen him do much worse. The biggest problem with this one is the very weak production. It sounds like he using just one beat. His vocals are okay, but they don’t really stand out. Juicy J. doesn’t really add much to it either. Like I said, Usher has had many songs in the past that I like, but this isn’t one of them. I’m sorry, but Usher can definitely do better than this.

54. Renegades by X Ambassadors (#17) [5; Great]
Don’t you love it when artists try to promote their respective songs by putting them on commercials? Yeah, that’s exactly what happened with the alternative rock band known as the X Ambassadors, when they used their song in a car commercial. It took me a while to figure out what this near-masterpiece of a song is about. Basically, it talks about wanting to succeed despite one’s shortcomings. One of the band members, Casey Harris, is actually blind, but that didn’t stop him from making a great contribution to this song. The deeper lyrical content was easily the best thing about it, but that’s not all. I absolutely LOVE the production, especially near the end of the song where the electric guitar solo kicks in. This was one of my favorites of 2015, and I’m glad it crossed over to mainstream and put the X Ambassadors on the map.

53. Cool For The Summer by Demi Lovato (#11) [5; Great]
As they always say, no one’s a kid forever. Even some of the former Disney stars who make music will have to mature at some point, and Demi Lovato was no exception. Sure, she made some singles such as Give Your Heart A Break and Heart Attack. While both of which were really good songs, they pale in comparison to this song, which is easily my favorite single from her. Cool For The Summer is basically Demi trying a new mature sound, and it worked perfectly. The chorus is very energetic, and the build-up leading to it is awesome. The production across the board is outstanding, especially with the use of the electric guitar in the chorus. If I’m being honest, this would’ve been my song of the summer had better songs not came along before that. Still, there’s no way for me to not listen to this near-masterpiece of a song from Demi Lovato.

52. Elastic Heart by Sia (#17) [5; Great]
Although it doesn’t quite live up to Chandelier, I still think it’s a really good song by any means. Sia doesn’t disappoint me with her vocals at all. And much like her predecessor, the production is very good all throughout the song. I’m not really big on the music video, but that doesn’t change my opinion on the song itself. It’s another quality song for Sia. Too bad it failed to graduate Hit-Bound on Hits 1, but it was respectable elsewhere, hence why it was able to make this list.

51. Only by Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil’ Wayne, and Chris Brown (#12) [0; Garbage]
Honestly, I don’t know what to say about this one other than that this song is just a mess all around. Well, it’s not just this song; the music video sucks, too. Neither of those artists really impressed me with this. Despite this being Nicki Minaj’s song, she only gets one verse, and even her part in this isn’t good either. So yeah, this is total incompetence at its finest. NEXT!

50. Nasty Freestyle by T-Wayne (#9) [0; Garbage]
I figured coming into the song that I had low expectations based on the song title alone, and as I expected, it sucks. Again, it’s hard for me to describe this in detail. Those who dislike it can explain it better. He’s basically singing about his Porsche all throughout the song. No, I don’t buy into artists who brag about stuff like this, especially when he shows no vocal talent to speak off and the production is bad all around. Yeah, this blows. NEXT! 

49. Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh) by Rich Homie Quan (#26) [0; Garbage]
Blech. Here we go again with another mediocre to bad rap music that I’ll be talking about. And guess what? It’s even worse. There’s not a single thing I can say that makes this tolerable at all. Awful lyrics, obnoxious vocals, etc. I could go on, but it’s really hard for me to describe this in more detail. Simply put, everything about this is just horrible on so many levels. I’ll never understand why a song like this got big.

48. B**** Better Have My Money by Rihanna (#15) [0; Garbage]
Don’t you hate when one of your favorite artists somehow managed to disappoint you at one point? Yeah, that’s pretty much what happened with Rihanna when she released this song. This song has some stupid lyrical content, especially with some of the lines that don’t really make sense. And I’m not going to even mention that her vocals are obnoxious, especially when we get to chorus. Don’t get me wrong. I love Rihanna, but this song is shit. Sorry, but I don’t buy into what she’s doing here, especially when she’s done much better. To me, this is her worst single to date. Even Work, which was one of my least favorites of 2016, wasn’t this bad. The fact that I’d much rather hear Work than this mess of a song says a lot.

47. I Don’t F*** With You by Big Sean featuring E-40 (#11) [5; Great]
While there are so many mediocre rap songs nowadays, there are quite a few that are actually good. And believe it or not, I actually really like this. The verses flow very nicely and I like the vocal work in this one. Those who like this one can explain it in detail better than I can. But to put it short, it’s a pretty enjoyable song in mainstream hip-hop.

46. Animals by Maroon 5 (#3) [4; Good]
Maroon 5 isn’t necessarily one of my favorite bands, but they’ve released some very good music in the past. Songs like Moves Like Jagger and Love Somebody are hard to top. Even though this song isn’t quite as good as those two, I still think it’s a good song by any means. Though, I’ll admit, the music video is creepy, but I don’t really judge a song based on that factor alone. Adam does sound solid for the most part, and I love the guitars. While some may not be fond of this, mainly because of the premise to the song, I’m not really one of them.

45. Take Your Time by Sam Hunt (#20) [0; Garbage]
You know, if I need another example of how much the quality of country music has decline, this song proves it. Let’s be honest, Sam Hunt has proven himself to not be a good country artist in my book. Other than maybe one song that I just mentioned in this post, almost all of his music is straight up bad. Take Your Time is one of those songs that tries to be country, but it really isn’t. Here, the production is underwhelming, the vocals are grating, and the lyrics are just awful. Really that’s all I can say about this. Sadly, I’d rather hear this than his other song. I won’t get into that right now. So yeah, it’s just an awful song all around.

44. My Way by Fetty Wap featuring Monty (#7) [3; Decent]
Look, I get that Fetty Wap doesn’t quite have a good voice when I listen to his music, but I don’t think its as annoying as some say it would be. Sure, there are many ways that his voice can be improved upon, but his vocals alone doesn’t necessarily mean this song is bad per se. The production is rather lively for the most part, unlike some other music in the hip-hop genre where the production is lazy. At least they do try to sing, even though it’s not their best vocal work. Still, I’ll certainly don’t mind this over any other mediocre rap song any day.

43. Centuries by Fall Out Boy (#10) [5; Great]
Upon hearing the intro, I could tell that this would be a good song and sure enough, I was right. This is probably the best single off of their album, American Beauty/American Psycho. Patrick Stump sounds phenomenal. Basically, it talks about wanting to remember someone for centuries, and this is something people can relate to. I love the lyrical content as well. But it is really the production of the song that stands out the most. It did end up barely cracking the Top 10 on Billboard, which is good enough.

42. FourFiveSeconds by Rihanna featuring Kayne West and Paul McCartney (#4) [5; Great]
Who would’ve guessed that Paul McCartney would have a hit in 2015? I sure didn’t, but I’m glad we did because I really liked this one when it was new and I still do now. Sure, it may be only a little over three minutes long, but there’s plenty to like about this. Rihanna sounds better here, as opposed to B**** Better Have My Money, which was annoying. The use of guitars is pretty good too. Overall, it’s a nice song, and I’m glad it was ranked higher than her other single I won’t mention.

41. Somebody by Natalie La Rose featuring Jeremih (#10) [3; Decent]
This one was pretty fun for me. It still is in a way, but after a while it didn’t quite stick with me in the big picture. I love her vocals, and Jeremih makes a nice contribution. However, I feel like it’s missing something that makes me want to really like this more. I don’t have too much else I can say about it.

40. Locked Away by R. City featuring Adam Levine (#6) [5; Great]
This collaboration came kinda unexpected. I wouldn’t expect Adam Levine to collaborate with R. City in this single. But hey, I’m not complaining. It’s a good song, and it’s nice that we hear Adam showcase his vocals without him using the high falsetto. What this song talks about is loving people no matter what even if they’re still away. This is something people can relate to. While I’m not quite big on the production, everything else about this song is great for the most part. I’m impressed with how the collaboration turned out.

39. Time Of Our Lives by Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo (#9) [5; Great]
Probably one of Pitbull’s best songs, though it doesn’t quite match his previous work. Right off the bat, I love how both Ne-Yo and himself show some charisma when they sing the verses. The production here is pretty divine as well. As the song title suggest, they we’re basically having the time of their lives. Okay, that was a bad one. But seriously, almost everything about this is divine in every sense of the word.

38. Jealous by Nick Jonas (#7) [0; Garbage]
After the Jonas Brothers split up, it was no shock to see that one of them would go solo, and that person was Nick Jonas, when he released this song late in 2014. I did like this song at first, but I fully realized what the premise of the song is about. And no, he does not have the right to be hellish. Yeah, if I’m being honest, this was not a good first impression to start his career. It’s a good thing he has released better singles since.

37. Talking Body by Tove Lo (#12) [5; Great]
Following her breakthrough success with Habits, Tove Lo began taking advantage of it by releasing this song as a follow-up single. Talking Body is one of those songs that tries to be sultry, and after hearing this I can say that it turned out very well for her. The production and the lyrical content are what I love most about the song. Tove Lo does an awesome job with her vocals. I like the build-up leading up to the divine chorus. So, I’m thrilled to see her score another big hit worldwide. It’s too bad that her latest singles after that, other than her collaboration with Nick Jonas in Close, haven’t matched the success of this and her predecessor.

36. Stitches by Shawn Mendes (#4) [3; Decent]
2015 was the year that Shawn Mendes was finally able to make a breakthrough. After his other singles such as Life Of The Party and Something Big failed to take off, the third time was the charm when Stitches finally became the hit he was looking for. I did enjoy it when it was new, but with time it didn’t quite stick with me in the big picture. The production is nice, and Shawn is capable of what he can do, but its premise is a little dull. It’s not a bad start as this was the beginning of what was to come for Shawn.

35. Hello by Adele (#1, 10 Weeks) [5; Great]
As a child, I listened to soul music from artists such as Aretha Franklin. There’s no denying that she helped paved the way for Soul and R&B music to become mainstream and thus, became one of the best soul singers ever. I was very happy to see Adele in the spotlight when she pretty much helped revive that genre somewhat with Rolling In The Deep becoming a huge hit back in 2011. This was the beginning of what was to come. She produced more hits such as Someone Like You and Skyfall, both of which I really liked. Since then, many were wondering what was to come next. And lo and behold, she made a comeback after three years with this epic song. I came in with high expectations and she exceeded them in every way possible. It starts off rather quiet with just the piano and Adele saying “Hello, it’s me.” But as the song progresses, the production starts to kick in and then we hear the powerful chorus. I knew then and there that she had a massive hit. And by no surprise, it was #1 in many different countries. On Hits 1, it reached #1 three weeks into its tenure and would eventually have 12 weeks at the top, tying the record of those held by Shake It Off and Shut Up And Dance. The triumphant return of Adele was one of the best things that happened in 2015 and thus, would carry on within the next year with other singles from 25 getting big.

34. Photograph by Ed Sheeran (#10) [3; Decent]
This song was a bit of a step up from its predecessor. It’s a pretty sweet song for what it is. As the title suggests, it’s basically about looking back at the memories people make, such as when they were a child. The production is pretty lively for an acoustic song, and Ed Sheeran’s voice is good. I feel like I should like this more, but I don’t quite feel that way. Still, it’s a nice single that calms me down.

33. What Do You Mean? by Justin Bieber (#1, 1 Week) [4; Good]
After three years, Justin Bieber made his return to music in 2015. When I heard this for the first time, I was impressed because his voice has improved dramatically. While this song didn’t quite stick with me in the long run, there’s some things I like about it. It’s mainly because of how a girl can say one thing and mean the exact opposite. The production is rather nice, even if it may not be as lively, but Justin’s improved voice makes up for it. While not his best work, this was a step in the right direction for him.

32. G.D.F.R. by Flo Rida featuring Sage The Gemini and Lookas (#8) [4; Good]
There are many songs that are a guilty pleasure of mine. G.D.F.R. being one of them. I’ll admit, the lyrics are nonsensical, but there are some things about it that just pulls me in. Flo Rida doesn’t sound too bad here, and I kinda like the verses from the other two artists. It’s probably something I should hate, but I don’t.

31. Hey Mama by David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, and Afrojack (#8) [1; Bad]
This was a favorite among the blogging community back in 2015, and I can definitely see the appeal. I was a huge fan of this as well. However, I started to look more into the song and thus I would lose interest in it. I’m not reallt a fan of the guy singing, especially after the chorus we get from Bebe Rexha. And Nicki Minaj doesn’t fit well to me. There’s virtually no rapping from her, which she does best. So yeah, looking back on it, I’m not sure what I was thinking here.

30. Hotline Bling by Drake (#2) [2; Mediocre]
Here we go with another Drake song. I initially hated this back then because it was something different and not like anything Drake has released. But I find this to be somewhat tolerable, mainly because I figured out what the song is about. It’s basically about memes. That’s it. It’s quite rare for a song to produce memes. I thought someone who create them like they do on social media. Anyway, it’s not something I’ll go out my way for.

29. Style by Taylor Swift (#6) [5; Great]
As I’ve said many times, Taylor Swift almost never disappoints. This song is yet another example of just how great her voice is. Some consider this her best song off of the near-masterpiece that is of 1989. As for me, this is my second-favorite single off of her album, only behind Blank Space. Almost everything about this song is spot on, especially in terms of the production. When reading the lyrics, you can get a good idea of what this song is about. It takes place during a relationship and she is willing to take that risk, despite things not going so well. Although it barely missed out on making the Top 5 on Billboard, it was still successful.

28. All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor (#1, 8 Weeks in 2014) [5; Great]
Oh boy. I am not going to make friends with anybody on this one, aren’t I? Because I am one of the few that actually doesn’t find Meghan Trainor to be annoying. I’ll be honest though, I actually did not like this song at first because I thought it was a little too weird for my liking. But soon enough, I eventually came around to it, mainly for the subject matter. Meghan’s voice is actually good throughout the song, and the production is solid. To me, this was a good first impression, even though some may disagree with me on this.

27. Good For You by Selena Gomez featuring A.S.A.P. Rocky (#5) [4; Good]
Selena Gomez’s latest music has seen mixed results so far, mainly from a critical standpoint. But this song was basically the start of her trying a new sound. And listening to this in full, it wasn’t really a bad start at all. The production is nice, and Selena’s vocals are pretty on point for the most part, even if it doesn’t quite stand-out. I don’t really mind A.S.A.P. Rocky’s verses either. Looking back at it, I thought Selena did a nice job at making a slow, but rather solid song.

26. I’m Not The Only One by Sam Smith (#5) [4; Good]
Sam Smith’s success carried on into 2015 when Stay With Me was still somewhat relevant. Then this song came along and would eventually become another big hit for him off of The Lonely Hour. It’s a little more upbeat than its predecessor, which was slow and is seen by some as nothing memorable, though I didn’t really mind that song at all. This song is a bit of a step up from Stay With Me, in which there’s a little more to the production. Of course, the lyrical content is really good, but Sam shines a little more in this one. It’s a pretty solid track that works for me and I don’t mind hearing this once in a while.

25. Honey I’m Good by Andy Grammer (#9) [5; Great]
I’m going to ask myself this question. How many songs that I probably shouldn’t like, but there’s something about a certain song in particular that I can’t help but pull myself in? There’s quite a lot of songs that come to mind, and this is no exception. Well, actually there are plenty of those who like it, so I’m not alone in this opinion. While Andy Grammer has done better, he can still be able to craft a insanely fun song like this. It’s fun, it’s catchy, etc. The chorus is pretty awesome, too. Yeah, it’s an enjoyable song that can get stuck in your head a lot.

24. Post To Be by Omarian featuring Chris Brown and Jhene Aiko (#13) [0; Garbage]
You know, I hate songs in which it talks about artists bragging about money and what not. This is another example of such. Once again, I can’t explain this one in detail. But to put it short, weak lyrics, lazy production, etc. The list goes on and on. And I don’t even care if they added Jhene Aiko to the mix, because her verses didn’t do much to help contribute to the song at all. So yeah, this is just awful on so many levels. It’s sad that this became a hit. There are better songs that were more deserving of it than this kind of mess.

23. Worth It by Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink [1; Bad]
I’m going to be honest for a sec. I actually liked this at first because it was fun and catchy. But now looking back at it, I’m not quite sure what I was thinking. Yeah, the horn riffs got a little more annoying with each listen, and I wasn’t sold on the lyrical content. The vocals are okay, but that’s really one of the few good things I can say about this. So yeah, it’s not really all that good in the long run. But if anything, I’d much rather hear this than its successor. So that’s saying a lot.

22. Lips Are Movin’ by Meghan Trainor (#4) [5; Great]
Not long after All About That Bass became a massive hit, it was no surprise that Meghan Trainor would follow-up with her next single to take advantage of being a rising star. Again, some may disagree with me on this, but I didn’t really mind the song at all. While it may be inferior to All About That Bass, it’s still undeniably fun and catchy. Meghan sounds good for the most part, and I love the production. That’s really all I can say. I’m glad it got some recognition and thus, it showed that Meghan wasn’t a one-hit wonder after all.

21. 679 by Fetty Wap featuring Remy Boyz (#4) [5; Great]
I will admit, not all rap music is bad. There are a few good ones here that I like, with this being one of them. Even though Fetty Wap isn’t necessarily the best out there, he has produced at least one good song, and that one good song that I’m talking about right now is probably his best song in my opinion. Not really a lot to say about this. The production is good. I do think he showcases his talent better here than some of his other representations on this chart. It’s probably one of the few songs I can be able to tolerate.

20. Fight Song by Rachel Platten (#6) [5; Great]
There are quite a few songs in which I feel alone when it comes to my opinion. Fight Song is an example of such. Many YouTube critics slammed this song like wildfire because they see this as a generic self-empowerment anthem with nothing to speak of. But I am not among that crowd. I first heard this on the radio while I was driving and I thought it sounded like a Kelly Clarkson song. But soon enough, I found out that it was sung by someone else and I asked myself, “Who is she?” I looked up the song and I found out that it was Rachel Platten, who I never heard before. I watched the music video for the song, and she just looks beautiful. But let’s be honest here; beauty doesn’t make music and it never will. It’s all about talent, and Rachel has that attribute. I don’t fully understand why this is hated by many. I honestly don’t get it, because I listened to the song in its entirety and I was very impressed with how it turned out. To simply say it’s just a good song would be an understatement. This song is amazing. I absolutely LOVE her voice all throughout the song. She sounds beautiful in all of the verses. I’m going to make it simple right now. Her voice is really amazing. Like, I’m not even kidding. Let me emphasize: it is REALLY AMAZING!!! It’s not just her voice that makes me fall in love with this song; it’s the deeper lyrical content. I love it when she inspires people to not give up and strive for the better. If you’re looking for some added motivation, then this is the song for you. And yet, despite me praising this song so much, I’d much prefer its successor over this one. That’s saying a lot. Both this and Stand By You are basically EVERYTHING I LOVE about Rachel Platten, period. Even Broken Glass and her other singles off of her latest album Waves are really, really good. I highly, HIGHLY recommend that you check it out if you haven’t already. Yeah, it’s definitely one of the best things I’ve heard in 2015 and it could’ve easily been my #1 song of the year had a certain song I won’t talk about not came along. This was definitely a great first impression in my book and I would love to hear more from Rachel Platten because like I said before, her music is amazing.

19. Where Are U Now by Skrillex and Diplo featuring Justin Bieber (#8) [5; Great]
Before this song came along, some weren’t looking forward to hearing from Justin Bieber, what with many of his singles not to their liking, in large part because his voice sounded like he was whiny. After hearing this for the first time, all I had to say is, “wow”. The reason being is because he dramatically improved his voice. The production is pretty amazing as well. This would be the beginning of what was to come for Justin in terms of how his music would turn out, especially in terms of his vocals.

18. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift (#1, 4 Weeks in 2014) [5; Great]
Ah yes, Taylor’s first foray into pop after spending her career in the country genre. This song is just so fun and energetic to get into. It’s basically a kiss-off to the haters, and simply put it was executed well. As always, I love Taylor’s voice. It has some of the cool lines that I won’t mention. I fell madly in love with this back in 2014, and I still do. It was definitely a new sound for a country star who was going to cross over to pop music.

17. Want To Want Me by Jason Derulo (#5) [3; Decent]
I hated pretty much the entirety of his previous album Talk Dirty, what with the title track being annoying and Wiggle being even more rotten. But this song was a step in the right direction. It’s more pop and energetic, and Jason doesn’t sound too bad, despite his high falsetto in some parts of the songs. The lyrical content is pretty questionable though, such as wanting a girl that “wants to want him”. While it may be true some of the time, more often than not, it’s not always the case.  

16. Lean On by Major Lazer featuring DJ Snake and MØ (#4) [5; Great]
It’s never easy to start a new trend and make it popular in mainstream music, but that’s exactly what Major Lazer did when he produced this song. I think this song opened the doors to making tropical house a trend for a while. This song does have some cool tropical elements, including the catchy beat. MØ does have good vocals, and she shows it all throughout the song. So yeah, I’m glad she was able to get a hit with this collaboration. It’s a pretty cool song overall and I loved it from the start.

15. Bad Blood by Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar (#1, 1 Week) [5; Great]
This is another song that was slammed by many YouTube critics because it doesn’t fit Taylor Swift’s style. Unfortunately for them, I’m among the unpopular crowd of those who like it. This is basically a slightly better version of Dark Horse, which was also a huge favorite of mine from 2014 despite other’s negative takes about it. The solo version of this song was already pretty divine as it is, mainly because Taylor sounds amazing as always. But the remix with Kendrick Lamar manages to step it up a notch. The production is neat and I love his verses. Personally, this was another win for Taylor Swift in my book and I’m glad it did well.

14. Take Me To Church by Hozier (#2) [4; Good]
I remember hearing this song a lot whenever I was watching television. It used to come on a lot of different commercials. I figured the song’s success might’ve had something to do with it, and boy I was right. Anyway, about this song, I do like the guy’s voice, and the production is pretty solid for the most part. I enjoyed this quite a lot when it was new, but it kinda faded on me relatively quickly. Still, not a bad first impression. It’s too bad that we haven’t heard from Hozier since this became a hit.

13. Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding (#3) [5; Great]
Oh, Ellie Goulding. Do you ever disappoint? Ever since she took off with Lights back in 2012, every single she has released has wowed me to the point where she became one of my favorite artists. Me falling in love with her was already easy enough for me as it is, but this song, along with Lights, was basically the icing on the cake. She can SING! And my goodness! Is this song divine or what? Well, all of her music is. For me, this is my second-favorite single from her, only behind Lights. This was taken from the Fifty Shades Of Grey movie soundtrack and it was the lead single from that album. I took a first listen of this song when it was released, and simply put, I was in LOVE. It starts out with Ellie’s beautiful voice, but as the song progresses, the production kicks in and she starts to shine more. Then, after the awesome build-up and the line “What are you waiting for”, the amazing drop kicks in and the powerful chorus comes in, which along with the bridge are easily two of my favorite aspects of this song. It was sure enough a massive hit for Ellie Goulding, reaching #1 in some charts (Hits 1, American Top 40, etc.) while hitting #3 on Billboard. This song is fantastic from start to finish and I was very happy that it got the success it deserved. It also opened the doors for other songs from that album to garner the success it would later have in that year.

12. Can’t Feel My Face by The Weeknd (#1, 3 Weeks) [5; Great]
If Love Me Harder was the start of The Weeknd’s success into mainstream, then this would be his breakout hit. It pretty much feels like a Michael Jackson song. The chorus is pretty awesome, and I like the build-up. Unlike its predecessor, Earned It, which was pretty slow and not to my liking, this was more upbeat and more likable from YouTube critics. Overall, it’s a really good song and that got me into liking The Weeknd as an artist.

11. Cheerleader by OMI (#1, 6 Weeks) [2; Mediocre]
A part of me want to like this. I like the tropical vibe to it, the instrumentation with the use of trumpets, and the beat that just makes me dance. However, there’s one thing that kills it for me, and that is Omi’s vocals. Now, they’re not necessarily awful, I’ve heard worse. But he’s singing in auto-tune, and he’s using a lot of it, which kinda turns me off. I feel like if he had some personality and charisma, then this probably wouldn’t be hated by some. But it is what it is.

10. The Hills by The Weeknd (#1, 6 Weeks) [5; Great]
This is, without a doubt, The Weeknd’s best song. The darker, edgier atmosphere fits him very well. I love how we can explore more about The Weeknd when listening to this song. Songs like The Hills are more interesting because they tell a story about a certain artist such as The Weeknd. The chorus and his vocals are top-notch across the board. And then there’s the bridge, which is another aspect I love about this song. By no surprise, it was successful just like its predecessor, what with how much The Weeknd was dominating 2015 as an breakout artist, and I’m very pleased about that.

9. Earned It by The Weeknd (#3) [2; Mediocre]
If you need further proof that The Weeknd became a breakout artist of 2015, then look no further than this song, which was also another hit for him. However, it was a step down from his two singles that I recently talked about. The premise is quite dull, and The Weeknd doesn’t sound like himself. I can see the appeal to this, but I’m not quite on board with this. I’m sure he’s done better.

8. Watch Me by Silento (#3) [0; Garbage]
Blech. What kind of song is this? This to me sounds like some dance song that went viral. The vocals are obnoxious all throughout the song, and I’m not a fan of the production at all. Not only that, but when looking at the lyrics, you can tell that it’s repetitive. It’s almost like the song isn’t finished. It’s just basically him repeating “watch me” so many times. Then, there’s some nonsensical lines that I won’t mention. To put it short, everything about this blows. How this became a huge hit, I’ll never understand. Moving on.

7. Blank Space by Taylor Swift (#1, 7 Weeks) [5; Great]
I know I’ve said this many times before, but Taylor Swift almost never disappoints. Listening to this song in its entirety, as well as her other singles off of 1989, gives me another good reason as to why I feel this way. Simply put, this track rules. For me, it’s right up there with Love Story as her two best singles of all time. As always, Taylor sounds amazing from start to finish. However, it is really the production that caught my attention the most. The amazingly catchy beat is just so hard to resist. And then there’s the well-written lyrical content, which basically talks about her love life and her relationship with someone else. I’m hoping Taylor can make more songs like this, because it’s one of the best things she’s ever done. While her older singles were better, that doesn’t mean I won’t support this epic track in the long run. 

6. Shut Up And Dance by Walk The Moon (#4) [5; Great]
Walk The Moon made a breakthrough in mainstream when this song became one of Hits 1’s biggest songs, spending 12 weeks at the top. But during that time, it tested the patience of many in the blogging community when it refused to give it up and thus, it chart-blocked many of the songs that were more deserving of it. The same didn’t ring true on Billboard, however, as it would never get in the top 3 during its tenure on the Hot 100. Look, overplay doesn’t really affect my liking towards this song (well, any song for the matter). I look at the actual song by itself when criticizing music. Anyway, this kinda reminds me of a rock song back in the 80’s, except it’s mixed with EDM. I love the chorus in this one. They sound energetic throughout the song. I’m just happy that we managed to get a cross-over hit in mainstream music.

5. Sugar by Maroon 5 (#2) [4; Good]
This song actually has more groove to it than some of the other singles off of V, hence why I did like it. However, I can see why some were not fond of this, mainly because Adam’s very high falsetto in this song doesn’t sit well with some people. Probably one of the coolest things about it is the music video, in which they were able to crash the wedding. I loved the video. While it’s not quite a favorite of mine off of V, at least it’s good to some degree.

4. Trap Queen by Fetty Wap (#2) [3; Decent]
It’s difficult for me to find a rap song with great meaning, better production, and better vocals. We can all agree that Fetty Wap’s voice isn’t that good, but I don’t think he’s as bad as some make it out to be. It does have somewhat solid lyrics, even if the production isn’t quite the best. That’s really all I can say about this. I feel like I should hate this, but I don’t.

3. See You Again by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth (#1, 12 Weeks) [5; Great]
The entire entertainment industry was shocked and saddened when Paul Walker passed away in late 2013 due to an accident. As a result, two people (a rapper who was pretty well-known, and an unknown artist at the time) decided to make a tribute single. This song is just beautiful. I just don’t have any words to say about this. As soon as I heard the piano at the beginning, I knew then that I would fall in love with the song, and I was proven right. I actually do like the verses from Wiz Khalifa. It fits the mood of the song, which is somber. Charlie can show what his voice can do, especially when we get to chorus, which is mesmerizing if I do say so myself. This was indeed a massive hit, spending 12 weeks at the top. I know some people are still a little jaded by this song being overplayed, but I’m not among that crowd. 

2. Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran (#2) [3; Decent]
Back then, I initially hated this because it was slow and not that interesting. That was a bit of a mistake on my part, because looking back at it, I found this to be a pretty sweet song. Before Shape Of You came along, this was Ed Sheeran’s biggest hit during that point in time. I don’t really mind having a song that I can slow dance to, but it’s not something I want to hear in the car every day. The music video which shows a couple dancing fits very well with the song. Ed doesn’t sound too bad, even if the production is a little underwhelming.

1. Uptown Funk! by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars (#1, 14 Weeks) [5; Best Song Of 2015]
When I first heard Treasure back in 2013, I was wowed by Bruno Mars’s new approach to making funky music. At first, I thought it was just one song because the rest of his album Unorthodox Jukebox didn’t sound like that. Actually, songs like Locked Out Of Heaven came close. Little did I know that this was the beginning of what was to come in terms of how Bruno Mars would make music. Uptown Funk came along in late 2014. The first time I heard it was on my local station, and I was floored. It reminded me of the funky 70’s-80’s songs that I grew up with. The swagger that Bruno delivers throughout the song, plus his charisma left no doubt that he was talented. Also, he combines those two traits with his top-notch rapping skills, which prior to this song was something I never heard from him before. Simply put, this is Bruno Mars at his best. And then there’s the production, where Mark Ronson takes over and does most of the work as a DJ. His work on making something sound like the 70’s-80’s funk music is one of the most superb things he’s done in his career. As soon as I finished listening to this in its entirety, I knew this would be a massive hit in the making and sure enough, I was right. Easily my favorite song of 2015 and my favorite of the decade.

And with that, I have finally finished reviewing all the songs on the list! Now, I will be doing a Top 100 Breakdown, which is like a Top 20 Review except that I’ll be ranking all 100 songs on this list. Let’s see how well this goes.

Top 100 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
100. Marvin Gaye by Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor
99. Watch Me by Silento
98. 7/11 by Beyoncé
97. She Knows by Ne-Yo featuring Juicy J.
96. B**** Better Have My Money by Rihanna
95. Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainor
94. Hit The Quan by iLoveMemphis
93. Post To Be By Omarian featuring Chris Brown and Jhené Aiko
92. Only by Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil’ Wayne, and Chris Brown
91. Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh) by Rich Homie Quan
90. Nasty Freestyle by T-Wayne
89. Kick The Dust Up by Luke Bryan
88. Jealous by Nick Jonas
87. Take Your Time by Sam Hunt
86. No Type by Rae Sremmurd
85. CoCo by O.T. Genasis
84. Ayo by Chris Brown featuring Tyga

1 – Bad:
83. Classic Man by Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur
82. Girl Crush by Little Big Town
81. I Don’t Mind by Usher featuring Juicy J.
80. Hey Mama by David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, and Afrojack
79. Worth It by Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink

2 – Mediocre:
78. Tuesday by iLoveMakonnen featuring Drake
77. All Eyes On You by Meek Mill featuring Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj
76. Hotline Bling by Drake
75. The Hanging Tree by James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence
74. Slow Motion by Trey Songz
73. Cheerleader by Omi
72. Earned It by The Weeknd

3 – Decent:
71. Truffle Butter by Nicki Minaj featuring Drake and Lil’ Wayne
70. Trap Queen by Fetty Wap
69. Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran
68. Stay With Me by Sam Smith
67. Want To Want Me by Jason Derulo
66. My Way by Fetty Wap
65. Somebody by Natalie La Rose featuring Jeremih
64. El Pardon by Nicki Jam featuring Enrique Iglesias
63. Waves by Mr. Probz
62. How Deep Is Your Love by Calvin Harris featuring The Disciples
61. Stitches by Shawn Mendes
60. Photograph by Ed Sheeran

4 – Good:
59. House Party by Sam Hunt
58. G.D.F.R. by Flo Rida featuring Sage The Gemini and Lookas
57. Blessings by Big Sean featuring Drake And Kanye West
56. Back To Back by Drake
55. Animals by Maroon 5
54. I’m Not The Only One by Sam Smith
53. Drag Me Down by One Direction
52. Sugar by Maroon 5
51. What Do You Mean? by Justin Bieber
50. Take Me To Church by Hozier
49. Good For You by Selena Gomez featuring A.S.A.P. Rocky
48. The Heart Wants What It Wants by Selena Gomez

5 – Great:
47. 679 by Fetty Wap featuring Remy Boyz
46. Elastic Heart by Sia
45. I Don’t F*** With You by Big Sean featuring E-40
44. Budapest by George Ezra
43. Time Of Our Lives by Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo
42. FourFiveSeconds by Rihanna featuring Kayne West and Paul McCartney
41. Chains by Nick Jonas
40. Like I’m Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend
39. Locked Away by R. City featuring Adam Levine
38. Where Are U Now by Skrillex & Diplo featuring Justin Bieber
37. Riptide by Vancy Joy
36. Honey I’m Good by Andy Grammer
35. Lay Me Down by Sam Smith
34. One Last Time by Ariana Grande
33. Don’t by Ed Sheeran
32. Centuries by Fall Out Boy
31. Chandelier by Sia
30. Bang Bang by Jessie J. featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj
29. Lips Are Movin’ by Meghan Trainor
28. Downtown by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
27. Ex’s And Oh’s by Elle King
26. Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift
25. Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
24. Here by Alessia Cara
23. Night Changes by One Direction
22. Bad Blood by Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar
21. You Know You Like It by DJ Snake featuring AlunaGeorge
20. Can’t Feel My Face by The Weeknd
19. Habits by Tove Lo
18. Love Me Harder by Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd
17. Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy
16. Lean On by Major Lazer featuring DJ Snake and MØ
15. The Hills by The Weeknd
14. Heartbeat Song by Kelly Clarkson
13. All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor
12. Talking Body by Tove Lo
11. Style by Taylor Swift
10. Shut Up And Dance by Walk The Moon
9. See You Again by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth
8. Ghost by Ella Henderson
7. Cool For The Summer by Demi Lovato
6. Blank Space by Taylor Swift
5. Hello by Adele
4. Renegades by X Ambassadors
3. Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding 
2. Fight Song by Rachel Platten
1. Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars

Final Score: 338/500

Overall, 2015 was a very good year for music in my eyes. I would like to thank you for making this blog special. You are all the greatest and I hope y’all enjoyed reading my posts every day. It has been an honor to share my blog with you all. What do you guys think? Feel free to share my thoughts in the comments below. Again, thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you enjoyed!

Hello, fam! So yesterday, I went to see the movie Black Panther and simply put, I was not disappointed. It’s a really good movie with great storytelling. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, I would highly recommend you do so. Anyway, my 50,000 Pageview Special is close to done. I’m just putting the finishing touches on it and I should have it ready by early tomorrow morning. Enough about that, let’s send you to the American Top 40 this week. Things are getting somewhat interesting as we close out the month of February. We have the same #1 song, which I’m thrilled about, our Top 5 is looking better and we also traded away one big piece of garbage for two great debuts in its place. Let’s hope things continue to get better as we head into March. So with that being said, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• Too Good At Goodbyes by Sam Smith (#17)
• Mic Drop by BTS featuring Desiigner (#28)
• Slow Hands by Niall Horan (#37) [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: New Rules by Dua Lipa

Hello, fam! So, Valentine’s Day has come and gone. I am unfortunately still single. I know, sad. Anyway, I do plan on going to see the movie, Black Panther this weekend. I heard it’s really good. If you haven’t watched it yet, I recommend you check it out. I’m currently working on my 50,000 Pageview Special. I should have it ready for you guys next week. I may have another surprise in store for you along with that. You’ll just have to wait and see. But first, let’s send you to the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown. Things remained relatively static this week, despite having new arrivals, which we’ll get to shortly. Before we get to this week’s fresh 45, here are the songs we’re saying good-bye to this week:

• Justin Timberlake – Filthy (#28)
• The Shadowboxers – Hot Damn (#42)
• Charlie Puth – Attention (#45) [Spent 1 Week At #1]

The Countdown:

Hello, fam! I’ve been hard at work on my 50,000 Pageview Special. I’m about halfway through with it and I plan on having it out sometime next week. Right now, let’s get into this week’s American Top 40 Countdown. So with that being said, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• Believer by Imagine Dragons (#39)

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé

Hello, fam. For my Top 10 Series, I’m going to be talking about one of my favorite artists of all time. Today, I decided that I want to talk about an artist who’s made an impact to the world of music. And the artist in question is Mariah Carey. She almost never fails to disappoint me with her music. Almost every single she has released has wowed me from the beginning. With that in mind, I will now share you a list of my favorite songs from Mariah Carey and a brief description about all of them. Are you ready? Here it is:

Hello, fam! I know it’s hard for me to believe, but my blog has reached 50,000 Pageviews! My goodness! I would like to give a huge thank you to all of you who reads this every day! I do plan on doing something special very soon. Today, let’s divert our attention to this week’s countdown on Hits 1. There are no songs leaving the countdown this week, so let’s get right to it!

The Countdown:

Hello, fam! Another busy week for me has finally come to a close. Now, I can relax and be able to spend the weekend. I still plan on doing a review for the Grammy Music Awards, but I’m diverting my attention on some other things right now. I’ll have it ready as soon as I can. Right now, let’s talk about the American Top 40 this week, shall we? So without further adieu, here are the songs dropping out this week:

Hello, fam! It’s good to get up early in the mornings, isn’t it? Here I am, playing video games while I scroll through my playlist looking for my favorite songs I want to play while having tea and oatmeal for breakfast. Ah, some good times. Okay, I’m going way off-topic. Let’s talk about the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown, shall we? I’m not sure if some of you know this as of yet, but this would be my birthday weekend. I’m sure the question some of you will be asking is, how did things go this week? I thought this was a very good week (for me at least). Let’s get on with it! Before we get to this week’s fresh 45, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• Liam Payne – Strip That Down (#33) [Spent 2 Weeks At #1] (Good riddance)
• ZAYN featuring Sia – Dusk Till Dawn (#40)

The Countdown:

Hello, fam! In case you didn’t know, I am finally finished with my Year-End posts as I did my Billboard Hot 100 Year-End Review this week. You can check it out in my previous post. I also created a page pertaining to the 2017 Year-End posts, so those who have missed it can check it out right here. Now, I just need to work on reviewing the Grammy Awards and the performances. That should come within the next week or so. Today, let’s review the first American Top 40 of February, shall we? So, this would be my birthday weekend. I’m going to be 26 on Sunday. How did things go on the American Top 40, you might ask? Well, to put it short, I was very happy with the way it turned out. Though not much has come and gone in terms of debuts, our new #1 is greatly appreciated by me. This is going to be fun to talk about. Let’s get on with it! Before we get to this week’s countdown, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• New by Daya (#39)

The Countdown: