Biggest Fall Of The Week: Tie between Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato and How Long by Charlie Puth (–5)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: God’s Plan by Drake (+6)

New Entrants
– To start our new round of arrivals, we have more Niall Horan once again. After Too Much To Ask failed to live up to the expectations chart-wise like its predecessor Slow Hands did, he’s looking to get back on track. This time, he has a new single titled On The Loose from his latest album, Flicker. Production-wise, it’s a step up from his two predecessors, in large part because it is more fast-paced. He does well with his vocals. In fact, he shines more in this song than in Too Much To Ask. I just recently realized that there are two different versions of the song. One which I’ve been hearing while driving is the shorter version, which unfortunately edits out the guitar solo, while the original version keeps it intact. Despite this, it’s still a good song overall. I would love to see it become a hit.

– Now with New Rules slowly starting to fade elsewhere, Dua Lipa follows up with another new single from her self-titled album. Enter IDGAF. The title itself basically says it all. Heh, it’s like she doesn’t care about what others say, haha. Anyway, it’s about cutting off on someone that you used to love. It’s something that we can relate to and I’m sure we’ve been through that kind of relationship at one point in time. Now, I won’t quitesay it’s as good as its predecessor in terms of the production. The song is basically just hearing what Dua Lipa is really capable of. She shows that she does have a good voice all throughout the song. I do love the use of guitars. It’s another solid track all around and it’s a good choice for a single. Can lighting strike twice for Dua Lipa in terms of her getting another big hit? Only time will tell on that. We’ll just have to wait and see.

– Finally, we have the all-important debut of the week. Much to most people’s displeasure, Meghan Trainor makes her official return to the American Top 40 this week. This time around, she has a brand new single titled No Excuses. Again, I don’t find Meghan Trainor to be annoying unlike most people here. I do like her music, at least somewhat. Though I’ll admit her last album was not very good, what with Me Too being a horrible single all around, and NØ was a disappointment to some but I did like it. There was also I’m A Lady, which virtually never took off (and for good reason). As for her new song, I guess you can say I like it. It’s a step up from what she’s been releasing lately. Sure, the lyrics aren’t that good, but some of the other aspects make up for it. The production here is pretty cool and I like her vocals for the most part. Overall, it’s actually not a bad song as some say it is. We’ll see how long it sticks around.

Best Debut Of The Week: IDGAF by Dua Lipa

And That’s The Way It Blurbs
– So, our three exits consist of two great songs that I wished deserved better, and one song which did really well. Both LOVE. and Beautiful Trauma were unfortunately underrated and did not deserve to leave so soon. I could go on, but I’m sad about their departures. Attention, meanwhile, was a big hit for Charlie Puth and it was enjoyable. I’m glad he took on a different sound and not something along the lines of Nine Track Mind, which sucked. I’m looking forward to what he has to offer in Voicenotes. That said, the song will be somewhat missed by me.

– We have a new #1 this week! G-Eazy and Halsey managed to take the top spot with Him & I. It’s good to have G-Eazy back in the spotlight after Good Life unfortunately flopped. It helps that Halsey’s presence made this song a hit. This is a great collaboration between the two artists (or couple, I should say) and I’m glad that it’s getting the recognition it deserves.

– Entering the Top 5 this week is The Middle. That I’m definitely pleased with. I’m seeing big things happening for the song. It already hit #1 on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown, and the same will likely ring true in the coming weeks. Also, I would like to say congratulations to Maren Morris on her marriage last weekend!

– Before introducing New Rules, Ryan Seacrest mentioned that Dua Lipa had to cancel some shows because she had to get her wisdom teeth removed. Ouch! That must be a painful experience for her. I had this experience before, and yeah it was not pleasant. Hopefully, she’ll get through this.

– Pray For Me is inching closer to the Top 10. It’s good to see this song become successful, in large part due to the Black Panther hype still going strong. This one has gotten better for me with more listens, hence why it’s my favorite song on the countdown right now. The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar both make a great collaboration. I would love to see them work together more often.

– Last week’s debuts (Want You Back and All The Stars) made some small, but reasonable jumps this week. It’s nice to see them get some momentum. While I doubt the former will get big, I do think the latter has more of a chance of becoming a moderate hit. It would be nice to have both Kendrick Lamar songs become big simultaneously.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Sit Next To Me by Foster The People
• Trust Fund Baby by Why Don’t We
• Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Extras/Optional Extras:

• I Fall Apart by Post Malone
• Pillowtalk by Zayn Malik
• Bad Things by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Camila Cabello
• There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes
• Hold Me Tight Or Don’t by Fall Out Boy
• One Call Away by Charlie Puth
• Too Much To Ask by Niall Horan
• Let Me Love You by DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber
• LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari
• Paris by The Chainsmokers

Top 20 Review:
0 – Garbage:
20. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
19. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello
18. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash

1 – Bad:
17. Wait by Maroon 5
16. God’s Plan by Drake
15. Let You Down by NF

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
14. Young, Dumb, And Broke by Khalid

4 – Good:
None!

5 – Great:
13. How Long by Charlie Puth
12. Bad At Love by Halsey
11. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé
10. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
9. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
8. New Rules by Dua Lipa
7. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey
6. Say Something by Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton
5. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons
4. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
3. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
2. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar 

Total Score: 72/100 = 72% (C–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: That’s The Way It Is by Céline Dion (1999) (Today is her 50th birthday. So, I would like to wish a Happy Birthday to the great Céline Dion!) 

Most Missed Song: Lights by Ellie Goulding

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Rose-Colored Boy by Paramore

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay

My Top 5 Picks
1. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
2. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.
3. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
4. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
5. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
4. I Like Me Better by Lauv
5. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Cake by Flo Rida featuring 99 Percent: Blech. A song that talks about just picking up the cake and not partying just does not sit well with me. Almost everything about the song just doesn’t work for me at all. When it’s being featured on the same EP as songs like Watch Me and Juju On That Beat, that’s a bad sign.
Scared To Be Lonely by Martin Garrix featuring Dua Lipa: Before New Rules came and went on to become a breakout hit for Dua Lipa, there was this collaboration. And guess what? It’s from the same EDM artist who made In The Name Of Love, which I still love to this day. While not as good as its predecessor, it’s still enjoyable overall.
Slide by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos: This was a big step up from This Is What You Came For. Calvin Harris’s new sound was liked by many bloggers and YouTube critics alike. And who would’ve thought that Migos would actually sound good here?

Biggest Fall Of The Week: LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari (–9)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons (+9)

New Entrants
– We have three debuts to cover this week. First, we’ll begin with the return of 5 Seconds Of Summer with their latest single titled Want You Back. As I said before, this song is a different sound for the band in terms of the production. The vocals are spot on for the most part, though I’m not necessarily huge on the chorus. The song is basically about wanting someone back, hence the title. Do I see this being successful? Not really. While I much prefer something along the lines of Jet Black Heart, this one is still pretty solid all around, even though it may not stick with me in the long run.

– Next up, we have another single taken from the Black Panther movie soundtrack. Kendrick has another collaboration in its stead, this time featuring SZA in the song called All The Stars. There’s no doubt that Pray For Me is the much superior track off of the album, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like this song at all. It’s actually really good. Probably the best thing about it is SZA herself. She pretty much shines throughout the chorus. Once again, Kendrick doesn’t disappoint me with his verses. He shows that he’s a good rapper in this song. Overall, I like this collaboration. It works well and I hope to see some success out of it.

– With the highest debut of the week, we have Bazzi making his very first appearance on the countdown with his debut single titled Mine. Now, he’s another one of those artists that went viral thanks to Vine, like some of the other artists who I won’t mention. Putting that aside, the song itself is one of the shortest songs I’ve ever heard, only running at barely over 2 minutes. Now, it’s actually not a bad song for the most part. I do like the guy’s vocals, and the production is okay. However, it lacks something that makes it stand out. One of my concerns about the song is that there’s no bridge. While it’s not special, it’s a decent song for a debut artist.

All The Blurbs Are Closer
– For our exits, I Fall Apart left for the second time after it’s re-entry three weeks ago, but I’m definitely pleased to see it depart. Hold Me Tight Or Don’t only lasted a mere two weeks here. I guess people have moved on from Fall Out Boy. Lastly, there’s Let Me Go, which unfortunately ended up being a flop on this countdown and will miss the Year-End list. But at least it’s doing well on Hits 1 (It hit #1 last week on the countdown, so it’s a lock for Hits 1’s Top 45 Of 2018). It was definitely an enjoyable song all around and Hailee Steinfeld truly shows what she’s capable of. Good-bye, Let Me Go. You will be missed by me.

– Both Him & I and Finesse have reached new peaks of #2 and #3, respectively. I would like to see one of them take the top spot, ideally next week. I’m sure the latter will get there at some point in time. However, I do think the former has a shot at making it first.

– In other Top 5 news, we have Wolves reaching a new peak at #5. That I also like to see. Unlike the other two songs however, I doubt it’ll hit #1 given that it’s just now dying out elsewhere. But I’m thankful for the success that it had so far. It’s definitely one of the best things both artists have been a part of.

– Whatever It Takes takes a big jump closer to the Top 20 this week. I’m  looking forward to seeing that one become another big hit for Imagine Dragons. With it now starting to catch on in terms of sales, it won’t be much of a problem.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• On The Loose by Niall Horan
• IDGAF by Dua Lipa
• No Excuses by Meghan Trainor

Extras/Optional Extras:

• One Foot by Walk The Moon
• End Game by Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future
• The Hills by The Weeknd
• Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean
• I Miss You by Clean Bandit featuring Julia Michaels
• Same Old Love by Selena Gomez
• Too Good At Goodbyes by Sam Smith
• Cold Water by Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and MØ

Top 20 Review:
0 – Garbage:
20. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
19. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
18. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash
17. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello

1 – Bad:
16. Wait by Maroon 5
15. God’s Plan by Drake
14. Let You Down by NF

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
13. Young, Dumb, And Broke by Khalid

4 – Good:
12. How Long by Charlie Puth

5 – Great:
11. Bad At Love by Halsey
10. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé
9. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
8. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
7. Say Something by Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton
6. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey
5. New Rules by Dua Lipa
4. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
3. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
TIE: 1. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.

Total Score: 67/100 = 67% (D+)

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

Most Missed Song: Side To Side by Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris
3. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
4. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
5. New Rules by Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
2. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
3. I Like Me Better by Lauv
4. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash
5. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Green Light by Lorde: It was Lorde’s big return in the spotlight with this fantastic masterpiece of a song. Unfortunately, it never got anywhere after the initial hype. It definitely deserved much better.
Not Nice by PARTYNEXTDOOR: Not much I can say about this one. Bland production, meh vocals, and weak lyrics doesn’t make me want to get on board with this. Thankfully, it only lasted one week here.

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt (–8)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Tie between I Fall Apart by Post Malone, Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons, God’s Plan by Drake, Wait by Maroon 5, and Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey (+4)

New Entrants
– Our first of two entrants comes from newcomer duo Jack & Jack, with their single titled Beg. I discussed this one briefly when it was trending on the YouTube 15 back in the fall. I’m not too big on the production of the song overall. It just feels underwhelming. I think the production team didn’t really do much to make it more lively. What I can say is that I like the vocals for the most part. Overall, it’s just not a memorable song that I’ll be coming back to in about a year or so. But that’s just how I feel.

– We have more Marshmello once again, and this time he collaborates with Anne-Marie, who makes her return a year after Rockabye was a huge hit. The song is called Friends. Now, this is basically a friend-zone anthem which talks about just being friends. I’ll simply say that this is a step down from Wolves in a way. I do like Anne-Marie, but she doesn’t really shine too much, and I don’t like her spelling out friends, especially in the chorus. So yeah, I’m not really feeling this song. I’ll have more on this later this weekend on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown. While I have it in blue for now, it’s not too far from being red. So don’t be surprised if I change it to that color soon.

B-L-U-R-B-S
– Our two exits consist of songs that didn’t really take off elsewhere, especially I Miss You. It’s a shame that this is one of Julia Michaels’s better songs, but of course it had to be underrated. And I’m not too surprised by the departure of End Game. It’s too bad that one will fail to make the Year-End list on Billboard. I’m having a hard time picturing Taylor Swift having another hit anytime soon, seeing as her latest album isn’t as successful as its predecessor.

– We have NF reaching the top spot with Let You Down this week. I’m not too wild about this being #1. Given that it was blowing up on all fronts, I wasn’t too surprised to see it there. But it doesn’t make me happy. I know others like it and I can see why, but it’s just not my personal taste.

– Perfect by Ed Sheeran doesn’t seem to want to give up just yet. It’s been in the Top 3 for a seemingly long time. Something tells me that it’s going to be ranked very high on the Year-End charts come December.

– On that note, Him & I took a rather unexpected jump into the Top 3 this week. Honestly, I should’ve seen its success coming, mainly because people love Halsey. But I’m not complaining at all. Despite not doing well in sales or streaming, it’s radio gains are impressive. I have a feeling it may actually be #1 on this countdown soon, that which I’ll certainly be happy about.

– We have two new entrants in the Top 10 this week, with The Middle and Meant To Be both making their appearance into that region. The former I’m very pleased about and I’m still loving it right now. The latter, on the other hand, is extremely annoying. It’s a shame that it had to be Bebe Rexha’s biggest hits, especially when she’s done so much better.

– Songs such as Havana, Bad At Love, and Let Me Go are still my favorites as of right now. I don’t really see them fading on me anytime soon.

– Speaking of Bad At Love, I read somewhere that Halsey will be playing the role of Wonder Woman in the Teen Titans Go! movie. If I’m being honest, I’d much prefer the original Teen Titans as opposed to its successor, but I have nieces and nephews that really like its successor. I probably should tell them that. They wouldn’t want to miss out on that movie!

– Speaking of which, looks like Hailee Steinfeld won’t get a hit with Let Me Go as her song drops big out of the Top 20 this week. Meanwhile, it has reached a new peak of #2 on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown. It would be really funny if this somehow manages to hit #1 on Hits 1 despite it not being big elsewhere, much like End Game did a month ago. Hits 1 logic is very different from other music charts, and in a good way since this is one of her best songs thus far.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Woman by Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns
• Mine by Bazzi
• On The Loose by Niall Horan

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Rockabye by Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie
• Work by Rihanna featuring Drake
• Stressed Out by TWENTY ØNE PILØTS
• River by Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran
• This Is What You Came For by Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna
• Hide Away by Daya
• Mercy by Shawn Mendes
• Starving by Hailee Steinfeld & Grey featuring Zedd

Top 20 Review:
0 – Garbage:
20. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
19. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
18. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash
17. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello

1 – Bad:
16. Wait by Maroon 5
15. Let You Down by NF

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
14. Young, Dumb, And Broke by Khalid

4 – Good:
13. How Long by Charlie Puth

5 – Great:
12. LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari
11. Bad At Love by Halsey
10. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé
9. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
8. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey
7. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
6. Say Something by Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton
5. New Rules by Dua Lipa
4. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
3. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey

Total Score: 71/100 = 71% (C–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper (1984)

Most Missed Song: Something Better by Audien featuring Lady Antebellum

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: IDGAF by Dua Lipa

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
TIE: 1. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.
3. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
4. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
5. New Rules by Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
2. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
3. I Like Me Better by Lauv
4. I Fall Apart by Post Malone
5. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara: Some people here have turned on this one and I can definitely see why, mainly because Zedd is being branded as a sell-out. As for me, I’m not part of that crowd.
Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay: Simply put, this is basically Rozes meets Hymn For The Weekend. Everything about this is spot on from the production on down to Chris Martin’s mesmerizing vocals. Plus, it helps that it has references to my favorite superheros, such as Batman, Superman, etc.
Thumbs by Sabrina Carpenter: It’s a pretty interesting song, but her vocals didn’t quite do it for me. The production and the beat had something going on, so I’ll giver her that.

Biggest Fall Of The Week: End Game by Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future (–18)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: God’s Plan by Drake (+12)

New Entrants
– We have an unwelcome re-entry from I Fall Apart by Post Malone. This is the first time we had a re-entry since I don’t know how long. Thus, we only have two new debuts this week.

– To start, we have Fall Out Boy’s latest single from MANIA, titled Hold Me Tight Or Don’t. This one has been around for a while. In fact, it debuted on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown two months ago. Looks like the American Top 40 was late with this one, aren’t they? Anyway, this is another song in which they’re trying something new, much like they did with Young And Menace, which was a mess all around and thankfully didn’t take off. They’re going for a Latin vibe in this one. I do like the production in a way. The whistling sounds pretty cool. While it’s nowhere near their best work thus far, I do think it’s still a pretty solid track for the most part.

– For our second debut of the week, we have more Imagine Dragons. This time, they have their latest single off of Evolve, by the name of Whatever It Takes. Right off the bat, this is one of the best songs off of their album. It is more fast-paced than its two predecessors. When looking at the lyrical content, it’s basically about succeeding in your goals no matter what. This is something that many of us can relate to because we all have at least one goal that we want to meet. There is a lot going on in terms of the production, mainly because it uses more instruments, whereas Thunder was a little weak with that, despite me still liking it. However, the best thing that I like about this song is easily the powerful chorus. That’s where Dan Reynolds shines the most. Overall, it’s a step up from Thunder. And judging by its strong sales and radio, this looks poised to be another hit for Imagine Dragons, that which I want to happen.

We’re Gonna Blurb The Night Away
– Let’s begin with our exits. First off, River I didn’t necessarily care for, but I felt like it left pretty early for a song that features Ed Sheeran. It’s too bad he can’t even help Eminem get a hit like he did in the past. One Foot by Walk The Moon most definitely deserved better than this, especially after the success of Shut Up And Dance back in 2015. It’s too bad that these guys are being considered a one-hit wonder. Finally, the exit I’m most saddened about is There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes. This is the first time since June 25, 2016 that we do not have a Shawn Mendes song on the countdown. It was definitely one of the best songs that he had to offer and I was thankful for the success that it had in a short period of time. He does have new music right around the corner from what I heard, so we’ll hear more from him soon. But right now, I’ll be sad over the song’s departure. Farewell, There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back. You will be missed by me.

– Before introducing Attention, Ryan Seacrest mentioned that he covered one of Maroon 5’s singles from their latest album. I wondered has he listened to their album, because not very many songs from there are to my liking. But I guess he just wants to cover them just for the fun of it, heh.

– I’m afraid that End Game is near its end with that big drop it took this week. I know I’ve said this numerous times, but people are just not fond of Taylor’s new direction. They much preferred her older singles, such as from 1989 and some of Red. It’s a shame that it’s going to miss the Year-End list for Billboard.

– Strip That Down needs to go already. This is getting ridiculous. Who is still supporting this? It’s a crying shame that it’s still on this countdown, yet songs such as For You flopped. I’m just disappointed.

– Speaking of which, none of the singles from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack are taking off. Songs such as For You and Capital Letters are amazing, yet they aren’t doing much chart-wise. In fact, the latter has never charted. I guess their success just wasn’t meant to be (no pun intended). Oh well.

– The fact that I Like Me Better is still somewhat gaining (including the big 7-spot jump it had last week) is pretty darn sad, because it’s only been getting worse every time I hear it. Can we not with this song?

– Of course, God’s Plan would have a huge jump in its second week. Because of its massive popularity, I unfortunately expect it to stick around for a long while.

– On a positive note, songs such as Beautiful Trauma, My My My!, and Say Something made some big jumps this week. The very latter I’m certain it’ll become a proper hit for Justin Timberlake, after the huge flop that was of Filthy. Seeing Chris Stapleton a country crossover hit would be pleasing to see.

– For those who don’t like Never Be The Same (including myself), then I’ve got bad news for you: the music video was released just yesterday. Yeah, folks. I have a bad feeling that it may stick around for a long while, so I’ll just have to learn to put up with it.

– In some good news, The Middle is in its third week and already its closing in on the Top 10. I’m sure it’ll enter that region next week. It was #1 on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown, and it looks like the same may ring true here as well, given that it’s gaining big on all fronts. That I’m also happy about and it’s nice to see Maren Morris have a country crossover hit!

– Finesse has now entered the Top 5 this week! It was only a matter of time until it entered that region. It’s one of my favorites off of 24K Magic so far, only behind songs such as the title track and Chunky, the latter which hasn’t taken off yet given that it hasn’t been chosen as a single. But for now, I’ll certainly live with Finesse becoming another huge hit for Bruno Mars.

– Finally, we’ve come to our #1, in which the lovely Dua Lipa holds the top spot once again. Honestly, I couldn’t be more happier about this. Her success story is definitely one of the highlights so far early in the year. And with her successor starting to pick up steam, I have a feeling she may have a shot at being a breakout artist of the year. That would be pleasing to me.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Woman by Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns
• Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
• Beg by Jack & Jack

Extras/Optional Extras:

• The Greatest by Sia featuring Kendrick Lamar
• Where Are U Now by Skrillex and Diplo featuring Justin Bieber
• Closer by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey
• Talking Body by Tove Lo
• 24K Magic by Bruno Mars
• Passionfruit by Drake
• Best Friend by Sofi Tukker featuring NERVO, Alisa Ueno, and The Knocks
• One Dance by Drake featuring WizKid and Kyla
• Cheap Thrills by Sia featuring Sean Paul

Top 20 Review:
0 – Garbage:
20. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
19. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
18. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash

1 – Bad:
17. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello
16. Let You Down by NF

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
15. Young, Dumb, And Broke by Khalid

4 – Good:
14. Thunder by Imagine Dragons
13. How Long by Charlie Puth

5 – Great:
12. Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt
11. LOVE. by Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari
10. Bad At Love by Halsey
9. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé
8. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
7. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey
6. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
5. New Rules by Dua Lipa
4. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
3. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey

Total Score: 75/100 = 75% (C) 

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Rock With You by Michael Jackson (1979)

Most Missed Song: The Sound by The 1975 (This spent only one week on this countdown, which is such a shame because it is divine on all levels.)

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Lullaby by Sigala featuring Paloma Faith

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Chained To The Rhythm by Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
TIE: 1. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
3. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.
4. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
5. New Rules by Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
2. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
3. I Like Me Better by Lauv
4. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo
5. I Fall Apart by Post Malone

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Heavy by Linkin Park featuring Kiiara: Pretty much everything about this is spot on, and who would’ve thought that Kiiara would redeem herself after the horrible mash-up of a song that is Gold?
Bounce Back by Big Sean: I like the lyrical content about wanting to bounce back (hence the title), but I feel like the production and vocals needs more work. Maybe then, I could like it more.
It Ain’t Me by Kygo featuring Selena Gomez: Again, I was impressed with Kygo when he brought in Selena for this one. Everything about this is spot on, as is his latest album, Kids In Love.

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Tie between End Game by Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future and Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage (–5)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar (+10)

New Entrants
– To kick off this week’s new arrivals, we have Thirty Seconds To Mars with their new single titled Walk On Water. It took me a couple of listens, but I finally have an opinion on the song. To sum it up, I think it’s a cool tune. The chorus is energetic pretty much all throughout the song, and I like the vocals for the most part. There are some people here who don’t like it mainly because it’s political, and I can definitely see where they’re getting at, mainly when looking at the lyrical content. But I’m not among that crowd. Of course, it may stick with me in the big picture and my opinion will change as time goes on. But right now, I’ll consider it a great song.

– Next, Drake is back…again. We haven’t seen too much of him last year since Fake Love thankfully wasn’t a huge hit and Passionfruit didn’t really take off. He brings us God’s Plan. Simply put, I’m just not a fan of this one. His vocals are okay, but the production here is just underwhelming and I’m not sold on the lyrical content. That’s really all I have to say about this one. And with it being the biggest hit at this moment, I have a bad feeling the same may ring true here also. So, I’m prepared for the worst.

– Finally, Justin Timberlake replaces himself on the countdown with his latest single, titled Say Something which features country star Chris Stapleton. This one has more singing going on as opposed to his predecessor. Both of these artists show what they’re capable of vocally. I love the use of guitars. Though the song is repetitive, it definitely sounds like true country music, unlike a certain song I won’t mention, but I’m sure you all can figure it out by now. Overall, it’s a great collaboration that works well and I’m hoping it gets some success.

Blurb Something
– In terms of our exits this week, we have a song that has left us after spending only one week for the second time this year. But I Fall Apart was never to my liking anyway, so I have no complaints about this at all. Best Friend I just recently grew into and I’ll admit, it was catchy, but I knew it wouldn’t last long. And finally, there’s Filthy. Despite me have mixed opinions on that one, I’m shocked that it took such a brutal exit, especially from a high position. I thought it might stick around for a few more weeks, but never mind. Guess people were not very kind to Justin Timberlake’s new single, heh.

– I’m very glad that New Rules managed to hold at #1 for the third week in a row. I still really love that song. Hopefully, Dua Lipa keeps this streak going for another week or so.

– Rising to #4 this week is Let You Down. Unfortunately, this song just doesn’t really appeal to me. I get why some like this, mainly for the meaning, but it just doesn’t work for me. Though, I have a feeling it may be #1 in the near future. So, I’ll be bracing myself for impact.

– As much as I don’t really like Let You Down, I’ll most certainly take this over Rockstar any day, which is now finally out of the Top 10! I’ve been waiting a long time for this to happen! Now, I’m hoping this can leave the countdown for good!

– In other Top 20 news, we have two new songs entering that region, both of which were debuts from last week. Pray For Me was expected, and it looks destined to become another hit for The Weeknd. With the hype from Black Panther still going strong at this moment, that shouldn’t be much of a problem.

– But also new to the Top 20, we have The Middle making its entrance. Words cannot simply describe how pleased I am by this. This song is just catchy to me. As I said before, it has quickly become a huge favorite of mine at this moment, hence why I have it in purple. I’m having a really hard time choosing between this and Finesse, which is also my favorite as well, and I ultimately decided on the former. Of course, we still have a whole year ahead of us and I’m sure something better will come along. But right now, I’m really enjoying these two songs and they both deserve success, which they’re thankfully getting right now.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Woman by Kesha featuring The Dap-Kings Horns
• Hold Me Tight Or Don’t by Fall Out Boy

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Slow Hands by Niall Horan
• Filthy by Justin Timberlake
• Starboy by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk
• I Fall Apart by Post Malone
• Praying by Kesha
• Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller
• Ride by TWENTY ØNE PILØTS
• Cake By The Ocean by DNCE
• Stitches by Shawn Mendes

Top 20 Review:
0 – Garbage:
20. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
19. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
18. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash

1 – Bad:
17. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello
16. Let You Down by NF

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
15. Young, Dumb, And Broke by Khalid

4 – Good:
14. Thunder by Imagine Dragons
13. How Long by Charlie Puth

5 – Great:
12. Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and Watt
11. End Game by Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future
10. Bad At Love by Halsey
9. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé
8. New Rules by Dua Lipa
7. Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
6. Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey
5. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
4. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
3. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
2. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey

Total Score: 74/100 = 74% (C–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (1983)

Most Missed Songs: Sorry by Justin Bieber and Praying by Kesha

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Want You Back by 5 Seconds Of Summer

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Chained To The Rhythm by Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley

My Top 5 Picks
1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
2. Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B.
3. Good Old Days by Macklemore featuring Kesha
4. Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
5. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Rockstar by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
2. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
3. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo
4. I Like Me Better by Lauv
5. Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Dancing On My Own by Calum Scott: It’s a cover version of this song, though it wasn’t executed well, not to mention he sounds bored when hearing his vocals.
Bad And Boujeee by Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert: Once again, many YouTube critics as well as some in the blogging community can explain this one in detail better than I can. But simply put, this is shit in every way possible. Do I even need to say anymore?
Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur: Some critics had this on their worst lists for 2017, but I didn’t really mind for the most part. I’ll admit, however, that his delivery was somewhat lacking, but it’s still a sweet song for what it is.
Cold by Maroon 5 featuring Future: Like I said before, this song is another example of how Adam Levine has basically taken over the band. They’ve lost the groove they once had, and Future’s verse doesn’t help.
Everyday by Ariana Grande featuring Future: Speaking of Future, adding him to the song wasn’t a wise choice, and I can’t get on board with the lyrics. This was just a disappointment for Ariana. She has done better.