1. Let You Down by NF (#3) [+2] [1^st Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran (3^rd of 10 Weeks At #1)

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.