What’s up, guys? So, I just realized that the MTV Video Music Awards will take place tomorrow night. I’ll most likely be watching the performances, and if I get a chance I may do a review of the entire show. We’ll see. Anyway, I have the AT40 countdown post for you guys. Before we get to this week’s fresh 40, here are the songs we’re saying good-bye to this week:

• God’s Plan by Drake (#32)
• Him & I by G-Eazy featuring Halsey (#38) [Spent 1 Week At #1]

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.
40. Perfect by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé (#40) [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
39. Nevermind by Dennis Lloyd (#39) [=]
38. Let You Down by NF (#36) [–2] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
37. Jackie Chan by Tiesto & Dzeko featuring Preme and Post Malone (#37) [=]
36. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line (#34) [–2]
35. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (DEBUT)
34. Let You Be Right by Meghan Trainor (#35) [+1]
33. Dinero by Jennifer Lopez featuring DJ Khaled and Cardi B. (#33) [=]
32. New Rules by Dua Lipa (#30) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
31. All Night by Big Boi (#29) [–2]
30. Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar (#28) [–2]
29. Lie by NF (#31) [+2]
28. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons (#26) [–2]
27. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper (DEBUT)
26. Home With You by Madison Beer (#27) [+1]
25. Wait by Maroon 5 (#24) [–1]
24. Bed by Nicki Minaj featuring Ariana Grande (#22) [–2]
23. Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine (#23) [=]
22. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (#18) [–4] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
21. I’m A Mess by Bebe Rexha (#25) [+4]
20. Nice For What by Drake (#17) [–3]
19. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys (#19) [=]
18. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel (#20) [+2]
17. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#15) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
16. In My Blood by Shawn Mendes (#13) [–3]
15. Growing Pains by Alessia Cara (#16) [+1]
14. In My Feelings by Drake (#21) [+7]
13. I Like Me Better by Lauv (#12) [–1]
12. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#14) [+2]
11. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa (#9) [–2]
10. Back To You by Selena Gomez (#10) [=]
9. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani (#11) [+2]
8. Mine by Bazzi (#5) [–3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
7. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (#6) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
6. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#4) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
5. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (#8) [+3]
4. Better Now by Post Malone (#7) [+3]
3. Delicate by Taylor Swift (#3) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#2) [=]
1. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B. (#1) [=] [2^nd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Despacito by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber (5^th and Final Week At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (–4)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: In My Feelings by Drake (+7)

New Entrants
– With Ariana Grande’s new album Sweetener having just been released, it’s only natural that she would have a new single start gaining traction. Her second song, God Is A Woman, makes its debut to the AT40 countdown this week. There’s plenty to love about this song. Easily the best thing I like about it is Ariana’s voice. She is just amazing all throughout the song. I do love the production as well. I’ll probably have more to say about this when it debuts on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown. But yeah, this is easily the best debut of the week. Ariana has impressed me once again.

– So, we have the return of DJ Khaled. And guess what? He’s teaming up with Justin Bieber once again in their latest new single titled No Brainer. In fact, they both collaborate with Quavo and Chance The Rapper. If you recall, they worked together in I’m The One last year, with the only difference being Lil’ Wayne was present in that song. Right off the bat, this is basically a rehash of I’m The One. I like Justin’s part in the song. I think he makes a good contribution like he did in its predecessor. But where the song is pretty weak at is the production itself. I feel like more could’ve been done. Also, the contributions we get from Quavo and Chance The Rapper aren’t too interesting. Much like with its predecessor, I can definitely see myself getting sick of this before long.

Best Debut Of The Week: God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande

In My Blurbs
– So, we had two exits this week. The departure of God’s Plan by Drake is one I’m pretty pleased about. It wasn’t really interesting to me and Drake has had better from his latest album, Scorpion. Then we have Him & I, which I was starting to get sick of. Thus, I don’t really have any complaints about our exits.

– Before introducing I’m A Mess, Ryan Seacrest mentioned that Bebe Rexha’s latest single is basically a representation of herself. It sounds like she’s basically trying to express herself. There have been many songs in which artists do express themselves.

– Before introducing Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Ryan Seacrest mentioned that the Backstreet Boys organized some sort of marriage proposal. Heh, I’ve never heard of anyone do this before. I guess there’s a first time for everything.

– In My Feelings by Drake has jumped big for the second week in a row. Not very thrilled about this. Unfortunately, I don’t see it dropping anytime soon since it’s still going strong right now.

– I figured Love Lies would enter the Top 10 this week. I think it’s once of Khalid’s best and it is nice to see the song do well. Though it did kick One Kiss out in the process. But at least a good song is there in its place.

– As far as our Top 5 goes, we have two new songs entering that region this week, I Like It and Better Now. I’ll admit the former has slightly grown on me and isn’t quite as bad, but it’s still not something I want to see hanging around. The latter, on the other hand, I’m definitely okay with. It’s one of Post Malone’s better songs and I would like to see it hit #1 soon.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• SoulMate by Justin Timberlake
• Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
• Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid
• Almost Love by Sabrina Carpenter
• The Way I Am by Charlie Puth

Extras/Optional Extras:

• All The Stars by Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA
• Closer by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey
• Familiar by Liam Payne featuring J. Balvin
• Castle On The Hill by Ed Sheeran
• Sit Next To Me by Foster The People
• Starboy by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk
• Praying by Kesha
• Slide by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
20. I Like Me Better by Lauv
19. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
18. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

1 – Bad:
17. In My Feelings by Drake

2 – Mediocre:
16. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin

3 – Decent:
15. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.
14. In My Blood by Shawn Mendes

4 – Good:
13. Mine by Bazzi

5 – Great:
12. Better Now by Post Malone
11. Nice For What by Drake
10. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
9. Back To You by Selena Gomez
8. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
7. Delicate by Taylor Swift
6. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel
5. Growing Pains by Alessia Cara
4. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande
3. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
TIE: 1. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys

Total Score: 75/100 = 75% (C)

Throwback Picks Of The Week: Respect by Aretha Franklin (1967) and Into The Groove by Madonna (1985) (Happy 60th Birthday to Madonna)

Most Missed Song: Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara

#1 Recommendations For The American Top 40: Happy Now by Zedd featuring Elley Duhé and Side Effects by The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Tie between Symphony by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson (#40) and Praying by Kesha (#24)

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart by Backstreet Boys
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
3. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
4. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande
5. One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. I Like Me Better by Lauv
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. All Night by Big Boi
4. Meant To Be by Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
5. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Symphony by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson: These guys managed to wow me even more with this follow-up from Rockabye. It was very nice hearing from Zara Larsson again. Unfortunately, this never got anywhere like its predecessor.
Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane: This was another one of Selena’s extremely mediocre singles. The song in and of itself is bad enough, but the addition of Gucci Mane only makes it worse. Good thing this didn’t get anywhere.
Back To You by Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals: Whenver I think of Back To You, I always think of Selena Gomez’s song, not this. But I do love the one Louis did. Bebe is easily the best thing about it.
Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato: I can say that while it’s not one of Demi’s best songs, I do like how we show a different side of her personality. I like how she’s loud and confident, even though some people may feel differently.