Hello, fam! I just want to remind everyone here again that I’m planning on doing a Q&A for my future post. You guys have until the end of this month to submit me any questions that you want to ask me. The link to submit is right here.  I may end up extending the deadline if I have to. We’ll see. Before we get to this week’s fresh 40, here are the songs leaving the countdown this week:

• Happy Now by Zedd featuring Elley Duhé (#33)
• New Rules by Dua Lipa (#40) [Spent 4 Weeks At #1] (!!!!!!!!!!!!)

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
40. One Day by Logic featuring Ryan Tedder (DEBUT)
39. Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons (#38) [–1]
38. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco (DEBUT)
37. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (#35) [–2] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
36. Taste by Tyga featuring Offset (#39) [+2]
35. 2002 by Anne-Marie (#37) [+2]
34. Goodbye by Jason Derulo & David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj and Willy William (#36) [+2]
33. I Like Me Better by Lauv (#32) [–1]
32. Africa by Weezer (#34) [+2]
31. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#29) [–2]
30. Boo’d Up by Elle Mai (#31) [+1]
29. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#27) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
28. Promises by Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith (#30) [+2]
27. Almost Love by Sabrina Carpenter (#28) [+2]
26. Delicate by Taylor Swift (#25) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
25. Broken by lovelytheband (#26) [+1]
24. Side Effects by The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren (#14) [–10]
23. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (#22) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
22. Beautiful (Remix) by Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello (#23) [+1]
21. Mine by Bazzi (#19) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
20. The Way I Am by Charlie Puth (#17) [–3]
19. Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine (#21) [+2]
18. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel (#13) [–5]
17. Jackie Chan by Tiesto & Dzeko featuring Preme and Post Malone (#18) [+1]
16. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid (#20) [+4]
15. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille (#24) [+9]
14. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#12) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
13. Lie by NF (#15) [+2]
12. Natural by Imagine Dragons (#16) [+4]
11. I’m A Mess by Bebe Rexha (#10) [–1]
10. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD (#11) [+1]
9. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (#6) [–3]
8. In My Feelings by Drake (#7) [–1]
7. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper (#9) [+2]
6. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (#8) [+2]
5. Back To You by Selena Gomez (#5) [=]
4. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B. (#3) [–1] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
3. Better Now by Post Malone (#2) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
2. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#4) [+2]
1. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani (#1) [=] [3^rd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Slow Hands by Niall Horan (2^nd And Final Week At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Side Effects by The Chainsmokers featuring Emily Warren (–10)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille (+9)

New Entrants
– Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic has collaborated with Logic in their latest single titled One Day. We haven’t really heard from Ryan Tedder since his band had Kids two years ago, which only lasted one week on this countdown. As for the new song, I can say that I do like it. The verses from both of these guys are pretty good. The production isn’t necessarily the best though, but I do like the lyrical content in the song. Not much else I can say outside of that. It’s a nice collaboration between the two artists and it worked out well for them.

– Believe it or not, we have Panic! At The Disco making their first appearance on the countdown since I don’t know how long. They have a song that has been #1 on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown, by the name of High Hopes. The song has been gaining momentum for a while now. The song sounds similar to Say Amen (Saturday Night), except they use trumpets as instruments in the song. I love how it’s being used. I like Brendon’s voice throughout the song. He really shines in the chorus. So yeah, I still enjoy the song and I’m glad it’s starting to get success outside of Hits 1.

Best Debut Of The Week: High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco

It Could Be Blurbs
– We’ll begin with our exits. To start, Happy Now I thought was a great song. So seeing it leave us is saddening, but at the same time I’m not all that surprised since Zedd has recently released the remix of Lost In Japan, which I hope to see on the countdown very soon. Our biggest exit comes in the form of New Rules. It was this time last year when the song began its journey. Then, it would slowly climb to #1 within four months and it became Dua’s biggest hit to date. I found it to be an interesting song and it’s presence was definitely welcomed. Farewell, New Rules. It’s been a wild and crazy ride. While I’m for sure some here will be happy about its departure, I’m not one of them.

– I thought for sure that Youngblood would get the top spot this week, but I was wrong. Love Lies holds on to #1 for another week. I’m sure Youngblood will likely dethrone it next week.

– We get an unwelcome entry in the Top 10 from Lucid Dreams. Yuck. Hopefully, it won’t last very long.

– I’m not thrilled about the big jump from Happier. Like I said last week, this song is nowhere near Marshmello’s best and it shows that he’s starting to become more generic as an EDM artist. The only thing I like about it is the vocals we get from Bastille.

– Not too thrilled about the drop from Side Effects either. At least it had a decent run on this countdown unlike their recent singles after Sick Boy which really didn’t get anywhere.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Breathin’ by Ariana Grande
• Thunderclouds by LSD
• Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Pray For Me by The Weeknd featuring Kendrick Lamar
• I Took A Pill In Ibiza by Mike Posner
• My House by Flo Rida
• One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa
• Wolves by Selena Gomez featuring Marshmello
• Want To Want Me by Jason Derulo
• Starving by Hailee Steinfeld & Grey featuring Zedd
• Nevermind by Dennis Lloyd
• Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
20. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
19. I’m A Mess by Bebe Rexha

1 – Bad:
18. In My Feelings by Drake
17. Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine

2 – Mediocre:
16. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille
15. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin
14. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper

3 – Decent:
13. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.

4 – Good:
12. The Way I Am by Charlie Puth
11. Jackie Chan by Tiesto & Dzeko featuring Post Malone and Preme 

5 – Great:
10. Lie by NF
9. Better Now by Post Malone
8. Back To You by Selena Gomez
7. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
6. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
5. Remind Me To Forget by Kygo featuring Miguel
4. Natural by Imagine Dragons
3. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid
2. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande

Total Score: 70/100 = 70% (C–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: We Belong by Pat Benatar (1984)

Most Missed Song: Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Praying by Kesha

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
3. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande
4. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid
5. Natural by Imagine Dragons

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. I Like Me Better by Lauv
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign
4. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
5. I’m A Mess by Bebe Rexha

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug: Her best song thus far to date. She basically tells a story about her hometown very well. I love her vocals, and the latin vibe pulls me in.
Let Me Go by Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso featuring Florida Georgia Line and watt: I call this a better version of Starving.
Thunder by Imagine Dragons: These guys have done better, though it’s definitely not a bad song in my eyes. Sure it’s catchy, but the chipmunk voice in the background kinda kills it for me.

Fun fact: All three of these songs left the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown in the same week.