What’s up, guys? Welcome to the Veteran’s Day Weekend edition of the American Top 40. I would like to thank all the men and women who helped served and protect our country. I do have Year-End posts that I’ll be working on, plus my Q&A which I still plan on doing. They’ll hopefully be out next month. Anyway, this week was interesting in more ways than one. I’ll have more to say about it in the blurbs. Before we get to this week’s fresh 40, here are the songs we’re saying good-bye to this week:

• Almost Love by Sabrina Carpenter (#23)
• The Way I Am by Charlie Puth (#27)
• Goodbye by Jason Derulo & David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj and Willy William (#29)
• Africa by Weezer (#36)

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
40. Never Be The Same by Camila Cabello (#39) [–1] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
39. Song About You by Mike Posner (#40) [+1]
38. I Like Me Better by Lauv (#37) [–1]
37. Shallow by Lady Gaga featuring Bradley Cooper (DEBUT)
36. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie (#35) [–1]
35. This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini (DEBUT)
34. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey (#33) [–1]
33. Consequences by Camila Cabello (DEBUT)
32. Delicate by Taylor Swift (#31) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
31. Don’t Matter To Me by Drake featuring Michael Jackson (DEBUT)
30. Sicko Mode by Travis Scott featuring Drake (#38) [+8]
29. Mine by Bazzi (#28) [–1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
28. Thunderclouds by LSD (#32) [+4]
27. Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (#26) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
26. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa (#34) [+8]
25. Taste by Tyga featuring Offset (#25) [=]
24. Promises by Calvin Harris featuring Sam Smith (#22) [–2]
23. Without Me by Halsey (#30) [+7]
22. No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#19) [–3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
21. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco (#21) [=]
20. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes (#24) [+4]
19. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (#13) [–6]
18. Broken by lovelytheband (#18) [=]
17. Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine (#16) [–1]
16. Jackie Chan by Tiesto & Dzeko featuring Preme and Post Malone (#15) [–1]
15. Beautiful (Remix) by Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello (#17) [+2]
14. Breathin’ by Ariana Grande (#20) [+6]
13. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper (#7) [–6]
12. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid (#14) [+2]
11. I’m A Mess by Bebe Rexha (#10) [–1]
10. Natural by Imagine Dragons (#11) [+1]
9. Lie by NF (#12) [+3]
8. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD (#8) [=]
7. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B. (#6) [–1] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
6. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille (#9) [+3]
5. Back To You by Selena Gomez (#5) [=]
4. Better Now by Post Malone (#2) [–2] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
3. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani (#3) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
2. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#1) [–1] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
1. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande (#5) [+4] [1^st Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato (1^st And Only Week At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Tie between No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper and I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin (–6)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Tie between Sicko Mode by Travis Scott featuring Drake and Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa (+8)

New Entrants
– We have some new arrivals this week. To start, we get the song from the soundtrack to the movie A Star Is Born. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper collaborate in their single, Shallow. I don’t really have too much to say about the song except it’s a nice collaboration between the two artists. I do like Lady Gaga’s voice. She uses it well in a slow ballad like this. Bradley doesn’t sound bad either. I like the use of the acoustic guitar. While I can’t say it’s better than I’ll Never Love Again, this one is still enjoyable all around.

– Next, we have the return of The Chainsmokers. And this time, they collaborate with the country star Kelsea Ballerini in their single titled This Feeling. Right off the bat, this is a step up from Side Effects. The song is basically Closer 2.0. First off, I absolutely love Kelsea’s voice. She sounds amazing all throughout the song. Drew’s voice has improved. It doesn’t sound quite as mediocre as in the singles from Sick Boy. Their vocals blend together really well in the chorus. Yeah, this is just divine.

– As we finally get ready to say goodbye to Never Be The Same, Camila Cabello gives us her next single from her self-titled album. This time, we get a ballad called Consequences. Coming into the song, I was hoping to hear something along the lines of Havana and not Never Be The Same. Hearing this in full, my opinion on this lies somewhere positive. I do like how Camila can showcase her voice without her trying too hard to hit those high notes. The piano here is pretty good. It tells a story about loving someone and that it can have pros and cons. It’s a nice song from her and a step up from her predecessor overall.

– Finally, we get more of Drake with his latest single titled Don’t Matter To Me, which features vocals from the late Michael Jackson. Personally, I think this is the best single off of Scorpion. Drake has proven that he can sing well. But the best part about the song is the vocals we get from the late Michael Jackson, which is actually a sample which is added to the song when Drake was working on the song. I recently found out that he was a huge fan of him back in the day. I’m sure we all can relate. After all, we did grow up listening to Michael Jackson almost every single day. Between the nice production and the Michael Jackson sample, I actually love this. I wouldn’t mind if it sticks around.

Best Debut Of The Week: This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini

It Don’t Matter To Blurbs
– We’ll start with our exits. To begin, we say goodbye to um, well…Goodbye. I did kinda like the song, but I’m not all that disappointed in its departure given that Jason Derulo hasn’t done much since Want To Want Me. Then, there’s The Way I Am which didn’t do much on this countdown. My guess is that Attention and How Long will forever remain as his two big hits off of Voicenotes. Almost Love I did kinda like and I was starting to grow into it, but it wasn’t something I’d remember in the long run. Finally, good riddance to Africa. That was a terrible cover of the 1982 song from Toto. At least it didn’t last long.

– This week, Ariana Grande managed to achieve her second #1 this year with God Is A Woman! I must say, I’m thrilled about this. Although it’s not her best off of Sweetener, it’s still something that I enjoy and I love Ariana. She’s dominated this week overall, what with releasing the music video for Breathin’ and she has a new single which came out last week and it could be headed for #1 next week! I’m proud of Ariana for coming this far.

– We get a new Top 10 entrant in the form of Lie by NF. Not really surprising since he had a previous song which stayed in that territory for a while. It’s a nice and calm song, so I wouldn’t mind if it sticks around in the Top 10.

– It’s nice to see No Brainer dropping out of the Top 10. Hopefully, this means the song will be on its way out soon. DJ Khaled has had better in the past.

– Speaking of Ariana, she released the new music video for Breathin’. Only this time, it doesn’t feature her pet pig, Piggy Smallz. I have to say it was a pretty cool music video. I recommend you check it out.

– We had a few songs taking big jumps this week, notably Electricity (Yay!) and Sicko Mode (Blech). Speaking of the former, the song is only getting better with each listen. I sure would like to see it rise into the Top 10 soon.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Sunflower by Post Malone featuring Swae Lee
• Be Alright by Dean Lewis
• Trust My Lonely by Alessia Cara
• Body by Loud Luxury featuring Brando

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons
• Young, Dumb, and Broke by Khalid
• Despacito by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber
• Lean On by Major Lazer featuring DJ Snake and MØ
• Mi Gente by J. Balvin featuring Willy William
• Maps by Maroon 5
• One Day by Logic featuring Ryan Tedder
• End Game by Taylor Swift featuring Ed Sheeran and Future
• Stitches by Shawn Mendes

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

1 – Bad:
18. Drew Barrymore by Bryce Vine
17. No Brainer by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Chance The Rapper

2 – Mediocre:
16. Happier by Marshmello featuring Bastille

3 – Decent:
15. I Like It by Cardi B. featuring Bad Bunny and J. Balvin
14. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B.

4 – Good:
13. Jackie Chan by Tiesto & Dzeko featuring Post Malone and Preme
12. Broken by lovelytheband

5 – Great:
11. Lie by NF
10. Better Now by Post Malone
9. Back To You by Selena Gomez
8. Beautiful by Bazzi featuirng Camila Cabello
7. Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
6. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer
5. God Is A Woman by Ariana Grande
4. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid
3. Natural by Imagine Dragons
2. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
TIE: 1. Breathin’ by Ariana Grande 

Total Score: 74/100 = 74% (C)

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

Most Missed Song: Somebody That I Used To Know by Goyte featuring Kimbra

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Close To Me by Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo and Swae Lee

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Praying by Kesha (#10)

My Top 5 Picks
TIE: 1. The Middle by Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey
TIE: 1. Breathin’ by Ariana Grande
3. This Feeling by The Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini
4. Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes
5. Electricity by Silk City featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. I Like Me Better by Lauv
2. Friends by Marshmello featuring Anne-Marie
3. I’m A Mess by Bebe Rexha
4. Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD
5. Thunderclouds by LSD

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Find You by Nick Jonas: Along with Right Now, I find this to be one of his most interesting singles. And hearing this again, it does remind me of Perfect Illusion by Lady Gaga.
Too Much To Ask by Niall Horan: The follow-up to Slow Hands, this is a sweet song. I like how Niall talks about asking for love. I’d say this is probably one of the more low-key songs off of Flicker.