Hello, fam! Welcome to the second half of 2019. I hope you all had a good 4th of July weekend! I just want to remind everyone that the 2012 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 rankdown is still happening. You have until the end of this month to send me your submissions. More details are right here, as well as the link to submit your rankings. It’s likely that I’ll extend the deadline. We’ll see. Before we get to this week’s fresh 40, here are the songs we’re saying goodbye to this week:

• Sicko Mode by Travis Scott featuring Drake (#37)
• Medicine by Jennifer Lopez featuring French Montana (#40)

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Sucker by Jonas Brothers
40. Chlorine by TWENTY ØNE PILØTS (DEBUT)
39. Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#39) [=] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
38. Call You Mine by The Chainsmokers featuring Bebe Rexha (DEBUT)
37. Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande (#32) [–5] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
36. So Close by NOTD, Felix Jaehn, & Captain Cuts featuring Georgia Ku (#36) [=]
35. Happier by Marshmello featuring BΔSTILLE (#34) [–1] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
34. Love Me Less by MAX featuring Quinn XCII (#38) [+4]
33. Close To Me by Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo and Swae Lee (#30) [–3]
32. Just Us by DJ Khaled featuring SZA (#35) [+3]
31. Sunflower by Post Malone featuring Swae Lee (#28) [–3]
30. Wake Up by Travis Scott featuring The Weeknd (#31) [+1]
29. Better by Khalid (#26) [–3]
28. Walk Me Home by P!NK (#29) [+1]
27. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco (#24) [–3] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
26. Speechless by Dan + Shay (#33) [+7]
25. Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid (#22) [–3] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
24. All My Friends by AJ Mitchell (#27) [+3]
23. Truth Hurts by Lizzo (#25) [+2]
22. Con Calma by Daddy Yankee & Katy Perry featuring Snow (#19) [–3]
21. La La Land by Bryce Vine featuring YG (#23) [+2]
20. Without Me by Halsey (#16) [–4] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
19. Easier by 5 Seconds Of Summer (#20) [+1]
18. Cross Me by Ed Sheeran featuring Chance The Rapper and PnB Rock (#18) [=]
17. Never Really Over by Katy Perry (#21) [+4]
16. When The Party’s Over by Billie Eilish (#17) [+1]
15. 7 Rings by Ariana Grande (#12) [–3] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
14. Nightmare by Halsey (#15) [+1]
13. Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored by Ariana Grande (#11) [–2]
12. Cool by Jonas Brothers (#14) [+2]
11. Hey Look Ma, I Made It by Panic! At The Disco (#13) [+2]
10. Bad Guy by Billie Eilish (#10) [=]
9. If I Can’t Have You by Shawn Mendes (#9) [=]
8. Sweet But Psycho by Ava Max (#6) [–2]
7. ME! by Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie (#8) [+1]
6. I Don’t Care by Ed Sheeran featuring Justin Bieber (#7) [+1]
5. Dancing With A Stranger by Sam Smith featuring Normani (#3) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
4. Old Town Road (Remix) by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (#4) [=]
3. Talk by Khalid (#5) [+2]
2. Sucker by Jonas Brothers (#1) [–1] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1]
1. Wow. by Post Malone (#2) [+1] [1^st Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Psycho by Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign (3^rd of 4 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande (–5)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Speechless by Dan + Shay (+7)

New Entrants:
– We have two entrants this week. Up first is the return of TWENTY ØNE PILØTS with Chlorine. Now these guys have impressed me with their music for the most part. But I feel like Chlorine is one of their weakest singles. I don’t really hate the song, but it’s just not interesting to me. Tyler Joseph sounds okay, but I’m not exactly feeling the chorus. I just find it underwhelming. So yeah, this is mediocre. But if anything, I rather hear this than Legend, which is bad all around.

– The Chainsmokers are back once again, and they collaborate with Bebe Rexha in Call You Mine. Personally, I think this is inferior compared to songs like This Feeling and Closer. It’s basically a attempt to recreate those songs, but I think it falls short of that. I like Bebe’s voice here. She shows that she is a talented singer, especially when hearing the chorus. But I’m not feeling the drop here, which kinda affected my overall thoughts on the song. I feel like these guys have done better. This may grow on me, but I’m not all that impressed for now. It’s good vocally, but the production kills the potential.

Best Debut Of The Week: Call You Mine by The Chainsmokers featuring Bebe Rexha

So I Blurb You Mine
– It’s about time we said goodbye to Sicko Mode by Travis Scott featuring Drake. That song was not good at all and I’ll probably never get the appeal for this. Medicine, on the other hand, I did love and it was one of the best songs Jennifer Lopez has put out. But I knew it wouldn’t last long. In fact, this only lasted one week, making it the shortest-tenured song of the year on the AT40.

– So, we get a new #1 song this week and it comes from Post Malone with Wow.. I’m not wild about it being up there. I personally think Sunflower is better, yet that one didn’t end up going to #1. Wow. is just underwhelming. Oh well.

– Talk has reached a new peak which I’m not excited about, either. I’m sure this is going to be our next #1, and that bugs me since it’s not good. The weird production just doesn’t fit well with Khalid’s voice. But that’s just me.

– ME! is still hanging around in the Top 10. I highly doubt this’ll end up getting any higher since it has started to free-fall elsewhere. I don’t quite love it as much when it was brand new, so I’m not totally sad about it. But honestly, I was expecting this to be a #1 hit on this countdown. I guess not.

– Speechless made a nice jump this week into the Top 30. It’s nice to see the song gain at least some steam. I guess the remix with Tori Kelly might’ve helped fuel the momentum after all. We’ll see how long it lasts.

– This week marks one year since Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer made its debut. So, Happy Anniversary to this song! It feels like we’ve been getting a lot of those lately.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Summer Days by Martin Garrix featuring Macklemore and Patrick Stump
• Find U Again by Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello
• Paradise by Bazzi
• You Need To Calm Down by Taylor Swift
• Look Back At It by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Just A Dream by Nelly
• Don’t Give Up On Me by Andy Grammer
• Good For You by Selena Gomez featuring A$AP Rocky
• Boy With Luv by BTS featuring Halsey
• Here With Me by Marshmello featuring CHVRCHES
• Airplanes by B.O.B. featuring Hayley Williams
• Honey, I’m Good by Andy Grammer
• Whatcha Say by Jason Derulo
• Super Bass by Nicki Minaj
• Down by Jay Sean featuring Lil’ Wayne
• Keep Your Head Up by Andy Grammer

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Garbage:
20. Old Town Road (Remix) by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
19. 7 Rings by Ariana Grande
18. Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored by Ariana Grande
17. Cross Me by Ed Sheeran featuring Chance The Rapper and PnB Rock

1 – Bad:
16. Cool by Jonas Brothers
15. Wow. by Post Malone
14. Easier by 5 Seconds Of Summer

2 – Mediocre:
13. Talk by Khalid
12. Without Me by Halsey

3 – Decent:
11. I Don’t Care by Ed Sheeran featuring Justin Bieber

4 – Good:
10. Sucker by Jonas Brothers

5 – Great:
9. Nightmare by Halsey
8. When The Party’s Over by Billie Eilish
7. Hey Look Ma, I Made It by Panic! At The Disco
6. Sweet But Psycho by Ava Max
5. ME! by Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie
4. Dancing With A Stranger by Sam Smith
3. Bad Guy by Billie Eilish
2. Never Really Over by Katy Perry

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. If I Can’t Have You by Shawn Mendes

Total Score: 60/100 = 60% (D–)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Alone by Heart (1987)

Most Missed Song: A Sky Full Of Stars by Coldplay

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Higher Love by Kygo featuring Whitney Houston

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande (#4)

My Top 5 Picks
1. If I Can’t Have You by Shawn Mendes
2. Never Really Over by Katy Perry
3. Speechless by Dan + Shay
4. Bad Guy by Billie Eilish
5. Dancing With A Stranger by Sam Smith featuring Normani

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Old Town Road (Remix) by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
2. 7 Rings by Ariana Grande
3. La La Land by Bryce Vine featuring YG
4. Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored by Ariana Grande
5. Cross Me by Ed Sheeran featuring Chance The Rapper and PnB Rock

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Move To Miami by Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull: This is pretty cool, even though these guys have done better in the past. The Latin vibe pulls me in.
Youngblood by 5 Seconds Of Summer: I much prefer Jet Black Heart, which is easily their best single. But this is still solid all around. I’m glad this song helped them have a huge hit through the course of 2018.