Hello, fam!  So, this is my last full week of me being 28.  Next week, I’ll be 29. Man, how time flies by so fast!  I’m almost 30.  It’s too bad that I won’t be throwing a birthday party given that we can’t really do large gatherings and what not.  But I’ll still celebrate anyway.  I have a lot to talk about everyone, so buckle up!  Before we get to this week’s fresh 40, here are the songs leaving us this week:

• Adore You by Harry Styles (#39) [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Positions by Ariana Grande
40. Heather by Conan Gray (#36) [–4]
39. Body by Megan Thee Stallion (DEBUT)
38. ROCKSTAR by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch (#35) [–3]
37. Hawái by Maulma featuring The Weeknd (#38) [+1]
36. Break My Heart by Dua Lipa (#32) [–4] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
35. Monsters by All Time Low featuring Blackbear (#37) [+2]
34. Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles (#30) [–4] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1]
33. So Done by The KID LAROI (#34) [+1]
32. Before You Go by Lewis Capaldi (#28) [–4] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
31. Lemonade by Internet Money featuring Gunna, Don Toliver, and Nav (#33) [+2]
30. Monster by Shawn Mendes featuring Justin Bieber (#18) [–12]
29. Dynamite by BTS (#19) [–10]
28. What You Know About Love by Pop Smoke (#31) [+3]
27. Savage Love by Jawsh 685 featuring Jason Derulo (#26) [–1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
26. Anyone by Justin Bieber (#40) [+14]
25. Prisoner by Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa (#27) [+2]
24. Holiday by Lil Nas X (#24) [=]
23. ily (i love you baby) by Surf Mesa featuring Emilee (#21) [–2]
22. Save Your Tears by The Weeknd (#25) [+3]
21. Willow by Taylor Swift (#29) [+8]
20. My Ex’s Best Friend by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Blackbear (#22) [+2]
19. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd (#17) [–2] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
18. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney (#20) [+2]
17. Golden by Harry Styles (#15) [–2]
16. I Hope by Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth (#13) [–3]
15. Afterglow by Ed Sheeran (#23) [+8]
14. You Broke Me First by Tate McRae (#16) [+2]
13. Take You Dancing by Jason Derulo (#14) [+1]
12. Diamonds by Sam Smith (#12) [=]
11. Laugh Now Cry Later by Drake featuring Lil Turk (#10) [–1]
10. Therefore I Am by Billie Eilish (#9) [–1]
9. 34+35 by Ariana Grande (#11) [+2]
8. Kings & Queens by Ava Max (#4) [–4]
7. Bang! by AJR (#6) [–1]
6. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug (#8) [+2]
5. Lonely by Justin Bieber featuring Benny Blanco (#7) [+2]
4. Levitating by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby (#5) [+1]
3. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper (#3) [=]
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior (#1) [=] [Spent 10 Weeks At #1]
1. Positions by Ariana Grande (#1) [=] [2^nd Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Circles by Post Malone (5^th of 7 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Monster by Shawn Mendes featuring Justin Bieber (–12)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Anyone by Justin Bieber (+14)

New Entrants:
– We have only one new entrant this week.  Megan Thee Stallion makes her return this week with her new single titled Body.  Last time she appeared on the countdown, she had Savage.  I enjoyed that one a lot, as well as WAP.  Body isn’t quite as good as the other two.  But it’s still enjoyable to a degree.  Basically, she talks about women being jealous of her and some other stuff.  Megan shows that she is talented as a rapper and knows how to deliver her verses with relative ease.  It’s a repetitive, but fun song overall.  We’ll see how long it lasts.

Blurb Yourself
– Let’s first talk about our exit.  Adore You is officially no more.  We sadly say goodbye to that song after a year of being on the countdown.  It was Harry’s biggest hit and I’m glad that it was a success because he is talented.  He finally got the recognition he deserved.  Farewell, Adore You.  It’s been a fun ride.

– Heather dropping down to #40 is good news since I’m not very fond of that song.  I’m glad that one flopped because it was a step down compared to Maniac.  It’s a shame that this song is Conan Gray’s first appearance on the countdown and not Maniac.  That one was fun and upbeat.  Heather, on the other hand, is just underwhelming for me.

– Good to see Monster tanking hard after spending some time in the Top 20.  That song is just a mess and probably my least favorite song Shawn Mendes has released so far.  The underwhelming production and no chemistry between him and Justin Bieber doesn’t help matters.

– On the note of Justin Bieber, we have Anyone jumping big in its second week.  That one I’m fond of as opposed to his recent singles.  It reminds me a little bit of the songs from Purpose, which I geniunely loved.

– Afterglow continues its momentum by making its way into the Top 20.  Again, I’m not necessarily fond of the song and Ed Sheeran has done better.  But with his popularity, I’m sure this’ll stick around for a while.

– 34+35 by Ariana Grande has now entered the Top 10.  I’m almost certain that one will stick around as its gaining traction elsewhere because why not. I can’t say I’m thrilled about this given that the song isn’t too interesting for my tastes.  But if anything, I’d rather listen to this than 7 Rings, which was a mess.

– Kings & Queens falls out of the Top 5, which is saddening given that I still adore the song.  It was fun while it lasted.  I didn’t expect that song to become a hit heading into 2021.  But I’m happy that Ava is getting recognition and she deserves it because she is talented.  She does have another new single in the form of My Head & My Heart, which is divine.  I’m hoping to see that one debut soon.

– It was only a matter of time until Lonely entered the Top 5.  I really don’t know how I feel about this because I’m honestly tired of Justin Bieber and I think we’ve heard enough from him this year (other than Anyone).  But at least Lonely is tolerable to a degree, so I wouldn’t be too disappointed if it ended up at #1 (which will likely happen).

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Dakiti by Bad Bunny featuring Jhay Cortez
• Driver’s License by Olivia Rodrigo
• Lasting Lover by Sigala featuring James Arthur
• Daisy by Ashnikko
• Girl Like Me by The Black Eyed Peas featuring Shakira

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Into You by Ariana Grande
• Speechless by Dan + Shay
• Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B
• When The Party’s Over by Billie Eilish
• Shut Up And Dance by Walk The Moon
• Wow. by Post Malone
• Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi
• Believer by Imagine Dragons
• If The World Was Ending by JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels
• Love Lies by Khalid featuring Normani
• Eastside by Benny Blanco featuring Halsey and Khalid

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Crap:
20. Bang! by AJR
19. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney
18. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper
17. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug
16. I Hope by Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth

1 – Bad:
15. Laugh Now Cry Later by Drake featuring Lil Turk

2 – Mediocre:
14. Lonely by Justin Bieber featuring Benny Blanco

3 – Decent:
13. You Broke Me First by Tate McRae
12. Afterglow by Ed Sheeran
11. 34+35 by Ariana Grande
10. Take You Dancing by Jason Derulo

4 – Good:
9. Positions by Ariana Grande
8. My Ex’s Best Friend by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Blackbear

5 – Great:
7. Diamonds by Sam Smith
6. Golden by Harry Styles
5. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
4. Therefore I Am by Billie Eilish
3. Kings & Queens by Ava Max
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Levitating by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby

Total Score: 60/100 = 60% (C)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Lose Yourself by Eminem (2002)

Most Missed Song: One Foot by Walk The Moon

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Easy by Troye Sivan featuring Kacey Musgraves and Mark Ronson

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa (#7)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Levitating by Dua Lipa
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior
3. Kings & Queens by Ava Max
4. Save Your Tears by The Weeknd
5. Prisoner by Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Bang! by AJR
2. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney
3. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper
4. Lemonade by Internet Money featuring Gunna, Don Toliver, and Nav
5. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
You Should Be Sad by Halsey: This is Halsey’s attempt to go country.  I thought it turned out to be okay for the most part.  While Halsey sounds pretty good, the production left quite a bit to be desired as it was missing some country elements.

We Made It by Louis Tomlinson: It’s too bad Louis Tomlinson doesn’t get any recognition and it’s a shame because he’s a really good singer.  We Made It is really no different compared to what he has done before.  While I prefer Kill My Mind over this, it’s still a good song because it has good lyrics, good vocals, and good production.

Blinding Lights by The Weeknd: Ah yes, The Weeknd’s biggest hit of his career.  And with it’s insane longevity on the charts, I’m almost certain this will repeat on the Year-End for 2021.

My Oh My by Camila Cabello featuring DaBaby: This song is another reason why I’m not very fond of Camila as a singer.  Although it’s not nearly as bad as Never Be The Same, her voice doesn’t sound good here and everything else is underwhelming.  Too bad she’ll probably never top Havana, which is easily her best song.

Hello, fam! So yeah, I’ve been very slow when it comes to my Year-End posts.  In fact, I’m not even close to getting those done.  I guess that’s what happens when I haven’t been doing much blogging lately.  Basically, my Year-End posts won’t be ready until next month.  Also, I’m very sad about the passing of Atlanta Braves legend Hank Aaron. He was a big inspiration to all of us. He’ll be sadly missed. Before we get to this week’s fresh 40, here are the songs we’re saying goodbye to this week:

• Be Like That by Kane Brown featuring Swae Lee and Khalid (#22)
• Roses by SAINt JHN (#40)

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Mood by 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior
40. Anyone by Justin Bieber (DEBUT)
39. Adore You by Harry Styles (#37) [–2] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
38. Hawái by Maulma featuring The Weeknd (#39) [+1]
37. Monsters by All Time Low featuring Blackbear (DEBUT)
36. Heather by Conan Gray (#38) [+2]
35. ROCKSTAR by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch (#33) [–2]
34. So Done by The KID LAROI (#36) [+2]
33. Lemonade by Internet Money featuring Gunna, Don Toliver, and Nav (#35) [+2]
32. Break My Heart by Dua Lipa (#30) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
31. What You Know About Love by Pop Smoke (#34) [+3]
30. Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles (#28) [–2] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1]
29. Willow by Taylor Swift (#31) [+2]
28. Before You Go by Lewis Capaldi (#26) [–2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
27. Prisoner by Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa (#27) [=]
26. Savage Love by Jawsh 685 featuring Jason Derulo (#24) [–2] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
25. Save Your Tears by The Weeknd (#29) [+4]
24. Holiday by Lil Nas X (#23) [–1]
23. Afterglow by Ed Sheeran (#32) [+9]
22. My Ex’s Best Friend by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Blackbear (#25) [+3]
21. ily (i love you baby) by Surf Mesa featuring Emilee (#19) [–2]
20. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney (#21) [+1]
19. Dynamite by BTS (#15) [–4]
18. Monster by Shawn Mendes featuring Justin Bieber (#17) [–1]
17. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd (#16) [–1] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
16. You Broke Me First by Tate McRae (#20) [+4]
15. Golden by Harry Styles (#14) [–1]
14. Take You Dancing by Jason Derulo (#18) [+4]
13. I Hope by Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth (#12) [–1]
12. Diamonds by Sam Smith (#11) [–1]
11. 34+35 by Ariana Grande (#13) [+2]
10. Laugh Now Cry Later by Drake featuring Lil Turk (#9) [–1]
9. Therefore I Am by Billie Eilish (#10) [+1]
8. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug (#7) [–1]
7. Lonely by Justin Bieber featuring Benny Blanco (#8) [+1]
6. Bang! by AJR (#6) [=]
5. Levitating by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby (#5) [=]
4. Kings & Queens by Ava Max (#4) [=]
3. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper (#3) [=]
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior (#1) [–1] [Spent 10 Weeks At #1]
1. Positions by Ariana Grande (#2) [+1] [1^st Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Circles by Post Malone (4^th of 7 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Dynamite by BTS (–4)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Afterglow by Ed Sheeran (+9)

New Entrants:
– I haven’t been impressed with what Justin Bieber has had to offer recently. His recent singles have not been to my liking at all. But this week, he gives us his latest single in the form of Anyone. I’ll simply say that this is probably the best song he has released in a while. I think the last time I enjoyed something from Justin Bieber was when he had his biggest hit in Despacito, which was all the way back in 2017. This song definitely gives me Purpose vibes. I like the production here and Justin sounds good with his voice. That’s all I can say about this one. I’m sure this will become another hit for him because, it’s Justin Bieber. He’s arguably the most popular artist right now.

– So, Hits 1 has been playing music from All Time Low for quite a while, about five years or so I believe. But until today, their songs never went mainstream until they’ve released Monsters. If I’m correct, this is their very first appearance on the AT40 countdown. And they’re collaborating with Blackbear, which is a big reason why their song is gaining momentum right now. Anyway, about this song, I think it’s pretty damn awesome. I love the instrumentation here and the vocals are pretty good as well.  These guys are definitely talented singers and this song is no different compared to what they’ve done before.  Another thing I like about the song is Blackbear’s contribution.  I think his verse is pretty solid.  So yeah, it’s nice to see All Time Low finally getting some love outside of Hits 1 and I’m happy that this is the song that did it for them.  It recently hit #1 on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown.  Will it find the same success on the AT40?  Only time will tell on that.

Best Debut Of The Week: Monsters by All Time Low featuring Blackbear

Anyblurb
– In terms of our exits this week, Roses was due to leave for sometime. I never really cared for it, but it wasn’t something I hated in the end. Be Like That was a good song and probably one of my favorites from Kane Brown. That song will be missed by me.

– Positions by Ariana Grande gets the #1 this week. This song has considerably grown on me since the start of the year. But it isn’t really Ariana’s best. I much prefer her singles from the first three albums and some of Sweetener. I’m fine with Positions at the top so long as it blocks Holy from getting to #1.

– Take You Dancing and You Broke Me First are both gaining momentum.  I can’t say I’m thrilled about it though, given that both songs aren’t very memorable.  The former has somewhat good production and is better than Savage Love, but the latter is underwhelming at times and I’m not fond of the Tate’s voice.  I would prefer if neither of them become hits.

– That big jump from Afterglow was expected in its second week. I’m not really too fond of that song as Ed Sheeran has done better. But it’s not the worst he’s done, so I’ll give him that.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Daisy by Ashnikko
• Body by Megan Thee Stallion
• Dákiti by Bad Bunny featuring Jhay Cortez
• Lasting Lover by Sigala featuring James Arthur

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato
• Talk by Khalid
• Rude Boy by Rihanna
• Girls Like You by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B
• Trampoline hy SHAED
• Wonder by Shawn Mendes
• Clarity by Zedd featuring Foxes
• Head & Heart by Joel Corry featuring MNEK
• Stressed Out by TWENTY ØNE PILØTS
• Close To Me by Ellie Goulding featuring Diplo and Swae Lee
• Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Crap:
20. Bang! by AJR
19. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney
18. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper
17. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug
16. Monster by Shawn Mendes featuring Justin Bieber
15. I Hope by Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth

1 – Bad:
14. Laugh Now Cry Later by Drake featuring Lil Turk

2 – Mediocre:
13. Lonely by Justin Bieber featuring Benny Blanco

3 – Decent:
12. You Broke Me First by Tate McRae
11. 34+35 by Ariana Grande
10. Take You Dancing by Jason Derulo

4 – Good:
9. Positions by Ariana Grande

5 – Great:
8. Dynamite by BTS
7. Diamonds by Sam Smith
6. Golden by Harry Styles
5. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
4. Therefore I Am by Billie Eilish
3. Kings & Queens by Ava Max
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Levitating by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby

Total Score: 58/100 = 58% (C+)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: At Last by Etta James (1960)

Most Missed Song: On The Loose by Niall Horan (I’ve been hearing this at work at lot lately. It’s still really good.)

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Easy by Troye Sivan featuring Kacey Musgraves and Mark Ronson

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa (#9)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Levitating by Dua Lipa
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior
3. Kings & Queens by Ava Max
4. Save Your Tears by The Weeknd
5. Prisoner by Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Bang! by AJR
2. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney
3. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper
4. Lemonade by Internet Money featuring Gunna, Don Toliver, and Nav
5. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Yummy by Justin Bieber: Ugh, do I even need to explain this? This song is just shitty in every sense of the word. Nonsensical lyrics about a girl who has that “yummy, yummy” and what not, terrible trap production, and Justin being drenched in auto-tune makes this song an uneasy listen.

Hello, fam!  So now that I’m back, I have a lot of things that I need to get to.  First off, I’ve got Year-End posts that I’m working on.  It won’t be until later this month at the earliest when they’re ready.  Also, the Grammys have been delayed until March because of COVID-19 concerns.  I was looking forward to watching the performances.  But we’ll have to wait another two months.  I’m sure it’ll be over soon, what with the vaccines coming out.  But in the meantime, stay safe everyone.  Before we get to this week’s fresh 40, here are the songs we’re saying goodbye to this week:

• Baby I’m Jealous by Bebe Rexha featuring Doja Cat (#25)
• If The World Was Ending by JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels (#40)

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior
40. Roses by SAINt JHN (#39) [–1]
39. Hawái by Maluma featuring The Weeknd (#39) [=]
38. Heather by Conan Gray (#32) [–6]
37. Adore You by Harry Styles (#35) [–2] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
36. So Done by The Kid LAROI (#37) [+1]
35. Lemonade by Internet Money featuring Gunna, Don Toliver, and Nav (#33) [–2]
34. What You Know About Love by Pop Smoke (#36) [+2]
33. ROCKSTAR by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch (#30) [–3]
32. Afterglow by Ed Sheeran (DEBUT)
31. Willow by Taylor Swift (DEBUT)
30. Break My Heart by Dua Lipa (#27) [–3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
29. Save Your Tears by The Weeknd (#34) [+5]
28. Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles (#24) [–4] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1]
27. Prisoner by Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa (#31) [+4]
26. Before You Go by Lewis Capaldi (#22) [–4] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
25. My Ex’s Best Friend by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Blackbear (#28) [+3]
24. Savage Love by Jawsh 685 featuring Jason Derulo (#20) [–4]
23. Holiday by Lil Nas X (#29) [+6]
22. Be Like That by Kane Brown featuring Swae Lee and Khalid (#18) [–4]
21. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney (#26) [+5]
20. You Broke Me First by Tate McRae (#23) [+3]
19. ily (i love you baby) by Surf Mesa featuring Emilee (#16) [–3]
18. Take You Dancing by Jason Derulo (#21) [+3]
17. Monster by Shawn Mendes featuring Justin Bieber (#17) [=]
16. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd (#14) [–2] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
15. Dynamite by BTS (#6) [–9]
14. Golden by Harry Styles (#15) [+1]
13. 34+35 by Ariana Grande (#19) [+6]
12. I Hope by Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth (#10) [–2]
11. Diamonds by Sam Smith (#12) [+1]
10. Therefore I Am by Billie Eilish (#13) [+3]
9. Laugh Now Cry Later by Drake featuring Lil Durk (#9) [=]
8. Lonely by Justin Bieber featuring Benny Blanco (#11) [+3]
7. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug (#8) [+1]
6. Bang! by AJR (#7) [+1]
5. Levitating by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby (#5) [=]
4. Kings & Queens by Ava Max (#3) [–1]
3. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper (#4) [+1]
2. Positions by Ariana Grande (#2) [=]
1. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior (#1) [=] [10^th Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Circles by Post Malone (3^rd of 7 Weeks At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Dynamite by BTS (–9)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Holiday by Lil Nas X (+6)

New Entrants:
– Two big acts are returning to the countdown this week.  Up first is Ed Sheeran, who released a single out of nowhere during the holidays.  It’s titled Afterglow.  It’s been a year since he released his album No. 6 Collaborations Project, which I was indifferent on for the most part (emphasis on “for the most part”).  Songs like Beautiful People and BLOW were great, and South Of The Border was pretty good as well.  But everything else on the album ranged from meh to pretty bad.  As far as his new single goes, I find it to be okay.  I do quite like the acoustic guitar here.  It sort of reminds me of his singles from previous albums.  My concern, however, is that it lacks substance and the rest of the production leaves quite a bit to be desired.  Ed’s voice is underwhelming here, and there’s not much in terms of lyrical depth.  It’s fine, I guess.  But I definitely can’t see myself coming back to this song in about a year or so.

– For our second and final debut of the week, we have the return of Taylor Swift with Willow.  Once again, Taylor surprised people last month with another album in the form of Evermore.  This came just five months after the release Folklore, which was not too long ago.  Taylor has a good voice and she uses it well here.  The lyrics are pretty good.  I like the instrumention, though it does leave quite a bit to be desired. Obviously, Willow isn’t as good as her other singles off her last album.  But I still quite like it.

Best Debut Of The Week: Willow by Taylor Swift

Afterblurbs
– I’ll start with the exits, and good riddance to two songs leaving this week.  Baby, I’m Jealous was just atrocious all around.  Bebe’s auto-tuned vocals, nonsensical lyrics, and Doja Cat who hardly contributed to anything in this single was a recipe for disaster.  Thank the heavens above this didn’t become a hit.  If The World Was Ending was just bland and I never cared for it.  Yeah, neither of those songs will be missed.  NEXT!

– The monstronsity known as Holy rises to #3 this week.  Just great.  I don’t get the appeal.  This is just god-awful in more ways than one, probably just as bad as Intentions.  I’m really hoping this doesn’t become a #1 song, because I will not take it very kindly at all if it does.

– Why the hell is Bang! becoming such a massive hit?!  Seriously, this is just a nightmare.  It’s a terrible song from a band who is hated many YouTube critics (myself included).  I’ve never been fond of AJR and this song is no different.  I will lose it if it ends up in the Top 5 (which it probably will).

– Speaking of Justin Bieber, his other single Lonely makes its way into the Top 10.  I’m not wild about this one either.  But it’s a hell of a lot better than it’s predecessor.  I may like the piano. But the rest of the production is bland at times and everything else is….eh.  I mean, it’s not bad per se.  But he’s done much better in my opinion.

– Therefore I Am also enters the Top 10 this week.  It’s too bad her other single, My Future flopped.  But this is still another good song from Billie Eilish.  She has evolved artistically and it’s nice to see her continue to get creative with her music.  It’s a little more upbeat compared to what she’s done before (save for Bad Guy).  I don’t know if she has a new album coming up.  But if she does, I’m intrigued.

– On the note of other putrid and downright terrible songs, it’s about damn time I Hope is out of the Top 10.  It may be a shock to some seeing that I actually liked it at first.  But hearing this song for the first time in a while, I’ve started to see why many critics have come to loathe that song.  It has terrible production and Gabby’s voice is drowned in auto-tune.  Why I even liked it to start, I’ll never understand.

– Dynamite takes a big fall out of the Top 10. It’s pretty sad to see it’s run coming to an end.  This is one of the best songs I’ve heard from BTS, if not the best.  I’ve really come around to their music recently and I’m glad Dynamite became as big as it was.

– I’m really hoping Monster doesn’t gain any momentum.  This was not very good to begin with and it continues to get worse with each and every additional listen.  My liking for Wonder fizzled out on me relatively quickly and this new single is just downright terrible.  Bieber doesn’t impress me at all with his voice and Shawn is, to put it simply, underwhelming.   And this is coming from someone who adores Señorita (my #2 favorite song of 2019) and his other singles like Youth and There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back.  Yeah, it’s safe to say I’m not looking forward to his album if we keep getting songs like this.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Dakiti by Bad Bunny featuring Jhay Cortez
• Anyone by Justin Bieber
• Daisy by Ashnikko
• Monsters by All Time Low featuring Blackbear
• Lasting Lover by Sigala featuring James Arthur
• Body by Megan Thee Stallion

Extras/Optional Extras:

• I’m The One by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Chance The Rapper, Quavo, and Lil Wayne
• Sorry by Justin Bieber
• Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug
• Control by Zoe Wees
• Let You Down by NF
• Talk Dirty by Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz
• Attention by Charlie Puth
• Goodbyes by Post Malone featuring Young Thug

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Crap:
20. Bang! by AJR
19. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper
18. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug
17. Monster by Shawn Mendes featuring Justin Bieber
16. I Hope by Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth

1 – Bad:
15. Laugh Now Cry Later by Drake featuring Lil Turk

2 – Mediocre:
14. Lonely by Justin Bieber featuring Benny Blanco

3 – Decent:
13. You Broke Me First by Tate McRae
12. 34+35 by Ariana Grande
11. Take You Dancing by Jason Derulo
10. ily (i love you baby) by Surf Mesa featuring Emilee

4 – Good:
9. Positions by Ariana Grande

5 – Great:
8. Dynamite by BTS
7. Diamonds by Sam Smith
6. Golden by Harry Styles
5. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
4. Therefore I Am by Billie Eilish
3. Kings & Queens by Ava Max
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Levitating by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby

Total Score: 60/100 = 60% (C)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Try Again by Aaliyah 2000)

Most Missed Song: Hymn For The Weeknd by Coldplay featuring Beyoncé

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Easy by Troye Sivan featuring Kacey Musgraves and Mark Ronson

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa (#10)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Levitating by Dua Lipa
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior
3. Kings & Queens by Ava Max
4. Save Your Tears by The Weeknd
5. Prisoner by Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Bang! by AJR
2. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney
3. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper
4. Lemonade by Internet Money featuring Gunna, Don Toliver, and Nav
5. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Good Thing by Zedd featuring Kehlani: Not much I can say about this one.  I was expecting more out of this one when it came out.  But it didn’t quite do it for me.  Kehlani sounds pretty good here and while Zedd’s work was okay, he could’ve done much better.

Hello, fam!  Is this thing on?  Testing….

Ok, I’m ready.  Now, I’m back (for real this time)!  I just want to say happy new year to you all!  Here’s to hoping 2021 is a better year for all of us.  That’s all I wanted to say for my introduction.  Right now, I’m ready to review the first AT40 countdown of 2021!  Before we get to this week’s fresh 40, here are the songs we’re saying goodbye to this week:

• Control by Zoe Wees (#21)
• Fallin’ by Why Don’t We (#26)
• Wonder by Shawn Mendes (#31)
• WOW by Zara Larsson (#35)
• Say So by Doja Cat (#40) [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]

The Countdown:
Last Week’s #1 Song: Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior
40. If The World Was Ending by JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels (#39) [–1]
39. Hawái by Maluma featuring The Weeknd (DEBUT)
38. Roses by SAINt JHN (#37) [–1]
37. So Done by The Kid LAROI (DEBUT)
36. What You Know About Love by Pop Smoke (#38) [+2]
35. Adore You by Harry Styles (#34) [–1] [Spent 2 Weeks At #1]
34. Save Your Tears by The Weeknd (DEBUT)
33. Lemonade by Internet Money featuring Gunna, Don Toliver, and Nav (#33) [=]
32. Heather by Conan Gray (#32) [=]
31. Prisoner by Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa (DEBUT)
30. ROCKSTAR by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch (#29) [–1]
29. Holiday by Lil Nas X (#36) [+7]
28. My Ex’s Best Friend by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Blackbear (#28) [=]
27. Break My Heart by Dua Lipa (#24) [–3] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
26. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney (DEBUT)
25. Baby, I’m Jealous by Bebe Rexha featuring Doja Cat (#22) [–3]
24. Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles (#20) [–4] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1]
23. You Broke Me First by Tate McRae (#30) [+7]
22. Before You Go by Lewis Capaldi (#17) [–5] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
21. Take You Dancing by Jason Derulo (#27) [+6]
20. Savage Love by Jawsh 685 featuring Jason Derulo (#14) [–6] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
19. 34+35 by Ariana Grande (#25) [+6]
18. Be Like That by Kane Brown featuring Swae Lee and Khalid (#8) [–10]
17. Monster by Shawn Mendes featuring Justin Bieber (#23) [+6]
16. ily (i love you baby) by Surf Mesa featuring Emilee (#7) [–9]
15. Golden by Harry Styles (#18) [+3]
14. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd (#11) [–3] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
13. Therefore I Am by Billie Eilish (#16) [+3]
12. Diamonds by Sam Smith (#15) [+3]
11. Lonely by Justin Bieber featuring Benny Blanco (#19) [+8]
10. I Hope by Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth (#3) [–7]
9. Laugh Now Cry Later by Drake featuring Lil Durk (#10) [+1]
8. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug (#13) [+5]
7. Bang! by AJR (#12) [+5]
6. Dynamite by BTS (#6) [=]
5. Levitating by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby (#9) [+4]
4. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper (#4) [=]
3. Kings & Queens by Ava Max (#2) [–1]
2. Positions by Ariana Grande (#5) [+3]
1. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior (#1) [=] [9^th Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Good As Hell by Lizzo (6^th And Final Week At #1)

Biggest Fall Of The Week: Be Like That by Kane Brown featuring Swae Lee and Khalid (–10)

Biggest Rise Of The Week: Lonely by Justin Bieber featuring Benny Blanco (+8)

New Entrants:
– To kick off our first set of debuts for the new year, we have a collaboration between Maluma and The Weeknd in the single titled Hawai.  The Weeknd himself has seen a resurgence last year thanks to Blinding Lights being a massive hit.  It wasn’t a surprise to see him try to continue his momentum by collaborating with different artists such as Maluma.  I must say, I’m quite wowed by what this song has to offer.  There’s not much to the production other than the solid beat.  But everything about the song is interesting.  I like the verses we get from both of these guys.  I think The Weeknd did very well with his singing in Spanish.  It shows how much he has evolved as an artist overall.  He has definitely come a long way since he had his breakout year in 2015.  This is a good song overall and if you haven’t heard it, I recommend that you check it out.

– Up next, we have The Kid LAROI with his song called So Done.  I don’t really get the appeal to this song.  Right off the bat, it’s incredibly annoying.  First off, his voice is just obnoxious in every sense of the word.  Like, every time I hear his voice, it just makes me cringe because of the way he hits those high notes.  The production here isn’t very good either.  The guitar here is weak and the beat isn’t all that interesting.  I’m not sold on the lyrics.  So yeah, it’s terribly written, produced, and sung.  Why it is gaining momentum is beyond me.  But I hope it dies out fast.  NEXT!

– Now on to our next debut!  We have more of The Weeknd with his latest single from After Hours, this time with Save Your Tears.  I enjoyed a lot of what his album has had to offer and Save Your Tears is really no different.  His voice is just amazing all throughout the song.  I know I mention this alot, but he reminds me of the late Michael Jackson every time I hear his voice.  I can definitely hear the comparisons between the two.  The production here is great and I like the lyrics as well.  What more can I say?  Yeah, this is another impressive single that I love from his album and I’m hoping it can become another hit for him.

– Up next is a collaboration between Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa in their latest single titled Prisoner.  It appears that Miley is channeling her inner Stevie Nicks, as evidenced in her predecessor Midnight Sky.  I haven’t really heard much of what Plastic Hearts has to offer.  But I’m sure it’s pretty damn good in terms of what she is going for.  I enjoy the 80’s style production with the groove and the awesome beat.  Their vocals are good throughout the song.  They show really good chemistry.  I’m definitely impressed with this song and I do hope it has some success.

– Blech.  Finally, we get probably my least favorite debut of the week.  It’s from Ritt Momney and he has a song titled Put Your Records On, a cover from Corrine Bailey Rae.  Having listened to his version of the song…ugh.  There are a number of things wrong with the cover overall.  First off, his voice is not good.  He sounds underwhelming in his verses and he is drowned in auto-tune in the chorus.  The beat is rather lifeless and it doesn’t get any better throughout the song.  I don’t have much else I can say beyond that.  This is just a terrible cover of the original.  But of course, it’s becoming a hit elsewhere because why the hell not.  It’s a damn shame that a song of this caliber would—.  Actually, you know what, I’m going to stop right here.  I can’t do this anymore.  Let’s just move on.

Best Debut Of The Week: Save Your Tears by The Weeknd

Save Your Blurbs
– As I do every week when reviewing the countdown, I start with the exits first.  None of those will really be missed by me.  Control wasn’t really my thing and Zoe Wees didn’t exactly made a good first impression with that song.  Fallin’ is pretty decent, but it wasn’t anything special.  WOW was probably one of the weakest singles I’ve heard from Zara Larsson.  She’s done much better.  Wonder is the best of the bunch and even that one was decent at best.  While I liked that song to start, my love for it fizzled out relatively quickly.  As someone who adored songs such as There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back and Señorita (my #2 favorite song of 2019), this was not his finest work.  But I’d rather listen to that than his current representation on the countdown.  Finally, it’s about time we bid adieu to Say So by Doja Cat.  Good riddance.  That one will never be missed.

– It’s nice to see Mood still at #1.  I’m very pleased with how well the song is doing right now.  It’s divine in every sense of the word.  I’ve been listening to this song and it’s grown on me with each and every additional listen.  I’m happy for 24KGoldn and overall, I’m happy that it’s still going strong!

– While I was away, we see Kings & Queens in the Top 5 on the countdown!  It became a success on Hits 1 a few months back.  But little did we know that it would soon gain momentum elsewhere and thus it would end up becoming another hit for Ava Max.  This song is honestly just amazing and I’ve been enjoying it ever since it was released.  Ava has impressed me with her music so far and I’m glad she’s getting the recognition she deserves.  I’m very happy to see Ava getting another hit with this song.

– Speaking of artists whom I’m very happy to see getting success, we have Dua Lipa with another Top 5 hit in the form of Levitating.  As much as I liked Don’t Start Now and Break My Heart, Levitating may very well be my favorite hit from Dua.  This song has grown on me with each listen, moreso than her other singles.  She has become a mainstay in music and I’m glad to see her become successful.  I do hope to see Levitating at #1 someday.

– On that note, we have Positions rising close to the top at #2 this week and is in prime position to hit #1 in the coming weeks.  I initially didn’t care for the song at first, but I’ve come around to it with time.  Still, this song pales in comparison to what Ariana has done before.  I enjoyed her first three albums overall and some of Sweetener.  Those are the albums where gems such as Break Free, Into You, No Tears Left To Cry and more I won’t mention right now are located.  Positions doesn’t live up to those.  But I like the song for what it is.

Breakouts/On The Verge:

• Willow by Taylor Swift
• Daisy by Ashnikko
• Afterglow by Ed Sheeran
• Body by Megan Thee Stallion
• Monsters by All Time Low featuring Blackbear
• Dakiti by Bad Bunny featuring Jhay Cortez

Extras/Optional Extras:

• Sweet But Psycho by Ava Max
• Cake By The Ocean by DNCE
• Perfect by Ed Sheeran
• Can’t Stop The Feeling! by Justin Timberlake
• Hate The Way by G-Eazy featuring Blackbear
• Mine by Bazzi
• WOW by Zara Larsson
• We Found Love by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris
• Tap In by Saweetie
• Hot Girl Bummer by Blackbear
• Fallin’ by Why Don’t We
• Delicate by Taylor Swift

Top 20 Breakdown:
0 – Crap:
20. Bang! by AJR
19. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper
18. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug
17. Monster by Shawn Mendes featuring Justin Bieber
16. I Hope by Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth

1 – Bad:
15. Laugh Now Cry Later by Drake featuring Lil Turk

2 – Mediocre:
14. Savage Love by Jawsh 685 featuring Jason Derulo
13. Lonely by Justin Bieber featuring Benny Blanco

3 – Decent:
12. 34+35 by Ariana Grande
11. ily (i love you baby) by Surf Mesa featuring Emilee

4 – Good:
10. Positions by Ariana Grande

5 – Great:
9. Be Like That by Kane Brown featuring Swae Lee and Khalid
8. Dynamite by BTS
7. Diamonds by Sam Smith
6. Golden by Harry Styles
5. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
4. Therefore I Am by Billie Eilish
3. Kings & Queens by Ava Max
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Levitating by Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby

Total Score: 60/100 = 60% (C)

Throwback Picks Of The Week: Space Oddity by David Bowie (1969) and Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley (1956)

Most Missed Song: Finesse (Remix) by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B

#1 Recommendation For The American Top 40: Easy by Troye Sivan featuring Kacey Musgraves and Mark Ronson

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa (#10)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Levitating by Dua Lipa
2. Mood by 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior
3. Kings & Queens by Ava Max
4. Save Your Tears by The Weeknd
5. Prisoner by Miley Cyrus featuring Dua Lipa

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Bang! by AJR
2. Put Your Records On by Ritt Momney
3. Holy by Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper
4. Lemonade by Internet Money featuring Gunna, Don Toliver, and Nav
5. Go Crazy by Chris Brown featuring Young Thug

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
RITMO (Bad Boys For Life) by The Black Eyed Peas featuring J Balvin: The comeback single from The Black Eyed Peas, and not a good one at that.  The reggae production here is obnoxious and I can’t stand the vocals.  But of course, this had to become a hit last year.  Overall, it’s annoying.  NEXT!

South Of The Border by Ed Sheeran featuring Camila Cabello and Cardi B: One of the better songs off of No. 6 Collaborations Project.  I quite like the chemistry between the three and everything else about the song works well.  Not as good as Beautiful People, but it’s still an easy listen every now and then.