So, we had a short week due to Labor Day Weekend.  This was quite an eventful week for the most part, some for better and some for worse.  This may be a sign that things are beginning to pick up speed as we’re closing in on the fall season.  Also, my thoughts go out to those on the path of Hurricane Irma and to those still affected by Hurricane Harvey.  Now with that being said, here are the songs dropping out this week:

So, this is my 10,000 Pageview Special!  For this one, I’m going to list my Top 30 favorite songs of 2015.  2015 was widely regard as the best year for music, at least for this decade.  There were plenty of break-out artists, and we had some of our favorites releasing better music in general.  With that in mind, here is a list of My Top 30 favorite songs of 2015:

30. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Downtown
Most rap songs nowadays generally have some of the worst lyrics I’ve ever heard.  It’s basically all nonsense (from money to drugs, etc.).  The lyrics to this song aren’t that good either, but least Macklemore can make up for it with his excellent rapping skills.  I do love the chorus in this one, though.  Although not his best, I still enjoy this.

29. Taylor Swift – Wildest Dreams
When it comes to writing love songs, Taylor Swift does it best.  She does a good job with the chorus overall, especially near the end.  I do like how she was portrayed as a actress in the music video.  Much like her other singles off of 1989, she basically has the same kind of energy and charisma in this song, albeit a little less.  Still, that doesn’t mean it’s bad per say; it’s quite enjoyable for the most part.

28. Ella Henderson – Ghost
Don’t you love it when an unknown artist comes into the fold and makes a great first impression?  That’s what Ella Henderson did with Ghost.  The nice guitar riffs, the excellent lyrics, and her amazing vocals blend together really well in this song.  Not much else to say about this, but overall it’s a win for Ella Henderson.

27. Elle King – Ex’s & Oh’s
Much like Ella Henderson impressed me with Ghost, Elle King managed to wow me just the same when she released Ex’s & Oh’s.  She has more charisma in this than some of the other artists trying to make a first impression.  I love the folk vibe in this song.  The lyrics about her ex-boyfriends as ghosts wanting to come back to her, were well written.  I’m glad we got some rock music like this being successful worldwide.

26. Alessia Cara – Here
Oh, look.  Another artist who succeeds at making a first impression.  The Alessia Cara in this one was quite different than what we hear today.  Both the intro and the outro were really cool.  We hear a man talking in the background before the song starts.  I can’t help but pull myself in.  Unlike most party songs in which people dance to the music, this is actually an anti-party anthem.  It helps that Alessia’s voice sounds good here.  Overall, it’s a great start for Alessia Cara.

25. Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar – Bad Blood
I would just review her solo version, but I actually like the one with Kendrick Lamar better. This is basically Dark Horse, except a tad better.  Unlike some critics who weren’t too kind to this mainly because it doesn’t fit Taylor very well, I’m not one of them.  Right off the bat, I love how Taylor mixed pop and hip-hop together.  Although I’m disappointed Hits 1 edited out Kendrick’s verses (most likely because they don’t seem to like hip-hop in general), at least it got to hit #1 twice.  Personally, I think if it weren’t for Shut Up And Dance, this probably would’ve been the biggest hit of the summer.  Still, I have no complaints about this at all.  I’m thrilled about the way it turned out for both Taylor & Kendrick.  It was a new sound Taylor Swift opted for and she did well.

24. One Direction – Night Changes
I love how a band can go from being upbeat to making a slow song.  Though it is boring, it’s one of the band’s best songs thus far.  You can make people love slow songs when done right, and that’s exactly what they did here.

23. DJ Snake featuring AlunaGeorge – You Know You Like It
The drop here is cryptic, yet it so good.  I definitely love the vocals in this one.  It’s so catchy that some called this the best song of 2015.  Although I don’t quite like it on their level, it’s still one of a kind.

22. The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face
I think this was a breakout hit for The Weeknd himself.  Right off the bat, this song has me dancing every time I play it.  Unlike Earned It which was slow and not as appealing, this is more upbeat and in general, more likable from a critical standpoint.  My favorite parts about this is both the chorus and the build-up leading to it.  This follow-up to Earned It (along with its successor) is what got me into liking The Weeknd as an artist.

21. Little Mix – Black Magic
I find Little Mix to be better than Fifth Harmony in general, in part because they make better music, and this one is no different.  I absolutely love the line, “Take a sip from a secret potion, I’ll make you fall in love”.  I can’t help but pull myself in.  It helps that they have better vocals than Fifth Harmony.  It’s definitely Little Mix’s best single to date.

20. Ellie Goulding – On My Mind
I absolutely love Ellie Goulding!  She is very gorgeous, and almost never disappoints me with her music.  This song is no different.  I like how she attempts to make a love song and executes it perfectly.  Although it didn’t quite get as big as her predecessor, I still love it for what it is.

19. Tori Kelly – Should’ve Been Us
Well, look what we have here: another artist making a great first impression.  This is easily Tori Kelly’s best single to date, with Hollow coming in a close second.  The chorus in this one, plus the catchy trap-like beat has me hooked.  Although the lyrics aren’t quite as good, at least they do make sense.  It basically reflects a lost relationship.  It definitely deserved to do better on the charts, because she sounds awesome in this track.  Here’s to hoping she becomes a big superstar in the music industry.

18. Kelly Clarkson – Heartbeat Song
Honestly, I feel very alone with this opinion, but I don’t care because I actually like this song.  And no, it’s not just because I have always loved Kelly Clarkson as an artist.  I love the lyrical content about making a comeback, and Kelly’s vocals are amazing as always.  Although this song doesn’t quite live up to her best singles, it’s still enjoyable for what it is.

17. TWENTY ØNE PILØTS – Tear In My Heart
Before this song and its successor came along, I’ve never really heard of TWENTY ØNE PILØTS.  Their vocals aren’t necessarily all that good.  But when it comes to certain songs, I don’t really care that much for the vocals; it’s about writing good lyrical content.  And they did a nice job with that.  I loved how they mixed rock with some EDM put into it.  Overall, it was a great first impression for them.

16. Fall Out Boy – Uma Thurman
Adrian’s most hated song of 2015, but I beg to differ.  It’s the perfect theme for an action movie.  There were a lot of rock elements put together.  I love the part after the chorus where the guitar comes in, and the drumroll in the end as well.  Overall, it’s one of Fall Out Boy’s best singles to date.

15. The Weeknd – The Hills
Arguably one of, if not the best single from The Weeknd by many YouTube critics (TheDoubleAgent ranked this as his #3 song of 2015) and fans alike, and for a good reason.  Although it was underrated on Hits 1, it was still a bigger hit elsewhere, reaching #1 on many charts.  The darker atmosphere definitely fits The Weeknd very well.  Based on the lyrics, we explore a different side of himself and find out what’s going on in his mind.  He created this masterpiece and it pretty much became a fan favorite (along with his successor I Feel It Coming and his other singles off Starboy).

14. Major Lazer featuring DJ Snake and MØ – Lean On
This was both Major Lazer & MØ’s successful song of their career thus far.  DJ Snake previously had some success when collaborating with Lil’ John in Turn Down For What.  I personally think this song opened the gateways to making tropical house a current trend in the music industry.  The tropical elements used in this sounds great and MØ’s vocals blend in pretty well.  Combine that with a catchy beat and you can see why most people (including myself) like this.

13. Jess Glynne – Hold My Hand
Not many people in the blogging community were very fond of this.  I’m sure many still like her collaboration with Clean Bandit in their single Rather Be.  I myself, think the opposite when it comes to Hold My Hand.  Jess Glynne has more energy in this than she did in Rather Be, especially in the chorus.  I do love the piano work done throughout.  Overall, it’s definitely one of Jess Glynne’s best and didn’t really deserved to be underrated like this.

12. Tove Lo – Talking Body
This song is very unique when compared to some of the other pop songs in general.  The part that I love about this song is the chorus.  The sexy lyrical content and some of the other cool stuff impresses me.  Tove Lo does a nice job with her sultry vocals overall.  It’s definitely one of the best sexy songs and I’m very thrilled to see her score a big hit worldwide.

11. Taylor Swift – Style
Again, Taylor Swift almost never disappoints.  There is a little more rock in this one than in her other singles in 1989.  This song actually takes place during a relationship and even though things might not turn out well, at least she’s willing to take that risk.  Taylor’s vocals are divine in this one.  Actually, pretty much everything about this song is divine, hence why some people consider this the best single off of 1989.

10. Walk The Moon – Shut Up And Dance
There are some people who still think this is overrated, mainly because it hogged the #1 spot for 12 weeks on Hits 1 and refused to give it up.  Here’s a question: which would you rather have at #1?  A rap song whose lyrics are nonsense, or an overrated dance song?  Anyway, this reminds me of an 80’s rock song, except they added some EDM to it.  It took a while for this to gain steam elsewhere.  But by then, pretty much everyone in the blogging community soured on it to the point where they just got annoyed with it in general.  I myself, on the other hand, say otherwise.  It stuck with me for a long while, and I pretty much enjoyed this 80’s rock & EDM mixed together in this one song.

9. Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth – See You Again
This song was a tribute to the late Paul Walker.  To put it easy, it was put together beautifully.  This was actually the first time we hear from Charlie Puth.  He impressed me with his vocals and his piano work.  Wiz Khalifa actually contributes to the song.  Although his vocals aren’t necessarily the best, at least he shows heart in this.  I’m glad it became a success that I wanted to be.  While I know some people who were sick of this song when it became overplayed, I wasn’t one of them. I’m glad this one stuck with me.

8. Demi Lovato – Cool For The Summer
Easily my favorite song from Demi Lovato, and her biggest hit to date.  While it was a departure from her days as a Disney star, Demi still delivered with her new mature sound.  From her energetic chorus to the electric guitar, this song definitely has me hooked every time I listen to this.  If this isn’t Demi’s best single, I don’t know what is.

7. Audien featuring Lady Antebellum – Something Better
EDM and Country generally don’t mix well.  But after listening to this I’ve got to say: I was very impressed with how it turned out!  It starts out with the piano.  Then the pre-chorus comes in and we get this awesome beat put together.  I absolutely love Hillary Scott’s vocals in this one.  Her voice has always been good ever since Need You Now became one of the biggest hits of this decade.  Audien put together a superb EDM production from start to finish.  It’s too bad this didn’t become a bigger hit I wanted to be, but at least this song charted and got some recognition.  As the title itself says, this was definitely something better.

6. Taylor Swift – Blank Space
Possibly her best single of all time, and for a very good reason.  From Taylor’s vocals to the amazingly catchy beat, I pretty much love everything about this song.  Personally, I think this song is even more divine than Style.  The lyrical content about her love life is excellent.  I easily fell in love with the music video, which shows her relationship with another man.  The fact that this hit #1 for six weeks on Hits 1 made me love this song even more.  I’m sure many people will still remember this as her most iconic single to date.

5. Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
Taken from the Fifty Shades Of Grey soundtrack, this became Ellie Goulding’s biggest hit of her career, and for a very good reason.  She has been a rising pop star since Lights became a hit back in 2011.   Ellie Goulding just looks absolutely beautiful, but that’s not why she’s had some success with her music.  As I mentioned with On My Mind, she almost never disappoints, releasing every single that grabs the attention of myself and many in the blogging community.  Falling in love with Ellie Goulding was easy enough for me, but this is just icing on the cake.  This song actually manages to impress me from start to finish.  Ellie’s vocals fit very well with this love song.  My favorite part about this is the line “What are you waiting for”, especially where the final chorus kicks in.  No, scratch that: the chorus is actually my favorite part of the song.  It showcases just how well Ellie Goulding can sing overall.  Looking back at this, I think this her best and I’m very pleased that it got the success it deserved.

4. Rachel Platten – Fight Song
Honestly, I actually like this way more than I should.  When it comes to songs such as Love Me Like You Do and a few others, there are people who can at least agree with me on why they like or dislike it.  Fight Song, however, is a different story.  Many YouTube critics weren’t very fond of this song, mainly because it’s seen as a generic self-empowerment anthem with no melody whatsoever. Much like with Heartbeat Song, this is another song in which I feel very alone with this opinion, but I don’t care because I absolutely love this song.  Rachel Platten definitely made a very good first impression with her single (not to mention she is absolutely beautiful!).  Her vocals, the chorus, the build-up leading to it, and its lyrics are all divine.  But the one thing that carries it to #4 for me, is that it’s one of the most deeper self-empowerment anthems I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing in my life.  It’s basically an inspiration to many people because it teaches them to never give up and motivate them to strive for the better.  Whether you’re struggling to get through a situation or whatever else that maybe holding you back, this song is for you.  Overall, it’s easily a win for Rachel Platten and I hope she continues to make more singles like this.

3. Adele – Hello
Ah, yes.  We have the triumphant return of Adele after three years.  Right off the bat, I fell in love with this song.  It starts off kinda slow, but then we get to the chorus and Adele delivered it perfectly.  The piano work and the lyrical content are very well done.  This is, in my opinion, the best lead single ever for any artist and I’m glad it became a massive success worldwide, reaching #1 in many different countries.

2. X Ambassadors – Renegades
If you’ve watched many car commercials, then you’ve probably have heard this song before.  It took a while for this to get mainstream, but I’m glad it caught on with the general public.  The vocals in this one are great, and I love the guitar solo at the end, which was very cool.  But the one other thing that makes this my #2 song is the deeper lyrics.  It’s basically about wanting to succeed in spite of one’s shortcomings.  What I didn’t realize back then was that one of the band members, Casey Harris, is actually blind.  Still, that didn’t stop him from contributing to creating this epic song for a car commercial.

And finally, my #1 favorite song of 2015 is….

1. Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
You guessed it!  The #1 song on Billboard’s Year-End List for 2015 and one of Billboard’s biggest hits of all time.  The new funky sound mixed with Bruno’s vocals makes it sound like a Michael Jackson song.  Growing up, I’ve always listened to Michael Jackson and some other artists who broke color barriers and most of their songs sound very similar to Uptown Funk.  Bruno Mars actually started this new sound with Treasure back in 2013.  Many YouTube critics and fans alike praised this song, but the blogging community actually felt the exact opposite, especially when this song was massively overplayed.  And ever since then, they’ve basically stopped liking Bruno Mars in general.  They preferred his older singles better (Just The Way You Are, Grenade, Locked Out Of Heaven, and even When I Was Your Man).  As for me, I like both the old & new Bruno Mars.  True, his older work, despite being hits, wasn’t seen as great from a critical standpoint, but I say otherwise.  Bruno Mars has shown he has a incredible voice, and this is no different.  He is basically the Michael Jackson of our generation. Mark Ronson himself did an excellent job at putting together this epic dance song for the ages. Overall, this is stupendous win for both of them.

So, fall is upon us, and that means football, sweaters, hoodies, etc.  Anyway, going off-topic.  Let’s talk about the countdown, shall we?  This is the Labor Day Edition of the Weekend Countdown, and we certainly had a great deal of activity, even if the results weren’t necessarily to my liking.  It helps that we do have a familiar face returning to the countdown.  I’ve decided to turn off comment moderation.  But if it gets out of control, I may turn it back on again.  Before we get to this week’s fresh 45, we say good-bye to these songs leaving us this week:

• Childish Gambino – Redbone (#43)
• Hailee Steinfeld & Grey featuring Zedd – Starving (#42) [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
• DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber and Chance The Rapper – I’m The One (#41)
• James Arthur – Say You Won’t Let Go (#27)

Hello guys!  I haven’t decided on what I should do for my 10,000 Pageview special as of yet, but I’ll try to think of something I can post in the near future.  Also, on an unrelated note, my hearts and prayers go out to the people in Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey.  But anyway, let’s review the American Top 40.  As far as this week goes, it was pretty interesting if you ask me.  While not much has happened, this is the second week in a row in which we have a different #1.  Things are about to get interesting as we close out the summer, and hopefully for the better.  I’ve also introduced three new color codes specifically just for the AT 40.  Here they are:

• Dark Blue – Song Is In My Top 5
• Dark Red – Song Is In My Bottom 5
• Dark Yellow – Song Is Old, But I Still Like It

And there you have it.  You can check out the new color codes on the right side of my page.  So without further ado, here are the songs dropping out this week:

2U by David Guetta featuring Justin Bieber
Last Week: #33 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 9

Down by Fifth Harmony featuring Gucci Mane
Last Week: #26 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 9

The Countdown:

40. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever by Zayn featuring Taylor Swift
Last Week: #40 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 35

39. Mi Gente by J. Balvin featuring Willy William (DEBUT)
Last Week: N/A | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

38. Rockabye by Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie
Last Week: #37 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 32

37. What About Us by P!NK (DEBUT)
Last Week: N/A | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

36. Know No Better by Major Lazer featuring Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, and Quavo [+3]
Last Week: #39 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 2

35. Issues by Julia Michaels [-1]
Last Week: #34 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 30

34. Location by Khalid [+1]
Last Week: #35 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 4

33. Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man
Last Week: #38 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 2

32. Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur
Last Week: #31 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 27

31. Glorious by Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey
Last Week: #31 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 5

30. Most Girls by Hailee Steinfeld
Last Week: #30 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 8

29. Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran [Spent 10 Weeks At #1]
Last Week: #27 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 33

28. Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane
Last Week: #36 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 3

27. 1-800-273-8255 by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid
Last Week: #28 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 7

26. Back To You by Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals
Last Week: #29 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 3

25. Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay [-1] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
Last Week: #24 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 25

24. Get Low by Zedd featuring Liam Payne [-1]
Last Week: #23 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 5

23. Congratulations by Post Malone featuring Quavo [-1]
Last Week: #22 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 11

22. Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato [+3]
Last Week: #25 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 3

21. That’s What I Like by Bruno Mars [-2] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
Last Week: #19 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 30

20. Honest by The Chainsmokers [=]
Last Week: #20 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 5

19. Castle On The Hill by Ed Sheeran [-3]
Last Week: #16 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 18

18. Versace On The Floor by Bruno Mars [=]
Last Week: #18 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 9

17. Praying by Kesha [+4]
Last Week: #21 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 4

16. Unforgettable by French Montana featuring Swae Lee [+1]
Last Week: #17 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 7

15. It Ain’t Me by Kygo featuring Selena Gomez [-2] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
Last Week: #13 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 26

14. Redbone by Childish Gambino [=]
Last Week: #14 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 10

13. No Promises by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato [+2]
Last Week: #15 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 13

12. I’m The One by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper, and Lil’ Wayne [-3]
Last Week: #9 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 16

11. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt [+1]
Last Week: #12 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 13

10. Now Or Never by Halsey [-4]
Last Week: #6 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 19

9. Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean [+2]
Last Week: #11 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 8

8. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo [+3]
Last Week: #10 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 11

7. Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara [=] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
Last Week: #7 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 25

6. Slow Hands by Niall Horan [+2]
Last Week: #8 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 14

5. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller [=]
Last Week: #5 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 9

4. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee [-2] [Spent 5 Weeks At #1]
Last Week: #2 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 15

3. Believer by Imagine Dragons [+1]
Last Week: #4 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 15

2. There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes [Spent 1 Week At #1]
Last Week: #1 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 16

1. Attention by Charlie Puth [+4] [1st Week At #1]
Last Week: #5 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 14

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Cheap Thrills by Sia featuring Sean Paul [5th And Final Week At #1]

Biggest Drop Of The Week: Now Or Never by Halsey [-4]

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane [+8]

New Entrants
– To start our two debuts this week, we have another Latin song, in the form of Mi Gente by J Balvin featuring Willy William.  I don’t see the appeal to this song at all.  One of the worst aspects to this song is the lyrical content, which is pretty flimsy if you ask me.  The endless loop and the vocals are annoying as well.  It’s almost like the song isn’t finished, much like some of the mediocre to bad rap music that is currently flooding the charts nowadays.  When listening to the song, I can hear Willy William trying to make a Pitbull impression.  He’s not doing a good job at it, because he has virtually no personality whatsoever.  J Balvin pretty much sucks also, both in terms of his vocals and personality.  To put it easy, this song blows.  NEXT!

– Our second (and final) entrant of the week comes from returning artist P!nk with her new single What About Us.  Although it doesn’t quite live up to her previous single, P!nk still showcases her great vocals throughout.   I do love the lyrics to it and the production is great also.  Here’s to hoping it becomes a hit much like Just Like Fire did back in 2016. 

We Are Blurbs That Want To Be Solved
– So we begin with our two exits.  The first being Down, which I was a never a fan to begin, so no complaints about that.  The second was 2U, which took a brutal exit after that huge drop last week.  I didn’t really care for the latter that much and it wasn’t gaining steam elsewhere, but dang!

– Charlie Puth somehow managed to hit #1 here also, just like he did last week on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown.  Though quite unexpected, I’ll take it.  Looks like Charlie Puth has essentially established himself as a rising artist, what with See You Again and One Call Away becoming big hits for him.

– It looks like Despacito’s reign at the top is pretty much over, what with it losing steam elsewhere (both in sales and streaming).  And especially now that we have a resurgence of a familiar face with a new single (which we’ll get to shortly), Despacito going to face some hard competition in the coming weeks.  I still respect this song despite the fact that it’s soured on many at this point.

– I’m very pleased that Praying managed to get to the Top 20 this week.  I’m hoping that it keeps rising, because this song is still fantastic.

– It doesn’t look like Get Low will become a big hit like Stay did, unless something drastic happens.  I won’t be too heartbroken if it flops, though, as I’m starting to lose interest in it.

– Not surprised that Fetish would have a big jump this week, but it doesn’t make the song any better for me.

– Most Girls doesn’t seem to be doing much here on the AT 40.  It’s been holding at #30 for a few weeks now, not even getting above that spot.  Meanwhile, it’s doing relatively well on Hits 1 jumping back into the Top 20 last week.

Extras/Optional Extras

Malibu by Miley Cyrus
Slide by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos
Story Of My Life by One Direction
Love Somebody by Maroon 5
Stay With Me by Sam Smith
Work From Home by Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Breakout/On The Verge

Friends by Justin Bieber featuring BloodPop
Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash
Mama by Jonas Blue featuring William Singe
Uh Huh by Julia Michaels

– Of course, Uh Huh would end up being a Breakout on the AT40.  Hopefully, it does not debut.  I’m already having to deal with it on the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown.  We don’t need it to debut here, also.

– I’m quite surprised to see Look What You Made Me Do not on the list, especially given that it’s Taylor Swift and the fact that it’s quickly gaining steam.  One thing’s for sure, though: it’s almost certain to debut within the next couple of weeks or so.

Top 20 Breakdown
0 – Awful:
20. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt

1 – Bad:
19. Redbone by Childish Gambino
18. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo

2 – Mediocre:
17. I’m The One by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper, and Lil’ Wanye
16. Now Or Never by Halsey

3 – Decent:
None!

4 – Good:
15. Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara
14. No Promises by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato

5 – Great:
13. Honest by The Chainsmokers
12. Castle On The Hill by Ed Sheeran
11. Believer by Imagine Dragons
10. It Ain’t Me by Kygo featuring Selena Gomez
9. Slow Hands by Niall Horan
8. Attention by Charlie Puth
7. Versace On The Floor by Bruno Mars
6. Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean
5. Unforgettable by French Montana featuring Swae Lee
4. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee
3. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller
2. There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes

BONUS: 6 – Best Song On The Countdown:
1. Praying by Kesha

Total Score: 80/100 (B-)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Praying by Kesha
2. There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes
3. Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay
4. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller
5. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt
2. Congratulations by Post Malone featuring Quavo
3. Mi Gente by J Balvin featuring Willy William
4. Location by Khalid
5. Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane

On this day in history, arguably the biggest icon in the music industry was born.  Michael Jackson was basically a star throughout his entire life, starting from being a member of the Jackson 5 to becoming the most successful solo artist of all time.  Despite a series of controversies he endured in his later years, there’s no denying the impact he made in the music industry.  With that being said, I now present to you my Top 10 favorite songs by Michael Jackson:

So before we begin, I would like to say for those who missed my previous post that my blog has reached 10,000 Pageviews!  Again, thanks to everyone who’s been reading my blog!  I’ll have a special post coming up soon!  Spyder Harrison returned this week to host the countdown after being absent last week.  This was quite an interesting week for the most part.  We have a new #1, and a familiar face has returned with a new single.  We’ll get to that later.  Before we get to this week’s countdown, here are the songs we’re saying good-bye to this week:

What’s up, folks? I am very happy to announce that I’ve officially reached 10,000 Pageviews on my blog! Thanks to everyone who’s been reading for the past few months! Now, this was a very interesting week for the most part. After about five weeks of having the same #1, we finally have a new #1. I’m definitely pleased that’s it the song that I still enjoy as of right now. As for the rest of the AT40 this week, it was pretty good for the most part. So without delay, here are the songs leaving this week:

Symphony by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larrson
Last Week: #40 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

The Way I Are (Dance With Somebody) by Bebe Rexha featuring Lil Wayne
Last Week: #34 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 4

The Countdown:
40. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever by Zayn featuring Taylor Swift [-1]
Last Week: #39 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 34

39. Know No Better by Major Lazer featuring Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, and Quavo (DEBUT)
Last Week: N/A | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

38. Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man (DEBUT)
Last Week: N/A | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

37. Rockabye by Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie [-1]
Last Week: #36 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 31

36. Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane [+2]
Last Week: #38 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 2

35. Location by Khalid [=]
Last Week: #35 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 3

34. Issues by Julia Michaels [-1]
Last Week: #33 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 29

33. 2U by David Guetta featuring Justin Bieber [-17] (Dang!)
Last Week: #16 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 9

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Cheap Thrills by Sia featuring Sean Paul [4th Of 5 Weeks At #1]

Biggest Drop Of The Week: 2U by David Guetta featuring Justin Bieber (-17)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Back To You by Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals (+8)

New Entrants
– To kick off this week’s entrants, we have Major Lazer with his new single Know No Better which features Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, and Quavo. Now, I haven’t really listented to the song that much. I do think Camila has improved on her vocals, and Major Lazer does well with the EDM production. Overall, I don’t have much of an opinion on it yet.

– Our second and final debut comes from Portugal. The Man with the song titled Feel It Still. This song is different compared to some of the other mainstream music  currently on the radio. Now, there are times the song is good, and there are times that it can be a little underwhelming. Maybe it’ll grow on me at some point. I’ll probably hear this in the car more often, given that it’s currently gaining steam elsewhere.

Blurb It Still
– In terms of the exits this week, The Way I Are (Dance With Somebody) I did kinda like to some degree, but I’m not sad to see it off. Symphony, on the other hand, is a different story. I’m very heartbroken to see it leave after spending only one week. It’s too bad that Clean Bandit couldn’t get another hit in the US unlike Rockabye. I definitely enjoyed that song from the first listen and I felt it should’ve done better. Goodbye, Symphony. You will definitely be missed.

– On a more positive note, Shawn Mendes has managed to dethrone Despacito this week with his single There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back. Given that this song is still gaining steam elsewhere, I’m not quite as surprised. But I’m definitely happy that it hit #1 this week.

– It’s also very pleasing to see Wild Thoughts enter the Top 5. It has a chance to hit #1 sometime in the near future. If only Hits 1 would treat it the same way like the AT40 is doing right now instead of having it drop big last week.

– I have a slight feeling this may be it for Now Or Never, what with it declining elsewhere (both on radio & in sales). I’m sure most people are thrilled about this given they’re not very fond of that song. Since I don’t really find that song to be that amazing either and it’s fading on me, I don’t really mind seeing it drop out of the Top 5. But honestly, I kinda thought Halsey would score another #1 hit on the charts. I guess not.

– Dang! 2U took a nasty drop out of the Top 20 and out of the Top 30 altogether. I guess this means David Guetta isn’t going to have a hit even with Justin Bieber.

Extras/Optional Extras 

Chained To The Rhythm by Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley
Feel So Close by Calvin Harris
Sign Of The Times by Harry Styles
My House by Flo Rida
Side To Side by Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj
Hide Away by Daya


Breakout/On The Verge 

Mama by Jonas Blue featuring William Singe
Mi Gente by J. Balvin featuring Willy William
What About Us by P!NK
Lights Down Low by MAX featuring Gnash

Top 20 Breakdown
0 – Awful:
20. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt

1 – Bad:
19. Redbone by Childish Gambino
18. Strip That Down by Liam Payne featuring Quavo

2 – Mediocre:
17. I’m The One by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper, and Lil’ Wayne

3 – Decent:
16. Now Or Never by Halsey

4 – Good:
15. No Promises by Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato
14. Stay by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara
13. Honest by The Chainsmokers

5 – Great:
12. Castle On The Hill by Ed Sheeran
11. Believer by Imagine Dragons
10. It Ain’t Me by Kygo featuring Selena Gomez
9. Slow Hands by Niall Horan
8. Attention by Charlie Puth
7. Versace On The Floor by Bruno Mars
6. That’s What I Like by Bruno Mars
5. Unforgettable by French Montana featuring Swae Lee
4. Feels by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell, Katy Perry, and Big Sean
3. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller
2. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee
1. There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes

Total Score: 79/100 (C+)

My Top 5 Picks
1. Praying By Kesha
2. There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes
3. Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay
4. Despacito by Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee
5. Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller

My Bottom 5 Picks
1. Body Like A Back Road by Sam Hunt
2. Congratulations by Post Malone featuring Quavo
3. Location by Khalid
4. Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane
5. Redbone by Childish Gambino

So, this past Sunday was this beautiful young lady’s 25th Birthday!  I would like to wish her a Happy Birthday!  She’s been in the spotlight for the past decade and has now established herself as a music superstar!  With that in mind, I would like to present to you my Top 5 favorite songs from Demi Lovato!

5. This Is Me (featuring Joe Jonas) (from Camp Rock)

4. Really Don’t Care (featuring Cher Lloyd) (from Demi)

3. Confident (from Confident)

2. Heart Attack (from Demi)

1. Cool For The Summer (from Confident)

So, Charlie Puth hosted this week’s countdown in place of Spyder Harrison. Now, as for this week, I’ll say it was kinda of a mixed bag. While there were some good stuff (including our #1), there was also some bad things that happened. Also, this Monday we will be able to see the solar eclipse. I’m sure many of you are excited for this event! So with that being said, here are the songs dropping out this week:

• Camila Cabello – Crying In The Club (#43)
• Harry Styles – Sign Of The Times (#40)

The Countdown:
Last Weeks’ #1 Song: Imagine Dragons – Believer
45. Noah Cyrus – Stay Together (#44) [-1]
44. Steve Aoki featuring Louis Tomlinson – Just Hold On (#45) [+1]
43. Miley Cyrus – Malibu (#42) [-1]
42. Hailee Steinfield & Grey featuring Zedd – Starving (#41) [-1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
41. DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber and Chance The Rapper – I’m The One (#36) [-5]
40. The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey – Closer (#38) [-2] [Spent 8 Weeks At #1] (Happy One Year!)
39. Julia Michaels – Issues (#39) [=]
38. Train – Play That Song (#37) [-1]
37. Hey Violet – Hoodie (DEBUT) [=]
36. Childish Gambino – Redbone (#27) [-9]
35. Selena Gomez – Bad Liar (#33) [-2]
34. Bruno Mars – That’s What I Like (#34) [=] [Spent 1 Week At #1]
33. P!NK – What About Us (DEBUT) [=]
32. DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – Wild Thoughts (#15) [-17] (You’ve got to be kidding…)
31. Shawn Mendes – Mercy (#31) [=]
30. James Arthur – Say You Won’t Let Go (#29) [-1]
29. AJR – Weak (#23) [-6]
28. Halsey – Now Or Never (#19) [-9]
27. Hailee Steinfield – Most Girls (#11) [-16] (What the heck?!)
26. Linkin Park featuring Kiiara – Heavy (#25) [-1]
25. Julia Michaels – Uh Huh (#28) [+3]
24. Bruno Mars – Versace On The Floor (#24) [=]
23. Kesha – Praying (#35) [+12]
22. Lady Gaga – The Cure (#20) [-2]
21. Kygo featuring Selena Gomez – It Ain’t Me (#22) [+1]
20. Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals – Back To You (#26) [+6]
19. The Chainsmokers – Honest (#30) [+11]
18. All Time Low – Good Times (#14) [-4]
17. Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell and Katy Perry – Feels (#13) [-4]
16. Fall Out Boy – Champion (#18) [+2]
15. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low (#21) [+6]
14. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill (#16) [+2] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
13. Demi Lovato – Sorry Not Sorry (#32) [+19]
12. Panic! At The Disco – L.A. Devotee (#10) [-2]
11. The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay – Something Just Like This (#5) [-6] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
10. Linkin Park – One More Light (#12) [+2]
9. Sam Hunt – Body Like A Back Road (#6) [-3]
8. Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee – Despacito (#3) [-5]
7. Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You (#8) [+1] [Spent 9 Weeks At #1]
6. Zedd featuring Alessia Cara – Stay (#7) [+1] [Spent 4 Weeks At #1]
5. Charlie Puth – Attention (#9) [+4]
4. Imagine Dragons – Believer (#1) [-3] [Spent 3 Weeks At #1]
3. Liam Payne – Strip That Down (#17) [+14]
2. Niall Horan – Slow Hands (#4) [+2]
1. Shawn Mendes – There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back (#2) [+1] [4th Week At #1]

#1 Song This Week One Year Ago: Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop The Feeling (9th Of 10 Weeks At #1)

Biggest DRRRRRRROP!!! Of The Week: DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – Wild Thoughts (-17) (……)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Demi Lovato – Sorry Not Sorry (+19)

New Entrants
– Our first of two debuts this week comes from returning artist Hey Violet, this time with yet another new single titled Hoodie. I’m sure many of us didn’t expect this to make the countdown so soon. Now, I feel people will like this better, in part because the vocals aren’t as painful to the ears. I do kinda question the lyrics, though. We’ll see how long it lasts here.

– Our second and final debut comes from returning artist P!NK. What About Us is something that I can get into. While not quite as good as her other lead singles, this is a keeper. P!NK is one of those artists that almost never disappoints me with her music. Will this become another hit for her? We’ll have to wait and see. Overall, I’m enjoying this.

What About Blurbs
– As far as our exits go, Crying In The Club was getting less interesting, so I’m kinda happy about the departure. Sign Of The Times took an undeserved exit. It’s too bad it didn’t get popular like all the other songs from the members of One Direction.  So yeah, that song will be missed.

– Before introducing Stay Together, Charlie Puth mentioned that her favorite emoji was the one with the eyeroll. That’s pretty cool given that this emoji is very popular right now. On that note, I heard The Emoji Movie was not very good. I haven’t really seen the movie myself, but I probably won’t since I heard it got a lot of bad reviews.

– So, Closer has managed to officially last one year on the countdown! I would like to say thank you to the voters for making it happen this week!

– Before introducing Play That Song, Charlie Puth did mention that one of the members of Train was actually a guest star on CSI at one point. I’ll have to find the episode and see it for myself. It’s cool that when they’re not making music, they pursue other activities such as acting, charity work, etc.

– Before introducing That’s What I Like, Charlie Puth mentioned that one of Bruno Mars’s favorite foods is the chicken adobo, which comes from the Philippines. Though I do eat plenty of chicken (especially for dinner), I’ve never even heard of the chicken adobo, much less tried it. Someday, I’ll have to try and cook one of those. I’ll bet it tastes so good!

– Are you kidding me? Wild Thoughts took an insanely disappointing New-York-Giants-sized drop out of the Top 20 altogether and then all the way down to #32. It’s a shame that Hits 1 is going to underrate it like they did with I’m The One.

– Before introducing Say You Won’t Let Go, Charlie Puth mentioned that when James Arthur writes his songs, he thinks about his personal experiences. Writing about one’s experiences is a good idea for a song nowadays, especially if one wants to start a career in music.

– Dang! Most Girls also took a massive drop out of the Top 20. I’ve heard this quite a bit this week, so I’m surprised about this. Now, I don’t really mind it sticking it around as long as it doesn’t become the next Starving, but I’m hoping it recovers soon.

– Before introducing Honest, Charlie Puth mentioned that while The Chainsmokers were making music, their computer crashed and they had to start all over again. I’ve had many experiences myself when I was working on something important, and I had to start over for the same reason. But lo and behold, it turned out well for them as they became the artist they are today.

– All of our debuts from last week took some big jumps, with Sorry Not Sorry taking a New-York-Giants-sized jump this week into the Top 20. I have a slight feeling that Hits 1 is going to keep this around for a long while.

– So, Strip That Down has made its way into the Top 5. Unfortunately, I don’t find this song any better than some of the other One Direction songs. That’s just me, though. But if anything, I’ll take it over Body Like A Back Road any day.

– And finally, we come to our #1! It’s good to see There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back taking the top spot once again! I was expecting Despacito to take over this week with how much I’ve been hearing it lately (and the fact that’s it’s going after the record on Billboard). Still, I have no complaints about our #1 song at all.

Hit-Bound

Portugal, The Man – Feel It Still (DEBUT)
Halsey – Bad At Love
Andy Grammer – Give Love
Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato – No Promises
Imagine Dragons – Thunder
Sabrina Carpenter – Why (DEBUT)
Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl
Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey – Glorious
The All American Rejects – Sweat
Selena Gomez – Fetish (DEBUT)
Harry Styles – Two Ghosts
Rita Ora – Your Song
Zedd featuring Liam Payne – Get Low
The Revivalists – Wish I Knew You

– To kick off our debuts on Hit-Bound this week, we have more Selena Gomez once again, this time with her new single, Fetish. I pretty much explained in my previous post why I don’t like this song. Even though Hits 1 edited out Gucci Mane’s verse, it still not that good of a song. I’m sure she can do better.

– Next we have a song that is currently gaining steam at this moment, in the form of Feel It Still by Portugal, The Man. There’s nothing really I can say about this right now except I do think the songs is okay.

– Finally, we have Sabrina Carpenter with her single Why. Earlier this year, she had Thumbs which made the Hits 1 playlist, but never debuted on any weekend shows. While it’s not quite as good as her predecessor, I can get into this.

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks
1. Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl
2. Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey – Glorious
3. Halsey – Bad At Love
4. Imagine Dragons – Thunder
5. Zedd featuring Liam Payne – Get Low

Top 20 Review
0 – Awful:
20. Sam Hunt – Body Like A Back Road

1 – Bad:
19. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low
18. Liam Payne – Strip That Down

2 – Mediocre:
None!

3 – Decent:
17. Panic! At The Disco! – L.A. Devotee
16. Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You

4 – Good:
15. All Time Low – Good Times
14. The Chainsmokers – Honest
13. Linkin Park – One More Light

5 – Great:
12. Zedd featuring Alessia Cara – Stay
11. Imagine Dragons – Believer
10. Ed Sheeran – Castle On The Hill
9. Charlie Puth – Attention
8. Niall Horan – Slow Hands
7. Demi Lovato – Sorry Not Sorry
6. Fall Out Boy – Champion
5. Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals – Back To You
4. Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell and Katy Perry – Feels
3. Shawn Mendes – There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back
2. Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee – Despacito
1. The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay – Something Just Like This

Overall Grade: 80/100 (B-)

Throwback Pick Of The Week: Madonna – Like A Virgin (1984)

Most Missed Countdown Song: Taylor Swift – Shake It Off (#Happy3Years)

#1 Recommendation for Hits 1: Lights – Giants

Favorite Countdown Song This Week One Year Ago: Tie between Ariana Grande – Into You and Coldplay – Hymn For The Weekend

My Top 5 Picks
1. Kesha – Praying
2. The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay – Something Just Like This
3. Luis Fonsi featuring Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee – Despacito
4. Shawn Mendes – There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back
5. DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – Wild Thoughts

My Bottom 5 Picks
TIE: 1. Sam Hunt – Body Like A Back Road
TIE: 1. Julia Michaels – Uh Huh
3. Selena Gomez – Bad Liar
4. Train – Play That Song
5. MAX featuring Gnash – Lights Down Low

Songs That Debuted This Week One Year Ago:
Kenny Chesney featuring P!NK – Setting The World On Fire: This was definitely one of the better country songs out there than what we’re getting right now. While it wasn’t exactly one of my favorites, it was still an interesting collaboration that turned out well.
The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey – Closer: It was exactly one year ago that this song made its debut. It broke all kinds of records (on Billboard & streaming services). It’s their biggest hit of their career. I fell in love with the production & Halsey’s vocals. I’m very pleased that this became a hit!
Coldplay – Hymn For The Weekend: Ah, yes. Adrian’s #1 song of 2016, and for good reason. I absolutely love the production, and both vocals from Beyoncé & Chris Martin were excellent. Hits 1 did play the SeeB remix during its entire tenure, but it’s nothing compared to the original, which is a masterpiece. I’m glad Hits 1 treated it better, spending most of its tenure in the Top 10.

So, this is my second review of the American Top 40.  For this week, I’ll certainly take it!  There were plenty of things I liked about this week, including one of our debuts (more on that shortly). Also, I plan on having the Hits 1 Weekend Countdown posted by early tomorrow morning.  Other than that, I don’t have much to say here.  So without further ado, here are the songs dropping out of the countdown this week:

Love On The Brain by Rihanna
Last Week: #39 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 38

Stay Together by Noah Cyrus
Last Week: #40 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 2

Paris by The Chainsmokers
Last Week: #34 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 28

Malibu by Miley Cyrus
Last Week: #19 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 10

The Countdown:
40. Symphony by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larrson (DEBUT) [=]
Last Week: N/A | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

39. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever by Zayn featuring Taylor Swift [-1]
Last Week: #38 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 33

38. Fetish by Selena Gomez featuring Gucci Mane (DEBUT) [=]
Last Week: N/A | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

37. Back To You by Louis Tomlinson featuring Bebe Rexha (DEBUT) [=]
Last Week: N/A | # Of Weeks On Chart: 1

36. Rockabye by Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie [-3]
Last Week: #33 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 30

35. Location by Khalid [+4]
Last Week: #39 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 2

34. The Way I Are (Dance With Somebody) by Bebe Rexha featuring Lil Wayne [+1]
Last Week: #35 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 4

33. Issues by Julia Michaels [-13]
Last Week: #20 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 28

32. Glorious by Macklemore featuring Skylar Grey [+2]
Last Week: #34 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 3

31. Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato [+3]
Last Week: #34 | # Of Weeks On Chart: 2

30. Most Girls by Hailee Steinfeld [=]