Maroon 5 (3) - Week Of February 4, 2017

I can say this was a pretty crazy and interesting week. I would love to state the great joy it brought me when we got our first 6+ entrant week in over a year, and they were all great songs. If you missed it, I posted the 2016 Year-End Music Recognition Award Results earlier this week. So, check that out it you haven't already. Anyways, let's get into this week's countdown. Before we get to this week's fresh 45 songs, here's the songs we're saying goodbye to.

• Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill (#28)
• Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop The Feeling! (#34)
• Major Lazer/Justin Bieber/MØ - Cold Water (#38)
• DNCE - Body Moves (#41)
• Fifth Harmony/Camila Cabello - That's My Girl (#44)
• Andy Grammer - Fresh Eyes (#45)

Last Week's #1 Song: Twenty One Pilots - Heathens

#1 Song This Week 1 Year Ago: Adele - Hello (11)

The Countdown

45. Gnash/Olivia O'Brien - I Hate U, I Love U (#43)

44. The Chainsmokers/Daya - Don't Let Me Down (#36)

43. OneRepublic - Kids (#39)

42. Pitbull/Flo Rida/LunchMoney Lewis - Greenlight (#42)

41. Ariana Grande - Into You (#40)

40. Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha - In The Name Of Love (#33)

39. Hey Violet - Guys My Age (DEBUT)

38. Lady Gaga - Million Reasons (#22)

37. Twenty One Pilots - Ride (#32)

36. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover) (#35)

35. Rihanna - Love On The Brain (DEBUT)

34. Coldplay/SeeB - Hymn For The Weekend (#26)

33. DJ Snake/Justin Bieber - Let Me Love You (#27)

32. Julia Michaels - Issues (DEBUT)

31. The Weeknd/Daft Punk - I Feel It Coming (#31)

30. Lukas Graham - You're Not There (#37)

29. Daya - Words (DEBUT)

28. James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go (#30)

27. Twenty One Pilots - Heavydirtysoul (DEBUT)

26. Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson - Just Hold On (#29)

25. Sia/Kendrick Lamar - The Greatest (#2)

24. Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better (#21)

23. X Ambassadors - Unsteady (#20)

22. The Chainsmokers - Paris (DEBUT)

21. Charli XCX - After The Afterparty (#24)

20. Bruno Mars - 24K Magic (#19)

19. Panic! At The Disco - Death Of A Bachelor (#16)

18. Runaground - Chase You Down (#9)

17. Train - Play That Song (#23)

16. Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj - Side To Side (#25)

15. Niall Horan - This Town (#5)

14. The Weeknd/Daft Punk - Starboy (#6)

13. Alessia Cara - Scars To Your Beautiful (#12)

12. John Legend - Love Me Now (#13)

11. Twenty One Pilots - Heathens (#1)

10. Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello - Bad Things (#15)

9. Adele - Water Under The Bridge (#10)

8. Zayn & Taylor Swift - I Don't Wanna Live Forever (#17)

7. Jon Bellion - All Time Low (#11)

6. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey/Zedd - Starving (#3)

5. Fitz & The Tantrums - HandClap (#18)

4. Shawn Mendes - Mercy (#7)

3. Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You (#14)

2. The Chainsmokers/Halsey - Closer (#4)

1. Maroon 5 - Don't Wanna Know (#8)

Biggest DROP!!!... Of The Week: Sia/Kendrick Lamar - The Greatest (-23)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Fitz & The Tantrums - HandClap (+13)

#1 Recommendation For Hits 1: Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa - Scared To Be Lonely

#1 Recommendation For You: Dua Lipa - Room For 2

New Entrants

~ Like always, let's start with the lowest entrant, reaching to this week's highest entrant. First off this week, we had Hey Violet - Guys My Age debuting at #39. This song is quite different from some I've heard in the past few months and it has a dark vibe too it which I believe fits the song perfectly. The vocals from the band match the song's purpose great. All in all, I am hoping to see this song soar on this countdown.

~ Next up this week, we have Rihanna with her fourth single off of her most recent album, Anti, Love On The Brain. This song had been on HitBound for a while and I wasn't quite sure if it would ever debut, and I'm glad it did this week. I enjoy the experimentation Rihanna took with this song, and it works out in her favor. I wouldn't see this song as doing bad here, so I would just wish it the best, as it deserves its success.

~ The third debut this week comes from singer and songwriter Julia Michaels, with her debut single, Issues. I didn't expect this song to debut here so fast, as it is kind of like one of those "underdog" songs, but clearly I was proved wrong. This song has been soaring on the radio charts in the past week, and I am very happy about that. This song may be short, but it really is a great debut single. She has amazing vocals and they fit the simple production this song has very well. I can also say that I would love hearing more from her in the future. I really hope this song does well here.

~ Our next entrant comes in the form of Daya - Words. I have been enjoying this song for a few months now and I'm glad it finally made it's debut on the countdown. I am enjoying this song as one of the best songs on her new album. I also enjoy the beat on this track, and it is very fast-paced and good to make a tune to. In the end, I hope this song will do well and I don't see it failing.

~ Our fifth debut is Twenty One Pilots returning with Heavydirtysoul, their most recent single. I came into this song with an open mind, and it worked out very well. I just love the strange element to all the writing in these guys' songs, and I usually enjoy them because of that. I love how they aren't afraid to take chances, and Heavydirtysoul is definitely a song like that. All I can say in the end is that I really hope to see this song elevate fast here.

~ Our final entrant all the way at #22 this week is The Chainsmokers - Paris. From first listen, this song was definitely something to hold onto. I would like to recognize this group for making some of the best electronic music this past year. Paris is definitely a good way to start out the new year, and is a good sign to another successful year for these guys. I don't know why this song gives uncredited vocals to a very credible artist, Emily Warren. I would have loved to see her name in the title. That's really the only complaint I have about this song, as her voice is very good in this track, and should be recognized. So, I have no doubt this song will do good and I hope to see it fly up the countdown here in the next few weeks.

Best Debut Of The Week: The Chainsmokers - Paris

HitBound

• AJR - Weak (DEBUT)
• Flo Rida & 99 Percent - Cake (DEBUT)
• Calum Scott - Dancing On My Own
• Bruno Mars - That's What I Like
• Bebe Rexha - I Got You
• Imagine Dragons - Believer (DEBUT)
• Snakehips/MØ - Don't Leave
• MAX/Gnash - Lights Down Low
• Panic! At The Disco - LA Devotee (DEBUT)
• James Hersey - Miss You (DEBUT)
• Little Mix - Shout Out To My Ex
• Bruno Mars - Versace On The Floor
• The Vamps & Matoma - All Night (DEBUT)
• Noah Cyrus/Labrinth - Make Me (Cry)

Top 5 HitBound Songs

1. Snakehips/MØ - Don't Leave

2. Bebe Rexha - I Got You

3. The Vamps & Matoma - All Night

4. Little Mix - Shout Out To My Ex

5. Flo Rida & 99 Percent - Cake

Love On The Blurb

~ I didn't expect to see a rise back up to #1 from Maroon 5 - Don't Wanna Know after that drop to #8 last week, but I don't really care if it stays there a while longer. 

~ I am very surprised by the four big jumps from the teens into the top 10 this week. The additions of Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You, Fitz & The Tantrums - HandClap, Zayn & Taylor Swift - I Don't Wanna Live Forever, and Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello - Bad Things bring the top 10 to a state of being all green songs.

~ Well, that's a good sized drop out of the top spot from Twenty One Pilots - Heathens. 10 spots. Wow, that reminds me of the time last year when Stressed Out dropped 20 out of #1.

~ I enjoy that Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj - Side To Side has made a small recovery.

~ Well, the top 10 entrance from Runaground - Chase You Down wasn't bound to last long. I praise it in achieving its peak position, nonetheless.

~ Holy crap! I can't believe Sia/Kendrick Lamar - The Greatest has dropped out of #2, down below the top 20. This song has definitely had one of the weirdest tenures in the past year. I still am in shock from Spyder Harrison announcing this drop. Wow.

~ I am very much enjoying even the smallest sings of holding on and not letting go from Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson - Just Hold On and James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go. See what I did there? See the relation of the titles? Funny? Okay, I digress.

~ Well, Lukas Graham - You're Not There hasn't been a complete failure yet.

~ The Weeknd/Daft Punk - I Feel It Coming is showing signs of a Starboy start here.

~ I would say its ironic that Lady Gaga - Million Reasons has dropped the weekend she is set to perform for the Super Bowl, but we all know its probably due to Hits 1 voter logic.

~ I didn't expect to see The Chainsmokers/Daya - Don't Let Me Down to drop this much this week, but it's probably due to the new entrants from both artists.

~ I can't believe Gnash/Olivia O'Brien - I Hate U, I Love U just survived that clean wipe of songs off of here this weekend. I was literally shocked to hear.

~ The Hot 45 Chart will be out soon with the requested old format back. I will be trying two methods of charting this weekend. I ask that everyone viewing here views the chart when it comes out and looking at the alternative site I'm creating it on as well. I ask that you check out both versions and tell me which you like best, then I will do the most requested version weekly, while trying my best to keep up with the other version.

Let's Do A Top 20 Review!

0-Crap

NONE

1-Bad

NONE

2-Mediocre

20. Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

3-Decent

19. Panic! At The Disco - Death Of A Bachelor

18. Niall Horan - This Town

4-Good

17. Alessia Cara - Scars To Your Beautiful

16. Twenty One Pilots - Heathens

15. Train - Play That Song

14. Shawn Mendes - Mercy

13. The Weeknd/Daft Punk - Starboy

5-Great

12. Runaground - Chase You Down

11. Maroon 5 - Don't Wanna Know

10. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey/Zedd - Starving

9. Jon Bellion - All Time Low

8. John Legend - Love Me Now

7. The Chainsmokers/Halsey - Closer

6. Fitz & The Tantrums - HandClap

5. Adele - Water Under The Bridge

4. Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj - Side To Side

3. Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You

2. Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello - Bad Things

1. Zayn & Taylor Swift - I Don't Wanna Live Forever

Score: 88% (B+)

Bottom 5 Songs Of The Week

1. Pitbull/Flo Rida/LunchMoney Lewis - Greenlight

2. X Ambassadors - Unsteady

3. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover)

4. Coldplay/SeeB - Hymn For The Weekend

5. Twenty One Pilots - Ride

Top 5 Songs Of The Week

1. Zayn & Taylor Swift - I Don't Wanna Live Forever

2. Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello - Bad Things

3. The Chainsmokers - Paris

4. Julia Michaels - Issues

5. Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You

Love you guys!

Have a great weekend!

~ Jack :)