Niall Horan (3) - Week Of September 23, 2017

Hey guys! I know you're probably saying "Really Jack?!? Another delay?". Yes, this was another delay. I apologize. I have a much more schoolwork to do this year than I have ever had before, so please bear with me. I take four advanced placement classes. If you would like to know my day on a daily basis, here's what goes down below.

Weekdays For Jack:

Between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM- wake up

7:45- Homeroom
8:00- Chemistry 11 (in 10th grade) [AP]
8:40- Chem Lab or P.E.
9:20- Algebra II Honors (in 10th grade) [AP]
10:00- Spanish II
10:40- Band or Chorus
11:20- Piano
12:00- Lunch
12:40- AP English Language & Composition or AP Global History

2:20- One of four clubs (depending on the day) [Drama, Multicultural, Unity & Diversity, Student Council], or of course staying after with a teacher

3:00-3:30- get home, get a small start on homework

6:30-7:30 (on Thursdays)- Jazz Band Rehearsal

7:00ish-whenever I finish (late)- essays and other homework

Also, I decided on not doing my favorite sport, soccer, this year, so I could keep up with work and other things. So, there's a day in the life of Jack on a weekday, of course. I am always busy, so please don't be mad for the delays lately. I am trying my best. Nothing but love. :)

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Anyways, besides me, there was also a countdown this weekend, so before we get to reviewing it, here are the songs that left us this week.

• Julia Michaels - Issues (#42)
• The Chainsmokers/Halsey - Closer (#43) [8 Weeks At #1]
• AJR - Weak (#44)
• Calvin Harris/Pharrell Williams/Katy Perry - Feels (#45)

Last Week's #1 Song: Niall Horan - Slow Hands

#1 Song This Week 1 Year Ago: The Chainsmokers/Daya - Don't Let Me Down

The Countdown

45. Fall Out Boy - Champion (#36)

44. The Chainsmokers - Honest (#31)

43. All Time Low - Good Times (#32)

42. Hailee Steinfeld - Most Girls (#33)

41. Linkin Park/Kiiara - Heavy (#40)

40. Bruno Mars - That's What I Like (#41) [1 Week At #1]

39. Lady Gaga  - The Cure (#39)

38. Harry Styles - Two Ghosts (#26)

37. Kygo & Selena Gomez - It Ain't Me (#35)

36. Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You (#30) [9 Weeks At #1]

35. Hey Violet - Hoodie (#23)

34. The All-American Rejects - Sweat (#38)

33. MAX/Gnash - Lights Down Low (#37)

32. Kelly Clarkson - Love So Soft (DEBUT)

31. Justin Bieber/BloodPopⓇ - Friends (#27)

30. Panic! At The Disco - L.A. Devotee (#34)

29. Zedd/Liam Payne - Get Low (DEBUT)

28. The Revivalists - Wish I Knew You (DEBUT)

27. Bruno Mars & David Guetta - Versace On The Floor (#29)

26. Louis Tomlinson/Bebe Rexha/Digital Farm Animals - Back To You (#19)

25. Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill (#20) [3 Weeks At #1]

24. Linkin Park - One More Light (#24)

23. Sam Smith - Too Good At Goodbyes (DEBUT)
22. Halsey - Bad At Love (#25)

21. Andy Grammer - Give Love (#28)

20. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee/Justin Bieber - Despacito (#21)

19. Sam Hunt - Body Like A Back Road (#8)

18. Charlie Puth - Attention (#13)

17. Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still (#16)

16. Cheat Codes/Demi Lovato - No Promises (#17)

15. Imagine Dragons - Thunder (#14)

14. Macklemore/Skylar Grey - Glorious (#15)

13. Maroon 5/SZA - What Lovers Do (#22)

12. Mono Mind/Bridge & Mountain - Save Me A Place (#10)

11. P!nk - What About Us (#18)

10. Zedd & Alessia Cara - Stay (#12)

9. Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do (#9)

8. The Chainsmokers & Coldplay - Something Just Like This (#7) [3 Weeks At #1]

7. Liam Payne - Strip That Down (#3)

6. Imagine Dragons - Believer (#6) [3 Weeks At #1]

5. Kesha - Praying (#11)

4. Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl (#4)

3. Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry (#5)

2. Shawn Mendes - There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back (#2) [5 Weeks At #1]

1. Niall Horan - Slow Hands (#1) [3rd Week At #1]

Biggest DROP!!!... Of The Week: The Chainsmokers - Honest (-13)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Maroon 5/SZA - What Lovers Do (+9)

New Entrants

~ Kelly Clarkson has returned guys! She's back with our first new entry to the countdown this week, Love So Soft. To start, this is definitely not her best work. I do believe that this a very acceptable comeback song. The vocals are very strong and fierce, and I really like it. The "chorus" in the background is very nice as well, and I like the production. It is a bit repetitive, so if it is overplayed, it may become old, but for now I am enjoying it. I hope to see it do well here, and I'm glad she's back to making new music.

~ Second up, we have Zedd and Liam Payne with another song on the countdown each, this time together. The song is called Get Low. I did indeed enjoy this song's predecessor, Stay, much more, but this one isn't terrible. The vocals aren't amazing, but the production is pretty decent on this track, and we all can probably agree that Zedd almost never disappoints on his singles. For the time being, this isn't a song that I'm head over heels in love with, but it's good. I don't care too much of what it does here. Time will tell on that.

~ Next up we have a song that has been exiting, then entering HitBound, for the past few weeks. This is the type of odd song that isn't exactly a "hit" that this station picks up on. The track is The Revivalists - Wish I Knew You. At first, I found this song super boring and I just wasn't too into it. After several listens, however, I have grown into it a little bit, where now I can classify it as a "good song". I don't know how long my opinion will stay concrete on this one, but we'll have to wait and see. I don't think I really care how well it does here, though.

~ Finally, we have our last and best debut of the week. The song is Too Good At Goodbyes, and it is the return of Sam Smith after his (way too lengthy) hiatus. I personally enjoy this song because I can honestly relate to the lyrics on so many levels. I also enjoy the vocals very much, and the background vocals really make an impact as well. This is the type of slower song I like to hear and Sam Smith always manages to pull them off. I hope to see some very decent success out of this one.

Best Debut Of The Week: Sam Smith - Too Good At Goodbyes

HitBound

• Evaride - Heartless
• ZAYN/Sia - Dusk Till Dawn
• Taylor Swift - ..Ready For It?
• Sabrina Carpenter - Why
• Fergie/Nicki Minaj - You Already Know (DEBUT)
• Niall Horan - Too Much To Ask (DEBUT)
• Selena Gomez/Galantis - Fetish 
• Why Don't We - Something Different
• The Script - Rain
• Lauv - I Like Me Better (DEBUT)
• Dua Lipa - New Rules
• Ed Sheeran - Perfect
• PRETTYMUCH - Would You Mind
• Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso/Florida Georgia Line/watt - Let Me Go

My Top 5 HitBound Picks

1. TIE: Taylor Swift - ...Ready For It?

1. TIE: ZAYN/Sia - Dusk Till Dawn

2. Hailee Steinfeld & Alesso/Florida Georgia Line/watt - Let Me Go

3. Sabrina Carpenter - Why

4. PRETTYMUCH - Would You Mind

5. Selena Gomez/Galantis - Fetish

Too Good At Goodblurbs

~ I would much rather, at this point, have any of the other songs in the top 5, other than Niall Horan - Slow Hands at #1. They are all much better. I have been losing a lot of interest in this one lately. 

~ Imagine Dragons - Believer is still in the top 10? We got rid of one of the bad songs here, now our mission is to eliminate this one, voters.

~ More importantly, The Chainsmokers & Coldplay - Something Just Like This is still in the top 10 as well. This one has been in this area for quite a while now. I would like to see it dropping soon before I completely lose all interest in it.

~ Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do is not doing exactly quite what I want it to be doing. I would have expected to at least be in the top 3 by now. I shouldn't complain, though, it's the top 10, at least, right?

~ Maroon 5/SZA - What Lovers Do made a very pleasing jump this week into the top 20. Hopefully we can see this in the top 10 next week. This is one of my favorites at the moment.

~ Sam Hunt - Body Like A Back Road took a much deserved drop out of the top 10 this week. Hopefully we can let it dip down below the #20 mark soon.

~ Andy Grammer - Give Love is sadly actually making progress here. It needs to honestly turn around and go in the opposite direction. We absolutely don't need this trash in the top 20.

~ Justin Bieber/BloodPopⓇ - Friends is flopping. We see it below the top 30 this week. I hope this one can make a recovery soon.

~ Harry Styles - Two Ghosts is probably already seeing the end of it's days based on the drop it made this week.

~ The Chainsmokers - Honest and Fall Out Boy - Champion look like they are on their last legs. Oh well, it was nice knowing these two songs.

Let's Do A Top 20 Review!

0-Garbage

NONE

1-Bad

20. Imagine Dragons - Believer

19. Sam Hunt - Body Like A Back Road

2-Mediocre

18. Niall Horan - Slow Hands

3-Decent

17. The Chainsmokers & Coldplay - Something Just Like This

16. Liam Payne - Strip That Down

4-Good

NONE

5-Great

15. Macklemore/Skylar Grey - Glorious

14. Imagine Dragons - Thunder

13. Zedd & Alessia Cara - Stay

12. Shawn Mendes - There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back

11. Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl

10. Cheat Codes/Demi Lovato - No Promises

9. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee/Justin Bieber - Despacito

8. Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry

7. Charlie Puth - Attention

6. P!nk - What About Us

5. Mono Mind/Bridge & Mountain - Save Me A Place

4. Kesha - Praying

3. Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still

2. Maroon 5/SZA - What Lovers Do

1. Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do

Score: 85% (B)

My Bottom 5 Countdown Picks

1. Andy Grammer - Give Love

2. Panic! At The Disco - L.A. Devotee

3. Imagine Dragons - Believer

4. Bruno Mars - That's What I Like

5. Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill

My Top 5 Countdown Picks

1. Taylor Swift - Look What You Made Me Do

2. Maroon 5/SZA - What Lovers Do

3. Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still

4. Halsey - Bad At Love

5. Kesha - Praying

Love you guys!

~ Jack :)