Panic! At The Disco (8) - Week Of December 1, 2018

Hey guys! It is really hard to believe that we are already in December and that the year is almost over. It is about to come time to get the year-end posts out for this year--and I will have schedules for release hopefully next week. Aside from that, this week wasn't awful. Kid Kelly was the guest host this week. We lost a couple of good songs, one decent song, and one bad song--and our #1 isn't awful. We also had a lot of songs just moving all over the place. So...with that, before we get onto the countdown, here are the songs we are saying goodbye to this week. 

• LSD - Thunderclouds (#33)
• Walk The Moon - Kamikaze (#39)
• NF - Lie (#41)
• Juice WRLD - Lucid Dreams (#43) 

#1 Song This Week 1 Year Ago: Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl (4)
Last Week's #1 Song: 5 Seconds Of Summer - Youngblood

The Countdown
45. Shawn Mendes - In My Blood (#42) [2 Weeks At #1]
44. Ariana Grande - God Is A Woman (#31)
43. Bazzi/Camila Cabello - Beautiful (#45)
42. George Ezra - Shotgun (#44)
41. Calvin Harris & Sam Smith - Promises (#22)
40. Taylor Swift - Delicate (#40) [3 Weeks At #1]
39. NOTD/Bea Miller - I Wanna Know (#38)
38. Charlie Puth - The Way I Am (#37)  
37. Zedd, Maren Morris, & Grey - The Middle (#35) [9 Weeks At #1]
36. Panic! At The Disco - Say Amen (Saturday Night) (#36) [4 Weeks At #1]
35. Loud Luxury/Brando - Body (#20)
34. Lauv/Julia Michaels - There's No Way (DEBUT)
33. Little Mix/Nicki Minaj - Woman Like Me (DEBUT)
32. Imagine Dragons - Whatever It Takes (#29) [1 Week At #1]
31. Shawn Mendes & Zedd - Lost In Japan (#13)
30. Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow (#21)
29. David Guetta & Anne-Marie - Don't Leave Me Alone (DEBUT)
28. Alec Benjamin - Let Me Down Slowly (#34)
27. Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next (DEBUT)
26. Alex Aiono - Big Mistake (#26)
25. Panic! At The Disco - Hey Look Ma, I Made It (#23)
24. Selena Gomez - Back To You (#24)
23. Twenty One Pilots - My Blood (#27)
22. Silk City & Dua Lipa - Electricity (#16)
21. Camila Cabello - Consequences (#28) 
20. Backstreet Boys - Don't Go Breaking My Heart (#17)
19. Shawn Mendes - Nervous (#32)
18. Benny Blanco, Halsey, & Khalid - Eastside (#18)
17. Maroon 5/Cardi B - Girls Like You (#19)
16. Post Malone & Swae Lee - Sunflower (#30)
15. The Struts/Kesha - Body Talks (#15)
14. The Chainsmokers/Emily Warren - Side Effects (#11)
13. Lovelytheband - Broken (#12)
12. Ariana Grande - Breathin (#14)
11. Dan + Shay - Tequila (#25)
10. Khalid & Normani - Love Lies (#9)
9. Fall Out Boy - The Last Of The Real Ones (#6) [2 Weeks At #1]
8. Bebe Rexha - I'm A Mess (#7)
7. The Chainsmokers/Kelsea Ballerini - This Feeling (#5)
6. Imagine Dragons - Natural (#8) [1 Week At #1]
5. Halsey - Without Me (#3)
4. Marshmello & Bastille - Happier (#4) [2 Weeks At #1]
3. Anne-Marie - 2002 (#10)
2. 5 Seconds Of Summer - Youngblood (#1) [4 Weeks At #1]
1. Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes (#2) [8th Week At #1]

Biggest DROP!!!... Of The Week: Calvin Harris & Sam Smith - Promises (-19)

Biggest Jump Of The Week: Tie Between Post Malone & Swae Lee - Sunflower and Dan + Shay - Tequila (+14)

#1 Recommendation Of The Week: Sabrina Carpenter - Sue Me


New Entrants

~ First up, we have There's No Way from rising artists Lauv and Julia Michaels. I am a fan of this track overall. Together, they have a very nice vocal chemistry--the harmonies in this song are just outstanding. Furthermore, I am a huge fan of the lyrics of the song in it being just a sweet and simple love-oriented song. There's not a huge shift in production from Lauv's previous tracks, but I am very much a fan for what this song offers. Hopefully we can see some strides out of this one, considering its low popularity over other platforms.

~ Moving forward, we see a return from Little Mix featuring a new sound and Nicki Minaj on Woman Like Me. This track shifts from a sultry-esque sound from Jesy Nelson but quickly shifts to a power-filled chorus featuring the vocals of the rest of the girls. I thoroughly enjoy the vocals, especially in the chorus, and in Nicki's verse. The beat is very infectious as well. Overall, I am enjoying the new sound that is mixed with their older concepts. I hope to see some success out of this one. 

~ Our third and only underwhelming debut to the countdown this week comes from David Guetta & Anne-Marie with Don't Leave Me Alone. At this point, I truly find myself despising the voice of Anne-Marie. Her content overall is truly nothing special in my opinion and her studio album truly missed the mark in my opinion in terms of innovation. I will agree that the chorus structure here isn't awful, but the production is completely underwhelming. It is derivative of what has been heard in the electronic forum of music past few years. As far as the lyrics go, they are pretty basic and I am not digging them. Overall, this falls short and I hope it doesn't stay here too long.

~ To round off our class of debuts, we have the seemingly unstoppable Ariana Grande with her newest single, Thank U, Next. The song is a fun and playful one--speaking on behalf of her experiences with her exes in the forms of Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez, Pete Davidson, and the late Mac Miller. The track overall has a different vibe from her songs off of her recent album, Sweetener. The vocals are nice here, but nothing that stand out in the long run. However, I find the vibe of the track to be very cool and the emphasis on certain lyrics here is nice. In the end, this one is just a catchy and lively tune, with a basis of gratitude for her past relationships. Thank U, Next continues to dominate the chart, as it has had three weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 insofar. I am happy to see this one doing so well and hopefully that success carries over onto the countdown.

Best New Entrant Of The Week: Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next


Hit-Bound 

• Ellie Goulding & Diplo - Close To Me
• Dean Lewis - Be Alright (DEBUT)
• Zara Larsson - Ruin My Life
• Imagine Dragons - Machine
• Lauren Jauregui - Expectations
• Dan + Shay - Speechless (DEBUT)
• 5 Seconds Of Summer - Killer Queen
• Olly Murs - Moves
• Alessia Cara - Trust My Lonely (DEBUT)
• Khalid - Better (DEBUT)
• James Arthur - Empty Space
• Ava Max - Sweet But Psycho
• Steve Aoki/BTS - Waste It On Me
• Twenty One Pilots - Chlorine

~ Our first Hit-Bound entrant this week comes from rising artist Dean Lewis with Be Alright. This song has been around for a few months now, so I have been listening to it for a while. I like his voice a lot. It is not something that you hear a lot on mainstream radio, and I like that in an artist. Overall, I find this song to be very nice and delicate sounding. The lyrics are very derivative of a traditional breakup with a nice vibe behind them. I hope to see this one on the countdown in the near future. 

~ Next, we have Dan + Shay with Speechless. This one may be even worse than their current countdown charter, Tequila. I am not a fan of their voices in the slightest. I do not know what it is, but most country artists nowadays are all sounding the same to me. There is really no room for innovation in the genre, and this is an example of a song that just has no real innovation. The lyrics are basic and the production is bland--mixed with unsatisfying vocals. I hope that this song does not debut the countdown, but it probably will; considering Hits 1's recent affinity with Dan + Shay. 

~ Our third new Hit-Bound song this week comes from Alessia Cara with Trust My Lonely. This one isn't her best work by any means. I feel that she really showcases her voice in the chorus, but everything else in between is pretty bland in my opinion. I don't have really much else to say about this one. I may develop a better opinion on it in the future, but for now it is just okay. 

~ Finally, we have Khalid with Better. This song was released a few months ago, so I have been listening to it for a while now. I have lost a little bit of interest in this track. I do still enjoy it at times, but not as much as I used to. Khalid's vocals always seem to get to me in just a matter of time.
 

My Bottom 5 Hit-Bound Picks
1. Dan + Shay - Speechless
2. Imagine Dragons - Machine
3. Twenty One Pilots - Chlorine
4. 5 Seconds Of Summer - Killer Queen
5. James Arthur - Empty Space

My Top 5 Hit-Bound Picks
1. Zara Larsson - Ruin My Life
2. Ellie Goulding & Diplo - Close To Me
3. Dean Lewis - Be Alright
4. Ava Max - Sweet But Psycho
5. Steve Aoki/BTS - Waste It On Me


Thank U, Blurb

~ So, this has been one of the craziest weeks--no doubt, that we have seen in a while on the countdown; given all of the jumps and drops all over the place. However, we see the return from Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes to the #1 spot, only needing one more week to tie for the most weeks at #1 this year with The Middle. I wouldn't mind if this one tied, or even exceeded the record, considering that this one is definitely better than the current record holder #1 song for this year.

~ We see a scary leap into the top 3 this week from Anne-Marie - 2002. I really will not be happy if this song goes any further. I am not quite sure as to why this song is doing so well here, considering its poor success everywhere else, but I guess that is just how this station works. Anyways, this one needs to be on its way down after this. 

~ Next on the docket to discuss this week, we have the biggest jump of the week from Tequila back into the top 20, inching very close to the top 10. I really just wish this one would quit it already. There are better country songs that could be here, and yet we have this. I seriously hope that this just heads back in the other direction next week--and stays there this time.  

~ Tying with Tequila, we have the biggest jump of the week from Sunflower as well. I am, unlike Tequila, glad to see this one back in the top 20. It just keeps getting better and better after each listen.

~ #28-#21 was an incredibly pleasurable listen. I think it is one of the longest strings of exceptionally good songs in a row that we have had in a while. 

~ I have had quite the opinion change in Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow this week. I was exposed to several listens to this song this week, and ultimately I found it to be better than I had originally believed. That being said, it is quite convenient that it makes a significant drop right after I begin to like it. 

~ It is kind of unfortunate to see the drop from Lost In Japan this week, but with that, we saw the jump from Nervous. So, I guess all bad can come with a little bit of good.  

~ Ariana Grande - God Is A Woman's run looks like it is coming to an end with that drop this week. However, I am glad with the level of success that it achieved here. 

~ In regards to my rankdown voting that is currently happening, I have extended the time to vote--to allow any stragglers for time to get their votes in. That being said, rankings are now due on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 8:00 PM ET. I need about two more participants in this competition for it to ideally happen. If any of you are planning, or willing, to take some time to participate, I would be incredibly grateful. :)

Directions/List: http://sxmhits1.blogspot.com/2018/11/200000-pageview-special-2018-year-end.html

Form: https://goo.gl/forms/1y6eHcUYp6gO7XnF3


Let's Do A Top 20 Review!

0-Garbage
20. Dan + Shay - Tequila

1-Bad
19. Anne-Marie - 2002
18. Imagine Dragons - Natural 

2-Mediocre
NONE
3-Decent
17. Backstreet Boys - Don't Go Breaking My Heart
16. Lovelytheband - Broken
4-Good
15. Benny Blanco, Halsey, & Khalid - Eastside
14. Khalid & Normani - Love Lies
13. Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes 

5-Great 
12. Bebe Rexha - I'm A Mess
11. Fall Out Boy - The Last Of The Real Ones
10. 5 Seconds Of Summer - Youngblood
9. Shawn Mendes - Nervous
8. The Chainsmokers/Keslea Ballerini - This Feeling
7. Marshmello & Bastille - Happier
6. Halsey - Without Me
5. The Chainsmokers/Emily Warren - Side Effects
4. The Struts/Kesha - Body Talks
3. Maroon 5/Cardi B - Girls Like You
2. Post Malone & Swae Lee - Sunflower
1. Ariana Grande - Breathin

Score: 80% (B-) 


Best Countdown Song This Week Last Year: Taylor Swift - ...Ready For It?


My Bottom 5 Countdown Picks
1. Dan + Shay - Tequila
2. Zedd, Maren Morris, & Grey - The Middle
3. Anne-Marie - 2002
4. Imagine Dragons - Whatever It Takes
5. Charlie Puth - The Way I Am

My Bottom 5 Countdown Picks
1. Camila Cabello - Consequences
2. Ariana Grande - Breathin
3. Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next
4. Post Malone & Swae Lee - Beautiful
5. Maroon 5/Cardi B - Girls Like You

Have a great week! Thanks for reading!

~ Jack :)