Week of September 4, 2021 - Ed Sheeran (5)

Hey, guys! Not much to say about this week's Countdown, but I would like to mention that I have a new tab up top called "Ultimate Rank (Past 52 Weeks)" which is a running list of the Ultimate Rank for the past year to the date. I'd highly recommend you check it out, and maybe take a look at what the #1 for the past year is... it might surprise you. Here are our exits for this week.

Songs We're Saying Goodbye To

Wild Side - Normani/Cardi B (#28) [#28] {2 weeks}

Essence - WizKid/Justin Bieber/Tems (#26) [#26] {2 weeks}

deja vu - Olivia Rodrigo (#13) [1 week at #1] {20 weeks}

Last Week's #1: Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran (4)

#30: I am not a woman, I'm a god - Halsey (DEBUT) [1 week in Hit-Bound] {1 week}

#29: Love Tonight - Shouse (+1) [#29] {2 weeks} *new peak*

#28: Need To Know - Doja Cat (DEBUT) [2 weeks in Hit-Bound] {1 week}

#27: Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish (-2) [#25] {3 weeks}

#26: Rumors - Lizzo/Cardi B (-6) [#20] {3 weeks}

#25: Summer of Love - Shawn Mendes/Tainy (+4) [#25] {2 weeks} *new peak*

#24: New Normal (Remix) - Khalid/DallasK (-) [#24] {3 weeks}

#23: everything sucks - vaultboy (+4) [#23] {3 weeks} *new peak*

#22: @ my worst - blackbear (-) [#22] {2 weeks}

#21: traitor - Olivia Rodrigo (DEBUT) [2 weeks in Hit-Bound] {1 week}

#20: Skate - Silk Sonic (-8) [#12] {5 weeks}

#19: Fancy Like - Walker Hayes (-) [#18] {4 weeks}

#18: INDUSTRY BABY - Lil Nas X/Jack Harlow (-2) [#11] {5 weeks}

#17: People Watching - Conan Gray (+4) [#17] {6 weeks} *new peak*

#16: Memory - Kane Brown/blackbear (+1) [#15] {7 weeks}

#15: Beggin' - Måneskin (+8) [#15] {4 weeks} *new peak*

#14: Don't Go Yet - Camila Cabello (-4) [#10] {6 weeks}

#13: 90s Kids - Jax (+2) [#12] {16 weeks}

#12: Take My Breath - The Weeknd (+6) [#12] {4 weeks} *new peak*

#11: Arcade - Duncan Laurence (-) [#10] {9 weeks}

#10: You Right - Doja Cat/The Weeknd (+4) [#10] {10 weeks} *new peak*

#9: good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo (-2) [9 weeks at #1] {15 weeks}

#8: A-O-K - Tai Verdes (-) [#8] {13 weeks}

#7: Our Song - Anne-Marie/Niall Horan (-2) [#3] {14 weeks}

#6: You - Regard/Troye Sivan/Tate McRae (-) [#4] {20 weeks}

#5: Saturday - Twenty One Pilots (+4) [#5] {7 weeks} *new peak*

#4: Love Again - Dua Lipa (-1) [#3] {7 weeks}

#3: Leave Before You Love Me - Marshmello/Jonas Brothers (-1) [#2] {15 weeks}

#2: STAY - The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber (+2) [#2] {8 weeks} *new peak*

#1: Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran (-) [5th week at #1] {10 weeks}

Last Year's #1: Moral of the Story - Ashe/Niall Horan [3/6 weeks at #1]

Countdown Extra: I GUESS I'M IN LOVE - Clinton Kane

Our first debut this week just so happens to have debuted Hit-Bound last week (and is pulling a Sunday Best this week). It's I am not a woman, I'm a god by Halsey. Yeah, this is a good song. My opinion on it hasn't really changed too much from last week: I still find the production pretty cool and Halsey sounds good here. It's definitely not my favourite Halsey song, and I don't see it doing ridiculously well here (but Nightmare did, so who knows), but overall, I don't mind that it's here for the time being.

So, despite only being played twice throughout the week, Need To Know by Doja Cat debuts the Countdown at #28 this week after dropping out of Hit-Bound (again) last week. I've never been a huge fan of Doja Cat. I enjoyed Like That a fair bit, and Kiss Me More was alright until it got annoying, but that's about the only songs from her that I found myself enjoying. This song is no different. I definitely would've preferred if it stayed a promotional single and just faded into irrelevance, because this song does nothing for me. It's kind of boring, Doja doesn't sound great, and the chorus is kind of annoying. For now, this is just mediocre, but I can see it slipping into bad sooner rather than later.

Olivia Rodrigo scores her fourth song on the Weekend Countdown this week with her fourth single, traitor debuting all the way up at #21. This song dropped out of Hit-Bound a couple of weeks ago, and has been floating around, as Waffle called it, in the abyss (not on the Countdown or Hit-Bound, but being played on the station) for a bit. I'm glad that this song managed to make it here, because it's quite a great song. The writing's great (even if four songs about the same story is starting to be a bit much) and Olivia sounds amazing throughout the song. Easily the best part of this song, though, is how the production evolves layer by layer as the song progresses. It's almost masterful how it evolves and is so interesting to listen to. I'd love to see this hit #1 here, and I have no doubts that it will.

Oh! Also, there's a DallasK remix of New Normal on Hits 1 now. It just makes the song more upbeat and adds more to the production, which makes it better. Funnily enough though, I can't find this remix anywhere other than Hits 1.

Best Debut: traitor - Olivia Rodrigo

Biggest Drop: Skate - Silk Sonic (-8): Oh. Hunh. I really hope this gets a rebound, because it's a pretty good song, and I'd like for it to be a hit here.

Biggest Jump: Beggin' - Måneskin (+8): Ayy, nice to see this getting a good boost. It's been growing on me a lot lately. I'd love to see this become a hit sometime in the future.

Countdown Ranking

0 - Awful:

#30: Fancy Like - Walker Hayes

#29: Love Tonight - Shouse

1 - Bad:

#28: A-O-K - Tai Verdes

2 - Mediocre:

#27: Need To Know - Doja Cat

#26: You - Regard/Troye Sivan/Tate McRae

#25: Summer of Love - Shawn Mendes/Tainy

3 - Decent:

#24: You Right - Doja Cat/The Weeknd

#23: Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

#22: People Watching - Conan Gray

#21: Leave Before You Love Me - Marshmello/Jonas Brothers

4 - Good:

#20: 90s Kids - Jax

#19: everything sucks - vaultboy

#18: I am not a woman, I'm a god - Halsey

#17: Don't Go Yet - Camila Cabello

#16: Arcade - Duncan Laurence

#15: Beggin' - Måneskin

#14: Memory - Kane Brown/blackbear

5 - Great:

#13: Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran

#12: Our Song - Anne-Marie/Niall Horan

#11: Skate - Silk Sonic

#10: INDUSTRY BABY - Lil Nas X/Jack Harlow

#9: New Normal (Remix) - Khalid/DallasK

#8: traitor - Olivia Rodrigo

#7: good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo

#6: Take My Breath - The Weeknd

#5: @ my worst - blackbear

#4: Rumors - Lizzo/Cardi B

#3: STAY - The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber

#2: Love Again - Dua Lipa

#1: Saturday - Twenty One Pilots

Overall Score: 112/150 = 75%

5 Oldest Songs

#5: A-O-K - Tai Verdes {13 weeks}
#4: Our Song - Anne-Marie/Niall Horan {14 weeks}
#3: good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo & Leave Before You Love Me - Marshmello/Jonas Brothers {15 weeks}
#2: 90s Kids - Jax {16 weeks}
#1: You - Regard/Troye Sivan/Tate McRae {20 weeks}

#1 Recommendation for Hits 1: #1 - Imagine Dragons

My Favourite Song Last Year: Bang! - AJR

My Least Favourite Song Last Year: Moral of the Story - Ashe/Niall Horan

Most Missed Countdown Song: One Last Time - Ariana Grande

Hit-Bound

Essence - WizKid/Justin Bieber/Tems [1; 2nd time]

Change My Clothes - Dream/Alec Benjamin [3]

Cold Heart (Remix) - Elton John/Dua Lipa/PNAU [4]

Sheesh! - Surfaces/Tai Verdes [1]

Another Song About Tequila - Tequila Mockingbrd [1]

Girls Want Girls - Drake/Lil Baby [1]

Ghost - Justin Bieber [2]

Hurricane - Kanye West [1]

t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l - WILLOW/Travis Barker [10]

Drive You Home - Jackson Wang/Internet Money [3]

I GUESS I'M IN LOVE - Clinton Kane [3]

seaside_demo - SEB [8]

justified - Kacey Musgraves [1]

Sweet Dream - Alessia Cara [6]

Essence left the Countdown and re-entered Hit-Bound this week. Can't say I'm surprised, and I don't really expect it to re-enter the Countdown.

So, Surfaces and Tai Verdes collaborated this week on a song called Sheesh! this week. It makes sense why both artists would collaborate, as they both have similar styles, but I'm not really loving this song. For one thing, I really hate the "sheesh!" meme, and the way they add it into the chorus with that note being way higher than every other is really annoying. I'll give Tai some credit here, his verse is pretty great, but the guy from Surfaces doesn't sound great, and I find the song as a whole pretty annoying. I hope this isn't a hit.

Next up is a song by some group called Tequila Mockingbrd (who only have two songs, by the way) with their song Another Song About Tequila. I really feel like I shouldn't like this song, but it's just so stupid, that I can't help but enjoy the song. The writing is really dumb, the sample is a little too obnoxious and the production in the pre-chorus is a little too quiet, but I still can't help but enjoy it. I don't see this being a hit at all, but Hits 1 likes to surprise me, so who knows?

So there were two really huge album drops this week, Certified Lover Boy by Drake and Donda by Kanye West. Interestingly enough, Hits 1 picked up on a song from each album, and both feature Lil Baby. Anyways, this first song is Girls Want Girls by Drake and Lil Baby. Yeah, I don't love this song. The production's kind of boring, but Drake and Lil Baby both sound alright here. I just feel like Drake's really mastered the minimalist production in the past with Hold On, We're Going Home and One Dance, and he just really doesn't execute it too well here. Also, there's confusing and kind of homophobic lyrics in the chorus. I'd rather not have this become a hit.

Next up is the lead single from Kanye's new album, Donda. This song's called called Hurricane and it features the uncredited but very present The Weeknd and Lil Baby. Actually, Kanye doesn't even come in until halfway through the song. Anyways, I actually find myself really enjoying this song. The Weeknd's intro is awesome, and really grand in some parts. As for Lil Baby, he actually sounds pretty great here, and leagues better than he does in some of his other songs. Kanye's probably my least artist here. His part is fine, except I just don't really like his "mm-mm-mm-mm-mm" part in his verse. Overall though, this is a very solid song, and I'd love to see it become a hit here.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like this next song. I really don't like Kacey Musgraves' voice, but in her new song, justified, for whatever reason, it just doesn't bother me at all. This is definitely a more pop-geared song, which is nice, as we don't need another Fancy Like on here. I really love the production here, and the chorus is actually quite catchy. I'd honestly love to see this become a hit, although I doubt it will.

Sweet Dream re-entered Hit-Bound this week after spending some time in the abyss. I've grown to really like this song, and I'd love to see it debut soon.

We lost five Hit-Bound songs this week, HIT IT, Reckless, Visiting Hours, Lilith and Say So. I don't like HIT IT, so I'm glad it's gone, even if it's still being played on the station. Reckless was never that good, so I don't care that it's gone. I'm pretty sure Visiting Hours was just a promotional single, so I don't mind too much. Lilith I knew for a fact wasn't a single, so I don't care at all that it's gone, and Say So was great, so I'm kind of sad that it's gone.

Best Hit-Bound Debut: justified - Kacey Musgraves

Hit-Bound Ranking

0 - Awful:

#14: Cold Heart (Remix) - Elton John/Dua Lipa/PNAU

1 - Bad:

#13: t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l - WILLOW/Travis Barker

2 - Mediocre:

#12: Sheesh! - Surfaces/Tai Verdes

#11: Girls Want Girls - Drake/Lil Baby

3 - Decent:

#10: Another Song About Tequila - Tequila Mockingbrd

#9: Drive You Home - Jackson Wang/Internet Money

#8: Change My Clothes - Dream/Alec Benjamin

#7: seaside_demo - SEB

4 - Good:

#6: Essence - WizKid/Justin Bieber/Tems

5 - Great:

#5: Hurricane - Kanye West

#4: justified - Kacey Musgraves

#3: Sweet Dream - Alessia Cara

#2: I GUESS I'M IN LOVE - Clinton Kane

#1: Ghost - Justin Bieber

Overall Score: 46/70 = 66%

I Am Not a Woman, I'm a Blurb

We lost two songs other than Essence this week, Wild Side and deja vu. Wild Side was extremely forgettable, so I don't care at all that it's gone. As for deja vu, it had an amazing run, so I'm not sad that it's gone even though it grew on me.

Why is Love Tonight still here? Honestly, one week would've been enough.

Woah, why did Rumors drop so much? It's an amazing song, and it's been top three in airplay all week. I hope it rebounds next week.

People Watching got a good boost, which kind of confuses me, because it's not really a hit. I guess I'm alright with it, though.

Tell me again, how is 90s Kids still here?

Take My Breath got a huge boost up to #12, which is awesome, because I'm starting to really like the song.

You Right's in the top 10, which is something I could do without.

Leave Before You Love Me has really started to fade on me, and I'd be fine if it started dropping soon.

Saturday, Love Again and STAY have all grown on me a ton these past few weeks, so expect them to be super high on my year-end chart. Anyways, I'm very happy that Saturday is in the top 5 now, and I hope it can stick around for a while. Love Again's just amazing, so I hope it stays in the top 5 for a bit. As for STAY, it's all the way up to #2 now, and I really hope that it hits #1, because I'm starting to get a little tired of Bad Habits.

How Hits 1 Songs Are Doing on the Hot 100

#1: STAY - The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber

#2: Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran

#3: good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo

#4: Kiss Me More - Doja Cat/SZA

#5: INDUSTRY BABY - Lil Nas X/Jack Harlow

#6: Levitating - Dua Lipa

#7: Butter - BTS

#8: deja vu - Olivia Rodrigo

#9: MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) - Lil Nas X

#10: Save Your Tears (Remix) - The Weeknd/Ariana Grande

#11: Fancy Like - Walker Hayes

#12: You Right - Doja Cat/The Weeknd

#13: Essence - WizKid/Justin Bieber/Tems

#14: Need To Know - Doja Cat

#15: Leave The Door Open - Silk Sonic

#16: Take My Breath - The Weeknd

#17: Rumors - Lizzo/Cardi B

#18: Peaches - Justin Bieber/Daniel Caesar/Giveon

#19: Heartbreak Anniversary - Giveon

#20: Blinding Lights - The Weeknd

#21: Leave Before You Love Me - Marshmello/Jonas Brothers

#22: Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

#27: Thot S*** - Megan Thee Stallion

#28: traitor - Olivia Rodrigo

#29: Beggin' - Måneskin

#30: Arcade - Duncan Laurence

#31: Late At Night - Roddy Ricch

#33: Heat Waves - Glass Animals

#37: WITHOUT YOU - The Kid LAROI

#38: Skate - Silk Sonic

#39: Astronaut In The Ocean - Masked Wolf

#40: RAPSTAR - Polo G

#46: Lil Bit - Nelly/Florida Georgia Line

#47: Beautiful Mistakes - Maroon 5/Megan Thee Stallion

#48: Summer of Love - Shawn Mendes/Tainy

#52: A-O-K - Tai Verdes

#54: Love Again - Dua Lipa

#59: Wild Side - Normani/Cardi B

#64: Motley Crew - Post Malone

#66: Memory - Kane Brown/blackbear

#71: Don't Go Yet - Camila Cabello

#75: Visiting Hours - Ed Sheeran

#82: You - Regard/Troye Sivan/Tate McRae

#90: I GUESS I'M IN LOVE - Clinton Kane

#97: Permission to Dance - BTS

Top 10 on the Hunger Games Countdown

#10: i hope ur miserable until ur dead - Nessa Barrett

#9: jump - Against The Current

#8: I Like That - Bazzi

#7: In The Morning - Jennifer Lopez

#6: til the end of time - almost monday

#5: positions - Ariana Grande

#4: Reckless - Madison Beer

#3: Sucks Being Sober - Annika Wells

#2: Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

#1: F***BOY - Dixie

Top 10 If the Countdown Made Sense

#10: Don't Go Yet - Camila Cabello

#9: INDUSTRY BABY - Lil Nas X/Jack Harlow

#8: Love Again - Dua Lipa

#7: Leave Before You Love Me - Marshmello/Jonas Brothers

#6: Take My Breath - The Weeknd

#5: You Right - Doja Cat/The Weeknd

#4: Arcade - Duncan Laurence

#3: Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran

#2: good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo

#1: STAY - The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber

Kwaheri, everybody! See you all in the next one.