Week of January 22, 2022 - Ed Sheeran (14)

Hi, all! I'm sorry this is so late, but it's been a pretty busy week. Anyways, aside from the obvious issue with this week, it was a pretty decent week overall. I won't waste any more of your time, here's our lone exit.

Song We're Saying Goodbye To

Who's In Your Head - Jonas Brothers (#29) [#4] {17 weeks}

Last Week's #1: Shivers - Ed Sheeran (13)

#30: Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish (-6) [#18] {19 weeks}

#29: STAY - The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber (-2) [6 weeks at #1] {28 weeks}

#28: I AM WOMAN - Emmy Meli (+2) [#25] {5 weeks}

#27: U Gurl - Walker Hayes (-5) [#20] {9 weeks}

#26: Do It To It - ACRAZE/Cherish (-1) [#23] {7 weeks}

#25: Fingers Crossed - Lauren Spencer-Smith (DEBUT) [1 week in Hit-Bound] {1 week}

#24: Wandered To LA - Juice WRLD/Justin Bieber (-5) [#19] {6 weeks}

#23: WYD Now? - Sadie Jean (+3) [#23] {2 weeks} *new peak*

#22: Woman - Doja Cat (+1) [#22] {2 weeks} *new peak*

#21: Meet Me At Our Spot - THE ANXIETY (-1) [#14] {15 weeks}

#20: I Hate U - SZA (+8) [#20] {2 weeks} *new peak*

#19: Smokin Out The Window - Silk Sonic (-2) [#14] {11 weeks}

#18: Need to Know - Doja Cat (-2) [#8] {21 weeks}

#17: For Tonight - Giveon (+4) [#17] {15 weeks} *new peak*

#16: I Feel Good - Pitbull/Anthony Watts/DJ White Shadow (-2) [#13] {7 weeks}

#15: GHOST TOWN - Benson Boone (+3) [#15] {7 weeks}

#14: One Right Now - Post Malone/The Weeknd (-2) [#10] {11 weeks}

#13: Bite Me - Avril Lavigne (-2) [#10] {9 weeks}

#12: feel like s**t - Tate McRae (+3) [#12] {7 weeks}

#11: Moth To A Flame - Swedish House Mafia/The Weeknd (-1) [#9] {12 weeks}

#10: Easy On Me - Adele (-5) [#2] {14 weeks}

#9: abcdefu - GAYLE (-) [#8] {7 weeks}

#8: Message In A Bottle (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift (-) [#7] {9 weeks}

#7: Oh My God - Adele (+6) [#7] {7 weeks} *new peak*

#6: Overpass Graffiti - Ed Sheeran (-) [#6] {10 weeks}

#5: Cold Heart (Remix) - Elton John/Dua Lipa/PNAU (-2) [#2] {18 weeks}

#4: Ghost - Justin Bieber (-) [#4] {17 weeks}

#3: Better Days - NEIKED/Mae Muller/Polo G (+4) [#3] {13 weeks} *new peak*

#2: THATS WHAT I WANT - Lil Nas X (-) [#2] {17 weeks}

#1: Shivers - Ed Sheeran (-) [14th week at #1] {17 weeks}

Last Year's #1: Monsters - All Time Low/Demi Lovato/blackbear [4/4 weeks at #1]

Countdown Extra: Love It When You Hate Me - Avril Lavigne/blackbear

Our one and only debut this week is Fingers Crossed by Lauren Spencer-Smith. I already talked about this last week, so I won't go into too much detail here, but I think this song is great. Lauren sounds amazing throughout the song, the production evolves really nicely, and the writing's great. It's like a less-good-but-still-great version of drivers license by Olivia Rodrigo.

Biggest Drop: Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish (-6): Yeah, that kinda sucks, but it's been here for a while, so I don't care that much. I'd be okay if this left next week.

Biggest Jump: I Hate U - SZA (+8): Ok. Cool. Idk, I don't really care much about this song.

Countdown Ranking

-5 - Possibly the Worst Song I've Ever Heard:

#30: U Gurl - Walker Hayes

0 - Awful:

#29: Do It To It - ACRAZE/Cherish

#28: Need to Know - Doja Cat

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

1 - Bad:

NONE!

2 - Mediocre:

#26: Smokin Out The Window - Silk Sonic

#25: Woman - Doja Cat

3 - Decent:

#24: I Hate U - SZA

#23: I AM WOMAN - Emmy Meli

#22: WYD Now? - Sadie Jean

#21: Oh My God - Adele

#20: Overpass Graffiti - Ed Sheeran

4 - Good:

#19: GHOST TOWN - Benson Boone

#18: One Right Now - Post Malone/The Weeknd

#17: Easy On Me - Adele

#16: I Feel Good - Pitbull/Anthony Watts/DJ White Shadow

5 - Great:

#15: feel like s**t - Tate McRae

#14: Wandered To LA - Juice WRLD/Justin Bieber

#13: Better Days - NEIKED/Mae Muller/Polo G

#12: Meet Me At Our Spot - THE ANXIETY

#11: Bite Me - Avril Lavigne

#10: Fingers Crossed - Lauren Spencer-Smith

#9: Shivers - Ed Sheeran

#8: For Tonight - Giveon

#7: Message In A Bottle (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift

#6: Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

#5: Ghost - Justin Bieber

#4: THATS WHAT I WANT - Lil Nas X

#3: STAY - The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber

#2: Moth To A Flame - Swedish House Mafia/The Weeknd

#1: abcdefu - GAYLE

Overall Score: 105/150 = 70%

5 Oldest Songs

#5: Ghost - Justin Bieber, THATS WHAT I WANT - Lil Nas X & Shivers - Ed Sheeran {17 weeks}
#4: Cold Heart (Remix) - Elton John/Dua Lipa/PNAU {18 weeks}
#3: Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish {19 weeks}

#2: Need to Know - Doja Cat {21 weeks}
#1: STAY - The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber {28 weeks}

#1 Recommendation for Hits 1: London Is Lonely - Holly Humberstone

My Top 10 Songs Last Year

#10: Go Crazy - Chris Brown/Young Thug (#29)

#9: Anyone - Justin Bieber (#28)

#8: my ex's best friend - Machine Gun Kelly/blackbear (#8)
#7: Bang! - AJR (#23)
#6: Levitating - Dua Lipa/DaBaby (#4)
#5: HOLIDAY - Lil Nas X (#13)
#4: Monster - Shawn Mendes/Justin Bieber (#25)
#3: positions - Ariana Grande (#2)
#2: Monsters - All Time Low/Demi Lovato/blackbear (#1)
#1: Lasting Lover - Sigala/James Arthur (#26)

Most Missed Countdown Song: Call You Mine - The Chainsmokers/Bebe Rexha

Hit-Bound

Billie Bossa Nova - Billie Eilish [1]

Peru - Fireboy DML/Ed Sheeran [3]

Jigsaw - Conan Gray [1]

Light Switch - Charlie Puth [1]

LAst dAy oN EaRTh - Tai Verdes [2]

don't miss me - Claire Rosinkranz [1]

The Weekend - BIBI [14]

Love It When You Hate Me - Avril Lavigne/blackbear [2]

To All The Boys I've Loved Before - Jax [1]

I Love You So - The Walters [2]

ur just horny - GAYLE [1]

It'll Be Okay - Shawn Mendes [4; 2nd time]

Infinity - Jaymes Young [2]

Abyss

Big Energy - Latto

love nwantiti (ah ah ah) - CKay

Have Mercy - Chlöe

Life Goes On - Oliver Tree

Sacrifice - The Weeknd

SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY (Remix) - Amaarae/Kali Uchis/Moliy

So our first Hit-Bound debut is yet another Billie Eilish non-single. 'Cause, y'know... apparently Hits 1 didn't like the fact that Male Fantasy didn't become a single, so they're trying again with Billie Bossa Nova. I'm gonna be honest here; I don't hate this one. Even though the track sounds like it came from a preset in a keyboard from the 80s, Billie actually sounds pretty good here, at least much better than she has in the past. She's less whisper-singing than usual, which is nice. All that being said, though, it's still not interesting enough to make me like it. I guess I'd be okay if it decided to debut, though, at least for a little bit.

Well, Conan Gray returns this week with yet another single, this one being called Jigsaw. This song's... very strange. It almost sounds like he did a cover of Happier Than Ever. Except, Conan's voice doesn't fit as well with the alt-rock production as Billie's did. That being said, I still do like the production, but it just sounds so out of place. We'll see if this can manage to grow on me, but I doubt it.

Well, here's the big one. The return of Charlie Puth, with his brand new single, Light Switch. Wow, this song is super catchy. Literally every part of it, not even just the chorus. Naturally, Charlie Puth sounds good here, because he almost always does, and his voice definitely fits with the song. The one thing that I really want to highlight here, though, is the production. It's literally genius. I know this will sound kinda underwhelming, but every time (with the exception of once) after he says, "light switch", the sound of an actual light switch happens. Pair that with a super groovy bassline, and a tempo that literally stretches right before snapping back when the chorus hits, and you've got a song that works extremely well. Good job, Charlie. This is an amazing song.

Next is more Claire Rosinkranz, which I don't mind. Frankenstein actually grew on me a bit since it dropped out a while ago. Anyways, this is her new song, don't miss me, and it's pretty good. As per usual, there are parts of it that are pretty weird, but overall, the song works pretty well. The chorus is kinda catchy, Claire sounds great throughout, and the production stays relatively sane, which is nice. I'd be alright if this was a hit.

Next up is One to Watch alum Jax scoring her second song on Hits 1 with her new one, To All The Boys I've Loved Before (influence much?). Yeah, I think this is better than 90s Kids. The chorus is extremely fun and catchy, the verses are nice and chill, and the lyrics are super sweet. Yeah, I don't have much else to say about this song. It's a bop.

It's pretty hard to score a follow-up hit to a big, viral hit, but, GAYLE's already ready for the challenge with this new song, ur just horny. This song's slightly less gimmicky than abcdefu, which is nice. GAYLE sticks to the pop-punk production, which would be good, except that I feel like the guitars are a little too loud. That's pretty much my only criticism, though. GAYLE sounds great in the song, the chorus is super catchy, and the lyrics are pretty to the point, which I enjoy. Overall, I wouldn't mind this becoming a hit, but I don't think it's going to be.

It'll Be Okay has found its way back to Hit-Bound, too, which I guess is good, even though I don't think it's gonna re-enter.

As for dropouts, we lost *sighs* After You, Sacrifice, Record Player, Enemy, Circles Around This Town and Big Energy. The only ones that are actually gone (Record Player and Enemy were on the most recent survey, so they're not gone even if they're not getting spins yet. Editor's note: Now they've started getting spins) are After You and Circles Around This Town. I don't really care about either of them, so this is fine.

edamame and The Outside also aren't in the Abyss anymore, which kinda sucks, because I wanted them both to re-enter, especially The Outside.

Best Hit-Bound Debut: Light Switch - Charlie Puth

Hit-Bound/Abyss Ranking

0 - Awful:

#19: I Love You So - The Walters

#18: SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY (Remix) - Amaarae/Kali Uchis/Moliy

1 - Bad:

#17: Life Goes On - Oliver Tree

2 - Mediocre:

#16: Billie Bossa Nova - Billie Eilish

#15: Jigsaw - Conan Gray

#14: LAst dAy oN EaRTh - Tai Verdes

3 - Decent:

#13: love nwantiti (ah ah ah) - CKay

#12: Peru - Fireboy DML/Ed Sheeran

4 - Good:

#11: Infinity - Jaymes Young

#10: don't miss me - Claire Rosinkranz

5 - Great:

#9: Have Mercy - Chlöe

#8: Sacrifice - The Weeknd

#7: ur just horny - GAYLE

#6: Big Energy - Latto

#5: The Weekend - BIBI

#4: Love It When You Hate Me - Avril Lavigne/blackbear

#3: To All The Boys I've Loved Before - Jax

#2: It'll Be Okay - Shawn Mendes

#1: Light Switch - Charlie Puth

Overall Score: 66/95 = 69%

Well, You Must've Had Your Fingers Blurb-ed

Our only exit this week was Who's In Your Head, which I'm totally fine with. It was a good song, but pretty forgettable.

And, well, yeah, I don't think I should delay this any longer. Shivers has officially broken Sucker's record for the most weeks at #1 on the Weekend Countdown. It really doesn't deserve that. I mean, yeah, it's a good song, a great one even, but it's not even close to that good. Luckily, at the time of me writing this, it seems to be falling in airplay a bit, so we might see THATS WHAT I WANT or Better Days hit #1 next week.

U Gurl fell hard this week, which is awesome. Now if we could just get this song out of here, that we be lovely, thanks.

Wandered To LA also dropped, which kinda sucks, because I liked the fact that it jumped last week.

Looks like Easy On Me's run is officially on the decline. While it doesn't make a whole lot of sense that it never hit #1, I'm okay with that.

Replacing it, though, we have Oh My God jumping all the way up to #7. Meh. I think I'd rather not have this in the top 5, because there are better songs (like Message In A Bottle) that could take that spot.

Well, we've got a brand new song in the top 5 for the first time in a while, and it's Better Days! I honestly think that this has a shot to hit #1, which would make it the first One to Watch song to hit #1, and I'd be totally fine that. Y'know... as long as THATS WHAT I WANT scores at least two weeks before then.

How Hits 1 Songs Are Doing on the Hot 100

#1: Easy On Me - Adele

#2: STAY - The Kid LAROI/Justin Bieber

#3: Heat Waves - Glass Animals

#5: Shivers - Ed Sheeran

#8: Need to Know - Doja Cat

#9: abcdefu - GAYLE

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

#11: Sacrifice - The Weeknd

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

#13: Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran

#15: Smokin Out The Window - Silk Sonic

#17: Ghost - Justin Bieber

#18: Levitating - Dua Lipa

#19: Fingers Crossed - Lauren Spencer-Smith

#20: good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo

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

#22: Take My Breath - The Weeknd

#24: THATS WHAT I WANT - Lil Nas X

#26: Oh My God - Adele

#27: Fancy Like - Walker Hayes

#30: One Right Now - Post Malone/The Weeknd

#33: Better Days - NEIKED/Mae Muller/Polo G

#34: I Hate U - SZA

#35: Kiss Me More - Doja Cat/SZA

#36: Essence - WizKid/Justin Bieber/Tems

#37: Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish

#40: You Right - Doja Cat/The Weeknd

#41: love nwantiti (ah ah ah) - CKay

#49: Meet Me At Our Spot - THE ANXIETY

#54: Big Energy - Latto

#58: Way 2 Sexy - Drake/Future/Young Thug

#63: Circles Around This Town - Maren Morris

#67: Enemy - Imagine Dragons/JID

#69: Girls Want Girls - Drake/Lil Baby

#73: Woman - Doja Cat

#81: Have Mercy - Chlöe

#84: For Tonight - Giveon

#88: Message In A Bottle (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift

#90: Do It To It - ACRAZE/Cherish

#94: My Universe - Coldplay/BTS

#97: I AM WOMAN - Emmy Meli

Hunger Games Countdown Top 10

#10: Dinero - Trinidad Cardona

#9: Permission to Dance - BTS

#8: I AM WOMAN - Emmy Meli

#7: Skate - Silk Sonic

#6: SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY (Remix) - Amaarae/Kali Uchis/Moliy

#5: Male Fantasy - Billie Eilish

#4: Peru - Fireboy DML/Ed Sheeran

#3: More Than Friends - 24kGoldn

#2: It's You, Not Me (Sabotage) - Masked Wolf/Bebe Rexha

#1: Big Energy - Latto

If the Countdown Made Sense Top 10

#10: Oh My God - Adele

#9: One Right Now - Post Malone/The Weeknd

#8: abcdefu - GAYLE

#7: Better Days - NEIKED/Mae Muller/Polo G

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

#5: Ghost - Justin Bieber

#4: THATS WHAT I WANT - Lil Nas X

#3: Need to Know - Doja Cat

#2: Shivers - Ed Sheeran

#1: Easy On Me - Adele

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