Everything’s Coming Up “Roses”: Flower Power In The Top Ten

Florists with a chorus.

The smell of sweet success on the pop radio survey smells a lot like “Roses”, and that is also the name of the current single by a DJ duo who call themselves The Chainsmokers and a singer who goes by ROZES. Currently in the top ten on the building chart, a pretty big achievement in itself, the single recently surpassed the peak of the duo’s “#Selfie”, a defining novelty hit from 2014. So, if you haven’t done so already, feel free to take them off the “one-hit wonder” list, but don’t rule out a “two-hit wonder” yet. We’ll see just how high the song goes in the new year. Of course, this isn’t the first “Rose” title to go this far at the CHR/Pop format.

Now, many “Rose” song titles pre-date the beginning of the Radio & Records airplay chart from the fall of 1973. In 1942 alone, six “rose” titles hit the top ten on Billboard’s sales chart, and another four ranked there in 1949. Needless to say, we can’t cover every single one, or you’d be reading this post for a while. In just the 15 or so years before R&R existed, we had these:

“Paper Roses”, Anita Bryant (#5, 1960)
“San Antonio Rose”, Floyd Cramer (#8, 1961)
“Roses Are Red (My Love)”, Bobby Vinton (#1, 1962)
“Ramblin’ Rose”, Nat “King” Cole (#2, 1962)
“Sally, Go ‘Round The Roses”, The Jaynetts (#2, 1963)
“18 Yellow Roses”, Bobby Darin (#10, 1963)
“Red Roses For A Blue Lady”, Vic Dana (#10, 1965)
“(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden”, Lynn Anderson (#3, 1971)
“Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose?”, Tony Orlando and Dawn (#3, 1973)
“Stop And Smell The Roses”, Mac Davis (#9, 1974)** (reached #15 on R&R)

There’s definitely a few classics in there. As far as the CHR/Pop radio archives are concerned, here are the tracks that “Roses” is a step away (#11 rolling chart, to date) from joining in the bouquet of beats of the R&R/Mediabase 24/7 era:

“Paper Roses”, Marie Osmond (#5, 1973)
Osmond’s remake of Bryant’s 1960 hit became her biggest solo entry on the pop survey, reaching #5. However, she did hit the top of the country survey three times in 1985 and 1986, two of those being duets. Her newest effort is due to be released on March 25.

“The Rose”, Bette Midler (#1 for one week, 1980)
Midler’s song missed the top of the Hot 100, but it did reach the summit of the pop radio chart, making it one of five songs from a film to make it to #1 in 1980. Midler would return to the top ten in 1989 with “Wind Beneath My Wings” from the movie Beaches.

“Every Rose Has Its Thorn”, Poison (#1 for two weeks, 1988)
Released as the third single from Open Up and Say… Ahh!, this ballad became hugely successful after the modest run of their last single, “Fallen Angel”. They last hit the pop radio list in 1993 with “Stand”. Leader Bret Michaels continues to perform solo today.

“Bed Of Roses”, Bon Jovi (#4, 1993)
After the title track from Keep The Faith barely missed the top ten in late 1992, this powerful ballad quickly found itself there and in the top five by late February. It’s also one of their longest singles to date; its radio edit runs about four minutes and 45 seconds.

“Kiss From A Rose”, Seal (#1 for eight weeks, 1995)
What a career single this was, a song that didn’t perform well overseas when it was initially released the year prior. Then, Batman Forever helped it fly to the top of the charts around the globe. The British performer’s latest album, 7, came out a few weeks ago.

“Roses”, Outkast (#5, 2004)
Though it landed a few spots away from the #1 heights of “Hey Ya!” and “The Way You Move”, the third release to be issued from Speakerboxxx/The Love Below still did some damage on several radio formats. It remains their last single to chart here as a duo.

For more potted plants and the pop universe, follow the blog below and check out the “Get Social!” page to find PGTC on Twitter, Facebook and more.

16 FOR ’16: New Year, New Acts

Some of the sweet sixteen for ’16.

After all the endless social media posts about our Spotify mixes and SoundCloud favorites, you’re probably wondering about the top acts in the bunch out of the hundreds of under the radar musicians that we’ve been going through all year. Well, here it is. All year long, we’ve been jamming to the killer tracks released by these great soloists and bands. They have the stats and the support on their side, and it looks like it’ll be a good 2016 for all them. (At least, we’re hoping that it will be.) Here’s the 16 For ’16, a small list of acts we think are due for even bigger success and breakout moments next year:

(Listen to our 16 For ’16 Playlist on Spotify)

A R I Z O N A
Current Location: New Jersey
Most Recent Release: “Where I Wanna Be” (October) (BUY – single)

Recently signed at Atlantic Records, this band named after the Grand Canyon State, but currently based in the Garden State, saw their audience grow off of four ripe single releases. Both their original versions and remixes received love from the blogosphere.

Cape Cub
Current Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Most Recent Release: “Keep Me In Mind” (October) (BUY – single)

Singer Chad Male released two stellar singles this year, “Swim” and the aforementioned “Keep”, both of which hit the blog world and achieved success. The latter tune was featured on Apple Music and BBC Radio 6. Will this Cub become a lion king? I hope so.

CAPPA
Current Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Most Recent Release: “Goddess” (December) (BUY – single)

Nashville’s Carla Cappa has had some huge support from Spotify’s weekly new releases playlist this year, which jump-started her “No Scrubs” interpolation to over 1.8 million streams, her most successful song in 2015. The pop goodness is bound to continue.

Dagny
Current Location: Tromsø, Norway
Most Recent Release: “Backbeat” (September) (BUY – single)

She calls herself a “songbird from the north of Norway”, and just like her location, her stats are also headed north. Recently, her outstanding track exceeded 1.6 million streams on Spotify and grabbed some major support from Beats 1 around its launch time.

FLETCHER
Current Location: New York City, New York
Most Recent Release: “Live Young Die Free” (November) (BUY – “War Paint”)

When your track has 21 million Spotify streams, 7 of which belong to a remix, you know you have a hit on your hands. This is not some “Paint”-by-numbers pop, people. It is a real story. With no label or radio, this independent campaign was a refreshing one.

FRENSHIP
Current Location: Los Angeles, California
Most Recent Release: “Knives” [with Matoma] (November) (BUY – single)

This duo returned in 2015 with a series of well-received remixes, an original single titled “Nowhere” and their collaboration with a Norwegian DJ/producer that’s still racking up streams everywhere. Two heads are better than one, and 2016 will be better too.

Lauv
Current Location: New York City, New York
Most Recent Release: Lost In The Light EP (September) (BUY – EP)

Summing up Ari Leff’s 2015 as “big” would be an understatement. Four million Spotify streams and a publishing contract later, a lot has been happening for the college kid from New York. Choice cuts from his debut effort include “Reforget” and “The Other”.

Lawrence Taylor
Current Location: London, United Kingdom
Most Recent Release: Bang Bang EP (November) (BUY – EP)

Taylor’s been posting music online and performing live since 2011, but it was in 2015 that his name really got out there. The buzz is certainly there now thanks to his playlisting across multiple services, syncs, acoustic clips and more. That is a really big “Bang”.

LÉON
Current Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Most Recent Release: Treasure EP (December) (BUY – EP)

From the country that’s given us so many amazing pop acts over the last four decades comes another one that’s bound to become a big name in 2016. “Nobody Knows” and “Tired Of Talking” lead the way on this shiny set and what should be a solid full-length.

Lostboycrow
Current Location: Los Angeles, California
Most Recent Release: “Love Won’t Sleep” (December) (BUY – single)

Singer/songwriter Chris Blair has seen his star rise from even the beginning of this year, from mid-charting tracks to unanimous blog acclaim. It comes as no surprise that his most recent song is a former #1 on the Hype Machine survey. This bird is gonna fly.

Mackenzie Thoms
Current Location: Los Angeles, California
Most Recent Release: “Hostage” (September) (BUY – “Conviction”)

Former American Idol contestant Thoms released “Conviction” for hot Nashville label South x Sea this year, and it soared to the top of the Hype Machine listing a few days later. Look for his forthcoming “Do Me All Again” to, well, do it all over again in 2016.

Maty Noyes
Current Location: Los Angeles, California
Most Recent Release: “Stay” [with Kygo] (December) (BUY – single)

Noyes signed with Lava Records in 2014, but now, she has an international hit on her hands with “Stay”, as mentioned above. On her own, she’s uploaded two songs on SoundCloud and has a soundtrack cut. 2016 is sounding nice if everything comes together.

Michael Blume
Current Location: New York City, New York
Most Recent Release: “Colors” (October) (BUY – single)

Blume’s future R&B sound and loaded lyrics became a favorite on the blog circuit in July when “Manufactured Love” first hit the web, while follow-up “Colors” expanded his musical palette into the Alternative world. It’s aesthetically and musically intriguing.

Ruth B.
Current Location: Alberta, Canada
Most Recent Release: The Intro EP (November) (BUY – EP)

Signed this year by Columbia Records, this young singer/songwriter’s “Lost Boy” has nearly 20 million streams on Spotify and is still selling several thousand downloads per week. With some early adds detected at the Hot AC format, this might be huge soon.

Secret Weapons
Current Location: New York City, New York
Most Recent Release: “Something New” (September) (BUY – single)

This duo’s catchy single was quickly snapped up by Epic Records a few months ago and finds itself north of 1.6 million streams, a total that continues to grow thanks to some Spotify playlisting. Next up for them… zombies? Get ready for another haunting hit.

Young Brother
Current Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Most Recent Release: Kamikaze EP (June) (BUY – EP)

Singer Dalton Diehl released one of my favorite EPs of 2015 with Kamikaze, and now, a remix of the title track is on the move on Spotify’s U.S. Viral 50 listing. He has an exciting pop and radio-ready sound, one that definitely needs more love in the new year.

(Listen to our 16 For ’16 Playlist on Spotify)

Sixteen more names to look out for in 2016:
Aaron Taos (SoundCloud)
Apollo LTD (SoundCloud)
BANNERS (SoundCloud)
Bibi Bourelly (SoundCloud)
BROADHURST (SoundCloud)
EDEN (SoundCloud)
Gnash (SoundCloud)
Harrison Brome (SoundCloud)
Harrison Storm (SoundCloud)
Jake Troth (SoundCloud)
KYKO (SoundCloud)
Matt Woods (SoundCloud)
Rationale (SoundCloud)
The Mosers (SoundCloud)
WΛVE & ROME (SoundCloud)
Whissell (SoundCloud)

Who are your favorites from the list above? Who else should be check out in 2016? Let us know! Comment below or find us on a social media page of choice by clicking our “Get Social!” tab above.

Highlights from Adam’s Top 40: December 27, 2015

Six times the greetings.

DEBUTS
40. Troye Sivan – Youth

TOP GAINERS
29. American Authors – Pride (35)
28. Taylor Swift – Out Of The Woods (40) | BIGGEST MOVER
26. A Great Big World – Oasis (33)
18. Justin Timberlake – Drink You Away (23)
06. Adele – When We Were Young (11)

THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
10. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness – High Dive (09) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks
09. The 1975 – Love Me (06) | PEAK: #06
08. DNCE – Cake By The Ocean (07) | PEAK: #07
07. Gwen Stefani – Used To Love You (08) | PEAK: #07
06. Adele – When We Were Young (11) | PEAK: #06
05. BANNERS – Shine A Light (05) | PEAK: #04
04. Ellie Goulding – On My Mind (03) | PEAK: #02
03. One Direction – Perfect (04) | PEAK: #03
02. Coldplay – Adventure Of A Lifetime (02) | PEAK: #02
01. Adele – Hello (01) | PEAK: #01 for six weeks

Top 10 Next In Line:
1. AudioDamn! – Radar (1)
2. Ben Rector – Brand New (5)
3. Shawn Hook – Sound Of Your Heart (10)
4. Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color (9)
5. FLETCHER – Live Young Die Free (7)
6. Mike Posner – I Took A Pill In Ibiza (-)
7. Ellie Goulding – Something In The Way You Move (-)
8. HØØNCH – Top (-)
9. Jonathan Roy – Daniella Denmark (-)
10. Miike Snow – Genghis Khan (-)

In The Mix:
BANNERS – Start A Riot
BØRNS – 10,000 Emerald Pools
Brian Fallon – A Wonderful Life
Causes – To The River
Grace Mitchell – Nolo
JoJo – When Love Hurts
Nathan Sykes – Over And Over Again
Royal Wood – Long Way Out
Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello – I Know What You Did Last Summer
Transviolet – New Bohemia
Walk The Moon – Work This Body
X Ambassadors – Unsteady
Zac Brown Band – Beautiful Drug

Chart Notes:

• Soaring twelve notches from 40-28 is this week’s Biggest Mover, “Out Of The Woods” by Taylor Swift. It’s the sixth song to be released to radio from 1989. The previous single, “Wildest Dreams”, recently peaked at #2 on my chart, and is on the way down now. Swift co-wrote and co-produced “Woods” with Jack Antonoff. A music video is due for it on December 31.
• This week’s only new entry is from South African singer and YouTuber Troye Sivan. He bows in at #40 with “Youth”. It’s the first radio single from the album Blue Neighbourhood, which was released earlier this month and debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200. It goes for CHR/Pop radio adds on January 19. Is Sivan on the verge of his first American hit? We’ll see.
• With Christmas behind us now, plenty of songs are on the move just below the survey. Will new acts like AudioDamn! or Shawn Hook grab their first hit on my chart? Can Ellie Goulding or Mike Posner add to their top 40 totals? You’re a week away from finding out! Check back next Sunday as we dive into the first chart of 2016.

(See my full chart on the M4BCC message board) (Listen to this week’s chart and more on Spotify)

ADAM’S TOP 40 FLASHBACK: December 27, 2009

2015 is nearly “Gone”.

It is time for yet another trip back into the archives on Adam’s Top 40 Flashback! Every Saturday, the day before my latest top 40 goes up for the week, I’ll be featuring a past countdown straight from chart files of Adam’s Top 40. They’re all here — the hit songs, the songs that flopped, and the songs that may be a little embarrassing to reflect on. Alright, let’s get a move on back to the holiday break in the middle of my sophomore year of college and take a look at my favorite songs from this week in 2009…

Debuts:
40. PHOENIX, “1901”
39. DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL, “Belle Of The Boulevard”
38. VEDERA, “Satisfy”
37. LA ROUX, “Bulletproof”

Biggest Mover(s):
COLLECTIVE SOUL, “You” (36-29)
LADY ANTEBELLUM, “Need You Now” (22-15, seven spots)

10. NICKELBACK, “Never Gonna Be Alone” (steady, second week)
Album: Dark Horse (2008, Roadrunner/Atlantic Records)
Peak: #7 for three weeks

09. KELLY CLARKSON, “Already Gone” (down 3)
Album: All I Ever Wanted (2009, 19/RCA Records)
Peak: #2

08. INGRID MICHAELSON, “Maybe” (steady, second week)
Album: Everybody (2009, Cabin 24 Records)
Peak: #7

07. NORAH JONES, “Chasing Pirates” (up 2)
Album: The Fall (2009, Blue Note Records)
Peak: #4 for two weeks

06. TRAIN, “Hey, Soul Sister” (down 2)
Album: Save Me, San Francisco (2009, Columbia Records)
Peak: #4 for four weeks

05. ROB THOMAS, “Someday” (down 2)
Album: Cradlesong (2009, Emblem/Atlantic Records)
Peak: #2 for four weeks

04. MICHAEL BUBLÉ, “Haven’t Met You Yet” (up 1)
Album: Crazy Love (2009, 143/Reprise Records)
Peak: #1 for five weeks

03. LIFEHOUSE, “Halfway Gone” (up 4)
Album: Smoke And Mirrors (2010, Geffen Records)
Peak: #3 for eight weeks

02. THE SCRIPT, “Breakeven” (up 1)
Album: The Script (2008, Epic Records)
Peak: #1 for one week

01. OWL CITY, “Fireflies” (steady, fifth week)
Album: Ocean Eyes (2009, Universal Republic Records)
Peak: #1 for six weeks

Check back next Saturday for another Adam’s Top 40 Flashback and don’t forget to follow the blog by using the tab below or find PGTC on social media by clicking the “Get Social!” tab at the top of the page.

ADAM’S TOP 100 OF 2015: #02 and #01

Pop ’til you drop.

Here it is, the annual countdown of the top 100 hits based on my weekly personal charts from the first week of December in 2014 to the last week of November in 2015. It was another great year for both chart veterans and newcomers, novelty hits and timeless ballads, country, pop, rock, and everything in between. We have them all, from “Hello” to “No Good In Goodbye”. Now, it is time to say “hello” to the Top 100 and “goodbye” to the year that was 2015.

Well, we’ve made it to the top two songs on my year-end chart for 2015. Before we dive in, I just wanted to take a moment to say a quick thank you to everyone that’s been following the reveal and supported the blog this year. Whether you’ve liked it or shared it or even if this is the first time you’ve read it in 2015, it really means a lot that you chose to head on over to my blog. Here’s hoping that you stick around for what’s coming in 2016! Alright, let’s do this. Here are my #2 and #1 songs for the year…

002. YEARS & YEARS – “King”
Label: Interscope
Album: Communion
Peak: #1 for two weeks
Top 40 Weeks: 29

Formed in 2010, the London-based trio of Olly Alexander, Mikey Goldsworthy, and Emre Türkmen originally started out as a five member band before their current lineup was cemented. In 2014, the group made their U.K. top 40 debut as a featured act on the single “Sunlight”, which was credited to Belgian DJ/producer The Magician. They’ve now had five hits across the pond, with the song that comes in at #2 on my Top 100 of 2015 remaining their biggest thus far. Yes, it’s not quite the “King” of my year-end list, but it certainly put up a good effort.

On My Chart: “King” entered at #10 on the Next In Line list for the chart dated January 11. Two weeks later, it was on the chart, and by March 1, its sixth week on, it was safely in the top ten. On the chart dated April 12, its 12th week in the top 40, the song was on top of my chart, where it stayed one additional week. “King” spent an additional two months in the top ten after its run at #1, a rarity when most former chart-toppers in 2015 averaged about 5 or so weeks falling down and out of my top ten. Though “Desire” narrowly missed the top spot in October and November, they’ll hopefully find themselves at #1 again soon.

On The Charts: You might ask yourself, “How did this single tank in U.S.?” Unfortunately, the buzz from overseas, including its #1 peak in the U.K., wasn’t enough to make it a big hit here. On the pop radio survey, it stalled at #37 for two weeks in late June. A follow-up, “Desire”, couldn’t even reach the top 50. Some say that it wasn’t meant to be, but I beg to differ. Alas, life goes on.

001. JUKEBOX THE GHOST – “Postcard”
Label: Cherrytree/Interscope
Album: Jukebox The Ghost
Peak: #1 for seven weeks
Top 40 Weeks: 33

For the first time ever, two trios occupy the top two slots on my year-end survey, and it’s the first time in five years that a trio is in at #1. Back then, it was the country act Lady Antebellum and “Need You Now”, a crossover hit that held down my #1 spot for 11 weeks. Now, it’s three pop pals that formed their group in 2003 at George Washington University that stamp their seven-week #1 and mail it to the top of my year-end chart. So, to band members Ben Thornewill, Tommy Siegel and Jesse Kristin, I apologize for the wait, but it’s time to celebrate! Congrats on your #1 song on my chart this year. It’s a good one.

On My Chart: “Postcard” debuted in the Mix on the chart dated March 22 and made its top 40 debut by April 12, moving up at a moderate pace. However, in its seventh week in the countdown, the single leaped from 11-5 and then to #1 the next week, the May 31 chart, marking one of the quicker runs to the top this year. With seven weeks atop my countdown, the song also claims the title of my longest-running #1 of the year. It held in the top ten until early September, and wasn’t out of my survey until the final week of the chart year, accumulating a total of 33 weeks in the top 40 this year. A follow-up release has yet to chart.

On The Charts: It slayed the charts, becoming a major crossover hit and multi-Platinum single… in my dreams. Sadly, this track couldn’t garner more than just a few radio stations on the Triple A panel when it was serviced. Needless to say, I think it was a real missed opportunity for both the label and radio as a whole. (Interscope could always try it again in 2016, I suppose. Please?)

You can always follow and listen to the Top 100 of 2015 on Spotify, or check out the full list with a point breakdown and the songs below the Top 100. Thanks once again for checking out the rankings, and we’ll see you back for the weekly chart on Sunday!

ADAM’S TOP 100 OF 2015: #04 and #03

Pop ’til you drop.

Here it is, the annual countdown of the top 100 hits based on my weekly personal charts from the first week of December in 2014 to the last week of November in 2015. It was another great year for both chart veterans and newcomers, novelty hits and timeless ballads, country, pop, rock, and everything in between. We have them all, from “Hello” to “No Good In Goodbye”. Now, it is time to say “hello” to the Top 100 and “goodbye” to the year that was 2015.

Now, the two former #1 songs from my personal chart that rank at #4 and #3 for the year!

004. ELLIE GOULDING – “Love Me Like You Do”
Label: Cherrytree/Interscope/Republic
Album: Fifty Shades Of Grey: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Peak: #1 for four weeks
Top 40 Weeks: 28

In the history of the pop radio survey, only twice has there been a period where three songs from the movies consecutively hit #1. In 1978, it was three cuts from the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. In 1998, two singles from City Of Angels hit the top spot, followed by one from Armageddon. This past May, Goulding’s Fifty Shades Of Grey song started another three song chain, which was followed by The Weeknd‘s “Earned It” (FSOG) and then Furious 7‘s “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth.

On My Chart: Goulding’s track was one of the big Q1 records at both radio and retail, and thus, it bypassed my sections beneath the chart and landed as the #40 debut on my chart dated January 11. It reached the top ten in its fifth week (February 8) and got a lift to the top on the chart dated March 15, its tenth week on. Its 28-week total is the longest chart run for a solo female this year.

On The Charts: Given the film and soundtrack’s success, it’s no surprise that “Love” was a global smash and is currently up for a Golden Globe nomination and several Grammy Award categories. It became a top ten hit in over two dozen countries, going to #3 on the Hot 100 and #1 on several U.S. radio charts. It’s up to 412 million plays on Spotify.

003. SAINT MOTEL – “My Type”
Label: Elektra/RRP
Album: My Type (EP)
Peak: #1 for four weeks
Top 40 Weeks: 28

In 1982, Martha Davis and her group called The Motels hit #5 on the pop radio chart with a tender ballad, “Only The Lonely”. It hasn’t been easy for motel music since they, well, checked out of the charts in 1985. (They had a total of four top 40 songs, for the record.) Luckily, these four men from Los Angeles know how a chart vacancy comes and goes, and they rocked a reservation into a long stay at radio this year. It took them six years to experience a true U.S. breakthrough, but their time and effort was worth it.

On My Chart: The group’s first chart hit entered the Mix during the week of January 18. It made the top 40 two weeks after that and quickly climbed into the top ten by March 1, its fifth week on. It slowed down from there, but made it to #1 by the last week of April (26) in its 13th week on. After holding at the top for four weeks, it held onto the countdown for another 12 before falling off.

On The Charts: “Type” hit the top five on AAA radio and cracked the top ten on the Alternative chart during the summer. Sadly, it didn’t become a crossover single. It also registered top 40 peaks in Italy (#14) and the United Kingdom (#34) during 2014. That international presence has launched it to 33.5 million streams on Spotify since its release.

Tomorrow, we arrive at the top two, so check back then! You can always follow and listen to the Top 100 reveal on Spotify.

ADAM’S TOP 100 OF 2015: #07, #06 and #05

Pop ’til you drop.

Here it is, the annual countdown of the top 100 hits based on my weekly personal charts from the first week of December in 2014 to the last week of November in 2015. It was another great year for both chart veterans and newcomers, novelty hits and timeless ballads, country, pop, rock, and everything in between. We have them all, from “Hello” to “No Good In Goodbye”. Now, it is time to say “hello” to the Top 100 and “goodbye” to the year that was 2015.

We’ll reveal three songs today, #4 and #3 tomorrow and the top two on Wednesday. We’re so close to the top, you can almost see it in the distance. Here come the songs that rank at #07, #06 and #05 for the year 2015…

007. THE SCRIPT – “No Good In Goodbye”
Label: Columbia
Album: No Sound Without Silence
Peak: #1 for two weeks
Top 40 Weeks: 24* (29 total, including 2014 Chart Year)

Fifteen years after Danny O’Donoghue and Mark Sheehan first made my top 40 in MyTown with a minor hit, “Now That I Found You”, they’ve been all over my chart with Glen Power since early 2009 as this act. They’ve scored with ten top ten singles in a row.

On My Chart: The trio’s second single off their album debuted at #9 Next In Line for the week of October 19 last year, just a few weeks after “Superheroes” fell out of #1. Two weeks later, it was in the top 40, hitting the top ten by the chart dated December 14, its seventh week on. It didn’t go to #1 until the week of February 15, its 16th (!) week on. By late May, it was “Goodbye” to this one.

On The Charts: “Good” stalled before it could hit the top 20 on the Hot AC chart, marking their lowest-charting top 40 single at the format. It fared better internationally, hitting the top ten in Belgium and Hungary. It’s up to 15.8 million streams at Spotify.

006. DURAN DURAN featuring JANELLE MONÁE and NILE RODGERS – “Pressure Off”
Label: Warner Bros.
Album: Paper Gods
Peak: #1 for five weeks
Top 40 Weeks: 24+ (as of November 29, 2015)

They were “Hungry” for national success when they first hit the top five on the Hot 100 in 1983, and in the three decades since the boys broke the U.S. market, they’ve had plenty of amazing songs. Even though my list began in 1999, they’ve totaled three #1 hits.

On My Chart: “Pressure” bypassed the two sections underneath my survey and debuted at #40 during the week of June 21. Five weeks later, it was in the top ten, and then quickly rose to the top in its tenth week (August 23) on the chart, staying for five weeks. That marks the second-longest run at #1 during the chart year. It’s currently falling on my personal chart, now in its 27th week on.

On The Charts: The odds were against it, but “Pressure” ended up reaching #33 on the Hot AC listing, which was a nice surprise given the band’s four-year absence on the charts and the ageism of radio. It just topped the three million stream mark at Spotify.

005. ED SHEERAN – “Thinking Out Loud”
Label: Atlantic
Album: x
Peak: #1 for four weeks
Top 40 Weeks: 24* (31 total, including 2014 Chart Year)

If you’re “thinking” that this single will go down as one of the best torch songs of the decade, you may be right. The x era launched four songs into my top ten, making it Sheeran’s most successful. He recently took an extended break from his social media pages.

On My Chart: This entered at #8 Next In Line on the chart dated September 28 of last year, when “Don’t” was still in my weekly top five. It went top 40 on October 19 and, much like in the U.K., took its time climbing my chart until the week of January 18, the list when it hit #1. It was in its 14th week overall. Sheeran’s 31-week run on my survey surpasses “The A Team” and its total of 29.

On The Charts: Beginning in the fall of 2014, this slow burner became an international smash, reaching the top ten in dozens of countries, including a #2 Hot 100 peak and #1 peaks on three radio charts. It’s been streamed on Spotify 555 million times. Huge.

Tomorrow, we go higher into the top five, so check back then! You can always follow and listen to the Top 100 reveal on Spotify.

ADAM’S TOP 100 OF 2015: #10, #09 and #08

Pop ’til you drop.

Here it is, the annual countdown of the top 100 hits based on my weekly personal charts from the first week of December in 2014 to the last week of November in 2015. It was another great year for both chart veterans and newcomers, novelty hits and timeless ballads, country, pop, rock, and everything in between. We have them all, from “Hello” to “No Good In Goodbye”. Now, it is time to say “hello” to the Top 100 and “goodbye” to the year that was 2015.

Are we ready for the top ten, boys and girls? We’ll reveal three songs today, three tomorrow, two on Tuesday and the final two on Wednesday. Get excited, because here come the songs that rank at #10, #09 and #08 for the year 2015…

010. ROMANS – “Uh Huh”
Label: Roc Nation
Album: Overthinking – Part 1 (EP)
Peak: #1 for two weeks
Top 40 Weeks: 24

Singer, songwriter and producer Sam Roman has collaborated with acts such as Disclosure, Mary J. Blige, Naughty Boy and Olly Murs, but 2015 was his year to shine as a main-credited artist, and he did. “Uh Huh” was an exciting and energetic surprise.

On My Chart: “Uh Huh” immediately debuted at #3 Next In Line on the chart dated May 24, then came into the top 40 at #36 a week later. It hit the top ten in its sixth week and #1 in its 11th week (August 9) on the chart. After its run at the top, it began a slow descent down the top ten, then fell more rapidly once it exited that region. By the chart of November 15, it was out of the top 40.

On The Charts: This song went to two U.S. radio formats, Hot AC and Triple A, and though it picked up a handful of stations on both panels, it was not a hit on either one. However, it’s been spun nearly 1.3 million times on Spotify.

009. GAVIN JAMES – “The Book Of Love”
Label: Capitol
Album: Bitter Pill
Peak: #1 for two weeks
Top 40 Weeks: 25

24-year-old Dublin-born James made his debut on my chart this year, and the Irish singer managed to score two top ten singles in a row. (“Bitter Pill” came in at #46.) His album Bitter Pill recently debuted at #5 in his home country, though it’s not out here yet.

On My Chart: “Book” was first put into rotation beneath my chart during the last week of March and then made the top 40 four weeks later. It entered the top ten in its seventh week. On the chart dated July 19, it climbed 2-1 in its 13th week on. After a second frame at the top, it began falling down the top 40 until the week of October 18, when it fell out after a 25 week total on the chart.

On The Charts: Though “Book” was serviced to Triple A radio in the U.S., it didn’t chart at the format. However, it did make the top 40 on the Belgian and Dutch charts. It’s amassed over 9.2 million streams at Spotify across studio and live versions.

008. WALK THE MOON – “Different Colors”
Label: RCA
Album: Talking Is Hard
Peak: #1 for one week
Top 40 Weeks: 26

After hitting #6 on my survey in 2012 with “Anna Sun”, this Ohio quartet came back with a bang in the fall of 2014 with a giant hit, “Shut Up And Dance”, becoming one of the biggest crossover records of 2015. This splashy single followed it to the top of my list.

On My Chart: This hit from the band came in at #7 Next In Line for the week of April 26 and then entered at #40 the next week. Reaching the top ten in its eighth week, it took until its 14th week (August 2) to spend its sole frame at the top of my listing. By the week of November 1, it was off after a 26 week run, marking the group’s second consecutive single to reach the half-year mark.

On The Charts: “Different” was a success at the group’s core format, Alternative, where it peaked at #6 in October. It also made it to #40 on the Hot AC chart. In both cases, its performance was hindered by massive recurrent play of “Shut Up And Dance”.

Tomorrow, we go higher into the top ten, so check back then! You can always follow and listen to the Top 100 reveal on Spotify.

Highlights from Adam’s Top 40: December 20, 2015

Saying “Hello” to Santa Claus.

DEBUTS
40. Taylor Swift – Out Of The Woods
38. Cam – Burning House | HIGHEST DEBUT

TOP GAINERS
35. American Authors – Pride (40)
33. A Great Big World – Oasis (39)
23. Justin Timberlake – Drink You Away (28)
11. Adele – When We Were Young (21) | BIGGEST MOVER — two weeks

THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
10. Rob Thomas – Hold On Forever (09) | PEAK: #09
09. Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness – High Dive (07) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks
08. Gwen Stefani – Used To Love You (10) | PEAK: #08
07. DNCE – Cake By The Ocean (08) | PEAK: #07
06. The 1975 – Love Me (06) | PEAK: #06
05. BANNERS – Shine A Light (04) | PEAK: #04
04. One Direction – Perfect (05) | PEAK: #05
03. Ellie Goulding – On My Mind (02) | PEAK: #02
02. Coldplay – Adventure Of A Lifetime (03) | PEAK: #02
01. Adele – Hello (01) | PEAK: #01 for five weeks

Top 10 Next In Line:
1. AudioDamn! – Radar (3)
2. Troye Sivan – Youth (7)
3. Train – Merry Christmas Everybody (4)
4. Band Of Merrymakers featuring Natasha Bedingfield – Wishlist (1)
5. Ben Rector – Brand New (6)
6. Carly Rae Jepsen – Last Christmas (10)
7. FLETCHER – Live Young Die Free (9)
8. Marc Broussard – Almost Christmas (8)
9. Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color (-)
10. Shawn Hook – Sound Of Your Heart (-)

In The Mix:
Andrew Ripp – Hole In My Heart
BANNERS – Start A Riot
BØRNS – 10,000 Emerald Pools
Brian Fallon – A Wonderful Life (new)
Causes – To The River
Ellie Goulding – Something In The Way You Move (new)
Grace Mitchell – Nolo
HØØNCH – Top
JoJo – When Love Hurts
Jonathan Roy – Daniella Denmark
Mike Posner – I Took A Pill In Ibiza (new)
Nathan Sykes – Over And Over Again
Royal Wood – Long Way Out
Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello – I Know What You Did Last Summer
Transviolet – New Bohemia
Walk The Moon – Work This Body
X Ambassadors – Unsteady
Zac Brown Band – Beautiful Drug

Chart Notes:

• In addition to having this week’s #1 song with “Hello”, Adele also has the Biggest Mover of the week, leaping from 21-11, a gain of ten notches, with “When We Were Young”. The song has moved up 24 spots in the last two weeks. Whoa. If you are thinking that another #1 is in the cards for the singer, I’d say that’s a winning bet. Question is, can she replace herself at the top, or will a band like Coldplay or One Direction get in the way? We’ll see in the next few weeks.
• On the verge of her first #1 on the Country radio survey is 31-year-old Cam, who debuts at #38 on my chart this week with that same song, “Burning House”. The California singer and songwriter made her debut at the format earlier this year with the single “My Mistake”, which stalled below the top 50. Luckily, she’s been “burning” on the scene ever since then.
• The second of this week’s two new songs is from a familiar face, Taylor Swift, in at #40 with “Out Of The Woods”. This is the sixth radio single from her huge 1989 album, and each of the previous five have gone to #1 on the pop radio chart. (The first three were chart-toppers for me.) Six #1 songs in a row is tough, but Swift just might do it.
• The top ten on my Top 100 of 2015 begins later today. Be sure to check back then for my biggest hits of the year!

(See my full chart on the M4BCC message board) (Listen to this week’s chart and more on Spotify)

ADAM’S TOP 100 OF 2015: #20-11

Pop ’til you drop.

Here it is, the annual countdown of the top 100 hits based on my weekly personal charts from the first week of December in 2014 to the last week of November in 2015. It was another great year for both chart veterans and newcomers, novelty hits and timeless ballads, country, pop, rock, and everything in between. We have them all, from “Hello” to “No Good In Goodbye”. Now, it is time to say “hello” to the Top 100 and “goodbye” to the year that was 2015.

In the next ten songs on this year’s Top 100, two cuts from one of my favorite albums of the year, the U.K. hit that should’ve gone to radio this summer and didn’t, the case of two “Heartbeat” hits and their battle for airtime, plus, a whole lot more. So, shall we? Let’s get back into the Top 100 of 2015 at #20…

020. JOHN NEWMAN – “Come And Get It”
Label: Republic
Album: Revolve
Peak: #2 for three weeks

Top 40 Trivia: Shortly after Newman’s leadoff single debuted and peaked at #5 in his native U.K., an adds date at CHR/Top 40 radio was posted for the song at the end of August. I was pretty excited, as were a few other people. Then, his U.S. label, Republic Records, decided to pull it, and an impact week was never rescheduled. No additional singles from the album have entered so far.

019. LIFE OF DILLON – “Overload”
Label: Disruptor/Epic
Album: Prologue (EP)
Peak: #2

Top 40 Trivia: Though their act mentions a Dillon, no members of this trio are actually named that. David, Joe and Robert find themselves telling the story of their band name’s origin quite a bit, recalling the memory of meeting a carefree surfer in Brazil. An unexpected encounter with the man, named Dillon, and the travel stories he shared to the three guys led to the name of their trio.

018. ONE DIRECTION – “Drag Me Down”
Label: Syco/Columbia
Album: Made In The A.M.
Peak: #1 for two weeks

Top 40 Trivia: 2015 marked the year that this boy band’s #1 streak on the Billboard 200 album chart came to an end, thanks to a boy by the name of Bieber. Justin Bieber‘s Purpose gave the young singer a major career boost and a strong #1 set, leaving an upset fan base to take in the disappointment of a, still very solid, #2 entry for the four. It’s their last studio album before a hiatus.

017. CARLY RAE JEPSEN – “I Really Like You”
Label: Interscope
Album: E•MO•TION
Peak: #1 for one week

Top 40 Trivia: You couldn’t miss actor Tom Hanks in the music video for Jepsen’s former #1 on my chart, but did you know the 59-year-old star was in another video earlier this year? It was a short cameo filmed for his wife Rita Wilson’s “Girls Night In” clip, which was released as a stand-alone single in March. Could the Big and Forrest Gump actor participate in more videos next year?

016. MARK RONSON featuring BRUNO MARS – “Uptown Funk!”
Label: RCA
Album: Uptown Special
Peak: #3 for three weeks

Top 40 Trivia: The number of writers in this single’s credits grew quite a bit during its time in the national spotlight. I guess it’s not the biggest surprise given its nostalgic sound. The total currently stands at 11, five of which belong to The Gap Band for the sampling of “Oops! Upside Your Head”, a 1980 R&B hit. Mars and Ronson are credited as both writers and producers on “Funk”.

015. MAT KEARNEY – “Heartbeat”
Label: Republic
Album: Just Kids
Peak: #2 for two weeks

Top 40 Trivia: In January of this year, American Idol champ Kelly Clarkson released a single titled “Heartbeat Song”, and as her leadoff singles do, it quickly soared into the top ten at Hot AC radio. Well, Hot AC is the format that Kearney does the best at, and his single was pulled several weeks later. It was a crushing blow for sure, but it did end up higher on my Top 100 for the year!

014. CARLY RAE JEPSEN – “Run Away With Me”
Label: Interscope
Album: E•MO•TION
Peak: #2 for four weeks

Top 40 Trivia: In perhaps one of the weirder chart runs this year, this single managed a week at #50 in August on the pop radio survey, then began to crash downward. Several weeks later, the song began to rise again thanks to a very late block add by the two dozen or so stations that are owned by Cumulus Media. Sadly, it didn’t do much in its second run, but Jepsen’s track is still lovely.

013. A GREAT BIG WORLD – “Hold Each Other”
Label: Black Magnetic/Epic
Album: When The Morning Comes
Peak: #1 for four weeks

Top 40 Trivia: When “Hold” hit the top spot in September, this New York duo, made up of Ian Axel and Chad King, became the latest twosome to have two #1 hits on my survey. Those duos include the brother-sister act named Boomkat (“The Wreckoning” and “What U Do 2 Me”) and England’s Graffiti6 (“Free” and “Stare Into The Sun”.) Will the two guys find an “Oasis” at #1 next?

012. TAYLOR SWIFT – “Style”
Label: Big Machine/Republic
Album: 1989
Peak: #1 for two weeks

Top 40 Trivia: This is the last of Swift’s four songs to make my Top 100 of the year, which makes her the top solo female on my chart for 2015. The most stylish hit on my chart until her chart-topper reached the summit was “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)” by Blu Cantrell, which peaked at #2 during the summer of 2001. Unfortunately, Swift never welcomed her on stage for a surprise duet.

011. CAUSES – “Teach Me How To Dance With You”
Label: RCA (U.K.)
Album: Under Bridges That You Built For Me
Peak: #2 for four weeks

Top 40 Trivia: This song was recently reissued at both retail and streaming platforms here ahead of the release of the quartet’s debut album. In its original chart run in The Netherlands, the song peaked at #21, but was certified Platinum and recently jumped past five million streams on Spotify. As the act looks forward to 2016, we’ll see how Causes and their effect play out on the charts.

Tomorrow, it’s into the top ten, so check back then! You can always follow and listen to the Top 100 reveal on Spotify.