Highlights from Adam’s Top 40: January 1, 2017

A “Bridge” to 2017.

DEBUTS
40. The Score – Unstoppable
39. Anna Kendrick & Justin Timberlake – True Colors
38. Molly Kate Kestner – Good Die Young | HIGHEST DEBUT

TOP GAINERS
22. MUNA – I Know A Place (31) | BIGGEST MOVER — two weeks
21. OneRepublic – Let’s Hurt Tonight (26)
(see #10 below)

THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
10. Kelly Clarkson – It’s Quiet Uptown (15) | PEAK: #10
09. Shawn Mendes – Mercy (10) | PEAK: #09
08. LP – Lost On You (08) | PEAK: #08
07. Niall Horan – This Town (04) | PEAK: #01 for one week
06. Captain Cuts featuring Nateur – Love Like We Used To (06) | PEAK: #05
05. James TW – When You Love Someone (03) | PEAK: #01 for seven weeks
04. John Mayer – Love On The Weekend (07) | PEAK: #04
03. Rag’n’Bone Man – Human (05) | PEAK: #03
02. Train – Play That Song (02) | PEAK: #02
01. Adele – Water Under The Bridge (01) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks

Top 10 Next In Line:
1. Grace VanderWaal – I Don’t Know My Name (3)
2. Phantogram – Same Old Blues (2)
3. Jukebox The Ghost – Keys In The Car (Live) (4)
4. Seeb featuring Jacob Banks – What Do You Love (9)
5. Tyler Hilton – Next To You (6)
6. Broods – Heartlines (-)
7. Alice Merton – No Roots (-)
8. Ryan Corn – The Pressure (-)
9. A R I Z O N A – Oceans Away (-)
10. Lolo – Shine (-)

In The Mix:
Calum Scott – Rhythm Inside
DNCE – Truthfully
James Hersey – Miss You
MAGIC! – No Regrets
Ryan Adams – Do You Still Love Me?
Walk Off The Earth – Fire In My Soul (new)

Chart Notes:

• This week’s Highest Debut is by a chart newcomer, Molly Kate Kestner. She’s new at #38 with “Good Die Young”. The 21-year-old singer had a viral hit several years ago with “His Daughter”, which now has over 15 million views on YouTube. She’s a current Los Angeles resident, but her hometown is Austin, MN. A music video for “Good” debuted about two weeks ago.
• Another soundtrack cut enters my chart this week, and this one is from the animated film Trolls. With their remake of “True Colors”, a #1 song on the pop chart in 1986 for Cyndi Lauper, Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake come in at #39. It has a small amount of airplay at AC and Hot AC radio, with syndicated night show Delilah supporting it regularly.
• Last, but not least, is The Score, the duo of Eddie Anthony and Edan Dover. Their current single is “Unstoppable”, and it’ll be at Alternative radio and going for adds in just a few weeks. It debuts at #40 on my chart, making it their second chart hit.

(See my full chart on Crownnote)

ADAM’S TOP 40 FLASHBACK: January 1, 2012

“Free” to roam the chart.

It’s the start of another weekend, which means it’s time for 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 feature the highlights of a past countdown. They’re all here — the hit songs, the songs that flopped, and the songs that may be a little embarrassing to reflect on.

This week, we stroll back five years and find out what was topping my chart for the week of January 1, 2012…

Debuts:
40. INGRID MICHAELSON, “Ghost”
39. MIKEY WAX, “Counting On You”
38. M83, “Midnight City”
34. ADAM LAMBERT, “Better Than I Know Myself”

Biggest Mover(s):
NEON TREES, “Everybody Talks” (36-31)
KELLY CLARKSON, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” (33-28)
GOTYE featuring KIMBRA, “Somebody That I Used To Know” (29-24, five spots)

10. NICKELBACK, “When We Stand Together” (down 3)
Album: Here And Now (2011, Roadrunner Records)
Peak: #2 for three weeks

09. BRUNO MARS, “It Will Rain” (down 1)
Album: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (Soundtrack) (2011, Chop Shop/Atlantic Records)
Peak: #8 for four weeks

08. ANDY GRAMMER, “Fine By Me” (up 2)
Album: Andy Grammer (2011, S-Curve Records)
Peak: #4 for two weeks

07. OLLY MURS, “Dance With Me Tonight” (up 2)
Album: In Case You Didn’t Know (2011, Syco/Epic Records – U.K.) / Right Place Right Time (2012, Columbia Records)
Peak: #3 for three weeks

06. ADELE, “Set Fire To The Rain” (steady, second week)
Album: 21 (2011, XL/Columbia Records)
Peak: #1 for three weeks

05. THE FRAY, “Heartbeat” (steady, fourth week)
Album: Scars & Stories (2012, Epic Records)
Peak: #5 for five weeks

04. DAUGHTRY, “Crawling Back To You” (down 1)
Album: Break The Spell (2011, 19/RCA Records)
Peak: #1 for two weeks

03. COLDPLAY, “Paradise” (up 1)
Album: Mylo Xyloto (2011, Capitol Records)
Peak: #1 for four weeks

02. KATY PERRY, “The One That Got Away” (down 1)
Album: Teenage Dream (2010, Capitol Records)
Peak: #1 for two weeks

01. GRAFFITI6, “Free” (up 1)
Album: Colours (2012, Capitol Records)
Peak: #1 for four weeks

Check back next Saturday for another Adam’s Top 40 Flashback countdown 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.

FLASHBACK: Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit Of Chart History

“Meant for” a top ten record.

The CHR/Top 40 airwaves were starting to rebuild their identity by the end of 1996, after a tumultuous few years of ratings slides, faceless new acts and lost songs. Before the Spice Girls swept the nation with “girl power”, and Lillith Fair ruled the summer tour season, a number of female singers began to perform well at the format. During that year, Alanis Morissette, Celine Dion and Donna Lewis (and others) had a super run at the top, leaving only two published charts with a #1 song by a male soloist. Then, as the hits kept piling up, the inevitable result occurred: just as 1997 began, the top ten songs on the pop chart were all sung by female soloists or female-led bands. It’s the only time this kind of event took place on the format, pre-PPW (plays per week) or PPW era.

Now, just because it’s been two decades since this historic chart week, that doesn’t mean that female-led top threes, fours and fives are going away anytime soon. An all-female top seven occurred on the pop chart as recently as September 2014, which included big hits by acts like Ariana Grande, Meghan Trainor and Taylor Swift. So, keep that dream of a top ten led by the ladies alive. It may just happen again when you least expect it…

Let’s get into those sensational songs that gave the top ten a special feminine touch for a little Throwback Thursday action:

(Stats taken from: Radio & Records – issue dated January 10, 1997, airplay period of December 30, 1996 – January 5, 1997)

10. CELINE DION, “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” (down 3)
Album: Falling Into You
Label: 550 Music/Epic

1996 was a year of sevens for Dion on the pop chart. “Because You Loved Me” spent seven weeks at #1, and “All” spent seven at #2.

09. JEWEL, “You Were Meant For Me” (up 10)
Album: Pieces Of You
Label: Atlantic

Though 1996 was her breakout year, 1997 was even more successful for this singer. Her two #1 songs totaled nine weeks at the top.

08. GINA G, “Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit” (up 6)
Album: Fresh!
Label: Eternal/Warner Bros.

The number of U.S. hits that originated at Eurovision is quite small, but “Ooh” connected with pop radio’s audience, peaking at #5.

07. THE CARDIGANS, “Lovefool” (up 9)
Album: First Band On The Moon
Label: Mercury

Nina Persson led this Swedish group to a huge smash in early 1997, spending six weeks at #1. They never made the pop chart again.

06. ALANIS MORISSETTE, “Head Over Feet” (=)
Album: Jagged Little Pill
Label: Maverick/Reprise

With her third in a run of five consecutive #1 singles on the pop chart, Morissette dominated the airwaves across multiple formats.

05. SHERYL CROW, “If It Makes You Happy” (=)
Album: Sheryl Crow
Label: A&M

Crow was likely “Happy” to reach the top five again after a couple of misses. “If” also went top ten at Alternative and Hot AC radio.

04. MERRIL BAINBRIDGE, “Mouth” (=)
Album: The Garden
Label: Universal

This Australian singer’s biggest U.S. hit held at #2 for four weeks in late 1996. Her two other chart singles stalled below the top 40.

03. TONI BRAXTON, “Un-Break My Heart” (=)
Album: Secrets
Label: LaFace/Arista

This iconic ballad became Braxton’s penultimate top ten hit on the pop listing, later making it there with “He Wasn’t Man Enough”.

02. EN VOGUE, “Don’t Let Go (Love)” (=)
Album: EV3
Label: EastWest/EEG

Shortly before the messy circumstances that made them a trio, this soundtrack cut gave the girls their biggest pop hit in four years.

01. NO DOUBT, “Don’t Speak” (=)
Album: Tragic Kingdom
Label: Trauma/Interscope

With a giant 11 (two frozen) weeks at #1, “Don’t” became the group’s signature song and one of the biggest radio hits of the decade.

Listen to Ooh Aah… A #TBT List on Spotify, featuring these songs and more top tunes from this week in 1996!

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This Is Gonna “Hurt”: Harmful, But Charmful Hot AC Hits

The pain of pop music.

Just below the top 40 on Hot AC radio, and heading for adds at the top of the year, is “Let’s Hurt Tonight” by OneRepublic. It has the potential to be the band’s biggest hit from their Oh My My era, and as the third single from this album, it would follow a similar pattern that the guys have been involved in for several cycles now. (Remember how “Counting Stars” was the biggest song from the album Native, and “Good Life” was the biggest from Waking Up?) You can also find an alternate mix of the song on the soundtrack to Collateral Beauty, the Will Smith film that hasn’t had such a beautiful run at the box office.

At the band’s core format, there have been a number of hurtful hits over the years. In fact, if (more like when) this track breaks into the top 40 next year, it would be the third year in a row that “hurt”, or a variation of the word, was included in a charting song. This year brought us a lot of it, so let’s hope that in 2017, it’s just a function of song theme and not in the news every second. Check them all out below:

(Stats taken from: Radio & Records – April 1994 to August 2006, Mediabase 24/7 – August 2006 to current)

“Tell Me Where It Hurts”, Kathy Troccoli (#23, 1994)
Prior to the creation of the Hot AC listing in April, this performer’s “Everything Changes” hit the top ten on both Pop and AC radio.

“Why Does It Hurt So Bad”, Whitney Houston (#23, 1996)
Houston’s final (and least successful) release from the Waiting To Exhale soundtrack had a solid top ten charting on the AC survey.

“Hurt By Love”, BoDeans (#27, 1997)
From “Closer To Free” to farther from charting, the Wisconsin band wouldn’t release another album until 2004. No songs charted.

“What Hurts The Most”, Rascal Flatts (#10, 2006)
In a year dominated by Nickelback and The Fray, this country trio scored at several formats with their biggest crossover hit to date.

“Hurt”, Christina Aguilera (#14, 2007)
Aguilera’s Back To Basics era wasn’t nearly as big with Hot AC programmers, but this did manage to outpeak “Ain’t No Other Man”.

“Hurtful”, Erik Hassle (#31, 2010)
This song peaked at #8 on my chart, and I’m still disappointed that it didn’t have a true U.S. breakout. Hassle is now signed to RCA.

“This Summer’s Gonna Hurt…”, Maroon 5 (#7, 2015)
For an act that’s had plenty of big hits, this one came and went very quickly, largely due to overwhelmingly negative research. Ouch.

“Hurts”, Emeli Sandé (#31, 2016)
Sandé’s single recently peaked at #2 on my chart. Sadly, both this song and album tanked. I’m hopeful that the era will turn around.

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Highlights from Adam’s Top 40: December 25, 2016

Eight is enough.

DEBUTS
(none)

TOP GAINERS
35. Ocean Park Standoff – Good News (40)
31. MUNA – I Know A Place (39) | BIGGEST MOVER
24. ZAYN & Taylor Swift – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (31)
(see #5 below)

THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
10. Shawn Mendes – Mercy (12) | PEAK: #10
09. Emeli Sandé – Hurts (06) | PEAK: #02
08. LP – Lost On You (09) | PEAK: #08
07. John Mayer – Love On The Weekend (07) | PEAK: #07
06. Captain Cuts featuring Nateur – Love Like We Used To (06) | PEAK: #05
05. Rag’n’Bone Man – Human (10) | PEAK: #05
04. Niall Horan – This Town (02) | PEAK: #01 for one week
03. James TW – When You Love Someone (03) | PEAK: #01 for seven weeks
02. Train – Play That Song (04) | PEAK: #02
01. Adele – Water Under The Bridge (01) | PEAK: #01 for two weeks

Top 10 Next In Line:
1. Anna Kendrick & Justin Timberlake – True Colors (2)
2. Phantogram – Same Old Blues (1)
3. Grace VanderWaal – I Don’t Know My Name (3)
4. Jukebox The Ghost – Keys In The Car (Live) (4)
5. The Score – Unstoppable (7)
6. Molly Kate Kestner – Good Die Young (10)
7. Tyler Hilton – Next To You (6)
8. Gabrielle Aplin – Miss You (5)
9. Seeb featuring Jacob Banks – What Do You Love (9)
10. DNCE – Truthfully (8)

In The Mix:
Alice Merton – No Roots
A R I Z O N A – Oceans Away
Broods – Heartlines
Calum Scott – Rhythm Inside
Coldplay – Everglow
James Hersey – Miss You
Lolo – Shine
MAGIC! – No Regrets
Ryan Adams – Do You Still Love Me?
Ryan Corn – The Pressure

Chart Notes:

• The top five is heating up with notable movers from Train (4-2) and Rag’n’Bone Man (10-5). Next year, they’ll be looking to challenge Adele for the top spot on the countdown. By the way, all three of those acts record for Columbia Records, and a total of six artists from that label currently have songs in the top 20. Sounds like 2017 will be another good year for them!
• As expected, there are no new entries in the top 40 this week due to the freeze around the holidays, but do remember to take a look at my Top 100 of 2016. I had a lot of fun counting it down. Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!

(See my full chart on Crownnote)

ADAM’S TOP 40 FLASHBACK: Sounds Of The Season

Chilly cuts for Christmas.

It’s the start of another weekend, which means it’s time for 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 feature the highlights of a past countdown. They’re all here — the hit songs, the songs that flopped, and the songs that may be a little embarrassing to reflect on.

This week, we present a special Christmas-themed flashback, featuring the top ten seasonal songs to hit my chart during the last decade. Between the holiday hits and other winter wonders, quite a few titles have hit the 40 over the last ten years. Get your sleigh ready, because here come those pop presents, all wrapped up in one neat list:

10. COLDPLAY, “Christmas Lights”
Album: Christmas Lights – Single (2010, Capitol Records)
Peak: #37

09. FUN., “Sleigh Ride”
Album: Holidays Rule (2012, Hear Music Records)
Peak: #37

08. TRAIN, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
Album: Christmas In Tahoe (2015, Sunken Forest Records)
Peak: #37

07. TRAIN, “Shake Up Christmas”
Album: Shake Up Christmas – Single (2010, Columbia Records)
Peak: #36

06. GERALDINE MCQUEEN, “Once Upon A Christmas Song”
Album: Once Upon A Christmas Song – Single (2008, Polydor Records)
Peak: #35

05. COLBIE CAILLAT, “Christmas In The Sand”
Album: Christmas In The Sand (2012, Universal Republic Records)
Peak: #35

04. MICHAEL BUBLÉ, “The More You Give (The More You’ll Have)”
Album: The More You Give (The More You’ll Have) – Single (2015, Warner Bros. Records)
Peak: #34

03. ENYA, “Trains And Winter Rains”
Album: And Winter Came… (2008, Warner Bros. Records)
Peak: #30

02. A GREAT BIG WORLD, “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas”
Album: I’ll Be Home For Christmas (2014, Epic Records)
Peak: #22

01. KELLY CLARKSON, “Underneath The Tree”
Album: Wrapped In Red (2013, RCA Records)
Peak: #12

Check back next Saturday for another Adam’s Top 40 Flashback countdown 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 2016: Part Five, 5-1

All the top tunes from the year that was.

Are you ready for my top five songs of 2016? I sure am. Well, I hope I am. I charted them all for lengthy periods of time…

Three solo males, one solo female and a group remain on our quest to the top of the charts, but only one can make it to #1. It is now time to see where they rank…

The 2016 chart year encompasses the period of 52 charts from the list dated December 6, 2015 to the list dated November 27, 2016. Peaks provided reflect the highest position reached by the final chart of the survey year. For any ties in points, a song with a higher peak is listed first, and further ties are broken by the weeks stayed in the top 40. 168 songs in total had at least one point qualify towards the year-end chart, an increase from the 165 that did so in 2015.

05. BASTILLE, “Good Grief” (723 chart points)
Writer(s): Dan Smith
Album: Wild World
Label: Capitol
Peak: #1 for three weeks
Weeks: 24+

This English band knows the top spot quite well on my personal chart, but their two previous #1 songs, “Pompeii” (2013) and “Of The Night” (2014), couldn’t get beyond a second week at the summit. That changed this year with the release of this song, which quickly topped my chart and stayed there for three weeks in July and August. It also topped the Alternative radio chart for a week in November. It’s too early to tell where “Blame” will place on my 2017 list, but it’s making some solid gains so far.

04. ADELE, “When We Were Young” (737 chart points)
Writer(s): Adele, Tobias Jesso Jr.
Album: 25
Label: XL/Columbia
Peak: #1 for five weeks
Weeks: 26

It was one of the biggest chart crimes of the year; no, not on my own chart, but on the CHR/Top 40 radio chart. After “Hello” soared to #1 in just five weeks, this gorgeous follow-up single stalled out at #11. #11! The shade of it all! However, it did make it to the top spot on my personal top 40 for five enchanting weeks, making it one of four #1 hits (so far) from her latest era. A fifth single from the album could extend her streak in the new year, but we’ll have to see if that actually occurs. I hope it does.

03. BARNS COURTNEY, “Fire” (739 chart points)
Writer(s): Barns Courtney, David Jackson
Album: TBA
Label: Capitol
Peak: #1 for four weeks
Weeks: 29

A faster turnover rate meant no songs topped 30 or more weeks in the top 40 during 2016. So, Courtney’s run of 29 gives his excellent song a bit of cred in the longevity department. Just over a year ago, it was included in the trailer and the soundtrack to the film Burnt, and while the movie’s flame faded away, “Fire” had a second life at Alternative and Triple A radio in 2016, a top five hit at the latter format. While I wish it was bigger, and got a fair chance at Top 40 airplay, Courtney’s song is still hot.

02. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, “Can’t Stop The Feeling” (755 chart points)
Writer(s): Justin Timberlake, Max Martin, Shellback
Album: Trolls (Soundtrack)
Label: RCA
Peak: #1 for five weeks
Weeks: 26

In the runner-up position on my Top 100 of 2016, a track that you couldn’t escape for a time over the summer. Regardless of where you heard it, and I imagine it was spun at a few million Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and weddings this year, you just had to dance along to that catchy little tune. Timberlake started off 2016 with a quick top ten song in “Drink You Away”, but the enormous success of his soundtrack hit makes him one of the top artists of the year when total points are added up. If “Can’t” held up in the middle portion of my list for slightly longer, it probably would’ve had an extra week or two to propel it to #1 for the year.

01. WRABEL, “11 Blocks” (765 chart points)
Writer(s): Alex Hope, Wrabel
Album: TBA
Label: Epic
Peak: #1 for five weeks
Weeks: 25+
2016 Chart Run: 37-32-28-23-15-13-7-5-3-3-1–1–1–1–1-3-3-3-5-6-7-11-13-17-21-(2017 Chart Year)

“11 blocks from my door to your doorstep…”

I first heard those words on the morning of June 3 while prepping the next episode of Train Tracks, a SiriusXM show, hosted by Train lead singer Pat Monahan, that airs on channel The Pulse every weekend. I was actually pretty lucky to hear it early. I fell in love with it on the first listen, the perfect combination of an intriguing personal lyric with a very talented vocalist. I was pretty sure early on that it was going to top my personal chart, but my Top 100 of 2016? Couldn’t have anticipated that one…

It was close up until the very end: only ten points separated #1 and #2 this year. In fact, the status of those two songs was just decided on the last chart of the period. Needless to say, it could’ve easily gone the other way, if the right factors were in play.

However, I’m very happy with the result. I’m just disappointed that more people didn’t get a chance to hear it! With a peak of #11 (clever one, Epic) on Hot AC radio, it should’ve done way better. Alas, the situation has happened before. Well, I’m really looking forward to Wrabel’s new music, whenever it comes out, because the feelings are going to be real. Congrats to Wrabel and his team on a great 2016, and best wishes for an even better 2017.

“11 Blocks”, my #1 song of 2016, now forever enshrined in the Adam’s Top 40 Hall Of Fame.

Fun facts about this year’s #1:
* This marks the first time an artist recording for Epic Records has my #1 song of the year since 2009, when “You Found Me” by The Fray topped that year’s survey. (The only other Epic #1 on one of my year-end charts was back in 2005, when “What Happens Tomorrow” by Duran Duran led the list.)
* “11 Blocks” debuted on the chart dated June 12, 2016, which is the latest a #1 song of the year has entered my survey during the calendar year. The previous record was in 2007, when that year’s #1, “If You’re Gonna Leave” by singer Emerson Hart, was a debut on the chart dated April 22, 2007.
* Due to that late entry, Wrabel’s 25 weeks that counted towards the Top 100 of 2016 represents the fewest number of weeks for a #1 song of the year since 2003. The biggest hit that year, Jason Mraz‘s “The Remedy (I Won’t Worry)”, totaled a small 21 weeks in the top 40.
* As previously mentioned, “11 Blocks” reached the top of my chart in its 11th week. It also spent a week at #11 in November. I guess we all love some fun with numbers…

Thanks to all of you for checking out my Top 100 of 2016! Have a great Hanukkah and Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

ADAM’S TOP 100 OF 2016: Part Four, 10-6

All the top tunes from the year that was.

Here we are, the top ten songs of the year: nine #1 songs, and one #2 that managed to sneak in there by a handful of points. A mix of artists and genres greet us, sharing one thing in common: I love all of these songs. From pure ballads to pop bops, let’s take a ride on the feel-good freeway to that musical moment we’re all awaiting, my #1 track of 2016…

The 2016 chart year encompasses the period of 52 charts from the list dated December 6, 2015 to the list dated November 27, 2016. Peaks provided reflect the highest position reached by the final chart of the survey year. For any ties in points, a song with a higher peak is listed first, and further ties are broken by the weeks stayed in the top 40. 168 songs in total had at least one point qualify towards the year-end chart, an increase from the 165 that did so in 2015.

10. SHAWN MENDES, “Treat You Better” (634 chart points)
Writer(s): Mendes, Teddy Geiger, Scott Harris
Album: Illuminate
Label: Island/Republic
Peak: #2
Weeks: 24

It’s been just about a decade since co-writer Geiger peaked at #3 on my weekly chart with “These Walls”, the larger of his two chart singles. Well, earlier this year, “Treat” peaked one spot higher and stayed there for two weeks. A #1 hit still eludes both artist and co-writer, at least on my chart, but I think it’ll eventually happen. We’ll see how “Mercy” does on next year’s listing.

9. ZAYN, “Pillowtalk” (671 chart points)
Writer(s): Malik, Levi Lennox, Anthony Hannides, Michael Hannides, Joe Garrett
Album: Mind Of Mine
Label: RCA
Peak: #1 for three weeks
Weeks: 24

In the spring of 2015, we all shed a tear (or screamed in all caps on Twitter) when Zayn Malik left One Direction, leaving them to carry on as a quartet. While they landed further down in the Top 100 with “History” and “Perfect”, their former member’s first solo single, which held at #1 for three weeks, lands at #9 for 2016. We’ll see if Malik hits #1 once more with Taylor Swift.

8. ADELE, “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” (676 chart points)
Writer(s): Adele, Max Martin, Shellback
Album: 25
Label: XL/Columbia
Peak: #1 for two weeks
Weeks: 24

I sent this hit (to the top spot) in late May and early June, just before a song that’s coming in the top five stormed the #1 spot. It was the seventh chart-topping single for the English superstar, who now holds the record for Most #1 Songs with eight. It’s quite an achievement to score two Diamond albums in a row, but she did it with two great sets. She’s back in the top ten soon.

7. TROYE SIVAN, “Youth” (687 chart points)
Writer(s): Sivan, Brady Riley, Bram Inscore, Dann Hume, Brett McLaughlin, Allie X, Alex Hope
Album: Blue Neighbourhood
Label: Capitol
Peak: #1 for three weeks
Weeks: 27

Sivan is one of the newcomers to this year’s top ten, a 21-year-old performer who reached #1 on his first try. Though I knew a little bit about his rise on YouTube and a couple of his EPs, mostly from noting their opening frames on the album chart, this year gave me the opportunity to really dive into his album, which I think is great. Another cut, “Wild”, also made the top 100.

6. THOMAS RHETT, “Die A Happy Man” (718 chart points)
Writer(s): Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur
Album: Tangled Up
Label: Valory/BMLG/Republic
Peak: #1 for two weeks
Weeks: 25 (27 total, including 2015 weeks)

The biggest Country crossover in this year’s Top 100 came in its original form on Rhett’s second studio effort, but that single would soon become available in a pop mix, a duet version with Tori Kelly and as a cover by Nelly, the latter of which made its way to #30 on the CHR/Top 40 listing before Rhett’s version could debut! Still, it exposed the musician to a larger audience.

Stay tuned for the final five songs on the Top 100 of 2016 tomorrow…

ADAM’S TOP 100 OF 2016: Part Three, 25-11

All the top tunes from the year that was.

75 songs have come and gone, and now, we’re headed into the top 25 on my Top 100 of 2016. All 25 titles reached the top five at some point during their runs, which deserves a “HandClap” or two. From the U.K. to Canada and back to the U.S., we have a diverse group of acts coming to you in the next 15 songs. So, take the “Adventure Of A Lifetime” and scroll down to see what singles were powerful enough to rank just below the top ten on my year-end survey…

The 2016 chart year encompasses the period of 52 charts from the list dated December 6, 2015 to the list dated November 27, 2016. Peaks provided reflect the highest position reached by the final chart of the survey year. For any ties in points, a song with a higher peak is listed first, and further ties are broken by the weeks stayed in the top 40. 168 songs in total had at least one point qualify towards the year-end chart, an increase from the 165 that did so in 2015.

25. THE 1975, “The Sound”
Writer(s): The 1975
Album: I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It
Label: Dirty Hit/Interscope
Peak: #3
Weeks: 23

They keep falling short of the top ten on Alternative radio, but this English quartet has five top ten singles on my own survey.

24. PHANTOGRAM, “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore”
Writer(s): Eric Frederic, Phantogram, Dan Wilson, Edwin Bocage, Alfred Scramuzza
Album: Three
Label: Republic
Peak: #2
Weeks: 21

Though I was familiar with this duo’s music before 2016, this track was their first to make my list. The production is amazing.

23. SERENA RYDER, “Got Your Number”
Writer(s): Todd Clark, Derek A.E. Fuhrmann, Ryder
Album: TBA
Label: Atlantic
Peak: #2
Weeks: 22+

“Stompa” made my top 20 in 2013, but I’m a much bigger fan of this lovely single. It went top ten on Hot AC radio in Canada.

22. SHAWN HOOK, “Sound Of Your Heart”
Writer(s): Todd Clark, Hook, Stephen Kozmeniuk
Album: TBA
Label: Hollywood
Peak: #4
Weeks: 23

Todd Clark strikes again! He just knows how to craft an excellent tune. Hook’s been charting in Canada for several years now.

21. ADELE, “Hello”
Writer(s): Adele, Greg Kurstin
Album: 25
Label: XL/Columbia
Peak: #1 for seven weeks (2015/2016)
Weeks: 19 (25 total, including 2015 weeks)

Yes, it would’ve done better if those six weeks had counted for the 2016 year, but it’s a smash! She has two songs left on here.

20. FITZ & THE TANTRUMS, “HandClap”
Writer(s): Fitz & The Tantrums, Sam Hollander, Eric Frederic
Album: Fitz & The Tantrums
Label: Elektra/Atlantic
Peak: #3
Weeks: 22

Months after it reached the top five on Alternative radio, the crossover craze has begun for this single. Get your hands ready.

19. GWEN STEFANI, “Make Me Like You”
Writer(s): Stefani, Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels, Mattias Larsson, Robin Fredriksson
Album: This Is What The Truth Feels Like
Label: Interscope
Peak: #2
Weeks: 22

Stefani’s comeback album gave her three top 40 hits on my personal chart, with this outstanding single becoming the biggest.

18. INGRID MICHAELSON, “Hell No”
Album: It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense
Writer(s): Michaelson, Barry Dean, Luke Laird
Label: Cabin 24/Sony RED
Peak: #4
Weeks: 23

Michaelson touched my top ten once before with 2009’s “Maybe”, but this ear candy was more than just a “maybe” this year.

17. JORDAN FISHER, “All About Us”
Writer(s): Rory Andrew, Jenna Andrews, Dylan Pace-Rodriguez, Francesco Yates
Album: Jordan Fisher (EP)
Label: Hollywood
Peak: #1 for one week
Weeks: 23

Best known for roles in Grease: Live and Teen Beach Movie, Fisher scored with a sensational set (his debut EP) during 2016.

16. THE STRUMBELLAS, “Spirits”
Writer(s): The Strumbellas
Album: Hope
Label: Glassnote
Peak: #2
Weeks: 25

Whether you have “guns” or “dreams” in your head, depending on the version, this Canadian sextet had a nice breakout year.

15. COLDPLAY, “Adventure Of A Lifetime”
Writer(s): Coldplay, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen
Album: A Head Full Of Dreams
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Peak: #1 for two weeks
Weeks: 20 (24 total, including 2015 weeks)

The English band scored their seventh huge #1 on my chart this year, a record at the time, but it’s since been passed by Adele.

14. BEN RECTOR, “Brand New”
Writer(s): Rector, David Hodges, Abe Stoklasa
Album: Brand New
Label: Aptly Named/Capitol/Caroline
Peak: #5
Weeks: 25

Rector’s first hit on my chart was a giant, and it certainly had some longevity. Bandmate Cody Fry’s “Go” also hit the top 100.

13. P!NK, “Just Like Fire”
Writer(s): P!nk, Max Martin, Karl Johan Schuster, Oscar Holter
Album: Alice Through The Looking Glass (Soundtrack)
Label: RCA
Peak: #3
Weeks: 23

2016 was another great year for soundtracks. This song gave the pop superstar her third top ten hit from a movie since 2001.

12. WALK THE MOON, “Work This Body”
Writer(s): Walk The Moon
Album: Talking Is Hard
Label: RCA
Peak: #1 for one week
Weeks: 23

Three #1 hits, three different calendar years, all from the same album. It’s a rare feat, but a cool one for this great Ohio band.

11. PASSENGER, “Somebody’s Love”
Writer(s): Passenger
Album: Young As The Morning, Old As The Sea
Label: Nettwerk
Peak: #1 for one week
Weeks: 23

You know how I love his music so, and the fifth #1 hit on my chart from this English musician was no exception. Great album!

Stay tuned for more of the Top 100 of 2016 tomorrow, when I reveal the first half of my top ten songs from the list…

ADAM’S TOP 100 OF 2016: Part Two, 50-26

All the top tunes from the year that was.

On the second day of my year-end chart reveal, my true love gave to me… 25 more songs to bop to, of course! Yes, it’s time to head into the top 50 with plenty of big songs, as well as a few tracks you may have overlooked. DNCE and OneRepublic take a pair of pop ditties and place them in this pack, while a “Lost Boy” meets a “Boyfriend” on “Another Lonely Night”. So, let’s go “Up&Up” the countdown until we reach that #1 song of the year…

The 2016 chart year encompasses the period of 52 charts from the list dated December 6, 2015 to the list dated November 27, 2016. Peaks provided reflect the highest position reached by the final chart of the survey year. For any ties in points, a song with a higher peak is listed first, and further ties are broken by the weeks stayed in the top 40. 168 songs in total had at least one point qualify towards the year-end chart, an increase from the 165 that did so in 2015.

50. LÉON, “Tired Of Talking”
Album: Treasure (EP)
Label: Columbia
Peak: #9

49. GWEN STEFANI, “Used To Love You”
Album: This Is What The Truth Feels Like
Label: Interscope
Peak: #6

48. ADAM LAMBERT, “Another Lonely Night”
Album: The Original High
Label: Warner Bros.
Peak: #7

47. CHRIS AYER, “On The Blvd”
Album: TBA
Label: Epic (Amsterdam/NL)
Peak: #10

46. TRYON, “Somebody To Love Me”
Album: TBA
Label: Noiseblock/Lakeside
Peak: #9

45. ONEREPUBLIC, “Wherever I Go”
Album: Oh My My
Label: Mosley/Interscope
Peak: #9

44. COLDPLAY, “Up&Up”
Album: A Head Full Of Dreams
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Peak: #8

43. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, “Drink You Away”
Album: The 20/20 Experience – 2 Of 2
Label: RCA
Peak: #6

42. ONE DIRECTION, “Perfect”
Album: Made In The A.M.
Label: Syco/Columbia
Peak: #3

41. RUTH B., “Lost Boy”
Album: The Intro (EP)
Label: Columbia
Peak: #10

40. TROYE SIVAN featuring ALESSIA CARA, “Wild”
Album: Blue Neighbourhood (original version)
Label: Capitol
Peak: #6

39. GAVIN DEGRAW, “She Sets The City On Fire”
Album: Something Worth Saving
Label: RCA
Peak: #7

38. SAINT MOTEL, “Move”
Album: Saintmotelevision
Label: Elektra/Atlantic
Peak: #5

37. MIKE POSNER, “I Took A Pill In Ibiza”
Album: At Night, Alone.
Label: Island/Republic
Peak: #8

36. JAMES TW, “When You Love Someone”
Album: First Impressions (EP)
Label: Island/Republic
Peak: #1 for six weeks+

35. BANNERS, “Start A Riot”
Album: BANNERS (EP)
Label: Island/Republic
Peak: #7

34. DNCE, “Toothbrush”
Album: DNCE
Label: Republic
Peak: #6

33. TEGAN AND SARA, “Boyfriend”
Album: Love You To Death
Label: Warner Bros.
Peak: #5

32. DAYA, “Sit Still, Look Pretty”
Album: Sit Still, Look Pretty
Label: Artbeatz/Sony RED
Peak: #8

31. DNCE, “Cake By The Ocean”
Album: DNCE
Label: Republic
Peak: #4

30. ONEREPUBLIC, “Kids”
Album: Oh My My
Label: Mosley/Interscope
Peak: #3

29. COLBIE CAILLAT, “Goldmine”
Album: The Malibu Sessions
Label: PlummyLou/Sony RED
Peak: #4

28. TAYLOR SWIFT, “Out Of The Woods”
Album: 1989
Label: BMLG/Republic
Peak: #3

27. MICHAEL BUBLÉ, “Nobody But Me”
Album: Nobody But Me
Label: Warner Bros.
Peak: #1 for four weeks

26. A GREAT BIG WORLD, “Oasis”
Album: When The Morning Comes
Label: Epic
Peak: #3

Stay tuned for more of the Top 100 of 2016 tomorrow…