ADD LIB — Brace For (CHR) Impact (August 22, 2017)

Welcome to Add Lib, your Tuesday report on POP! Goes The Charts that’s mad about CHR/Top 40 adds, based on the station data provided by Mediabase 24/7 and Add Board. This week: a big battle between six impacting tracks occurred, but in the end, Justin Bieber and BloodPop, as well as Halsey, emerged victorious with their hot singles. So, grab some “Friends” and show “Love” to this week’s Add Lib mania, why don’t you?

THAT’S WHAT “FRIENDS” IS FOR: Keep smiling, all you Beliebers, because Justin Bieber and BloodPop keep shining on this week’s adds report. “Friends” starts with 137 stations in its first frame, taking the Most Added title by far. The single marks the artist debut of the latter performer, a writer and/or producer three chart hits since 2015, one for Bieber and two for Lady Gaga. It remains to be seen when or if Bieber fatigue will develop at the format, given that he’s ranked with three collaborations since April, but the strong start for “Friends” is definitely a positive sign that the hits are going to keep on coming. No word on a new album for either artist as of yet, but that could soon change, especially as we head toward the start of the fourth quarter.

LOOKING FOR A NEW “LOVE”: You don’t have to look very far to find Halsey‘s “Bad At Love” in a budding relationship with the Top 40 panel this week, picking up 57 new stations (the second Most Added single) during its official impact. How romantic! It comes shortly after “Now Or Never” reached #3 at the format. “Bad” is the second radio release from Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart earlier this year, and will officially become her fifth top 40 hit in the coming days.

MOST ADDED — THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
1. JUSTIN BIEBER & BLOODPOP, “Friends” (GENPOP/Def Jam/Republic)
2. HALSEY, “Bad At Love” (Astralwerks/Capitol)
3. P!NK, “What About Us” (RCA)
4-T. DUA LIPA, “New Rules” (Warner Bros.)
4-T. PORTUGAL. THE MAN, “Feel It Still” (Atlantic)
6. PRETTYMUCH, “Would You Mind” (Syco/Columbia)
7. SABRINA CARPENTER, “Why” (Hollywood)
8. MILEY CYRUS, “Younger Now” (RCA)
9-T. BLACKBEAR, “Do Re Mi” (Beartrap/Alamo/Interscope)
9-T. HARRY STYLES, “Two Ghosts” (Columbia)

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RADIO ACTIVE — A Weekly Chart CHRonicle (August 20, 2017)

Welcome to Radio Active, a Sunday evening report from POP! Goes The Charts that gets to the chart of the matter: all the highlights from the CHR/Top 40 chart, as published by Mediabase 24/7 and Mediabase Research. Get those special shades ready for that total solar eclipse tomorrow afternoon, and get your “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” of choice on while observing it! (I think I’ll probably get to both Bonnie Tyler and Nicki French‘s versions, but do as you please.) Meanwhile, things are sunny on the charts, so let’s grab some stats and get going:

WHO’S GOT YOUR “BACK” NOW?: Settling just over 100 spins above his nearest competitor, Shawn Mendes holds atop the pop survey for a second week with “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back”. Look for it to reach the top of the Hot AC chart next week. In addition to those two formats, it also climbs 11-8 on AC radio this week, while it’s just below the top 50 on the Rhythmic list. (A new remix featuring Gucci Mane and Quavo might be needed for it to officially chart there.) Mendes has yet to announce a next single from his Illuminate album, or if he’ll be moving on from that era, but I’ll continue to look out for any information once it’s out there. Meanwhile, I’m sure Mr. Mendes is enjoying the continued love from programmers around the country.

Only one track is new to the top ten this week, the recent Country chart-topper from Sam Hunt called “Body Like A Back Road”. At #10, up two notches, it marks Hunt’s first single to reach this region of the Top 40 chart. Previously, he peaked at #28 for two weeks in July 2015 with “Take Your Time”. Could this mean we’ll see top-selling artists like Florida Georgia Line or Thomas Rhett try for another crossover hit in the coming months? What about Devin Dawson or Kelsea Ballerini? We’ll have to wait and see! So, back to the chart stats…

“FRIENDS” IN HIGH PLACES: Just in case you haven’t had enough Justin Bieber this year, his fourth top 40 collaboration of 2017 debuts at #35 this week. “Friends” gives Bieber his 23rd top 40 hit since 2009, but it also marks the artist debut of BloodPop, the writer and producer born Michael Tucker. He has a total of three top 40 singles to date from behind the boards, including the #1 hit “Sorry” for Bieber, which spent three weeks at the top in December 2015 and January 2016. Will the Canadian superstar grab his second #1 this year, while making the American producer a household name? It’s definitely possible. I’ll be rooting for it!

A notch below “Friends” is “Two Ghosts” by Harry Styles, up from 41-36. It’s the second top 40 hit from his self-titled solo release. Of course, this means that every member of the original lineup of One Direction, except ZAYN, has at least one title in the top 40. (Oh, ZAYN, where art thou?) Styles’s song is seeing a slow start in digital sales, but it’s still early on in its run. There are a number of great cuts still left on that album, if this one doesn’t work out as a radio single in the long run.

WHAT’S SO “BAD” ABOUT THEM?: Well, in the eyes of many pop fans, nothing at all! There are three new songs in the top 50 portion of the chart this week, all by solo women. The highest of the three is the fifth chart single for Halsey, coming in at #45. This hit, titled “Bad At Love”, is the follow-up to “Now Or Never”, which peaked at #3 three weeks ago. Both tracks are taken from the set titled Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 earlier this year. Though she hasn’t equaled the major success of ten-week chart-topper “Closer” by The Chainsmokers, on which she appeared as the featured vocalist, this song will be around well into the fall, so watch out for it.

The other two performers debuting in the countdown land just below Halsey’s new entry, with “New Rules” (#46) by Dua Lipa and “Why” (#47) by Sabrina Carpenter adding some girl power to the top 50. Lipa has now entered the top 50 with five tracks, two of which were collaborations with other artists. She has yet to score a top ten song. Carpenter made her debut at the pop format earlier this year with “Thumbs”, which peaked at #26 for two weeks in March and April. Her new radio hit was the second Most Added title here last week.

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ADAM’S TOP 40 FLASHBACK: August 18, 2002

“You” know these 2002 hits.

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 fifteen years and find out what was topping my chart for the week of August 18, 2002…

Debuts:
39. THICKE, “When I Get You Alone”
33. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, “Like I Love You”

Biggest Mover:
WESTLIFE, “World Of Our Own” (35-26, nine spots)

10. ELVIS PRESLEY vs. JXL, “A Little Less Conversation” (up 6)
Album: ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits (2002, RCA Records)
Peak: #7

09. SEVEN AND THE SUN, “Walk With Me” (down 2)
Album: Back To The Innocence (2002, Atlantic Records)
Peak: #5

08. DANIEL BEDINGFIELD, “Gotta Get Thru This” (up 5)
Album: Gotta Get Thru This (2002, Island Records)
Peak: #1 for three weeks

07. BBMAK, “Out Of My Heart (Into Your Head)” (up 1)
Album: Into Your Head (2002, Hollywood Records)
Peak: #7 for two weeks

06. BRYAN ADAMS, “Here I Am” (down 4)
Album: Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron (2002, A&M/Interscope Records)
Peak: #1 for two weeks

05. OUR LADY PEACE, “Somewhere Out There” (up 1)
Album: Gravity (2002, Columbia Records)
Peak: #2

04. NELLY featuring KELLY ROWLAND, “Dilemma” (steady, second week)
Album: Nellyville (2002, Fo’ Reel/Universal Records)
Peak: #4 for two weeks

03. PINK, “Just Like A Pill” (steady, fourth week)
Album: M!ssundaztood (2001, Arista Records)
Peak: #2

02. MICHELLE BRANCH, “Goodbye To You” (up 3)
Album: The Spirit Room (2001, Maverick/Warner Bros. Records)
Peak: #1 for two weeks

01. VANESSA CARLTON, “Ordinary Day” (steady, second week)
Album: Be Not Nobody (2002, A&M/Interscope Records)
Peak: #1 for two 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.

ADD LIB — Brace For (CHR) Impact (August 15, 2017)

Welcome to Add Lib, your Tuesday report on POP! Goes The Charts that’s mad about CHR/Top 40 adds, based on the station data provided by Mediabase 24/7 and Add Board. This week: we question questionable titles from P!nk and Sabrina Carpenter! Got numbers? We do. Let’s calculate and celebrate these top radio records:

“WHAT” GOES UP: Since the spring of 2000, pop superstar P!nk has reached the top 40 with 27 songs, and her 27th and latest hit sounds like a winner. “What About Us” is the Most Added title at the format this week, scoring 121 stations on impact. 18 of her 27 hits, or two-thirds, have peaked in the top ten, with nine of those reaching #1. That’s pretty outstanding. With her upcoming set due October 13, titled Beautiful Trauma, I’m sure several of those totals will be headed upward. P!nk’s last single to chart here, the collaboration “Waterfall” with Stargate and Sia, spent a week at #33 (4/2/17 MB) and quickly fell apart. (That definitely won’t be the case with “What” now!) Check back to see how her new single does in the coming weeks.

IF I WERE A CARPENTER: After reaching a #26 peak this past spring with “Thumbs”, 18-year-old Sabrina Carpenter keeps the one word title streak alive with “Why”, scoring the second Most Added record at Top 40 radio with 43 stations on impact. Even though her title is just three letters in length, we’ve had a couple of top 40 hits that are just one character: “7” (#2, 2/5-12/93 R&R) by Prince and the New Power Generation and “i” (#30, 11/9/14 MB) by Kendrick Lamar. However, all these songs are not short on quality, and that’s what matters! Can Carpenter hammer out a hit for the fall? Stay tuned.

MOST ADDED — THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
1. P!NK, “What About Us” (RCA)
2. SABRINA CARPENTER, “Why” (Hollywood)
3. SELENA GOMEZ featuring GUCCI MANE, “Fetish” (Interscope)
4. LOUIS TOMLINSON featuring BEBE REXHA & DIGITAL FARM ANIMALS, “Back To You” (Syco/Epic)
5. HARRY STYLES, “Two Ghosts” (Columbia)
6. PORTUGAL. THE MAN, “Feel It Still” (Atlantic)
7. WHY DON’T WE, “Something Different” (Atlantic)
8. FRENCH MONTANA featuring SWAE LEE, “Unforgettable” (Eardrum/Bad Boy/Interscope-Epic)
9. DEMI LOVATO, “Sorry Not Sorry” (Safehouse/Island/Republic/Hollywood)
10. HALSEY, “Bad At Love” (Astralwerks/Capitol)

Check out our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages for more adds coverage and commentary.

RADIO ACTIVE — A Weekly Chart CHRonicle (August 13, 2017)

Welcome to Radio Active, a Sunday evening report from POP! Goes The Charts that gets to the chart of the matter: all the highlights from the CHR/Top 40 chart, as published by Mediabase 24/7 and Mediabase Research. Our thoughts are with the family of Heather Heyer, who was tragically killed yesterday in Charlottesville as she fought for what she believed in. I’m disgusted at all the racist and anti-Semitic rhetoric and actions that occurred on Saturday, and pray that this kind of situation doesn’t happen again.

Though we need more time to heal from what happened, let’s do some of that through music. Here’s this week’s Top 40 report:

“BACK” AT THE TOP: For two weeks in November 2015, Canadian singer and songwriter Shawn Mendes held at the #1 spot at the format with “Stitches”, which also just happened to be his very first top 40 hit (after two misses, however) on the chart. Now, his second #1 comes via “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back”, up from #2 last week. The track is taken from a reissue of Mendes’s former #1 album, Illuminate, which came out in its updated form in April. Of course, this song also spent three weeks at the top of my chart in June and July, recently falling out of the top ten. Mendes’s reign will be a short, but sweet one, but at least it happened.

Though a number of songs are continuing to build up larger gains, significant chart movement is still on the low side this week. Up a notch to #10 is the only track to enter the region on the current list, “Feels” by Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean. Again, in the top 20, only one single moves into the section: up 22-20, “Sorry Not Sorry” by Demi Lovato. If someone, or some people, could kindly shake up the chart in the next few weeks with a few iconic A-list singles, that would be great!

IN THE PINK: It’s a stellar week for pop superstar P!nk, who debuts way up at #34 on this week’s Top 40 chart with “What About Us”. This is the 27th top 40 single for the hot performer, who made her debut in 2000 with two consecutive #2 hits: “There You Go” (7/14/00 R&R) and “Most Girls” (11/10-24/00 R&R). Of course, she’s now had nine #1 songs to date, spending 28 total weeks in the top spot to date. (We’ll see if she adds to that this fall!) “What” is the lead single from her forthcoming album Beautiful Trauma, out October 13, which I am certainly looking forward to. Believe it or not, it’s her first studio album in five (!) years.

Just in case you wondering, “There” fell from 10-16 and “Most” climbed from 38-31 on the equivalent chart from this week in 2000. As for the top spot, that went to “Bent” by Matchbox Twenty, which was spending its first of two weeks there. Besides P!nk, there are two additional solo performers, Britney Spears and JAY-Z, who appeared on that chart and a top 40 hit during 2017. (A third performer, Beyoncé, was a part of Destiny’s Child on the 2000 chart.)

DON’T COUNT ‘EM OUT: One of the hottest new boy bands to appear on the pop charts is a five member act who call themselves Why Don’t We. With millions of video views and audio streams to date, the quintet starts at #45 with their first entry, “Something Different”. The group debuted about a year ago, releasing three EPs and some collaborations with YouTube star Logan Paul before a major label signed them. They’re currently on a radio tour to promote their song, which narrowly made it into the tenth Most Added spot on last Tuesday’s report. (It could be back there this Tuesday, so stay tuned.)

“Something” is one of three new entries just below the top 40 on this Sunday’s pop chart, with “Two Ghosts” (#41) by Harry Styles and “Take It All Back” (#49) by Judah & The Lion also making their debuts. “Two” is, in fact, the second solo single for Styles, but “Take” is the first chart hit for the Nashville quartet, which topped the Alternative chart for three weeks in December and January.

Check out our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages for more chart coverage and commentary.

ADAM’S TOP 40 FLASHBACK: August 11, 2013

“True” jams.

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 four years and find out what was topping my chart for the week of August 11, 2013…

Debuts:
40. KATY PERRY, “Roar”
39. IMAGINE DRAGONS, “On Top Of The World”
38. NEW POLITICS, “Harlem”

Biggest Mover:
MIKA featuring ARIANA GRANDE, “Popular Song” (39-27, twelve spots)

10. SARA BAREILLES, “Brave” (down 4)
Album: The Blessed Unrest (2013, Epic Records)
Peak: #4

09. FAMILY OF THE YEAR, “St. Croix” (up 1)
Album: Loma Vista (2012, Nettwerk Records)
Peak: #7 for two weeks

08. DAFT PUNK featuring PHARRELL WILLIAMS, “Get Lucky” (down 3)
Album: Random Access Memories (2013, Columbia Records)
Peak: #2 for five weeks

07. PASSENGER, “Holes” (up 4)
Album: All The Little Lights (2012, Nettwerk Records)
Peak: #1 for five weeks

06. TRAIN featuring ASHLEY MONROE, “Bruises” (up 1)
Album: California 37 (2012, Columbia Records)
Peak: #6 for two weeks

05. MAYER HAWTHORNE, “Her Favorite Song” (down 3)
Album: Where Does This Door Go (2013, Republic Records)
Peak: #2 for three weeks

04. BASTILLE, “Pompeii” (up 4)
Album: Bad Blood (2014, Virgin/Capitol Records)
Peak: #1 for two weeks

03. FIVE FOR FIGHTING, “What If” (up 1)
Album: Bookmarks (2013, Wind-up Records)
Peak: #3 for two weeks

02. PASSENGER, “Let Her Go” (up 1)
Album: All The Little Lights (2012, Nettwerk Records)
Peak: #1 for twelve weeks

01. P!NK featuring LILY ROSE COOPER, “True Love” (steady, second week)
Album: The Truth About Love (2012, RCA Records)
Peak: #1 for three 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.

ADD LIB — Brace For (CHR) Impact (August 8, 2017)

Welcome to Add Lib, your Tuesday report on POP! Goes The Charts that’s mad about CHR/Top 40 adds, based on the station data provided by Mediabase 24/7 and Add Board. This week: Harry Styles raises a toast to “Ghosts”, AJR prove that they are fanatics of the dramatic and much more. Forget about the popcorn and popsicles, munch down on these pop stats tonight:

“TWO” BECOMES ONE: After Louis Tomlinson led the Top 40 adds report for the past two weeks, it’s time for another One Direction member to take control at the top. Harry Styles is looking for his second solo top 40 single with “Two Ghosts”, and at pop stations this week, it spooks up 36 adds from the panel. “Two” is the follow-up to “Sign Of The Times”, which scored a massive 127 adds on impact in April, peaking at #12 (4/30, 5/7 and 5/21/17) on the chart. Of course, Styles’s self-titled album entered at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart earlier this year. Though much of the initial hype of this era has died down, “Two” can still take a nice run up the chart. However, even with the ghost talk, I wouldn’t get into the Halloween spirit too early… it’s only August 8. (It’s definitely a good time for candy, regardless of the date.)

FREAKS OF THE “WEAK”: Since 2014, the trio of brothers known as AJR have reached the Top 40 chart with two top 30 hits: “I’m Ready” (#25, 7/27/14) and “Weak” (#27, 6/4 and 6/18/17). Now, the Met siblings get some brotherly love from the stations of the pop panel, receiving 24 adds on impact, good for a third place (tie) finish. It’s the second radio single from their newest set The Click, which didn’t exactly click with the buying public, reaching #61 on the Billboard 200. Will Adam, Jack and Ryan finally break into the top 20? Will a brick wall await them below the region once more? Ooh, time will tell, kids. Watch this space!

MOST ADDED — THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN
1. HARRY STYLES, “Two Ghosts” (Columbia)
2. PORTUGAL. THE MAN, “Feel It Still” (Atlantic)
3. AJR, “Drama” (AJR Prod./RED)
4. SELENA GOMEZ featuring GUCCI MANE, “Fetish” (Interscope)
5. LOUIS TOMLINSON featuring BEBE REXHA & DIGITAL FARM ANIMALS, “Back To You” (Syco/Epic)
6. DEMI LOVATO, “Sorry Not Sorry” (Safehouse/Island/Republic/Hollywood)
7. FRENCH MONTANA featuring SWAE LEE, “Unforgettable” (Eardrum/Bad Boy/Interscope-Epic)
8. ZEDD & LIAM PAYNE, “Get Low” (Interscope)
9. KHALID, “Location” (RCA)
10. WHY DON’T WE, “Something Different” (Atlantic)

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