My top ten best hit songs for January-March

What I'd thought I'd do is make a list of my favourite hit songs at the end of three months of the year so as we are reaching the end of March, its come time to do a top 10 of my favourite hit songs of the period.

There is only one rule and that is basically that the song must have appeared on the ARIA chart at some point during the past 12 weeks which unfortunately rules out some pretty damn good songs eg: "Hopeless Romantic" by Michelle Branch or "Black Magic" by The Amazons.

At number 10, Kygo and Selena Gomez with "It Ain't Me". I didn't expect to like this as much as I do especially given Selena's track history of making terrible songs like "We Don't talk anymore" (which was a collaboration with Charlie Puth) or the even worse "Keep My Hands to Myself". I was horrified this would be another one of those but nope "It Ain't Me" works for Selena vocally given her really rather limited range and damn that chorus is catchy!

"Slide" by Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean and Migos is in the same boat and they are at number 9. Given the track record of all three. Migos releasing the interminable horror that is "Bad and Boujee" (which thankfully didn't get anywhere near the top of the Australian charts) I really wasn't expecting Slide" to be so infectious and something worthy of dancing to even though the lyrics are actually very melancholy even the Frank Ocean drone really works here.


Andy Grammer comes in at number 8 witb "Fresh Eyes". Forgive me here but I had never really heard of Andy Grammer until this song was released, maybe that was because I experienced a period of pure ambivalence toward the ARIA charts, I did miss "Honey I'm Good" but back to "Fresh Eyes", its got a smoothness about it that I really like., the lyrics aren't perfect but its that easy listening song that's a good listen at times. Guilty pleasure kind of thing.

At number 7 is "Million Reasons" by Lady Gaga. So yeah this was another shock to the system as to how much I do like this song because I quite frankly haven't really been somebody who is a fan of Lady Gaga's previous discography, I did like her first single "Just Dance" but then she got a bit too outrageous for me but when "Million Reasons" from her latest album Joanne dropped, it was a song I really did like for the pure reason it explores a different side to Gaga rather than this crazy popstar, its a near enough to be called a country song in some senses.

Number 6 is "Water Under the Bridge" by Adele because Adele, she can't do much wrong and "Water under the Bridge" should a bigger fucking hit right now than it is in Australia. (Also is anyone reminded of Kate Bush in "Running Up that Hill" with that vocal sound at the start?)

Bruno Mars comes in at number 5 with "That's What I like". If I had a song obsession during February, it was this one. Some don't like Bruno taking this retro vibe on 24k Magic but god damn, it works for me especially if he is going to release songs like "That's What I Like"

"Adore" by Amy Shark comes in at number 4. People who follow me on Twitter will know that I have constantly raved about this song, if it wasn't for Ed Sheeran, there'd be a chance this song would have got to number 1 as it probably deserved to.

At number 3, its "Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran. I am quite frankly so disappointed this song didn't go number 1 as it is so much better than "Shape of You" but given how long it has been in the top 10, it will probably be in the year end chart which is good for my year end list of favourite songs. If only Ed had a much rougher and less polished edge to his sound because Castle on the Hill would fit that.

Lorde in at number 2 with "Green Light". I just love everything about this song, the lyrics, the music and the vibe with it, she has said its about her first heartbreak which isn't easy for anyone to write about but I've kind of taken my own personal meanings from the song apart from it being fun to dance to.


Number 1.....

Goes to The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk for "I Feel It Coming". At times its easy to dismiss The Weeknd as nothing but a cheap Michael Jackson impersonator, his sound is very similar to some of Jackson's songs but the groove and vocal delivery in "I Feel It Coming" sucks me in every single time. It just works for me as a song

British Top 10: Ed, Ed, Ed...Drake?

The Ed Sheeran domination of the charts is more pronounced this week on the British charts where he has four songs from Divide inside the top ten this week.

In fact all of the songs that dropped out of the top 10 this week were Ed Sheeran songs

No change to the number one song with Ed Sheeran remaining at number 1 for an 11th week. Still has a long way to go before he gets near that chart record.

At number 2 this week is Ed Sheeran with "Galway Girl" which is the next single from "Divide"

Remaining at number 3 is Ed Sheeran with "Castle on the Hill"

Drake has the highest debut this week. Would have been a shock if he didn't really. "Passionfruit" debuting at number 4.

The Chainsmokers and Coldplay drop from 4 to 5 with "Something Just Like This"

Mentioned this in the Australian top 10 rundown, "Symphony" by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson debuts at number 6. Looks like being another major hit for Clean Bandit.

At number 7 is the last of the Ed Sheeran songs inside the top 10 with "Pefect" dropping two places.

Martin Jensen has entered the top 10 this week with "Solo Dance" jumping from number 12 to number 8 this week but it wasn't the biggest mover from outside the top 10 to reach the top 10 this week.

There's another new entry for Drake at number 9 this week, he has teamed up with Giggs for a song called "KMT"

The biggest mover into the top 10 award this week goes to Anne-Marie with "Ciao Adios" climbing from number 20 to number 10.

Drake seems likely to challenge for number 1 in the weeks ahead as do Clean Bandit and Zara Larsson. Be back later this week with the Billboard top 10.

Australian Top 10: Steady week in top ten. Drake returns

Nothing really changed this week in the Australian top ten, nothing jumped into the top 10 or jumped out of it for that matter, couple of movers up and down though

What does remain the same is that for the 11th week, "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran remains at number one. Surely somewhere the balloon that is this song right now is going to start leaking some air soon but "Shape of You" is still quite dominant in most areas and Sheeran has kept the number 1 album with "Divide"

The Chainsmokers and Coldplay climbed to number 2 this week with "Something Just Like This" but it feels a bit like a plastic number 2, almost like its waiting for a bigger song to come and knock it off.

That meant "Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran dropped to number three.

At number 4 is "Stay" by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara. A song that may have the potential to challenge Sheeran for number 1 based purely on momentum but we'll soon find out.

"It Ain't Me" by Kygo and Selena Gomez didn't move from 5 this week

Bruno Mars continues to move up with "That's what I like" to number 6 from 8 last week.

Lorde's "Green Light" suffered a 3 place drop to number 7. It was number one in Lorde's homeland of New Zealand last week but Ed Sheeran has returned to number one there with "Shape of You"

Speaking of Ed Sheeran "Galway Girl" dropped one place to number 8. It needs a big boost from a video.

"Issues" by Julia Michaels and "All Time Low" by Jon Bellion remain at 9 and 10 respectively.


Light week as far as new entries go with only three of them but two of them are from big names so let's get to number 16 and its where we find "Passionfruit" by Drake, the only song from his playlist/album "More Life" to hit the Australian chart this week (thank goodness). The British charts are littered with Drake songs this week.

I am not a fan of Drake but you can check out his new single here.

We then have to go outside the top 40 to find the other two new entries. Debuting at 42 this week is the new one for Clean Bandit, they have teamed up with Zara Larsson for a song entitled "Symphony". Probably the best out of the three debuts.\

Finally at number 45 is Martin Jensen with "Solo Dance". Now this song has been a huge hit in Europe and its climbing the charts in Britain to be inside the top 10 at number 8 in the United Kingdom.

Next week should see Zayn Malik back on the chart along with probably more Drake (ugh, he is getting into Taylor Swift zone in terms of over exposure). Coming up the British top 10.

Australian top 10: Top 4 gets predictable as Kygo and Selena rise

I am going to do the ARIA top 10 a little differently this week because basically from number 1 to number 4 its not very interesting so this week I am going to go from 1 through to 10 because beyond number 4 is where its interesting but more importantly this week's top 10 isn't as dominated by Ed Sheeran

Sheeran's songs "Dive" and "Perfect" took a tumble out of the top 10.

So number 1 for a 10th week, likely shaping to be the biggest song of 2017 worldwide and indeed ensuring its place on ARIA's end of year lists and maybe at number one, hard to see any song knocking it off right now, Ed Sheeran's Shape of You". Divide also remains the number 1 album in Australia right now.

"Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran spends another week at number 2.

The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay remain at number 3 with "Something Just Like This"

Big surprise is that Lorde wasn't able to climb higher this week. "Green Light" remains at number 4.

Now this is where it all gets interesting because Kygo and Selena Gomez have climbed back to number 5 after a surprise drop to number 7 last week given its strong debut.

The other major surprise this week is the continued success of "Stay" by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara which climbed three spots to number 6. Could break into top 5 next week.

Ed Sheeran confirmed "Galway Girl" as his next single (Yay, as its the best song outside of Castle on The Hill from the album) and that climbed 3 to number 7

Bruno Mars continues his rise up the charts with "Thats What I Like" and any wonder given it is such a great song, it went from 14 to 8 this week.

Julia Michaels run in the top 10 is coming to end but its a slow drop for "Issues", its fallen to number nine

"All Time Low" for Jon Bellion rounds out the top 10 at number 10.

Before we get to the new entries, there is a song that have some massive potential in the weeks ahead of breaking into the top 10, the first being "You Don't Know Me" by Jax Jones featuring Raye, its been a hit in the UK, only held off the number one spot by Ed Sheeran's "Shape Of You". This week "You don't know me" went from 24 to 15.

Now to the new entries and the first of those is in at number 19 and really I thought the hoopla around this song could have been bigger given who is in involved. Norwegian producer Stargate has gotten together with Sia and Pink (two of the biggest female names in pop outside of Adele, Taylor Swift and Beyonce who are all likely to have quiet 2017s. Adele on tour, Beyonce having twins and Taylor giving everyone a much needed break from her) to create a song entitled "Waterfall", now I am fairly ambivalent about this song but anyway, its up to you guys.

At number 42 is the song that is a non single from Lorde's 2nd album "Melodrama" but because everyone is so hungry for new Lorde music after four years away, it has reached the ARIA top 50. I think this is the most vulnerable I have ever heard Lorde.




At number 43 is my favourite new entry of the week "Keep Me Crazy by the band responsible for that wickedly catchy "Geronimo" a couple of years ago. Yes, it's a bit shouty in places but all the time it is a deceptively catchy song.

So next week we're likely to see Zara Larsson hit the chart in a big way with two songs from her newly released album "So Good" and hopefully an ARIA chart debuts for the new Amy Shark and Gretta Ray singles.

Will have a run down of the British top 10 sometime this weekend but until then see you later.

Bieber's behaviour should leave people unbeliebing

Before Justin Bieber's latest tour "Purpose", I wasn't a Belieber, in fact, its usually pretty easy to ignore Justin Bieber because his music does fade into a whole lot of at times unpleasant background noise and mostly it's not that good apart from one or two songs.

That is until Bieber arrived in Australia for the Australian leg of the Purpose World tour and quite honestly he has been extremely difficult to ignore and most of the time its not been pleasant, there have been stories from media outlets and Biebers fans coming from his shows in both Perth and Melbourne that Bieber looked bored and miserable which is not a good thing given the people turning up to see the live show have paid an awful lot of money to see Bieber and hear him perform his songs live.

Bright Lights and Pyrotechnics can't atone for singer's apathetic performance (Eastern Reporter, Perth)

Justin Bieber looked bored but fans don't care (The Age)

Thing is Bieber's apparent boredom when performing hasn't just happened in Australia, it seems it has happened when he was on tour around the US and Europe where he was accused of same behaviour so its not the first time so knowing this is enough proof I'd need to not waste my money and save it for an artist who respects the fact that people have scrimped and saved just to see their favourite artist perform live which it seems doesn't have the professionalism to understand.

Which brings me to the disrespectful and frankly diva like behaviour when it comes to the 'publicity stunt' with Australian Ice Hockey League club Melbourne Ice, it seems Melbourne Ice did everything he requested only for him not to show up, the Melbourne Ice took it well publicly (and why wouldn't they? They got some free cheap publicity out of the whole ordeal) but privately they would be furious, Bieber effectively wasted the club's time and disrespected the effort the club made to ensure his demands were met eg: sourcing a hockey stick that met Bieber's standards.

We won't talk his interactions with fans but I get the feeling Bieber only interacts with fans when he feels like he needs some good publicity to continue make himself look like a guy with this heart of gold that even your granny would love. All I'll say re: fans is I think both Bieber and fans need to learn you need to earn respect in order to get respect back.

Then today, Bieber got rude and abusive toward a television crew all in the name of 'comedy' because he saw Chris Lilley do it on Summer Heights High. Seriously? A television crew doing their job and reporting (what shouldn't be a news story) on Bieber's tour and giving his concerts publicity and yet again it comes back to get respect you have to earn it, it shouldn't automatically come because you are a popstar.

Well Justin, sorry but this Purpose tour, your behaviour has led me to question why your fans even bother to buy your CDs or tickets to your shows when you have a poor attitude on tour toward the people who support you and those who promote your music and tours,

The other question is why the hell do people still idolise Justin Bieber? Its not like his music is legendary (his Grammys nom for album of the year was controversial) or even vaguely interesting, his attitude is that of a 23 year old little boy who hasn't realized that he is an adult.

Think I'll encourage kids to idolise people who don't swear at those doing their job, actually do their own jobs with a good, professional attitude and actually practice what they preach in terms of respect.

Forever a Unbelieber.

Jaykay's 2017 Music Odyssey #2: The return of...Steps?

I realize it has been awhile since my first musical odyssey post but to be honest the odyssey hit a bit of a struggle street until Spotify blew open the doors via my release radar and the Australian viral charts this week (remember this looks at music that really isn't charting in Australia but damn it, it deserves to)

You might remember that I wrote about the return of 90s bands and artists like Jennifer Paige in the last music odyssey blog, well there was one band that I was very surprised had not only reunited but returned with a new single that is genuinely a good song to dance to. 90s band Steps are that band, they were responsible for the annoying ear worm '5, 6, 7. 8" in the late 90s. Their new single is entitled "Scared of the Dark" and is a real hark back to the days of 70s disco. Suspect its going to chart well in the UK, Australia is wait and see...I hope it does for the sake of my end of 2017 list.




It was an unusally good week for me on the Spotify Release Radar front, normally I am lucky if I find 2 or 3 songs I like if my favourite artists haven't released anything but this week produced some crackers and I am going to begin with Melbourne soul, jazz and blues band The Meltdown because they have produced a real throwback to the days of Motown that I had thought were gone, the song is called "Don't Hesitate" and damn, its a mighty fine song.




Sarah Close is a British singer/songwriter who Australia hasn't had very much exposure to but she is making waves on the British music scene with her debut EP called "Caught up" due out on April 14th. Fresh from that soon to be released EP is a song called "Call Me Out" and wow, a genuinely good pop song if ever I have heard one and it has been doing well on the Australian viral charts on Spotify so I am reasonably hopeful this song might chart.





The Plain White are a British alternative/indie band (yes, British music is having a period where it is actually quite good if you look past the top 100) and I got to say I am incredibly impressed by a song called "Reaction"





Finally, American alternative indie band The Wldlfe (Don't ask) have put out a song that is growing on me with every listen, its called "I Lost you"

Australian top 10, Ed and more Ed.

Australia has been sucked into the trend from around the rest of the world this week on the ARIA singles chart where by every single song from Ed Sheeran's third album appears on the chart this week with 5 of those songs appearing in the ARIA top 10.

Now I don't propose to spend a lot of time going through my thoughts on these new entries from Sheeran's new album like I normally would given that most will plunge next week on back of a calmer sales week but if you do want to read my throughts on Ed Sheeran's album and the first 11 songs from that album then here is the link http://australianchartattack.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/divide-upbeat-pop-only-just-saves-tv.html

The Ed Sheeran avalanche saw Zayn and Taylor Swift's "I Don't Want to Live Forever" drop to number 11,  Katy Perry's "Chained to the Rhythm" continue its downward slide out of the top 10 to number 12 (the timing of that release by Katy and her management has been unintentionally awful), "Paris" by The Chainsmokers also dropped out of the top 10 to number 15.

The first of the Ed Sheeran songs is at number 10 in "Galway Girl". BBC Radio 1s Nick Grimshaw actually mixed this song and B*witched's 1998 hit "C'est La Vie" together and it sounds pretty darn amazing. Think it maybe on Youtube if you want to check it out.

At number 9 is Zedd featuring Alessia Cara with "Stay". Its moved into the top 10 from 16 last week.

Julia Michaels falls one place to number 8 with "Issues"

A surprise three place drop for "It Ain't Me" by Kygo featuring Selena Gomez. I'm genuinely surprised because that is a genuinely good song.

New in at number 6 is Ed Sheeran's 15th wedding song "Perfect" although it seems like the perfect overwrought song for a TV soap love scene but anyway....

Also new in a number 5 is Ed Sheeran with "Dive" (The only ballad from Divide I really took a liking to)

Then we get to the real big debut of this week at number 4, Lorde with "Green Light". She unveiled another song from Melodrama called "Liability" this week which is just as good as " Green Light" Will talk about it in a moment given that even though its not a single, the song will more than likely chart next week. Here was my reaction to "Green Light"
http://australianchartattack.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/green-light-by-lorde-my-reaction.html

At number 3 is the not unexpected drop for The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay with "Something Just Like This"

The release of Divide has helped "Castle on the Hill" by Ed Sheeran jump right back to where it entered the chart at number 2.

But for a ninth straight week, Ed Sheeran is at number 1 with "Shape Of You". Its main competition appears likely to be Lorde's "Green Light"

Now given that I've already talked about the new entries from Ed Sheeran also Lorde to death and there's no other major new entries from other artists this week, it gives me a chance to talk about some of the new music that is likely to impact the chart next week.

Australian bad Sheppard are back with a song that is starting to cause ripples overseas called "Keep Me Crazy". I think its a terrific song that is just as catchy as the hit "Geronimo"




Sheryl Crow is an old hand at writing pop/rock songs that are pleasant, inoffensive and just a good bop, she's done it again with "Halfway There". Sure its no "All I wanna do" or "Soak up the Sun" but this is a pretty darn good song.




As I mentioned when talking Lorde's "Green Light", she has released a song called "Liability" which will be on her 2nd album Melodrama and I have to say I really do love this song more so than "Green Light". I suspect strongly that Lorde is opening herself up emotionally and its really paying off in "Liability"




Unfortunately in the not so good pile is the latest song 2 Chainz, Ty Dollar Sign, Trey Songz and Jhene Aiko called "Its a Vibe". Avoid looking up the lyrics if you do not want to be repulsed like I was when I looked it up and nearly threw up in the process.  Needless to say the over use of the word 'vibe' is seemingly essential to this brag rap nonsense.







Finally, Stargate are a Norwegian group of producers who have gotten together with Sia and Pink (two of the biggest female popstars in the world right now) to release a song called "Waterfall". I reckon this song could well have suited Beyonce. It could well be one of the biggest songs of the year! Check out "Waterfall" and we'll see whether Lorde gets the "Green Light" to knock Ed Sheern off number 1

Divide: Upbeat pop only just saves TV love scene song drear

Album: Divide 

Artist: Ed Sheeran

Best songs: Castle on the Hill, Galway Gal, New Man, What Do I Know?

Worst songs: Eraser, Happier, 

Ed Sheeran is an artist I have always been always fairly mixed about. I liked "A Team" and "Don't" but wasn't overly impressed with "Thinking Out Loud" and the songs that he'd released from his new album Divide had left me with mixed feelings and having read some reviews of the new album, I was a bit apprehensive about Divide.

I've gone through each song and written some thoughts about them.

Eraser: How did this come to be the opening track of the album? Especially when there are miles better songs behind it including Castle on the Hill. Sheeran experiments with rapping and quite honestly it doesn't work although at least it doesn't descend into bragging about cars, stealing other blokes girlfriends etc. 3/10

Castle on the Hill: This should have been the opening track off Divide. Castle on the Hill really sucks you in and takes you on a ride through Sheeran's life, its kind of like he is telling us about his childhood and how he grew up and every time I wonder how on earth it didn't get to number one because it is brilliant tune, 8/10

Dive: If there was a ballad that I was impressed by, it was Dive. Sheeran's vocal performance connected with me straight away. Sheeran wants to know how this woman he has met feels about him before he falls in love with her so he doesn't wind up feeling hurt should she reject him. Lyrically its a simple little song but it works on many different levels. 7/10

Shape Of You: Wben I first heard Shape Of You, I really didn't like it or connect with it but now its just a feeling of general ambivalence when I do hear it. Its basically a standard drunken hook up love song and quite honestly it just doesn't work for me. Mind you its better than a lot of other crap on the charts that has gone number 1 in recent times 5/10

Perfect: Hey Bold and the Beautiful and other US soap operas, I have found your perfect love scene song. Also why do the opening lines of this song make Sheeran sound like he has changed the words of Amazing Grace? Blech. 4/10

Galway Gal: This song put a smile on my face and made me want to dance which is all I sometimes want from music. Its a fun number that is ultimately sounding very Irish and hopefully will be a single. 7/10

Happier: Another wretched ballad. Okay, Ed, we get you are immensely talented at writing ballads but come on another song made for a TV soap love scene is getting ridiculous. 5/10

New Man: A pretty chilled laid back tune about Ed Sheeran hearing about his ex's new boyfriend complete with a reference to anal bleaching. Yes, anal bleaching gets a run. Sheeran also reminds his ex of the times she had with him. Overall I like this song but the anal bleaching reference took me by surprise. 7/10

Hearts Don't Break Around Here: Yet another ballad that doesn't work for me. Another love song aimed at a new girlfriend and its kind of sacharine sweet but is there any need for a line like "Shakes my soul like a pothole" Really Ed, did you go to the Sam Hunt school of writing songs in reference women being roads?.  4/10

What do I Know? Maybe the closest Sheeran gets to being political on this album but literally its all about avoiding politics and other people's problems and changing the world with love. Seems like a total beg for world peace song to me but unfortunately its the last of the upbeat tracks. 6/10

How would you feel (Paean): Earnest Ed is back again on another ballad. How would you feel (Paean) is the album promotional song and I have to be honest when Ed is trying to be earnest is just really doesn't work at all. I have had enough of the ballads by now 3/10

Supermarket Flowers: Not much to be said for this track other than yes its another ballad about the death of his mother which is sweet and I get the sentiment of the song. 6/10

Overall I got to say the upbeat numbers save this album overall from being a bit on the dreary side. Lyrically Sheeran is at his best apart from the pothole line in Hearts Don't Break around here and the anal bleaching reference in New Man (He isn't the first artist to reference anal bleaching in a song. Kanye West has done it on his most recent album. Check out "Father Stretch my hands Part 1") but Divide is one for massive Ed Sheeran fans only.

Rating: 5/10

Artist to watch: Daisy Clark

18 year old British woman Daisy Clark has taken Youtube by storm in recent months with her cover of Olivia Newton-John's "Hopelessly Devoted to You", well she has has now released her cover as her first single,

Now ordinarily I think covers are a bit hit and miss but this one by Daisy was so good that I was compelled to share it with you. 

Something just like breaking the Edopoly. (ARIA Top Ten)

Its finally happened and was always going to happen, the Edopoly at the top of the ARIA singles chart has been broken...just not at number 1 but we'll get to that in a moment.

We said goodbye to "How would you feel (Paean)" by Ed Sheeran which dropped from 2 to 11 and as expected Amy Shark's "Adore" did drop from the top 10.

So to our top 10 where we start at number 10 and unfortunately it seems Pnau's "Chameleon" could very well be staring at an exit from the top 10, it dropped two places.

At number 9, is American singer, song-writer, rapper and producer Jon Bellion with "All Time Low", this song has been hanging around the charts for awhile so suspect this might very well be peaking after jumping from 12 to 9

At number 8, is the first of two entries from The Chainsmokers with "Paris", it also looks like its headed toward the top 10 exit.

Katy Perry's "Chained to the Rhythm" is yet again the surprise having lost more momentum this week, it dropped one place to number 7. Really expected that one to return to top 5 (and not because Chained to the Rhythm is necessarily a good song)

Julia Michaels is having "Issues" with the fact her hit song has dropped one place to number 6

"I don't want to live forever" by Zayn and Taylor Swift has also dropped a spot to number 5 with all the momentum from the 50 Shades Darker movie somewhat fading now.

At number 4 is "It Ain't Me" by Kygo and Selena Gomez which jumped 5 places to number 4. Its also on a massive climb in the US where it jumped from 93 to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appears likely to be a top ten hit next week. Yikes!

"Castle on the Hill" has regained some of the momentum it lost by rebounding to number 3. Suspect it will cop a boost now with the release of Sheeran's album "Divide"

Now we get to what I mentioned before about the Edopoly being broken and it took The Chainsmokers teaming up with Coldplay to do it. "Something Just Like This" is this week's highest debut at number two. Now I am no fan of the Chainsmokers or Coldplay but I got to say this song is okay without being great.

But yes, for the eighth week in a row, Ed Sheeran's "Shape Of You" is Australia's number one and with the album now out, I suspect a ninth week at the top is in the offing for Ed.

Anyway its time we looked the new entries to enter the charts this week outside of the top 10 and we go to number 12 which where "Slide" the new single for Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos has debut. I must confess to cringing when I heard about this collaboration given misgivings about Migos ("Bad and Boujee" anyone?) and also what Calvin Harris has done in the past but hey this really works and I actually really like what Harris has done in creating what he termed as "happy music"

Unfortunately, there's only a preview of the song available on Youtube but I recommend giving this song a listen.



Now to number 16 where we find "Stay" by Zedd featuring Alessia Cara. I am a fan of Alessia Cara but I am not sure why I cannot dig this song. Hmm. Also what is with the increasing trend of songs discussing the theme of never growing up?

The last of new the new entries comes from Future featuring Rihanna with a song called "Selfish". The US charts have been drowning in a lot of Future. Why? Because instead of releasing one album, it was decided he would release two and a by product of that is "Selfish" and to be honest, Rihanna is class on this and this may just be the better of the songs from either of Future's albums.

Some side notes on this week's chart. Lana Del Ray's "Love" has fallen from 41 ro 49 this week which isn't so surprising. Not convinced Australia completely gets Lana.

I mentioned Migos earlier, well, it seems his collab with Lil Uzi Vert "Bad and Boujee" is set to drop out of the ARIA top 50 after peaking at number 34. "Bad and Boujee" is a former US number 1 but has struggled for traction anywhere else quite remarkably.

So looking ahead to next week, Ed Sheeran faces the challenge imposed by Lorde's "Green Light" and new entries expected for Coldplay and I suspect one or two album tracks from Sheeran's new album will enter the charts

"Green Light" by Lorde: My reaction

After a couple of years of being away from the music scene, New Zealand singer/songwriter Lorde is back with a brand new song entitled "Green Light" which is the lead off single from her second album due to released on June 15th.

Lorde has spent a lot of her time away from the music becoming an adult and finding a new sound and vibe with her second album given that she described her first album "Pure Heroine" as an enshrinement of her teenage years (she was only 16 when she recorded that album!) and knew that her sound had to evolve musically for her 2nd album and the first result of that work Lorde has done in that period away are fascinating as well as complicated and complex.

"Green Light" has been described as a song about Lorde's first major heartbreak something that she admitted during a BBC Radio 1 interview with Zane Lowe that she isn't used to writing about. For me, the song has evidence that Lorde has grown as a songwriter and that she is aware of how important it is to grow as an artist as she gets older and it really shows in "Green Light"

Emotionally, "Green Light" is a complex rollercoaster of anger, confusion, happiness, and sadness, Lorde definitely knows where to vocalise these emotions in her lyrics cue the way she sings "She's such a liar" and also complex when you consider that underneath the prechorus and chorus is this piano beat underneath it which is almost happy.

There's a lot of familiarity and new to this song "Green Light". Sparse instrumentation to start and chanting in the chorus "That green light I want it" has been in my head for the last 24 hours.

All in all, "Green Light" is just a brilliant rollercoaster ride of a song that gets you off your backside to dance.

Check it out for yourself below: