ARIA Top 10: August 14th: Despacito keeps number 1 but showdown looms

Going into this week's chart I was expecting some big changes as our number one seemed to lose all steam this week.

Instead that's not what I got.

Leaving the top ten this week was "Mama" by Jonas Blue feat. William Singe.

At number one for a thirteenth week (quite unexpectedly) was "Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber. Just how much longer it can remain at number one is in question with the loss of momentum it has suffered and with Pink's new single "What About Us?" to hit the chart next week, it's time at number one could be be numbered (thank goodness)

It's another week at number 2 for Imagine Dragons with "Thunder'. I don't see this reaching top spot though


The surprise hit though is "Glorious' by Macklemore feat. Skylar Gray which climbed two places to number 3. It could very well be a challenger for number 1 if those sales numbers improve.


At number 4 is Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean with "Feels" and its feeling a one place drop this week.

Liam Payne and Quavo's "Strip That Down" lives up to its name by stripping down to number 5. Hasn't been a good week for Liam with his song with Zedd "Get Low" really struggling for any kind of traction.

At number six is "Wild Thoughts" by DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller because quite frankly a lot of the moment has gone out of it. Sales are doing nothing for it right now.


A song that has been doing well in the USA and the United Kingdom. "Unforgettable" by French Montana feat. Swae Lee climbs into the top 10 at number 7, up four places from last week. I expect this song to be top 5 next week actually.


Kesha's "Praying" slides to number 8, it should get a big boost off the release of the album "Rainbow" so I expect "Praying" will stay in the top 10


Because people can't get enough of Uncle Kracker with no personality, Sam Hunt climbed one place to number 9 with 'Body Like A Back Road"


"Slow Hands" by Niall Horan rounds out the top 10 at number 10 and looks like it may exit the top ten next week with Pink's likely top 10 arrival.


Two new entries this week, the highest of them being "Mi Gente" by J Balvin and Willy Williams at number 38, clearly trying to capitalise on the Spanish/Latin music boom going on right now courtesy of "Despacito"

The other a dance track from Axwell and Ingrosso entitled "More than You Know" at 48


That saw two songs that returned last week exit again this week with "It Ain't Me" by Kygo and Selena Gomez and "Signs" by Drake leave the chart.

The largest gain of the week belonged to "Back to You" by Louis Tomlinson feat. Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals from 20 to 13. Dua Lipa's "New Rules" entered the top 20 with a climb of 6 places from number 26 last week.

No majorly big losers this week with the biggest being "Galway Girl" by Ed Sheeran dropping from 36 to 47.

The biggest surprise of the week is that neither of Camila Cabello's new songs that being "Havana" and "OMG" entered the ARIA top 50,

We could have a big showdown for number one next week. Will "What about Us?" knock off "Despacito (Remix)"? We'll see but if anyone can knock off  "Despacito" for that number one spot in Australia, it's got to be Pink.

New Music Friday Review: Camila Cabello, Jamie Lawson, Rae Sremmurd

This week saw a double dose of Camila Cabello and new tracks from Jamie Lawson and...Rae Sremmurd hit New Music Friday so what did we get?


Song: OMG
Artists: Camila Cabello, Quavo






'OMG' is yet another single from the forthcoming debut album from Camila Cabello and I wish I could say that this was a track did what it intended in terms of being fun and a light weight breezy kind of song that made me feel good but this really this was boring apart from Camila attempting to rap using the staccato flow that has been heard so many times before. It's actually pretty much your standard trap song.

While Quavo uses his now standard verse (usually the third verse of the song) to reference the awful "Bad and Boujee" and Michael Jackson's moonwalk complete with your standard bragging. Ugh.

Rating: Boring and predictable which is not a good sign for this album. 3/10


Song: Havana
Artists: Camila Cabello, Young Thug (also Pharrell Williams)





Well I'll give Havana this. It's production is much more interesting and is much more playful without the trap beats and other nonsense heard through out 'OMG' even if the chorus teally isn't much chop (Seriously when was the last deep or meaningful chorus heard in a song) and is apparently about Cabello falling in love with a bad boy from Havana (Cabello's home town).
The lyrics really aren't anything special...actually they are pretty vapid but Camila's vocals really suit this kind of song even if it's just absolutely vapid most of which consistent of Cabello singing "Havana na-na-na"
Young Thug sound like or is pretending to get into the song and I guess given the instrumentation is pretty damn good.


Rating: Just a pity the song writing is awful here cause the production is alright. 4/10



Song: Can't See Straight
Artist: Jamie Lawson







A return from Jamie Lawson? I wasn't expect that but yeah Lawson is back with a new single called "Can't See Straight" from his soon to be released sophomore album "Happy Accidents". I have to say it reminds me a bit of country and folk all rolled into one in quite the strange way but still somewhat works.

It's decent enough I guess. I'll certainly talk it over the stuff Camila Cabello dished out.

Rating: 7/10


Song; Perplexing Pegasus
Artist: Rae Sremmurd.




I am really not sure I needed to see these guys back but "Perplexing Pegasus" is apparently the first single from "Sremmlife 3" and quite honestly I have no idea what either Swae Lee or Slim Jxmmi are on about here. Slim Jxmmi mentions that he has a problem in that he is in love with money while Swae Lee mentions in the chorus something about a "caterpillar whip". Um what?

Seems like a 'flexing anthem' but the production really doesn't quite fit for it to be a flexing anthem and that's not saying much for the production which is really is trap beats, a hint of piano with synthesised snaps. Blergh.


Rating: 4/10



Best of the week: Easily Jamie Lawson's "Can't See Straight"

Worst: "OMG" by Camila Cabello feat. Quavo


Next New Music Friday

"What about us?" by Pink
New Avicii apparently
"More than One of You" by Neil Finn


Let's hope that next week is better!

ARIA Chart: 7th August. Kesha and Sam Hunt rocket into the top 10

This week was as others would have it a mixed one, we got two new arrivals to the top ten, one that is excellent and the other being absolutely crap but we did lose "There's Nothin' Holding Me Back" by Shawn Mendes, it slid to number 13, while last week's number 10 "In the End by Linkin Park" dropped out of the ARIA Top 50 completely.

"Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber continues to remain an unmoveable force at number 1 for a twelfth week despite signs that it is starting to look shaky on streaming and sales, it's not number 1 in either category at the moment.

Things were stable for the top four with "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons posing rhe closest threat to "Despacito" at number 2, "Feels" by Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean stopped at number 3 and "Strip That Down" by Liam Payne feat. Quavo at number 4.

"Glorious" by Macklemore feat. Skylar Gray climbed two places off its arrival in the top 10 last week, it's at number 5.

"Wild Thoughts" continues to stumble for DJ Khaled, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, it falls to number 6. I don't see it regaining that momentum either given it appears to have peaked on streaming and sales aren't holding up.

At number 7 is a song I am happy to see in the top ten because it's great, that song is "Praying" by Kesha which climbed from number 16 to reach the top 10.

"Slow Hands" by Niall Horan continues it's slow fall down the chart to number 8. "Mama" by Jonas Blue feat. William Singe falls one place to number 9. Both look vulnerable to songs outside of the top 10.

What isn't vulnerable unfortunately is "Body Like a Back Road" by Sam Hunt which climbed 5 spots to round off the top ten for this week. Why people want another "Follow Me" by Uncle Kracker with even less personality and stupid lyrics is beyond me but anyway.

Beyond the top 10, the biggest gainer this week was :Dua Lipa's "New Rules" which jumped 20 places to number 46.

"Back To You" by Louis Tomlinson feat. Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals climbed six places to crack the top 20.

"Fetish" by Selena Gomez feat. Gucci Mane recovered somewhat from the fall last week to end up at number 29.

"Crying In the club" by Camila Cabello entered the top 40 climbing 5 places to number 39

The biggest loser this week was Ed Sheeran's former number 2 "Galway Girl" dropping from 29 to 36 this week. 

There was one new entry from Lauv at number 50 with "I Like Me Better"

Drop outs were all the Linkin Park songs that were on the chart last week as is natural but sadly we also lost "Slide" by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos.

So with seven songs dropping out, what returned to fill those places? :"Location" by Khalid at 44, "Believer' by Imagine Dragons at 45, "Get Low" by Zedd feat. Liam Payne at 46, "Moments" by Bliss 'n' Eso feat. Gavin James at 47, "It Ain't Me" by Kygo and Selena Gomez at 48 and "Signs" by Drake at 49.

Anyway that wraps up the ARIA chart for this week. New Music Friday Review will feature both Camila Cabello songs.

New Music Friday Review: Charli XCX and Anastacia

Let's just say the pickings are slim for New Music Friday Review this week. We've got the return of a woman with an absolutely incredible voice that dominated the ARIA chart in the early 2000s and Charli XCX has dropped what is likely to be a sleeper pop hit.

Song: Caught in the Middle

Artist: Anastacia



Anastacia was responsible for one of the biggest earworms of the early 2000s with "I'm Outta Love" spending five weeks at number 1 on the ARIA chart in 2000 and subsequently became the biggest song of 2000 in Australia, she released several other songs that have also charted well but a battle with cancer has seen her virtually disappear from the music scene until now with "Caught in the Middle" being the first single from her forthcoming album entitled "Evolution"


So what's "Caught in the Middle" like. It's actually pretty darn good, the trademark Anastacia vocals are there and brings forth plenty of difference from what we get in the current top 40 as it seems to have a very almost Indian sound which is refreshingly so different from trap beats. The lyrics are just insanely catchy and anthemic which is a surefire recipe to see this song stuck in your head.


Rating: 8/10. I like it a lot.


Song: Boys
Artist: Charli XCX




I can see this song getting annoying real fast. The chorus instrumentally sounds like somehing out of a video game and Charli XCX barely audible in singing about how her head is full of boys, all up it's a pretty shallow old pop song but hey sometimes shallow is what we need.

Look, this song lyrically or musically isn't going to bowl the world over but I can see it becoming a hit for her given the amount famous young men in the video for this song.

 Rating: 5/10


Song: Run for Cover \
Artist The Killers






We have a bit of a let down here especially considering how crazy retro cool "The Man was", the song just doesn't really come to anything that would seem extremely interesting. It's not bad per se but it certainly lacks the raw addictive energy that "The Man" showed so it's a bit disappointing to me, hopefully not a sign of their forthcoming album "Wonderful Wonderful"


Rating: 5/10



Other songs released
"Either Way" by Snakehips featuring Anne Marie and and Joey Bada$$ (As far as a song like this goes, it's not that bad a song, I can see my self coming back to this one. 7/10)

"Marmalade" by Macklemore feat. Lil Yachty (Ehh. Skip it. 3/10)

"Learn to Let Go" by Kesha (The third song from Raimbow which is out next week. Seems a bit odd but  this song is a nice one about learning to move on and not being bitter about the past. 7/10)

Best of the week

"Caught in the Middle" by Anastacia

Worst of the week

Macklemore seriously needs Ryan Lewis back by his side "Marmalade" with Lil Yachty is all kinds of baaad.


Next New Music Friday

Camila Cabello drops two new songs "Havana" with Young Thug and "OMG" with Quavo. (Almost obligatory he appears on the New Music Frifay playlist now)

Rae Sremmurd drop a new single called "Perplexing Pegasus"

Also new stuff from Bebe Rexha.

We'll see what else drops tomorrow! Hopefully some surprises!


You can check a playlist of my favourite songs of the year so far here:

Until ARIA Top Ten Review on Saturday, see you all later.

ARIA Chart Top Ten 31st July: Linkin Park return

Yet another crazy week on the ARIA charts with two new arrivals in the top 10 (well one old new...you'll see what I mean when we get to it)

There were two songs that exited from the top ten with "Attention" by Charlie Puth dropping from number 10 to number 13 and "I'm The One" by DJ Khaled, Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance The Rapper dropping from number 8 to number 14.

Of course the one place where things remain the same is at number one where "Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat Justin Bieber remains at the top for the eleventh week. It has fours at number one to go if it's to equal Ed Sheeran's "Shape Of You" for the record of most weeks at number 1 in Australia ever,

"Thunder" by Imagine Dragons climbed two places to take the number 2 spot thanks to a good week on iTunes by enlarge (spent alarge portion of this week at number 1)

Calvin Harris continues to find success with the fourth song he has dropped from "Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1" with "Feels" featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean climbing to number 3 from five last week.

"Strip That Down" by Liam Payne and Quavo dropped two places to number 4 because that song has peaked by the look of it.

Despite having a good week on streaming, "Wild Thoughts" by DJ Khaled, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller didn't have the best week in sales which saw it drop back to number 5.

Nial Horan's "Slow Hands" remains at number 6.

A song that has broken into the top ten is "Glorious" by Macklemore featuring Skylar Gray. Bit of a surprise considering the reviews of the track but it climbed from 15 to number 7

At number 8 is "Mama" by Jonas Blue featuring William Singe which dropped to number 8 this week. Suspect this peaked at number 5 is heading out of the top ten but we'll see.

"There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" by Shawn Mendes remains inside the top 10 at number 9 for another week.

Re-entering the ARIA top 50 is Linkin Park's 2002 hit "In The Enf" following the recent awful suicide of lead singer Chester Bennington and was the highest of the 6 Linkin Park songs that re-entered the chart this week. "In The End" originally peaked at number 4 in their 2002 chart run.

Now for the big chart movers of the week. Heading up is "Praying" by Kesha which got back most of it's traction to move back up to number 16 from number 22 last week while Demi Lovato's "Sorry Not Sorry" climbed to number 28 from 35 last week.

Mostly all the big moves were down with Jessica Mauboy's "Fallin'" dropping 10 places to 21, it wasn't a good week for Selena Gomez with "Bad Liar" dropping six places to number 24 and "Fetish" dropping from 23 on debut to number 38, "Know No Better" by Major Lazer feat. Travis Scott, Camila Cabello and Quavo dropped to 41 after a climb to 34 last week.

There were several exits as well with "Green Light" by Lorde, "The Cure" by Lady Gaga, "Mask off" by Future, "Moments" by Bliss 'n' Eso feat. Gavin James,"Location" by Khalid, "It Ain't Me" by Kygo and Selena Gomez and "Swish Swish" by Katy Perry feat. Nicki Minaj exiting the ARIA Top 50. Some a bit prematurely like "Swish Swish" and others because they've had a good long chart run like "Green Light" and "The Cure"

Two new entries with the highest of those being "Back to You" by Louis Tomlinson, Bebe Rexha and Digital Animal Farm at number 26, "New Rules" by Dua Lipa at number 46.

That completes this week's ARIA chart rundown. Back with New Music Friday review with new singles from Charli XCX, The Killers and...Anastacia (Those who remember "I'm Outta Love" and "Left Outside Alone" will remember her) so until then it's goodbye for now

New Music Friday Review: Louis Tomlinson/Bebe Rexha, new boyband alert

So we got a pretty quiet week for New Music Friday however we did get a new song from One Direction alumni Louis Tomlinson and we have a new boyband that has arrived on the scene that somehow has dropped a pretty catchy debut single but we'll get to that.

Song: Back to You
Artist(s): Louis Tomlinson, Bebe Rexha, Digital Farm Animals\




It's fair to say that I held some major reservations over Louis Tomlinson as a solo artist, I wasn't impressed with "Just Hold On" (the song he teamed up with Steve Aoki) and to a point I wasn't going to even bother with "Back To You" when it dropped last week and yeah, I am beginning to think I should have stuck to the plan to not bother because this is pretty underwhelming as a song.

The production is all over the place with what sounds like a mobile phone ringtone and clicking fingers during Bebe Rexha's verse before the piano nearly overwhelms Rexha's voice in the pre chorus before completely swamping her in the chorus and the same almost happens to Louis Tomlinson. The harmonies aren't too bad anf the lyrics about a toxic relationship ending but the two people being drawn to each other work but god damn the instrumentation and production really let this song down something terrible.


Rating: 5/10



Song: Would You Mind?
Artist: PRETTYMUCH





With One Direction on hiatus and exploring their opportunities as solo artists, it's not really a surprise that Simon Cowell got himself busy finding the next boyband that could possibly hit the big time and follow in the footsteps of One Direction because heck, he needs something to do while the members of One Direction are recording solo albums or being movie stars with the result of Cowell's work is a US and Canadian boyband called PRETTYMUCH.

Granted the members of PRETTYMUCH look like frat boys on the cover but for a first up effort "Would You Mind?" is decent even though the production and the lyrics  really doesn't do it a lot of favours (the word 'mind' repeated ad nauseum), the boys have some pretty sweet harmonies and quite honestly I kind of got suckered into this song. It's shades of Backstreet Boys meets *NSYNC if you know your American boybands from the 90s-early 2000s, think "Backstreet's Back" merged with "Tearin' Up My Heart" and you get "Would You Mind"

Rating: I think I kind of liked this a little more than I thought. 7/10



Song: Sorry
Artist: Nothing But Thieves






I keep waiting for Nothing but Thieves to get huge especially after a fantastic song like "Amsterdam" but it hasn't happened yet which is beyond FRUSTRATING because they deserve some big success and after reviewing two pop/ R & B songs it is time to look at some rock with Nothing but Thieves dropping a second song called "Sorry" from their upcoming second album "Broken Machine"

"Sorry" is a song about getting older, those past regrets and facing up to those almighty demons through the eyes of one individual who can't hold down a relationship and yeah this song just gets things right with the lyrics and the instrumentation, I love the guitars in this song...a lot.


Rating: 8/10



Song: Wedding Crashers
Artists: Amine, Offset





Is there anything that you can't find members of Migos involved in that feature on the New Music Friday list every single week? Usually it's Quavo but this week it's Offset and man both Amine and Offset sound truly petty and rather off putting petualant on the latest song to be released from Amine's album where the melody really does belong in a primary school classroom.\

"Wedding Crashers" really is just Amine bragging that he has finally made it as an artist in the music world while taking a dig at the haters and referencing Remy Ma in the process while Offset mentions brands and the Pope in his verse but yeah this one really is one I am going to forget in a few days time.


Rating: 4/10


Song: idont'twannabeyouanymore
Artist: Billie Eilish





I have been looking for an excuse to cover Billie Eilish for awhile largely because I kind of rate her as a talent. Eilish is a fifteen year old hailing from Los Angeles, she has been hailed as the future of pop music with her brand of warped pop by some critics and "idon'twannabeyouanymore" plays to the more introspective side of Eilish compared to a song like "Bellyache" (one of my favourite songs of the year outside of the ARIA Charts).

This song is Eilish being vulnerable and it certainly works with the piano and build into the chorus, its a pretty damn good song. Check it out and while you are at it, also check out "Bellyache"


Rating: 8/10


Other songs:

- "She's on My Mind" by JP Cooper (Not a bad song if you can get past the vocal fragments at the beginning. 7/10)

- "Ahead of Myself" by X Ambassadors (I love the acoustic guitair in this. It's actually a pretty good song all things considered. 6/10)

Best: "Sorry" by Nothing but Thieves
Worst: "Wedding Crashers" by Amine feat. Offset


New Music Friday 28th July

Anastacia returns with "Caught in the Middle" but apart from that, it's all a bit of a surprise so we'll see.

Best Hit Songs of 2017 so far.

Like I said during the worst hit songs of 2017 so far, it's been a pretty damn good year on the charts so far, some terrific songs have done well and I'm actually pretty happy with the top 10 on the ARIA chart right now even allowing for the ridiculous and unnecessary amount of Justin Bieber there is inside that top 10 currently.

The rules for this list is the same, a song only has to appear inside the ARIA top 100 singles during the first half of 2017 in order to make this list which means good songs like "The Man" by The Killers do miss out

Let's start with the Honourable mentions...

Honourable mentions

“Want You Back” by HAIM | Peak: 54

Alana, Danielle and Este are back and I should be honest here, I don’t see “Want You Back” as being anything different to songs from their debut album “Days Are Gone”. That said this is a good a song about a woman wanting her lover back despite the relationship falling apart due to the pair being totally opposite to each other.

“Keep Me Crazy” by Sheppard | Peak: 37

Okay so this may well be a little controversial and I get some of the criticism that was directed at it but “Keep Me Crazy” is a song that gets stuck in my head and yeah I kind of connect with what this song is saying about being in love and wanting to run away with this crazy new love and yeah I do love the harmonies along with the instrumentation and how the final bridge builds into that final chorus/outro. It is nothing like “Geronimo”, I promise you!

“Fresh Eyes” by Andy Grammer | Peak: 5

Now I know this song was released in 2016 BUT it did not peak on the ARIA chart until late January 2017 so quite honestly it needed to be included here because it is a good song which makes me wonder why I haven’t connected to more Andy Grammer songs in recent years. This song has its faults with the production and being in love with a stranger line really doesn’t wash but hey it’s an inoffensive pop song that works on some levels at least for me.

“Way Down We Go” by Kaleo | Peak: 30

I feel like rock is making a slow but steady come back although Finnish band Kaleo really do come off sounding like Hozier rip offs with “Way Down We Go” but ehh as a rare rock song on the charts. I will damn well take it and run, that is for sure.

“Humble” by Kendrick Lamar | Peak 2

I put this in largely because I feel like “HUMBLE” is one of those rare quality hip hop songs that stood out above all the bragging that has virtually almost become an industry within modern day hip hop music. It’s probably right that “HUMBLE” isn’t as good as some of the stuff on “To Pimp a Butterfly” but this song is still hard hitting and Lamar makes his points well. Given hip hop isn’t having a year to remember, this song is really a saving grace.

“Jungle” by Tash Sultana | Peak 39

Tash Sultana is one of those artists that I’ll confess I nearly missed but I am glad I did finally catch on because “Jungle” is a fantastic song from start to finish and her voice just elevates the song to something that I don’t think I can imagine any other artist singing. It just works as a pop song.

So now to our top ten…

10. “It Ain’t Me” by Kygo feat. Selena Gomez

There’s going to be a couple of songs from artists you would not expect to find in a top 10 best hits especially from me and “It Ain’t Me” is one of them, literally because the production suits Selena Gomez limited range and works so well against Kygo’s production and to be honest, it’s the best thing Selena has done in a LONG time.

9. “Adore” by Amy Shark | Peak: 3

A song that suffered for being around at the same time as when Ed Sheeran decided to unleash two songs at once totally dominate the charts early in 2017 for weeks on end but yeah, Adore is just the sweetest song complete with a brutal honesty in the lyrics from Amy Shark which also is something that winds its way through her NightThinker EP.

8. Slide by Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean and Migos | Peak: 11

The remarkable highlight of 2017 has been the emergence of Calvin Harris as producing something more than generic EDM bangers as per “This is What You Come for” with Rihanna last year, this time around he pulled in Frank Ocean and Migos for a song that shouldn’t work but somehow works in a way you almost don’t expect. “Slide” is the ultimately the best song of the four that he has released from Funk Wave Bounces Vol. 1 and yeah, it’s a song I keep coming back to.

7.  Water Under the Bridge by Adele | Peak: 23

A song about a relationship getting serious and Adele being frightened by the seriousness of the feelings in this relationship just hits nerves I didn’t know I had. The instrumentation works as does Adele’s vocals in quite the powerful way. Really get into this song every time I hear it. Not quite the best song from 25 but pretty damn close too.

6. Slow Hands by Niall Horan | Peak: 2

Bit lower down because I am struggling to overcome the “Sweat dripping down our dirty laundry” line which is all kinds of gross but still “Slow Hands” is a pretty great song delivered with a lot of maturity. Niall more so than Harry has been the break out star of One Direction which has surprised a lot of people apart from myself…just look at “This Town”. I just love the guitar in this song though.

5. Green Light by Lorde

No one should have been expecting Lorde to recreate something similar to Pure Heroine for her sophomore album especially not now that she is four years older and wiser. “Green Light” was the perfect way to start the “Melodrama” era. A song about Lorde’s first heartache and man, did she ever nail that return. Welcome back, Ella!

4. “I Feel It Coming” by The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk | Peak: 9

The Weeknd isn’t one of those artists that I am naturally drawn too…at least until he released Starboy and hell yeah, I loved this song which yet again combines with Daft Punk. A silky retro sounding song that just gets you slow dancing. Speaking of slow grooves….

3. “That’s What I like” by Bruno Mars | Peak: 5

Another artist who really hasn’t been my cup of tea until he dropped the retro sounding 24k Magic album (it’s a crime it’s so short) and this song just makes me sing-a-long. Should have been a bigger hit in Australia but with “Versace on the Floor”, I guess there’s still a chance Bruno Mars will have a massive hit on his hands.

2. “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton | Peak: 70

This will make some people roll their eyes at me…what’s a genuine country song doing so high up this list? but as far as country songs go, this one is close to perfect…at least as a cover goes. “Tennessee Whiskey” was originally by George Jones whose original is still excellent but damn Stapleton does a good job here, manages to make it all sound extremely raw and emotional which is odd for a song that’s virtually about alcohol but perhaps those listening to Sam Hunt's "Body Like a Back Road" should give this a listen to hear what REAL country music is like.

1. “Castle on the Hill” by Ed Sheeran | Peak: 2

I am pissed Ed Sheeran didn’t make this the lone first up single from “Divide” rather than letting get lost in amidst the hype for “Shape of You” largely because “Castle on the Hill” is so much better in that it draws on his past and tells a story that draws on the heart strings along with instrumentation that could have been a U2 song only less sharper and not as edgy as U2 at their best. It’s clearly the best song from “Divide” but yet again this should have been the lone release as lead off single!