Maroon 5 - Week of August 17, 2013

Macklemore was this weekend’s guest host.  So many guest hosts.  Too many guest hosts.  Before we get on to this week’s Fresh 45, here’s a list of all the songs we’re saying good-bye to this week.

• Olly Murs - Troublemaker
• Rihanna Ft. David Guetta - Right Now
• Bruno Mars - Locked Out of Heaven
• The Summer Set - Boomerang
• Classified Ft. David Myles - Inner Ninja

The Countdown:

1. Maroon 5 - Love Somebody (#2) [First Week at #1]

2. Imagine Dragons - Radioactive (#1)

3. Zedd Ft. Foxes - Clarity (#5)

4. Fall Out Boy - My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark (Light 'em Up) (#6)

5. Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell and T.I. - Blurred Lines (#3)

6. Florida Georgia Line - Cruise (#10)

7. Calvin Harris Ft. Ellie Goulding - I Need Your Love (#9)

8. Pink Ft. Nate Reuss - Just Give Me a Reason (#4)

9. Macklemore Ft. Ryan Lewis - Can't Hold Us (#7)

10. Paramore - Still Into You (#13)

11. Sammy Adams Ft. Mike Posner - LA Story (#29)

12. Capital Cities - Safe and Sound (#18)

13. Karmin - Acapella (#19)

14. Labrinth Ft. Emeli Sande - Beneath Your Beautiful (#35)

15. Emblem 3 - Chloe (#15)

16. The 1975 - Chocolate (#33)

17. Katy Perry - Roar (DEBUT)

18. JTX - Summer Lover (#16)

19. Pink - True Love (#20)

20. Jason Derulo - The Other Side (#12)

21. Mika Ft. Ariana Grande - Popular Song (#17)

22. Train Ft. Ashley Monroe - Bruises (#22)

23. Nikki Williams - Glowing (#23)

24. Twenty One Pilots - Holding On To You (#25)

25. Lady Gaga - Applause (DEBUT)

26. One Direction - Best Song Ever (#26)

27. Bruno Mars - Treasure (#14)

28. Ke$ha Ft. will.i.am - Crazy Kids (#11)

29. Swedish House Mafia - Don't You Worry Child (#37)

30. Avril Lavigne - Here's to Never Growing Up (#8)

31. Daft Punk - Get Lucky (#21)

32. MKTO - Classic (#24)

33. Icona Pop - All Night (DEBUT)

34. Cody Simpson - Pretty Brown Eyes (#28)

35. Tegan & Sara - Closer (#27)

36. Demi Lovato - Heart Attack (#36)

37. Macklemore Ft. Ryan Lewis - Thrift Shop (#42)

38. Hot Chelle Rae - Hung Up (#32)

39. Krewella - Live for the Night (DEBUT)

40. Awolnation - Sail (#45)

41. John Newman - Love Me Again (DEBUT)

42. Selena Gomez - Come & Get It (#34)

43. fun. - Some Nights (#39)

44. Icona Pop - I Love It (#40)

45. Anna Kendrick - Cups (#41)

Biggest DDDDRRRROOOOOPPPP!!!!....of the week: Avril Lavigne – Here’s to Never Growing Up (-22)

Biggest Jump of the Week: Labrinth Ft. Emeli Sande – Beneath Your Beautiful

Five much needed new songs this week, and we’re going to kick it off with two ladies that are making a return to the countdown after an extended hiatus.  They’re no strangers to the #1 slot on this countdown and have been capable of greatness in the past.  Ladies and gentlemen….give it up for Lady Gaga and Katy Perry!  Well….dampen your Applause just a little bit actually, because Lady Gaga’s new tune won’t exactly light your world on fire.  Her most recent album prior to this one failed to produce any spectacular songs, and this new one isn’t off to the best start in that department.  Applause has a solid chorus but leaves much to be desired elsewhere, particularly on the “instrumental” side.  That isn’t to say that Applause isn’t enjoyable; it is.  It’s just that we’re in a year that’s been somewhat devoid of top-of-the-line pop music, and Lady Gaga’s return presented some hope that really wasn’t fulfilled.

Katy Perry’s new song, Roar, is just as disappointing at first glance, but in the end does things just a little bit better than Applause.  The verses are on the sing-songy side, but I’m able to get over that.  I think the underlying guitar on the chorus, albeit simple, is what makes me like this one….it’s similar to why I think I liked Cher Lloyd Ft. Becky G – Oath so much last year, though nowhere near to that extent.  Neither of these will be a player for the #1 song of the year, or close to it.  For countdown purposes, however, I think it goes without saying that both are legitimate threats to hit #1 at some point.

Alright, who’s sick of Icona Pop!?!?!?!  Welp, looks like they’re not going anywhere soon.  All Night debuted this week and it’s pretty much better than I Love It in every respect.  There’s more melodious singing and better accompanying music.  It seems doubtful that this one will be quite so bothersome.  Krewella – Live For The Night is kind of a bummer, especially when compared to the far superior Alive from earlier this year.  Not worth more words.  John Newman – Love Me Again is interesting and despite repeated listens, I am not sure I am ready to pass judgment on it.  It certainly has the best instrumentals of any of this week’s debuts, with excellent piano work…and I think that’s a tuba???  Whatever, I’m not good at discerning musical instruments.  Maybe you should all read the other blog that recaps the Sirius XM Hits 1 Weekend Countdown instead.  In any case, time will tell on this one.

Moody Blurbs

- So the trend of odd HitBound songs continues.  For those of you that have been around since early 2012, you may remember a 50’sesque song by Olly Murs called Dance With Me Tonight.  It currently is tied for the record of Most Hysterically Short Tenure on the countdown….at 1 week (obviously).  Nonetheless, it was ranked 21^st on the Top 45Songs of 2012.  And yeah…that’s on HitBound now, probably riding the coattails of the more successful Troublemaker.  No complaints here.

- Speaking of that record….Rihanna Ft. David Guetta – Right Now made a serious run at that, lasting only two weeks.

- Nikki Williams – Glowing has locked down #23 for the fourth straight week.  Atta girl.

- I thought Labrinth Ft. Emeli Sande – Beneath Your Beautiful was going to be another Emeli Sande thing in that it hangs around forever without actually ascending very far on the countdown.  It’s been on the countdown for 2½ months now, and this is the first time it’s been any higher than #30.

Editor’s Picks – Top 5 Songs

1) Train Ft. Ashley Monroe – Bruises

2) Karmin – Acapella

3) MKTO – Classic

4) Twenty One Pilots – Holding On to You

5) Katy Perry - Roar