Album Review: SHARKIA. by Shakira

Welcome back to another CDS Music Chart Album review! Today I am reviewing Shakira's new self titled 10th studio set (stylized as SHAKIRA.). SHAKIRA. comes preceded by the first official single released on January 13th, 2014, "Can't Remember to Forget You (feat. Rihanna)". That song reached a highpoint to #3 for 3 consecutive weeks on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50, and currently ranks at #5. The album's supposed 2nd single "Empire" debuted in the penthouse position and spent 2 weeks at the top. It currently ranks at #3 (in its 4th week of release). The album will be released worldwide on March 25th, 2014. That's a pretty big success so far. So does the rest of SHAKIRA. live up to that standard? Find out below.



1. "Dare (La La La)"
Shakira starts off her set strong. While it was still titled "Truth or Dare", this track was set to be released as the album's lead single. The plans for that release we're scrapped almost as soon as they were announced when Shakira got pregnant. After taking some more time off, the fate of this track was left unknown. Thankfully, it made the album.

With a huge dance backing provided by Afrojack, this track will easily be a fan favorite and could potentially perform well worldwide like her 2010 FIFA World Cup Anthem "Waka Waka". While its success won't be as huge, the promotion of a special version of the track during the games should help it on an international scale. With that being said, you can read my review of that version at the end.

A major success. I am expecting this song to be confirmed as the album's next official single.

2. "Can't Remember to Forget You (feat. Rihanna)"
This track received so much hype, so naturally I expected it to be one of the best songs I had ever heard from Rihanna or Shakira. Unfortunately, I (and many other music junkies) found this production to be severely underwhelming. It's not like it's bad material (because after all it still peaked at #3 on my list), but I thought for sure (before its release) that it would hit #1.

With a revived ska and reggae flair, this track appears to be bold but really is simply structured. A slight misstep.

3. "Empire"
This track is emotional, strong, passionate and not at all what I expected from Shakira. However, it is an exceptional track that strikes all of the right notes. Really I don't need to say much more than "#1 debut".

I am very happy that Shakira is stepping outside the realm of mainstream pop and focusing on more rock and reggae tinged tracks. While some may note an excessive amount of auto-tune in one particular section of the chorus, I think that actually improves the quality of the track, giving it a ghostly and haunting vibe.

4. "You Don't Care About Me"
Not as bad as a filler, but a little too simple for inclusion on this album. The verses feel very cropped, while the chorus seems overly long. There is some sort of balancing issue with the song, but other than that it's pleasant to listen to.

5. "Cut Me Deep (feat. MAGIC!)"
While it's a little odd to include on this album, this collaboration with Canadian band MAGIC! is up tempo and seems sort of like a fast paced duet. Mixing ska, pop, and some soft rock elements, this 'cut' is an interesting blend that is segmented. What I mean is that the track feels like it was set up to phase through several different genres over time instead of just plain mixing them all the way through. It's an interesting approach, and something that I didn't see coming. Too be completely honest, I thought that this would be the worst track on the album, but it's very entertaining instead.

6. "Spotlight"
Well I've finally found it. The dumb song on the album. The message that Shakira is trying to get across in this track can eventually be found if you don't quickly skip to the next track, but it's very hazy and lacking. To be frank, I think a 5 year old could have written the chorus better (the verses aren't nearly as mediocre). It's a complete waste of album space and the definition of the term 'album filler'. Sorry Shakira (because you were the main writer), but you can do much better (example: "La La La").

7. "Broken Record"
Following in the footsteps of "Spotlight", this track isn't up to the standards that the first 5 tracks had set. With a folk style beat, "Broken Record" really doesn't stir things up. Shakira's vocals are noteworthy but sound overly American (like she might be trying too hard), and while the lyrics aren't as bad as the ones displayed in "Spotlight", they have their sappy moments. Another disappointment.

8. "Medicine (feat. Blake Shelton)"
Straight out of Nashville and right to press. "Medicine" is a clear winner. It's positioned right after some not-so-great tracks, placed in the center of the album and in my opinion is the glue that holds the entire project together. It's more than a typical country song. It's a peaceful production that really tests Shakira's vocal ability. I'll just tell you right now Shakira nailed this song. A true standout that I could see being sent to United States american radio. A hit to be!

9. "23"
Fashioned to be the ending credits for the swinging "Medicine", "23" is a gentle country tinged ballad. Dedicated to her family, Shakira gives the song an extremely personal touch by including vocals provided by her young son Milan. This idea is similar to Beyoncé's move of including her daughter's voice on the recently released song "Blue". Yes it has already been done, but it was a nice touch. Very well done.

10. "The One Thing"
Laced with addictive pop vocals, "The One Thing" is a throwback to the sound to the early 2000's and the beginnings of pop music. It's polished, clean and sounds as if Avril Lavigne did the demo for this track. I don't mean that in a bad way, but it seems like it could have easily been written for Avril Lavigne. It also contains an attempt at rapping, which is experimental and an unexpected touch. A completely entertaining song that might be released as a single one day.

11. "Nunca Me Acuerdo de Olvidarte "
Literally translating to "I Can Never Remember to Forget", this track is the spanish language equivalent to "Can't Remember to Forget You". Though this version sees the disappearance of Rihanna's vocals, it seems to work better. While the english version seems forced, this version seems much more natural. It seems like this version was written first and the english version was written to be a translation. To put more simply, this version would be WAY better than the english version if it didn't have Rihanna but since it does include Rihanna the spanish version is only a tiny bit better.

12. "Loca Por Ti"
It's raw. It's personal. It's brilliant. Most surprisingly it's one of the best tracks on the album, though it's not in the English language. Shakira shows that she still has it, returning to a style that she hasn't used in quite a while. I don't see it being a single, but it will always remain a favorite.

13. "La La La (Spanish)"
Even better than the English version, though it's missing one part that sound's better in English. Other than the language change, the structure of the song is nearly identical. It's another major win for Shakira and will easily be released alongside the English version as a single.

14. "Chasing Shadows"
A waste. Yeah it's a Sia song (which is essential on all new Pop albums), but it would be better suited for almost any other pop singer. I could do without this track on this album. It just doesn't work with her vocals. Disappointment.

15. "That Way"
Closing out the album, "That Way" is calm, soft and powerful. Backed by a lone piano, Shakira let's her vocals soar and proves she is still an industry powerhouse after a nearly 25 year old music career. Smart, original and graceful. Please do more songs like this one!

Other Tracks
I reviewed the most common version of the album (with deluxe tracks) but there is also a rearranged Spanish deluxe version that sees the inclusion of new tracks and subtractions of others. If you want to see the breakdown of all the different versions, I have posted them here:http://cdschart.blogspot.com/2014/02/forecast-shakira-set-to-build-empire.html. Here's my review of the other tracks that are on the Spanish deluxe version in a random order.

16. "Boig Per Tu"
Very similar to the other version, but I feel like the regular spanish version is more interesting and can be understood by more people (Catalan is only spoken in a region of Spain).

17. "La La La (Brasil 2014) [feat. Carlinhos Brown]"
Thank you for removing this from the regular version. This spanish deluxe edition exclusive version of "La La La" has a 10 second intro from a Carlinhos Brown and a slight change in the chorus. Other than that it's the same. It's also in English, so basically all countries releasing the Spanish deluxe edition are still getting an english version (the original english version was dropped) that is much worse. Next.

18. "La La La (Spanglish)"
My prayers have been answered! This is the best version of "La La La" though it doesn't appear on any editions of the album. It perfectly blends the best Spanish parts of the song with the best of the English version to make one insane bilingual dance anthem for the ages. It's right on point.

Rating: 84% (B)
Certified Fresh

Overall Review: Shakira's stunning new album is fresh, vibrant and fun. Though it contains some noticeable flaws ("Spotlight", "Broken Record"), the album pulled itself together nicely and is a huge step up from her 2009 English language record She Wolf. There were a few candidates for upcoming single status and there were lots of other songs that, while they wouldn't be the best single choices, were extremely well done and were album highlights. All the collaborations were strong, yet I was surprised that "Can't Remember to Forget You (feat. Rihanna)" underwhelmed compared to the other two collaborations. Strangely it wasn't one of favorites from the album. "That Way", "Loca Por Ti" and "Medicine (feat. Blake Shelton)" were among the real highlights, while I am predicting that "Dare (La La La)/La La La" is released as the next single.

Top Songs (All 18):
1. "La La La (Spanglish)"
2. "Empire"
3. "Medicine (feat. Blake Shelton)"
4. "La La La (Spanish Version)"
5. "Dare (La La La)"
6. "Loca Por Ti"
7. "That Way"
8. "The One Thing"
9. "Cut Me Deep (feat. MAGIC!)"
10. "Can't Remember to Forget You (feat. Rihanna)"
11. "23"
12. "Nunca Me Acuerdo de Olvidarte"
13. "You Don't Care About Me"
14. "Boig Per Tu"
15. "Chasing Shadows"
16. "Broken Record"
17. "La La La (Brasil 2014) [feat. Carlinhos Brown]"
18. "Spotlight"

Come back for another review!

CDS Picks: Karmin, JT + Gaga

Welcome to yet another CDS Picks! In the 5th installment, I will be focusing on another batch of fresh new singles that are rocking March and hopefully the rest of Spring!

Lady Gaga - "G.U.Y"

After lots of problems surrounding the release of her second single, "Do What U Want (feat. R. Kelly)", Lady Gaga has returned and confirmed the release of ARTPOP's 3rd official single. Fan favorite track, "G.U.Y" will be released on April 8th to mainstream radio and the music video will premiere tomorrow night as a part of NBC's new installment of Dateline at 8/7c. Fun fact about "G.U.Y"; it has already charted and fallen off the CDS Music Chart Top 50. During album release week, it debuted and peaked at #15 off a strong start. Now it has the upper hand. With lots of hype, a new video, voting all meshed together, the song will easily blast back into the top 50 by the end of the  tracking period next Friday. To help up its ante, you can vote for it as your favorite newly released song at the end of this article. Every vote counts as 1 point on the chart. A song typically hits #1 with at least 90 overall points (points include votes below and how many times I play the song).

Karmin - "Pulses"
While "Pulses" isn't the official third single from their new album Pulses, Karmin debuted the track in full this week and it's not too shabby. Nick takes the chorus part of the song (something new from the duo), leaving Amy with only the rapping segments of the new track. The title track from the album is interesting, fun, exciting and much more rolled together. You can read my full review of the track as part of my "Pulses Album Review" post here.

Katy Tiz - "The Big Bang"
Katy Tiz is back with a new track. "The Big Bang" is a cover of a Rock Mafia song released in 2010 under the same name. While this version is a huge step up from the original, it's going to be really hard for this track to chart. Reasons? It's a cover, and it's a little too slow for my liking. Fortunately, the vocals are stellar and extremely outstanding. For those of you that tend to enjoy slower tracks, this is one I definitely recommend. She kind of sounds like Adele. Katy previously ruled the Summer of 2013 with "Red Cup" which topped the tally for a full month and became the #4 song of last year.

Justin Timberlake - "Not A Bad Thing"
Yes I guess you could call this cheating because this track has been in release (as a single) for about a month but it wasn't until just recently that it started to explode. The official music video for this track was just released a day ago (and although it will easily be trumped by the premiere of "G.U.Y"), the song has skyrocketed in popularity overnight (legit). It's a very romantic song that has a equally romantic video in which a group of documentary makers try to track down a man who proposed on a train in New York City/Long Beach area and blasted the track. Additionally, other New York couples were interviewed about what they thought about love and what it meant to them.

Now that I've shared my picks of the week, YOU can vote for your favorite track that is included in part 1 or 2. For a refresher, you can read part 1 here: http://cdschart.blogspot.com/2014/03/cds-picks-sia-calvin-harris-more.html

All votes count for points on the chart. Points count toward the song's position on the chart. You can vote up to 3 times. Spam won't count.

Read the instructions below!

  

CDS Picks: Sia, Calvin Harris + More

Welcome to the 4th installment of "CDS Picks"! This time around I'm focusing on a slew of new songs that you are gonna want to know about within the next few weeks.

Let's kick it off!

Sia - "Chandelier"
This is easily the one song released in March that you need to know about. Sia's latest pop treasure, "Chandelier", is perfectly handcrafted to become the world's next biggest hit. Critics and fans alike are raving about this delicate song that is emotionally raw and extremely powerful. Some critics are going as far as to say that it will win "Record of the Year" at the Grammy's next February, while others are saying (hem hem Huffington Post) that the song is the "Best Rihanna Song of 2014".

As ridiculous as that sounds, it might have been true. "Chandelier" was being created in hope that one day Rihanna's vocals would grace over its tune. I was surprised, but definitely excited when Sia announced that she had decided to keep the song for herself. Watch out for my upcoming forecast covering this track; it is headed for the top 10 this week.

Cher Lloyd - "Sirens"
On her newly released track, "Sirens", Cher Lloyd proves that she isn't just an average pop singer. This emotionally geared uptempo pop ballad is unlike anything that she has ever done before. To be completely honest, this track is better than most of her releases. It feels full of passion and is a very pure track that soars above her previous works. She is starting to lose the silly girly girl image and go for a more serious and grown up style.

An interesting track. The only thing that could screw this song up is promotion. It needs enough promo (not too much/too little) and it needs to be serviced straight to the radio.

Calvin Harris - "Summer"
To lead off his 4th studio album (due at the end of this year or early next year), Calvin Harris is taking a break from female pop collaborators and is focusing on something he has done only once recently - sing on his tracks. "Summer" is the first single to be released by the artist with only his vocals since 2012's smash single "Feel So Close" (though I wasn't really a fan). Fortunately for me, "Summer" is a step up from "Feel So Close". Arriving just a few months before summer, this track is bound to be a summer hit and will likely feel lots of love from the radio in upcoming months.

Shakira - "La La La (Spanglish Version)"
Shakira's self titled 10th studio album was released this week in select countries, while it will impact worldwide next Tuesday (March 25th). The album's previously rumored lead single "Truth Or Dare" was re-titled "Dare (La La La)" (or simply "La La La") and included on the final track lists of the album. Since there are alternate track lists for different countries, three officially released versions exist. The Spanish version titled "La La La (Spanish Version)", the FIFA World Cup 2014 theme version titled "La La La (Brasil 2014) [feat. Carlinhos Brown]" and the english language version titled "Dare (La La La)".

Yes all of this is very confusing and to make matters worse, the leaked Spanglish (Spanish and English) version is the real winner. This version is the best of the four, but sadly it hasn't been released (and likely won't ever be officially released). I recommend checking this one out.

Come back for another CDS Picks soon!

Album Review: Pulses by Karmin

Welcome to another CDS Music Chart Album Review! Today I'm reviewing Karmin's debut album Pulses. Pulses comes preceded by the duo's breakthrough EP in 2012 (Hello) which spawned two CDS Music Chart Top 50 entries. "Brokenhearted" reached #12 while "Hello" reached #21. In 2013 the group started promoting their debut full length set and returned with #5 peaking "Acapella". That was a huge gain for the duo (who had never had a top 10 hit on my chart before). The set's second release, "I Want It All", peaked at #51, barely outside the charting region. So how does the rest of the album hold up compared to these two tracks? Find out right now!

You can also pre-order Pulses right now on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/pulses! The album will be released on Tuesday, March 25th, 2014 to retailers worldwide

1. "Geronimo (Intro)"
As sort of an introduction to the whole concept of the album, Karmin has included this short 30 second filler that quickly leads into the main work featured on the 12 song set.

2. "Pulses"
Nick steps up his role and actually takes the lead singing position for the first time. Amy on the other hand delivers a small portion compared to usual. She doesn't actually sing on the track at all (which is new for her). The track is an interesting start but doesn't scream success for the album. It is also somewhat receptive, making it a little less pleasant.

3. "Acapella"
Ahh... their classic track. This bouncy and nearly a-capella track became a summer hit in a handful of countries last summer because it brought a fresh new style of singing to mainstream pop radio. Additionally, it became their highest peaking single on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50, reaching #5. That out peaks their debut single "Brokenhearted" (#12) and second overall single "Hello" which stopped at #21.

4. "I Want It All"
Following "Acapella" we find this ripe gem. This track returns Karmin more to their pop roots ("Acapella" was sort of a departure in my opinion). Additionally, it has this interesting dance flair that  makes the song a candidate to be future United States dance #1 (their first two singles both hit #1 on the Billboard Dance Chart). The most interesting and shocking fact about this track is the fact that Amy doesn't rap at all. While some could argue that it downgrades the quality of the track, in truth its refreshing to hear something different.

5. "Night Like This"
Inspired by a low point in the duo's life, they decided to change their entire mindset and just sat down to write the lyrics for what they described as "an epic party song". "Night Like This" was born just like that. While it defiantly works as a party song, it isn't going to be the best one you hear in your lifetime, and in my opinion is the worst track displayed (of the first four tracks).

6. "Neon Love"
Karmin states that the album is kind of like a heart monitor. It has its bouncy, fun, disco tinged tracks ("I Want It All" and "Night Like This") as well as its smoother and softer ballad oriented tracks such as this one. "Neon Love" is easily the best track on the album so far. With that being said, it isn't the most radio friendly track and is likely too extreme to qualify for radio airplay in the United States.

7. "Drifter"
Wow. I was shocked. This track has everything. Rap, dance, pop and some amazing lyrics. It has a great beat and a solid  chorus that makes me fall in love with it even more. It isn't generic but it has amazing potential and could eventually wind up being a radio hit around the world because it seems to really fit the demographic of Top 40 radio.

8. "Tidal Wave"
This track was described as the honest voice of the duo's relationship. While it's a slower song, it has its upbeat moments and has some passionate vocals. While remaining calm and gentle for the most part, it hits some euphoric notes. It finally feels like Amy and Nick have figured out how to evenly distribute the vocals and even the workload. When speaking about the track, Nick stated "With all the radio promotion and touring, Nick and Amy hadn't spoken in months. Karmin was great but Nick and Amy were not."

9. "Gasoline"
Though it was described as a favorite by the duo, it feels a little flat and cheesy. It is decent but not what I expected and a tad bit underwhelming. I would just eliminate this song all together along with "Night Like This" (which just so happens to be produced by the same person; Robert Marvin).

10. "Puppet"
Another great track that blows it out of the park for Karmin! This track has some clear throwbacks and has some influences that seem to come from Madonna and other prominent 90's-00's artists. A major success that also has the potential to become a radio smash. Worth the listen and to be honest I might pay $10 for this one track alone.

11. "Hate to Love You"
Initially titled "Doing Time", this track featured in a Shoe Dazzle commercial back in 2013 and was heavily hyped for the next few weeks. It has a strong and powerful upbeat instrumental that is reminiscent of another pop track from a few years ago (I can't name it and I don't remember the lyrics). Despite rumors that "Pulses" was selected as the third official single, "Hate to Love You" has already been confirmed as the next single.

12. "Try Me On"
Not the worst, but far from the best track on the album. "Try Me On" was featured in a Dasani Drops commercial back in mid 2013 (around the time "Acapella" came out). It features Amy rapping for the majority of the song's short 3 minute and 15 second run. A song that sounds good for the summer as well as whenever you need a pick me up.

13. "What's In It For Me"
Described as "a quick overview of the politically influenced music business" (wow that sounds like something I would rant about), the final song on Pulses goes out with a huge bang. I am surprised that the record label even let them release this track. It's very honest and very enjoyable.

Grade: 84% (B)
Certified Fresh

Overview: Pulses had a few weaker sections (namely "Night Like This" and "Try Me On") but remained rather solid throughout. "Puppet", "Pulses", "Neon Love" and "Drifter" were among the best tracks and "What's In It For Me" was a pleasant surprise that sets Karmin apart from mainstream artists (they are willing to talk negatively about the music industry in a song) though it wasn't among the best tracks. I was surprised to find that "Acapella" was in the middle for me though it peaked at #5 on my list. I guess that means Karmin should expect a lot of huge hits.

Top Tracks:
1. "Drifter"
2. "Pulses"
3. "Puppet"
4. "Neon Love"
5. "Hate to Love You"
6. "Acapella"
7. "I Want It All"
8. "Tidal Wave"
9. "What's In It For Me"
10. "Gasoline"
11. "Try Me On"
12. "Night Like This"

Chart Highlights: OneRepublic Tops

This week was extremely competitive and nearly all singles experienced at least a 5% slide due to several days of tracking being cut a bit short.

OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" bumps 2-1 on the tally with a 3% gain, and was one of the few tracks that didn't decline. The single had spent a record smashing 10 weeks perched in the #2 position behind 4 different #1 singles. The track is getting extremely close to the record set for "Most Weeks in the Top 10" ("Applause" tallied 26 frames in the upper tier), as it racks up a 17 week in the top 10 (and 15th in the top 5). Additionally, it collects the record for "Longest Climb to #1" (24th week), a record that Ellie Goulding's "Figure 8" held when it took 20 weeks to reach the summit back in the spring of last year.

Speaking of "Figure 8" (which slides 30-32), the song continues racking up points and has passed 1485 as of its 63rd week on the chart. Last week it knocked Rihanna's long reigning "Where Have You Been" from the #1 All Time position and will ultimately pass the 1500 point Diamond certification barrier next week.

More on "Counting Stars", the song replaces Shakira's 2 week leader "Empire" in the #1 position and is my chart's 41st #1 hit (since January 2012). While "Stars" is comfortable in the #1 position for now, "Empire" could strike back when Shakira's new album titled Shakria is released this Friday in Germany and on Tuesday, March 25th in other territories around the world.

As previously mentioned, Shakira's "Empire" slides from the top position to #2 this week. To crunch into the cold numbers, "Empire" slides to 86 spins (-6), marking a 6.5% drop. This is the first frame in which the single has notched a score lower than 90 (though the song has only been in release for 3 weeks, so that's not saying much). In terms of longevity, the song is clearing lacking. After a brief 2 week run at the summit, the song is already sliding. That quick slide will definetly damage its long term run, and it could wind up below 650 at this point. If it holds well next week, then the story is completely different. To date, the song has shifted just under 150 overall chart points.

Riding in at #3 we find Beyoncé's "Drunk In Love (feat. Jay Z)". This week the song lifts 6-3 to a brand new peak (previous peak: #4). Aided by a large push at radio, the song shifts up 11-6 on Radio Songs and leads R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for a 5th consecutive week. To date, it is Beyoncé's highest charting hit as well as Jay Z's highest charting hit.

Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse (feat. Juicy J)” holds steady at #4 this week. The song is PRISM's 4th top 5 entry to date (making the album more successful than ARTPOP; overall). "Unconditionally" hit #1, "Walking On Air" debuted and peaked at #2, and "Roar" eventually climbed as high as #3 back in 2013. Katy Perry is the first artist to peak at #1,2,3,4 with 4 singles from the same album. The song takes over atop the Pop Songs list with a 3-1 shove (passing "Counting Stars" and "Empire" though they rank higher on the cumulative top 50).

Shakira's "Can't Remember To Forget You (feat. Rihanna)" tumbles 3-5 on the tally. The backtrack is the first quibble in the song's 9 week run, and marks the first week in which the song slid positions instead of gaining positions. To date the song has passed 300 chart points and could end with perhaps 800-850 at this rate.

Ayah Marar slides 5-6 with "Mind Controller" after holding at #1 for a 3rd straight week. The song was Ayah's 2nd overall #1 single as her guest spot on Calvin Harris' "Thinking About You" propelled her to #1 back in August 2013. Just about 6 weeks ago, Ayah scored the largest chart re-entry in history when "Mind Controller" rebooted within the top 10 (#6). The only other song to re-enter the chart within the top 10 is "Young" by Tulisa which blasted to #8 back in 2012. This week, overall points for "Controller" were down a noticeable 4% which contributed to its single position fall this week.

Jason Derülo’s “Talk Dirty (feat. 2 Chainz)” holds tight at #7, though it slides in overall chart points. On component and genre related charts the song swaps both up and down. On Pop Songs the single moves 6-4 (peaked at #3). The cut holds at #2 on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs only behind Beyoncé’s “Drunk In Love (feat. Jay Z)” which tallies a 5th week atop the genre based list. Additionally the song dips 6-8 on Radio Songs. Finally the song moves 9-10 on the Voter’s Choice Top 10.

Lorde's "Team" bumps 9-8 this week. In doing so, it follows Lorde's previous single, "Royals", which also peaked at #8 (back in 2013). While the two songs have even peaks right now, "Team" is continuing to build in points while "Royals" was already starting to run out of steam by the time it cracked the top 10. In the long run, "Team" should be able to peak within the top 5 on the chart. I really would be surprised if it never made it.

John Newman's "Love Me Again" moves 10-9. The track previously held at #10 for two straight weeks. The song's success is due in part to the fact that the track exploded in the UK and other European countries in July 2013. Its success has carried overseas and the track is a HUGE contender for reaching #1 at some point. Reasons? It is continuing to build, it is receiving love from US Radio and fan support has been phenomenal.

To round out the top 10, "Unconditionally" falls 8-10 after a 3 week command in the #1 position, dipping 5% compared with its performance last week. Two weeks ago it surpassed "Wide Awake" as Katy Perry's biggest hit of her career to date (2012-present). It should close north of 900 points, which should place it among the top 40 songs of all time.

Finally, Sharon Doorson opens at #31 with her latest track "Louder". While that is easily her worst opening ever, the track had only a single day of availability within the most recent tracking week. Comparing its single day performance to that of Katy Perry's "Roar" back in August, the song starts around the same with a small 8% increase (26 versus 28). While that's fantastic, overall airplay has risen for songs since August, which is why Doorson ranks so much lower though she had a better week.

Come back for the chart!