The fact that DBSHOY basically samples If You're Happy and You Know It, is my favourite music fact ever

33. DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF- Jess Glynne (1,243,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 1

YEAR: 2015

 

SMASH :dance:

32. THANK U NEXT- Ariana Grande (1,243,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 1

YEAR: 2018

 

Another instant No 1 on both sides of the Atlantic, this was Grande’s first solo chart topper and almost grabbed the festive top spot in the UK after spending 5 weeks at the top. In the US in February 2019 it was one of Grande’s three tracks to complete the top 3 on the Hot 100- the first act to do so since the Beatles. Lyrically it references four of her ex relationships and came with a promo which referenced several movies such as “Mean Girls”, “Legally Blonde” and “Bring It On” including some of the stars from those films and cameo’s by the likes of Kris Jenner and Troye Sivan.

 

 

31. BURN- Ellie Goulding (1,267,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 1

YEAR: 2012

 

Another Ryan Tedder composition which was, rather famously, recorded first as a demo by Leona Lewis but ultimately not used on her “Glassheart” album and it became free for Tedder to work on it with Goulding for her re-issue of the extended “Halcyon” album. It became the singer’s first UK No 1 single when it topped the charts for 3 weeks.

 

 

Smash

You forget how many big hits Ellie had

'Burn' the song that marked the start of Ellie transitioning to being mostly mediocre ~

'Burn' the song that marked the start of Ellie transitioning to being mostly mediocre ~

I agree with you if we can agree that 'Burn' itself was anything but mediocre :wub:

The fact that DBSHOY basically samples If You're Happy and You Know It, is my favourite music fact ever

 

Omg I did not know this!

thank u, next is such a pinnacle song for Ariana. The time she entered that imperial phase.

 

I guess Burn is also Ellie’s song for that too. It’s not one of her best songs overall for me but I can see why it was huge

30. FAST CAR- Tracy Chapman (1,277,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 4

YEAR: 1988

 

Crazy now to think that until downloads were a thing this had sold about 150,000 copies in the UK from its chart run in 1988. Chapman was of course launched to fame after she performed at the Nelson Mandela concert that year and this was her only hit of note in the UK, her tale of grinding poverty and dreams was used on Britain’s Got Talent in 2011 and propelled it back into the charts to a new peak and into public consciousness. A cover by Jonas Blue in 2016 was a major hit (#2) and helped with the sales of the original which are now over 1.5 million.

 

 

On its origins Chapman said “growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, coming from a working class background, I was raised by single mom, I was just watching people being in a community of people who were struggling. So everyone was really just 1. Working hard and 2. hoping that things would get better.

 

In part everything that a person writes is autobiographical but some of my songs are directly so but “Fast Car” wasn’t one that was directly autobiographical. I never had a Fast Car, it’s just a story about a couple, how they are trying to make a life together and they face challenges.”

 

 

29. NO TEARS LEFT TO CRY- Ariana Grande (1,291,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION:2

YEAR: 2018

 

Following the events in Manchester during her concert there in 2017, Grande worked on this track as the first single to be released in its wake. Lyrically it was written to touch upon her feelings of the event but also to offer hope for the future and clearly struck the right note with the public almost giving her a No 1 were it not for Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa. Oh and we haven’t had a Max Martin co-written song in a while- consider that break over.

 

 

Alright, after Tracy Chapman nothing will surprise me in this countdown :lol:

The power of reality TV was still so huge for the first few years of the 2010s!

 

'no tears left to cry' :wub: :wub: it was sooooo unlucky to be blocked by the biggest song of the year :( finished in the EOY top 10 of 2018 at least.

Would NEVER in a million years have predicted 'Fast Car' to be in this countdown! 'No Tears' is my favourite Ariana song, I much prefer her when she's delivering pop bops.

I agree with you if we can agree that 'Burn' itself was anything but mediocre :wub:

 

I do like 'Burn' (although I don't think it's aged that well), it was just the start of a downhill trend x

 

'Fast Car' being here does entirely make sense (after all its peak position was during the 2010s!) but definitely feels like another curveball :lol: Much love for 'no tears left to cry' ofc <3

Tracy Chapman :wub:

 

Was not expecting to see that here but it's great how some older songs have gained a whole new audience in the past 10 years.

28. ANYWHERE- Rita Ora (1,302,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 2

YEAR: 2017

 

Inspired by her previous song with Avicii (“Lonely Together”), it’s apparently about “a love song about escapism" and "having a desperation of wanting to break free from whatever it is you're going through”. It’s New York lensed promo helped it to No 2 where it was held off by Camila Cabello’s “Havana”.

 

 

27. IDGAF- Dua Lipa (1,303,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 3

YEAR: 2018

 

Lipa’s follow up to “New Rules” spent 8 weeks in the top 5 without getting higher than No 3. MNEK helps out on the songwriting and backing vocals on the track which is about “this person that, a long time after you've broken up, comes back to say 'hi' and you think to yourself, 'What gives him the right to call me now and see how I'm doing? Does he not realize the damage he's done?'"

 

 

Fast Car was a definite shock!

 

no tears left to cry is still my favourite Ari track. :heart: :heart:

 

Anywhere my favourite Rita track too. Both so unlucky to peak at #2 behind songs what were huge smashes.