2016 MTV VMAs Review

Well, welcome to my first award show review! MTV posted videos of Phantogram and Bebe Rexha performing, which were before the pre-show. Since they weren't part of the show, I won't review them.

Performances

Pre-show
Alessia Cara/Troye Sivan - Wild Things/Wild/Scars to Your Beautiful
This was really good. The Wild Things part wasn't awesome but the rest was great.
Rate: 9.5/10

Jidenna - Little Bit More
It was cool.
Rate: 9.5/10

Lukas Graham - Mama Said

Could have been a little better. But hey, at least he didn't perform 7 Years.

Rate: 9/10

Main show

Rihanna/Calvin Harris - Don't Stop the Music/Only Girl (In the World)/We Found Love/Where Have You Been

I really liked this. That's all I'll say.

Rate: 10/10

Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj - Side to Side

I couldn't hear the song too much. And what's with the gym theme?

Rate: 9/10

Future - F*** Up Some Commas

...?

Rate: 6/10

Kanye West - Fade (Music Video Premiere)

The song is fine, and the video is...huh? Is that a cat at the end?

Rate: 8/10

Rihanna - Rude Boy/What's My Name/Work

This was a strange performance. It was fine.

Rate: 8/10

Nick Jonas/Ty Dolla $ign - Bacon

I really liked this performance. I find it interesting how there's a guitar in the song since the artists are pop and rap.

Rate: 9.5/10

Beyoncé - Pray to Catch Me/Hold Up/Countdown/Sorry/Don't Hurt Yourself/Formation

I like the beginning of Pray to Catch Me. And I did really like Sorry, as it peaked at #3 on #40Friday back in May. It was a nice performance.

Rate: 9/10

Britney Spears/G-Eazy - Make Me/Me, Myself and I

Wow. This was really a well done performance, despite me not liking Me, Myself and I for the past month and not hearing Make Me enough.

Rate: 10/10

Rihanna - Needed Me/Pour it Up/B**** Better Have My Money

Good.

Rate: 9/10

The Chainsmokers/Halsey - Closer

The guy in the Chainsmokers' voice only sounds good in the regular version of the song, not in a concert. The rest was good though.

Rate: 9/10

Rihanna - Stay/Diamonds/Love on the Brain

This was a great ending performance. It was calm and beautiful.

Rate: 9.5/10

Performance Totals: 125/140

Divided: 8.9/10

My top 5 performances

5. Nick Jonas/Ty Dolla $ign - Bacon

4. Rihanna - Stay/Diamonds/Love on the Brain

3. Alessia Cara/Troye Sivan - Wild Things/Wild/Scars to Your Beautiful

2. Britney Spears/G-Eazy - Make Me/Me, Myself and I

1. Rihanna/Calvin Harris - Don't Stop the Music/Only Girl (In the World)/We Found Love/Where Have You Been

Awards

Video of the Year: Beyoncé - Formation

Best Male Video: Calvin Harris/Rihanna - This is What You Came For

Best Female Video: Beyoncé - Hold Up

Best New Artist: DNCE

Best Pop Video: Beyoncé - Formation

Best Rock Video: Twenty One Pilots - Heathens

Best Hip-Hop Video: Drake - Hotline Bling

Best Electronic Video: Calvin Harris/Disciples - How Deep is Your Love

Best Collaboration Video: Fifth Harmony/Ty Dolla $ign - Work From Home

Breakthrough Long Form Video: Beyoncé - Lemonade

Best Direction: Beyoncé - Formation (Director: Melina Matsoukas)

Best Choreography: Beyoncé - Formation (Choreographers: Chris Grant, JaQuel Knight, and Dana Foglia)

Best Visual Effects: Coldplay - Up and Up

Best Art Direction: David Bowie - Blackstar

Best Editing: Beyoncé - Formation

Best Cinematography: Beyoncé - Formation

Song of the Summer: Fifth Harmony/Fetty Wap - All in My Head (Flex)

Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award: Rihanna

Beyoncé won 8 awards (6 for Formation).

Adele (1) - August 27, 2016

On July 13, 2013, a 0-exit week, CountdownRecap said "Time for a 45-song shuffle." This week, we're doing that again. No exits this week. But maybe next week will have 7 exits, as the week after had 7 exits.

The countdown

45. Nick Jonas/Tove Lo - Close (#43)

44. Kent Jones - Don't Mind (#45)

43. Selena Gomez - Kill Em With Kindness (#44)

42. DNCE - Cake By the Ocean (#32)

41. OneRepublic - Wherever I Go (#41)

40. Fifth Harmony - Work From Home (#40)

39. Lukas Graham - 7 Years (#37)

38. Meghan Trainor - No (#31)

37. The Summer Set - Figure Me Out (#30)

36. Taylor Swift - New Romantics (#38)

35. Symon - Say (#42)

34. Panic! at the Disco - Victorious (#39)

33. Selena Gomez - Hands to Myself (#34)

32. Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman (#29)

31. Mike Posner/SeeB - I Took a Pill in Ibiza (#36)

30. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out (#27)

29. Pink - Just Like Fire (#25)

28. Jordan Fisher - All About Us (#26)

27. DNCE - Toothbrush (#13)

26. Fifth Harmony - All in My Head (Flex) (#18)

25. AJR - I'm Not Famous (#19)

24. All Time Low - Missing You (#22)

23. Lukas Graham - Mama Said (#21)

22. Kenny Chesney/Pink - Setting the World on Fire (#35)

21. Drake/WizKid/Kyla - One Dance (#28)

20. Twenty One Pilots - Heathens (#20)

19. The Chainsmokers/Halsey - Closer (#24)

18. Jacob Whitesides - Lovesick (#23)

17. Demi Lovato - Body Say (#16)

16. Timeflies - Once in a While (#33)
15. Daya - Sit Still, Look Pretty (#14)
14. Charlie Puth/Selena Gomez - We Don't Talk Anymore (#8)
13. Coldplay/Beyoncé/SeeB - Hymn For the Weekend (#17)
12. Meghan Trainor - Me Too (#10)
11. 5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys (#11)
10. Calvin Harris/Rihanna - This is What You Came For (#7)
9. The 1975 - The Sound (#15)
8. Ariana Grande - Into You (#12)
7. X Ambassadors - Unsteady (#9)
6. Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better (#6)
5. Sia/Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills (#3)
4. Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop the Feeling (#1) (!!!!!)
3. Twenty One Pilots - Ride (#4)
2. The Chainsmokers/Daya - Don't Let Me Down (#5)
#1 this week last year: Walk the Moon - Shut Up and Dance
1. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover) (#2) (!!!!!)

Biggest Drop: DNCE - Toothbrush (-14)

Biggest Jump: Timeflies - Once in a While (+17)

Setting the Blurb on Fire
Did anyone else besides Scott Rohrbeck and I hear the host, Spyder Harrison, announce Body Say as "Body Talk"?

How in the world is The Sound in the top 10? This song is hardly popular.

Same with Unsteady; that was a Subway Fresh Buzz song on the American top 40. That song, in the words of Graham Badenhausen, "better not (re)become a hit."

Does anyone notice a pattern in songs #9-#5? Last week they were #15, #12, #9, #6, and #3. They are in 3-spot increments.

Thank you voters for making Send My Love (To Your New Lover) #1 and putting Can't Stop the Feeling far behind it. Best 0-exit week ever.

My top 5 countdown
5. Jacob Whitesides - Lovesick
4. Drake/WizKid/Kyla - One Dance
3. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover)
2. Lukas Graham - Mama Said
1. 5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys

Hit-Bound
Hosted by All Time Low

Exit
Ben Rector - Brand New

• MKTO - Superstitious
• Andy Grammer - Fresh Eyes
• Troye Sivan/Alessia Cara - Wild
• Magic! - Red Dress
• Flume/Kai - Never Be Like You
• The Strumbellas - Spirits
• Snakehips/Zayn - Cruel
• Hailee Steinfeld/Grey/Zedd - Starving
• Kungs/Cookin' on 3 Burners/Kylie Auldist - This Girl
• Major Lazer/Justin Bieber/MØ - Cold Water (DEBUT)
• Big Gigantic/Angela McCluskey - The Little Things
• OneRepublic - Kids
• Katy Perry - Rise
• Steve Aoki/Boehm/Walk the Moon - Back 2 U

I have to agree with most of you. Cruel isn't great, but it's good. Catchy too.

My top 5 Hit-Bound

5. The Strumbellas - Spirits

4. Major Lazer/Justin Bieber/MØ - Cold Water

3. Troye Sivan/Alessia Cara - Wild

2. Kungs/Cookin' on 3 Burners/Kylie Auldist - This Girl

1. Big Gigantic/Angela McCluskey - The Little Things

#40Friday is out! Will 5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys hang on to #1 for a fourth week in a row? Find out here.

Most Missed Song: Ne-Yo - She Knows

And another guess the WC:

• 1 exit
• A song that peaked at #3 debuted
• There were two Taylor Swift songs in the top 10

Justin Timberlake (9) - August 20, 2016

Okay...this was a weird week.

Exits

• James Bay - Let it Go (#33)
• Ruth B. - Lost Boy (#43)
• Grace - You Don't Own Me (#45)
  

The Countdown

45. Kent Jones - Don't Mind (#38)

44. Selena Gomez - Kill Em With Kindness (#42)

43. Nick Jonas/Tove Lo - Close (#44)

42. Symon - Say (#24)

41. OneRepublic - Wherever I Go (#41)

40. Fifth Harmony - Work From Home (#40)

39. Panic! at the Disco - Victorious (#39)

38. Taylor Swift - New Romantics (#31)

37. Lukas Graham - 7 Years (#37)

36. Mike Posner/SeeB - I Took a Pill in Ibiza (#34)

35. Kenny Chesney/Pink - Setting the World on Fire (DEBUT)

34. Selena Gomez - Hands to Myself (#32)

33. Timeflies - Once in a While (#11)

32. DNCE - Cake By the Ocean (#35)

31. Meghan Trainor - No (#36)

30. The Summer Set - Figure Me Out (#14)

29. Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman (#15)

28. Drake/WizKid/Kyla - One Dance (#17)

27. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out (#16)

26. Jordan Fisher - All About Us (#28)

25. Pink - Just Like Fire (#9)

24. The Chainsmokers/Halsey - Closer (DEBUT)

23. Jacob Whitesides - Lovesick (#21)

22. All Time Low - Missing You (#25)

21. Lukas Graham - Mama Said (#23)

20. Twenty One Pilots - Heathens (#27)

19. AJR - I'm Not Famous (#29)

18. Fifth Harmony - All in My Head (Flex) (#30)

17. Coldplay/Beyoncé/SeeB - Hymn For the Weekend (DEBUT)

16. Demi Lovato - Body Say (#19)

15. The 1975 - The Sound (#18)

14. Daya - Sit Still, Look Pretty (#4)

13. DNCE - Toothbrush (#22)

12. Ariana Grande - Into You (#26)

11. 5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys (#20) (!!!)

10. Meghan Trainor - Me Too (#13)

9. X Ambassadors - Unsteady (#12) (Is this a joke???)

8. Charlie Puth/Selena Gomez - We Don't Talk Anymore (#10)

7. Calvin Harris/Rihanna - This is What You Came For (#8)

6. Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better (#5)

5. The Chainsmokers/Daya - Don't Let Me Down (#2)

4. Twenty One Pilots - Ride (#3)

3. Sia/Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills (#6)

2. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover) (#7)

#1 song this week 1 year ago: Walk the Moon - Shut Up and Dance

1. Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop the Feeling (#1)

Biggest Drop: Timeflies - Once in a While (-22)

Biggest Jump: Ariana Grande - Into You (+14)

Blurbs For the Weekend

That blurb title actually describes this :P

Say had a big drop this week, unfortunately.

What is with all these big drops? There were 8 10+ spot drops this week.

Someone get One Dance back into the teens! NOW!

The only debut I'm reviewing this week is this year's highest debut, at #17, Coldplay/Beyoncé/SeeB - Hymn For the Weekend. I hope Hits 1 can switch to the non-SeeB version, which I now like more than the other.

Toothbrush is now uninteresting.

I wish Girls Talk Boys and Unsteady would switch places.

Not good timing for Me Too to hit the top 10.

Send My Love (To Your New Lover) needs a little more power to hit #1! You can do it!

My top 5 countdown

5. Drake/WizKid/Kyla - One Dance

4. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover)

3. Jacob Whitesides - Lovesick

2. Lukas Graham - Mama Said

1. 5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys

Bottom 5 countdown

5. DNCE - Toothbrush

4. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out

3. Selena Gomez - Hands to Myself

2. X Ambassadors - Unsteady

1. Lukas Graham - 7 Years

Hit-Bound

• Flume/Kai – Never Be Like You
• OneRepublic – Kids (DEBUT)
• Hailee Steinfeld/Grey/Zedd – Starving
  
• MKTO – Superstitious
  
• Ben Rector – Brand New
  
• Steve Aoki/Boehm/Walk the Moon – Back 2 U
  
• Troye Sivan/Alessia Cara – Wild
  
• Big Gigantic/Angela McCluskey – The Little Things
  
• Magic! – Red Dress
  
• Katy Perry – Rise
  
• Snakehips/Zayn – Cruel (DEBUT)
  
• The Strumbellas – Spirits
  
• Andy Grammer – Fresh Eyes
  
• Kungs/Cookin' on 3 Burners/Kylie Auldist – This Girl (DEBUT)

My top 5 Hit-Bound

5. Andy Grammer – Fresh Eyes

4. Troye Sivan/Alessia Cara – Wild

3. Hailee Steinfeld/Grey/Zedd – Starving

2. Kungs/Cookin' on 3 Burners/Kylie Auldist – This Girl

1. Big Gigantic/Angela McCluskey - The Little Things

Recommendation for Hits 1: Major Lazer/Justin Bieber/MØ - Cold Water

Most Missed Song: I'll say Ella Henderson - Ghost

Justin Timberlake (8) - August 13, 2016

Exits

• One Direction - History (#29)
• G-Eazy/Bebe Rexha - Me, Myself and I (#45)

The countdown
45. Grace - You Don't Own Me (#43)
44. Nick Jonas/Tove Lo - Close (#42)
43. Ruth B. - Lost Boy (#40)
42. Selena Gomez - Kill Em With Kindness (#33)
41. OneRepublic - Wherever I Go (#32)
40. Fifth Harmony - Work From Home (#35)

39. Panic! at the Disco - Victorious (#27)

38. Kent Jones - Don't Mind (#24)

37. Lukas Graham - 7 Years (#34)

36. Meghan Trainor - No (#44)

35. DNCE - Cake By the Ocean (#38)

34. Mike Posner/SeeB - I Took a Pill in Ibiza (#16)

33. James Bay - Let it Go (#36)

32. Selena Gomez - Hands to Myself (#41)

31. Taylor Swift - New Romantics (#39)

30. Fifth Harmony - All in My Head (Flex) (DEBUT)

29. AJR - I'm Not Famous (#37)

28. Jordan Fisher - All About Us (#28)

27. Twenty One Pilots - Heathens (DEBUT)

26. Ariana Grande - Into You (#31)

25. All Time Low - Missing You (#23)

24. Symon - Say (#26)

23. Lukas Graham - Mama Said (#22)

22. DNCE - Toothbrush (#17)

21. Jacob Whitesides - Lovesick (#25)

20. 5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys (#21)

19. Demi Lovato - Body Say (#20)

18. The 1975 - The Sound (#19)

17. Drake/WizKid/Kyla - One Dance (#18)

16. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out (#15)

15. Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman (#5)

14. The Summer Set - Figure Me Out (#13)

13. Meghan Trainor - Me Too (#14)

12. X Ambassadors - Unsteady (#30)

11. Timeflies - Once in a While (#12)

10. Charlie Puth/Selena Gomez - We Don't Talk Anymore (#11)

9. Pink - Just Like Fire (#10)

8. Calvin Harris/Rihanna - This is What You Came For (#9)

7. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover) (#8)

6. Sia/Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills (#6)

5. Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better (#7)

4. Daya - Sit Still, Look Pretty (#2)

3. Twenty One Pilots - Ride (#3)

2. The Chainsmokers/Daya - Don't Let Me Down (#4)

#1 this week 1 year ago: Walk the Moon - Shut Up and Dance

1. Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop the Feeling (#1)

Biggest Drop: Mike Posner/SeeB - I Took a Pill in Ibiza (-18)

Biggest Jump: X Ambassadors - Unsteady (+18)

All My Friends Are Blurbs

Our exits this week were pretty interesting. First, they debuted the same week. History peaked at #2 but Me, Myself and I peaked at #16. And this is the first week on the countdown without One Direction since September 27, 2014. As Scott Rohrbeck said, last week may have been the final week for One Direction on the countdown so R.I.P One Direction on the countdown 11/26/11-8/13/16. Maybe Me, Myself and I will make the year-end top 45 chart (Probably not).

You Don't Own Me and Lost Boy are going to be out of here soon. And don't worry Scott, because Kill Em With Kindness is probably going to join them.

I grew into Heathens.

I expected Toothbrush to drop more.

Oh my God, when will Once in a While drop?

Last week's #21-18 and #12-8 all moved up 1 spot.

My top 5 countdown

5. Drake/WizKid/Kyla - One Dance

4. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover)

3. Jacob Whitesides - Lovesick

2. Lukas Graham - Mama Said

1. 5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys

Hit-Bound

• The Strumbellas - Spirits
• Magic! - Red Dress
• Troye Sivan/Alessia Cara - Wild
• Andy Grammer - Fresh Eyes
• Kenny Chesney/Pink - Setting the World on Fire
• The Chainsmokers/Halsey - Closer
• Katy Perry - Rise
• MKTO - Superstitious
• Flume/Kai - Never Be Like You
• Hailee Steinfeld/Grey/Zedd - Starving (DEBUT)
• Steve Aoki/Boehm/Walk the Moon - Back 2 U
• Coldplay/Beyoncé/SeeB - Hymn For the Weekend
• Ben Rector - Brand New
• Big Gigantic/Angela McCluskey - The Little Things (DEBUT)

My top 5 Hit-Bound

5. Katy Perry - Rise

4. The Strumbellas - Spirits

3. Big Gigantic/Angela McCluskey - The Little Things

2. Andy Grammer - Fresh Eyes

1. Flume/Kai - Never Be Like You


Surprise post coming later today!
And one more thing: I finally remembered the picture! :D

Forgot: Most Missed Song: Fall Out Boy - My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'Em Up)

Justin Timberlake (7) - August 6, 2016

Exits
Troye Sivan - Youth (#34)
Zayn - Pillowtalk (#44)

The countdown
45. G-Eazy/Bebe Rexha - Me, Myself and I (#45)
44. Meghan Trainor - No (#38)
43. Grace - You Don't Own Me (#41)
42. Nick Jonas/Tove Lo - Close (#27)
41. Selena Gomez - Hands to Myself (#43)
40. Ruth B. - Lost Boy (#42)
39. Taylor Swift - New Romantics (#23)
38. DNCE - Cake By the Ocean (#30)
37. AJR - I'm Not Famous (DEBUT)
36. James Bay - Let it Go (#32)
35. Fifth Harmony - Work From Home (#35)
34. Lukas Graham - 7 Years (#40)
33. Selena Gomez - Kill Em With Kindness (#33)
32. OneRepublic - Wherever I Go (#28)
31. Ariana Grande - Into You (DEBUT)
30. X Ambassadors - Unsteady (#37)
29. One Direction - History (#29)
28. Jordan Fisher - All About Us (#39)
27. Panic! at the Disco - Victorious (#12)
26. Symon - Say (#25)
25. Jacob Whitesides - Lovesick (#36)
24. Kent Jones - Don't Mind (#15)
23. All Time Low - Missing You (#24)
22. Lukas Graham - Mama Said (#19)
21. 5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys (#20)
20. Demi Lovato - Body Say (#31)
19. The 1975 - The Sound (#26)
18. Drake/WizKid/Kyla - One Dance (#21)
17. DNCE - Toothbrush (#22)
16. Mike Posner/Seeb - I Took a Pill in Ibiza (#9)
15. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out (#18)
14. Meghan Trainor - Me Too (#17)
13. The Summer Set - Figure Me Out (#16)
12. Timeflies - Once in a While (#13)
11. Charlie Puth/Selena Gomez - We Don't Talk Anymore (#8)
10. Pink - Just Like Fire (#4)
9. Calvin Harris/Rihanna - This is What You Came For (#11)
8. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover) (#14)
7. Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better (#10)
6. Sia/Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills (#5)
5. Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman (#6)

4. The Chainsmokers/Daya - Don't Let Me Down (#7)

3. Twenty One Pilots - Ride (#2)

2. Daya - Sit Still, Look Pretty (#3)

#1 this week 1 year ago: Taylor Swift - Bad Blood

1. Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop the Feeling (#1)

Biggest Drop: Taylor Swift - New Romantics (-16)
Biggest Jump: Tie between Jordan Fisher - All About Us, Jacob Whitesides - Lovesick, and Demi Lovato - Body Say (+11)

I'm So Into Blurbs
Me, Myself and I needs to exit the countdown as soon as possible. This song isn't popular anymore! It's becoming the next Work!

Stressed Out also needs to exit as soon as possible.

Another three-way tie for biggest jump, huh.

One Dance finally made it to the teens.

I have a feeling that Can't Stop the Feeling will be #1 next week.

My top 5 countdown

5. Calvin Harris/Rihanna - This is What You Came For

4. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover)

3. Jacob Whitesides - Lovesick

2. Lukas Graham - Mama Said

1. 5 Seconds of Summer - Girls Talk Boys

Hit-Bound

Coldplay/Beyoncé/SeeB - Hymn For the Weekend

Steve Aoki/Boehm/Walk the Moon - Back 2 U

Katy Perry - Rise

Ben Rector - Brand New

Twenty One Pilots - Heathens

The Chainsmokers/Halsey - Closer

Andy Grammer - Fresh Eyes

Magic! - Red Dress

Fifth Harmony - All in My Head (Flex)

The Strumbellas - Spirits

Flume/Kai - Never Be Like You

Troye Sivan/Alessia Cara - Wild

MKTO - Superstitious

Kenny Chesney/Pink - Setting the World on Fire

Is Kenny Chesney/Pink - Setting the World on Fire the first country song on Hits 1 since Sam Hunt - House Party? And Pink is a great country singer in this song.

Coldplay/Beyoncé/Seeb - Hymn For the Weekend would have been #5 in my top 5 Hit-Bound if Seeb were not in the song. I'm actually liking the original version a lot.

My top 5 Hit-Bound

5. Andy Grammer - Fresh Eyes

4. Ben Rector - Brand New

3. Katy Perry - Rise

2. The Strumbellas - Spirits

1. Flume/Kai - Never Be Like You

Check out my 40 favorite songs of the week, #40Friday here.

Check out YOUR (the Weekend Countdown blog community) favorite songs here.