Fall is here, football is in full swing, MLB playoffs are about to get underway and the NBA season is just around the corner. It’s my happiest time of the year: sports, sports and more sports! Now on to the music…

Republic’s CW, Spangler and Russell are cranking out the hits one after another. This week, they’re impacting DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean,” which is already off to a great start with call letters like KIIS, Z100, WWWQ, KMVQ just to name a few. Look for that one to chart this week. The Weeknd’s “The Hills” (XO) should be their next #1, and Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” (Big Machine) won’t be far behind. Shawn Mendes’ “Stitches” (Island) has entered the Top 10; with the callout that posted recently, it should continue to grow. Both Hailee Steinfeld’s “Love Myself” and Nick Jonas’ “Levels” (Safehouse/Island) are in range of the Top 15. Drake’s “Hotline Bling” (YMCMB), meanwhile, jumps up inside the Top 30.

RCA’s Riccitelli, JR, Daddio, Cooper & Strazza have done a terrific job getting R. City f/Adam Levine’s “Locked Away” all the way up the chart; it should be the next #1. Elle King’s multi-format hit, “Ex’s and Oh’s,” is ready to move Top 20, just as both Nicky Jam & Enrigue Iglesias’ “El Perdon (Forgiveness)” and Becky G’s ”Break a Sweat” enter the chart. With SiriusXM’s Hits 1 and Venus, Z100, WRNW and WNCI all on board early, Pentatonix’s “Can’t Sleep Love” is bubbling just under and poised to make the move. This week, the label’s impacting Sia’s “Alive” (Monkey Puzzle).



At Def Jam, Sackheim, Rothschild & Farag have Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?” ready to move Top 5. They have to be extremely pleased with the way Justin’s return has gone. He’s back! No doubt about it. They’re also very pleased with the launch of Alessia Cara’s “Here,” which pulled in new airplay from KHKS, WHYI, WAKS and WHOT, just as it moves Top 25.

Epic’s Team Glassman is launching two new tracks this week. On impact, Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life” which has north of 6m video views, already has WWPW on the board. They also just picked up IHeartMemphis’ “Hit the Quan,” which is #22 on iTunes and has the support of KHKS, KHFI, WEZB and KTFM. Meghan Trainor’s “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” continues to climb the chart and chalk up great research; WXXL, WDCG and WLDI are already in for this week. A Great Big World’s “Hold Each Other” (Black Magnetic) is now a Top 30 record; it’s #21 in iTunes and WAKS is new this week. Fifth Harmony’s “I’m in Love With a Monster” (SYCO) is getting ready to chart and pulled in WWPW and KDIS last week.


Artbeatz/RED’s Buch, Halpern & Weil have moved Daya’s “Hide Away” up the chart to #34; the track is Shazaming in every airplay market and has some impressive sales numbers as well. New this week are WIOQ, KRUF, WQEN and WFKS. Shaggy f/Pitbull’s “Only Love” already has Z100, WBMP and KTU on board, and WFLC, WFLZ and WKST are new this week. They’re off to the races with this one too. You should also note the job that RAL’s Halpern and Weil did on The Chainsmokers f/Rozes’ “Roses” before handing it off to Columbia this week.

Warner Bros.’ Gray, Dyer, Reich and Shih have Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Downtown” (Macklemore) in the Top 15; it just earned big spin increases from WODS, Venus and KMXV and is showing no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, Nico and Vinz’s “That’s How You Know” is about to chart, with new adds from WIOQ, WNRW and XHTZ to name a few.


Columbia’s Leipsner, Borris and Vaughan have moved up One Direction’s “Drag Me Down” (SYCO), which is sitting just outside the Top 10 after posting some big callout numbers. By the way, the music video is approaching 100m views. Calvin Harris & Disciples’ “How Deep Is Your Love” is now Top 20 and climbing, and OMI’s “Hula Hoop” (Ultra) is chartbound. As noted above, Columbia just picked up The Chainsmokers f/Rozes’ “Roses,” and it’s ready to explode with Z100, Y100, WODS and KZON already banging the track. Fox’s Empire is probably the hottest TV show in America right now; look for the cast’s “No Doubt About It” to return to the Most Added column again this week.

Capitol’s Reese, Rainey, Youngblood and Siciliano charted Audien f/Lady A’s “Something Better” this week, adding added some big call letters to their stack with WZFT, KBFF, KKHH and KUDD. They were also in the Most Added column last week with Halsey’s “New Americana” (Astralwerks), pulling in Z100, KIIS, WKCI and WDCG.

MUSIC WE LOVE: Phoebe Ryan’s “Mine” (Columbia), Nelly f/Jeremih’s “The Fix” (RECORDS)