And we are back! We have had the opportunity to listen to some new music that will be dropping on everyone’s desk soon, and there are some great new tracks heading your way. BTW, does anyone know when NCAA Football spring practice starts? … Congratulations Clemson University, you win—THIS year!

Republic’s CW, Spangler & Russell are starting out the New Year in the #1 position on the chart with Ariana Grande f/Nicki Minaj’s “Side to Side” and Hailee Steinfeld f/Zedd’s “Starving” at #5 and climbing. The Weeknd f/Daft Punk’s “I Feel It Coming” (XO) is now Top 15—it’s a Top 5 Greatest Gainer on Spotify and Top 10 Greatest Gainer on the MB chart. Shawn Mendes’ “Mercy” (Island) is moving up inside the Top 20 on iTunes and the MB chart. Drake’s “Fake Love” (YMCMB) is set to join the Top 20 as well. Amine’s “Caroline” is Top 15 on Spotify, Top 10 U.S. Shazam and getting ready to join the Top 30 on MB. Maty Noyes’ “In My Mind” (Lava) joins the MB chart this week with support from HITS1, WKSC, KVIL and WBLI. The ZAYN/Taylor Swift “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” single from Fifty Shades Darker all but closed out the panel on impact week and has climbed to #11 already.

Columbia’s Leipsner, Borris & Vaughan are starting off the new year with two tracks inside the Top 20: Adele’s “Water Under The Bridge” (XL), which is poised to join the Top 15, and John Legend’s “Love Me Now,” which moved into the Top 20 over the break and has pulled in some 50m views of the video. Both Little Mix’ “Shout Out to My Ex” and James Arthur’s “Say You Won’t Let Go” are bubbling just under and looking to chart.

RECORDS’ John Stazza starts 2017 by charting Noah Cyrus f/Labrinth’s “Make Me (Cry)” with close to 100 stations on board and tons of strong believers; look for this one to keep climbing. WNOW PD Buster Satterfield says, “The production on this song is attention-grabbing immediately and once you get past your ‘she sounds like Miley’ moment, you realize she’s got the goods.”

Def Jam’s Sackheim, Rothchild & Farag start the year with Alessia Cara’s “Scars to Your Beautiful” moving Top 3 with new increases coming from KJHKS, WFLZ and WWWQ as this track continues to move toward the #1 spot. Rihanna’s “Love On The Brain” (Westbury Road/Roc Nation) joins the Top 10 and is U.S. Shazam #5.

Capitol’s Marella, Rainey, Youngblood & Siciliano have two tracks inside the Top 15. Niall Horan’s “This Town” is on 175+ stations and climbs to #12 this week just as Jon Bellion’s “All Time Low” moves to #14 with big spin increases coming in from KALV, KDND and WKST. Calum Scott’s “Dancing On My Own” is bubbling just under and looking to chart this week; already on board for this week are WIOQ, WRVW and KZHT.

Caroline’s Saturn, Halpern & Holman move Hey Violet’s “Guys My Age” (5Mode) Top 25 this week with 150+ stations—new this week are WKQI, WIOG and WNTQ. The volume of spin increases coming in on this one shows no sign of slowing.

Epic’s Team Glassman are impacting Starley’s “Call On Me” (Tinted/disco:wax) this week and are stacking up a very nice set of call letters for impact: WPOW, KMVQ, WIOQ and KVIL to name a few; look for this one at the top of the add board this week. DJ Khaled’s “Do You Mind” (We The Best) jumps 10 spots on the chart over the holidays to #33. Captain Cuts’ “Love Like We Used To” was Most Added on impact and is heading toward the chart with 80+ stations on board.

Warner Bros.’ Gray, Dyer, Reich & Shih start the new year with two tracks moving up inside the Top 30. Bebe Rexha’s “I Got You” is set to join the Top 20 soon as the track has moved up to #22 and was one of the week’s Greatest Gainers. Lukas Graham’s “You’re Not There” is set to join the Top 25.

Mom & Pop’s David Jacobs has Flume f/Tove Lo’s “Say It” set to join the Top 25, with 135+ stations on board and huge streaming and sales numbers; this one looks to be heading toward the top of the chart.

RCA’s Riccitelli, JR, Daddio & Cooper kick off 2017 with Britney Spears f/Tinashe’s “Slumber Party” moving up inside the Top 30 with big support from WBBM, KDIS, WZFT and WDZH; this one is heading Top 25. G-Eazy f/Marc Bassy’s “Some Kind Of Drug” is poised to chart next week and has 75+ stations on board. Lost Kings f/Emily Warren’s “Phone Down” has pulled in 30 stations and is moving closer to the chart, with WKSC climbing on board with 40+ spins a week. It is already Top 5 Shazam in Chicago.

MUSIC WE LOVE: Sigma f/Birdy “Find Me” (3 Beat); Sean Paul f/Dua Lipa “No Lie” (Island)