Akini's Daily Top 20: #1 Right now, I'm in a state of mind...

[Thriller]

Smash Into You is such a good song.

[JSparksFan]

Smash Into You is such a good song.

It's one of the finer mellow moments in Beyoncé's catalogue.

[JSparksFan]

Thursday's Top 20 (March 1st)

01.(01) Clean Bandit - Rather Be (feat. Jess Glynne)
02.(RE) Janet Jackson - That's the Way Love Goes (Best Comeback)
03.(RE) Clean Bandit - Rockabye (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie)
04.(RE) Miranda Lambert - Mama's Broken Heart
05.(RE) Taylor Swift - Delicate
06.(04) Kelly Clarkson - Meaning of Life
07.(02) ABBA - The Day Before You Came (Biggest Free Faller)
08.(RE) Clean Bandit - Symphony (feat. Zara Larsson)
09.(RE) Mariah Carey - Hero
10.(10) Logic - 44 More
11.(RE) Lady Gaga - Born This Way
12.(RE) Miranda Lambert - Vice
13.(RE) Hurts - Wonderful Life
14.(RE) Christina Aguilera - Lift Me Up
15.(RE) Kylie Minogue - Your Disco Needs You
16.(RE) Mary Mary - Shackles (Praise You)
17.(RE) Beyoncé - Love on Top
18.(RE) Bruno Mars - Finesse (feat. Cardi B)
19.(NE) Chole & Halle - Grown (Highest Debut)
20.(18) The Weeknd & Kendrick Lamar - Pray for Me

[JSparksFan]

Friday's Top 20 (March 2nd)

01.(RE) Janelle Monáe - Make Me Feel (Best Comeback)
02.(NE) DJ Khaled - Top Off (feat. Jay-Z, Future, & Beyoncé) (Highest Debut)
03.(RE) Beyoncé - Ave Maria
04.(RE) Demi Lovato - Cool for the Summer
05.(RE) Janelle Monáe - Django Jane
06.(RE) Janelle Monáe - Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu)
07.(RE) Janelle Monáe - Cold War
08.(10) Logic - 44 More (Greatest Gainer)
09.(RE) Beck - Lost Cause
10.(07) ABBA - The Day Before You Came (Biggest Free Faller)
11.(RE) Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon
12.(RE) Toni Braxton - Breathe Again
13.(RE) KT Tunstall - Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
14.(RE) Selena Gomez - Kill Em with Kindness
15.(RE) Harry Styles - Sign of the Times
16.(RE) Janet Jackson - If It Takes All Night
17.(RE) Britney Spears - Breathe on Me
18.(RE) Janelle Monáe - Electric Lady (feat. Solange)
19.(RE) Janelle Monáe - PrimeTime (feat. Miguel)
20.(RE) Toni Braxton - Another Sad Love Song

[Top10]

06.(RE) Janelle Monáe - Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu)

This is a famous and dope track.

[stevyy]

12.(RE) Toni Braxton - Breathe Again

I love her. It is so unfair that she is ignored by the GP.

[JakeP]

Hello Akini

01.(RE) Janelle Monáe - Make Me Feel (Best Comeback)

Yay! janelle coming back to retain that potential shared #1 for another week?

02.(NE) DJ Khaled - Top Off (feat. Jay-Z, Future, & Beyoncé) (Highest Debut)

Gave this one listen on YouTube last night, and that was enough. It did absolutely nothing for me and by the end i was just feeling bored. :(

04.(RE) Demi Lovato - Cool for the Summer

Nice to see a former JakeP chart topper returning here. Although in the UK it's more like "freezing for the summer" with all the snow and blizzards. (ok, and summer is months off but still)

13.(RE) KT Tunstall - Black Horse and the Cherry Tree

Loved this so much when it first got released. Not listened to this, or any other KT Tunstall track for a long while. Might have to reminisce on YouTube.

Not heard all these other Janelle songs, and its unlikely that Django Jane will be making my chart either today. I might check out a couple of these other songs though to see if i like them.

[JSparksFan]

This is a famous and dope track.

Totally dope.

12.(RE) Toni Braxton - Breathe Again

I love her. It is so unfair that she is ignored by the GP.

I know. Even as recently as last year, she put out one of her career-best singles "Deadwood". That should have been a massive hit, at least on the R&B charts if nowhere else.

Hello Akini

Greetings, Jake!

Yay! janelle coming back to retain that potential shared #1 for another week?

Yep! A timely resurgence!

Gave this one listen on YouTube last night, and that was enough. It did absolutely nothing for me and by the end i was just feeling bored. :(

Not even Rapyoncé was able to pique your interest? Anyway, I agree, the song is pretty unspectacular.

Nice to see a former JakeP chart topper returning here. Although in the UK it's more like "freezing for the summer" with all the snow and blizzards. (ok, and summer is months off but still)

I've really been loving that one lately for some reason. It's so suggestive and catchy!

Loved this so much when it first got released. Not listened to this, or any other KT Tunstall track for a long while. Might have to reminisce on YouTube.

"Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" is a new millennium classic. "Suddenly I See" is great, too.

Not heard all these other Janelle songs, and its unlikely that Django Jane will be making my chart either today. I might check out a couple of these other songs though to see if i like them.

I hope "Django Jane" connects with you soon, and if it doesn't, may "Make Me Feel" have some mileage on your chart!

[JSparksFan]

Saturday's Top 20 (March 3rd)

01.(04) Demi Lovato - Cool for the Summer (Greatest Gainer)
02.(RE) Bruno Mars - Finesse (feat. Cardi B) (Best Comeback)
03.(RE) Janet Jackson - Feedback
04.(RE) Christina Aguilera - Fighter
05.(RE) Kendrick Lamar & SZA - All the Stars
06.(RE) The Weeknd & Kendrick Lamar - Pray for Me
07.(NE) Hugh Jackman - From Now On (Highest Debut)
08.(RE) Janet Jackson - Control
09.(NE) Jazmine Sullivan - If You Dare
10.(RE) Janet Jackson - He Doesn't Know I'm Alive
11.(RE) Janet Jackson - Nasty
12.(RE) Madonna - Music
13.(RE) Maroon 5 - What Lovers Do (feat. SZA)
14.(RE) Janet Jackson - What Have You Done for Me Lately?
15.(NE) Sugababes - Stronger
16.(NE) Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Get Over You
17.(RE) Khalid & Normani - Love Lies
18.(10) ABBA - The Day Before You Came (Biggest Free Faller)
19.(NE) Natalie Merchant - Wonder
20.(NE) Jamey Johnson - High Cost of Living

[phoenix98]

Yeah, and even though they wouldn't work for me, I think timesharing agreements could work for other people.

I was starting to wonder if you were subtly trying to divulge something about your own love life with all of this appreciation for "The Weekend" - but that clears that up!

I definitely don't want to make any sweeping generalizations, but there does seem to be more willingness to entertain the idea of open relationships in the LGBTQ community (well, gay men specifically, from what I've seen.) Like you, I'd struggle with that personally, but I'm all for people examining and experimenting with alternative arrangements to monogamy (which time has shown doesn't actually work very well for many people, despite it being presented as the ideal.)

And would you believe it's sold out for a second weekend in a row here?

Epic! Does that mean you weren't able to go, though? Or you went, and it was just a jam-packed theater?

I discovered that Fuel song through American Idol actually!

Ah! Whose performance?

Yay! I'm really happy to hear you like it.

It really seems to be successfully drawing in people who hadn't previously paid much attention to Janelle (like myself), while still pleasing long-time fans - at least around UKMIX. Now if only radio would get on board and spread the good word of Janelle even further! There's no excuse for this song not to smash...

01.(04) Demi Lovato - Cool for the Summer (Greatest Gainer)
02.(RE) Bruno Mars - Finesse (feat. Cardi B) (Best Comeback)
03.(RE) Janet Jackson - Feedback
04.(RE) Christina Aguilera - Fighter
05.(RE) Kendrick Lamar & SZA - All the Stars
06.(RE) The Weeknd & Kendrick Lamar - Pray for Me
08.(RE) Janet Jackson - Control
10.(RE) Janet Jackson - He Doesn't Know I'm Alive
11.(RE) Janet Jackson - Nasty
12.(RE) Madonna - Music
13.(RE) Maroon 5 - What Lovers Do (feat. SZA)
14.(RE) Janet Jackson - What Have You Done for Me Lately?
15.(NE) Sugababes - Stronger
17.(RE) Khalid & Normani - Love Lies
19.(NE) Natalie Merchant - Wonder

• Ready for summer already, eh? CFTS is definitely catchy, frisky, fun - much like "S&M."
• Looking at all these Control entries following the "If It Takes All Night" domination, are you doing that Janet catalog re-exploration you mentioned more-or-less in order? Granted, "Feedback" is up there too - so whatever method you're taking, hopefully it leads to some new/re-discoveries and deepened appreciation for familiar faves <3 "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" is so damn cute, but the timid-lovestruck-schoolgirl vibe makes it seem like it might've fit better on one of her first two albums.

Yet another chart that's too cool for school, Akini!

[JSparksFan]

I was starting to wonder if you were subtly trying to divulge something about your own love life with all of this appreciation for "The Weekend" - but that clears that up!

Yeah, I learned a few years ago that I may have a problem with possessiveness, and I'm still working on that, in fact.

I definitely don't want to make any sweeping generalizations, but there does seem to be more willingness to entertain the idea of open relationships in the LGBTQ community (well, gay men specifically, from what I've seen.) Like you, I'd struggle with that personally, but I'm all for people examining and experimenting with alternative arrangements to monogamy (which time has shown doesn't actually work very well for many people, despite it being presented as the ideal.)

I suspect that's because homosexual relationships are already a concept outside the boundary of the societal 'norm' so some of the strict rules that define traditional heterosexual relationships are easily slackened on an already non-traditional union. I certainly agree that monogamy doesn't work for everyone, and anything that's transparent and opens the door for free discourse is something I endorse. Better to be in an open, honest relationship than in an open relationship that you actually think is closed.

Epic! Does that mean you weren't able to go, though? Or you went, and it was just a jam-packed theater?

The first one. I will try to go late this month, though. The frenzy has to die down by then.

Ah! Whose performance?

Chris Daughtry's.

It really seems to be successfully drawing in people who hadn't previously paid much attention to Janelle (like myself), while still pleasing long-time fans - at least around UKMIX. Now if only radio would get on board and spread the good word of Janelle even further! There's no excuse for this song not to smash...

I don't think anything Janelle releases will be a commercial success this year, but I do hope her music sells well enough for her to turn a decent profit. I know she runs her own label, so even if it were to be a massive flop, it shouldn't be catastrophic (she won't drop herself from her own label).

• Ready for summer already, eh? CFTS is definitely catchy, frisky, fun - much like "S&M."

I have my frisky moods. And yes, the "S&M" comparison is right on!

• Looking at all these Control entries following the "If It Takes All Night" domination, are you doing that Janet catalog re-exploration you mentioned more-or-less in order? Granted, "Feedback" is up there too - so whatever method you're taking, hopefully it leads to some new/re-discoveries and deepened appreciation for familiar faves <3 "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" is so damn cute, but the timid-lovestruck-schoolgirl vibe makes it seem like it might've fit better on one of her first two albums.

The bolded bit is so true! It's much like how "Cherish" is a more seamless fit on True Blue than Like a Prayer.

There is a reason for the Janet catalogue exploration that should be made abundantly clear within the next six to eight weeks.

[JSparksFan]

Sunday's Top 20 (March 4th)

01.(03) Janet Jackson - Feedback (Greatest Gainer)
02.(RE) Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson - Scream (Best Comeback)
03.(01) Demi Lovato - Cool for the Summer (Biggest Free Faller)
04.(RE) Janet Jackson - If
05.(RE) Adam Lambert - Whataya Want from Me
06.(RE) Demi Lovato - Confident
07.(NE) Jennifer Lopez - Ni Tú Ni Yo (Highest Debut)
08.(NE) Robyn - Show Me Love
09.(NE) Bicep - Glue
10.(RE) Adam Lambert - Sleepwalker
11.(RE) Kelly Clarkson - How I Feel
12.(NE) Bebe Rexha - Small Doses
13.(RE) Ben E. King - Spanish Harlem
14.(RE) Beyoncé - Ring Off
15.(NE) George Mapel - Hero
16.(NE) Brandy - Camouflage
17.(NE) Regina Spektor - Black and White
18.(NE) Jessie Ware - Imagine It Was Us
19.(NE) Backstreet Boys - Permanent Stain
20.(RE) Adam Lambert - Aftermath

[JSparksFan]

Monday's Top 20 (March 5th)

01.(04) Janet Jackson - If (Greatest Gainer)
02.(01) Janet Jackson - Feedback
03.(RE) Mariah Carey - The Beautiful Ones (feat. Dru Hill) (Best Comeback)
04.(NE) Earth, Wind & Fire - September (Highest Debut)
05.(RE) Christina Aguilera - Lift Me Up
06.(RE) Janet Jackson - If It Takes All Night
07.(RE) Janet Jackson - Together Again
08.(02) Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson - Scream
09.(RE) Janet Jackson - All for You
10.(RE) Janet Jackson - Love Will Never Do (Without You)
11.(RE) Shania Twain - I'm Alright
12.(08) Robyn - Show Me Love
13.(07) Jennifer Lopez - Ni Tú Ni Yo (Biggest Free Faller)
14.(RE) Janet Jackson - Escapade
15.(RE) Janet Jackson - Miss You Much
16.(RE) Jennifer Lopez - First Love
17.(RE) The Weeknd - Starboy (feat. Daft Punk)
18.(RE) Mika - Rain
19.(RE) Jennifer Lopez - I'm into You (feat. Lil Wayne)
20.(RE) Mariah Carey - Hero

[SummerPeur]

01.(04) Janet Jackson - If (Greatest Gainer)
04.(NE) Earth, Wind & Fire - September (Highest Debut)
10.(RE) Janet Jackson - Love Will Never Do (Without You)
15.(RE) Janet Jackson - Miss You Much

So much Janet Jackson today!!!

I don't listen to Janet too much, however I picked out some of my favorite ones.

+ So weird, I was LITERALLY listening to September yesterday as well

[JSparksFan]

So much Janet Jackson today!!!

I don't listen to Janet too much, however I picked out some of my favorite ones.

+ So weird, I was LITERALLY listening to September yesterday as well

Ooh, you're missing out!

It's featured in the Black History Year survivor. That's what led me to revisiting it.

[JSparksFan]

Tuesday's Top 20 (March 6th)

01.(NE) Kara Marni - Golden (Hot Shot Debut)
02.(01) Janet Jackson - If
03.(02) Janet Jackson - Feedback
04.(19) Jennifer Lopez - I'm into You (feat. Lil Wayne) (Greatest Gainer)
05.(RE) Lady Gaga - Bad Romance (Best Comeback)
06.(RE) Rihanna - What's My Name? (feat. Drake)
07.(RE) Lady Gaga - Born This Way
08.(RE) Alicia Keys - Illusion of Bliss
09.(RE) Janet Jackson - That's the Way Love Goes
10.(RE) Taylor Swift - Style
11.(RE) Sia - Clap Your Hands
12.(08) Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson - Scream
13.(06) Janet Jackson - If It Takes All Night
14.(RE) ABBA - The Day Before You Came
15.(RE) Mika - Happy Ending
16.(RE) Madonna - Borderline
17.(RE) Alicia Keys - Where Do We Begin Now
18.(07) Janet Jackson - Together Again (Biggest Free Faller)
19.(RE) Madonna - Ghosttown
20.(RE) Adam Lambert - Ghost Town

[cheapthrills]

It has to be more than coincidence that two Ghost Towns are on your chart. What is the occasion?

[JSparksFan]

It has to be more than coincidence that two Ghost Towns are on your chart. What is the occasion?

When I listen to one, I tend to listen to the other afterward. I think it has as much to do with the similar titles as it does with the similar release dates.

[JSparksFan]

Wednesday's Top 20 (March 7th)

01.(12) Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson - Scream (Greatest Gainer)
02.(02) Janet Jackson - If
03.(RE) Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation (Best Comeback)
04.(03) Janet Jackson - Feedback
05.(RE) TWENTY88 - 2 Minute Warning (feat. K-Ci & JoJo)
06.(RE) Katy Perry - Legendary Lovers
07.(13) Janet Jackson - If It Takes All Night
08.(RE) Coldplay - Adventure of a Lifetime
09.(RE) Leona Lewis - Happy
10.(RE) Janet Jackson - No Sleeep
11.(RE) Madonna - Devil Wouldn't Recognize You
12.(RE) Big Sean - MILF (feat. Nicki Minaj)
13.(RE) Janet Jackson - This Time
14.(01) Kara Marni - Golden (Biggest Free Faller)
15.(RE) Adele - Melt My Heart to Stone
16.(RE) Mariah Carey - Sweetheart
17.(RE) Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill
18.(RE) Ciara - Dance Like We're Making Love
19.(RE) Madonna - 4 Minutes (feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)
20.(RE) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Can't Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)

[biscuits]

If you had told me there was so much Janet, I'd have arrived earlier!

[phoenix98]

Yeah, I learned a few years ago that I may have a problem with possessiveness, and I'm still working on that, in fact.

Who are you keeping such a tight grip on these days, Akini? ;)

It's juvenile of me, but I also think I'd see openness (at least somewhat) as a reflection on myself and what I do (or don't) offer. Logically, I realize that a partner seeking out some variety/new sexual experiences is not an indication of any sort of inferiority on my part...but I suspect it'd still tap into some of those feelings anyway.

I suspect that's because homosexual relationships are already a concept outside the boundary of the societal 'norm' so some of the strict rules that define traditional heterosexual relationships are easily slackened on an already non-traditional union. I certainly agree that monogamy doesn't work for everyone, and anything that's transparent and opens the door for free discourse is something I endorse. Better to be in an open, honest relationship than in an open relationship that you actually think is closed.

This whole paragraph does more for me than dirty talk, tbh. So well said, and I really love your attitude toward it all.

Chris Daughtry's.

Ah, thanks! Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while. I actually picked up his (band's) first album back in the day. Did any of his original offerings do anything for you?

The bolded bit is so true! It's much like how "Cherish" is a more seamless fit on True Blue than Like a Prayer.

YES! Such an apt comparison.

There is a reason for the Janet catalogue exploration that should be made abundantly clear within the next six to eight weeks.

I might be getting ahead of things here, but...Yes, YeS , YES!!!

01.(12) Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson - Scream (Greatest Gainer)
02.(02) Janet Jackson - If
03.(RE) Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation (Best Comeback)
04.(03) Janet Jackson - Feedback
06.(RE) Katy Perry - Legendary Lovers
07.(13) Janet Jackson - If It Takes All Night
09.(RE) Leona Lewis - Happy
10.(RE) Janet Jackson - No Sleeep
11.(RE) Madonna - Devil Wouldn't Recognize You
13.(RE) Janet Jackson - This Time
16.(RE) Mariah Carey - Sweetheart
17.(RE) Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill
19.(RE) Madonna - 4 Minutes (feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)

• Ah, "If." SUCH the perfect soundtrack for my libidinous, sexually-deprived teenage self. This jam has lines that make even Madonna's "Erotica" sound tame: "your smooth and shiny feels so good against my lips, sugar..."
• Inspired by your earlier insinuation of what may come in 6-8 weeks, I've gone through Control - janet. over the past couple days, and when I got to "This Time", I was suddenly flooded with flashbacks of you stanning for it at some point. It always seemed like one of that album's few missteps to me, and that feeling didn't change much after my latest listen. I'm rarely on-board with 7-minute-songs, and the chorus/hook still strikes me as weak/forgettable by her standards (especially sequenced right after the likes of "You Want This" and "If.")
• At first I'm like "A JD-free version of 'Sweetheart'? Sign. Me. UP!" - but apparently it's already in my library!

Yet another chart that sounds good at any volume, Akini!

[JSparksFan]

If you had told me there was so much Janet, I'd have arrived earlier!

She should be a regular feature for the next three to four months!

Who are you keeping such a tight grip on these days, Akini? ;)

The only thing I keep a tight grip on these days is my sanity, tbh.

It's juvenile of me, but I also think I'd see openness (at least somewhat) as a reflection on myself and what I do (or don't) offer. Logically, I realize that a partner seeking out some variety/new sexual experiences is not an indication of any sort of inferiority on my part...but I suspect it'd still tap into some of those feelings anyway.

This is a fair point! I'd probably feel the same.

This whole paragraph does more for me than dirty talk, tbh. So well said, and I really love your attitude toward it all.

Is this a "talk nerdy to me" fetish I'm sensing?

Ah, thanks! Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while. I actually picked up his (band's) first album back in the day. Did any of his original offerings do anything for you?

Well, when I did my 2012 countdown of my favourite albums of all-time, his debut album was in the Top 10. That was a long time ago, and it'd be a tough ask for that same album to make my current Top 100, but pretty much every song on his first album + the first two singles from his sophomore effort would be filed under 'winners' in my book.

I might be getting ahead of things here, but...Yes, YeS , YES!!!

• Ah, "If." SUCH the perfect soundtrack for my libidinous, sexually-deprived teenage self. This jam has lines that make even Madonna's "Erotica" sound tame: "your smooth and shiny feels so good against my lips, sugar..."

"Honey" could never!

I have so much love for "If"! If only I could express it all! Such an epic song.

• Inspired by your earlier insinuation of what may come in 6-8 weeks, I've gone through Control - janet. over the past couple days, and when I got to "This Time", I was suddenly flooded with flashbacks of you stanning for it at some point. It always seemed like one of that album's few missteps to me, and that feeling didn't change much after my latest listen. I'm rarely on-board with 7-minute-songs, and the chorus/hook still strikes me as weak/forgettable by her standards (especially sequenced right after the likes of "You Want This" and "If.")

Yeah, "This Time" hit #1 here in October 2012, so there was definitely a time when I loved it. I will say its production has always been its biggest selling point. There will be more to say at a more appropriate time, but I'm glad to hear you're revisiting Janet's catalogue!

• At first I'm like "A JD-free version of 'Sweetheart'? Sign. Me. UP!" - but apparently it's already in my library!

Well, that is the JD-present version I'm charting, but I've decided to stop crediting featured acts who add nothing to the song. Young Thug on "Havana" was my breaking point actually.

Yet another chart that sounds good at any volume, Akini!

Thanks, Paul!

[JSparksFan]

Thursday's Top 20 (March 8th)

01.(NE) Years & Years - Sanctify (Hot Shot Debut)
02.(RE) Jennifer Lopez - I'm into You (feat. Lil Wayne) (Biggest Free Faller)
03.(01) Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson - Scream
04.(RE) Years & Years - Meteorite
05.(07) Janet Jackson - If It Takes All Night (Greatest Gainer)
06.(RE) Years & Years - Take Shelter
07.(RE) Madonna - The Power of Goodbye
08.(RE) Kelly Clarkson - Medicine
09.(NE) Jessie Ware - Running
10.(RE) Rae Morris - Do It
11.(RE) Kelly Clarkson - Love So Soft
12.(10) Janet Jackson - No Sleeep (Biggest Free Faller)
13.(RE) Lorde - Sober
14.(NE) Amy Shark - Deleted
15.(RE) Shakira - Chantaje (feat. Maluma)
16.(RE) Janet Jackson - Unbreakable
17.(RE) Janelle Monáe - Make Me Feel
18.(RE) Shakira - Trap (feat. Maluma)
19.(NE) Fleetwood Mac - Seven Wonders
20.(RE) Kara Marni - Golden

[biscuits]

I barely listen to Janet's first albums so I can't even remember what 'If It Takes All Night' sounds like

[cheapthrills]

So happy Years and Years is back with a single