This is my first post in a week, as I’ve lost all enthusiasm or motivation for writing music reviews. But I can’t not post my Weekly Top 30. The beautiful poignant ballad “SNAP”, by Armenian singer-songwriter Rosa Linn (aka Roza Kostandyan), is my new #1 song. Rosa represented Armenia with the song at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, finishing in 20th place. “SNAP” subsequently went viral on TikTok, reaching the top of the charts in Belgium, and the top ten in several European countries. In the U.S., the song also reached #1 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart, where it recently spent seven weeks on top, but peaked at only #82 on the dismal Hot 100 chart.

“SNAP” was co-written by Rosa with Larzz Principato, Courtney Harrell, Allie Crystal and Tamar Kaprelian, with writing sessions taking place in both Los Angeles and Yerevan, Armenia. In an interview for Wiwibloggs, Rosa stated that the song is a personal story everyone can relate to: “I think we’ve all been at a snapping point, where it felt like there’s no way out and that the entire world is just crumbling down around you. You start questioning everything, including yourself. I have been there. And what I realized was that I had the strength to shape my reality – it just took getting out of my own way and finding inner-peace. It’s all about self-love and accepting that you are enough. Writing ‘SNAP’ was a form of therapy for me and I hope that it can be that for others who are also going through hard times.“

In other chart developments, “Crest of the Wave” by British band Foals, and “Tonight” by French alt-rock band Phoenix, with guest vocals by Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig, enter the top 10. Five songs make their debut this week: “EDGING” by Blink-182, entering my chart at #26. Though the song has spent the last five weeks and counting at #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart (Billboard has far too many charts, which to me dilutes the importance of most of them, but I digress…), it’s only now starting to grow on me, as I’ve never been much of a Blink-182 fan. The sweet “Then It All Goes Away” by Dayglow enters at #27; “Trouble With This Bed” by Beach Weather debuts at #28, giving them two songs on this chart; “Dance for Me” by Brooklyn singer-songwriter and blog favorite Sam Rappaport enters at #29; and “Disorder” by Welsh rock band Columbia enters at #30.

1. SNAP – Rosa Linn (3)
2. PARTY4ONE – dwi (1)
3. SEX, DRUGS, ETC. – Beach Weather (2)
4. THESE ARE THE DAYS – Inhaler (6)
5. SPIT OF YOU – Sam Fender (7)
6. CRACKER ISLAND – Gorillaz featuring Thundercat (4)
7. BAD HABIT – Steve Lacy (5)
8. WHITE HORSES – Art Block (10)
9. CREST OF THE WAVE – Foals (11)
10. TONIGHT – Phoenix featuring Ezra Koenig (14)
11. I LIKE YOU (A HAPPIER SONG) – Post Malone & Doja Cat (12)
12. WEIRD GOODBYES – The National featuring Bon Iver (13)
13. UNHOLY – Sam Smith featuring Kim Petras (15)
14. I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU – The 1975 (16)
15. THIS IS WHY – Paramore (18)
16. SISTERS – pMad (8)
17. OFFCUTS – Mount Famine (17)
18. SHADOWS IN THE DARK – The Star Crumbles (19)
19. WET DREAM – Wet Leg (10)
20. ANTI-HERO – Taylor Swift (22)
21. SAIL AWAY – lovelytheband (23)
22. OUT OF MY SYSTEM – Louis Tomlinson (25)
23. LOVE DON’T LIVE HERE ANYORE – Crystal Cities (24)
24. NIGHT BUS – Caitlin Lavagna (27)
25. I.N.V.U. – Kid Kapichi (20)
26. EDGING – Blink-182 (N)
27. THEN IT ALL GOES AWAY – Dayglow (N)
28. TROUBLE WITH THIS BED – Beach Weather (N)
29. DANCE FOR ME – Sam Rappaport (N)
30. DISORDER – Columbia (N)