BTS

BTS has nine top 10 hits in my FABE International Top 10 countdown and four of them have gone all the way to the top.

2019 - Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey) - (#1)

2020 - Make It Right (#1)

2020 - Lights (#6)

2020 - Dynamite (#1)

2021 - Life Goes On (#7)

2021 - Butter (#8)

2021 - Stay (#10)

2021 - Blue & Grey (#8)

2021 - Fly to My Room (#1)

BTS Get Their Fourth #1 Song in My FABE International Top 10 Countdown

 

The Korean supergroup BTS get their fourth #1 song in my FABE International Top 10 countdown this week.

Fly to My Room quietly ascends to the top as BTS other international hits like Butter just pass through the top 10.

Here are my ten favorite songs by international artists for the week ending September 10, 2021 -

#1 Fly to My Room (#2)

     BTS

#2 Never Will (#3)

      Ashley McBryde

#3 Heartbreak Weather  (#4)

     Niall Horan

#4 BLOODMONEY   (#5)

     Poppy

#5 Unprodigal Daughter (#5)

     Cast of Jagged Little Pill

#6 Borderline (#10)

     Tame Impala

#7 Pin Pin (NEW)

     Myke Towers

#8 Under the Gun  (NEW)

     Gregory Douglass

#9 Say Something (NEW)

     Kylie Minogue

#10 As I Am     (NEW)

       Justin Bieber /Khalid

James Reid Tops My FABE OPM Top 10 Countdown for the Seventh Time

James Reid's 'Soda' becomes his seventh #1 song this week as it ascends to the top.

It has been three years since James' last chart topper, Prom, his collaboration with Nadine Lustre.

Here in Soda, he works with CARELESS.

Here are my ten favorite songs for the week ending September 10, 2021 -

#1 Soda    (#2)

      James Reid / CARELESS

#2 Something Beautiful (#3)

     Benedict Cua

#3 Paraluman  (#4)

     Adie

#4 Cruel  (#5)

      Zack Tabudlo

#5 Fix Me (#9)

     Jake Zyrus

#6 Samahan Mo Ako (#6)

      Je

#7 Bangin (#7)

      Paul Pablo

#8 Polaris (#8)

     December Avenue

#9 The Baddest (NEW)

     BGYO

#10 Sasamahan Kita (NEW)

       Jom / Crakky 

James Reid

James Reid returns to the top spot in My OPM Top 10 countdown this week.  Soda, his collaboration with CARELESS, moves to #1 this week.

2014 - No Erase (with Nadine Ilustre) (#1)

2014 - Natataranta (#1)

2014 - Bahala Na (with Nadine Ilustre) (#1)

2015 - Huwag Ka Nang Humirit (#1)

2016 - Randomantic (#1)

2017 - Cool Down (#4)

2018 - The Life (#5)

2018 - Mean 2 U (with Kiana) (#6)

2018 - Prom (with Nadine Lustre) (#1)

2021 - Backhouse Ballin' (#6)

2021 - Soda (with CARELESS) (#1)

The Ruling Class, The Pretenders to the Throne, and the Next Gen All Vie to Be King of Tennis in New York

To get ahead of Roger and Rafa in terms of grand slam titles won, Novak needs this US Open title to lay his claim as the GOAT of men's tennis.  

The earlier he does it, the less pressure he would feel, especially in this tournament, where Roger and Rafa are glaringly absent.  If he doesn't take advantage of the moment, too many permutations in the draw could complicate future grand slam tries.

To add high drama to it all, is that Novak has to take revenge on the player who denied him of his golden grand slam dream.  We will see soon if Novak dismantles Zverev in the semi's or the German dismantles the Serbian again, for the second consecutive grand slam tier tournament.

I am not really a Novak fan and I love how Zverev plays. He is playing at such a high level now, and his Olympic gold medal has certainly made him feel he belongs to that exclusive club of grand slam champions.  

I will be cheering for him in the semi's and I am sure Novak will give him a handful.

On the other side of the draw, I am very happy that Felix Auger-Aliassime, is giving Canadian tennis, a great boost.  He is finally showing the world what he can do and is slowly showing the promise of a wonderful talent.  He is actually well-rested, as his QF match with Alcaraz did not reach a full set, with the latter retiring.

This should make him fresh and fighting against the Russian Daniil Medvedev.  I have always felt that Daniil is already way due for a grand slam title - and he has come to Flushing Meadows ready to fight.  He also has more experience over the Canadian at this stage of a slam, so this should be a match for him to lose by his racket.

I am looking forward to a Zverev - Medvedev final. How about you?  Who are you rootinn 

Two of These Female Warriors will Slug it Out to Become Queen of Tennis in New York

Naomi Osaka should get her act together, and quick! What this US Open has revealed is that there are many other younger players who are out to take her place if she doesn't get her s**t together.

I am a fan of Naomi that is why I am saying this, and it will be such a big waste for women's tennis if she lamely just complains about her mental health issues.  She can very well afford the best sports psychologist in the world - and she should do that - because women's tennis will be much richer for it - if we have all the world's best competing in all the grand slams.

Now back to the hungry female warriors for the women's singles title in New York.

They all battled their way to get to the semi-finals and they all have fascinating back stories.  And one of them is going to be elevated to champion status for the first time - by winning in Flushing Meadows.

Well, basing on her grit and her Houdini-like way of scrapping through a tight situation, i think this should be Leylah Fernandez's coming out party.  

I am amazed at how she battled top player after top player - to reach the semifinal stage - Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, and Elina Svitolina - all tennis b****hes of the highest order.

Her third set tiebreaker with Svitolina in the QFs was by far, for me, her most incredible display of how tough she is. I was so impressed Leylah never backed down.

It also helps a lot that her mixed race background gives her a unique charm - and yes - another top non-white player in a sport long dominated by white people.

I love Aryna Sabalenka, and her #2 ranking should make her the favorite to win this year's title, but i will be cheering more for Leylah Friday morning, Manila time.

As for the other side of the draw, I am charmed by the wily ways of British player, Emma Raducanu, who, in only her second grand slam, has already reached the semi-final.  Her fragile slim figure hides her tough way of playing and she has enough confidence to really get her through to a title finish.

However, I am rooting for the scrappy, a bit masculine-like Greek player, Maria Sakkari.  Maria has fought hard in many of her grand slam tournaments, and now, finally, the stars have all aligned, and with wins over marquee names like Petra Kvitova, Bianca Andreescu, and Karolina Pliskova, her wins over them, should give her the confidence she needs to get it to a higher level - even possibly - a grand slam title!

Just like Leylah Fernandez, she had to fight her way to beat three top players - to get to where she is - and she has shown incredible fighting spirit at very tight moments, most especially in her match against the former champion - Andreescu.

So, for me, I am looking forward to a Sakkari - Fernandez final.  How about you?  Who are you cheering for?

 

Bandang Lapis Get Their First #1 Song in My FABE OPM Top 10 Countdown

 

Bandang Lapis finally get their first #1 song in my FABE OPM Top 10 countdown this week.  The song moves to the top spot.

Here are my ten favorite OPM songs for the week ending September 3, 2021 -

#1 Sana'y Di Na Lang  (#2)

      Bandang Lapis

#2 Soda (#3)

     

     James Reid / Careless

#3 Something Beautiful   (#4)

    

     Benedict Cua

#4 Paraluman (#6)

     

      Adie 

#5 Cruel (#9)

     Zack Tabudlo

#6  Samahan Mo Ako   (#7)

      

       Je

#7 Bangin  (#8)

     

      Paul Pablo

#8 Polaris (#10)

     

     December Avenue

#9 Fix Me (NEW)

     Jake Zyrus

#10  The Baddest (NEW)

        BGYO