VOA常速英语:Top 5 Songs for Week Ending Dec. 13

We’re parading the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending Dec. 13, 2014.

The Grammy nominations were announced on Friday Dec. 5, and “almost” all our featured acts earned at least one nod.

The exception’s in fifth place, where Maroon 5 dips a slot with “Animals.” Don’t feel too bad for them, though…Although Adam Levine and his crew failed to earn a Grammy nomination this year, they’ve been there before. The Los Angeles group owns three titles, including a 2005 win for Best New Artist. Maroon 5 will welcome the New Year with a two-night stand in Las Vegas. Their next tour kicks off February 16 in Texas, with MAGIC! as the opening act.

Speaking of magic, Taylor Swift has possessed it all year long. The seven-time Grammy winner just picked up three more nominations: Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance…all for the hit “Shake It Off.”

Holding in third place is Andrew Hozier-Byrne, also known as Hozier with his breakout hit “Take Me To Church.” He just earned a Grammy nomination of his own. How did he react ? The Irish singer-songwriter tweeted that he was “bowled over” when “Take Me To Church” earned a Song Of The Year Grammy nomination. It competes against Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”; Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”; Sia’s “Chandelier".

Meghan Trainor continues to hold second place with her former champion “All About That Bass,” nominated for both Record and Song Of The Year. Meghan’s been writing music since age 11, and became a professional songwriter while still in high school.

Taylor Swift spends a third week atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Blank Space.” When the Grammys are handed out on Feb. 8, Meghan Trainor says she wants to finally say hi to Taylor…and they can compare notes. Just as Meghan became a professional songwriter as a teenager, Taylor signed a Nashville artist development deal at the tender age of 14.

That’s it for now, but the charts never stand still. Join us next week and we’ll see who moves up or moves on.