VOA常速英语:Top 5 Songs for Week Ending Feb. 20

We’re counting down the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart, for the week ending February 20, 2016.
 
Our trend of one-song debuts continues…with a twist. This newcomer opens at number one! More about that later.

 
Number 5: Adele "Hello"
“Hello?” More like goodbye: Adele prepares to leave us as her former 10-week champ falls a slot to fifth place. The crooner and her partner Simon Konecki rarely appear in public, but last Wednesday, the pair were spotted in Malibu, California, having dinner with fellow British star Robbie Williams and his date, Ayda Field.
 
Number 4: twenty one pilots "Stressed Out"
Twenty one pilots retreats a slot to fourth place with its million-selling breakout hit “Stressed Out.” This Ohio duo is one of pop’s recent success stories, but things weren’t always so rosy: drummer Josh Dun says they once played to a crowd so small that the promoter had no profits to pay them. Josh also says he used to work as a barista at Starbucks…that, too, has changed.
Our next artist was once a boy with a guitar…and a web cam.
 
Number 3: Justin Bieber "Sorry"
Justin Bieber sinks a slot to number three with his former champ “Sorry.” He’s a global star now, but nine short years ago, Justin was a 12-year-old Canadian boy who loved music. He sang Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” in a local competition and placed second. His mother posted the performance on YouTube…and that’s how it all began.
 
Number 2: Justin Bieber "Love Yourself"
Justin Bieber loses his singles crown this week, as “Love Yourself” slips to second place. Justin’s on the cover story of the March edition of GQ Magazine. He talks about his run-ins with the law, and says God gets him through moments of loneliness and isolation.
 
Number 1: Zayn Malik "Pillowtalk"
What a chart we have this week! With one song, Zayn Malik goes where no One Direction member has ever been.
Zayn, as he now calls himself – opens at number one on this week’s countdown with his debut single “Pillowtalk.” His old group One Direction never made it past second place on the Hot 100 chart. Zayn drops his debut solo album Mind Of Mine on March 25…one year to the day after he left One Direction. That’s no coincidence, either: a source tells the web site Hollywood Life that Zayn is making a statement about his new career direction.
 
Where will he head next week? Join us in seven days to find out!