Gutsy Olivia makes No. 1

Songs are stories, vignettes that grew out of the experiences and the resulting feelings of the songwriter. The more people there are who are able to relate to a song, the more likely that it will become a hit. The better for the song and the songwriter. And GUTS, the new album by Olivia Rodrigo, is not only doing better but definitely giving its best to become a huge seller.

Only 20 years old, Olivia is the California born and bred daughter of a school teacher Jennifer and a family therapist, Chris Rodrigo, who I love mentioning is Filipino. That means that Olivia is part-Pinoy and we should all be proud of what she has accomplished and will most likely accomplish in the future.

Olivia was already doing well as Disney’s newest leading lady in High School Musical: The Series when she recorded her own composition Driver’s License. The song made Olivia a star.  She has not stopped singing since. She released a big selling album, sour, went on tour, became a celebrity and worked on her crucial sophomore album.

So, what experiences and emotions can a young girl write songs about? Not much you might think but it now seems like Olivia looked at her personal struggles as fodder for her songs. She found a lot to write about. GUTS is an emotional journey through the eyes of a girl experiencing fame and teenage angst at the same time. The result is an absolute blast. Expect more Grammys, AMAs and other awards.

Co-written and co-produced with her sour collaborator Dan Nigro, GUTS is grown-up and complex. It is an intriguing package where soft ballads, the sweet lacy share space with pop rockers, like get him back! Olivia’s wit spiced with endearing nervous energy is in abundance. Check out the sang/spoken bad idea right?

Olivia can certainly write and she has this ability to bring in listeners to her personal situation and share the experience with them, like ballad of a home-schooled girl, which I found out, she really was. And she can sing, listen to her hit those high notes in the sad making the bed.

vampire is now in danger of coming down at the charts due to the onslaught of the powerhouse duo of Drake and SZA in Slime You Out. But no matter, it is quite likely vampire will stay around and maybe even bounce back to the top again. Anyway, the bottom line for what a hit song is, is if it made No. 1 on Billboard. vampire did.

Here now are the Top 20 titles in the latest Hot 100.

vampire by Olivia Rodrigo; Paint the Town Red by Doja Cat; I Remember Everything by Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves; Fast Car by Luke Combs; Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift; Last Night by Morgan Wallen; bad idea right?, also by Rodrigo; Snooze by SZA; Fukumean by Gunna; Dance the Night by Dua Lipa.

get him back! by Rodrigo; Calm Down by Rema and Selena Gomes; all-american bitch, again by Olivia Rodrigo; Bongos by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion; Barbie World by Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice and Aqua; the grudge, by Rodrigo; Flowers by Miley Cyrus; All My Life by Lil Durk ft. J. Cole; making the bed, also by Rodrigo; and logical, again by Rodrigo.

And now the Top 20 of the Top 200 Albums, which is once more dominated by Taylor Swift with six of her albums, Taylor’s version and otherwise in the list:

GUTS by Rodrigo; Layover EP by V; Zach Bryan by Zach Bryan; One Thing at a Time by Morgan Wallen; Utopia by Travis Scott; SOS by SZA; Genesis by Peso Pluma; Midnights by Taylor Swift; Dangerous: The Double Album by Morgan Wallen; Rustin’ in the Rain by Tyler Childers.

Barbie: The Album by Various Artists; Lover by Swift; Speak Now (Taylor Version) by Swift; American Heartbreak by Zach Bryan; Folklore, also by Swift; sour by Rodrigo; Manana Sera Bonito (Bichote Season) by Karol G; 1989, again by Swift; Stick Season by Noah Kahan; and Reputation by, who else, but Swift.