Singles That Should Have Stayed Album Tracks

[Ten Pound Hammer]

Agree on "Summer Nights". That sounds like it came from the soundtrack of From Justin to Kelly, and hearing Gary LeVox sing the word "sexy" is cringeworthy. The key change also puts the song too high for even him, and he's at his most grating at the end. Granted, that's far from RF's only bad single choice. Let me count the ways:

* "Feels Like Today" — IMO their worst single from the Mark Bright era. Just weakly written and unfocused, and they choose this as the lead single? Imagine what would've happened if "Bless the Broken Road" or "Fast Cars and Freedom" were the lead single!

* "Bob That Head" — Do I even need to explain? (Granted, I think it's "so bad it's good"...)

* "Stand" — Totally unfocused. Just a bunch of similes and metaphors without a narrative to tie them together.

* "Take Me There", "Here" — I can't even remember how these two go, they're so forgettable.

* "Why" — Excellent song, but clearly too much of a downer to get played 15 times a day.

[Andy]

"Believe" by Brooks & Dunn. I think it's an excellent song, but it doesn't work as a radio single; it's way too emotional and heavy to be the kind of song you want to hear on a regular basis, at least for me.

[sabre14]

Aug 13, 2014 14:18:08 GMT -5 Andy said:

"Believe" by Brooks & Dunn. I think it's an excellent song, but it doesn't work as a radio single; it's way too emotional and heavy to be the kind of song you want to hear on a regular basis, at least for me.

Completely agree. I've brought this up before, but it's the kind of song you don't want to be hearing 7 times a day. I'm actually a bit surprised it peaked at #6 on R&R and spent 24 bulleted weeks on the chart.

[onebuffalo]

Aug 13, 2014 14:18:08 GMT -5 Andy said:

"Believe" by Brooks & Dunn. I think it's an excellent song, but it doesn't work as a radio single; it's way too emotional and heavy to be the kind of song you want to hear on a regular basis, at least for me.

If I'm not mistaken, Ronnie Dunn wanted Believe released. It was certainly a 180 from their previous single, Play Something Country.

[Andy]

Aug 11, 2014 12:25:03 GMT -5 Ten Pound Hammer said:

^ I would've loved to see "Leap of Faith" as a single off B&R's second album. Did the third album have any good uptempos? I thought "Loud" was terrible.

It's been ages since I last heard that album, but I seem to remember really liking "You Never Stop Loving Somebody.":

[phil1996]

"Say Goodnight" - Eli Young Band

[jesster]

"Hope on the Rocks" was a great single IMO.

I like the song, just didn't find it compelling, perhaps too slow for radio. I read several quotes where Toby in his songwriter side obviously loved it to death and wanted to release it as a single, anticipating big results.

Toby Keith- Made In America

Terrible, obnoxious single choice

I liked that one, lol. It got the radio results and played well to Toby's base audience. Even people who might not ordinarily like Toby told me that they enjoyed the nostalgia aspects of it (Craftman wrenches and suchlike). Though not to everyone's taste of course.

[sabre14]

Lady Antebellum - "Freestyle"

[Daryl the Beryl]

1994. Wanted to mention Donkey but that was already mentioned

[Andy]

Alan Jackson - I'll Go On Loving You

I quite like this song, but it's not really a good radio-type song. Probably too slow/offbeat/different for most listeners.

[Deleted]

Steve Earle- Someday (a fantastic song but I believe something like My Old Friend The Blues would have helped him score the hit he never truly got)

Gary Allan- Kiss Me When I'm Down (not that Gary had a lot of momentum by this point but they should have at least tried something like That Ain't Gonna Fly or We Fly By Night)

Montgomery Gentry- Oughta Be More Songs About That (IMO this was the song that killed their career, not Long Line Of Losers as many will argue, anyway I don't even know why this song was recorded let alone released as a single)

Jerrod Niemann- Donkey (though I have to admit it was fun to watch it flame out >:) )

Tim McGraw- Kristofferson (not a bad song but Between The River and Me and Train #10 will forever cry for not getting to see the light of day at radio)

[bjer127]

Miranda little red wagon

[Daryl the Beryl]

Brad Paisley - I Can't Change the World

Not a bad song but IMO it wasn't a good single choice

[sabre14]

Sugarland - "Down In Mississippi (Up To No Good)"

I was so angry when they released this. "Fly Away", "Tennessee", "Hello", "Speed Of Life", "Small Town Jericho", "Time, Time, Time" - pretty much anything else would have been better.

[Deleted]

Tim McGraw- "Lookin For That Girl"
No explanation needed right?

Jason Aldean- "1994"
Again, no explanation needed right?

Florida Georgia Line- "Sundaze"
Not that they have many other better songs on their latest album, but I'm sorry, THIS reaching the top of the charts is a disgrace to the genre

[Deleted]

Don't know if this was mentioned but I don't care. Every song released by FGL.

[sabre14]

I know it hasn't even gone for adds yet but...

Eli Young Band - "Your Place Or Mine"

[zjames]

"Gonna" - Blake Shelton
"Gonna Know We Were Here" - Jason Aldean

Both songs are pretty boring (especially Blake's), and it's clear by their sales that they're just not connecting with listeners. Even though both are gonna be #1 hits, there were better options for both A-listers to end their eras on. Blake had "Bringing Back The Sunshine", "Just South Of Heaven", and "I Need My Girl" which all would have had a bigger impact I think.

Jason's second, third, and fourth singles all blended together for me, and I think it has led to poor sales (for him) for those singles. I think slowing it down with "Tryin' To Love Me", "Too Fast", or "Two Night Town" would have been better choices for him.

[gardyfan]

"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" - Toby Keith and Sting

Toby regrets releasing it himself too.

[Deleted]

Sugarland- Tonight
Jason Aldean- 1994
Rascal Flatts- Take Me There, Here
Carrie Underwood- Undo It, Heartbeat
Little Big Town- A Little More You, I'm With The Band
Lady Antebellum- Wanted You More, Freestyle
Brad Paisley- Accidental Rascist
Miranda Lambert-All Kinds Of Kinds, Little Red Wagon, Bathroom Sink, Only Prettier, Dead Flowers
Tim McGraw- Lookin' For That Girl, Truck Yeah
Kenny Chesney- She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
Blake Shelton- My Eyes

[sabre14]

^ "Accidental Racist" wasn't a single.

[CoJoFan]

Toby Keith-Red Solo Cup
Jake Owen-Real Life
Brett Eldredge-Lose My Mind
Dan & Shay-Show You Off
Rascal Flatts- Payback, Banjo

I could probably name more but I'm sleepy

[.indulgecountry]

Dec 11, 2015 22:50:23 GMT -5 sabre14 said:

^ "Accidental Racist" wasn't a single.

And neither was "Bathroom Sink." It was implied initially, but I wasn't surprised when the CMA performance came and went and it never actually went to radio.

[zjames]

"Top Of The World" - Tim McGraw

I'm not sure how close the album was to being finished, but TOTW didn't move the needle much. "Damn Country Music", "Here Tonight", and "California" would all be great lead single choices. Thankfully "Humble And Kind" has provided signs that it will be a big event for country music and make up for the disappointing lead single.

[Deleted]

It hasn't even gone to radio but

Jana Kramer Said No One Ever

[zjames]

"Small Town Throwdown" - Brantley Gilbert/Justin Moore/Thomas Rhett

Oh boy, this was rough. Brantley Gilbert had so much momentum after "Bottoms Up," but he wasted it on "Small Town Throwdown." They were clearly expecting a big bro-smash here and this collaboration on paper should have been huge. But the song was grating and off-putting. It only peaked at #8 on Billboard Airplay and #13 on Hot Country Songs; people just weren't too interested in this song. Perhaps as a result of STT's disappointing chart run, "One Hell Of An Amen" and "Stone Cold Sober" have had very slow chart runs. 

There were many better options than STT. "17 Again" would have huge if he released it second. "Lights Of My Hometown" could have been very big as well. "That Was Us" (with a radio edit) would have been a nice change of pace after "Bottoms Up". "My Baby's Guns And Roses," "If You Want A Bad Boy," "I'm Gone", and basically every album track would have been a better choice than STT. The era could have been huge for Brantley instead of just very good.

[zjames]

It's been mentioned a couple times, but it's pretty hard to understand "Freestyle" by Lady Antebellum being chosen as the second single from 747. Following up the big uptempo hit "Bartender" with a much worse uptempo was really a costly decision. "Freestyle" was released in October, a perfect time for a good ballad and Lady A had some really good options. I've said it multiple times, but "Lie With Me" would have smashed if they released it. "She Is" would have been a great choice as well. Hell, even "Long Stretch Of Love" second or "Just A Girl" would have fared better. I just don't see how anyone thought "Freestyle" was the right choice.

[someguy]

Carolyn Dawn Johnson - "Die Of A Broken Heart"

The second single from her second album, Dress Rehearsal, it peaked at #52 and effectively killed the album (and her recording career) in the US. She never charted on the Billboard chart again, following her first five American singles, all of which made at least the top 25.

[dm2081]

Feb 14, 2016 22:44:23 GMT -5 zjames said:

It's been mentioned a couple times, but it's pretty hard to understand "Freestyle" by Lady Antebellum being chosen as the second single from 747. Following up the big uptempo hit "Bartender" with a much worse uptempo was really a costly decision. "Freestyle" was released in October, a perfect time for a good ballad and Lady A had some really good options. I've said it multiple times, but "Lie With Me" would have smashed if they released it. "She Is" would have been a great choice as well. Hell, even "Long Stretch Of Love" second or "Just A Girl" would have fared better. I just don't see how anyone thought "Freestyle" was the right choice.

"Lie With Me" and "747" both sounded like big hits to me.  They were radio friendly but unique sounding at the same time.  They definitely stood out more than the bland "Freestyle".