Martina McBride Album Series Rankdowns

[.indulgecountry]

1) What will be #1? Probably "Reckless."

2) What will be #10? If it isn't "You and You Alone" I'm giving major side-eye to y'all...

3) Which songs belong in the top 5? "Reckless" for sure, and also "That's the Thing About Love" which should've been a single. Beyond that it's hard to say, but I think "Just Around the Corner" and "Everybody Wants to Be Loved" will be high too.

4) What song will be most polarizing? Least polarizing? Most: "The Real Thing" / Least: "You and You Alone" (because everyone should agree it sucks...)

5) Which of the singles will place highest? Where will it place? (Reckless, Just Around The Corner) "Reckless" at #1

6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place? "Just Around the Corner" around #4-5.

7) What will be the highest-placing album track? Where will it place? "That's the Thing About Love" at #2 is my guess.

8) Any other thoughts/predictions? I hope "The Real Thing" doesn't flop, but I can see it being polarizing as I said above.

[Cody Wants Out...]

1) What will be #1?

- I didn't really hear any potential dark horses in this one to rob "Reckless" of the winner's spot, so I'll say the title track has this one pretty easy.

2) What will be #10?

- I actually think there are a tiny handful of contenders for last place. Namely "You and You Alone" and possibly "Low All Afternoon".

3) Which songs belong in the top 5?

- Both of the singles and maybe "That's the Thing About Love", "We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off", and "Diamond"?

4) What song will be most polarizing? Least polarizing?

- Hmm. Most polarizing might go to "We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off" or "The Real Thing". Least polarizing might go to "Just Around the Corner" or maybe "Diamond"?

5) Which of the singles will place highest? Where will it place? (Reckless, Just Around The Corner)

- I'm anticipating "Reckless" will be the winner.

6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place?

- "Just Around the Corner" and somewhere outside the top 2.

7) What will be the highest-placing album track? Where will it place?

- I can see multiple album tracks doing real well, but I'm not sure which one will come out on top. Maybe "We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off", "That's The Thing About Love" and "Diamond" are contenders for this one. Whichever one prevails, I'm anticipating a runner-up position for it.

8) Any other thoughts/predictions?

- This was...a very peculiar album to listen to imo. This'll be fun to watch!

[bboat11]

Alright, I am just finishing up the trajectory graphs, and then I will start this!

A hint to kick things off... This song, and only this song, was at #10 for almost the entire submission process...

[bboat11]

When the storm comes rolling around,

Love's the rain and you're the ground,

Like it's only coming down

On you and you alone.

10. "You And You Alone"

Track #10
Runtime: 3:02
Songwriters: Sarah  Buxton, Abe Stoklasa, Daniel Tashian



Total: 165
Average: 7.86
Std Dev: 2.61


Sambalada - 1
cerulean - 2
someguy - 5
dub - 5
Troublemaker - 7
g8erboi - 7
fearlessarrow - 7
George Strait Junkie - 8
bboat11 - 9
austin - 9
tim - 9
Cody Wants Out... - 9
kansasmeetsmo - 9
SHOOTER - 9
@walker9 - 9
castleoblivion26 - 10
codyj100 - 10
.indulgecountry - 10
BackwoodsBarbie - 10
born - 10
Kanenrá:ke - 10


How about we kick things off with a #1 loss? "You And You Alone" is the clear loser on this album, as it was ranked in last place by 6 people, and occupied the #10 spot without competition for almost the entire submission process. I don't think this one is terrible, but a lot of people do. I just think it is a little boring. I actually think the chorus melody is pretty cool, but could have benefited from more instruments than just piano.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Diamond
Everybody Wants To Be Loved
It Ain’t Pretty
Just Around The Corner
Low All Afternoon
Reckless
That’s The Thing About Love
The Real Thing
We’ll Pick Up Where We Left Off

[SHOOTER]

I honestly didn't hate this but do think it would've worked much better in a jazzier setting vs. a country song.

[Kanenrá:ke]

Sept 17, 2018 22:20:35 GMT -5 SHOOTER said:

I honestly didn't hate this but do think it would've worked much better in a jazzier setting vs. a country song.

Oh yes this would make it so much better! I'd love to hear that.

This was such a disappointing song considering how much I love all the writers on it.

[bboat11]

Virtual friends, reality shows,

Put a filter on it so nobody knows

It ain't the real thing.

9. "The Real Thing" ft. Buddy Miller

Track #5
Runtime: 3:24
Songwriters: Ivy Walker, Sophie Walker, Hailey Whitters, Adam Wright



Total: 141
Average: 6.71
Std Dev: 2.74


George Strait Junkie - 2
Kanenrá:ke - 2
.indulgecountry - 3
fearlessarrow - 4
tim - 4
austin - 5
SHOOTER - 5
codyj100 - 5
Sambalada - 6
cerulean - 6
Cody Wants Out... - 7
someguy - 8
castleoblivion26 - 8
dub - 9
Troublemaker - 9
BackwoodsBarbie - 9
born - 9
g8erboi - 10
bboat11 - 10
kansasmeetsmo - 10
@walker9 - 10


This is by far my least favorite song on this album... I really want to like the song, because the premise is pretty cool, and the verses are well-structured. However, I think this chorus is absolutely terrible. This is one of Martina's worst vocal performances of all time. The chorus sounds super pitchy, and it just makes me feel sad because it reminds me of how rapidly her voice has been aging the past couple years... This song was the only other song to contend for last place, but otherwise was #9 for almost the entire submission process.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Diamond
Everybody Wants To Be Loved
It Ain’t Pretty
Just Around The Corner
Low All Afternoon
Reckless
That’s The Thing About Love
We’ll Pick Up Where We Left Off

[.indulgecountry]

"You and You Alone" is sleep-inducing and the clear worst song on the record. Glad to see it came in last like it deserved.

"The Real Thing," otoh, is an amazing song and is out far too soon!

[SHOOTER]

TRT was robbed!!

[born]

Two perfect rankings! Great start!

[bboat11]

Weeping willow, don't you cry on your pillow.

It ain't just you he's letting down.

You heard that she gave him an ultimatum,

And she's wearing his ring now.

8. "Low All Afternoon"

Track #7
Runtime: 3:50
Songwriters: Hailey Whitters



Total: 128
Average: 6.10
Std Dev: 2.68


George Strait Junkie - 1
austin - 3
SHOOTER - 3
Sambalada - 3
Troublemaker - 3
.indulgecountry - 4
bboat11 - 4
born - 5
Kanenrá:ke - 6
tim - 6
codyj100 - 6
g8erboi - 6
kansasmeetsmo - 7
fearlessarrow - 8
cerulean - 8
BackwoodsBarbie - 8
@walker9 - 8
castleoblivion26 - 9
Cody Wants Out... - 10
someguy - 10
dub - 10


This song's performance here is an absolute tragedy... This was on pace to make the top 5 easily, and was even looking like a top 2 contender for awhile. Unfortunately the hate came flooding in around the halfway point, and it never managed to recover. I was so hoping that this might make it into the top 4 album tracks from this rankdown so it could make it into the future album tracks rankdown, but alas it was not meant to be.

This song is one of the strongest lyrical moments on the album, and Martina sings it with a fiery passion. I absolutely love the background vocals led by Martina that happen throughout the song as well. That is one of the best musical decisions on this album! I can't help but sing along with the "oooo"s every time I hear this George Strait Junkie loses his #1 here, right after losing his #2 with "The Real Thing". 7 other people lose a top 5... And the losses just get more and more painful from here on out

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Diamond
Everybody Wants To Be Loved
It Ain’t Pretty
Just Around The Corner
Reckless
That’s The Thing About Love
We’ll Pick Up Where We Left Off

[bboat11]

It's hard, so hard,

To build it up and watch it shatter.

Its hard, so hard,

But it's the only thing that matters.

7. "Everybody Wants To Be Loved"

Track #4
Runtime: 4:12
Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Steve McEwan, Gordie Sampson

Total: 123
Average: 5.86
Std Dev: 2.82 (3rd largest!!)


codyj100 - 1
born - 2
tim - 2
@walker9 - 2
bboat11 - 3
g8erboi - 3
Sambalada - 4
.indulgecountry - 5
austin - 6
castleoblivion26 - 6
someguy - 6
George Strait Junkie - 7
BackwoodsBarbie - 7
SHOOTER - 8
Troublemaker - 8
kansasmeetsmo - 8
Cody Wants Out... - 8
dub - 8
Kanenrá:ke - 9
fearlessarrow - 10
cerulean - 10


While the last song's placement was merely disappointing, this one is unacceptable... fearlessarrow, Kanenrá:ke, and cerulean, you guys are just plain wrong. This song is a major standout on this album... I thought this was one of the better-loved album tracks from this album. I loved it from the moment I heard it, and it has continued to grow on me with every listen to this day. The melody is so understated yet catchy, and Martina turns in her best vocal performance on the entire album. There is an uncharacteristic power in her low vocals in the verses (I seriously LOVE how beefy her low notes are on the "drinking it in" at the end of the second verse ), and the way the song builds and builds until it gets to the climax is masterful. Then there's the fact that the climax is actually preceded by the song suddenly getting quiet again, which is so rare in music these days!

This was probably the least consistent song throughout the submission process, and I kept hoping for it to creep back up, but instead the undeserved hate kept pouring in and cemented it at #7 :'(

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Diamond
It Ain’t Pretty
Just Around The Corner
Reckless
That’s The Thing About Love
We’ll Pick Up Where We Left Off

[George Strait Junkie]

lol i always get the short end of the dipstick in these rankdowns guess im a odd ball whatever this rankdown is canceled lol JK

[born]

No, I really liked this song :( Both of them actually.

[.indulgecountry]

Jesus Christ. These last two had no business being this low. How the heck is "We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off" still in? That song is a snooze. So far the only thing y'all got right is putting the right song in last place.

[codyj100]

Ugh. Game over, already? I agree with .indulgecountry

[tim]

“Everybody Wants to Be Loved” has no business leaving before the top 5. Other than the title track this is the one song on the album that stood out to me as a missed single opportunity. I liked it on the first listen and loved it by the second time.

And I have to agree with .indulgecountry...how is “We’ll Pick Up Where We Left Off” still in?! It might be the only song on the album I hit skip on.

[Kanenrá:ke]

Sad "The Real Thing" and "Low All Afternoon" went out so early. But I never got the love for "Everybody Wants To Be Loved". "We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off" next please, then all the songs I don't care for that much will be gone!

[SHOOTER]

Something told me Low All Afternoon would not be appreciated! And I'm not a big fan of EWTBL but I also agree that WPUWWLO has overstayed! Reckless is the perfect theme for this rankdown because it has quickly become a mess!

[BackwoodsBarbie]

4 perfect rankings in a row - not bad, not bad at all :)

[bboat11]

I just called a cab.

Outside it's starting to rain.

I got my high heels in my hand.

Oh, I'm ready for the walk of shame.

6. "It Ain't Pretty"

Track #2
Runtime: 3:20
Songwriters: Nicolle Galyon, Eric Paslay



Total: 114
Average: 5.43
Std Dev: 1.94 (Smallest!!!!)


BackwoodsBarbie - 2
someguy - 3
kansasmeetsmo - 3
dub - 3
castleoblivion26 - 4
George Strait Junkie - 4
SHOOTER - 4
Cody Wants Out... - 4
Troublemaker - 5
Kanenrá:ke - 5
cerulean - 5
fearlessarrow - 6
codyj100 - 7
born - 7
@walker9 - 7
bboat11 - 7
Sambalada - 7
.indulgecountry - 7
austin - 7
tim - 8
g8erboi - 9


Up next, "It Ain't Pretty" ends up as the final song to miss the top 5. This song is such an underrated lyrical masterpiece! I have always found Martina's vocal performance to be a little disappointing on this one however. She sounds a little pitchy in the softer, more exposed parts of this song. However, that live performance in the below video sounds totally fine, so I'm probably just imagining things in the studio version! Either way, the song is a lyrical standout on the album, and the softer vocal is very unique for Martina, so I can definitely see why it has become a bit of a fan favorite. I have no problem welcoming this one into the future rankdown of album tracks This is also the first song where nobody loses a first or last place rank!!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Diamond
Just Around The Corner
Reckless
That’s The Thing About Love
We’ll Pick Up Where We Left Off

[bboat11]

Somewhere in the party lights,

We're hiding all our tears tonight.

It's more than us just hanging out;

We're making every second count.

5. "We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off"

Track #9
Runtime: 4:15
Songwriters: Nathan Chapman, Blair Daly, Marc Roberge



Total: 113
Average: 5.38
Std Dev: 3.17 (Largest!!!!!!)


BackwoodsBarbie - 1
someguy - 1
dub - 1
cerulean - 1
castleoblivion26 - 2
born - 4
@walker9 - 4
austin - 4
g8erboi - 4
kansasmeetsmo - 5
Cody Wants Out... - 5
fearlessarrow - 5
Troublemaker - 6
bboat11 - 6
Kanenrá:ke - 8
codyj100 - 8
George Strait Junkie - 9
.indulgecountry - 9
SHOOTER - 10
Sambalada - 10
tim - 10

Kicking off the top 5 of this rankdown, we say goodbye to the most polarizing song on the album!!! "We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off" has also earned a reputation for being one of the fan favorites on the album in the last couple years, but on Pulse that seems to be a different story... While this song earned FOUR #1 votes, it also earned three last place votes

I do think this song should be behind "Everybody Wants To Be Loved", but otherwise I am not at all disappointed to see it defy all odds to make the top 5. While the melody plods to some, it also really jumps out to others, but either way it makes an impression. I think making this a couple clicks faster might have made it enjoyable for more people. But I can't help but love this song because of the way Martina's voice sounds in the first chorus. The way she navigates the line "We'll pick up where we left off" both times in that first chorus with a masterful blend between head voice and full voice is a standout vocal moment in her entire discography, imo, because she has not been known to blend very frequently throughout her career

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Diamond
Just Around The Corner
Reckless
That’s The Thing About Love

[bboat11]

With that, here is your top 4!!! Tune in tomorrow to see what will win the Reckless rankdown In the meantime, feel free to make predictions!

Diamond
Just Around The Corner
Reckless
That’s The Thing About Love

[.indulgecountry]

Four people seriously thought that was the best song on the album? Lmao, bye.

[castleoblivion26]

Sept 20, 2018 6:02:48 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

Four people seriously thought that was the best song on the album? Lmao, bye.

I agree that it isn't the best song, the title track is, but it is a great song and easily deserves top 5

[dub]

I think "We'll Pick Up..." would be less polarizing if it kept the same tempo or arrangement as the O.A.R. version. I think it definitely works better in their like soft rock style, but I'm still into Martina's version. 💁🏼‍♂️

[tim]

Not surprised to see "It Ain't Pretty" almost make the top 5, but I happen to be partial to Lady A's version which I thought should've been a single from their Golden era. I don't quite get the love for "We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off" as the song just doesn't move the needle much for me. This is one instance where I'm not fond of the background choir and overall the song just feels like it's incredibly slower than it should be.

Top 4 Predictions:

4) That's The Thing About Love
3) Diamond
2) Just Around the Corner
1) Reckless

[.indulgecountry]

My Top 4 guess:

1) Reckless
2) That's the Thing About Love
3) Just Around the Corner
4) Diamond

[bboat11]

Remember that you’re worth it.

You’re perfectly imperfect,

Even with a couple flaws.

4. "Diamond" ft. Keith Urban

Track #8
Runtime: 2:59
Songwriters: Nicolle Galyon, Eric Paslay, Liz Rose

Total: 111
Average: 5.29
Std Dev: 2.72


kansasmeetsmo - 1
Kanenrá:ke - 1
austin - 2
g8erboi - 2
BackwoodsBarbie - 3
Cody Wants Out... - 3
cerulean - 4
codyj100 - 4
castleoblivion26 - 5
George Strait Junkie - 5
Sambalada - 5
tim - 5
dub - 6
@walker9 - 6
SHOOTER - 7
born - 8
bboat11 - 8
.indulgecountry - 8
someguy - 9
fearlessarrow - 9
Troublemaker - 10

Consider me surprised to see how well this song did. I had no idea this was one of people's favorite songs on this album! To me it is a pretty good song, but there are a handful of songs on the album that I like better... This one benefitted from getting a lot less hate than some of the other album tracks did, I guess. I consider other songs to have more passion, but then again this one does get a great crowd response in concert and Martina seems to love performing it, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see it do so well.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Just Around The Corner
Reckless
That’s The Thing About Love

[bboat11]

Up next, we see the final song to miss the top 2! Both singles remain, as well as an album track. Will we get both singles into the top 2, or will "That's The Thing About Love" manage to sneak in there ahead of one of them?