New Country Releases Rankdown Thread

[taylor]

Aug 30, 2020 17:13:46 GMT -5 LBTrocks said:

The melody of "Rolling With The Stones" was kinda nice but I didn't really care for the instrumentation and production unfortunately.

This

[bboat11]

"Rolling With The Stones" bows out next, and tbh I am shocked it managed to escape the bottom 5! This song is underwhelming in every sense of the word. Generic vocals, generic modern pop-country groove, generic instrumentation and production... I'll give these girls a few chances because I'm all for more female success in the industry, but hopefully they have more up their sleeves than just stuff like this.

[bboat11]

19. "Why Things Happen" - Jimmie Allen ft. Darius Rucker & Charley Pride

Total: 310
Average: 16.32
Std Dev: 4.56 (2nd smallest!!)


HeyHeyHey - 8
castleoblivion26 - 9
kw9461 - 9
lady𝓐fan - 12
gardyfan - 13
.indulgecountry - 14
tim - 15
bboat11 - 15
@annebury - 17
LBTrocks - 17
fearlessarrow - 18
SHOOTER - 18
BackwoodsBarbie - 19
taylor - 19
superdave3556 - 20
George Strait Junkie - 20
someguy - 21
ClevelandRox - 23
Darkest Hour - 23

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Actress
Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy
betty
Fool’s Love Affair
Happy Anywhere
Heaven Down Here
Here On Earth
I’m No Stranger To The Rain
If That Ain’t God
Let Me Go
make you
Redhead
Sleep At Night
Sunday Best
Sunday Drive
This Town Is A Woman
Waste Of Lime
What Do I Know

[bboat11]

"Why Things Happen" bows out next, which is probably also not much of a surprise for most people. I've seen lots of comments about how rough some of the vocals are in this song, from Charley Pride especially. It's kinda to be expected though, considering that Charley is old af now, and Jimmie seems to have a naturally higher voice than either Charley or Darius ever did. Darius definitely holds his own here though! Overall I find this to be a pretty cool collaboration. The fact that this is three generations of black male artists singing together makes it even cooler. I wish it wasn't quite such a generic vanilla modern male country song, but it is at least pretty catchy after a few listens.

[bboat11]

What do you know! Our FIRST #1 LOSS IS INCOMING!!!!!!!!!!!

[bboat11]

18. "What Do I Know" - Robert Counts

Total: 297
Average: 15.63
Std Dev: 7.07 (4th largest)


ClevelandRox - 1 (RIP :'( )
LBTrocks - 2
George Strait Junkie - 8
BackwoodsBarbie - 9
bboat11 - 11
kw9461 - 14
HeyHeyHey - 15
castleoblivion26 - 15
SHOOTER - 15
Darkest Hour - 15
fearlessarrow - 16
superdave3556 - 18
@annebury - 20
someguy - 20
taylor - 21
gardyfan - 23
lady𝓐fan - 24
.indulgecountry - 25
tim - 25

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Actress
Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy
betty
Fool’s Love Affair
Happy Anywhere
Heaven Down Here
Here On Earth
I’m No Stranger To The Rain
If That Ain’t God
Let Me Go
make you
Redhead
Sleep At Night
Sunday Best
Sunday Drive
This Town Is A Woman
Waste Of Lime

[bboat11]

Robert Counts' minor key debut bows out next, taking with it a #1 rank from ClevelandRox, as well as LBTrocks' #2. Tbh, this sounds like one that I should probably hate, but I found it growing on me significantly with every listen that I have given it! The chorus is so anthemic and powerful! And we didn't seem to hate it overall. Most of us had it in our top 15, but the small handful of bottom 5s was able to keep it this low considering how strong the rest of the playlist is. Robert Counts could very easily end up being a Jason Aldean/Brantley Gilbert type for me, but this debut makes me tentatively eager to give him a chance!

[bboat11]

Up next, a song that somebody predicted would be a top 5 contender..... Gurl, it ain't a top 5 contender

[fearlessarrow]

Considering how LBTrocks have been a little meh on Little Big Town recently he should change his name to Minorkeyrocks

[LBTrocks]

Well I'm thrilled because "What Do I Know" escaped a bottom 5 fate! And I see ClevelandRox coming thru with taste here!

The production and melody on this song are killer! If he continues down a country/rock path I'll probably be a fan of his. Not super into his voice or anything, but it works well with this style.

[bboat11]

Aug 30, 2020 17:45:40 GMT -5 fearlessarrow said:

Considering how LBTrocks have been a little meh on Little Big Town recently he should change his name to Minorkeyrocks

Or just plain "Flops". Might as well make it official!

[bboat11]

Aug 30, 2020 17:33:54 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

Up next, a song that somebody predicted would be a top 5 contender..... Gurl, it ain't a top 5 contender

.....and it ain't God either!

---

17. "If That Ain't God" - Chris Young

Total: 295
Average: 15.53
Std Dev: 6.99


taylor - 3
BackwoodsBarbie - 4
ClevelandRox - 6
gardyfan - 6
HeyHeyHey - 9
kw9461 - 13
LBTrocks - 14
superdave3556 - 15
bboat11 - 16
George Strait Junkie - 17
.indulgecountry - 17
SHOOTER - 19
Darkest Hour - 19
castleoblivion26 - 21
@annebury - 22
fearlessarrow - 23
lady𝓐fan - 23
someguy - 24
tim - 24

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Actress
Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy
betty
Fool’s Love Affair
Happy Anywhere
Heaven Down Here
Here On Earth
I’m No Stranger To The Rain
Let Me Go
make you
Redhead
Sleep At Night
Sunday Best
Sunday Drive
This Town Is A Woman
Waste Of Lime

[bboat11]

Chris Young's latest attempt bows out next. He remains one of my favorite male vocalists, but his material remains some of the most disappointing drivel to ever come out of Nashville :'( "If That Ain't God" is sooooooo bland and uninspired. It was a very consistent bottom 5 contender for us actually, until the two highest ranks from BackwoodsBarbie and taylor came with the final two lists...

[LBTrocks]

"If That Ain't God" does nothing for me. I don't like the melody, especially in the chorus. Adore Chris but he really needs to step his game up.

[bboat11]

16. "Actress" - Chrissy Metz

Total: 255
Average: 13.42
Std Dev: 6.40


taylor - 2
.indulgecountry - 3
bboat11 - 7
tim - 8
SHOOTER - 9
lady𝓐fan - 10
@annebury - 11
someguy - 11
BackwoodsBarbie - 12
Darkest Hour - 12
fearlessarrow - 15
ClevelandRox - 16
kw9461 - 16
HeyHeyHey - 17
superdave3556 - 17
castleoblivion26 - 18
LBTrocks - 23
George Strait Junkie - 23
gardyfan - 25

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy
betty
Fool’s Love Affair
Happy Anywhere
Heaven Down Here
Here On Earth
I’m No Stranger To The Rain
Let Me Go
make you
Redhead
Sleep At Night
Sunday Best
Sunday Drive
This Town Is A Woman
Waste Of Lime

[bboat11]

Unfortunately for taylor, she loses her #2 right on the heels of her #3 :'(

"Actress" was one of the more consistent songs in this rankdown, as it solidified itself in the 15-17 range for almost the entire submission process. That is MUCH better for this song than Chrissy's entry to our April rankdown, when "Talking To God" bowed out in the bottom 3.

I LOOOOOOOOOVE the lyrics to this one! So descriptive and vivid. Chrissy is unfortunately not a big enough name for this to become a hit, but this is the type of song that I think a more famous name like Reba/Martina could have had a pretty substantial hit with in the '00s!

[bboat11]

15. "Sunday Drive" - Brett Eldredge

Total: 252
Average: 13.26
Std Dev: 7.87 (3rd largest!)


Darkest Hour - 1 (RIP :'( )
fearlessarrow - 2
tim - 3
kw9461 - 3
HeyHeyHey - 3
castleoblivion26 - 5
someguy - 12
George Strait Junkie - 13
lady𝓐fan - 14
taylor - 16
ClevelandRox - 17
@annebury - 18
LBTrocks - 18
bboat11 - 20
BackwoodsBarbie - 20
gardyfan - 20
SHOOTER - 22
superdave3556 - 22
.indulgecountry - 23

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy
betty
Fool’s Love Affair
Happy Anywhere
Heaven Down Here
Here On Earth
I’m No Stranger To The Rain
Let Me Go
make you
Redhead
Sleep At Night
Sunday Best
This Town Is A Woman
Waste Of Lime

[castleoblivion26]

wow, this song is great and deserved a lot better. Disappointed to see it out already

[bboat11]

We kick off the top 15 with our second #1 loss, much to Darkest Hour's dismay! "Sunday Drive" is one of those beautiful story songs that evokes a feeling of nostalgia, and can stir up specific memories of a time and a place for most of its listeners. Unfortunately it is also pretty long and heavy, which makes it less accessible for repeat listens than several of the other songs in this rankdown. Hence my own somewhat low rank for it. I'm not surprised to see it be one of our more polarizing songs. Brett sings it well though, and there is no doubt that this type of music is a VERY welcome change of pace from him!!!!

His previous entry to this series, "Gabrielle", made it to #9 in the April rankdown.

[fearlessarrow]

"If That Ain't God" is probably the first Chris Young single that does absolutely nothing for me. It's underwhelming in pretty much every category - even in songs like "Hangin' On" or "Aw Naw" there was at least catchy melodies but not this one.

"Sunday Drive" out already is a travesty especially when there are stuff like "Sunday Best" or "Let Me Go" which doesn't even come close to the level of "Sunday Drive" is. 

[bboat11]

"Let Me Go" is sent directly from the heavens, you heathen!!!!!

[fearlessarrow]

Aug 30, 2020 18:54:45 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

"Let Me Go" is sent directly from the heavens, you heathen!!!!!

[bboat11]

Aug 30, 2020 18:58:04 GMT -5 fearlessarrow said:

Aug 30, 2020 18:54:45 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

"Let Me Go" is sent directly from the heavens, you heathen!!!!!

Okay, so you were sent by God...

That don't impress me much.
So you've got the faith, but have you got the touch?

[LBTrocks]

Aug 30, 2020 18:53:50 GMT -5 fearlessarrow said:

"Sunday Drive" out already is a travesty especially when there are stuff like "Sunday Best" or "Let Me Go" which doesn't even come close to the level of "Sunday Drive" is. 

[bboat11]

Coming up next, our 3rd #1 loss...for somebody who just lost a top 3

[bboat11]

14. "This Town Is A Woman" - Lori McKenna ft. Karen Fairchild & Kimberly Schlapman

Total: 240
Average: 12.63
Std Dev: 5.62



tim - 1 (RIP :'( )
lady𝓐fan - 5
someguy - 6
Darkest Hour - 7
kw9461 - 10
LBTrocks - 10
fearlessarrow - 11
castleoblivion26 - 11
George Strait Junkie - 12
@annebury - 12
superdave3556 - 12
taylor - 13
BackwoodsBarbie - 15
.indulgecountry - 16
HeyHeyHey - 19
ClevelandRox - 19
gardyfan - 19
bboat11 - 21
SHOOTER - 21

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy
betty
Fool’s Love Affair
Happy Anywhere
Heaven Down Here
Here On Earth
I’m No Stranger To The Rain
Let Me Go
make you
Redhead
Sleep At Night
Sunday Best
Waste Of Lime

[bboat11]

"This Town Is A Woman" is one of the best things I have ever heard from Lori McKenna. I am never a huge fan of her vocals, but they are actually quite perfect for this song. The lyrics are great as well, and it is always nice to hear from Karen and Kimberly (the women from Little Big Town, in case anyone doesn't know)!

I pretty much included this one specifically for tim because I know how much he loves Lori, so it is fitting that it would be his #1. Most of the rest of us had it in our top 15, and literally everybody had it in their top 20 except for SHOOTER and myself, who only barely had it outside. This was another super consistent performer, as it settled into #14 halfway through submissions and literally never moved again!

[bboat11]

Let's get rid of another of taylor's top 5 predictions, shall we?

[bboat11]

13. "Here On Earth" - Tim McGraw

Total: 236
Average: 12.42
Std Dev: 5.08


ClevelandRox - 4
@annebury - 6
tim - 9
fearlessarrow - 9
gardyfan - 9
someguy - 10
Darkest Hour - 10
superdave3556 - 10
bboat11 - 10
kw9461 - 11
HeyHeyHey - 11
SHOOTER - 12
taylor - 14
George Strait Junkie - 15
castleoblivion26 - 16
BackwoodsBarbie - 17
.indulgecountry - 18
lady𝓐fan - 20
LBTrocks - 25

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy
betty
Fool’s Love Affair
Happy Anywhere
Heaven Down Here
I’m No Stranger To The Rain
Let Me Go
make you
Redhead
Sleep At Night
Sunday Best
Waste Of Lime

[bboat11]

The title track of Tim McGraw's brand new album bows out next. It did occupy the top 5 for 2 lists early on, but otherwise was not even close to being a top 5 contender, unfortunately for taylor's predictions. Although she's probably fine with it, as she ranked it lower than it ended up placing. I think this one has a great melody! I would have loved to see it sneak into the top 10, but ultimately it succumbed to the fact that this is such a strong playlist...

Tim's fans can look forward to seeing how well "7500 OBO" does in next month's rankdown, btw... ;)