Songs that should have been hits

[mikerivera]

I’m creating this thread for people to post their lists of songs that should’ve been hits in a given year, but weren’t. There’s no formal definition of what is and is not a hit, but I think most people would set the standard at being on the year end hot 100. My personal standard is being one of the 100 biggest songs of a year after condensing every chart run into one year (to catch songs caught between years), or being an international hit (YE 100 hit in Canada, the UK and Australia). But yeah, feel free to post your own rankings for any given year

[mikerivera]

For 2019, my list looks like
1. Intro-DaBaby
2. Heartache Medication-Jon Pardi
3. Rainbow-Kacey Musgraves
4. 1, 2 Many-Luke Combs ft. Brooks & Dunn
5. Juice-Lizzo
6. Lovely-Khalid & Billie Eilish
7. The Archer-Taylor Swift
8. Boy With Luv-BTS ft. Halsey
9. Mob Ties-Drake
10. Nice to Meet Ya-Niall Horan

HMs
-Motivation-Normani
-Antisocial-Ed Sheeran ft. Travis Scott
-you should see me in a crown-Billie Eilish
-Calma-Pedro Capó & Farruko
-Faucet Failure-Ski Mask the Slump God
-On My Way to You-Cody Johnson
-BLOW-Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars & Chris Stapleton
-Right Back-Khalid
-Light On-Maggie Rogers
-Don’t Feel Like Crying-Sigrid

And for anyone who’s wondering, Nothing Breaks Like a Heart was an international hit, and Take What You Want was caught between years

[Trilogy]

every swedish house mafia song and their solo songs and their songs from other projects and songs that they produced

[mikerivera]

I also have a pretty strong 2018 list

1. Lucky You-Eminem ft. Joyner Lucas
2. Sober-Demi Lovato
3. Five More Minites-Scotty McCreery
4. Mona Lisa-Lil Wayne ft. Kendrick Lamar
5. Getaway Car-Taylor Swift
6. Done For Me-Charlie Puth ft. Kehlani
7. Broken Halos-Chris Stapleton
8. On the Loose-Niall Horan
9. Strangers-Sigrid
10. Space Cowboy-Kacey Musgraves

HMs
-No Roots-Alice Merton
-Candy Paint-Post Malone
-Growing Pains-Alessia Cara
-Head Above Water-Avril Lavigne
-Sit Next to Me-Foster the People
-Smile-Lil Duval ft. Snoop Dogg & Ball Greezy
-Best Shot-Jimmie Allen
-Say Amen (Saturday Night)-Panic! At the Disco
-Lost in Japan-Shawn Mendes
-Lean Wit Me-Juice WRLD
-Ocean Eyes-Billie Eilish

Considering how much I hated the hits in 2018 and how few good songs there were, this list showing what could’ve been is especially painful. The HMs are just in the order that I thought of them, but No Roots would’ve been #3 on my best hits list. 

[dremolus - solarpunk]

stupid horse is number-one only to be dethroned by stupid horse (remix)

[mikerivera]

And since 2016 was similarly weak to 2018, here’s my list for that year

1. False Alarm-The Weeknd
2. Freedom-Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar
3. Who Do You Love-Marianas Trench
4. America’s Sweetheart-Elle King
5. Something in the Way You Move-Ellie Goulding
6. Give Me a Try-The Wombats
7. The Sound-The 1975
8. Record Year-Eric Church
9. Irresistible-Fall Out Boy ft. Demi Lovato
10. Lush Life-Zara Larsson

HMs
-Wild Things-Alessia Cara
-My Church-Maren Morris
-Church Bells-Carrie Underwood
-Walking On a Dream-Empire of the Sun
-Death of a Bachelor-Panic! At the Disco
-Head Over Boots-Jon Pardi
-Kids-OneRepublic
-Brand New-Ben Rector
-Mr Misunderstood-Eric Church
-Peter Pan-Kelsea Ballerini

[Groovy]

I'll do 2017

1. Green Light- Lorde
2. Friends- Justin Bieber & Bloodpop
3. Reminder- The Weeknd
4. Love Me Now- John Legend
5. Mama Said- Lukas Graham
6. The Greatest- Sia
7. My Way- Calvin Harris
8. That's My Girl- Fifth Harmony
9. Signs- Drake
10. Glorious- Macklemore feat. Skylar Grey

HMs

Homemade Dynamite/Liability- Lorde
This Town- Niall Horan
Symphony- Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson
Why?- Sabrina Carpenter
Shout Out to My Ex- Little Mix
Rollin- Calvin Harris feat. Khalid & Future
Dusk Till Dawn- Zayn feat. Sia
Portland- Drake feat. Quvao & Travis Scott
Million Reasons- Lady Gaga
Everyday- Ariana Grande feat. Future
Scared to Be Lonely- Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa
Versace on the Floor- Bruno Mars
Reggaeton Lento- CNCO and. Little Mix

[mikerivera]

My 2017 list would be

1. Perfect Places-Lorde
2. Versace on the Floor-Bruno Mars
3. Liability-Lorde
4. Hard Times-Paramore
5. Cut to the Feeling-Carly Rae Jepsen
6. The Story of OJ-Jay Z
7. Ain’t My Fault-Brothers Osbourne
8. 4:44-Jay Z
9. Homemade Dynamite-Lorde ft. Khalid, SZA & Post Malone
10. Heartache on the Dancefloor-Jon Pardi

No HMs because I still need to do more research on that year, but for what it’s worth, I didn’t forget Green Light, Symphony or This Town. The first two were both international hits, and This Town was caught between years, so they all qualify as hits

[nathanalbright]

Thanks for sharing this you guys. A lot of these songs were really ones I enjoyed and it was pretty painful that they didn't resonate with American audiences the same way that they did for me and many others.

[trustypepper]

Half of the songs listed in this thread were hits in my book, lol. I guess everyone does have different definitions.

[alexandria2001]

By my definition of a hit:


(Also sorted by which order I think the songs would land in on the respective Billboard Hot 100 year end chart, if they became hits)


2020

- Save Your Tears - The Weeknd
- Myself - Post Malone
- Exile - Taylor Swift feat. Bon Iver
- VALENTINO (Imanbek remix) - 24kGoldn
- Me & Ur Ghost - Blackbear
- Un Dia - Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Dua Lipa, & Tainy
- Time - Childish Gambino feat. Ariana Grande
- Are You Bored Yet? - Wallows feat. Clairo
- Funny - Zedd feat. Jasmine Thompson
- A Sweeter Place - Selena Gomez feat. Kid Cudi
- Know Your Worth - Khalid
- Forgive Me - Chloe X Halle


2019

- Can't Get Enough - Benny Blanco feat. Selena Gomez, J Balvin, & Tainy
- I've Been Waiting - Lil Peep
- Juice - Lizzo
- Clo7ure - Lil Nas X
- Right Back - Khalid
- All The Good Girls Go To Hell - Billie Eilish
- Fast - Juice WRLD
- Let Me Down Slowly - Alec Benjamin
- Liar - Camila Cabello
- Dear Society - Madison Beer


2018

- Yikes - Kanye West
- Crew - GoldLink
- Solo - Clean Bandit feat. Demi Lovato
- A$AP Forever - A$AP Rocky feat. Moby
- Remind Me To Forget - Kygo feat. Miguel
- lovely - Billie Eilish & Khalid
- Feels Like Summer - Childish Gambino


2017

- No Lie - Dua Lipa & Sean Paul
- Honest - The Chainsmokers
- All Night - Chance The Rapper
- I Got You - Bebe Rexha
- Glorious - Macklemore & Skylar Grey
- Scared To Be Lonely - Martin Garrix feat. Dua Lipa
- Wish I Knew You - The Revivalists
- Silence - Marshmello feat. Khalid
- Lost In Your Light - Dua Lipa feat. Miguel
- Work - Charlotte Day Wilson

[Bakarina]

I actually have made the top 20 songs that should've been a hit in 2016 on my blog so I'm just going to list it off for you all and with added songs

Faded - Alan Walker
I Met A Girl - William Michael Morgan
No Problem - Chance the Rapper ft. Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz
Blessings - Chance the Rapper
Dark Necessities - RHCP
Purple Lamborghini - Rick Ross & Skrillex
Lush Life - Zara Larrson
Record Year - Eric Church
You Should Be Here - Cole Swindell
Law - Yo Gotti ft. E-40
Kiss It Better - Rihanna
Ultralight Beam - Kanye West ft. Chance the Rapper
This Girl - Kungs X Cookin' on 3 Burners
Peter Pan - Kelsea Ballerini
Pick Up The Phone - Travis Scott, Young Thug, and Quavo
One Night - Lil Yachty
Capsize - Frenship ft. Emily Warren
My Church - Maren Morris
Duele El Corazon - Enrique Iglesias ft. Wisin
You Don't Own Me - SAYGRACE ft. G-Eazy
Famous - Kanye West ft. Rihanna & Young Jeezy
Toothbrush - DNCE
I Got the Keys - DJ Khaled ft. Jay-Z & Future
Might Not - Belly ft. The Weeknd
Head Over Boots - Jon Pardi

in conclusion 2016 is a fantastic year for country

[nathanalbright]

2016 was a great year for country; too bad so little of it made the atrocious YE list.

[Groovy]

Also for 2017 you can throw in Take It All Back by Judah & the Lion.

[Lost In Musical Reverie]

Contenders for 2020 definitely include:

- "SUGAR" by BROCKHAMPTON (especially with the amazing remix they did with Dua Lipa)
- "Physical" by Dua Lipa (fortunately, the rest of the world gave it the love it deserved)
- "Be Kind" by Marshmello and Halsey (I was so sure this was going to be a radio darling)
- "Over Now" by Calvin Harris and The Weeknd (I'm still obsessed with this song. Such a shame it underperformed)
- "Ride It" by DJ Regard (another case of European hit that failed to achieve the same success in the US)
- "bloody valentine" by Machine Gun Kelly
- "One Night Standards" by Ashley McBryde (the way it stalled at the 70s-90s was so frustrating to watch)

[samo🦕]

i haven't got long here so i'll just post my 2016 list:

1. Beyoncé - Sandcastles
2. Beyoncé - All Night
3. Beyoncé/The Weeknd - 6 Inch
4. Beyoncé/Kendrick Lamar - Freedom
5. Beyoncé/Jack White - Don't Hurt Yourself
6. Beyoncé - Formation
7. Beyoncé - Daddy Lessons
8. Beyoncé - Hold Up
9. Beyoncé - Pray You Catch Me
10. Beyoncé - Love Drought

[Groovy]

Here's one for 2012

1. Turning Tables- Adele
2. Thinking Bout You- Frank Ocean
3. Bad Girls- MIA
4. Crew Love- Drake feat. The Weeknd
5. Eyes Wide Open- Gotye
6. Lonely Boys- The Black Keys
7. I Will Wait- Mumford & Sons
8. Lotus Flower Bomb- Wale feat. Miguel
9. You Need Me, I Don't Need You- Ed Sheeran
10. Tonight is the Night- Outasight

[Groovy]

Time for 2013

1. Skyfall- Adele
2. Tennis Court- Lorde
3. Lose Yourself to Dance- Daft Punk feat. Pharrell
4. Poetic Justice- Kendrick Lamar feat. Drake
5. Need U (100%)- Duke Dumont feat. A*M*E
6. Pusher Lover Girl- Justin Timberlake
7. Black Skinhead- Kanye West
8. Merry Go 'Round- Kacey Musgraves
9. When a Fire Starts to Burn- Discloure
10. Man of the Year- ScHoolboy Q

[alexandria2001]

2016

-No Problem - Chance The Rapper feat. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz
-All My Friends - Snakehips feat. Tinashe & Chance The Rapper
-No Money - Galantis
-Faded - Alan Walker
-The Ocean - Mike Perry
-Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1 - Kanye West
-Talk - DJ Snake feat. George Maple
-Stay - Kygo feat. Maty Noyes
-Lush Life - Zara Larsson
-Kiss It Better - Rihanna
-Wild Things - Alessia Cara

[Groovy]

I'm going completely out of order but 2011

1. Holocene- Bon Iver
2. Mean- Taylor Swift
3. Otis- Jay Z & Kanye West
4. Party- Beyonce & Andre 3000
5. Monster- Kanye West feat. Jay Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj & Bon Iver
6. The Cave- Mumford & Sons
7. Man Down- Rihanna
8. Walk- Foo Fighters
9. Fly- Nicki Minaj feat. Rihanna
10. Dearest- The Black Eyes

[mikerivera]

Fwiw, I Will Wait was a year end hit in 2013.

[mikerivera]

Also, my 2013 list
1. Merry Go Round-Kacey Musgraves
2. Instant Crush-Daft Punk ft. Julian Cassablanca
3. Lego House-Ed Sheeran
4. Money Trees-Kendrick Lamar ft. Jay Rock
5. C’mon-Ke$ha
6. Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe-Kendrick Lamar
7. Blowin Smoke-Kacey Musgraves
8. Mountain Sound-Of Monsters & Men
9. Stutter-Marianas Trench
10. Like Jesus Does-Eric Church
HMs
-The Phoenix-Fall Out Boy
-Black Skinhead-Kanye West
-Jump Right In-Zac Brown Band
-Sweet Annie-Zac Brown Band
-Aw Naw-Chris Young
-YOLO-The Lonely Island ft. Kendrick Lamar & Adam Levine
-By Now-Marianas Trench
-Tennis Court-Lorde
-Lose Yourself to Dance-Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams

Insanely strong list, even in comparison to other “should’ve been hits” lists. Every song is a 10/10, as well as a number of HMs. And this is with me counting Poetic Justice, Skyfall and Rap God as actual hits. Definitely doesn’t hurt that Merry Go Round is my choice for country song of the decade, and is on my GOAT list

[Groovy]

For 2015

1. Alright/King Kunta- Kendrick Lamar
2. Really Love- D'Angelo and the Vanguard
3. Traveller- Chris Stapleton
4. Ship to Wreck- Florence + the Machine
5. Energy- Drake
6. Don't Wanna Fight- Alabama Shakes
7. No Role Modelz- J. Cole
8. Let It Happen- Tame Impala
9. Flesh Without Blood- Grimes
10. Coffee- Miguel

[Groovy]

Dec 1, 2020 0:13:57 GMT -5 mikerivera said:

Fwiw, I Will Wait was a year end hit in 2013.

You're right so I guess I'll put Chasing the Sun in it's place instead. 

[Groovy]

2016

1. Ultralight Beam- Kanye West feat. The-Dream, Kelly Price, Chance the Rapper & Kirk Franklin
2. Cranes in the Sky- Solange
3. In Bloom- Sturgill Simpson
4. Freedom- Beyonce feat. Kendrick Lamar
5. Ivy- Frank Ocean
6. Kiss It Better- Rihanna
7. No Problem- Chance the Rapper feat. 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne
8. Right Hand- Drake
9. CRZY- Kehlani
10. 80s Mercedes- Maren Morris

[Groovy]

Since 2020 is almost over

1. Physical- Dua Lipa
2. In Your Eyes- The Weeknd
3. Shameika- Fiona Apple
4. The Man- Taylor Swift
5. Over Now- Calvin Harris & The Weeknd
6. Hawai- Maluma
7. Colors- Black Puma
8. Black Parade- Beyonce
9. Un Dia (One Day)- J. Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy
10. Lost in Yesterday- Tame Impala

[Groovy]

I'm about to start this up again with 2018

1. Space Cowboy- Kacey Musgrave
2. Candy Paint- Post Malone
3. Galway Girl- Ed Sheeran
4. WIN.- Jay Rock
5. The Joke- Brenda Carlile
6. I Like That- Janelle Monae
7. Lost in Japan- Shawn Mendes
8. Mona Lisa- Lil Wayne feat. Kendrick Lamar
9. New Year's Day- Taylor Swift
10. Promises- Calvin Harris and Sam Smith

Honorable Mentions

Shotgun- George Ezra
Ball for Me- Post Malone feat. Nicki Minaj
High Horse- Kacey Musgraves
Focus- H.E.R
Sticky- Ravyn Lenae
Let Me Down- Jorja Smith feat. Stormzy
Broken Halos- Chris Stapleton
Sober- Demi Lovato
Colors- Beck
These Days- Rudimental feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Capien

[sadchild]

This a list of songs I felt should have made the Hot 100 (not based on how much I like the songs personally)

2020

1975 - If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)
Alien Ant Farm - Everything She Wants
Awolnation - The Best
Call Me Karizma - Float
Corey Taylor - Black Eyes Blue
Easy Life - Earth
G Love - Shake Your Hair
Glass Animals - Your Love (Deja Vu)
Gorillaz & Beck - The Valley of The Pagans
Jaden - Cabin Fever
Krayzie Bone - Waiting for Never
Mammoth WVH - Distance
Missio - Hoodie Up
Neon Trees - Used To Like

2019

Alice Merton - Why So Serious
Christine and the Queens - Doesn't Matter
Cranberries - All Over Now (Edit)
Jamila Woods - Zora
Joywave - Obsession
Missio - I See You
Twenty One Pilots - Chlorine (Edited)
Twenty One Pilots - The Hype
Why Don't We - Cold In LA

2018

1975 - It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)
Awolnation - Miracle Man
Elle King - Naturally Pretty Girls
Elle King - Shame
Glorious Sons - Sawed Off Shotgun
Halestorm - The Silence
Hall & Oates with Train - Philly Forget Me Not
Husky Loops - 20 Blanks
Jade Bird - Lottery
Mat Kearney & AFSHeeN - Better Than I Used To Be
Paul McCartney - Come On To Me
Peace - You Don't Walk Away From Love
Smashing Pumpkins - Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)
Twenty One Pilots - Levitate
Why Don't We - Trust Fund Baby

2017

Awolnation - Passion
Beck - Colors
Beck - Up All Night
Bleachers - I Miss Those Days
George Ezra - Don't Matter Now
Halestorm - Dear Daughter
Julia Brennan - Inner Demons
Late Night Episode - Golden Age
Papa Roach - Periscope
Why Don't We - Why Don't We Just

2016

1975 - The Sound
888 - Critical Mistakes
ABC - Viva Love
Elle King - America's Sweetheart
LP - Lost On You
Rat Boy - Move

[Groovy]

Since the Billboard year is more than halfway over

1. Easy- Troye Sivan & Kacey Musgraves feat. Mark Ronson
2. Martin & Gina- Polo G
3. To Hell & Back- Maren Morris
4. Higher Power- Coldplay
5. Blue & Grey- BTS
6. Yo Visto Asi- Bad Bunny
7. Bichota- Karol G
8. Only Wanna Be with You- Post Malone
9. Angels Like You- Miley Cyrus
10. Golden- Harry Styles

Honorable Mentions

Selfish Love- DJ Snake & Selena Gomez
Baila Comingo- Selena Gomez
Prisoner- Miley Cyrus feat. Dua Lipa
My Head & My Heart- Ava Max
Head & Heart- Joel Corry & MNEK
Monsters- All Time Low
Location- Karol G, Anuel AA & J. Balvin

[Groovy]

I'll do this year again

1. Sweet Melody - Little Mix
2. Test Drive - Ariana Grande
3. Yo Visto Asi - Bad Bunny
4. Blue & Grey - BTS
5. Golden - Harry Styles
6. Took Her to the O - King Von
7. Angels Like You - Miley Cyrus
8. Wellerman - Nathan Evans
9. The Business - Tiesto
10. Brutal - Olivia Rodrigo

Honorable Mentions

Visiting Hours - Ed Sheeran
Holiday - Lil Nas X
Monsters - All Time Low feat. Blackbear & Demi Lovato
Prisoner - Miley Cyrus feat. Dua Lipa
La Noche de Anoche - Bad Bunny feat. Rosalia
Bichota - Karol G
Transparent Soul - Willow feat. Travis Barker
Back to the Streets - Saweetie feat. Jhene Aiko