With little new music on the horizon, we can at least hope for some fresh songs on the radio and video outlets from current albums. I miss the days when a label could work three or four singles a year from one project, but aside from the superstars, those days are gone.
I was a bit underwhelmed by the albums of 2008, but there are some tracks from this year’s and last year’s releases that are still waiting to be heard. One that I’d really like to see in the new year is “I Know You Won’t”, a track from Carrie Underwood’s 2007 set Carnival Ride. It’s my favorite vocal performance of hers to date.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od-dk_oDPVs
That’s one hit waiting to happen, but far from the only one.
Miranda Lambert’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend could benefit from another shot in the arm after the quiet and understated “More Like Her.” I’d go with “Guilty in Here”:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO3s5XhtDmU
But if they want to go with another ballad, it’s hard to top “Love Letters”, which has a classic country sound without sounding dated:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5JK6_FqsYI
I enjoy just about all of Sugarland’s new album, and I’m pumped to know that one of my favorite cuts is the next single. But after “Love”, they should definitely tap “Very Last Country Song”:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEIFr-nzJtM
Meanwhile, Curb has pulled a seventh single from Tim McGraw’s Let it Go album, “Nothin’ to Die For.” Good song, but c’mon. Put out “Between the River and Me” already!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tZfbDzRcdk
There are some other cuts not on YouTube that I’d like to see released, most especially “Dreaming Fields” by Trisha Yearwood. But I’d say that’s enough from me.
What singles would you like to see released in 2009?
“Dreaming Fields” would be alot like “Bus To St Cloud” as a single for Trisha. It wont do squat on the singles chart but it will gain her fans. She would need a video for exposure, but I do think it would catch alot of attention
If Scott Borchetta could kindly take his eyes off Taylor Swift for at least 5 seconds then I would say release “Nothin Bout Memphis”…..she has no other projects in developement so why not? Yearwood=Story Songs….Memphis is a great story song. I love it.
Missing the youtube embed for one, and Carrie Underwood’s name in the second paragraph ;)
Second Chris Cagle mention for me this week, but “Never Ever Gone” is a hit just waiting to be released. I don’t know if the record is dead, due to his domestic abuse issues, but that song is the perfect country-pop song, and would do big things.
For Sugarland, I think “Keep You” is a better choice for radio than “Very Last Country Song”, but I think they’re in the instant hit mode, so I would also love to see “Very Last Country Song” be a hit.
I think Joey + Rory would do well with “To Say Goodbye” soon, but they need a hit to give it momentum.
I think Lee Ann Womack would get a huge hit out of “Everything But Quits”, her George Strait duet, and I think a real hit is just what she needs. “Story Of My Life” would be a stellar single too.
Love on the Inside is probably good for lots of singles, but the only two that I really want to see are “Take Me As I Am” and “Very Last Country Song,” in that order.
Needed changes duly noted. Thanks, Marc.
I definitely agree on the McGraw song!
I’ve loved “Between the River and Me” since the Warren Brothers recorded it on “Well-deserved Obscurity.” Another track on that record, “The Lucky” is one of my favorite songs of the decade.
As for singles in 2009, I’d love to see “Lie” get released by Randy Houser. Also I’m stoked that “Love” is getting released. I still believe that Joey + Rory’s “To Say Goodbye” is a super smash hit.
I am looking forward to what I believe is the next single from Jamey Johnson – “mowing down the roses”, which is one of my favorites.
I also think that there could be some very good singles from Joey + Rory’s album.
As to Miranda Lambert, I would love to seem them release “Dry Town”, which I love —
I really agree with “I Know You Won’t”. One of the best ballads on Carrie’s new CD.
If Miranda Lambert’s “More Like Her” was not released, I think “Desperation” would have been an amazing single, but I think “Guilty in Here” is the next best choice.
As for Sugarland, I’d love to see “Joey” or “Take Me As I Am” or “Steve Earle” as an upbeat single release, or “What I’d Give” as another slow-ish song.
Not sure about Tim McGraw though.
And for some other single choices:
Taylor Swift-“The Way I Loved You” or “Hey Stephen” or “Breathe”
Blake Shelton- “Good At Startin’ Fires” or “Country Strong”.
Kellie Pickler-If her label is smart, and pushes “Best Days of Your Life” harder, then “One Last Time” or “Rocks Instead of Rice” would be good single choices.
I think “New Again” By Lee Ann Would be a good single. And either “Fifteen” Or “Hey Stephen” would be great singles for Taylor.
Sugarland should release “Joey” it’s a really good song.
Miranda Lambert’s “Dry Town” is a hit waiting to happen
Lee Ann Womack should follow up with “I Think I Know”.
I’d like to see Joey + Rory release “Tonight Cowboy You’re Mine”
As for some other hopefuls
Alan Jackson “Never Loved Before w/Martina McBride”
Ashton Shepherd “I Ain’t Dead Yet”
Billy Currington “People Are Crazy”
Blake Shelton “I Don’t Care”
Carrie Underwood “Flat On The Floor”
Chuck Wicks “Starting Now”
Craig Morgan “That’s Why”
Crystal Shawanda “Try”
Eli Young Band “Mystery In The Making”
Emily West “Mississippi’s Cryin'”
George Strait “It Was Me”
Heidi Newfield “Wreck You”
Jamey Johnson “Place Out On The Ocean”
Jennifer Hanson “Won’t Give Up”
Josh Turner “The Longer The Waiting (The Sweeter The Kiss)”
Julianne Hough “About Life”
Kieth Anderson “Adailene”
Kellie Pickler “Lucky Girl”
Lady Antebellum “I Run To You”
Little Big Town “A Place To Land”
Marcel “One Big Church”
Mica Roberts “Tearing Down A Home”
Montgomery Gentry “God Knows Who I Am”
Phil Vassar “Prayer Of A Common Man”
Randy Rogers Band “When The Circus Leaves Town”
Sarah Buxton “Tomorrow”
Taylor Swift “Fifteen”
Tim McGraw “Between The River And Me”
Trace Adkins “Sometimes A Man Takes A Drink”
Trisha Yearwood “Nothin’ ‘Bout Memphis”
yup that’s my wish list
Chuck Wicks is flopping after his “Stealing Cinderella”. I think “The Easy Part” would be a good single.
As for his girlfriend: Julianne Hough: “Hello”.
Lady Antebellum: “Home Is Where the Heart Is”
Okay, I’m done.
I think the best song released on an album this year (with the possible exception of Jamey Johnson’s High Cost of Living, which is not going to get on radio) was You Didn’t Have A Good Time on Randy Travis’ latest. He hasn’t had a hit lately, and the first two singles off the new album flopped, but I’d love to see this one given a shot. It may be too bleak a mesage to get played on contemporary radio, but it deserves to be heard. I think it’s a stunning song, perfectly delivered by one of the most distinctive voices in country music.
I’d like to see Curb finally release what was supposed to be Tim McGraw’s fall single, “You Had To Be There.”
From Sounds So good, I love Ashton Shepherd’s “Not Right Now”. I would like to think that it would do really well as a single but I am extremely disappointed that she hasn’t had a bigger hit single already, so who knows?
Alan Jackson’s “1976” is one of the tracks from Good Times that I keep going back to and I think we need a good single from him to make up for the very weak “Country Boy”.
I fell in love with Joey+Rory’s version of “Free Bird” when I first came across it on there myspace and it would make a good future single from the many worthy contenders, on Life of a Song.
I have taken a while to warm to Jamey Johnson. Now I have “Stars In Alabama” is just a brilliant track from That Lonesome Song album, and much better, for me, than “In Color”.
I don’t know what is happening with Emily West right now, but in my Alternative Country Universe “Blue Sky” would be the one from her EP that would already be a hit single.
From Taylor Swift my favorite from Fearless is the one about her mom, “The Best Day”. There has got to be a more than good chance that this will be put out as a single just in time for Mother’s day.
I want Curb to release “Doesn’t Everybody”, a track from LeAnn Rimes’ album “Family”.
I agrre that “I Know You Won’t” is probably her best ballad to date, she uses all everysingle vocal range that she has. I guessing though with her last release being a ballad tha her label may release a more up tempo song. But she still has a good 8 – 10 months before her third album so there may be even more singles from Carnival Ride.
I think anything release by Miranda is good it would be much better if her label backed her more, then she could get the real recognition she deserves.
The signature vocal by Underwood on “I Know You Won’t” would make it a great choice for her new release, but I am guessing “Crazy Dreams” is next for an up-tempo change after “Just a Dream.”
I strongly agree “You Had To Be There” should be McGraw’s latest.
Jackson needs to release something to help me forget “Country Boy” and “Good Time.” Sorry. I have always liked Alan, but those two songs were instant channel-changers for me.
I’d like to see “Let the Wind Chase You” by Trisha Yearwood get released. It isn’t my absolute favorite song on the album, but I think it would have the best chance of doing well. It has a gorgeous melody, and the lyric is quite strong.
I think “Dreaming Fields” with a stunning video would be awesome as well though and would probably get played a decent amount on GAC, even if it didn’t chart well.
I’m totally on board with ‘Guilty In Here’ from Miranda. That’s been my favorite track from CXG since the day I bought it. For Sugarland, I would like to see ‘It Happens’ or ‘Take Me As I Am’ released before ‘Very Last Country Song’, which I’m sure will be released before the album’s run is over.
“I know you Won’t”, and “Love Letters” are two of my favorites of Carrie and Miranda
I can see the label releasing “Flat on the Floor” and “Dry Town” (or “Guilty in here”)instead.
(fingers crossed for an almost no chance in He!! Grammy performance of “I know you Won’t”)
“I Know You Won’t” is the hit waiting to happen. Why her label hasn’t released it is beyond me. Her strongest vocal and very emotional. What are the chances of its release though? I’m guessing not very high. That sucks.
I’d like to see Jeremy McComb’s label pull a Zomba and rerelease “This Town Needs A Bar” because the song is great and it’s also a hit waiting to happen.
“Flat On the Floor” is my pick for Carrie Underwood. It would make some nice contrast to “Just a Dream”.
I was disappointed in the choice to release “Telluride” as Josh Gracin’s new single. I’d like to see “Let Me Fall” hit the radio and/or “Invisible”, which is a very unique and beautiful song.
I was shocked that Jason Aldean didn’t release “Not Every Man Lives”. I thought for sure it would be a single. Hopefully his label will take a cue from Brad Pasiley and Keith Urban and release it even though he has a newer album coming out.
I haven’t listened to Love on the Inside much, but “It Happens”, “Joey”, and “The Very Last Country Song” seem OK.
the only downside i see to releasing “i know you won’t” as a single, is that it gets kind of repetitive (this may be a skewed vision by me, because i am so enamored with her live versions of it) and it might not play as well on the radio
the live version you can see and feel each emotion that she pulls out, and while the album cut is still powerful, i am not sure how radio would respond to it
I understand what you’re saying Gaby, but I doubt that the repetitiveness will negatively impact it too much. The song will probably blow up simply because it’s Carrie and will explode even more when (assuming) she sings it live.
“The Bees” by Lee Ann Womack featuring Keith Urban is my favorite song from 2008, and possibly my favorite song in quite some time. I’m not suffering many illusions about its chart prospects, but I would love for this song to be released to radio.
I think “The Bees” is the most successful marriage between a pure country vocal and contemporary production on Lee Ann’s Call Me Crazy. The lyrics are really evocative (just enough insight into the character’s struggles, but still a universalistic sense of human journey), Lee Ann’s vocal really moving and Keith’s harmony effective. The instrumentation does a fantastic job of conveying the humdrum of life that the bees represent. The song sounds like nothing else out there and I love it beyond all reason.
Oh, and I totally say “Dry Town” for Miranda Lambert. There aren’t enough quirky hits like that on country radio anymore.
I think “The Bees” is great and I love “Dry Town.”
I personally think ‘Flat on the Floor’ would be a great single for Carrie! I love it! Its one of my favorites from Carnival Ride! I also would love for her to release ‘I Told You So’ that IS my favorite song from Carnival Ride and I think it would be a good single.
As for Miranda, I think a great next single would be ‘Guilty in Here’ that’s one of my favorites from the album. ‘Dry Town’ would be amazing too! But my dream single from her would be ‘Love Letters’ I absolutely LOVE that song!
From Sugarland, ‘It Happens’ would be my pick. I would also love to see Lady A release ‘I Run to You’ ‘All Wed Ever Need’ or ‘Loves Lookin Good on You.’ And I think Julianne Houghs breakout hit could be ‘Hello.’ I’m surprised they didn’t release that as her second single.
Brad has seemed to move on past 5th Gear, but I would like to seem him release his duet with Carrie Underwood, Oh Love, to the radio. I think the pairing of those two would really do well and I really like the song. I would like to hear Jamey Johnson’s, The Door is Always Open or Place Out On The Ocean on the radio.
As part of my last comment, “I think the pairing of those two would do really well”, i realize how ridiculous that statement is considering their recent chart history. What I meant is that the song will and should top the charts like almost all of each of their recent singles.
Speaking of quirky songs that would make great singles (Dan), along with Dry Town, (and quite a few other’s from Miranda’s Crazy Ex album) how about Trisha Yearwood’s “Cowboys are My Weakness”? I saw Trisha do that in concert, and as she was singing, her video screen had all these pictures of famous movie Cowboys in a slide show sequence, and of course, she finished with a photo of her own Garth Brooks in a Cowboy hat! Very cute statement of devotion from wife to husband.
Yeah, Trisha’s “Cowboy”s song, for sure.
Also, I think there are some great cuts on Paisley’s Play album, that is if Country radio is ready and bold enough to embrace a great instrumental as a single. (has this ever been done before?)
Yeah, for Lee Ann, “The Bees” for sure has to be released. The guest collaboration (Keith Urban) alone should give it more radio play. It just might be my favorite song on the album. A video would make it even bigger. I’d also love to have her duet with George Strait be a single. Only problem with that is I want George to release his duet with Patty Loveless too lol.
Crystal Shawanda should release “Try”. Ashton Shepherd should release “Lost In You” because she has yet to have a slow single, and this one is more pop-country.
Can’t really pick any others since I don’t own any other albums from these mainstream artists lol.
Straight out of left-field:
Rumor has it that “I Told You So” is Carrie’s next choice. Fine choice by me.
Definitely agree with “The Bees”! It’s one of my favorites as well.