A Country 20 (provisional)

[koganbot]

With my ballot for the Nashville Scene's country music critics poll due in a little under 32 hours, I'm posting my leading 20 candidates for my singles list. Help! What have I left off that I shouldn't have? Especially, what alt-country/Americana stuff am I overlooking? (I am trying to vote for actual singles/focus tracks, though I'm willing to define those terms loosely. If something acts like a single - lots of people make a big deal over it, basically - then I'm counting it. I also define "country" loosely; e.g., choice number 8.)

1. Marit Larsen "Only A Fool"
2. Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats"
3. Taylor Swift "Tim McGraw"
4. Eric Church "How 'Bout You"
5. Ashley Monroe "Satisfied"
6. Dierks Bentley "Settle For A Slowdown"
7. Dixie Chicks "Not Ready To Make Nice"
8. LeAnn Rimes "And It Feels Like"
9. Little Big Town "Good As Gone"
10. Toby Keith "A Little Too Late"
11. Bomshel "Bomshel Stomp"
12. Alan Jackson "Like Red On A Rose"
13. Eric Church "Two Pink Lines"
14. Tim McGraw "When The Stars Go Blue"
15. LeAnn Rimes "Strong"
16. Jace Everett "That's The Kind Of Love I'm In"
17. Hacienda Brothers "Different Today"
18. Keith Urban "Stupid Boy"
19. Bob Dylan "Someday Baby"
20. Jace Everett "Bad Things"

Comments

Personally

[justfanoe.livejournal.com]

Based on my top 50 singles of the year list, with the last few slots padded out by songs that don't make my top 50 of the year. Compiling this without reading yours first, for comparison's sake.

1) Marit Larsen - "Only A Fool"
2) Carrie Underwood - "Before He Cheats"
3) Texas Lightning - "No No never"
4) Julie Roberts - "Men and Mascara"
5) LeAnn Rimes - "And It Feels Like " (questionable eligibility)
6) Montgomery Gentry - "Some People Change"
7) Rodney Atkins - "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)"
8) Sara Evans - "Coalmine"
9) LeAnn Rimes - "Some People"
10) Ashley Monroe - "Satisfied"
11) Toby Keith - "A Little Too Late"
12) Faith Hill - "Stealing Kisses"
13) Eric Church - "Sinners Like Me"
14) Taylor Swift - "Tim McGraw"
15) Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready to Make Nice"
16) Julie Roberts - "Too Damn Young"
17) Carrie Underwood - "Don't Forget to Remember Me"
18) Dierks Bentley - "Settle For A Slowdown"
19) Brad Paisley & Dolly Parton - "When I Get Where I'm Going"
20) The Wreckers - "My, Oh My"

More repeat artists than I'm comfortable with because I wasn't as up on country music as I would have liked to have been. There's a few on your list that I haven't heard but might crack my top 20. e.g. Little Big Town, who I've liked other songs by. Heard the new Alan Jackson & Tim McGraw and weren't too crazy about them.

Re: Personally

[koganbot]

Was just listening to "Men And Mascara" - good rich singing, isn't going to crack my top ten, though. My favorite Wreckers songs aren't the singles but the tracks in the middle that sound as if Michelle and Jessica never left teenpop. The title track may be the best, though I find the lyrics whiny and empty; but I'm trying not to let that deafen me to the sound, which is often pretty good.