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Top 15 Worst Singles Of The Year

12/16/2013

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Wow. What a year in country music. You have some artists releasing career best material, yet other have to cancel that out with some of the biggest piles of crap I've heard in the past few years (yes, I do in fact dislike some songs).
Myself, sabre14 and Pulse Music Board user .indulgecountry compiled lists of our 15 least favorite singles of 2013 and using a points system I made the following list. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present you TICM's top 15 worst singles of 2013.

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#15 
Jason Mitchell, "Stomp"

"Stomp, stomp, shake your rhomp", I rest my case. -S14

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#14
Chris Young, "Aw Naw"

Frat-boy anthem tailor made for radio. Young is capable of so much more than this. 
- MM

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#13
Florida-Georgia Line, "Stay"


I actually think Stay is FGL's worst single to date. It's lyrics are cringeworthy, and unrealistic. And the vocal performance is below average as well. - S14



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#12
Eric Church, "The Outsiders"


An over-calculated statement song that fails to really say anything.
Poorly-phrased and hackneyed lyrics are treated to a shouty vocal performance
and drowned in heavy metal production that leaves out any indication of country music from the equation. -IC

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#11
Kelly Clarkson, "Tie It Up"


Screechy, overproduced pop music. I have no doubt Clarkson is capable of great country music, but if this is a sign of things to come, my expectations are not high 
-MM

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#10
Toby Keith, "Shut Up And Hold On"



Toby really can't do much worse than this tune. What is up with that backup singer at the end Toby? -S14


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#9
Blackjack Billy, "Get Some"


I could go on a rant. But I've spent enough of my time and effort writing about these guys already. -MM

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#8
Blake Shelton, "Boys 'Round Here"


 Lyrically the song plays out like a checklist of all the country cliches
that can be covered in one song, with a delivery akin to having those lyrics
first thrown into a blender. It also relies heavily on gimmicky, repetitive
lines to create hooks and features a poor vocal delivery from a singer capable
of much better. -IC

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#7 
Tim McGraw, "Southern Girl"


 Let's see here. Boring, cliche,.. uh... Boring. This song was the definition of mediocrity. "Southern Girl" rivals "Truck Yeah" for the worst single of Tim's career. -S14

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#6
Jason Aldean, "1994"

Lazy, nonsensical lyrics that rely too much on cramming as many ill-fitting
references to Joe Diffie tunes into one song are only made worse by an equally
uninspired vocal performance. Things are made worse by a ridiculous chant of
Diffie's name and generic rock production. -IC

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#5
Jerrod Niemann, "Drink To That All Night"


Can we please stop it with the auto tune. There is no need for it in this genre. The auto tune coupled with the dance bar type beat makes this a pop song on country radio. Jerrod's voice is subpar on this song to say the least. -S14

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#4
Blackjack Billy, "The Booze Cruise"

My cat threw up. It could have made a better song than this. I'm not exaggerating. These guys have no talent, this isn't catchy, original or intelligent in any way. -MM

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#3
Dallas Smith, "Tippin Point"


Please don't make judgements of Canadian country based on this song. There is so much better stuff. Bro-y lyrics, average production and the vocals are processed to death. -MM

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#2
Luke Bryan, "That's My Kind Of Night"

This song is one big fat mess in every aspect. Any and all elements of
country music are absent from its production and cringe-worthy vocal effects
plague the chorus, the melody is unpleasant, and the lyrics are just
embarrassingly bad. Nothing about this is a "winner". -IC

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#1
Chase Rice, "Ready Set Roll"


I can only put a few lines down here, so I'll hold back the best I can. My least favorite single in years. It's uncreative. Horribly cliche. Awful lyrics. And in my opinion degrading to women. This is the best example of trying to capitalize on Bro-Country. -S14

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Single Review: Dan + Shay- "19 You + Me"

12/7/2013

2 Comments

 
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This is a new duo of Warner Music Nashville. And I do mean new. These guys have only known each other since last December. But if you listen to "19 You + Me" you'd never know it. Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney have found a contemporary country sound that had never been heard before on country radio. Their debut single is a story of a young summer love that is just a distant memory. It's lyrics are very effective at painting the emotion of the song. Shay Mooney's voice is a strong one, and has to be on this song, cause its not an easy song to sing. The chorus is this songs bread and butter.

"Watching that blond hair swing. With every song I'd sing. You were California beautiful. I was playing anything but cool. And I can still hear that sound. Of every wave crashing down. Like the tears we cried that day we had to leave. It was everything we wanted it to be. The summer of 19 you + me".

Credit Dan + Shay for writing a song that perfectly fits Shays voice. He is able to convince the listener of his vivid memory of that summer. With spot on voice inflections and emotion. The song however is very "pop" country. Some have pointed out a little too pop for country. I mysef am a advocate for more traditional sounds in country and have criticized modern day country radio. But it's been for the recent singles by Bryan, Aldean, Chase Rice, and Dallas Smith. This is however a better musical effort in every category....Vocals, songwriting, imagery, production. These guys are already in the top 30 in country airplay, and not slowing down. Overall, even though it leans pop country is by far one of the best efforts of 2013 and Warner Music just might have struck gold in Dan + Shay.

Grade: A


Listen: "19 You + Me"

2 Comments

Summer Single Round-Up

6/22/2013

2 Comments

 
With summer just around the corner, I decided we should like at some fun, summery tunes that have been released recently. (Sorry for no full length reviews lately. Been busy and we cover more ground this way).

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Zac Brown Band- "Jump Right In"

Fun, catchy and infectious. ZBB remains among the top acts for summer singles. And bongos. You really can't go wrong with bongos.

Grade: B+

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Jason Blaine- "Rock It Country Girl"

Pretty much "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)" minus the ultra catchy chorus which made the song memorable. Dissapointing coming from an artist who is usually so consistent.

Grade: C


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Randy Houser- "Runnin' Outta Moonlight"

There are some vocalists who can make the most boring of material sound better than it actually is. Randy Houser is among them. Another backwoods love scene, but that voice.....

Grade: B

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Jon Pardi- "Up All Night"

If there's one thing Pardi has proved thus far, it's that he can inject personality into 'meh' material, even if he's not the strongest of vocalists.
If he could add personality to quality material, he has the potential to be very good artist for years to come.

Grade: B-

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Florida Georgia Line (feat. Nelly)- "Cruise" [Remix]

Still catchy, and Nelly doesn't ruin it, but it's far too polished which takes away some of the magic of the original.

Grade: C+

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Kenny Chesney- "When I See This Bar"

Nice groove. One of his more stripped down singles. But this beach act was old a LONG time ago.

Grade: C

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Dallas Smith- "Nothing But Summer"

His rock roots are showing but vivid imagery and solid performance makes it shine through.

Grade: B

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Blake Shelton (feat. Pistol Annies and Friends)- "Boys 'Round Here"

Good instrumentation, stupid lyrics, goofy performance, cliched, I don't know.

Grade: ?

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Thompson Square- "Everything I Shouldn't Be Thinking About"

Cute, fun and flirty. I hope they put more depth into their songs soon, but for now I'll keep enoying their pleasant fluff.

Grade: B

2 Comments

5 Second Single Reviews

1/7/2013

4 Comments

 
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Dallas Smith- "Jumped Right In"

Passionate vocal performance and decent lyrics. Production is a bit clunky at times, but still a pretty good song.
Random thought: Dallas Smith sounds like Gary Allan.

Grade: B+

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Edens Edge- "Swinging Door"

This neo-traditional gem will fit right in with catalogues of Chris Young and Easton Corbin.
I've also decided that "I ain't your swinging door" is a great hook.

Grade: A

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Easton Corbin- "All Over The Road"

"I've decided that Easton Corbin and Chris Young 2.0 are cyborgs in a record label experiment to see if neotraditional can be sexy again.
It's working" -Dan Milliken

Grade: A-

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Parmalee- "Carolina"

Brantley Gilbert and Sarah Darling are already doing this exact same song, but Parmalee's is the most passionate yet. And it looks even better compared to their 3 minutes of loudness "Musta Had A Good Time".

Grade: B+

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Colt Ford (feat. Jake Owen)- "Back"

Quite a beautiful song. I know people won't like it because of the rapping, but Ford does a great job. Owens vocals aren't to shabby either.


Grade: B+



4 Comments

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    A country music fan from B.C., Canada. You can find his work at theshotgunseat.com. You can follow Markus on twitter at @Markus_Meyer27.

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