Songs that shouldn't have been singles.

[Jordan Stacey]

There's a topic going where you're asked to list songs that should've been singles, and that got me to thinking. What about the songs that souldn't have been singles? There's those like Rascal Flatts' "Bob That Head" that are so bad you wonder why anybody would even record it, much less send it out as a single. Then there's those that while decent songs in their own right took the chance of a better song being released, such as Trisha Yearwood's "Trying To Love You". So do you have any songs which you though shouldn't have been released?

[JR Journey]

This will be the thread that never ends ...

[Rainbow]

Reba's Somebody. That was the only song I really didn't like from Room To Breathe, even though it went to nr.1.
It's too sugary, and the production isn't good. But Reba herself is fine in voice.

[Clemson Brad]

The first song that comes to mind is Rodney Atkins "Invisibly Shaken." Rodney has SO much momentum I believe after four number 1 singles off the same album. The label wanted to release just one more single off it. Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoy "Invisibly Shaken" very much, one of the better songs on the album, BUT I believe it was a HORRIBLE single selection. They should have gone with something much more fun and up beat I believe to keep the album mementum alive. "About the South" or "In the Middle" would have been great selection. I don't think "Invisibly Shaken" even got to the top 30.


This is a wonderful thread. I need to think of some more. Another one to my head was the selection of "John J Blanchard"for Anthony Smith. I think they rushed that out because it was also on Tommy Steiner's album and they did not want him to release it first. Again, great song, but bad single selection. It should have released "Up to the Depth" IMO

[Rainbow]

They also shouldn't have released Some People off LeAnn Rimes' This Woman album. They wanted to take advantage of her then current chart action, but failed because it's a slow, non-single material song.

[Razor X]

1. Anything by Rascal Flatts
2. Jesus and Gravity by Dolly Parton. It's a great song but not a good choice for someone who's trying to get back on the radio.
3. This Is Me You're Talking To by Trisha Yearwood. A beautiful song and flawlessly sung by Yearwood, but again, not the right vehicle to get her back to the top of the charts.

[pwdennis]

Geesh - where do I start ?

Nearly everything by Rascal Flatts
"Goodbye Earl" and "Not Ready To Make Nice" by the New Dixie Chicks (both infantile songs)
"I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" by Mark Chesnut
"Johnny Cash" (I don't remember who issued it, but it was horrible)
"Grazing In Greener Pastures by Ray Price (not a terrible song, but fortunately DJs flipped the record and forced Columbia to reissue the record with "For The Good TImes" as the A side)
"Igmoo (The Pride of South Central High)" by Stonewall Jackson
"I'm A People" by George Jones

The list is truly endless

[Matt B]

"No Love Songs" by Chris Cagle. He should've released "Good To Be Back."
I agree on "Invisably Shaken."
Ty Herndon "Heather's Wall." While a good song, it killed his career's momentum (along w/his own personal demons).

[Drew]

"Not Ready To Make Nice" is right, wow... just stupid.

Other ones I can come up with quickly:

-"Shiftwork" by Kenny Chesney - Flat-out awful.

-"A Different World" by Bucky Covington - Sounds so stupid when sung by him since he can't relate to the lyrics at all! He's like 30, not 60!

-"Different Breed" by Carter's Chord - This group of girls has a ton of potential, and their debut album is surprisingly good. It figures they pick the worst song in my opinion as the second single.

-"All I Wanna Do" by Sugarland - A really solid album and this song just flat out stinks. I can't believe this was the debut single from an album of that caliber.

-"Picture To Burn" by Taylor Swift - eek, just feels so amateur and kiddy... this was a big miss for Taylor.

-All of Tim McGraw's singles off of "Let It Go", except maybe the title track which is charting now.

[Sam G]

"Stars on the Water" - George Strait. The world didn't need to hear George's voice digitized all to hell like Cher and all the other singers out there who need digital tuning to sound competent.

[Clemson Brad]

"Stars on the Water" - George Strait. The world didn't need to hear George's voice digitized all to hell like Cher and all the other singers out there who need digital tuning to sound competent.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Stars on the Water was ever released as a single. To tell you the truth, I love that damn song.

[Drew]

"Stars on the Water" - George Strait. The world didn't need to hear George's voice digitized all to hell like Cher and all the other singers out there who need digital tuning to sound competent.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Stars on the Water was ever released as a single. To tell you the truth, I love that damn song.

It was not a single, and I was just about to say that I wished it would've been!

[Sam G]

Really? I heard it on the radio fairly often when it came out, so I assumed it was a single that tanked quickly. At least I can blame some DJs in Chicago for playing it and not the record label for releasing it.

[Chris D]

"How I Feel" by Martina McBride wasn't a great choice. It's a good song, but there are better from her album, like "Love Land" that share the same idea in a much better and more interesting way.

[JR Journey]

Using wikipedia, I have found out that Stars On The Water' was actually one of two songs from Strait's The Road Less Traveled album that charted from unsolicited airplay. 'Stars' peaked at #50 while 'The Real Thing' topped out at #60. So it was played on the radio and probably quite a bit in some markets, but it was never a label-sanctioned release.

[bu11]

I believe that radio airplay ruined these two songs:

"Believe" by Brooks & Dunn - a beautifully crafted song. I listened to it about 5 times in a row upon first buying that CD. Overplay on radio just totally ruined it... but I guess part of me is glad that it got the respect it deserved.

"I'm Still A Guy" by Brad Paisley - I thought this was a geuinely funny tune, but again, radio ruined its creativeness...

Then, there are the songs too good to be played alongside most of what's on today's radio:

"In Color" by Jamey Johnson

[Razor X]

Faith In You was an odd choice for Randy Travis' comeback to secular country. Not the sort of thing radio plays these days. There are better choices for singles on the album, though I suspect radio won't play any of his new music.

[derrickmckee]

I agree regarding "I'm Still A Guy..."

Continuing on Paisley, I can't believe they chose "She's Everything" over "Waiting on a Woman" when Time Well Wasted was being promoted. I'm glad "Waiting" is getting its fair shake now.

I don't think "Every Mile a Memory" by Dierks is a good song and am baffled by its popularity. It's relatively boring and unoriginal... he just lists off random sights and then says "Girl, it's almost like you're there!" It's easily my least favorite Dierks song and I feel like there were better songs on the album to choose from such as "Soon As You Can" or "Hope For Me Yet" with the latter being a better lead single and would have contrasted his previous lead single "Lot of Leavin Left to Do" nicely.

Toby Keith puts out quite a few turds as well.

[Drew]

I don't think "Every Mile a Memory" by Dierks is a good song and am baffled by its popularity. It's relatively boring and unoriginal... he just lists off random sights and then says "Girl, it's almost like you're there!" It's easily my least favorite Dierks song and I feel like there were better songs on the album to choose from such as "Soon As You Can" or "Hope For Me Yet" with the latter being a better lead single and would have contrasted his previous lead single "Lot of Leavin Left to Do" nicely.

Wow, "Every Mile A Memory" is one of my favorite songs... that HAD to be a single. "Soon As You Can" was great too and probably should've been released instead of "Trying To Stop Your Leaving" in my opinion. "Wish It Would Break" is a real good one too. That album is just great from top to bottom.

[indulgedcountrymusic]

Geesh - where do I start ?
"Not Ready To Make Nice" by the New Dixie Chicks (both infantile songs)

I thought was awesome because it said "We aren't gonna admit we were wrong" and they won like 3 grammies for it <3
---------

I think that a lot of Sara Evans songs could have had better options... like she she shouldn't have released "Tonight", but something else instead (the song was almost 5min long... no video... better choices) ... and "Love You w/ All My Heart" - she should've stopped at the first two from her Greatest Hits but no, she had to release that and it was her first that didn't chart because of it