CML Chart Top 100 for 2008: #80 to #71

This is the second one today, since I was efficient with my time today.

#80- “Sounds So Good” by Ashton Shepherd
CML: 19
Billboard: 21
Opinion: Underplayed

Overview: A song about having a good time in the country, “Sounds So Good” was a great second single for Ashton.  What I think a lot of people associated with this song was “summer,” so as fall progressed, more and more people seemed to drift from this song.  It was definitely more about loving country life than being a summer song, so I think it was given up on way too soon.

 

#79- “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” by Kellie Pickler
CML: 19
Billboard: 21
Opinion: Underplayed

Overview: Kellie’s lead single of her second album was an inspirational song to the teens that have started to flock to country music thanks to Taylor Swift.  That was it’s only weakness, which was enough to keep it from making the Top 10 like I think it should have.

 

#78- “Takin’ Off This Pain” by Ashton Shepherd
CML: 18
Billboard: 20
Opinion: Underplayed

Overview:  This is one of the best debut singles that have reached radio recently.  From its 90s country feel to its amazing vocals, Ashton Shepherd should of had a debut Top 10.  Instead, too many people seemed to pass over this song because it wasn’t country/pop enough.

 

#77- “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead” by Jason Michael Carroll
CML: 18
Billboard: 21
Opinion: Underplayed

Overview:  At just about the time I started to really get into this song, its chart run started to stall, eventually coming to an end just short of where it should’ve been (Top 20).

 

#76- “Workin’ For A Livin’” by Garth Brooks & Huey Lewis
CML: 18
Billboard: 19
Opinion: Just about right

Overview: There was no need for Garth to release this song to the radio.  He could’ve just left us with the good feelings that “More Than A Memory” gave us about his music.  Instead, he releases a duet with Huey Lewis, that despite hitting where I feel it should’ve on the charts, was just a train wreck from beginning to end.  It was a better choice than “Midnight Cowboy” was, but when this ended its chart run last February ‘08, that should’ve been it for Garth.

 

#75- “Come On Over” by Jessica Simpson
CML: 17
Billboard: 18
Opinion: Just about right

Overview: When this song was first released, I figured that it’d end up in the Top 20.  While Jessica Simpson’s move to country was a smart move since she sounds better that way, her song choices seemed to be a little week.  She may not have another country Top 20 again unless she tries to be a little Texas sounding and less New York City.

 

#74- “It Ain’t No Crime” by Joe Nichols
CML: 17
Billboard: 16
Opinion: Just about right

Overview: This song annoyed me at first, but eventually I came to tolerate it enough that I had no problem with it being a Top 20.

 

#73- “That Song In My Head” by Julianne Hough
CML: 15
Billboard: 18
Opinion: Just about right

Overview: It was a decent debut effort from the multi-talented Julianne Hough, but it didn’t do much to distinguish herself from the other women in country music who have a hard time getting established.

 

#72- “Things That Never Cross A Man’s Mind” by Kellie Pickler
CML: 15
Billboard: 16
Opinion: Underplayed

Overview: This was a great song that should’ve been Kellie’s first Top 10, but I think the novelty wore off as the song spent a long time on the charts.

 

#71- “Get My Drink On” by Toby Keith
CML: 15
Billboard: 11
Opinion: Just about right

Overview: This was a decent song from Toby, but it really didn’t do much for me.  It was what it was, a song that wasn’t good enough to go to the Top 10, but good enough to just miss.

Coming Soon: #70 to #61