The Best of Twostepcubchart 2011, Part 2...

It's time for round 2 of my year-end recap of the biggest music hits of my weekly chart in 2011. This week its numbers 90 through 81, including a couple of the biggest names in pop, as well as a whole heaping helping of country. I've included how they did on my weekly list, as well as on some of Billboard's charts and worldwide official charts.

90. Lady Antebellum - We Owned The Night (from the CD Own The Night)

twostepcubchart peak: #9 (one week)
US Country Singles peak: #1 (2 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #31

Lady A bookends their #91 yearend hit "Hello World" with this, their followup to their multiformat hit "Just A Kiss". It's got a jangly pop sense that may have it crossover as well once the former hit runs its course. Even though at times trite, they pulled off a great version on their stint on Saturday Night Live.




89. Taylor Swift - Mean (from the CD Speak Now)

twostepcubchart peak: #9 (one week)
US Country Singles peak: #2
US Hot 100 peak: #11

Swift says that she writes autobiographically, and this song more than her others addresses her professional life, with snark over her critics as well as any others that like to tear people down. Well, that's all well and good, but you know, she is an awesome songwriter and makes great records, but at that time at least she really couldn't sing live on anywhere near the level of her recordings. It did make me question how much "production tricks" went into her records. However of course the song is absolutely charming, and the video, including a bullying vignette, has its merits.




88. Sara Evans - A Little Bit Stronger (from the CD Stronger)

twostepcubchart peak: #13 (2 weeks)
US Country Singles peak: #1 (2 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #34

Recently-divorced Sara Evans had her first country charttopper in five years with this theme of empowerment co-written by Lady Antebellum's Hilary Scott. Evans definitely connected with the material, and the video even delivers her newly single female angst. Admitted I did experience a tidbit of schadenfraude over her messy parting with her rightwing loon of a husband, as I always am when people who love to restrict others' rights have their own business fly back at them. I hope Sara wisens up, since she's got such a winning voice and personality.




87. Keith Urban - Without You (from the CD Get Closer)

twostepcubchart peak: #16 (1 week)
US Country Singles: #1 (1 week)
US Hot 100: #52

The country singer from down under had his #1 collection reach an even dozen with this tender ballad apparently directed towards his wife, Nicole Kidman.




86. Rihanna featuring Drake - What's My Name (from the CD Loud)

twostepcubchart peak: #14 (2 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #1 (one week)
US R&B Singles peak: #2
US Dance Club Play peak: #6
US Dance Airplay peak: #3
US Adult Pop peak: #30
UK Singles Chart: #1 (one week)
Global Dance Tracks peak: #30

Rihanna scored chart first when this second single from Loud made it to #1 on the Hot 100 before the first single "Only Girl (In The World)" did. A brooding reggae beat drives Ri-Ri's whiny delivery - she's in full "goat" mode here, but it fits the gritty track as well as Drake's off-key sing-rap does.




85. Dierks Bentley - Am I The Only One (from the upcoming CD Home)

twostepcubchart peak: #21 (one week)
US Country Singles peak: #1 (one week)
US Hot 100 peak: #39

Dierks followed his critically lauded but chart-wise overlooked bluegrass album Up On The Ridge with a return to good-ole-boy country, with this simple party request song that put him back at #1 after two years.




84. Kylie Minogue - Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) (from the CD Aphrodite)

twostepcubchart peak: #5 (3 weeks)
US Dance Club Play peak: #1 (one week)
Global Dance Tracks peak: #31

Kylie had her fourth consecutive #1 dance hit with the closing number from her awesome Aphrodite world tour (really, go get the DVD already!) and arguably the most joyous, pop-oriented track on the album that in a fair world would've gotten her airplay here and a smash in England, where sadly it barely scraped the top-100. So much for taste. And even made better by the retro-80's remix by old PWL coworker Pete Hammond, and you have disco boy bliss.




83. Beyonce - Best Thing I Never Had (from the CD 4)

twostepcubchart peak: #10 (2 weeks)
US Hot 100 peak: #16
US R&B Singles peak: #4
US Adult R&B peak: #18
US Dance Club Play peak: #1 (one week)
US Dance Airplay peak: #20
UK Singles Chart peak: #3
Global Dance Tracks peak: #30

Speaking of high-profile female singers that got not enough love this year, Beyonce takes the cake. After the success of her last CD, I Am...Sasha Fierce, which gave her four top-40 singles including the #1 classic "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)", it seems her followup CD would be a no brainer. That was until the calamitous clunker of "Run The World (Girls)" was released and the public declared they kind of want a melody with their Bey-Bey crunk. Trying to recover, the record company proceeded to spew out single after supposed official single each great in their own right but unfortunately sputtering out (especially the denied second single "1+1"), but this kissoff ballad did the best, which is not surprising, considering it mines the same territory as her "Irreplaceable" from awhile back. What is surprising is that this only made the pop top-10, because as rehashes go, this was done well. But maybe the video skewed it off - if he's the "Best Thing (She) Never Had", why is the whole theme this happy wedding? If she's marrying the guy, how can she "never have" him? Or was it just to wear an outrageously showy Vera Wang gown? Oh yeah, right.




82. Parachute - Something To Believe In (from the CD The Way It Was)

twostepcubchart peak: #18 (3 weeks)
US Adult Pop peak: #14

Virginia rock outfit Parachute had one of the best melodious-rock number of the year with this plea for faith without being too preachy, and managed to outdo their first album with it. With gospel singing background to boot.




81. Keith Urban - Long Hot Summer (from the CD Get Closer)

twostepcubchart peak: #10 (one week)
US Country Singles peak: #1 (one week)
US Hot 100 peak: #45

Urban's second country charttopper of this year was this summer anthem that didn't peak until October. He wrote the song with 80's pop star Richard Marx, and basically follows the blueprint of a handful of his other uptempo hits, to enjoyable if not muted effect.



Next post we'll encounter the new king of pop DJs, a former 80's funk frontman, and a judge from one of those them there singing competitions on Fox. Not the one you think.