Twostepcub's Best of 2018: Part six and a half: the also rans...
Hey guys and gals and those inbetween, I've been running through my year-end countdown of the biggest hits on my weekly music chart, and before I creep in to the top forty, I'm going to take a break to give props to the "also-rans", the 25 songs that almost did the trick, which no flourishes, just to enjoy. You can catch up with the main list by clicking on part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, and part six, as well as the whole series...
#125 - "When We" by Tank
from the album Savage (2017)
Highest rank: #24 (four weeks)
Weeks on the chart (in 2018): 11
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #78
Songwriters: Tank, Cardiak, J. Valentine
Neo-soul singer topped the Adult R&B chart on Billboard with ths one.
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#124 - "Have It All" by Jason Mraz
from the album Know. (2018)
Highest rank: #48 (six weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 20
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #90
Songwriters: Jason Mraz, David Hodges, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Mona Tavakoli, Chaska Lela Potter, Mai Sunshine Bloomfield, Rebecca Emily Gebhardt
Hard to believe seven writers needed to generate this return to nerd-rap from Jason.
#123 - "Get Along" by Kenny Chesney
from the album Songs For The Saints (2018)
Highest rank: #49 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 21
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #22
Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Ross Copperman, Josh Osborne
Generic white mansplaining in this rough times.
#122 - "2002" by Anne-Marie
from the album Speak Your Mind (2018)
Highest rank: #30 (three weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 19
Billboard Hot 100 peak: did not chart, "bubbled under" the Hot 100 at #104
Songwriters: Anne-Marie, Ed Sheeran, Benny Blanco, Julia Michaels, Steve Mac
After getting her American break on Marshmello's "Friends", Anne-Marie got MTV-nostalgic with this one.
#121 - "Nina Cried Power" by Hozier featuring Mavis Staples
from the EP Nina Cried Power (2018)
Highest rank: #13 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart (in 2018): 11 (still charting)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: did not chart
Irish singer/songwriter joins up with the soul legend from the Staple Singers for this epic song that topped the Adult Album Alternative chart.
#120 - "What Lovers Do" by Maroon 5 featuring SZA
from the album Red Pill Blues (2017)
Highest rank (in 2018): #24 (one week) (peaked at #12 for two weeks in 2017)
Weeks on the chart (in 2018): 13 (was on for 13 weeks in 2017)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #9
Songwriters: Adam Levine (Maroon 5), Starrah, Jason Evigan, SZA, with samples of "Sexual" by Neiked written by Neiked, Dyo, and Elina Stridh
This song slash fodder for Forever 21 store speakers came on at #97 on my year-end chart in 2017.
#119 - "Lottery" by Jade Bird
from the single "Lottery" (2018)
Highest rank: #7 (one week)
Weeks on the chart: 13
Billboard Hot 100 peak: did not chart
Songwriter: Jade Bird
Another #1 on the Adult Album Alternative chart, this time from this British newcomer.
#118 - "Written In The Sand" by Old Dominion
from the album Happy Endings (2017)
Highest rank: #33 (three weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 18
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #51
Songwriters: Matthew Ramsey (Old Dominion), Trevor Rosen (Old Dominion), Brad Tursi (Old Dominion), Shane McAnally
Country crossover band sing the benefits of steadier romance.
#117 - "I Lived It" by Blake Shelton
from the album Texoma Shore (2017)
Highest rank: #31 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 17
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #63
Songwriters: Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley, Ben Hayslip, Ross Copperman
#116 - "Legends" by Kelsea Ballerini
from the album Unapologetically (2017)
Highest rank: #20 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 14
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #68
Songwriters: Kelsea Ballerini, Hillary Lindsey, Forest Glen Whitehead
It's odd that Kelsea, who last placed at #87 in 2017 with "Yeah Boy", that this year takes second fiddle to husband Morgan Evans whose "Love Somebody" ended up at #87 on this year's list.
#115 - "Most People Are Good" by Luke Byran
from the album What Makes You Country (2017)
Highest rank: #49 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 22
Bilboard Hot 100 peak: #43
Songwriters: David Frasier, Ed Hill, Josh Kear
An almost prayer-like affirmation of a list song, nevertheless including "I Believe You Love Who You Love" in the chorus...
#114 - "Greatest Love Story" by LANCO
from the album Hallelujah Nights (2018)
Highest rank: #38 (three weeks)
Weeks on the chart (in 2018): 16 (was on for 9 weeks in 2017)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #45
Songwriters: Brandon Lancaster (LANCO)
Nashville band lesser known than the likes of Old Dominion, but still topped the country chart with this one.
#113 - "Back To You" by Selena Gomez
from the album 13 Reasons Why: Season 2 (TV Soudntrack) (2018)
Highest rank: #40 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart (in 2018): 21 (still charting)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #18
Songwriters: Selena Gomez, Amy Allen, Parrish Warrington, Diederik Van Elsas, and Micah Premnath
Selena's work with DJ/producer Kygo, which resulted in the single "It Ain't Me" which landed at #25 on last year's recap, is a direct influence on this acoustic-rave nugget from the show Selena produced, 13 Reasons Why.
#112 - "Shame" by Elle King
from the album Shake The Spirit (2018)
Highest rank: #15 (one week)
Weeks on the chart: 12
Billboard Hot 100 peak: did not chart
Songwrtiers: Elle King, Tim Pagnotta
In 2016, big-voices singer King had four entries on the year-end list, including her second-year performance of "Ex's and Oh's" at #63, and returned this year in great form with this barnburner.
#111 - "Pain" by The War On Drugs
from the album A Deeper Understanding (2017)
Highest rank: #18 (three weeks)
Weeks on the chart (in 2018): 12
Billboard Hot 100 peak: did not chart
Songwriter: Adam Granduciel
Indie-rock band from Philadelphia topped the Adult Album Alternative format list with this charmer.
#110 - "My, My, My" by Troye Sivan
from the album Bloom (2018)
Highest rank: #14 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 12
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #80
Songwriters: Troye Sivan, Leland, OzGo, James Allen Ghaleb
Sivan became probably the first big gay male pop superstar this year with the release of his unapologetically seductive Bloom album, led by this triumphant single.
#109 - "Happier" by Marshmello & Bastille
from the single "Happier" (2018)
Highest rank (in 2018): #2 (three weeks) (still climbing)
Weeks on the chart (in 2018): 10 (still charting)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #3
Songwriters: Marshmello, Dan Smith (Bastille), Steve Mac
When this year-end tally was ended, this single was at #2 behind Panic at the Disco. Award for most tear-jerking video.
#108 - "I Miss You" by Clean Bandit featuring Julia Michaels
from the album What Is Love? (2018)
Highest rank: #20 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart (in 2018): 13
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #92
Songwriters: Julia Michaels, Jack Patterson (Clean Bandit), Grace Chatto (Clean Bandit)
The neo-house act and younger song doctor basically rewrite the Chainsmokers' "Closer" for this midtempo club thumper.
#107 - "On The Loose" by Niall Horan
from the album Flicker (2017)
Highest rank: #14 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 13
Billboard Hot 100 peak: did not chart
Songwriters: Niall Horan, John Ryan, Julian Bunetta
The most danceable of the four singles from the Irish former One Directioner was this pleasant entry.
#106 - "Break Up In The End" by Cole Swindell
from the album All Of It (2018)
Highest rank: #9 (two weeks)
weeks on the chart: 12
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #49
Songwriters: Jon Nite, Chase McGill, Jesse Jo Dillon
This heartbreakingly true song about going back to an old love, with the resignation that it won't work out, is what's so real about it.
#105 - "Cry Pretty" by Carrie Underwood
from the album Cry Pretty (2018)
Highest rank: #27 (three weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 15
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #48
Songwriters: Carrie Underwood, Hilary Lindsey, Liz Rose, Lori McKenna
Underwood, the biggest female in country music at this point, even had her troubles with the format, barely ekeing out a top ten airplay hit with this reflection on a tough time in her life.
#104 - "Round Here Buzz" by Eric Church
from the album Mr. Misunderstood (2015)
Highest rank: #16 (one week)
Weeks on the chart (in 2018): 11
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #56
Songwriters: Eric Church, Luke Dick, Jeff Hyde
This restrained number was a highlight on Church's Mr. Misunderstood album, which it was the fourth single from.
#103 - "Saturday Sun" by Vance Joy
from the album Nation Of Two (2018)
Highest rank: #15 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 14
Billboard Hot 100 peak: did not chart
Songwriters: Vance Joy, Dave Bassett
The follow-up to "Lay It On Me", which placed at #77 on last year's year-end, is this breezy slice of indie-pop.
And now for the two songs edged out of the top 100 in the last week eligible...
#102 - "Leave A Light On" by Tom Walker
from the album What A Time To Be Alive (2019 TBA)
Highest rank: #20 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 14
Billboard Hot 100 peak: did not chart
Songwriters: Thomas Walker, Steve Mac
Scottish indie-folk songster landed a top-20 Adult Top-40 hit with this expressive ballad that owes more to Imagine Dragons than Bob Dylan.
#101 - "She's With Me" by High Valley
from the album Dear Life (2016)
Highest rank: #20 (two weeks)
Weeks on the chart: 13
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #79
Songwriters: Brad Rempel (High Valley), Seth Mosley, Ben Stennis
Canadian country crossover duo finally carry their incredibly infectious single, which hit the country top ten in Canada in 2015, to my list this year.
Well, that covers the ones just missing the grade - I'll return tomorrow - Will it be the recap of 2018 or the recap of 1982?
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