Twostepcub's "Best Hits" of 2019: Part Nine and a Half - the "also-rans"...

Hey peeps, before I get to the top ten of my year-end countdown of the biggest songs of 2019 on my weekly music chart, it's time to check out the songs that almost made the grade. I mean, just confining my choices to chart "hit" placements, there still were 536 songs that were on my lists throughout the year, and some that were quite worthy simply couldn't compete at time with others that had spent much more time (I'm looking at you, Biebs). So here's the 30 that appear right under the top 100, including some jamming club hits, songs trapped by being at the middle of two years' timelines, and a handful that would've been on last year's recap with their points. You can check out the rest of the countdown so far by clicking here. And away we go...

#130 - "Good Things Fall Apart" by Illenium and Jon Bellion
            from the album Ascend (2019)
            Highest rank: #18
            Weeks on the chart (in 2019): 13 (still charting)

Nice combo of space-rock and electronica with some surprisingly thoughtful lyrical content.

(Click below to see the rest of the post)


#129 - "This Feeling" by the Chainsmokers featuring Kelsea Ballerini 
            from the album Sick Boy (2018)
            Highest rank: #28
            Weeks on the chart: 13

A shockingly nuanced midtempo reflection by the bro-dance duo who team of with country singer Ballerini, who I wish they gave more vocal presence to. "Pay attention to my head not that thing on my chest" indeed.

#128 - "Missing You" by Ingrid Michaelson
            from the album Stranger Songs (2019)
            Highest rank: #24
            Weeks on the chart: 12

From Michaelson's album inspired by the show Stranger Things, the eighties-style electro-pop shrouds a delve into being in a relationship but remaining attached to your last. Raw, and real.

#127 - "Don't Feel Like Crying" by Sigrid
            from the album Sucker Punch (2019)
            Highest rank: #25
            Weeks on the chart: 15

Norway's pop princess rival Robyn's best with this song, which in a just world would've broken through on pop radio in America and made the top 100. Still, she's only 23, and has such promise still.

#126 - "When Am I Gonna Lose You" by Local Natives
            from the album Violet Street (2019)
            Highest rank: #30
            Weeks on the chart: 18

L.A. indie-rock band spins a dreamworld of emotion on their breakthrough single. It's delivered with a stellar performance from Kate Mara in their music video, bringing a sense of fear to suburban ennui.

#125 - "Can't Help Me Now" by Rob Thomas
            from the album Chip Tooth Smile (2019) 
            Highest rank: #32 
            Weeks on the chart: 14

The on/off leader of Matchbox Twenty is still putting out good tunes, but radio has moved a bit on since the "Lonely No More" days. Still, two top-20 adult-pop hits has him still in the game.

#124 - "Memories" by Maroon 5
            from the album TBA (2020)
            Highest rank: #6
            Weeks on the chart: 10 (still charting)

Adam may have phoned it in on this Pachobel-cribbing love song, but he lucked out in a particularly soft period on the chart, and it is a welcome break from the electro-pop posing his "band" has been offering.

#123 - "Go Slow" by Gorgon City and Kaskade featuring Roméo
            from the EP Redux 003 (Kaskade, 2019)
            Highest rank: #15
            Weeks on the chart: 12

British neo-house duo get a major assist from American trance pioneer Kaskade on this club banger that was Billboard's top Dance Club Play hit from the year.

#122 - "Southbound" by Carrie Underwood
            from the album Cry Pretty (2018)
            Highest rank: #18
            Weeks on the chart: 14

Let's be frank - Carrie should have damn well won the Entertainer of the Year at the last ACM Awards. Her concert was not only a technical wonder, but her vocal performance is nothing short of stunning and her willingness to share the spotlight with two all-female supporting acts should have pinned it down (sorry, Garth, not sorry). And she even tried the fun route here (Carrie doing cornhole!) but couldn't land a #1 hit? I smell shenanigans!

#121 - "Lose It" by Kane Brown
            from the album Experiment (2018)
            Highest rank (in 2019): #3 (also hit #3 in 2018)
            Weeks on the chart (in 2019): 10 (was on for 12 weeks in 2018)

The biggest victim of "chart year" placing, as this song "peaked" in the spot between 2018 and 2019 that caused it to miss the year-end both years (if all its "points" were in 2019, it would've placed in the top-40). The bridge to the chorus is the best thing about this lead single from his second album, but not its only asset.

#120 - "Living" by Dierks Bentley
            from the album The Mountain (2018)
            Highest rank: #30
            Weeks on the chart (in 2019): 18

Yeah, it's a list song, but the medicine is delivered smoothly with Dierks smooth sandpapery vocals with an inspirational message.

#119 - "Bury A Friend" by Billie Eilish
            from the album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019)
            Highest rank: #7 
            Weeks on the chart: 12

Personally, this is my Eilish track of the year, though it took the acceptance of this to bring on the more immediate and lasting success of "Bad Guy". This still gives me goosebumps, and I don't know the exact reason, or it's a combo of her age, her Mila Kunis-esque deadpan reading of her lyrics, or the imagery of the music video. In the end, if she wins Album of the Year, it's because of this.

#118 - "On My Way To You" by Cody Johnson
            from the album Ain't Nothin' To It (2019)
            Highest rank: #28
            Weeks on the chart: 15

The star of the "Texas Country" subgenre finally hits the mainstream, or rather Nashville has contorted so far east that this slice of heaven is as close to "real country" as we get these days, especially from young male singers.

#117 - "Superposition" by Young The Giant
            from the album Mirror Master (2018)
            Highest rank: #15
            Weeks on the chart: 13

The ethnically diverse alternative rock band returns with their finest dream-rock since "Cough Syrup".

#116 - "Father Of All..." by Green Day
            from the album Father Of All Motherfuckers (2020)
            Highest rank: #2
            Weeks on the chart: 11

I was a little shocked by the quick burn of the guitar rager that has been their most accessible and even danceable single in a while. Maybe since it didn't sound like Green Day hurt. Still, can't wait for the new album.

#115 - "One That Got Away" by Michael Ray
            from the album Amos (2018)
            Highest rank: #20
            Weeks on the chart: 14

Criminally handsome Ray scores a hit by pretending to be the "boyfriend country" type but really being the "bro-country" type. Still, this affable mid-tempo song about a hard to catch girl is entertaining as long as you pass off the lyrics.

#114 - "Broken and Beautiful" by Kelly Clarkson
            from the album Ugly Dolls (Original Soundtrack) (2019)
            Highest rank: #15
            Weeks on the chart: 14

Kelly singing a Pink co-write seems a natural, and it was. Even Marshmello toned down his production on this self-empowerment anthem most people didn't hear because the film it came from tanked at the box office.

#113 - "So Close" by NOTD and Felix Jaehn featuring Captain Cuts and Georgia Ku
           from the single (2018)
           Highest rank: #25
           Weeks on the chart: 14

     Six people from four countries came together to make this record, which hides a breakup lyric with a bouncy club jam tailor-made for car radio volume buttons.

#112 - "Longshot" by Catfish and the Bottlemen
            from the album The Balance (2019)
            Highest rank: #10 
            Weeks on the chart: 14

The alternative rockers from the north of Wales return with their first album to score a pair of top ten rock hits, including this one.

#111 - "Rearview Town" by Jason Aldean
            from the album Rearview Town (2018)
            Highest rank: #30
            Weeks on the chart: 16

Title track from the bro-country king's eight album (and fourth to top the albums chart) is a minor-key gem that anticipated Shelton's "God's Country".

#110 - "Night Shift" by Jon Pardi
            from the album California Sunrise (2016)
            Highest rank: #25
            Weeks on the chart: 16

Meanwhile, the champion of tradition (-ish) country, Pardi was still working singles from his 3 year old album at the start of the year, with this rare fifth single scoring a big radio hit.

#109 - "Sunflower" by Post Malone and Swae Lee
            from the album Spider-man: Into The Spider-verse (2018)
            Highest rank: #13
            Weeks on the chart: 15

Somebody remind me to watch this movie. Oh, and the song is pretty cool, too.

#108 - "Good Vibes" by Chris Janson
            from the album Real Friends (2019)
            Highest rank: #22
            Weeks on the chart (in 2019): 14 (still charting)

A good-time country song with no other pretenses. Like Maroon 5, came in a really soft time on the charts.

#107 - "We Were" by Keith Urban
            from the album TBA (2020)
            Highest rank (in 2019): #14
            Weeks on the chart (in 2019): 15 (still charting)
   

I'm a bit concerned about the current trajectory of Urban's music. First, there still isn't word of when a new album will be released. Second, a "remix" featuring the song's co-writer Eric Church was released after the song had peaked on the radio. Third, simply, Keith is 52, and in country singer years that's like seven over death, and I'm just afraid that he will be "McGrawed", where despite a couple of top-20 country hits he'll be held in limbo.

#106 - "My Blood" by twenty-one pilots
            from the album Trench (2018)
            Highest rank: #8 
            Weeks on the chart (in 2019): 10 (was on for eight weeks in 2018)
           

The alt-rock duo's latest album, Trench has spun off four singles that went to either #1 or #2 on the Alternative Radio chart, but somehow mainstream radio hasn't shown the same love. Pity, as this album is a big evolution and is much more lyrically rewarding.

#105 - "Love Someone" by Brett Eldredge
            from the album Brett Eldredge (2017)
            Highest rank: #13
            Weeks on the chart: 14

That doggo tho.

#104 - "The Hype" by twenty-one pilots
            from the album Trench (2018)
            Highest rank (in 2019): #3 (still there for 2020)
            Weeks on the chart (in 2019): 13 (still charting)

The fourth big rock hit from Trench also got stuck in between "chart years", but did almost claim a top-100 spot with this treatise on fame.

#103 - "Every Little Thing" by Russell Dickerson
            from the album Yours (2017)
            Highest rank: #12
            Weeks on the chart (in 2019): 13 (still charting)

Smooth crossover country with even a little bit of Asian touches make this third single from Dickerson stand out.

#102 - "SOS" by Avicii featuring Aloe Blacc
            from the album Tim (2019)
            Highest rank: #14
            Weeks on the chart: 13

Tim Bergling took his life last year, and the dance music community has not recovered from the loss. Avicii's ability to fuse rave-style dance music with the heart of folk and country music hasn't been done better, and this repeat performance from singer Blacc shows just what we will be missing.

#101 - "S.O.S. (Sawed Off Shotgun)" by Glorious Sons
            from the album Young Beauties and Fools (2017)
            Highest rank: #12
            Weeks on the chart: 14 (was on for one week in 2018)

I think this Canadian hard rock outfit had come up with the state anthem for Florida. "I lost my job and you got me hooked on Oxycodone." Nothing more needs to be said of this insanely, and I mean insanely catchy and comic number.

I'll be back to bring out the last ten songs on my recap. Who will reign supreme? Find out tomorrow.