The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 1: #201-#181
This was the decade that brought back the single. Not that it ever fully went away, as radio still played the promotional ones and video outlets the filmed ones. But actual commercial singles had gone...
View ArticleThe 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 2: #180-#161
The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 2: #180-#161 #180 “These Days” Rascal Flatts 2002 Peak: #1 It’s the pairing of aching nostalgia and all the power that comes with a Flatts country-pop...
View ArticleThe 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 3: #160-#141
The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 3: #160-#141 #160 “Last Call” Lee Ann Womack 2008 Peak: #14 Womack’s second-best Aughts song about late-night temptations is still better than a lot of...
View ArticleThe 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 4: #140-#121
The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 4: #140-#121 #140 “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” Bon Jovi featuring Jennifer Nettles 2005 Peak: #1 Packed as country music has been lately with rocked-up...
View ArticleThe 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 5: #120-#101
The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 5: #120-#101 #120 “Tonight I Wanna Cry” Keith Urban 2005 Peak: #2 A chillingly frank portrait of loneliness, awkward reference to “All By Myself”...
View ArticleThe 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 6: #100-81
The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 6: #100-81 #100 “Restless” Alison Krauss & Union Station 2004 Peak: #36 A shimmering moment of infatuation chased with unease. Krauss is entangled in...
View ArticleThe 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 7: #80-#61
The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 7: #80-#61 #80 “When Somebody Loves You” Alan Jackson 2001 Peak: #5 A treasure of a love song. Contrasted stunningly with modest accompaniment and vocals,...
View ArticleThe 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 8: #60-#41
The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 8: #60-#41 #60 “Long Trip Alone” Dierks Bentley 2006 Peak: #10 In a perfect world, this would be this decade’s wedding standard. – Kevin Coyne #59 “Your...
View ArticleThe 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 9: #40-#21
The 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Part 9: #40-#21 #40 “This Is Me You’re Talking To” Trisha Yearwood 2008 Peak: #25 Flawless. Proof positive that the nineties formula at its best is better than...
View ArticleThe 201 Greatest Singles of the Decade, Conclusion: #20-#1
#20 “Not Ready to Make Nice” Dixie Chicks 2006 Peak: #36 It’s easy to label this as a transitory response of a song, whose quality is stamped by context and time, but to do so is to undermine its...
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