More Favorite Songs of 2018

I recently listed my Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2018. Just for clarification let me explain that those songs all had to meet the eligibility for that list by reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 during 2018. I happen to be one of those people that believes that "It's not a hit until it's a hit on Billboard". Just in case you don't know, in order to reach the top of the Billboard HOT 100, a song must get the most sales, streams and radio airplay for any given week.

There were lots of other songs that I loved in 2018 that failed to make the top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart. Here's a list of some of my other favorites in 2018. One thing that I can say about all of these songs is that it's a shame it didn't get more sales and airplay to do better on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart.

In the ideal world, great songs from Country, Pop, Dance and R and B would all find their way to the upper positions of the Billboard HOT 100.

Love Wins - Carrie Underwood gave us an anthem with a message perfect for 2018 and for every year moving forward. Let's walk hand in hand. We are made to be here for each other. #LoveWins #StrongerTogether   

High Horse - Kacey Musgraves has already won the Album of the Year for Golden Hour at the CMA Country Music Association Awards and now she is up for Album of the Year at the Recording Academy / GRAMMYs too. High Horse is just one example of why it is getting so much acclaim.   

Diane - Cam is a real find as one of the Next Women of Country. This is exactly what we are talking about when we ask why isn't country radio playing female artists. Great songs like Diane are getting overlooked.

Make A Little - Midland: Thank goodness for Midland and the amazing country music they are giving us. And you gotta love their outfits!!!  

Most People Are Good - Luke Bryan became a very entertaining judge on American Idol this year as well as maintaining his status as the leading hitmaking country superstar with songs like Most People Are Good. 

Love Someone - Brett Eldredge not only served his fans this great song for two stepping, but this video also showcases why both he and his dog, Edgar Boogie, or both social media superstars.

Done For Me - Charlie Puth has been on a roll for the past few years delivering the best in pop music and he continued the streak in 2018 with Done For Me.

You Make It Easy - Jason Aldean delivered a true work of art with beautiful and romantic waltz. The story in the wonderful three episode video series hits all the right emotional buttons.

Burning Man - The combination of Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne on Burning Man is absolute FIRE!!! 

Lose It - Kane Brown with his hot country pop jam Lose It. He was the hottest this to happen in country music this year and this song exemplifies all the heat and energy he generated. 

The Top 6 - Queen

The Top 6 finalists will take on the classic music of rock super group Queen tonight.

 Bohemian Rhapsody was a huge hit for Queen not just once but twice. The first time around it peaked at #9 in 1976, but after it was used in the movie Wayne's World it went all the way up to #2 in 1992. The song is a vocal roller coaster that allowed for Jessica Sanchez to rise to the challenge and take us on a wild ride. She was able to display her range and versatility by veering away from her usual R&B ballad style and completely embody the role of rocker chick.

Country girl Skylar Laine made a sincere effort to get out of her comfort zone and try something different with her performance of The Show Must Go On. The production was grand, hard rocking and over the top, but there were times in the song when the strength of her voice couldn't keep up with the drama in the song.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love spent 4 weeks at #1 on the Billboard HOT 100 in 1980. Joshua Ledet used this fun and bouncy rockabilly number to completely take over the stage and own it. But to be honest, the song was better than the singer.

It is quite likely that Elise Testone is thrilled to have this opportunity to sing I Want It All as she perceives herself as a true classic rocker. The problem is that all the hard rock energy in the world isn't going to make up for her limited vocal range. Every note she tries to sing is forced and strained. 

The song Fat Bottomed Girls that hit #24 in 1978 displayed the refreshing sense of humor and entertaining style that Queen brought to the pop music scene. Phillip Phillips took this playful anthem and dragged it down to an unpleasant level where he seemed much more angry than festive. This guy has no range at all.

Hollie Cavanagh just makes it look so easy. She performed the 1980 song Save Me with a powerful and passionate vocal range that put all the others to shame. This very sweet and attractive young woman knows how to sing and leaves us wanting to hear more.

Dance With My Father was a Grammy winning Song of the Year for Luther Vandross in 2003. This could be an even bigger huge smash with the outstanding vocals of Jessica Sanchez. She did an amazing job and told the heartfelt story in the lyrics with genuine grace and beauty.

Jason Aldean has been riding high at the top of the Country charts for the past two years singing hits like Tattoos On This Town. Skylar Laine played it safe with this selection. She's good, but she seems to be coasting in her comfort zone.

Joshua Ledet showed some unexpected restraint on his rendition of Ready For Love by India Arie. It was nice to see he can put the screaming aside and give the audience something different. It was an emotional interpretation of the song.  

Jimi Hendrix is an iconic guitar legend, but he's not known for his iconic vocals. Elise is purposefully positioning herself as a thing of the past with this performance of Bold As Love. There was nothing here to convey that she is interested in being a current artist on the scene.

Phillip Phillips is stuck in his limited rut of serving up more of the same. This time it was a dreary reading of a Dave Matthews song and it was completely forgettable.

Miley Cyrus is one of the hottest teen stars around having a #4 hit in 2009 with The Climb. It's an inspirational ballad that was improved exponentially with the impressive vocals of Hollie Cavanagh. She looks stunning standing center stage and then she opens her mouth and the voice comes out that is sweet, crystal clear, and pure pleasure for your ears.

If the voting goes the way it should, there are three very good singers who should easily be safely coming back next week: Hollie, Jessica and Skylar. With that being stated, my prediction for the bottom three is Phillip, Elise and Joshua. That fact is that Elise did nothing this week to change my opinion that she should be the one going home. 



 

The Top 7 - Recent Hits

The Top 7 finalists can perform any song tonight that was recently released from 2010 to the present:

Skylar Laine stayed true to her down home country girl roots by singing Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You that the Season 5 Miss American Idol finalist Kellie Pickler had a hit with. She played guitar and belted out some very big notes very well.

Colton Dixon sat at the piano and delivered a heartfelt and dreamy rendition of I Love The Way You Lie. He showed off his impressive vocal range and unique style and personality. It was sweet and yet incredibly powerful at the same time.

Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye is currently in the Top 5 on the Billboard HOT 100. It's a very powerful song and it showcased Elise at her best, while Phillip just dragged it down with his awkward floundering. For someone who is so full of himself, Phillip didn't seem very confident on stage with this one.

Jessica Sanchez has the confidence to tackle any style of music successfully. She performed the Jazmine Sullivan song Stuttering with outstanding control and perfection. She is ready to be an award winning, top selling professional.

Bruno Mars tore the roof off the place when he performed Runaway Baby at the Grammy Awards this year. Joshua Ledet did the same thing with his electric and dynamic rendition of this uptempo jam. The vocals tonight were his best yet.

Don't You Wanna Stay by Jason Aldean and the Season 1 Miss American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, has been one of the biggest hits ever for well over a year. Colton once again showed off more of his diversity with his vocal stylings while Skylar was right in her comfort zone.

Pink hit the top 5 last year with Perfect and Hollie Cavanagh took it up 200% to even better than perfect. Hollie looked perfectly lovely and sounded perfectly amazing. She has an effortless vocal range that far surpasses anything that Pink could ever dream about doing.

Phillip Phillips just doesn't have what it takes to do justice to the Grammy Award winning, number one hit making group Maroon 5. He looked very uncomfortable on stage with his eyes leering in strange directions and sounding angry, but still very lackluster.

Stronger by the Season 1 Miss American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, recently spent three weeks on top of the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart. Hollie, Joshua and Jessica sounded wonderful as they were throwing this anthem down. It was a serious mixing together of some great voices.

Elise was back where she belongs with her version of Lady Gaga's You And I. While it was more in her element, her vocals still sounded strained and forced.

I predict that this week Elise will be joined in the bottom three with Skylar and Phillip. I think all three of them have reached their peak and have no where else to go but down. It looks like Elise will be going home.

The Results - Movie Music

This year's Miss American Idol Sweethearts, Scotty and Lauren, opened the show with a very bland performance of American Honey that made us long for the original version by Lady Antebellum. Then Haley and Casey moaned and groaned their way through a sloppy mess of something verging on jazz, except that it wasn't any good. It was revealed afterward that Scotty, Lauren and Casey are all safe, while Haley had to take the first seat in the bottom three.

The Season 1 Miss American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, has enjoyed some fantastic success including platinum sales, #1 hits and some Grammy wins. She is showing some lasting staying power as she is still having hits after all these years. She returned to the Idol stage to perform her current hit, Don't You Wanna Stay, with country star Jason Aldean. This wonderful love song has slowly been getting bigger and bigger every week and now with this high profile exposure it is sure to get a significant bump on the charts.

The remaining boys, James, Stefano, Jacob and Paul, got together to perform a medley of Simon and Garfunkel #1 hits: The Sounds of Silence and Mrs. Robinson. While James and Jacob were both safe, Stefano and Paul had to go join Haley in the bottom three.

The biggest superstar hit maker over the past five years is without argument Rihanna. She has had a string of too many #1 hits to list all of them. She has already hit the top with the first two singles (What's My Name and Only Girl In The World) from her latest album, Loud. While her third single, S&M, is on the verge of doing the same thing, she came to the American Idol stage and decided to perform her fourth single rather than giving S&M the push. Honestly, everything she touches becomes a hit whether she promotes it or not so she might as well debut the fourth single.

Haley and Stefano were announced as safe so that left Paul McDonald to be the first boy to be eliminated from the top 13. He performed his quirky version of Maggie May one last time.

This week I correctly predicted that both Haley and Paul would be in the bottom three. At this point it's all just part of the joke for me to predict that Haley will be the one going home because we all know that she is going to win the whole thing anyway.