WBKR » Shoulda Been a Hit

Shoulda Been a Hit: Scotty McCreery's "Water Tower Town" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 13:00:48 +0000

If you know me, you will likely be surprised by this. My close friends know the extent to which I cringed and coiled in horror when Scotty McCreery won the 10th season of American Idol. To say that I was not a fan is being polite. Trust me. I was NO fan. But, after seeing Scotty's hilarious Harlem Shake video this week I was reminded of his song "Water Tower Town." Yes! Even this former "hater" actually liked a song of his. And I really believe . . . it SHOULDA been a hit!

Shoulda Been a Hit: Catherine Britt & Elton John's "Where We Both Say Goodbye" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 13:00:26 +0000

What do you get when you cross one country-singing Australian beauty and a pop/rock music legend? Well, on paper, you should get a smash duet. And Dave Spencer and I, back in 2005, were both convinced that "Where We Both Say Goodbye" was going to be just that. Catherine Britt was having chart success back home in the Land Down Under and, with her move to Nashville, she was primed for a run at the U.S. charts. Armed with the legendary pipes of Elton John and what seemed to be the right song, Britt seemed poised to break onto the scene in a big way. Only it didn't happen . . . at all.

Shoulda Been a Hit: Martina McBride "This Uncivil War" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 12:00:38 +0000

Typically when I choose a song for my Shoulda Been a Hit column, I pick a song that actually had a chance at becoming one. But, for the first time in the history of this feature, I am choosing a song that was never officially released as a single. Martina McBride churned 4 big hits off her 1999 release Emotion. The lead-off single "I Love You" reached #1 on the Billboard Country Chart. It was a HUGE hit. So was the follow-up, "Love's the Only House," which peaked at #3. "There You Are" reached the 10 spot and "It's My Time" peaked at #11. But, if you ask me, Emotion contained a little hidden gem that had all the makings of a McBride chartbuster. LISTEN!

Shoulda Been a Hit: Eric Church's "How Bout You" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 17:51:57 +0000

Now it's hard to imagine a time when Eric Church wasn't having hits. But, in the beginning of his career, he struggled . . . really struggled . . . to reach the Top 10. Truly, I thought (and Dave Spencer thought as well) that Eric was destined for greatness way back in 2006 when he released his first single, "How Bout You." While its showing was respectable, the song fell short of expectations and reached #14 on the Billboard Country Chart. However, I thought then . . . and still think to this day . . . it SHOULDA been a hit! Check out this live version.

Shoulda Been a Hit: Rebecca Lynn Howard's "I Don't Paint Myself Into Corners" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:00:52 +0000

Devoted Trisha Yearwood fans will remember this song. In 2002, Trisha featured "I Don't Paint Myself into Corners" on her CD Inside Out. She even released it, but it failed make much of an impact. Her version stalled out at #47 on the Billboard Country Music Charts. While that may not seem impressive at all, it actually fared better than the original version written and recorded by Rebecca Lynn Howard. It was the 3rd release off Rebecca's debut CD and served as a showcase for Rebecca's vocal acrobatics. This gal could write and she most definitely could sing. But none of the singles on her debut CD took and this one was most disappointing. "I Don't Paint Myself into Corners" stalled at #71 on the charts. Take a listen and you'll agree . . . it SHOULDA been a hit!

Shoulda Been a Hit: Chuck Wicks' "All I Ever Wanted" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 13:00:23 +0000

Monica, WBKR's Twitter gal, is obsessed with Chuck Wicks. Wicks, who was featured on ABC's failed reality show Nashville, which was on the air for just two episodes in 2007, first landed on the chart in the same year. His ballad "Stealing Cinderella" melted hearts (like Monica's) and the song, consequently, roared into the Top Ten as Wicks' debut single. It peaked at an impressive #5 on the Billboard Country Charts. The follow up, "All I Ever Wanted," was expected to hit as well. Only, that didn't happen.

Shoulda Been a Hit: Brooks & Dunn's "Indian Summer" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 11:00:02 +0000

I couldn't really have picked any better timing for this installment of Shoulda Been a Hit. It's December and we have had highs in the 60's nearly all week long. We are truly experiencing an Indian Summer here in the tri-state and that got me thinking about one of my favorite Brooks and Dunn hits. Yep! "Indian Summer." You guys are quick. It's hard to believe, but this song was the duo's second-to-last chart single. And, back in 2009, it stalled at a mere #16 on the Billboard Country Chart. But, truly, it should have been a hit.

Shoulda Been a Hit: Jennifer Day's "The Fun of Your Love" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 06:00:47 +0000

You've heard the expression about "going down with the ship?" Jennifer Day's debut single, "The Fun of Your Love" is the prime example. At the age of 20, Jennifer was signed to BNA Records and released her debut CD. And the label managed to get her lead-off single on the soundtrack of a major motion picture that was expected to be a major hit. Kevin Costner had already starred in a couple of blockbusters about baseball, Bull Durham and Field of Dreams. And his film, For the Love of the Game, was expected to be a huge smash too. Only it wasn't. It balked. Bad. And pretty much everything associated with the movie sat on the bench.

Shoulda Been a Hit: Patty Loveless' "The Last Thing on My Mind" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 11:00:48 +0000

I have been writing my Shoulda Been a Hit column for months now and I suppose it was just a matter of time before this gal showed up in it. I am a huge Patty Loveless fan. My counterpart in afternoon drive, Dave Spencer, is one too. In fact, we both firmly believe she is one of country music's most under-appreciated artists. And 2000's "The Last Thing on My Mind," for me, is one of her most under-appreciated songs. Remember this?

Shoulda Been a Hit: Bradley Gaskin's "Mr. Bartender" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:24:33 +0000

It's about that time again. When Dave Spencer, Jaclyn and I look back over the last 12 months and choose our favorite songs of the year. In 2011, #9 on my list was Bradley Gaskin's country throwback, "Mr. Bartender." It seems to me that country music fans long (and, at the time, were longing) for that brand of "old-school" country. We hear it all the time here on WBKR. Our listeners tell us that country "just ain't country" anymore. But THIS song was pure country and I thought for sure it was going to be a hit. Instead, it was a biscuit without a lick of gravy.

Shoulda Been a Hit: Emily West's "Blue Sky" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 11:00:17 +0000

I first met Emily West in Memphis. Barb Birgy and I were there for our annual St. Jude conference and Emily happened to be at the same restaurant where we were eating. My friends and I always have a good time wherever we go and that night was no exception. We were acting like we were on high school dates and taking faux prom pictures. Emily noticed how zany we were and came over to the table. She said, "I want to sit with you guys. You all are fun!" Well, so is she. And, I didn't know this at the time, but she can REALLY sing and was about to let those vocals fly on her 2010 release, "Blue Sky."

Shoulda Been a Hit: Emerson Drive's "You Still Own Me" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 03:00:07 +0000

This song was supposed to be a hit. Between 2005 and 2008, there were multiple versions of "You Still Own Me" by multiple country artists. Ty Herndon recorded a version that went nowhere. John Berry had a version that went, well, nowhere. At least Emerson Drive managed to take "You Still Own Me" somewhere. But the song still fell short of their (and everyone else's expectations). This song sounded like a hit to just about everyone on Music Row. So, why wasn't it?

Shoulda Been a Hit: Julie Roberts "Men & Mascara" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 05:00:54 +0000

You could argue that I should have chosen Julie Roberts debut single, “Break Down Here,” for this column. While that song put Roberts on the country music map, it topped out at mile marker #18 on the country charts. Loved that song. But I loved this one more. “Men & Mascara” was the lead off [...]

Shoulda Been a Hit: Tammy Cochran's "What Kind of Woman Would I Be"

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 03:00:51 +0000

I have been writing this column for months now at WBKR.com and I believe that THIS is a first. Typically, when I discuss a song that shoulda been a hit, it at least came close. All my selections to date have charted on the Billboard Country Chart. They just haven't charted high enough to be considered a hit. This week's song didn't chart AT ALL! And, the fact that "What Kind of Woman Would I Be" was a big chart miss for Tammy Cochran, I think it ultimately contributed to her relative disappearance from the country conversation. In my opinion, it SHOULD have had the opposite effect.

Shoulda Been a Hit: Blake Shelton's "All Over Me" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 03:00:51 +0000

This is one of those songs. And by "one of those songs" I mean a tune that would be a HUGE hit if it was released right now. But, the funny thing with a song like Blake Shelton's "All Over Me" is that it was released before Blake was a bona fide country music superstar. That said, his very first single, "Austin" landed at number one on the Billboard Country chart. But his follow-up . . . this song . . . didn't do well at all. Remember this??

Should Been a Hit: Tim McGraw's "Drugs or Jesus" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 03:00:24 +0000

I don't get it. That's pretty much the common thread in this column every week, right? To me, there are songs that SHOULD have been hits that weren't. And, sometimes, they belong to artists who ALWAYS have hit songs. In those instances it's even more difficult to imagine a song NOT cracking the Top Ten. Take, for instance, "Drugs or Jesus" by Tim McGraw. At the time of its release, Tim had struck gold with his CD Live Like You Were Dying and was coming off 4 consecutive #1's. This song, by design, should have had enough momentum to at least crack the Top Ten. But, it didn't. In fact, for whatever reason . . . the possibly off-putting title, the heavy subject matter . . . it stalled out in the teens. But, I think "Drugs or Jesus" SHOULDA BEEN A HIT! Listen!

Shoulda Been a Hit: Garth's "When You Come Back To Me Again"

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 03:00:15 +0000

This week's Shoulda Been a Hit column is going to look a little different. Normally, I include the official video for the song that I choose, but, given Garth's disdain for YouTube and ITunes, that's just not going to happen. And, now, I know what you're thinking . . . "Garth Brooks had a song that wasn't a hit?" He sure did. It was "When You Come Back to Me Again," which peaked at a disappointing #21 on the Billboard Country Chart. How on Earth was that possible? The song had everything going for it.

Shoulda Been a Hit: Chely Wright's "She Went Out for Cigarettes" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 03:00:26 +0000

Did you know that Chely Wright only had one top ten hit in her career? It's true. She reached #1 in 1999 with the huge smash "Single White Female," but didn't have another song to break the Top Ten on the Billboard charts. I suppose, because of that fact, I could easily have written about "Shut Up and Drive" in this week's Should Been a Hit column. After all, that's one of my favorite country songs . . . EVER. But, instead, I'm choosing "She Went Out for Cigarettes." And here's why . . .

Shoulda Been a Hit: Mindy McCready's "You'll Never Know" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 03:00:09 +0000

Mindy McCready. In a hot tub. Riding a snowmobile. Building a snowman. Flirting with her real-life boyfriend at the time, Dean Cain. And this wasn't a hit? WHAT??? In 1996, Mindy McCready just sprinted out the blocks and recording studio to race straight up the Billboard country chart. Her first single, "Ten Thousand Angels," peaked at #6. Her follow-up, "Guys Do it All the Time," was a monster and hit the very top of the charts. But that success didn't last long and, by 1998, Mindy was struggling. Her sophomore CD, If I Don't Stay the Night, was primed to deliver more Top Ten hits . . . only it didn't. And this song, the Kim Richey-penned "You'll Never Know," finally ran out of steam at #19. It was the last time that Mindy McCready would crack the Top 20. But, if you ask me, it SHOULDA BEEN A HIT! Listen!

Shoulda Been a Hit: Trisha's "Where Are You Now" [Video]

Chadwick Benefield — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 03:00:55 +0000

On Project Runway each week, Heidi Klum says that, in the world of fashion, "One day you're in. The next day, you're out." The same thing can actually be said of country music. Just ask 90's country superstar Trisha Yearwood, who totally ran out of chart steam as she headed into the year 2000. Yep. even Trisha Yearwood fell out of favor with country radio!! In 1991, she came out of the gates fast with the #1 hit "She's in Love with the Boy." And Trisha followed that up BIG TIME with even more #1 hits and a total of 18 Top Tens through 1999. But, then, the streak came crashing to a halt. And, in 2000, she released "Where Are You Now" and it didn't even come close the Top Ten . . . or Top 20 . . . or 30 . . . or even Top 40!! How is that possible? Because this song . . . SHOULDA BEEN A HIT! Listen!