This List is RANK: 5 Songs That Should've Fared Better in The U.S.

(Bigger is better here as I'm increasing font size from now on and I have a new name for the blog; chances are you're looking at it now.)

The U.S. Market is a tough thing to break into. More oft then not, songs and artists who don't deserve success (Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj, Sam Smith and anyone else I've hated over the past 10 years) prosper. The following songs were screwed out of proper U.S. success...(by which I mean Hot 100 success; niche charts be damned.)


5. "Fuck U Betta" by Neon Hitch
Fun Fact: she's the chick who sang "Get Your Ass Back Home" for Gym Class Heroes. Even MORE Fun Fact: she's trying her hand at a solo career whose album is yet to be determined of corporeal status.
Point is, this non-album single should have been a starting point for her career; just as doofy as other songs lyrically and more importantly just as catchy as any other song that has found success.

Chart peaks: #1 on the Dance chart and #29 on the Mainstream Top 40

Could've been: A Top 10 on the Hot 100.






4. "4th of July (Fireworks)" by Kelis
Any of Kelis' songs from her 5th effort Flesh Tone could've had her attain U.S. success with EDM or EDM adjacent like genres coming into mainstream acceptance. Personally, "4th of July (Fireworks)" is one of the best singles in recorded history. Sadly, Will.i.am Music Group [boutique label under Interscope Records who answers to Universal Records] couldn't promote this song properly and attained minimal success in the U.S.

Chart peak: #4 on the Dance Chart

Could've been: A Top 5 on the Hot 100






3. "Pretty Hurts" by Beyoncé
Let's clarify something now; Beyoncé is a fantastic singer, live performer and one of the few acts in recorded music that deserves success. That being said, whoever determined the singles released and the order in which they should be released should be bitchslapped from here to kingdom come.
"XO" is further proof Ryan Tedder's songwriting is generally poor; "Drunk in Love" is popular due to people trying to piece together what the hell "surfboardt" means; "Partition" while decent could've been released on radio without the "Yoncé" interlude.
Enter "Pretty Hurts"; a song considered to be her most personal effort with help from Sia [the one who wrote "Diamonds" for Rihanna (And is also the blonde who can't bear to look at an audience whilst performing a song.)] Sadly, this song never caught on in the U.S. Hot 100 & that hurts like hell.

Chart peaks: #1 on the Dance chart, #33 on the Rhythmic chart and #36 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart

Could've been: A Top 5 or Top 10 on the Hot 100





2. "Q.U.E.E.N." by Janelle Monaé ft. Erykah Badu
This served as the lead single of of Monaé's latest effort The Electric Lady. It also served as the most wonderful and kickass Charlie's Angels theme sampling song ever. Eccentric, electric and percussive beats lay over some of the most gorgeously histrionic and theatrical singing in music. Sadly, this may have been too "weird" for mass consumption as it failed to make the Hot 100.

Chart peak: #47 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart

Could've been: A Top 3 single (if stations had the balls to play this song)





1. "1991", "Liquorice", "Van Vogue", "Jumanji", "Fantasea", "Count Contessa", "Atlantis", "Luxury", "Yung Rapunxel", "Heavy Metal and Reflective"...really any damn song by Azealia Banks
Interscope Records was lucky enough to have Azealia on their label. Yet for reasons outside of social media beefs, they never serviced her singles in the U.S. I can't figure it out either.