It’s that time again, for another annual countdown for my Top 20 songs that turn 30 years old this year, 2021. Starting on April 1 I will begin to countdown a song each day until my birthday on April 20 when I announce the #1 30-year old song. I’ve mentioned this in prior intro posts, but to quickly reiterate, this is the criteria of how I determine my lists:
– No covers or re-releases of tunes. The song had to be released originally, and in the US, during this countdown year. So, that means even though Power of Love/Love Power is one of my favorite Luther Vandross songs, it was released together and Love Power was originally released in 1968 by The Sandpebbles. Likewise, Everybody Plays the Fool by Aaron Neville was a big hit, but will not make this countdown as it was originally released by The Main Ingredient in 1972.
– A song qualifies for the countdown if it was released as a single in the countdown year, even if it appears on an album released the year before or before that. However, for a deep cut (a non-single release track) to be considered, the album would have to be released in the countdown year.
-The song’s placement in the countdown is determined by its long term cultural and musical impact, as well as personal impact (hey, it’s my countdown), not just if it was Billboard’s biggest song. Some songs on this countdown you may hate, like my wife does, but they made a big enough overall impact to make it here in my opinion and I liked them enough still to place them..
– Each song was listened to again prior to this countdown to verify its placement or not at all.
So, with that said, as we wait for April 1st, here are the list of songs that were considered, but did not make the countdown, including five (marked by *) that almost made it:
Alice In Chains – Man in the Box
Amy Grant – Every Heartbeat*
Amy Grant – That’s What Love is For
C&C Music Factory Here We Go
C&C Music Factory – Things That Make You Go Hmmm
Cece Peniston – Finally*
Color Me Badd – I wanna sex you up*
Color Me Badd – All 4 Love
Enya – Caribbean Blue
Genesis – I Can’t Dance
Genesis – No Son of Mine
Gloria Estefan – Coming Out of the Dark
Karyn White – Romantic
Lenny Kravitz – It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over*
Marc Cohn – Walking in Memphis
Mariah Carey – Emotions
MC Hammer – Too Legit to Quit
Metallica – The Unforgiven
Mr Big – To Be with You
Paula Abdul – Rush Rush
Paula Abdul – Promise of a New Day
Pearl Jam – Black
Prince – Gett Off
Prince – Diamonds and Pearls*
Queen – These are the Days of Our Lives
Queensryche – Silent Lucidity
REM – Losing My Religion*
Right Said Fred – I’m Too Sexy
Rod Stewart – The Motown Song
Roxette – Joyride
Scorpions – Winds of Change
Shanice – I Love Your Smile
Soundgarden – Outshined
Temple of the Dog – Hunger Strike
Tom Petty – Into the Great Wide Open
Wilson Phillips – You’re in Love
Yes – Lift Me Up
Amy Grant – Every Heartbeat*
Amy Grant – That’s What Love is For
C&C Music Factory Here We Go
C&C Music Factory – Things That Make You Go Hmmm
Cece Peniston – Finally*
Color Me Badd – I wanna sex you up*
Color Me Badd – All 4 Love
Enya – Caribbean Blue
Genesis – I Can’t Dance
Genesis – No Son of Mine
Gloria Estefan – Coming Out of the Dark
Karyn White – Romantic
Lenny Kravitz – It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over*
Marc Cohn – Walking in Memphis
Mariah Carey – Emotions
MC Hammer – Too Legit to Quit
Metallica – The Unforgiven
Mr Big – To Be with You
Paula Abdul – Rush Rush
Paula Abdul – Promise of a New Day
Pearl Jam – Black
Prince – Gett Off
Prince – Diamonds and Pearls*
Queen – These are the Days of Our Lives
Queensryche – Silent Lucidity
REM – Losing My Religion*
Right Said Fred – I’m Too Sexy
Rod Stewart – The Motown Song
Roxette – Joyride
Scorpions – Winds of Change
Shanice – I Love Your Smile
Soundgarden – Outshined
Temple of the Dog – Hunger Strike
Tom Petty – Into the Great Wide Open
Wilson Phillips – You’re in Love
Yes – Lift Me Up