Most of the time, the best song on a record becomes the highest-selling single from that respective record. Whether it’s pop, rap, or rock, the best song usually gets the most attention. However, sometimes, the best song on an album really doesn’t get the attention it should have.
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As always, this list is a matter of personal opinion. If you love the best-selling songs from the records I’m about to dive into, rest assured that I love them as well. I just wish the more underrated gems got the love they deserved!
“Helena” from ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ by My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance’s sophomore emo record, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, is one of the most memorable releases of the 2000s, especially for millennial kids. One of several singles from the record, “Helena”, was the biggest hit to come out of the album. That single peaked at No. 33 in the US.
However, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge boasts so many amazing tracks that rival “Helena”. I certainly get why people loved that song, but tracks like “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” and “Cemetery Drive” deserve more credit for being the best on that album.
“Toxic” from ‘In The Zone’ by Britney Spears
Few millennials out there didn’t own In The Zone by Britney Spears at one point. This 2003 album isn’t necessarily the pop queen’s best, but it was a successful effort that produced quite a few hit singles. The most successful single from this album is the memorable tune “Toxic”, which peaked at No. 9 in the US. Other singles from the record, like “Outrageous”, “Me Against The Music”, and “Everytime” didn’t get quite as close.
That’s a shame, because while I understand how good a song “Toxic” is, “Everytime” is the best ballad Spears has ever produced. It’s the best song on the album, in my opinion.
“Kids” from ‘Oracular Spectacular’ by MGMT
This song was absolutely everywhere in 2008. “Kids” was the highest-charting and most successful song to come out of MGMT’s famed album Oracular Spectacular. It was their only song to chart in the US, and it beat out the other singles from the album to peak at No. 16 in the UK. Likewise, “Electric Feel” was similarly commercially successful, though it didn’t chart as well as “Kids”.
My beef with that is the fact that “Of Moons, Birds & Monsters” is by far the best song on the album. And it didn’t even get released as a single. What gives?!
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