Not That Kind of Rate: Anastacia | Finished

Resurrection - 9,5
~ An amazing track, and I'm so happy to see it as the highest rated non-single from this album, as well as the best performing bonus track of the rate. But it should've been at least 10 spots higher. The chorus is epic and her vocals are so powerful. Such a great melody. And that outro, whew! In my top 3 from "Resurrection" for sure and I don't know what they were thinking when excluding this one from the standard edition. What happened that this awesome title track was left out? A choice.
Now I'm pretty sure the rest of this album is safe until top 20.

Mr. Vain - 7,25
~ Yeah, the unconventional 11 pick. This is the only optional that received an 11, too. I'd score this higher if I enjoyed the original song more. I think this one did great for being a cover. It's definitely not an essential Anastacia song, but I very much apprectiate the effort and wouldn't call these covers unnecessary. Though it was time for this one to leave.

Reckless - 7,5
~ Wait, this is a cover? I had no idea about that! Though it appears the original version was released only weeks before Anastacia's. Anyways, I thought I gave this song a lower score for some reason, but I've been feelin' it, apparently. But, really, it's a fun and boppy song. The chorus could've been better, though.
Nice to see that "Evolution" has two out of my top 3 songs from it.
 
Stalemate - 6.5. My lowest score left and only one below 7. It is actually a good song but not something I would usually listen to, and as others have said Jamie's voice just isn't for me.

Another Night - 9.5. My highest score for the optional songs. It's one of my favourite 90's dance tracks and it's amazing how well it translates to the orchestral backing. I love that Anastacia is singing the rap parts because it makes it completely different to the original. Edit. The first building you see in the video is in Trafalgar Square.

I wonder if we'll lose all the optionals before the Top 30 (there's only 2 left),
 
Ok this is wrong and vile!!!!!!!
Who knew Sprock-fans would not like fun? Oh. Let's start the day with our only albumtrack loss.

















Leaderboard Trajectory: #73 - #86 - #56 - #43 - #40 - #43 - #49 - #44 - #35

118 = Higher Livin'.jpg
Higher Livin'
Average: 7,89
Highest: 10
@Disco Tears / @pop3blow2 / @Maki
Lowest: 5,0 @robertoy / @Lost Boy
Sprocky's score: 7,0
Ouch! Evolution is now our album with the least tracks left being Caught In The Middle and Boxer. The positive bop at the end of the album that basically says live your life to the fullest. Carpe Diem. Enjoy every second. In a way inspirational as she wants you to take that leap of faith for a dream you have not realised. Just do it. She fought hard for a music career and in the end she got it. And do not let anything stop you. @londonrain says "Now this is how you do an album closer." and @livefrommelbs continues on this "Pretty strong finish for Evolution. The back-end of Anastacia's albums are always a bit hit-and-miss, but this is a decent closer." A decent closer? Not accorrding to @Maki "The mighty bop of this album. Amazing. I remember being worried that this is going to be Anastacia's first album without a 10/10 and then this came up. Early 00's vibes and Stacia's classic style had me sold right away. The production is fab and so refreshing compared to the vast majority of the album. Damn this is catchy from the first to last second. Her best album closer." Her best is a bit much in my opinion. I would even rank Left Outside Part 2 higher ddd. @berserkboi has me wondering "I can hear 00s George Michael all over this sound, so I stan!" I can't exactly hear, but that is probably my mind goes to Freeeeek instantly.

 
Time to lose a single from the 10s. A lead single to be exact. Also, when I said I was the lowest scorer the last time for Nobody Loves Me Better I Lied. Turns out I was lowest scorer with a 6 here.

















Leaderboard Trajectory: #78 - #73 - #46 - #45 - #37 - #40 - #41 - #31 - #34

102 = Take This Chance.jpg
Take This Chance
Average: 7,93
Highest: 10
@Disco Tears
Lowest: 6,0 @Sprockrooster / @Hybridcookie / @Cognitive Dissonance / @Lost Boy
Sprocky's score: 6,0
Take This Chance has the honour to be the most lukewarm lead single to be recepted. Well the charts are long gone but even the fans are not pleased with this upon release. It is just screaming b-side which is ironic for a greatest hits. I have to say it is probably the song I listen the least to since It’s A Man’s World. It is not part of my Anastacia playlist and being the final track on the Ultimate Collection where this was the lead single from it is easy to end the album before it. The fact that the cover from X-tina’s Army of Me outranks this lead single in this rate says it all. It also was the first released single since the end of the singles rate @Lost Boy hosted. @londonrain only needs one sentence to say how I feel about it "This is nice but utterly forgettable". @Maki is pulling some shade "This is an X Factor/Idol winner lead single material, but I really like the song. Great verses and chorus, despite being basic. Definitely not among her better singles, though." Though not every comment is taking the song down. @berserkboi calls it "A very pretty song!" and @livefrommelbs says "This was a nice little discovery for me. Appreciated the message!"


 
Stalemate - 6,25
~ Very satisfied with this one leaving, since it's my second lowest remaining score. I just can't with that guy's voice, even though he song is nice. I definitely didn't expect it to go this far.

Another Night - 8,5
~ Since we lost "Calling All Angels" so early, this one deserved to be the longest lasting optional song. A pity it didn't get that accolade, but it did fairly well considering it's a cover. I certainly prefer this one to "Mr. Vain", mainly because the original song is more appealing to me, and it also has some melodic changes, which is great.

Though I think there's one more optional song that @DJHazey would like. Or perhaps both of the remaining two.
 
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Argh, "Higher Livin'" didn't deserve this treatment at all!

Her best album closer." Her best is a bit much in my opinion. I would even rank Left Outside Part 2 higher ddd.
This made me realize that we just eliminated all of her album closers. Here's how they are ranked in this rate:
1. Higher Livin' (#35)
2. Broken Wings (#61)
3. You'll Be Fine (#73)
4. Maybe Today (#80)
5. Same Old Story (#86)
6. I Dreamed You (#89)
7. Wonderwall (#114)


And here's my personal ranking:
1. Higher Livin' (10)
2. I Dreamed You (6.5)
3. Broken Wings (6.5)
4. You'll Be Fine (6.25)
5. Wonderwall (5.75)
6. Maybe Today (5.5)
7. Same Old Story (5)

Looks like her album closers aren't all that good, but "Higher Livin'" is far and away the best one. Glad we collectively agreed on that.
 
Higher Livin' - 7.7. My lowest score left. This is good but doesn't completely grab me. I like the changes in tempo and there's some lovely instrumentation, especially the guitars.

Take This Chance - 9.5. I really like this. The lyrics are emotional and inspirational without being maudlin or
sentimental and the chorus is something I often say to myself. I think some of the melody is beautiful.
 
he/him
Higher Livin' | 6.25 | Hmm I may have underscored this hearing it now, but I'd maybe bump to a 7 so no big loss.

Take This Chance | 9 | How the fuck is everyone saying 'forgettable' and other nonsense? This is an easy 10/10 now that I've played it few more times in the car and such. Maybe it is that basic emosh-bop I always stan for and everyone else hates for some reason but this usually catnip for @Sprockrooster and we're usually the only two stanning but not this time. Well it probably ranked way higher than some of you wanted so that's a victory!
 
Another single goes today. And by this loss we also know now which is the highest ranked optional.
























Leaderboard Trajectory: #26 - #43 - #31 - #22 - #27 - #28 - #33 - #35 - #33

75 = If I Was Your Boyfriend.jpg
Tony Moran & Anastacia - If I Was Your Boyfriend
Average: 7,95 [19/29 from the songs who were in the singles rate]
Average in singles rate: 6,71 [15/29 from the songs who were in the singles rate]

Highest:
10
@sprock's boy
Lowest: 4,0 @Laurence
Sprocky's score: 8,0
This collaboration was firmly among the best performing optionals throughout the voting period. I am surprised how well it did in the original singles rate. Especially as it has been ageing rather well. This track came as a bit of a surprise during the release. I love how this channels her earlier sound into remix form almost. I would consider it a bit of a nod to Forever Luv in a way. I love almost everything about this track aside from the pre-chorus perhaps. That intro is really captivating and has instantly me alerted and ready to dance. I just can’t sit still. Tony Moran has worked with many great artist including Madonna, George Michael, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston and is considered as the 92nd most successful dance artist of all-time according to billboard.

Anastacia owns the sound very well and I wish she added to one of her greatest hits she released after this, but sadly it was overlooked both times. This song deserves more. @Maki has connected to this again "Probably my favourite re-discovery of this rate. I haven't heard this song in a long time, and it's pretty much a banger. The rare full-on electro dance song from Anastacia. It sounds basic and dated, but looking that it was released in 2012, a part of me thinks that it was done intentionally, because it definitely sounds like a great Eurovision entry from late 00's. The "oooh..." bits in the post-chorus just get me. Such a random yet impressive collaboration." @livefrommelbs has a kii "Tony Moran sounds like the name of a local real estate agent, and yet he and Ana have delivered quite the bopsy, haven't they?" They absolutely have! @londonrain ends this write-up with a gif.

QOAX.gif




We have the final two tracks before the actual massacre starts occurring AKA top 30. Both are albumtracks and one of them has the biggest writeup from me. Which track had my creative juices flowing?
 
We were bound to lose a track from the album again at some point. With 9 tracks self-titled flies into the top 30. Our first cut from the album since Maybe Today left at #80.





















Leaderboard Trajectory: #61 - #40 - #53 - #40 - #33 - #30 - #37 - #36 - #32

43 = Pretty Little Dum Dum.jpg
Pretty Little Dum Dum
Average: 7,97 [11/13 from the songs who were in the poprock-rate]
Average in poprock-rate: 6,93 [9/13 from the songs who were in the poprock-rate]

Highest: 10
@soratami
Lowest: 5,0 @londonrain
Sprocky's score: 8,0

Poor it. Whereas the order so far of exiting compared to the poprockrate was the same for the first two cuts (Sexy Single / Maybe Today) it is Pretty Little Dum Dum breaking the cycle by dropping two places. It is still part of the album top 10 as Everything Burns is still here and not on it. That one ánd Where Do I Belong both went before this one in the poprock rate so are we bound to see them soon now? Pretty Little Dum Dum is one of the clear songs on the album that is undeniably about a boyfriend and not her trash father. She just wanted love yet all she found were men that took her for granted. You are the 1, 1, but that is 11 in his eyes. Yeah stay away from the bad boys is probably the overall message sugarcoated in a bit of a teenpop feel, which I kind of love. It does however make sure we get into a different segment of the album. No more rough rock songs, but more easier on the ears radio friendly bops. @berserkboi was caught by surprise "I was expecting not to be too impressed by the title but the personality really shines through and makes it a highlight". @Maki is a fan "I had to re-listen this one thoroughly, and it turns out I like it more than I thought. The "pa pa pa pa pa..." bits are very catchy and it makes the song memorable. Obviously, it's weaker compared to the most of the songs, but it has a really cool vibe."

 
Our first track in the 8+ average. And an album track that had my creative juices flowing. But not about the track itself ddd

















Leaderboard Trajectory: #73 - #44 - #33 - #27 - #21 - #25 - #30 - #30 - #31

66 = All Fall Down.jpg
All Fall Down
Average: 8,02
Highest: 10
@pop3blow2
Lowest: 4,0 @londonrain
Sprocky's score: 8,0
The artwork is referencing Anastacia pushing the first domino stone in 2005 where millions are waiting to be toppled. This was an annual event and was actually returning in 2020 after a 10 year hiatus. Anastacia performed here and was a next pop star in a lineup of Kylie and Shania to be the one toppling the first one. Below you can see a youtube video of the entire show, but also seeing Anastacia in action. The aim for this is to set a new record to have the most domino bricks toppled. But at the same time be very entertaining to watch. This year there was a theme about stories from all over the world envisioned with those bricks exuding in creativity. It is actually ranked among the best visually. A massive event with millions watching in the Netherlands but also millions abroad. Also the builders come from several countries over the world to make sure it is promoted there too.

Of course the year Anastacia pushed the first domino brick is the most controversial year. A few weeks before the show would air (mind you this takes months to build) someone left a window open. A sparrow flew in and could not find it’s way back outside. Many builders were afraid the sparrow would topple domino bricks and consequently ruin months of hard work. It needed to be shot down literally. This was million dollar industry that was suddenly in distress for one small bird. There was however a vital issue. It is a protected species in the Netherlands and shooting down the sparrow was against international law. The Dutch government gave their okay for doing so for the sake of entertainment. The sparrow was shot down and a storm of death threats followed. The sparrow got a prominent place in the natural history museum in Rotterdam.

What is the link with this song? Well, the domino bricks did not all fell down. But enough to get the new world record. 4,002,136 all fell down when Anastacia pushed that first one. Our girl is so damn talented ddd. However a year later the world record was bested, where Kim Wilde pushed the first brick. Let's talk the actual song and @Maki did a fine job at it "Perhaps the closest this album comes to the sprock sound. And it's not much. The intro is so good, and really like the moody verses and the pre-chorus, bit the chorus seems a bit too juxtaposed in a sense that it's very happy-sounding compared to the rest. It does seem a bit off-putting each time I listen to the song. The production definitely does the needed lifting here, since the melodies are more on the basic side. Oh, and I love the middle-8; it gives me that drama I crave." That middle-8 is quite somethind and even our lowest scorer @londonrain could not deny "The dramatic middle eight is the best bit." @berserkboi needs a better melody "Her tone here is so pretty! Portions of the melody weaken the overall score a little."





The massacre starts. We will continue with 2 losses per day. All the singles are safe though.
 
TOP 30
NOT THAT KIND ERA [4/16]

Not That Kind
I’m Outta Love
Cowboys & Kisses
Who's Gonna Stop The Rain*
Love Is Alive
I Ask Of You
Wishing Well
Made For Lovin’ You
Black Roses
Yo Trippin
One More Chance
Same Old Story
Late Last Night
Nothin’ At All
Baptize My Soul
Underdog 2001


FREAK OF NATURE ERA [4/15]
Freak of Nature
Paid My Dues
Overdue Goodbye
You’ll Never Be Alone
One Day In Your Life
How Come The World Won’t Stop
Why’d You Lie To Me
Don’tcha Wanna
Secrets
Don’t Stop (Doin It)
I Dreamed You
Boom

I Thought I Told You That (Feat. Faith Evans)
Someday My Prince Will Come


ANASTACIA ERA [9/16]
Seasons Change*
Left Outside Alone
Time*
Sick and Tired
Heavy On My Heart
I Do (feat. Sonny of P.O.D.)*
Welcome To My Truth
Pretty Little Dum Dum
Sexy Single
Rearview*
Where Do I Belong*
Maybe Today
Get Ready
Twisted Girl
The Saddest Part
Underground Army


PIECES OF A DREAM ERA [3/5]
Ben Moody & Anastacia – Everything Burns
Pieces of a Dream
Eros Ramazotti & Anastacia – I Belong To You (Il Ritmo Della Passione)
In Your Eyes*
Megamix

HEAVY ROTATION ERA [3/13]
I Can Feel You
The Way I See It
Absolutely Positively

Defeated
In Summer
Heavy Rotation*
Same Song
I Call It Love*
All Fall Down
Never Gonna Love Again

You’ll Be Fine
Beautiful Messed Up World
Naughty


IT'S A MAN'S WORLD ERA [0/11]
Ramble On
Best of You
Sweet Child o’Mine
You Can’t Always Get What You Want
One
Back In Black
Dream On
Use Somebody

You Give Love A Bad Name
Wonderwall
Black Hole Sun


RESURRECTION ERA [3/15]
Staring at the Sun
Lifeline
Stupid Little Things
I Don’t Want To Be The One
Evolution

Pendulum
Stay
Dark White Girl
Apology
Broken Wings
Other Side Of Crazy
Oncoming Train

Resurrection
Left Outside Alone, Part 2
Underdog 2014


EVOLUTION ERA [2/13]
Caught In The Middle
Redlight
Stamina

Boxer*
My Everything
Nobody Loves Me Better
Reckless
Not Coming Down
Before
Pain
Why
Boomerang
Higher Livin’


MISCELLANEOUS [2/17]
David Morales & Anastacia – Forever Luv
Omar Sosa & Anastacia – Mi Negra, Tu Bombón
Crushin
Love Is A Crime
Amandla
Calling All Angels
Ben’s Brother & Anastacia – Stalemate
Dima Bilan & Anastacia – Safety

Natalia & Anastacia – Burning Star
What Can We Do (Deeper Love)
Tony Moran & Anastacia – If I Was Your Boyfriend
Take This Chance

Army Of Me
Auryn & Anastacia – Who’s Lovin’ You
Umberto Tozzi & Anastacia – Ti Amo
Alex Chistensen & Anastacia – Another night
Alex Christensen, SKI & Anastacia – Mr. Vain


*Our road from top 40 to top 30 was mostly a culling of miscellaneous as that section lost 5 tracks, half of our cuts. From the albums Evolution suffered the most as it was the only album to lose 2, while Not That Kind and Freak of Nature remained untouched. We also have exactly 10 albumtracks (if we count In Your Eyes - is it an album track if it is not a single from a greatest hits?!) that have an * above. All of them feel right to have come this far and several deserve top 20. But who will survive now it's getting down to the wire?
 

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