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Posted by: Scene 16th May 2020, 08:52 AM

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A grand total of 21 rates have been cast and we have a winner!! Thanks to everybody who has voted! Today we shall begin the countdown to Leona's most loved single... or could it be one of the album tracks voted in? Stay tuned for the three songs Buzzjack has collectively deemed the stinkers of the pack.

Posted by: Scene 16th May 2020, 10:10 AM

33. Amore (with Pitbull) | 4.17

Highest: 10 (Scene) / Lowest: -1 (Bitch)



After receiving A LOT of low scores and even a -1 from Bitch, Leona’s 2018 collaboration with Pitbull ends up bottom of the pile. Even my generous 10 couldn’t save it. If we disregard how little the song has to do with the film and block out Pitbull’s involvement, the song has some beauty in it. The opening guitar riff is glorious and Leona’s almost operatic vocals on the chorus does things to me. But it seems I’m in the minority here so let’s move on. Seriously though, she should have released a Part II solo version!!




32. Inaspettata (with Biagio Antonacci) | 4.30

Highest: 8.5 (HurtMyHands) / Lowest: 1 (Billy)



Inaspettata is Leona’s 2010 hook-up with Italian icon Biagio Antonacci. The song is a cute pop-rock duet but nothing remarkable. It received low scores on the most part with only HurtMyHands rating it higher than 7! There's also no evidence of it charting anywhere - not even in Italy!




31. Solo Quiero (with Cali Y El Dandee and Juan Magan) | 4.93

Highest: 9 (...ready for it) / Lowest: 1 (HurtMyHands)



Just missing out on the top 30 is Leona’s third foreign-titled track to fall out in a row! You Xenophobes! Solo Quiero was the track Leona chose to release from the US talent show Songland (a programme where songwriters pitch their songs to pop stars). The song is a slice of summery Latin pop which, released last August, seemed two years too late to the Latin craze. The songs is a bit of a bop but I wish Leona chose a song where she took centre stage rather than being a glorified hook girl. Keri Hilson she ain’t.

Posted by: Tombo 16th May 2020, 10:17 AM

Wtf? Amore is amazing.
I am shooketh!

I actually missed the deadline to vote in this but I’m glad it at least got a 10

Posted by: Feel_The_Fever 16th May 2020, 11:34 AM

No surprise seeing those songs out first.

Posted by: Scene 16th May 2020, 12:29 PM

30. Headlights (with Hellberg) | 5.67

Highest: 10 (HurtMyHands) / Lowest: 3 (Scene, Mike, …ready for it)



Kicking off the top 30 and the first song to score above a 5 average is Leona’s collaboration with Swedish DJ and music producer Hellberg. ‘Headlights’ was released in 2018 and failed to make an impact anywhere in the world but it has racked up over 600,000 views on YouTube. Rumour has it Leona was scheduled to appear in the music video but decided against the idea at the last minute. Watching the video, it is not difficult to imagine why. Hellberg being targeted by a car called Leona is a video no one asked for!







29. Hurt | 5.74

Highest: 7.5 (AlfonsoLeLe) / Lowest: 3 (Bitch, Billy)



At 29 we have a Leona cover many Nine Inch Nails and Johnny Cash fans would stick their noses up to. Back in 2011 Syco decided to delay the release of Leona’s third album for a year – a YEAR – because the lukewarm reception to ‘Collide’ made them nervous about how the public would respond to an album which was a departure from ballads. In order to bridge the 12 month gap – and perhaps also to make use of pre-booked promo slots – Leona released a three-track EP featuring her version of ‘Hurt’. With zero radio play and no music video, Leona performed the song live on the final of The X Factor 2011 – causing it to soar up the iTunes chart to #2 and officially charting at #8! It is essentially the UK version of what Kelly Clarkson did with Piece By Piece in the States a few years later! The power of an incredible live performance!







28. Lovebird | 6.33

Highest: 8.5 (AlfonsoLeLe, Riser) / Lowest: 3 (SamJudd)



Up next at 28 is the first of Leona’s singles as a lead artist to fall out and it is none other than her first single to miss the top 200. I remember at the time she got such bad press for the flop that was Lovebird. The song’s release was at a real low point in Leona’s career – not just commercially but personally too. The cracks in her relationship with Syco were getting deeper and there were conflicts over what music she should be releasing. In fact, ‘Fireflies’ was originally chosen as the second single with a lyric video having already been uploaded to YouTube before the label changed last-minute to ‘Lovebird’ for reasons unknown. It was a sad way to finish the Glassheart era which held such promise just over a year prior to the album’s eventual release. But more on that to come…

Posted by: Jonjo 16th May 2020, 12:55 PM

These results are not surprising. Everything has pretty much gone in the order I (and I assume others) expected

I have a soft spot for 'Lovebird'. It's cute.

I don't mind her version of 'Hurt', but it's definitely the weakest of her big 3 alt-indie-rock covers.

Posted by: Scene 16th May 2020, 01:12 PM

QUOTE(Tombo @ May 16 2020, 11:17 AM)

Wtf? Amore is amazing.
I am shooketh!

I actually missed the deadline to vote in this but I’m glad it at least got a 10

QUOTE(Jonjo @ May 16 2020, 01:55 PM)

These results are not surprising. Everything has pretty much gone in the order I (and I assume others) expected

I have a soft spot for 'Lovebird'. It's cute.

I don't mind her version of 'Hurt', but it's definitely the weakest of her big 3 alt-indie-rock covers.

Posted by: Feel_The_Fever 16th May 2020, 01:59 PM

Hurt is ok but nowhere close to her other covers.

Posted by: Lukuzz 16th May 2020, 02:31 PM

No surprise at any of these falling out so far. No major losses. I had completely forgot that Lovebird was a single😮

Posted by: Tombo 16th May 2020, 02:39 PM

QUOTE(Scene @ May 16 2020, 02:12 PM)

I'm curious to know what you would have scored it. It's good to see another fan of the song. If it was released in 2011 I think it would have been a top 10 hit.

Yeah none of the results are a shock so far. I'll try to get us up to the top 20 before the end of the day!

Posted by: Scene 16th May 2020, 02:56 PM

27. Trouble | 6.57

Highest: 9 (Lukuzz) / Lowest: 5 (Bitch, Cameron, sorryislayed, Jordan Lee, JulianNial)



Poor Tombo. At 27 is the first Leona lead single out! Originally intended to follow-up ‘Collide’ in the autumn of 2011, the release of ‘Trouble’ was postponed alongside the album and eventually came out at the tail end of 2012. I remember vividly back in the summer of 2011 when a couple of journalists were raving about a song called Trouble Leona had recorded – putting it in the same bracket as Bleeding Love no less! – but it’s fair to say the Trouble we all know and… find okay is certainly not in the league of BL! Apparently during the year-long album delay, Trouble was altered considerably so it is likely the song the journalists were raving about in 2011 was basically a different song to the one released! The song modestly gave Leona a ninth top 10 single – charting at #7 – and was accompanied by a video starring Colton Haynes. It’s actually one of my favourite Leona videos! Also, Childish Gambino’s rap on the single version is a 10 out of 10 from me. The scores suggest Trouble is strictly average at worst but leaves a lot to be desired...








26. I Am | 6.67

Highest: 9 (Jonjo) / Lowest: 4 (Bitch)



Surprisingly finishing higher than one of Leona’s leads is the third single and title track from the Queen’s most recent album I Am. There was actually a video recorded for the song but for some odd reason has never been officially released (I saw it when it leaked a while ago and it was nothing special lol). The song is essentially a “f**k you” to Syco dressed up as a break-up song. The production is really strong – especially compared to some of the other tracks on the album! – but it isn’t a track I go back to at all to be honest…








25. Fire Under My Feet | 6.71

Highest: 10 (Cameron) / Lowest: -1 (Billy, Dean)



And just like that we lose another lead single! The scores suggest ‘Fire’ is a lot more polarising than I would have expected. It seems very inoffensive to the ears – maybe too inoffensive? Now I remember back in December 2014 Leona released a 30 second preview of the track which sent the fandom into a spin! After waiting 4 months for the full track, it appeared many were underwhelmed. Musically it is very ‘Rolling in the Deep’ with self-empowering lyrics about fighting back after facing adversity. One of my favourite lyrics from the song: “Thrown in with the lions, the tigers and titans / Afraid to get hurt but now I’m making them purr”. I appreciate the sentiment of 'Fire' but it feels a bit hollow. Maybe it is just too fast-paced for Leona to convey what she is singing? The song peaked at #51 – the advent of streaming ruling the charts did it dirty but we won’t pretend that was what stopped it from being a hit. In more positive news, it topped the charts in Hong Kong!

Posted by: Lukuzz 16th May 2020, 03:00 PM

As if I was Troubles highest, I actually really like the song although prefer the version with Childish Gambino

Posted by: Scene 16th May 2020, 06:27 PM

24. Another Love Song | 6.81

Highest: 9 (Lukuzz, SamJudd, JulianNial, Jonjo) / Lowest: 2 (HurtMyHands)



At 24 we have what many fans considered a standout from Leona’s fifth album – and the first honorary single voted into the rate by Buzzjack to appear. ‘Another Love Song’ saw Leona take us back to the turn of the millennium with a fusion of pop and garage. The scores for this were varied across the board with 10 of you giving it an 8 or above! Personally, I do not rate the song as far as Leona up-tempos go. Maybe it’s because I’m not big on garage and maybe it’s because Leona doesn’t utilise her voice that much. It just seems a bit basic lol. Fun fact: it was originally considered as either the first or second single. I can’t remember whether it was Leona or the label who were pushing for it but whoever it was also wanted ‘Ladders’ as a single. Now that would have been a good decision!







23. I Got You (from I Am) | 6.81

Highest: 11 (Dean) / Lowest: 3.5 (Cameron)



Equalling the average of ‘Another Love Song’, it is ‘I Got You’ that finishes higher thanks to Dean’s 11. How fitting though that the two honorary singles from the same album have the same average. The song was produced by Toby Gad – whose credits include ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘If I Were A Boy’ and the majority of I Am – and can only be described as an up-tempo ballad if that makes sense. It’s ridiculous how of all the lyrics featured in the song they had to settle for ‘I Got You’ as its title. Like why not ‘I Got U’, ‘When The Rain Won’t Stop’ or just ‘Rain’? lmao. I actually regret giving the song a 6, having given it a few more spins recently it is growing on me a lot! Definitely the anthem of the album!

So we have now lost 4 of the 5 I Am tracks included in this rate – one after the other! – with only ‘Thunder’ left to represent the album! Where will it place? I will try and post numbers 21 and 22 tonight so we can kick off the top 20 tomorrow.

Posted by: Jonjo 16th May 2020, 10:28 PM

'Another Love Song' is amazing. Love the early 00's Garage influences in it!

'I Am' is stunning. It really reminded me a lot of what Emeli Sande would have put out at the time and probably smashed with. The chorus is huge and I would've loved to have seen this lead the campaign over 'Fire Under My Feet' which is good, but very run of the mill.

Posted by: Jordan Lee 17th May 2020, 12:57 AM

I’m not too shocked at the results so far.

I’m happy Fire Under My Feet managed to beat Trouble though.

Leona is one of those artists who I always end up ranting about to my friends bc they just don’t understand how good her material actually was but her single choices later in her career just got worse and worse

Another Love Song is a BOP though so underrated and really shows Leonas personality and versatility!

Posted by: Scene 17th May 2020, 07:28 AM

22. I See You | 7.05

Highest: 11 (Scene) / Lowest: 3 (Bitch, Billy)



At 22 is Leona’s soundtrack to the 2009 blockbuster Avatar! The song ticks all the boxes for a big movie song – powerhouse vocals, beautiful lyrics and imagery, dramatic music… I’m actually shocked it hasn’t done better in this rate! At the time it drew comparisons to Celine’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ due to both songs being power ballads used as the soundtrack to a James Cameron movie – furthermore both were produced by James Horner. I think many anticipated ‘I See You’ to emulate the success of MHWGO; alas it was not to be. One of my biggest gripes with the handling of Leona’s career is the fact that her label refused to promote the song because they had an album to focus on!! You do not get the chance to soundtrack a MASSIVE film – one that became the highest-grossing film of all time – and then pass on promoting it! In other news, only recently has 'I See You' been added to Spotify – stream away.







21. Mr Right | 7.10

Highest: 10 (Scene) / Lowest: 3 (Mike)



Just missing out on a spot in the top 20 is one of three original tracks from Leona’s 2013 festive album Christmas, With Love. ‘Mr Right’ is everything you could ask for in a Christmas song. Lyrically it is reminiscent of Mariah’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ – being lonesome at Christmas and wanting a man over anything else – and the chorus is full of pop hooks (I stan for the “ooh-ooh Santa come help me tonight” part!) If Leona ever decides to rerelease the album, I think she definitely needs to give ‘Mr Right’ some promo and a music video! Let’s hope for the 10-year anniversary in 2023 she does something with it. Anyone who is yet to hear the track, add it to your Christmas playlist before you forget.

Posted by: Lukuzz 17th May 2020, 08:40 AM

Love Another Love Song would have placed that top 20 definitely should have been a single

Posted by: Scene 17th May 2020, 08:59 AM

The top 20 in alphabetical order:

A Moment Like This
Ave Maria
Better in Time
Bleeding Love
Collide
Come Alive
Footprints in the Sand
Forgive Me
Glassheart
Happy
I Got You (from Echo)
I Will Be
Naked
One More Sleep
Outta My Head
Run
Take A Bow
Thunder
Yesterday
You Are the Reason

Any shocks or surprises? Any predictions for the next to leave?

Posted by: Scene 17th May 2020, 12:12 PM

20. Come Alive | 7.12

Highest: 11 (Bitch) / Lowest: -1 (Love Leona)




Kicking off the top 20 is a song that sees Leona venture into dubstep and techno territory. One of the tracks cooked up during Glassheart’s delay, ‘Come Alive’ injects some much-needed life into the album imo. Lyrically it’s about embracing the heartache and heartbreak that comes with falling in love because, as Leona morbidly points out, “a thousand suns lead the way to an endless night”. It's very dark in nature yet somehow manages to feel empowering at the same time! I wonder whether Leona may have been inspired by ‘Hurt’ since this was written shortly after the EP’s release. The opening line of ‘Hurt’ – “I hurt myself today to see if I still feel / I focus on the pain, the only thing that’s real” – has a similar theme, no?
‘Come Alive’ received ten scores of 8 or above and only two scores below 5! But that -1 from Love Leona (the irony ) ensured it didn’t finish higher than Number 20! Personally, I think the track is stunning although maybe slightly overproduced and “busy”. The acoustic version is STUNNING though and would make a perfect funeral song!

Posted by: Lukuzz 17th May 2020, 12:31 PM

Love Come Alive. Wish she had released more of her upbeat material

Posted by: troylovesmusic 17th May 2020, 12:40 PM

I’m very surprised I See You didn’t make the top 20 .

Posted by: Feel_The_Fever 17th May 2020, 01:30 PM

The results so far are more or less what i expected, it will be alot more interesting as we move on.

Posted by: Scene 17th May 2020, 01:50 PM

19. Ave Maria | 7.14

Highest: 10 (Lukuzz) / Lowest: 2 (Billy)



At 19 is Leona’s first and only classical recording to date – the sublime ‘Ave Maria’. The traditional Catholic prayer has been covered countless times in the past – even sung by Christina Aguilera at Kobe and Gia Bryant’s memorial in February – but from the ones I’ve heard Leona’s is the best. It isn’t typically my style of music, hence my score of 7, but the song is a demonstration of Leona’s versatility as a vocalist and proof that she is more than just falsettos and whistle notes. I wish Leona performed the track live on some big TV show around Christmas because it deserves to be heard! It mostly received scores between 6 and 8 so for a song so far removed from Leona’s usual sound I think it has done very well!

Posted by: Jonjo 17th May 2020, 02:20 PM

'Come Alive' is one of her most under appreciated in her catalogue. Should be higher. It's fantastic.

'Ave Maria' is STUNNING. I was praying for a big performance slot on it. I honestly think she'd have been in a MUCH bigger position for her 'I am' album had she performed that somewhere over the Christmas period! Gorgeous.

Posted by: Scene 17th May 2020, 04:09 PM

Posted by: Scene 17th May 2020, 05:31 PM

Posted by: Jonjo 17th May 2020, 06:25 PM

'A Moment Like This' is beautiful. Such a fitting coronation winning single. I think it's top 3 out of the coronation singles, for me.

'Thunder' is cute, but not a favourite. Never really has been. 'Another Love Song' should have been higher, imo. Switch the places and I'd be content with it tbh.

Posted by: Lukuzz 17th May 2020, 06:45 PM

Ave Maria is absolutely perfection, I am a sucker for classical and opera type music though so I adore her version of this.

Also love Thunder think it really should have been the lead single from the album.

A Moment Like This is really good although a little bit forgettable, but considering Kelly Clarkson is my favourite female singer of all time I actually prefer Leonas version

Posted by: Scene 17th May 2020, 10:18 PM

Posted by: Feel_The_Fever 17th May 2020, 10:28 PM

Thought a moment like this would be much higher.

Posted by: Jonjo 17th May 2020, 10:30 PM

As a song, IWB is cute! As the final single over some of the others like what you mentioned? Baffling.

Posted by: troylovesmusic 17th May 2020, 10:31 PM

I love I Will Be one of my favourites on Spirit actually. I agreed it shouldn't have been the final single from Spirit though. I also think Leona's version was far superior than Avril's !

Posted by: Scene 18th May 2020, 09:42 AM

15. Forgive Me | 7.40

Highest: 10 (Cameron) / Lowest: 4 (Billy)




This marked a slight change in direction for Leona. Written and produced by Akon, and serving as the lead single of Spirit’s deluxe edition, Forgive Me was Leona’s first venture outside of ballads – as far as singles go at least! The lyrics tell the story of Leona being dissatisfied in a relationship so looks elsewhere for love. The theme is similar to Rihanna’s ‘Unfaithful’ except Rihanna is actually apologetic and feels remorse in ‘Unfaithful’ while Leona doesn’t seem to care as much. Critics found the song to be very inauthentic for sweet-natured Leona and I half-agree. Yes, it seemed her A&R team were trying to give her some edge for the US market and could have found more subtle ways of achieving that, but it wouldn’t be the first time a pop star has suspended reality in their music. Anyway, the song entered the UK chart at #5 (during the iconic Diva Week! *.*) before steadily falling. It simply failed to capture the public’s imagination but at least we got a stunning Musical-themed video for the track and the Labyrinth Tour version is a beauty! While it was a commercial underperformance, Leona and her team had an ace up their sleeve…

Posted by: Lukuzz 18th May 2020, 09:51 AM

I Will Be is a good song but should not have been a single at all, wouldn't have had it top 20 on here.

Forgive Me is great and should have been a bigger hit for her

Posted by: HurtMyHands 18th May 2020, 11:41 AM

Loving the countdown so far!

I guess I’m the only person who thinks Inespettata is a bop
Also; how is IWB so high?? Everyone else gave it a 6+?? The lack of taste.

Fingers crossed something sneaks in above BL. Come on OMS!

Posted by: Jonjo 18th May 2020, 11:56 AM

FM is an odd one. I appreciated the change at the time, but I think it was a bit TOO different, so came across as a bit try-hard/unnatural to me. It's a bit of a diet bop, but she has far better not only in general, but in terms of uptempos too!

Posted by: Jordan Lee 18th May 2020, 12:27 PM

Forgive Me is really awkward to watch in terms of the music video... She looks super uncomfortable. She’s had much better uptempos what didn’t get their chance to shine.

Posted by: Scene 18th May 2020, 12:52 PM

14. You Are the Reason (with Calum Scott) | 7.62

Highest: 10 (Billy, Feel The Fever, Winter Freeze, Jordan Lee, Jonjo) / Lowest: -1 (sorryislayed)



Being at the bottom end of yet another tied average is Leona’s 2018 duet with Britain’s Got Talent alum Calum Scott. The song began as a solo track for Calum but he decided to record several duet versions with different female artists and Leona’s version became the most popular. The song had modest success chart-wise with the duet version reaching the top 20 in Belgium and peaking at 23 in the US… on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. I definitely think the song was more popular and well-known than its chart history suggests with 280 million views on YouTube – making it Leona’s most viewed video ever! I also believe it could have been a decent hit if the streaming promo was there as it seems to have got a largely positive reception. Leona performing the single on The One Show with Calum has to be one of my favourite recent Leona performances – she looked so amazing too. I think the duet is so beautiful yet understated and their voices really complement each other. It's also nice to see Leona return to ballad territory because I for one have missed Balladona. Besides the -1 score, everyone else gave it at least a 5 so if we were to disqualify sorryislayed’s rate, YATR would have finished comfortably in the top 10!

Posted by: Scene 18th May 2020, 02:14 PM

13. Collide (with Avicii) | 7.62

Highest: 11 (Alfonso LeLe) / Lowest: 5.5 (Bitch)



If 'Forgive Me' was merely Leona dipping her feet in the pool of up-tempo pop, 'Collide' was her diving in. Written by Autumn “Swagger Jagger” Rowe and backed by a plagiarised sample of Avicii’s ‘Penguin’, this single entered the UK chart at #4 before steadily descending down the chart. I remember it was released during a busy week of new releases alongside Pixie Lott’s 'All About Tonight' and The Saturdays' 'All Fired Up'. Maybe I’m biased but I think Leona deserved to be the highest of the three – alas she was the lowest. That said, I find the song very basic and, besides Leona’s vocals, there’s nothing much to the song. The lyrics are like a children’s nursery rhyme lol (“I’ll pick you up when you’re down / Be there when no one’s around” really queen? I had such high hopes when the team behind ‘Only Girl’ and ‘Firework’ were said to be behind ‘Collide’ but it just didn’t deliver imo. To think if the writers just came up with a better song and without any copyright infringement, the Glassheart era could have turned out very differently! The Afrojack Remix however is WHERE IT’S AT. It goes OFF. Anyone who is yet to hear it or cannot remember what it sounds like – turn up your volume and press play.

Posted by: HurtMyHands 18th May 2020, 02:43 PM

I can’t believe Collide is above YATR

Also Scene, I love that you expected more from Collide because it’s the same team behind Firework - the song with the lyric “do you ever feel like a plastic bag”

Posted by: Jordan Lee 18th May 2020, 02:51 PM

That chart week when Collide was released was so iconic yet stressful at the same time.

I was very team Leona at the time. I prefer Collide to a few of her singles but it’s about right ranked there on this poll for me.

You Are The Reason id put higher though!

Posted by: Feel_The_Fever 18th May 2020, 03:03 PM

You are the reason is brill and deserved higher on this and the charts.

Posted by: Scene 18th May 2020, 03:05 PM

QUOTE(HurtMyHands @ May 18 2020, 12:41 PM)

QUOTE(HurtMyHands @ May 18 2020, 03:43 PM)

Also Scene, I love that you expected more from Collide because it’s the same team behind Firework - the song with the lyric “do you ever feel like a plastic bag”

QUOTE(Jordan Lee @ May 18 2020, 03:51 PM)

Posted by: Scene 18th May 2020, 03:10 PM

Up next we have an honorary single.

Posted by: Scene 18th May 2020, 04:04 PM

12. Outta My Head | 7.71

Highest: 10 (Lukuzz, SamJudd, Jonjo) / Lowest: 5 (Billy, Love Leona)



At the bottom end of the final tie in this rate we have the electro-pop banger from Echo. Produced by none other than compulsive hitmaker Max Martin, ‘Outta My Head’ was an instant standout on album release and a no-brainer for second single during the EDM craze that dominated the music scene around the turn of the decade. Maybe it was seen as too daring and a departure from the music Leona is known for, and maybe there were fears it would alienate Leona’s fanbase, but then it begs the question why put a song like ‘Outta My Head’ on a pop/rock driven album – making it stick out like a sore thumb – if you are not going to use it for a hit?! Needless to say it was yet another inexplicably poor decision from Leona’s out-of-touch team and yet another hit-worthy album track destined to remain obscure. You guys clearly love it enough for it to finish higher than a lot of her singles! At #12 it is the lowest of four Echo tracks in this rate with the other three still to come (yay this forum is stanning Leona's best album! ). In terms of the honorary singles voted by the forum into this rate, ‘Outta My Head’ ranks in fifth place with 4 album tracks yet to appear!

Posted by: Jonjo 18th May 2020, 04:47 PM

YATR is stunning. So underrated! It really was lovely to hear her voice on another A+ power ballad!

Collide is great. Very euphoric!

Outta My Head is incredible. But HOW is Glassheart above it!? Glassheart always felt like a solid but inferior version to me?

Posted by: Scene 18th May 2020, 09:16 PM

11. I Got You (from Echo) | 7.71

Highest: 11 (Cameron) / Lowest: 3 (Dean)



Cameron’s 11 means ‘I Got You’ finishes at #11 since ‘Outta My Head’s highest rating was a 10. ‘I Got You’ was the second single from Leona’s sophomore album – the magnificent Echo. With my previous commentaries in mind, it should come as no surprise that I think it should have remained an album track over some of the other songs on the album. I don’t dislike it but I find it rather pedestrian and lacking in substance (I know there are many fans of the song here so please don’t come for me ). As for its suitability as a single needed to rescue a campaign in jeopardy, I think there were several songs that would have done better. One of those songs is still to come but I would have also put forward ‘Can’t Breathe’, ‘Broken’ or ‘Don’t Let Me Down’. Maybe even ‘My Hands’ or ‘Love Letter’. Okay I’m literally going to list the entire tracklist… Still, a #14 peak is nothing to scoff at considering the song was at odds with the pop landscape of 2010.

So now we begin to break into the top 10! The songs still to come in alphabetical order:

Better in Time
Bleeding Love
Footprints in the Sand
Glassheart
Happy
Naked
One More Sleep
Run
Take A Bow
Yesterday

Any predictions for the running order? I shall reveal the #10 tomorrow.

Posted by: Cameron 18th May 2020, 10:00 PM

I Got You missing the top 10 is so sad! It deserves its place over any of these:

Footprints in the Sand
Glassheart
Naked
Take A Bow
Yesterday

Posted by: troylovesmusic 18th May 2020, 10:35 PM

I would have taken Glassheart or Naked out of that top 10 (genuinely forgot how Naked went had to play it on Spotify to jog my memory ) . Then that’s a solid top 10. I Got You definitely should have been there .

Posted by: Feel_The_Fever 18th May 2020, 10:50 PM

Thankfully my big faves are still in apart from you are the reason.

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 18th May 2020, 10:52 PM

Not releasing 'Outta My Head' really was the biggest mistake EVER. I still can't believe it.

And it's her best song for me.

Posted by: HurtMyHands 18th May 2020, 11:46 PM

Top 10 prediction:

10. FITS. 9. Naked. 8. Happy. 7. Yesterday. 6. BIT. 5. Run. 4. Glassheart. 3. Take A Bow. 2. BL. 1. OMS

although personally I would put GH above TAB..

Posted by: Jordan Lee 19th May 2020, 12:33 AM

Outta My Head should’ve been a single for sure!

That was a much better and more natural uptempo anthem for her.

I hope More Sleep is the next single to leave.

Posted by: Jonjo 19th May 2020, 12:35 AM

I'm so baffled as to how Glassheart is (presumably) so much higher than OMH!? UGHHH. (I love the song but it's just a weaker version ����)

I Got You is quite simply, her most underrated single. It's absolutely gorgeous. The melody of the chorus is stunning, the delayed release of the video hindered this, badly iirc! However, she was in a position to have recovered quite nicely had they just gone with OMH as the 3rd single with Naked 4th...

I'd switch out Yesterday and Glassheart for I Got You and OMH. But a great top 10 nonetheless. I dont even dislike Yesterday or Glassheart (I SWEAR I don't )

Posted by: Jordan Lee 19th May 2020, 12:46 AM

I also prefer Glassheart to Outta My Head tbh.

Why Glassheart didn’t lead the campaign for Glassheart I’ll never know. How Leona was so insistent on Trouble leading (or was that the labels choice as I really can’t imagine syco pushing trouble when the entire album was better )

Glassheart could’ve literally done to her what Black Magic did to Little Mix or Say You Won’t Let Go did to James Arthur. I genuinely believe at that time Glassheart could’ve become a big smash for her both single and album if they went with the title track as the lead.

With I Got You. #14 was seen as bad back then for a second single it’s like the equivalent of a #114 in today’s chart world. But they really should’ve pushed something else after that.

For me I’d have went with Outta My Head as the second single and then Cant Breathe as a third single. I Got You though is really one of her songs what’s grown on me over the years at the time I just liked it but now I think I like it more than I did at the time. It just wasn’t single worthy (or at least not second single worthy from the album it come from) but that was just the beginning of terrible single decisions Leonas literally the most baffling artist in history for single choices though

Posted by: ...ready for it 19th May 2020, 12:46 AM

Hoping that Run gets a decent spot.

Posted by: Lukuzz 19th May 2020, 08:37 AM

You Are The Reason is just ok for me
Collide is great and definitely should have been a bigger hit
Outta My Head is an absolute banger should have definitely been a single
I Got You is pretty average and never should have been a single imo

Rooting for Take a Bow to be as high as possible

Posted by: HurtMyHands 19th May 2020, 10:51 AM

The best song on Echo is My Hands and that’s that. I will not be taking any questions at this time.

Posted by: Jonjo 19th May 2020, 11:45 AM

QUOTE(HurtMyHands @ May 19 2020, 11:51 AM)

Posted by: Scene 19th May 2020, 04:54 PM

I want a new page for #10 so posting this for hype.

Posted by: Scene 19th May 2020, 04:55 PM

10. Naked | 7.81

Highest: 11 (Jonjo) / Lowest: 5 (Cameron, Dean)



Kicking off the top 10 is the guitar-driven pop/rock number from Leona’s second album. ‘Naked’ is one of the more up-tempo tracks from Echo and tells the story of Leona having to function with life and work after an unexpected break-up. It sounds to me like something Kelly Clarkson could have recorded during her Breakaway era which of course can only be a compliment. I always believed the track would have been perfect for the US market and should have been pushed on the pop and Hot AC radio formats once ‘Happy’ stalled. ‘Naked’ has a lot more punch to it than the singles Leona had released by 2010 so it might have shown the public a different side of her and hushed the “one trick pony” critiques. The song has received a lot of love in this rate with Mike, Billy, SamJudd, Winter Freeze and Love Leona all giving it a 10 on top of Jonjo’s 11. At #10 it is the fourth highest album track and the second highest Echo track in this rate!

Posted by: Jonjo 19th May 2020, 05:39 PM

'Naked' is outstanding. It always has been my absolute favourite from 'Echo' whilst everyone else seemed to adore OMH! It's a different side to Leona whilst still being very Leona, unlike say, 'Forgive Me'.

I love it so much. I'd have preferred it higher, but I can't be mad at a top 10 showing!

Posted by: SamJudd 19th May 2020, 05:50 PM

Posted by: Jonjo 19th May 2020, 06:01 PM

Can't Breathe & Naked would/should've been massive US radio hits! They're tailor made for US radio. I probably would have gone...

Outta My Head (XF Show 3)
Can't Breathe (XF final)
Naked (March/Apr)
Happy (performed on BGT final at the time)

Posted by: Scene 19th May 2020, 06:02 PM

QUOTE(SamJudd @ May 19 2020, 06:50 PM)

Posted by: Lukuzz 19th May 2020, 06:16 PM

Not sure How Naked is top 10, it's not bad but not that high worthy imo

Posted by: Scene 19th May 2020, 07:47 PM

09. Footprints in the Sand | 7.98

Highest: 10 (Scene, Alfonso LeLe, SamJudd, …ready for it) / Lowest: 4.5 (Cameron)



At #9 we have one half of Leona’s double A-side single for Sports Relief 2008! ‘Footprints’ reached #2 as part of the charity single and was infamously just 302 copies shy of #1 –if Duffy could have just deleted ‘Mercy’ from the chart Leona would have had 3 consecutive number one singles!! Nevertheless, the single was a hit but it’s fair to say ‘Footprints’ is definitely the forgotten half while ‘Better in Time’ was pushed as the next worldwide single. The track itself is a power ballad that anyone who voted for Leona on X Factor would be satisfied with. It encompasses all of the diva balladry from the 90s – the key change, the drama, the emotion, the themes of love, hope and empowerment. The lyrics are inspired by the poem Footprints which I will add below because it’s simply beautiful. I feel like the song should be a lot more remembered than it probably is these days. It's pop perfection. It's power ballad perfection! It should be one of Leona's signature tracks in the same way 'Hero' and 'I Have Nothing' are Mariah's and Whitney's respectively. ‘Footprints in the Sand’ is the first of 6 (!!) Spirit tracks to appear in the top 10 and also the only song in the top 10 to receive a rating lower than 5 – Cameron I see you! Now the poem.

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."
He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."

Posted by: HurtMyHands 19th May 2020, 08:59 PM

Ooh I was almost right, swap around 10 and 9 in my prediction! I’m still keeping everything crossed for OMS to win.

Posted by: Jonjo 19th May 2020, 09:02 PM

'Footprints In The Sand' is gorgeous. I remember Attraction's performance to it on BGT reigniting my love for it. Also, I prefer the single version to the album version! I feel like there's a bit more to it!

Posted by: Lukuzz 19th May 2020, 09:06 PM

Love Footprints in the Sand, it is very soppy but also beautiful. She really is a force when it comes to ballads

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 19th May 2020, 09:12 PM

QUOTE(Jordan Lee @ May 19 2020, 01:46 AM)

Why Glassheart didn’t lead the campaign for Glassheart I’ll never know. How Leona was so insistent on Trouble leading (or was that the labels choice as I really can’t imagine syco pushing trouble when the entire album was better )

Posted by: Wall 20th May 2020, 02:43 AM

Trouble gets a lot of unnecessary shade, it’s a good pop song that deserved a better chart run tbh. I wish You Are The Reason was a bit higher too tbh!

Posted by: Scene 20th May 2020, 09:46 AM

08. Yesterday | 8.02

Highest: 11 (Billy, Love Leona) / Lowest: 5 (Bitch, Cameron)




At #8 we have one of the honorary singles from Spirit voted in by you guys! ‘Yesterday’ is a wistful mid-tempo about love and lost relationships that live on through memories. It’s simply stunning and Leona’s effortless vocal delivery takes the song to an even higher level. Relistening to it, I can understand why many fans were/are pining for Leona to return to the Pop/R&B sound of her first era. She carries these songs in ways few of her contemporaries could. Despite the melancholic tone, ‘Yesterday’ conjures up images of late summer spent on an island or somewhere tropical. Maybe it is the Spirit album shoot with Leona on a beach that makes me think this but it would have made a brilliant late August/early September single in 2008! The song received newfound attention when it emerged pre-fame Dinah Jane from Fifth Harmony was recorded singing it back in 2009 and the video was put – and still is – on YouTube. As well as receiving two 11s, ‘Yesterday’ received two 10s and five 9s! Buzzjack stans!

Posted by: Jonjo 20th May 2020, 09:50 AM

'Yesterday' is lovely. About mid-table on 'Spirit' for me though, but it's nice.

Posted by: HurtMyHands 20th May 2020, 10:09 AM

I like Yesterday, but 8 is higher than it deserves tbh. I’m glad it’s not any higher.

Posted by: Scene 20th May 2020, 02:26 PM

07. Happy | 8.52

Highest: 10 (HurtMyHands, Scene, Love Leona) / Lowest: 7 (Billy, sorryislayed)




Up next at #7 – and a whole 0.5 above ‘Yesterday’ in average – is the lead single to Leona’s second album and the release that marked the beginning of declining sales for Leona. Charting at number 2 behind the Black Eyed Peas’ Meet Me Halfway, after both acts performed on the same X Factor results show, it was certainly a disappointment for Leona’s team and fandom alike. In the US, it only reached #31 which was a travesty but then that is what you get when you don’t do a radio tour for the single! I adore this song and the subject matter really resonates with me – taking chances in order to find happiness instead of staying in your comfort zone but never being content. Leona’s vocal delivery is perfect. Beginning the song in a sombre, restricted manner and gradually the emotion begins to pour out in her voice. The emotions reach a peak in the final chorus until she goes full-circle with the last sombre “happy”. Okay I’ve studied and analysed this song way too much. THE SONG IS A JOURNEY THOUGH. Let’s also talk about THAT video. Besides Leona looking stunning and seemingly embarking on a sexy holiday romance, the best part is that twist during the middle 8 which truly broke my 15-year-old heart. Her best video to date! I know many people labelled ‘Happy’ a poor man’s ‘Bleeding Love’ but I have always found that a lazy comparison. Yes, Ryan Tedder produced another ballad for Leona to lead another of her albums, and yes a lot of Ryan’s productions for the pop girls sounded similar in 2009 but while BL is a yearning love song, ‘Happy’ has a far more generalised theme and self-empowerment is at the heart of it. It was so close to getting my 11 yet again but I decided to break tradition after reacquainting myself with ‘I See You’ lol! It may have not been the best choice for lead single in hindsight but I am glad it got its chance to shine and we were blessed with that video! ‘Happy’ was unanimously liked by voters – scoring no lower than a 7 – but failed to get a single 11. Interestingly, it isn’t the highest track to receive no 11s.

Posted by: HurtMyHands 20th May 2020, 03:18 PM

I was so close again! BIT next!

Posted by: Lukuzz 20th May 2020, 04:44 PM

Hmm don't think Yesterday should have been a single glad it wasn't
I love Happy think it's a stunning song should have been another number 1 single for her

Posted by: troylovesmusic 20th May 2020, 07:15 PM

I LOVE Yesterday I still play it a lot to this day. Such a good song why it was never a single I will never understand !

Posted by: George.keh 20th May 2020, 07:36 PM

wished i’d voted, just explored leona’s back catalogue over the last week and happy deffo would have gotten a 10 for me

Posted by: Scene 20th May 2020, 07:44 PM

06. Better in Time | 8.69

Highest: 11 (Feel The Fever) / Lowest: 5 (Dean)




Just missing out on a spot in the top 5 is Leona’s follow-up single to the behemoth that is ‘Bleeding Love’. ‘Better in Time’ was the other half of Leona’s 2008 Sports Relief single in the UK but took on a life of its own across the globe. Despite never reaching number one anywhere, it still managed to chart in the top 10 in many countries across Europe and Australia. Frustratingly, it stalled at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 which was a bit of a disappointment after the huge success of its predecessor. Similarly, it was annoyingly close to #1 in the UK chart as I mentioned previously. The song is a mid-tempo about overcoming a break-up and healing through positive thinking. I have never been a massive fan of the song to be honest. Don’t get me wrong the positive and encouraging lyrics are powerful and I’ve read online how many people find strength through this song. So I don’t want to critique it too harshly. Maybe it’s just because it followed a monster of a song and it felt a bit… tame?... in comparison. I also can’t help but think one of the other tracks on the album would have given Leona a second top 10 hit in the US and maybe even another #1 somewhere else in the world. On the flipside, there are a lot of artists who have followed up massive hits with a flop so ‘Better in Time’s success shouldn’t be discredited or played down. I guess ‘Better’ was always destined for second single since it was originally planned to launch Leona before ‘Bleeding Love’ came along. Can you imagine that being a reality? Besides Feel The Fever's 11, the song picked up eight 10s!

Posted by: Jonjo 20th May 2020, 08:02 PM

'Happy' is lovely. I was gutted it lost out to BEP's that week </3

However, I just don't think people wanted another ballad from Leona and it felt a bit wash, rinse, repeat. I low-key feel like Alexandra Burke's 'Bad Boys' kinda stole it's thunder in the sense that, people were all over that and saying things like "this is so different for an X Factor act/winner - finally something uptempo" and this was very "eh. We've heard it before" (which IGY failed to erradicate ) and we've spoken about what the singles run should've been Ik we say OMH would have been a great lead, but even something like 'Naked' would have kept Radio 2 on board as well as R1/Capital for the first single - whilst still being a bit different and a change of pace for her, before moving on to the more contemporary smash OMH

Posted by: Lukuzz 20th May 2020, 08:14 PM

Better In Time is stunning and a great follow up to Bleeding Love imo.

Glad Take A Bow is still to come.

Posted by: troylovesmusic 20th May 2020, 09:00 PM

Why is Glassheart still in ? Hope that’s next out I like it but don’t know about it being top 5.

Posted by: Feel_The_Fever 21st May 2020, 12:33 AM

Disappointed better in time isnt even top 5, I was hoping for a top 3 finish. I hope one more sleep can win.

Posted by: Jonjo 21st May 2020, 10:26 AM

Wait, I somehow missed Better In Time's reveal!

THAT is how you do a MOR mid-tempo banger. It was always a huge highlight for me but the single mix is stunning. Also, didn't this get screwed over by being a double A-side in the digital era? I seem to remember BIT & FITS were counted separately with BIT being "nominated" as the main single or something, so FITS charted on it's own! Had it been combined properly, she probably would have had a 3rd number 1 - weren't her sales really close to Duffy?

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 21st May 2020, 10:40 AM

I'd probably go so far as to say 'Better In Time' is my favourite single (I think).

Posted by: Scene 21st May 2020, 04:59 PM

05. Glassheart | 8.88

Highest: 11 (HurtMyHands, sorryislayed) 10 (Bitch, Scene, Mike, Lukuzz, SamJudd, …ready for it, Winter Freeze)
Lowest: 5 (Cameron) 7 (Nick F1, Love Leona)




Starting off the top 5 is the track that many fans believed should have been the lead single of Leona’s third album – the titular ‘Glassheart’. The song was first performed by Leona during her gig at G-A-Y in 2011 and received overwhelming praise from the fandom. During the year-long delay of the album, ‘Glassheart’ transformed slightly from a synth-centred composition to a more on-trend dubstep anthem. The change is most notable during the breakdown following the chorus: in 2011 it somewhat resembled a 90s dance track while the end result has that filthy break I can only compare with Rihanna’s ‘Where Have You Been’. It is probably top of the list for “should’ve been Leona singles” in my eyes. It came at a time when Leona’s success wasn’t as guaranteed as it had once been and while ‘Trouble’ was essentially more of the same from her, ‘Glassheart’ was a magnificent difference in sound. Furthermore, it received positive reviews from critics, radio DJs and fans alike. While I found ‘Collide’ a bit basic, ‘Glassheart’ had strong lyrics, a melody made for radio and a sound that was in vogue at the time. The video could have been stunning too! It probably comes as no surprise that the track was the work of Leona and Ryan Tedder who have produced magic together time and time again. Imagine if he was the executive producer of LL6. I’m content at least in this getting the love it deserves on Buzzjack and finishing top 5. Besides receiving one 5 everyone else gave it at least a 7!

Posted by: Jordan Lee 21st May 2020, 05:27 PM

I said this somewhere else but Glassheart really could’ve been her career salvage moment like Black Magic was for LM if she released that as the albums lead.

Posted by: Lukuzz 21st May 2020, 07:15 PM

Wow, Glassheart is fab (as are all of her upbeat songs imo) wasn't expecting it this high tbh though.

4 epic songs left to come

Hoping Run is 4th and that would make an amazing top 3 of OMS, TAB and BL

Posted by: HurtMyHands 21st May 2020, 08:08 PM

One off again, damn. Run and TAB next!

Posted by: Scene 21st May 2020, 08:51 PM

QUOTE(Jordan Lee @ May 21 2020, 06:27 PM)

Posted by: Scene 22nd May 2020, 02:35 PM

04. Take A Bow | 8.90

Highest: 11 (Nick F1, Lukuzz) 10 (Bitch, Scene, Mike, SamJudd, Winter Freeze, Jordan Lee, Jonjo, troylovesmusic)
Lowest: 6 (Cameron) 7 (HurtMyHands, Love Leona, sorryislayed)




At #4 we have the highest honorary single of the rate and the original “should have been single”: ‘Take A Bow’. The song – another brainchild of Leona and Ryan Tedder – showed a more sassy, no-nonsense side to Leona and could have easily been another worldwide hit for her. Perhaps it was never considered for single status, but the song really stands out among all the more mellow, ballad-leaning tracks surrounding it on the album and I'd have thought the label would have seen its potential? It is possible Leona’s involvement with Sports Relief 2008 was planned in advance and ‘Better in Time’ and ‘Footprints’ are the more appropriate tracks for a charity single - but then Rachel Stevens' Sports Relief 2004 single was hardly made for charity in mind. ‘Take A Bow’ could have filled the long gap between BIT and ‘Forgive Me’ though and maintained the momentum. There is also the slight possibility that Rihanna releasing her own song with the same title that Spring may have discouraged Team Leona from pushing it. Single or not, it is a certified highlight in Leona’s back catalogue and has aged extremely well after over 12 years of existence. The love for it on here is real with 2 11s and 8 10s and not a single score below 6. Cameron never failing to bring a song’s average down.

Posted by: Scene 22nd May 2020, 02:41 PM

So we have a top 3! In alphabetical order:

Bleeding Love
One More Sleep
Run

Her three signature hits! Which will come out on top though?

Posted by: Jonjo 🐝 22nd May 2020, 03:04 PM

'Take A Bow' is such a missed opportunity! It really should have been the 3rd single after 'Better In Time'/'Footprints..'

I'm gonna predict:

01. Run
02. Bleeding Love
03. One More Sleep

Posted by: JulianNial 22nd May 2020, 03:22 PM

I'd be tragic if 'One More Sleep' won, but i'd be happy with either of the others. I have to admit 'Glassheart' really grew on me listening to it now. So many missed smash hits. I hate it.

Posted by: HurtMyHands 22nd May 2020, 04:08 PM

TAB is criminally OVERrated.

3. Run.
2. BL.
1. OMS.

Fingers crossed for OMS

Posted by: Herbs 22nd May 2020, 04:22 PM

Love that Take A Bow is so high!

Posted by: Lukuzz 22nd May 2020, 04:45 PM

Aww Take A Bow. My personal number 1 song of Leonas of all time. Its just epic and one of those I honestly can't believe it wasn't a single moments. Such a tragedy imo. Still glad it's seen so highly by the majority of people

Posted by: Scene 22nd May 2020, 06:42 PM

Posting just so I can reveal #3 on a new page.

Posted by: Scene 22nd May 2020, 06:48 PM

03. One More Sleep | 9.24

Highest: 10 (HurtMyHands, Scene, Alfonso LeLe, Mike, Cameron, Lukuzz, Billy, SamJudd, Feel The Fever) 9.5 (Love Leona, Jonjo, troylovesmusic)
Lowest: 7 (…ready for it) 8 (sorryislayed, Riser)




At Number 3 we have the new Christmas Classic ‘One More Sleep’. Inspired by the Motown sound with nods to 60s girl-groups, ‘One More Sleep’ was cooked up by Leona and Biff Stannard in the summer of 2013. When it was announced that Leona would be bringing out a festive album I – and a large chunk of the fandom – was apprehensive about (a) the lack of originality in a Christmas album (b) Syco’s intentions for Leona as an artist and © the album’s success. Thankfully, we needn’t have worried about (a) and ©; Leona recorded three original tracks for the album and, for once, the perfect lead single was chosen! It has to be one of Leona’s most instant tracks without ever sacrificing quality for the sake of catchiness. It is one of the rare occasions (or only occasion?) where Leona has shown the wider public a happier, more joyful side to her through her music. It’s rather ironic that at the beginning of her career she was plagued with criticisms about her “lack of personality” and “boring” music yet one of her lasting legacies is this bouncy, up-tempo yuletide BOP. The song’s success was never a foregone conclusion. In actuality, the track was stalling at first and it was her X Factor performance which pushed it to the top of the iTunes chart and saw it peak officially at #3 for two consecutive weeks! Frustratingly, ‘One More Sleep’ was ridiculously close to charting at #2 on one of those weeks – being a small amount of copies behind Avicii of all people. Leona could have joined the long list of Christmas Classics that peaked at #2. Although Leona has not seen chart success with new material since this song’s release in 2013, it is a blessing to have her re-enter the chart every year with it. The power of an amazing pop song! It re-entered the top 10 officially a couple of years ago so fingers crossed Leona can do it again soon! You guys have shown this song an overwhelming amount of love – with nine 10’s! and not a single score below 7. It did however fail to receive a single 11! Maybe because it’s a seasonal track that isn’t appropriate to listen to 10 11 months of the year, it isn’t considered anyone’s absolute Leona fave? But who cares about 11s – everyone loves it!

Posted by: ...ready for it 22nd May 2020, 07:14 PM

One More Sleep is too high.

Posted by: Feel_The_Fever 22nd May 2020, 08:07 PM

one more sleep did well, im supporting run now.

Posted by: Scene 22nd May 2020, 08:26 PM

And the winner is....
































02. Run | 9.62

Highest: 11 (Mike, …ready for it) 10 (Bitch, Nick F1, Scene, Alfonso LeLe, Billy, SamJudd, Feel The Fever, Winter Freeze, Love Leona, Jordan Lee, Julian Nial, Jonjo, troylovesmusic)
Lowest: 7 (Dean) 8 (HurtMyHands, sorryislayed)




Narrowly missing out on the top spot is one of Leona’s most enduring and unforgettable hits. The story of how this cover came to life is incredible. Leona went into the Radio 1 Live Lounge in early 2007 and performed a cover of Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’. Her live cover had such an EPIC impact on Radio 1 listeners it became the most requested live lounge cover in history: the following morning, it was requested over 8,000 times in the first two minutes of Chris Moyles’ Breakfast Show!! Due to the overwhelming response, Syco (very smartly) decided to include a studio version of ‘Run’ on the Spirit Deluxe Edition. Leona performed the track on The X Factor that year to rave reviews and, after overwhelming public demand, the label FINALLY chose to release it as a single! (to think they didn’t even plan on doing this originally!!) Anyway, commercially the song SMASHED. It became the first ever download-only release to top the UK Singles Chart and spent 2 weeks at the summit. Inexplicably, it was not pushed internationally BUT in 2010 it became a top 3 hit in Germany and Switzerland – and a #1 in Austria – after a contestant performed it on a talent show! The song is stunning and Leona’s vocal delivery is flawless – starting off light and not giving too much until the 3 minute mark. SCALPED. ‘Run’ picked up a remarkable 13 tens on top of its 2 elevens!





01. Bleeding Love | 9.74

Highest: 11 (SamJudd, Winter Freeze, Jordan Lee, JulianNial, troylovesmusic) 10 (Scene, Alfonso LeLe, Mike, Lukuzz, Billy, Love Leona, sorryislayed, Jonjo)
Lowest: 7.5 (Dean, Feel The Fever)




And the song that comes out on top is the modern classic, ‘Bleeding Love’. The song transformed Leona from an X Factor graduate into an international multi-platinum-selling superstar and ensured she left her place in the history books! ‘Bleeding Love’ topped the charts in over 30 countries – including 7 weeks at the top in the UK and 4 non-consecutive weeks at number one in the US. By achieving that prestigious number one, Leona became the first British solo female to top the US Billboard Hot 100 in over 21 years! It’s fair to say ‘Bleeding Love’ exceeded everyone’s expectations even though Leona was being hyped up as the new Whitney or Mariah even before the song’s release. Despite the UK release clashing with Take That’s ‘Rule the World’, ‘Bleeding Love’ sold over 218,000 copies in its opening week to land at #1 and continued to sell upwards of 100,000 for the following two weeks also! Its sales were simply incredible in 2007’s climate and it became one of the rare million-sellers of that period. Furthermore, it became the biggest-selling song of 2008 worldwide!!! Not only did it launch Leona’s career in the most perfect way possible, it elevated Ryan Tedder’s profile as a songwriter and paved the way for future hits such as Beyonce’s ‘Halo’ and Ella Henderson’s ‘Ghost’. While I’ve always enjoyed the song, I don’t think I used to appreciate it as much as I should have. Everything about it is just timelessly beautiful; the organ intro, the percussion, lyrics about yearning for someone even if by doing so it causes you pain… With five 11’s and eight 10’s you voters have really shown it the love it deserves! Undoubtedly one of the defining songs of the noughties!

Thank you to everyone who has voted and contributed to the discussion in this thread. This is the first ever rate I’ve hosted and it’s been great fun! Hopefully some of you have either discovered or rediscovered some of Leona’s discography through this rate.

Posted by: HurtMyHands 22nd May 2020, 09:10 PM

Nooooooo I wanted OMS to win so badlyyyyy.

Thanks so much for this Scene! It’s been so much fun, hopefully we’ll be doing this again soon with new singles ❤️

Posted by: Feel_The_Fever 22nd May 2020, 09:11 PM

i had a feeling bleeding love would do it but i would have preferred run to have topped it.

Posted by: Lukuzz 22nd May 2020, 09:21 PM

Bleeding Love is still an absolute classic tbf, and Run is one of the best cover versions of all time. One More Sleep is a classic too. So many amazing songs in just an absolute Leona Stan ❤️

Posted by: Jordan Lee 22nd May 2020, 09:34 PM

Bleeding Love is the correct winner!!!!

Amazing results though so happy Take A Bow managed to really slay too.

One More Sleep is high up for me in terms of Xmas releases but bc of its nature it’s not something I revisit a lot (maybe between 15-26 December or so ) but I wouldn’t have put in top 3.

I will say One More Sleep is a rare time where she’s had the perfect lead single though only Bleeding Love can really relate to that.
It’s lovely to see it re enter each year too, if did manage to show the public Leona can do upbeat numbers.

Posted by: Jonjo 🐝 22nd May 2020, 09:48 PM

'Run' is breath taking. I adore the original but Leona's sends shivers down my spine. Stunning.

'Bleeding Love' is a classic! WHAT a song and what a debut single.

Thank you for this Scene! Was lovely revisiting them all

Posted by: JulianNial 22nd May 2020, 10:49 PM

That kinda feels right!

Posted by: Scene 22nd May 2020, 11:22 PM

You're welcome guys. It makes me really crave new Leona music though. Serve up another Spirit or Echo queen.

Posted by: Jonjo 🐝 22nd May 2020, 11:32 PM

Just give us an album full of 'Can't Breathe' tbh. That sound would smash now tbh.

Posted by: ...ready for it 23rd May 2020, 06:30 AM

Meh. I wanted Run to win.

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 23rd May 2020, 10:40 AM

I like 'Run' a lot, but that feels too high for it.

Posted by: troylovesmusic 23rd May 2020, 11:27 AM

Bleeding Love was the right winner will never forget the first time I heard it . Run was also stunning though !