A music review by Carrie Sanderson

Trail Staff Writer

The end of 2006 is quickly approaching and you know what that means for all music reviewers. Yep, the best of 2006 lists will soon be flooding magazines and newspapers around the country.
This year was a year of change for me and my taste in music. I went from listening to mostly country and a little bit of pop and rap to listening to mostly rock with some country mixed in. Now I am gradually finding a balance in my music taste. I listen to just about everything, well except rap, which I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to listen to, let alone understand. That being said, let’s just dive into my top five songs of 2006.
Number five is “Pain” by Three Days Grace. These guys made a huge comeback this year with the release of the album Three-X. Although this song has not yet seen the success it deserves, it is climbing the charts. This song is packed with emotion and meaning, which is why it deserves to be recognized as one of the best songs of 2006. I believe most everyone can relate to the lyrics of “Pain” and that is what makes it a great song.
At number four is “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw. Not only is this one of my favorite songs by him, but it has also been a huge success. It is one of those songs that can make someone stop whatever they are doing and just listen to the words. Only a great song can do that. It has also proven to depict the father-daughter bond as well, if not better, than any other song out there. It is a tear-jerker, but still has the power to make you smile through the tears.
“Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood ranks at number three. It is the anthem for every women who has been done wrong by a no-good-cheating man. I’m not saying her method of getting back at the cheater is a good idea, unless you want to spend some time in court or jail. But I am saying that in “Before He Cheats,” Underwood does exactly what every woman who has ever been cheated on wanted to do—get revenge.
Number two is “Hicktown” by Jason Aldean. This song is without a doubt the anthem for every small town across America. The words of “Hicktown” express a way of life for so many people, it’s no wonder the song sky-rocketed newcomer Aldean to greatness. He is also very believable as a resident of “Hicktown,” which without a doubt adds to the song’s believability and greatness. Only a truly great song could have people in New York City and Los Angeles singing about being from a “Hicktown.”
And the number one song of 2006 goes to Nickelback with their hit “Far Away.” The boys of Nickelback have seen tons of success from their newest album All the Right Reasons, which sold more than 50,000 copies. This year was the year of rock ballads and Nickelback took advantage of the opportunity. “Far Away” is probably one of the most popular “our songs” of couples around the world, which makes the song and the band even more popular.
I chose this song as my number one song of 2006 not only because it is love song, but also because in a world that looks at everything negatively, “Far Away” puts everything in perspective. It shows us that no matter how bad things may seem, they can and probably will get better in the long run.
I’m sure that many of you reading this don’t agree with some, if not all, of my choices. I didn’t make this list based on air play or popularity, I made it based on the songs that I felt deserved it the most. These are the songs that had the most impact on me this year. The songs that helped me through both good and bad times in 2006.