Problem removing cracked siding shingle
I've seen Tommy do something like this on This Old House.  The trick is to get a tool that you use to gently pry out the offending shingle and rip out the nail from behind, without removing the shingle above.  I don't remember the trick for blind nailing the replacement back in.  But that's better than tearing it all the way up.
Look at the head of this example tool.
Shingle ripping tool