Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD. I thought it would be a fun exercise to look back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listen to today.

Volume 2 picks up in early 1990 and takes us through early summer, book-ended  by Roxette hits and featuring another steady stream of hair metal and pop, with a little rap and R&B thrown in for flavor.

Side A

Roxette – Dangerous

Roxette’s big hit was taped off the radio from American Top 40.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 3/26/2011

Skid Row – Youth Gone Wild

An out of sequence hit taped off of the cassette.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 7/22/2011

Biz Markie – Just A Friend

The huge hit was taped off the radio station formerly known as Z95.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 1/29/2011

Motley Crue – Without You

The big ballad from the Crue was another hit taped off of American Top 40.

iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 5/31/2011

Aerosmith – What It Takes

Aerosmtih’s smash hit was yet another tune taped from the good folks at American Top 40.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 8/15/2011

MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This

Rap’s first huge crossover hit was taped from Z95.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 12/14/2010

Aerosmith – Rag Doll

Another hit out of time, taped off of Scott’s cassette.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 5/12/2011

Side B

Aerosmith – Dude Looks Like A Lady

Another hit out of time, also taped off of Scott’s cassette.

iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 6/8/2011

Calloway – I Wanna Be Rich

The one hit from Calloway was taped from Z95.

iTunes stats: 1 play, on 3/15/2012

Do The Bart Simpson

The Simpsons was the hot new show in the spring of 1990, spawning this “song” put together using clips from the show by the good folks at Z95.

Bell Biv Devoe – Poison

The debut from BBD was also taped off of Z95.

iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 2/21/2012

Wilson Phillips – Hold On

Wilson Phillips debut was, again, recorded from Z95.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 7/17/2010

Madonna – Vogue

The Madonna smash was also taped off of the radio, American Top 40 to be specific.

iTunes stats: Never played

Roxette – It Must Have Been Love

The smash from the Pretty Woman soundtrack was taped off of the radio, most likely Z95 like the others.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 1/15/2010