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.  Three years ago, we looked back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listened to. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.

Volume 5 takes us from the end of my junior year of high school, through the summer, and all the way to spring of my senior year, from mid 1991 through early 1992, and once again features a healthy dose of hair metal and pop.  It also includes the appearance of my first CD player, a Christmas gift in 1991.

Side A

Firehouse – Don’t Treat Me Bad

I haven’t listened to the first hit from Firehouse in nearly 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 7/11/2012

Color Me Badd – I Wanna Sex You Up

The first hit for ths so-called R&B boy band had a decent increase over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 3/10/2015

Boyz II Men – Motownphilly

The debut hit from Philadelphia crooners had a healthy 3 play increase since last we checked.

2012 iTunes stats: 1 play

2015 iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 2/14/2015

Motley Crue – Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)

The last hit off of Dr. Feelgood gets a nice increase to keep it in the running for most listened to song.

2012 iTunes stats: 18 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 22 plays, most recently on 2/6/2011

Slaughter – Fly To The Angels

It’s been almost 2 years since I heard the big ballad from the hair band.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 5/21/2013

Boyz II Men – It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye

Big increases for both versions of the cover song originally written for the film Cooley High.

2012 iTunes stats (Radio version): 11 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 3/14/2014

2012 iTunes stats (Album version): 6 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 4/3/2015

Salt-N-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex

A big three fold increase for the first ladies of rap.

2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 4/14/2015

Side B

Color Me Badd – All 4 Love

The third hit from the funky boy band, that is now occasionally used as the walk-up music for Tyler Flowers, increased a bit over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 5 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 3/7/2015

Poison – Your Mama Don’t Dance

Poison – Talk Dirty To Me

These 2 wouldn’t even be on this tape if I hadn’t spent part of the Christmas break in Florida.

2012 iTunes stats: 9 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 8/11/2013

2012 iTunes stats: 6 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 7/3/2014

Motley Crue – Home Sweet Home

The re-released hit managed to more than double its total over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 6 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 4/14/2015

MC Hammer – Addam’s Groove

The final top 10 hit for the rapper/dancer nearly doubled its oddly impressive total.

2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 3/14/2015

Guns N’ Roses – Don’t Cry

The long-awaited follow-up from Axl Rose and company has also nearly doubled its plays over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 5 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 1/10/2015

Def Leppard – Let’s Get Rocked

Only 3 additional plays for the groups first new release in 4 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 11/14/2014