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 9 places us squarely in the early months of 1993, overlapping with the second semester of my freshman year of college.  The hip hop and pop are rounded out with some alternative and what passes for hair metal in the post-grunge era.

Side A

Dan Baird – I Love You Period

Despite not knowing if this song ever got radio play in the state of Illinois, I’ve somehow more than quadrupled its listens over the past 3 years..

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 3/9/2015

Ugly Kid Joe – Cats In The Cradle

Only 2 additional listens for this cover of the Harry Chapin hit.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

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

Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal

The story of a wise homeless man managed to more than double its number of plays over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 5 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 10/14/2014

Naughty By Nature – Hip Hop Hooray

A slight increase for the hip hop anthem.

2012 iTunes stats: 8 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 4/15/2015

Positive K – I Got A Man

The one hit for Positive K garnered a slight increase in the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 6 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 8/14/2014

REM – Man On The Moon

A slight increase for this tribute to Andy Kaufman.

2012iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 4/1/2015

Aerosmith – Livin’ On The Edge

The first hit from the first CD I bought at a midnight release, at the Musicland that would eventually become Kazoo’s, managed a slight increase over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 8/4/2014

Side B

Def Leppard – Tonight

Somehow I managed to listen to this song 5 times in a little over a year, and not once in the nearly 2 years prior or since.

2012 iTunes stats: Never Played

2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 8/16/2013

Guns N’ Roses – Dead Horse

A nice doubling in listens for the final release from the Use Your Illusion albums.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 11/21/2014

Bon Jovi – In These Arms

The modest hit from the New Jersey rockers managed a small increase over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 7/1/2014

Silk – Freak Me

The one big hit for Silk managed to double its plays in the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 4/8/2014

Poison – Until You Suffer Some (Fire & Ice)

An exponential growth in the number of plays for the final “hit” from the glam rockers.

2012 iTunes stats: 1 play

2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 9/23/2014

PM Dawn – Looking Through Patient Eyes

A small increase for the big hit from PM Dawn, which I haven’t heard in over a year.

2012 iTunes stats: 1 play

2015 iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 2/7/2014

Ugly Kid Joe – Busy Bee

The final hit for Ugly Kid Joe finally managed a listen nearly 3 years ago.

2012 iTunes stats: Never Played

2015 iTunes stats: 1 play, on 6/1/2012