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 12 covers the summer of 1993 and into the fall and my sophomore year of college.  Alternative has mostly taken over, although there’s still a small smattering of pop and hair metal, or whatever we were calling Def Leppard and Guns ‘N Roses back then.

Side A

10,000 Maniacs – Because The Night

The hit from MTV Unplugged, which was Natalie Merchant’s swan song with the group, more than doubled its total over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 9 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 21 plays, most recently on 1/16/2015

Cracker – Low

Somehow, I’ve only listend to the first hit from Cracker’s sophomore effort once in the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 13 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 7/16/2012

Def Leppard – Miss You In A Heartbeat

The minor hit for the boys from Sheffield garnished only 1 additional listen, nearly 2 years ago now.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 8/11/2013

Cher w/ Beavis & Butthead – I Got You Babe

Cher’s threesome with the animated duo, from the hit film Beavis & Butthead Do America, earned a healthy increase over the past 3 years.

2014 iTunes stats: 17 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 22 plays, most recently on 5/16/2015

Guns N’ Roses – Estranged

The GnR opus doubled its listens over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 6/21/2014

Lemonheads – Into Your Arms

More than a tripling of listens for the big hit from Evan Dando and the boys.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 6/5/2015

Side B

Gin Blossoms – Found Out About You

The second hit from the Gin Blossoms garnered 3 additional listens over the past 3 years, although none in over a year and a half.

2012 iTunes stats: 5 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 9/9/2013

Stone Temple Pilots – Creep

Thanks to a scratched CD, I was forced to buy the song from iTunes and lost its old playback history, making it the only song to have decreased in listens between 3 years ago and now.

2012 iTunes stats: 5 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 1 play, on 8/14/2014

Nirvana – All Apologies

The second hit from In Utero doubled its total from 3 years ago.

iTunes stats: 7 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 5/3/2014

Guns N’ Roses – Since I Don’t Have You

The last hit of the Slash era of GnR nearly doubled its total from 3 years ago.

2012 iTunes stats: 6 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 8/4/2014

Ace of Base – The Sign

The smash hit from the Swedish sensations tripled its number of listens.

2012 iTunes stats: 1 play

2015 iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 1/27/2015

James – Laid

The one hit for the lads from Britain got a small increase over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 15 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 2/11/2015

Crash Test Dummies – Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm

The one hit for the lads from Canada also got a small increase over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 8/21/2013

Cracker – Get Off This

The follow up hit from Kerosene Hat was listened to 3 times in the last 3 years, despite not having been heard in over a year.

2012 iTunes stats: 13 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 5/16/2014