3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 artists in my iTunes library.  Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact.  So, I figured it was time to take another look, expanding out the field to the top 200 artists, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2017.

We wrap things up today with the top 10, which includes 3 new additions and a whopping 5,848 total listens.  These bands have accounted for 12 of the concerts I’ve seen over the years.

#10: AC/DC
iTunes stats: 342 plays
Previous ranking: #8

20 songs make up the total for the hard rockers, including one that has a tremendous amount of plays due to the White Sox use of it when running out on to the field.  Meaning, they likely would not have dropped 2 slots had the team played better these past few years and my victory playlist got a little more action.

#9: Pearl Jam
iTunes stats: 348 plays
Previous ranking: #9

The grunge godfathers stay even despite adding 2 new songs with plays, up to 39, and 157 new listens over the past 3 years.  I spent a good amount of time being burnt out on them after their 90s heyday, though I am now less likely to skip over them when they come up on the iPhone.

#8: The Cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer
iTunes stats: 395 plays
Previous ranking: #4

Back in 2001, during the sixth season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the show produced a musical episode as Buffy and the Scooby Gang battled the musical demon Sweet.  The following year, the soundtrack was released, and those 21 songs make up this total.  Only 88 additional listens in the last 3 years caused this group to drop 4 slots.

#7: Tegan and Sara
iTunes stats: 438 plays
Previous ranking: #5

61 songs, up from 50, combined to make up this total for the Canadian sisters.  164 new listens since 2013 was good enough for a 3 slot drop for the group I saw live back in 2005.

#6: Patton Oswalt
iTunes stats: 466 plays
Previous ranking: #52

Funnyman Patton Oswalt makes a huge jump of 46 slots, thanks to 416 new listens and the purchase of a few new albums which bumped his “song” total to 96.

#5: George Carlin
iTunes stats: 507 plays
Previous ranking: #26

Purchasing a few new albums from the classic comedian, bumping his track total from 47 to 116, accounts for this big jump of 20 slots.

#4: Garfunkel and Oates
iTunes stats: 523 plays
Previous ranking: #11

A new album and 2 concert appearances have greatly increased the total for this duo, who jump up 6 slots with 367 additional listens.

#3: Foo Fighters
iTunes stats: 668 plays
Previous ranking: #3

Only 46 songs, up from 39 thanks to a new album, put the Foo Fighters in third place with nobody on their tail.  I saw the Foo Fighters for a second time 2 summers ago at Wrigley Field and would love to do so again.

#2: The Beatles
iTunes stats: 1042 plays
Previous ranking: #1

The boys from Liverpool used 99 different songs, up 4 from 2013, to make up this total, which dropped them down a slot.  They most likely would have held the top spot had all of their counts not been reset back to zero when the remastered versions of their albums came out in 2009.

#1: Garbage
iTunes stats: 1119 plays
Previous ranking: #2

I have seen this band live 5 times over the past 14 years, and look forward to doing so again in the future.  There are now 146 songs, many of which are live versions, that made up their total, with 505 new listens over the past 3 years.