20 years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I put together the first of what would become 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. We last looked back at all 20 volumes three years ago to see which of my “favorite” songs still resonated in today’s digital world. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how, or if, things have changed in the past 3 years.

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

Originally recorded from American Top 40, the fifth and final single from Roxette’s second album added 5 listens to its play total over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
7 plays	12 plays	17 plays, most recently on 12/18/2018

Skid Row – Youth Gone Wild

The first release from Skid Row, which peaked at #99 on the Billboard charts, picked up 5 new plays over the past 4+ years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
4 plays	8 plays	13 plays, most recently on 10/3/2018

Biz Markie – Just A Friend

Ranked #81 on VH1s list of Greatest One Hit Wonders, Biz Markie’s smash more than doubled its listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
6 plays	12 plays	25 plays, most recently on 11/8/2018

Mötley Crüe – Without You

Peaking at #8 on the Billboard charts, the ballad, said to be about drummer Tommy Lee’s relationship with Heather Locklear, picked up 6 additional spins since 2015.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
10 plays	11 plays	17 plays, most recently on 11/26/2018

Aerosmith – What It Takes

Aerosmtih returns to my charts with this smash hit, which peaked at #9 on the charts and picked up a mere 3 plays over the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
8 plays	12 plays	15 plays, most recently on 8/14/2018

MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This

The first rap song to be nominated for the Record of the Year Grammy, MC Hammer’s signature tune more than doubled its play total over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
3 plays	6 plays	13 plays, most recently on 12/15/2018

Aerosmith – Rag Doll

A 1988 hit from Aerosmith, which makes an appearance on this tape thanks to my absconding my friend Scott’s cassette of their previous album, also more than doubled its play total in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
3 plays	6 plays	13 plays, most recently on 10/2/2018

Side B

Aerosmith – Dude (Looks Like A Lady)

Another 1988 hit from Aerosmith, thanks to my friend Scott’s cassette of their previous album, managed to increase by 10 plays since 2015.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
13 plays	16 plays	26 plays, most recently on 9/8/2018

Calloway – I Wanna Be Rich

The sole top 10 hit from Calloway, peaking at #2 on the Billboard charts, managed to more than quadruple its paltry play total over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
1 plays	3 plays	13 plays, most recently on 8/31/2018

Do The Bart Simpson

Hoping to glom on to the success of The Simpsons, which was the hot new show in the spring of 1990, the good folks at Z95 (or some other conglomerate that sold it to stations across the US) put together this “song” using clips from the show.  Unless I make it myself, I doubt there will ever be an electronic copy of it on the Interwebs.

Bell Biv Devoe – Poison

Hitting #3 on the Billboard charts, the debut track from the New Edition spinoff group managed to increase its play total by 15 in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
13 plays	19 plays	34 plays, most recently on 12/23/2018

Wilson Phillips – Hold On

Wilson Phillips debut, which has become a kitsch classic and was the #1 single of 1990, was only listened to 5 times over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
2 plays	3 plays	8 plays, most recently on 11/29/2018

Madonna – Vogue

Ranked #197 on Billboard’s all-time chart, the #5 single of 1990 tripled its listens over the past 3 years, despite not being heard in nearly 2 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
0 plays	2 plays	6 plays, most recently on 3/21/2017

Roxette – It Must Have Been Love

This entry from the Pretty Woman soundtrack, which garnered the band their third #1 single, added 9 new plays over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats

2012	2015	2019
2 plays	2 plays	11 plays, most recently on 11/19/2018