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 8 covers the winter and spring of 1993 and the second semester of my freshman year of college. The alternative influence starts to become more noticable, as both Pearl Jam and Nirvana make their belated first appearances alongside old mainstays like Poison, Bon Jovi, and Def Leppard. Besides that, we are treated to a lot of hip-hop and hair metal, with a small sampling of pop, as always.
Side A
Bell Biv Devoe – Gangsta
The intended first single from the second Bell Biv Devoe record, which flopped, it was dropped from the album and now is lost to history.
Pearl Jam – Jeremy
The belated first appearance on these tapes by Pearl Jam, the song, which VH1 ranked as the 11th greatest song of the 90s, saw a modest 3 listen increase over the past 3 years, with nothing for nearly 2 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 plays | 9 plays | 12 plays, most recently on 4/21/2017 |
Wreckx-N-Effect – Rump Shaker
Charting as the 9th biggest hit of 1993, the biggest song for butts since Sir Mix-A-Lot had a healthy 15 play increase.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 plays | 8 plays | 23 plays, most recently on 8/6/2018 |
Boyz II Men – In The Still Of The Night
The cover of the old doo-wop classic, recorded for the miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, added 5 plays in the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 plays | 9 plays | 14 plays, most recently on 12/4/2018 |
Arrested Development – People Everyday
Peaking at #8 on the Billboard charts, the second single for the Atlanta-based group added an additional 7 plays over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 plays | 14 plays | 21 plays, most recently on 10/18/2018 |
Nirvana – In Bloom
The belated first appearance of Nirvana on these tapes, the song, winner of the Best Alternative Video VMA in 1993. picked up a mere 5 new plays in the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 plays | 13 plays | 18 plays, most recently on 4/30/2018 |
TLC – What About Your Friends
The third straight top 10 hit from TLC’s debut album added 11 new listens to its total over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 plays | 6 plays | 17 plays, most recently on 11/30/2018 |
Side B
Toad The Wet Sprocket – Walk On The Ocean
Peaking at #18 on the Billboard charts, the tune, last heard while literally sitting at the ocean before flying home from LA in January, added 14 new listens over the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 13 plays | 21 plays | 35 plays, most recently on 1/2/2019 |
Bon Jovi – Bed Of Roses
Ranked as the 57th biggest hit of 1993, the Bon Jovi hit picked up 5 listens in the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 plays | 7 plays | 12 plays, most recently on 10/2/2018 |
Def Leppard – Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)
The song, originally written for Hysteria, saw a four-fold increase over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 play | 2 plays | 8 plays, most recently on 12/4/2018 |
Metallica – Sad But True
The fifth and final single from the Black album, which managed to hit #15 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, tripled its small number of plays.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 plays | 4 plays | 12 plays, most recently on 12/6/2018 |
Poison – Stand
Originally written by new guitarist Richie Kotzen before he joined the band to replace the fired CC DeVille, the track, featuring backing vocals by the Los Angeles First A.M.E. Church choir, nearly quintupled its listens over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 play | 3 plays | 14 plays, most recently on 12/16/2018 |
Shanice – Saving Forever For You
A mere 3 play increase for the hit from the 90210 soundtrack.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 0 plays | 2 plays | 5 plays, most recently on 12/18/2018 |