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 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, picked up 9 plays over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 9 plays | 21 plays | 30 plays, most recently on 10/22/2018 |
Cracker – Low
The first single from Kerosene Hat, which reached #3 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, picked up 17 listens in the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 13 plays | 14 plays | 31 plays, most recently on 12/15/2018 |
Def Leppard – Miss You In A Heartbeat
The final US top 40 hit for the band, which peaked at #39, doubled its listens over the past 3 years, with the most recent occurrence coming more than a year ago.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 plays | 3 plays | 6 plays, most recently on 1/12/2018 |
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 12 play increase over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 plays | 22 plays | 34 plays, most recently on 11/26/2018 |
Guns N’ Roses – Estranged
The nearly 9 1/2 minute opus, which hit #16 on the Mainstream Rock chart, tripled its listens over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 plays | 4 plays | 12 plays, most recently on 10/14/2018 |
Lemonheads – Into Your Arms
The only Lemonheads track to appear on the Billboard chart, peaking at #67, the tune added 6 additional plays over the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 plays | 13 plays | 19 plays, most recently on 7/14/2018 |
Side B
Gin Blossoms – Found Out About You
The 51st biggest hit of 1994, and the only Gin Blossoms hit to top the Modern Rock Tracks chart, garnered 4 additional listens over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 plays | 8 plays | 12 plays, most recently on 8/4/2018 |
Stone Temple Pilots – Creep
After losing its old playback history, the third single from the band’s debut album, which is finally represented by both the album and radio version, picked up a combined 20 listens between 3 years ago and now.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 plays | 1 plays | 21 plays, most recently on 12/27/2018 |
Nirvana – All Apologies
Nominated for 2 Grammys in 1995, for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song, the second single from In Utero added a mere 3 new listens to its total from 3 years ago.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 plays | 14 plays | 17 plays, most recently on 6/7/2018 |
Guns N’ Roses – Since I Don’t Have You
The final appearance from Guns N’ Roses on these collections, which hit #69 on the Billboard charts, added 8 new listens to its total from 3 years ago.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 plays | 11 plays | 19 plays, most recently on 12/4/2018 |
Ace of Base – The Sign
The smash hit from the Swedish sensations, which spent 6 weeks atop the Billboard charts and was the top single of 1994, nearly doubled its number of listens.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 play | 3 plays | 5 plays, most recently on 9/23/2018 |
James – Laid
Hitting #3 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, the one hit for the lads from Britain saw an 8 play increase over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 15 plays | 17 plays | 25 plays, most recently on 7/22/2018 |
Crash Test Dummies – Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
The debut single from the band’s sophomore effort, which cracked the top 5 on the Billboard charts, nearly tripled its plays over the past 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 plays | 6 plays | 23 plays, most recently on 11/8/2018 |
Cracker – Get Off This
The follow up hit from Kerosene Hat, written as a response to fans who accused Cracker of selling out, picked up 15 listens in the last 3 years.
| 2012 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| 13 plays | 16 plays | 31 plays, most recently on 12/16/2018 |
[…] first single from Kerosene Hat, which reached #3 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and appears on Volume 12 of my […]