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 listen to today.  Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 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

This big hit from Roxette nearly doubled its play total over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 10/28/2013

Skid Row – Youth Gone Wild

The first release from Skid Row did manage to double its play total, despite my not having listened to it in over a year.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 11/4/2013

Biz Markie – Just A Friend

Another doubling, this time for the one hit wonder.

2012 iTunes stats: 6 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 12/4/2014

Motley Crue – Without You

One of the songs I had listened to the most back in 2012 only got one additional spin since then.

2012 iTunes stats: 10 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 4/27/2013

Aerosmith – What It Takes

Aerosmtih returns to my charts with this smash hit, which I haven’t heard as much of over the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 8 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 3/24/2015

MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This

The song that put MC Hammer on the map doubled its play total over the past 3 years..

2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 8/15/2014

Aerosmith – Rag Doll

Aerosmith, which makes another appearance on this tape thanks to my absconding my friend Scott’s cassette of their previous album, also doubled its play total.

2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 3/7/2015

Side B

Aerosmith – Dude Looks Like A Lady

Tied for the lead for this cassette back in 2012, this Aerosmith tune managed to increase by only 3 plays since then..

2012 iTunes stats: 13 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 4/24/2014

Calloway – I Wanna Be Rich

The sole hit from Calloway managed to triple its paltry play total over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 1 play

2015 iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 5/4/2013

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 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

The debut track from BBD managed to increase its play total by 6 in the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 13 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 19 plays, most recently on 11/9/2014

Wilson Phillips – Hold On

Wilson Phillips debut, which has become a kitsch classic, was only listened to once over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 7/14/2014

Madonna – Vogue

Madonna joins Paula Abdul as performers of songs I liked buy hadn’t ever listened to electronically 3 years ago that I now have.

2012 iTunes stats: Never played

2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 9/23/2014

Roxette – It Must Have Been Love

This number one smash for Roxette has somehow managed to not come up on my playlist for over 5 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 1/15/2010