iTunes Top 200: #124 – 145

Music.  It is a powerful thing that brings people together, creates memories, and evokes emotions.  It is the universal language that speaks to the soul.  It forms the soundtrack of our lives.

It has now been five years since we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library, featuring he songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which older songs still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2025.

We wrap up the batch of songs tied for 145th place with 38 plays this week and start on the group tied for 124th with 39 plays since my stats began in late 2007.

#145: Foo Fighters – All My Life
iTunes stats: 38 plays, most recently on 3/31/2024
Previous ranking: #144

Seven new listens over the past five years for this first single from the groups fourth album, which earned them a Grammy for best hard rock performance.

#145: Fiona Apple – Shadowboxer
iTunes stats: 38 plays, most recently on 11/15/2023
Previous ranking: #144

Released in 1996, Apple’s debut single spent six weeks on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart, peaking at #34, and picked up seven new plays over the past five years.

#145: Coolio f/ L.V. – Gangsta’s Paradise
iTunes stats: 38 plays, most recently on 9/29/2022
Previous ranking: #112

The top-selling single of 1995, this hit from the Dangerous Minds soundtrack by the rapper who passed away in 2022 won the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.

#145: Color Me Badd – All 4 Love
iTunes stats: 38 plays, most recently on 4/28/2024
Previous ranking: #112

The final #1 hit from the R&B group, used as the at-bat music by former White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers, added just five new listens over the past five years.

#145: The Cast of Buffy the Vampire SlayerStanding
iTunes stats: 38 plays, most recently on 4/5/2023
Previous ranking: #89

Performed by Anthony Stewart Head as a ballad to Buffy that she does not hear, unlike the songs revealing truths elsewhere in the episode.

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iTunes Top 200: #98

itunes_image4 years ago, we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library. Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2020.

Today, we wrap up the first half of our countdown, leading up to the top 100 with the next batch of songs tied with 34 plays dating back to late 2007, according to my iTunes stats.

#98: The Wonders – That Thing You Do
iTunes stats: 34 plays, most recently on 8/26/2019
Previous ranking: #65

The theme song from the 1996 movie of the same name, about a band that hits it big in the 60s before disintegrating before they can record a follow up.

#98: TLC – Creep
iTunes stats: 34 plays, most recently on 11/13/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A nice debut for the lead single from the band’s second album, the group’s first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

#98: Tegan and Sara – Umbrella (Rihanna Cover)
iTunes stats: 34 plays, most recently on 8/21/2019
Previous ranking: #65

A live, bootleg version of the Rihanna hit covered by the Canadian darlings.

#98: Motley Crue – Kickstart My Heart
iTunes stats: 34 plays, most recently on 11/27/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

Written by bassist Nikki Six about an overdose where he was declared clinically dead before 2 adrenaline shots to the heart brought him back to life.

#98: Me First And The Gimme Gimmes – Rainbow Connection
iTunes stats: 34 plays, most recently on 11/9/2019
Previous ranking: #79

A punk cover of the quintessential Muppets hit.

#98: John Williams – Prelude And Main Title March
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iTunes Top 200: #79 – 96

itunes_image3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 songs 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 songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2016.

Today, we start the final 100 songs of the countdown with the last grouping of songs tied for 96th place with 20 plays apiece and the first tied for 79th place with 21 plays since late 2007.

#96: The Cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Standing
iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 12/11/2015
Previous ranking: #76

Performed by Anthony Stewart Head as a ballad to Buffy that she does not hear, unlike the songs revealing truths elsewhere in the episode.

#96: The Breeders – Cannonball
iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 8/4/2015
Previous ranking: #54

The first single for the new band fronted by former Pixie Kim Deal and her sister Kelley.

#96: The Beatles – Getting Better
iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 12/16/2015
Previous ranking: #58

The initial idea for the song’s title came from a phrase often spoken by Jimmie Nicol, the group’s stand-in drummer for the Australian leg of a 1964 tour.

#96: The Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night
iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 8/25/2015
Previous ranking: #96

From 1964, the song is the title track to both the album and the movie.

#96: AC/DC – Back In Black
iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 9/10/2015
Previous ranking: #58

Written as a tribute to former lead singer Bon Scott, who had died during the songwriting for the album.

#79: 10,000 Maniacs – Candy Everybody Wants
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iTunes Top 100: #76 – 95

itunes_image

My latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 2 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, it is now time to look at digital music with the Top 100 songs that I’ve listened to as of 6/2/2013, according to iTunes. Today we look at the 20 songs tied for #76 with 16 overall plays.

#76: The Beatles – Eight Days A Week

Although it was a huge American hit, the group did not think highly of the song and they never performed it live.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 8/14/2012

#76: The Beatles – Paperback Writer

The single went to the number one spot in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, West Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Norway.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 5/20/2013

#76: Bell Biv Devoe – Poison

This 1990 hit from New Edition spin-off also appeared on Volume 2 of my mix tapes, and has been listened to three times since then.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 5/16/2013

#76: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Overture/Going Through The Motions

Performed by series star Sarah Michelle Gellar at the beginning of the musical episode in season 6.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 4/28/2013

#76: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Under Your Spell

Amber Benson performs the song which writer Joss Whedon called “pornography” and “probably the dirtiest lyric I’ve ever written, but also very, very beautiful”.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 4/28/2013

#76: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Standing

Performed by Anthony Stewart Head as a ballad to Buffy that she does not hear, unlike the songs revealing truths elsewhere in the episode.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 5/15/2013

#76: Cracker – Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)

Charted at number 1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks, arguably breaking Cracker into the mainstream.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 11/9/2012

#76: Darling Violetta – Angel Main Theme

The band performed 2 songs in a third season episode of Buffy before being tasked to perform the theme to the spin-off.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 5/16/2013

#76: Dr. Dre Feat RBX And Snoop Dogg – Let Me Ride

This 1994 Grammy Award winner for Best Rap Solo Performance also appeared on Volume 11 of my mix tapes, and has been listened to twice since then.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 2/5/2013

#76: Foo Fighters – Monkey Wrench

The first single from the band’s second album, the song chronicled the disintegration of singer/song writer Dave Grohl’s four-year marriage to Jennifer Youngblood.

iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 4/24/2012

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2011 New Fall Season – Wednesdays

CBS

Criminal Minds – Last season saw A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster written out of the show and replaced by Rachel Nichols.  Someone must have realized it was a mistake, as this season Rachel Nichols has been replaced by A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster.  As it enters its seventh season, it may not be the best move to return back to the old status quo.

NBC

Up All Night – Two espisodes in and it has been decent so far, with the appeal of Christina Applegate cancelling out the annoyances of Will Arnett.  The scenes at home with the baby have far surpassed those at work to this point.

Free Agents – This has not been very good so far, despite featuring the return of Anthony Stewart Head to American television sets.  I give it until January, if that long.

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Upfronts Day 0

NBC jumped the gun and released their schedule for the upcoming fall season a day early.  Chuck returns for a 13 episode final season, moving to Friday nights.  30 Rock gets bumped to mid-season due to Tina Fey’s pregnancy.  Harry’s Law gets a surprise renewal and moves to Wednesdays. 

New dramas in the fall include Prime Suspect, starring Maria Bello as a homicide detective fighting her way through the boys club.  The Playboy Club tries to follow in the footsteps of Mad Men and goes back to the 60s at the legendary Chicago club.  Grimm tries to follow in the footsteps (notice a pattern here?) of Supernatural, following a group of hunters going after the creatures from the Grimm fairy tales.  Awake (finally a somewhat new premise) is a drama about a man who wakes up from an accident to find out he is living in two parallel worlds, one where his wife died in the accident and one where his son died.

On the comedy front, Whitney is a starring vehicle for roast sensation Whitney Cummings.  Up All Night is “a modern take on parenthood.”  Free Agents is based on a cult UK comedy and returns Anthony Head, TVs Giles, to America’s shores.  Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea is inspired by the book from late night host Chelsea Handler and stars Laura Prepon.  Best Friends Forever looks at best friends who promise to support each other.  Bent is about a couple who are attracted to each other despite not having much in common.

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