Tag / Dangerous Minds

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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 Slayer – Standing
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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Fifty Years Of Music – 1995

Fifty years ago, I made my first appeared on the Earth.  In celebration, we are going to take a look at the year-end Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for each year of my life and see what songs resonated with me at the time and if they continue to do so to this day.

We continue our look back at the music of my lifetime with 1995, the year I finished my third year of college, started working at the bank during the summer, returned to West Lafayette for my fourth year of college, and celebrated my 21st birthday.  This is also the year that my CD player boombox, that I got for Christmas back in 1991, started to die.  Despite numerous attempts to repair the cassette heads, nothing seemed to work.  With 44 songs that remain familiar to me today, we have fallen below 50% for the first time since 1987.  29 of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.

#100: Van Halen – Can’t Stop Lovin’ You
iTunes stats: 0 plays

The final Van Halen track to crack the Top 40, it peaked at #30.

#99: Soul Asylum – Misery
iTunes stats: 21 plays

Reaching #20 on the Hot 100, it sat atop the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

#95: The Pretenders – I’ll Stand By You
iTunes stats: 14 plays

The second single from the group’s sixth studio album, it went to #16 on the Hot 100.

#93: Rednex – Cotton Eye Joe
iTunes stats: N/A

Based on a traditional country song, it topped out at #25.

#90: Melissa Etheridge – If I Wanted To
iTunes stats: N/A

Peaking at #16 in March, the song was the final single from Etheridge’s breakthrough fourth studio album.

#85: Better Than Ezra – Good
iTunes stats: 17 plays

Written in late 1990/early 1991, this lead single from the group’s major label debut reached #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, #3 on the Album Rock Tracks chart, and #30 on the Billboard Hot 100.

#82: Crystal Waters – 100% Pure Love
iTunes stats: N/A

Appearing on the year end chart for the second straight year, it was one of the longest charting singles in history at the time of its release.

#81: U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
iTunes stats: 22 plays

Featured on the Batman Forever soundtrack, it went to #16 and received two Grammy nominations.

#78: Annie Lennox – No More I Love You’s
iTunes stats: N/A

The lead single from her sophomore solo effort, it topped out at #23 and was used in the first episode of The Sopranos.

#70: Bon Jovi – This Ain’t a Love Song
iTunes stats: N/A

Peaking at #14, the ballad was the lead single from the group’s sixth studio album.

#67: Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do
iTunes stats: 24 plays

Ranked by Billboard as the 405th best pop song of all time, it charts for the second straight year.

#63: 69 Boyz – Tootsee Roll
iTunes stats: 15 plays

Topping out at #8 in January of 1995, it makes the year-end list for the second straight year.

#61: Tom Petty – You Don’t Know How It Feels
iTunes stats: N/A

The final Top 40 hit of Petty’s career, it reached #1 on the Album Rock Tracks chart and #13 on the Hot 100.

#60: Natalie Merchant – Carnival
iTunes stats: 30 plays

The lead single from Merchant’s solo debut, it topped out at #10 and remains her highest charting solo single.

#58: Skee-Lo – I Wish
iTunes stats: 14 plays

The first and last charting single from the rapper, his debut track went to #13 and earned a Grammy nomination.

#56: Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson – Scream
iTunes stats: N/A

The first single in the history of the Hot 100 to debut at #5, which ended up as the highpoint for the duet between the Jackson siblings.

#55: Del Amitri – Roll to Me
iTunes stats: 18 plays

The highest charting single from the Scottish band in the US, it peaked at #10.

#54: Corona – The Rhythm of the Night
iTunes stats: N/A

Released in 1993 as the group’s debut single in their home country of Italy, it eventually reached #11 in the US.

#53: Dr. Dre – Keep Their Heads Ringin’
iTunes stats: 39 plays

The lone single released from the Friday soundtrack, the song topped the Hot Rap Tracks chart and cracked the top ten at #10 on the Hot 100.

#52: Jamie Walters – Hold On
iTunes stats: 15 plays

His solo debut following the cancellation of The Heights, it topped out at #16 and was his one and only charting single.

#50: Boyz II Men – I’ll Make Love to You
iTunes stats: 21 plays

Having spent fourteen weeks at #1 in the fall of 1994, it spends its second year on the year-end chart.

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Yet Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 19

33 years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I put together the first of what would eventually 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.  Today, we revisit those mix tapes for the fourth time and see how, or if, the soundtrack of my youth still resonates in today’s digital world and how much has changed over the past four years.

I’ve done some crazy things over the years in an attempt to impress a girl that I liked.  One of the earliest was to buy tickets for a concert I really had no interest in attending just because my crush at the time liked the band’s one hit.  I had a couple things working against me: 1) she already had a boyfriend and 2) they were going to an earlier show on the tour and thus she saw the band the week before.  This is the story of I how I ended up at the Metro on the day after my 21st birthday watching Tripping Daisy with a couple hundred of my closest friends.

One of the upsides of a global pandemic and my subsequent move to remote work is that I don’t come across people  and thus no longer have any crushes to try and impress.  Saves me both time and money.

Volume 19 stretches from late summer 1995 and into the fall semester of the first of my two senior years of college.  Again, it mostly features what was considered alternative music, with Coolio interjecting some street flavor for good measure.

Side A

Tripping Daisy – I Got A Girl
iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 12/10/2021

The one hit for Tripping Daisy, who I saw in concert the day after my 21st birthday, managed to make its way into my rotation a mere three times over the last four years.

Foo Fighters – This Is A Call
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 6/4/2021

Written a few months after the death of Kurt Cobain, the debut for Dave Grohl’s new venture earned eleven additional plays over these past four years.

Pearl Jam – Whipping
iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 11/10/2022

Six new listens for the final appearance of Pearl Jam on these collections, which received plenty of airplay on Q101 despite not being officially released as a single.

Hootie and the Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You
iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 3/23/2022

Hootie’s ode to, among other things, the Miami Dolphins added seven new listens in the past four years.

Elastica – Stutter
iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 5/20/2022

Originally released in November 1993, it was re-released the following year, made its way to radio in 1995, and doubled its listens over the past four years.

Cranberries – Ridiculous Thoughts
iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 11/19/2019

Four listens for the latest from the Cranberries, though none since the world stopped thanks to COVID.

Green Day – J.A.R.
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 7/9/2022

Green Day’s contribution to the Angus soundtrack picked up a mere four listens over the past four years.

Alanis Morissette – Hand In My Pocket
iTunes stats: 21 plays, most recently on 11/20/2021

Hitting #4 on the Billboard charts, the second release from the juggernaut that was Jagged Little Pill added seven listens in the past four years.

Side B

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by admin

iTunes Top 200: #98 – 112

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 march forward towards the top 100 with the next batch of songs tied with 33 plays and the first back with 34, dating back to late 2007 according to my iTunes stats.

#112: Garfunkel and Oates – Fuck You
iTunes stats: 33 plays, most recently on 9/16/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci make a nice debut with their ode to wanting to be intimate with the object of their affection.

#112: Garbage – Push It
iTunes stats: 33 plays, most recently on 10/25/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A nice debut for the lead single from the band’s second album, about “the schizophrenia that exists when you try to reconcile your desires and demons with the need to fit in.”

#112: Foo Fighters – This Is A Call
iTunes stats: 33 plays, most recently on 9/11/2019
Previous ranking: #118

This first single from band’s first album was one of the few Dave Grohl wrote a few months after the death of his old bandmate Kurt Cobain, which also appears on Volume 19 of my mix tapes.

#112: Dr. Dre – Keep Their Heads Ringin’
iTunes stats: 33 plays, most recently on 12/10/2019
Previous ranking: #141

This 1995 hit from the Friday soundtrack also appeared on Volume 17 of my mix tapes.

#112: Cracker – Get Off This
iTunes stats: 33 plays, most recently on 10/10/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A strong debut for the follow up hit from Kerosene Hat, written as a response to fans who accused Cracker of selling out, which appears on Volume 12 of my mix tapes.

#112: Coolio f/ L.V. – Gangsta’s Paradise
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Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 19

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 19 stretches from late summer 1995 and into the fall semester of the first of my two senior years of college.  Again, it mostly features what was considered alternative music, with Coolio interjecting some street flavor for good measure.

Side A

Tripping Daisy – I Got A Girl

The one hit for Tripping Daisy, who I saw in concert the day after my 21st birthday, managed to nearly double its number of plays in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 6 plays 11 plays, most recently on 8/13/2018 

Foo Fighters – This Is A Call

Written a few months after the death of Kurt Cobain, the debut for Dave Grohl’s new venture earned 9 additional plays over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
13 plays 17 plays 26 plays, most recently on 12/28/2018 

Pearl Jam – Whipping

The final appearance of Pearl Jam on these collections, which received plenty of airplay on Q101 despite not being officially released as a single, quadrupled its listens in the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
0 plays 2 plays 8 plays, most recently on 10/3/2018 

Hootie and the Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You

Hootie’s ode to, among other things, the Miami Dolphins added 3 new listens in the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
2 plays 5 plays 8 plays, most recently on 12/4/2018 

Elastica – Stutter

Originally released in November 1993, it was re-released the following year, made its way to radio in 1995, and tripled its listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
0 plays 2 plays 6 plays, most recently on 8/28/2018 

Cranberries – Ridiculous Thoughts

7 listens for the latest from the Cranberries, mostly due to the untimely death of lead singer Dolores O’Riordan in January 2018.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
0 plays 2 plays 9 plays, most recently on 11/30/2018 

Green Day – J.A.R.

Green Day’s contribution to the Angus soundtrack picked up a mere 3 listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
7 plays 10 plays 13 plays, most recently on 1/7/2018 

Alanis Morissette – Hand In My Pocket

Hitting #4 on the Billboard charts, the second release from the juggernaut that was Jagged Little Pill added only 5 listens in the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 9 plays 14 plays, most recently on 6/18/2018 

Side B

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iTunes Top 200: #46 – 56

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.

We reach the 3/4ths mark today, looking at the remaining songs tied for 56th with 23 listens and starting the songs tied for 46th with 24 listens.

#56: Darling Violetta – Angel Main Theme
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 12/11/2015
Previous ranking: #76

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

#56: Coolio f/ L.V. – Gangsta’s Paradise
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 11/15/2015
Previous ranking: #96

This 1995 hit from the Dangerous Minds soundtrack also appeared on Volume 19 of my mix tapes.

#56: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Where Do We Go From Here?
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 9/22/2015
Previous ranking: #41

The last tune from the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer following the defeat of the dancing demon Sweet.

#56: The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 9/21/2015
Previous ranking: #58

The only theme song to a Beatles film to not be released as a single.

#56: The Beatles – Helter Skelter
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 6/13/2014
Previous ranking: #54

Considered by music historians as a key influence in the development of heavy metal.

#46: Weird Al Yankovic – White & Nerdy 
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by admin

Mix Tape Monday Revisited – Volume 19

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 listened to. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.

Volume 19 stretches from late summer 1995 and into the fall semester of the first of my two senior years of college.  Again, it mostly features what was considered alternative music, with Coolio interjecting some street flavor for good measure.

Side A

Tripping Daisy – I Got A Girl

The one hit for Tripping Daisy managed to double its number of plays in the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 7/22/2015

Foo Fighters – This Is A Call

The debut for Dave Grohl’s new venture earned a relatively paltry 4 additional plays in the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 13 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 4/2/2015

Pearl Jam – Whipping

The final appearance of Pearl Jam, which I barely even recall, picked up 2 listens in the past 3 years, none in nearly 2.

2012 iTunes stats: Never played

2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 9/7/2013

Hootie and the Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You

Hootie’s ode to, among other things, the Miami Dolphins added 3 new listens in the past 3 years, despite not having been heard in over a year.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 6/8/2014

Elastica – Stutter

The follow up from Elastica picked up 2 listens in the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: Never played

2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 2/10/2015

Cranberries – Ridiculous Thoughts

2 listens for the latest from the Cranberries in the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: Never played

2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 6/2/2015

Green Day – J.A.R.

3 new listens for Green Day’s contribution to the Angus soundtrack.

2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 5/8/2015

Alanis Morissette – Hand In My Pocket

The second release from the juggernaut that was Jagged Little Pill tripled its number of listens in the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 3 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 1/15/2015

Side B

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by admin

Mix Tape Monday – Rap 2

After my tape deck crapped out in 1997, I was stuck listening to either the radio or full albums in whatever order the artist intended. That all changed in 2001, when the new-fangled MP3 technology got combined with my new CD burner.

In addition to the occasional series of CDs I had burned in order to keep abreast of new music, I had created a bunch of genre-specific mixes that could be used both in the car and at the gym. This week we will take a look at the second disc covering the world of rap and hip hop music, with a very strong focus on the late 80s and early 90s.  So, without further ado, I present Rap, volume 2.

Positive K – I Got A Man

The one hit wonder peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1993.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 8/22/2012

Nelly – Ride Wit Me

This hit from 2001 has not aged particularly well.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 1/10/2009

Eminem – Lose Yourself

Spent 12 weeks at #1, won 2 Grammy awards, and won an Oscar.

iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 2/25/2013

Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.

According to Allmusic, “there was not a bigger, more contagious crossover radio smash in the autumn of 1991.”

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 3/29/2013

Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back

The video was briefly banned by MTV before it became a huge sensation.

iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 2/6/2013

Onyx – Slam

Released on May 11, 1993 it was Onyx’s breakthrough single, making it to #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was the group’s second straight single to make it to #1 on the Rap charts.

iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 2/18/2013

The Fat Boys and Chubby Checker – The Twist

The rap version of Chubby Checker’s hit song reached #2 in the UK, #16 in the US, and #1 in Germany and Switzerland.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 1/7/2011

Run-DMC – Walk This Way

The Aerosmith cover is often credited as helping break rap into mainstream pop music, as it was the first rap song to hit the Top 5 in The Billboard Hot 100,

iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 2/21/2013

Coolio featuring LV – Gangsta’s Paradise

The biggest-selling single of 1995 was featured on the Dangerous Minds soundtrack.

iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 1/28/2013

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by admin

Mix Tape Monday – Volume 19

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. I thought it would be a fun exercise to look back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listen to today.

Volume 19 stretches from late summer 1995 and into the fall semester of the first of my two senior years of college.  Again, it mostly features what was considered alternative music, with Coolio interjecting some street flavor for good measure.

Side A

Tripping Daisy – I Got A Girl

The one hit for Tripping Daisy was taped off the radio courtesy of Q101.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 9/2/2011

Foo Fighters – This Is A Call

The debut for Dave Grohl’s new venture was taped off Q101.

iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 10/10/2011

Pearl Jam – Whipping

Pearl Jam’s latest was taped off the CD.

iTunes stats: Never played

Hootie and the Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You

Hootie’s ode to, among other things, the Miami Dolphins was taped off the CD.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 8/28/2009

Elastica – Stutter

The follow up from Elastica was taped off the CD.

iTunes stats: Never played

Cranberries – Ridiculous Thoughts

The latest from the Cranberries was taped off the CD.

iTunes stats: Never played

Green Day – J.A.R.

Green Day’s contribution to the Angus soundtrack was taped off the radio, likely Q101.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 10/11/2011

Alanis Morissette – Hand In My Pocket

The second release from the juggernaut that was Jagged Little Pill was taped off the CD.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 8/31/2011

Side B

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