April 8, 2019January 28, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 12

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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	13 plays	19 plays, most recently on 7/14/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

March 18, 2019January 13, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 10

Volume 10 covers the spring and summer of 1993, following my freshman year of college, and features the top rap and alternative hits of the summer, along with some pop and the last remnants of hair metal.

Side A

Pearl Jam – Black

Hitting #3 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart despite the band’s refusal to release it as an official single, the song was only listened to 5 times in the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
5 plays	6 plays	11 plays, most recently on 5/1/2018

Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind

The big hit from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bomb Last Action Hero, originally recorded from The Blaze during a nightly song battle, garnered 10 additional listens over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
5 plays	7 plays	17 plays, most recently on 7/13/2018

UB40 – Can’t Help Falling In Love

After going unheard for 3 years, the track, featured on the Sliver soundtrack, doubled its plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
8 plays	8 plays	16 plays, most recently on 10/29/2018

Aerosmith – Cryin’

The first installment of Alicia Silverstone’s video trilogy, which finished as the 60th biggest single of 1993, picked up 10 new plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	6 plays	16 plays, most recently on 10/3/2018

TLC – Get It Up

The cover of the The Time hit, created for the Poetic Justice soundtrack, finally picked up some listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
0 plays	0 plays	4 plays, most recently on 7/31/2018

4 Non Blondes – What’s Up?

The 50th biggest single of 1993 picked up a small increase of 3 listens for the ubiquitous debut from 4 Non Blondes.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
9 plays	16 plays	19 plays, most recently on 11/5/2018

Tag Team – Whoomp! (There It Is)

The unofficial theme to the Bulls third straight NBA championship, who showed up for 90s night at the game I attended in February 2015, added 30 new listens over the past 3 years, thanks to its use by the Cubs when someone hits a home run.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
8 plays	13 plays	43 plays, most recently on 9/1/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

March 11, 2019January 12, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 9

Volume 9 places us squarely in the early months of 1993, overlapping with the second semester of my freshman year of college. The hip hop and pop are rounded out with some alternative and what passes for hair metal in the post-grunge era.

Side A

Dan Baird – I Love You Period

Despite not knowing if this song, which peaked at #26 on the Billboard charts, ever got radio play in the state of Illinois, I’ve somehow managed to add 5 new listens over the past 3 years..

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	9 plays	14 plays, most recently on 11/1/2018

Ugly Kid Joe – Cats In The Cradle

The cover of the Harry Chapin hit, which gave the band their highest charting hit of their career, picked up a mere 4 new plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	6 plays	10 plays, most recently on 11/15/2018

Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal

The story of a wise homeless man, which hit #6 on the Billboard charts, managed to pick up 7 plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
5 plays	12 plays	19 plays, most recently on 11/27/2018

Naughty By Nature – Hip Hop Hooray

The 45th biggest hit of 1993 nearly doubled its total over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
8 plays	12 plays	23 plays, most recently on 12/19/2018

Positive K – I Got A Man

The rappers only top 40 hit, peaking at #14, garnered a slight 4 play increase in the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
6 plays	10 plays	14 plays, most recently on 11/16/2018

REM – Man On The Moon

The tribute to comedian Andy Kaufman, which peaked at #2 on the Alternative Songs chart, picked up a mere 4 new listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	5 plays	9 plays, most recently on 11/28/2018

Aerosmith – Livin’ On The Edge

Spending 9 weeks atop the Album Rock Tracks chart, the first single from the band’s 11th studio album, which I bought at a midnight release at the Musicland that would eventually become Kazoo’s, managed a slight increase over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	5 plays	8 plays, most recently on 7/3/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

March 4, 2019January 12, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 8

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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
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.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	6 plays	17 plays, most recently on 11/30/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

February 25, 2019January 9, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 7

Volume 7 covers the fall of 1992 and the end of the first semester of my freshman year of college. We are treated to the last gasps of hair metal and pop, with a little dance, alternative and hip-hop thrown in for good measure.

Side A

Guns N’ Roses – November Rain

The longest song ever to crack to top 10 on the Billboard charts, peaking at #3, the opus, which checks in at 3 seconds shy of 9 minutes, picked up 7 new plays in the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	5 plays	12 plays, most recently on 11/14/2018

Def Leppard – Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad

The 86th biggest hit of 1992 picked up a mere 2 listens since 2015 and only 4 since 2012.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	6 plays	8 plays, most recently on 12/5/2018

Toad The Wet Sprocket – All I Want

Topping out at #15 on the Billboard charts, the first hit from Toad the Wet Sprocket only picked up 4 new listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
10 plays	17 plays	21 plays, most recently on 12/9/2018

Tesla – Signs

The live track, which I once owned on CD before trading it in for LL Cool J’s Mama Said Knock You Out, gained a mere 4 new listens, with the last one coming only 2 weeks after I bought the band’s namesake car.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	5 plays	9 plays, most recently on 7/13/2017

Soup Dragons – Divine Thing

The alternative dance single that became a moderate hit in the US gained 9 additional listens.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
9 plays	14 plays	20 plays, most recently on 9/23/2018

Ugly Kid Joe – Neighbor

Ugly Kid Joe, who debuted much too late for their 80s hairband style, saw a five-fold increase in the amount of plays this first single from their first full length album.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
1 plays	2 plays	10 plays, most recently on 11/12/2018

The Heights – How Do You Talk To An Angel

The theme song from the short-lived FOX show The Heights, nominated for the 1993 Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music and Lyrics Emmy, picked up 6 new plays.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	8 plays	14 plays, most recently on 7/14/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

February 18, 2019January 17, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 6

Volume 6 takes us through the end of high school, through the summer, and into the beginning of my freshman year of college. Sadly, this is not the original version of volume 6, which was lost after being borrowed by my sister for a party. The steady stream of hair metal and pop starts to become overtaken by alternative and hip-hop.

Side A

Genesis – I Can’t Dance

The second single from the 14th studio album from Genesis, which received a 1993 Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group, nearly doubled its number of listens in the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	7 plays	13 plays, most recently on 8/6/2018

Ugly Kid Joe – Everything About You

Hitting #9 on the Billboard charts, the first hit for the California band put together a decent increase of 16 spins over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	6 plays	22 plays, most recently on 9/17/2018

Joe Public – Live and Learn

Ranked 16th on complex.com’s list of the best new jack swing songs of all time, the tune managed to double its plays since our last check.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	6 plays	12 plays, most recently on 9/5/2018

Boyz II Men – Please Don’t Go

The final single from Cooleyhighharmony, which failed to crack the top 40, finally got a listen or 8 over the past 3 years.

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

Def Leppard – Make Love Like A Man

The second single from Adrenalize, and the first video with new guitarist Vivian Campbell, nearly managed to double its plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	6 plays	11 plays, most recently on 8/30/2018

Guns N’ Roses – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

After going over 3 years without hearing the Bob Dylan cover, it picked up 5 new listens in the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
7 plays	7 plays	12 plays, most recently on 9/1/2018

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Under The Bridge

The first appearance of “alternative” music on these collections, which became the 8th biggest single of 1992, nearly doubled its play total.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	6 plays	11 plays, most recently on 12/14/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

February 11, 2019January 6, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 5

Volume 5 takes us from the end of my junior year of high school, through the summer, and all the way to spring of my senior year, from mid 1991 through early 1992, and once again features a healthy dose of hair metal and pop. It also covers the acquisition of my first CD player, a Christmas gift in 1991.

Side A

Firehouse – Don’t Treat Me Bad

Peaking at #19 on the Billboard charts, the first hit from Firehouse picked up 7 new listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	5 plays	12 plays, most recently on 12/2/2018

Color Me Badd – I Wanna Sex You Up

Featured on the soundtrack for New Jack City, the first single from the R&B boy band nearly tripled its spins over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	5 plays	14 plays, most recently on 9/3/2018

Boyz II Men – Motownphilly

The debut release from the Philadelphia crooners, which hit #3 on the Billboard charts, had a healthy 15 play increase since last we checked.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
1 plays	4 plays	19 plays, most recently on 11/8/2018

Mötley Crüe – Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)

The fourth single off of Dr. Feelgood, originally recorded off 103.5 The Blaze, gets a nice 8 listen increase to keep it in the running for one of the most listened to songs.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
18 plays	22 plays	30 plays, most recently on 9/1/2018

Slaughter – Fly To The Angels

The second single from the band’s debut album, which peaked at #19 on the Billboard charts, more than doubled its plays in the last 3 years..

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	6 plays	13 plays, most recently on 8/21/2018

Boyz II Men – It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye

A cover of song originally written for the film Cooley High, the song saw a 20 spin increase over the past 3 years, covering both the radio and album versions of the tune.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
17 plays	28 plays	48 plays, most recently on 12/18/2018

Salt-N-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex

Nominated for the 1992 Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy, the tune nearly doubled its output over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	9 plays	17 plays, most recently on 10/20/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

April 23, 2018May 6, 2018 by admin

Top 200 Albums – #71 – 79

Nearly 4 years ago, we first counted down the Top 200 albums 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, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2018.

We continue with the next batch of 10 albums ranked between #71 and 79, including 5 studio recordings, 2 compilations, 2 movie soundtracks, and 1 live performance.

#79: The Lonely Island – Turtleneck & Chain
iTunes stats: 81 plays
Previous Ranking: 77

The second album from the SNL digital short maestros make the list thanks to 4 different tracks.

#79: Stone Temple Pilots – Purple
iTunes stats: 81 plays
Previous Ranking: 120

5 tracks from the sophomore album from STP make up this total.

#77: Various Artists – The First 1000 Years – Rock
iTunes stats: 83 plays
Previous Ranking: 68

7 songs, from artists like The Breeders, Everclear, and Jane’s Addiction, make up the total for this MTV sponsored compilation.

#77: John Morris – Clue (Original Motion Picture Score)
iTunes stats: 83 plays
Previous Ranking: N/A

A strong debut for the score from one of my favorite movies.

#76: Various Artists – Poplife
iTunes stats: 84 plays
Previous Ranking: 127

10 different tracks, from artists like Crash Test Dummies, Meredith Brooks, and Fine Young Cannibals, make up the total for this compilation album.

Continue reading →

April 9, 2018April 9, 2018 by admin

Top 200 Albums – #91 – 98

We start the second half with the next batch of 10 albums ranked between #91 and 98, including 4 studio recordings, 3 compilations, 2 comedy albums, and 1 live performance.

#98: Pearl Jam – Ten

iTunes stats: 72 plays
Previous Ranking: 70

The debut album from Pearl Jam places on the list on the backs of 6 different tracks.

#98: Various Artists – Romy And Michele’s High School Reunion
iTunes stats: 72 plays
Previous Ranking: 92

The first soundtrack to the Lisa Kudrow/Mira Sorvino comedy uses 8 different 80s tracks to make up this total, nearly double its previous mark.

#98: Def Leppard – Vault (Limited Live CD)
iTunes stats: 72 plays
Previous Ranking: 107

The import version of Def Leppard’s first greatest hits compilation contained this additional live disc, of which 9 tracks make up this total.

#94: The Beatles – Help
iTunes stats: 74 plays
Previous Ranking: 60

The remastered version of this classic album uses 5 tunes to make up its total.

#94: Patton Oswalt – Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time
iTunes stats: 74 plays
Previous Ranking: N/A

A strong debut from another of Patton Oswalt’s comedy albums.

Continue reading →

March 26, 2018March 30, 2018 by admin

Top 200 Albums – #109 – 120

We continue things with the next batch of 10 albums that rank between #109 and 120, including 4 studio recordings, 4 compilations, and 2 different collections from the Fab Four.

#120: Bell Biv DeVoe – Poison
iTunes stats: 61 plays
Previous Ranking: 92

The debut album from the former members of New Edition needed only 2 songs to make up this total.

#118: Def Leppard – Adrenalize
iTunes stats: 62 plays
Previous Ranking: 141

A big jump for the first Def Leppard album following the death of guitarist Steve Clark, which uses 5 songs to make up its total.

#118: The Beatles – Past Masters, Vol. 1
iTunes stats: 62 plays
Previous Ranking: 70

5 tracks from the remastered version of the album make up this total.

#117: Various Artists – Austin Powers
iTunes stats: 63 plays
Previous Ranking: 87

The soundtrack to the original Austin Powers film, featuring the work of artists like Strawberry Alarm Clock and Divinyls, makes this list thanks to 4 songs.

#115: Various Artists – Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 2
iTunes stats: 64 plays
Previous Ranking: 127

The second edition of this long running compilation series makes the list thanks to singles from Jay Z and Britney Spears, among others.

Continue reading →

Learning Turkey

Dropping steaming piles of wisdom

Tag / Def Leppard

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 12

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 10

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 9

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 8

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 7

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 6

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 5

Side A

Side B

Top 200 Albums – #71 – 79

Top 200 Albums – #91 – 98

Top 200 Albums – #109 – 120