Tag / Dido

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iTunes Top 200: #158 – 183

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 continue this week with the final batch of songs tied for 183rd place with 36 plays apiece and the start of the songs ranked 158th with 37 plays since my stats began in late 2007.

#183: Eminem – Stan
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 3/29/2024
Previous ranking: #144

Featuring a sample of Dido’s Thank You, the song’s title has given rise to a slang term online which refers to overzealous, maniacal, overly obsessed fans of a celebrity or personality.

#183: Def Leppard – Let’s Get Rocked
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 10/2/2024
Previous ranking: NR

The first release from the band following the death of guitarist Steve Clark, the track, which hit #1 on Billboard’s Album Rock Tracks chart, has picked up ten new listens in the past six years.

#183: The Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Dawn’s Lament
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 3/31/2024
Previous ranking: #144

Michelle Trachtenberg’s contribution to the soundtrack to the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer added five new plays in these past five years.

#183: The Beatles – Day Tripper
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 9/13/2024
Previous ranking: NR

Influenced by the soul music the group encountered during their US tour, it was released as a double A-side single in December of 1965 with We Can Work It Out.

#183: The Beatles – Can’t Buy Me Love
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 9/30/2019
Previous ranking: #79

Somehow, I haven’t listened to this 1964 hit, which posted the largest pre-SoundScan jump to #1 (from #27) on the Billboard charts, in nearly six years. Continue reading →

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Fifty Years Of Music – 2001

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 2001, the year the world changed on a Tuesday morning in September, I celebrated my 27th birthday, and Danny joined the family.  22 of these songs remain familiar to me today, with just nine of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.

#99: Enrique Iglesias – Hero
iTunes stats: N/A

Released less than two weeks before 9/11, it peaked at #3

#75: U2 – Beautiful Day
iTunes stats: N/A

The lead single from the group’s tenth studio album, it reached #21 on the Hot 100.

#47: Aerosmith – Jaded
iTunes stats: 26 plays

Topping out at #7, the song made Aerosmith the first act to have an actively charting single when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

#44: 3 Doors Down – Kryptonite
iTunes stats: N/A

The group’s debut single, it spent nine weeks atop the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, eleven weeks on top of the Modern Rock Tracks chart, and went to #3 on the Hot 100.

#43: Nelly Furtado – I’m Like a Bird
iTunes stats: 22 plays

The debut single from the Canadian singer-songwriter, it became her first top ten hit, peaking at #9.

#39: Creed – With Arms Wide Open
iTunes stats: N/A

Spending a single week atop the Hot 100, it remains the group’s sole #1 hit.

#35: Missy Elliot – Get Ur Freak On
iTunes stats: 20 plays

Reaching #7, the track was the lead single from her third studio album.

#33: Moby featuring Gwen Stefani – South Side
iTunes stats: 15 plays

Spending 32 weeks on the Hot 100, it topped out at #14 in May.

#29: Crazy Town – Butterfly
iTunes stats: N/A

The group’s third single, it spent two non-consecutive weeks at #1 in the spring.

#27: Faith Hill – The Way You Love Me
iTunes stats: N/A

The song spent four weeks atop the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in May, becoming her eighth #1 hit on that chart, while later peaking at #6 on the Hot 100 in December.

#26: Jennifer Lopez – Love Don’t Cost a Thing
iTunes stats: N/A

The lead single from her sophomore effort, it reached #3 for two weeks.

#25: Outkast – Ms. Jackson
iTunes stats: 25 plays

The Grammy winner for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, it spent a single week at #1 in February.

#24: Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya, and Pink – Lady Marmalade
iTunes stats: 26 plays

Recorded for the soundtrack to Moulin Rouge!, it spent five weeks atop the Hot 100, making it just the ninth song to hit #1 when recorded by different artists.

#23: Destiny’s Child – Survivor
iTunes stats: N/A

Inspired by a joke that compared the group, who had already lost three members, to the reality show Survivor. it went to #2 on the Hot 100.

#19: Uncle Kracker – Follow Me
iTunes stats: N/A

Peaking at #5, it was the debut single for the former Kid Rock hanger-on.

#18: Nelly featuring City Spud – Ride wit Me
iTunes stats: 14 plays

The third single from his debut studio album, it reached #3.

#17: Shaggy featuring Rayvon – Angel
iTunes stats: N/A

His second straight chart-topper, it spent a single week at #1 in March.

#14: Staind – It’s Been Awhile
iTunes stats: N/A

The group’s sole top ten hit, it went to #5.

#12: Shaggy featuring Rikrok – It Wasn’t Me
iTunes stats: N/A

The lead single from his fifth studio album, it spent two weeks atop the Hot 100 in February.

#8: Dido – Thank You
iTunes stats: 17 plays

Sampled for Eminem’s hit Stan, it spent three weeks at #3, her first and only top ten hit to date.

#7: Eve featuring Gwen Stefani – Let Me Blow Ya Mind
iTunes stats: 31 plays

Eve’s highest charting single, it peaked at #2 in August.

#4: Train – Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)
iTunes stats: N/A

The lead single from the group’s sophomore album, it reached #5.

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Goodbye, iPhone 4S – Music Edition

A little more than a week ago, I upgraded my phone from the iPhone 4S to the newly released iPhone 5S.  The biggest difference, aside from a slightly bigger screen, is the jump from 3G (or 4G, if you believe AT&T’s hype) to LTE.  I had the 4S for a little under 2 years, and in that time, we traveled the world together (well, at least going back to the UK) and have listened to a lot of podcasts and music. Here is every song (all 2079 of them) I’ve listened to on the phone, with some (ok, very little) bonus commentary.  Godspeed.

 

Let’s Go-Go-Go White Sox Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers 33
He’s a Pirate Klaus Badelt Pirates of the Caribbean (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) 32
Take Me Out To The Ballgame Harry Caray 31
Thunderstruck AC/DC The Razors Edge 31
Gordon Beckham Intro 29
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye Steam Billboard’s Top Rock ‘n’ Roll Hits: 1969 29
Don’t Stop Believin’ Journey Journey’s Greatest Hits 27
sox05_montage 27
We Are The Champions Queen Queen: Greatest Hits I & II 27
Your Love The Outfield Play Deep 27
2008 White Sox Central Division Champs Montage Chris Tannehill WSCR 670 The Score 25
Take Me Out To The Ballgame Nancy Faust 25
Harvester Of Sorrow Metallica …And Justice For All 20

You would hope that these numbers would have been higher, but this past season’s miserable performance by the White Sox has put the songs on their playlist out of mind more often than not.

Cannonball The Breeders The First 1000 Years- Rock 19
Man Or Muppet Jason Segel The Muppets 15
It’s Time For Our Song Miss Piggy The Muppets 14
Get Out There And Help Those Guys Jason Segel The Muppets 13
Main Title LOST Soundtrack LOST Soundtrack 13
Are You A Man Or A Muppet? Amy Adams The Muppets 12
How Charming, A Finale Uncle Deadly The Muppets 12
I’m On A Boat (ft. T-Pain) The Lonely Island Incredibad 12
Down At The Ole Barbershop Kermit The Muppets 11
Me and Drugs David Cross Bigger and Blackerer 11
The Antichrist Howard Stern Private Parts: The Album 11
Continue reading →
by admin

Mix Tape Monday – Female Alt Rock 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 alternative music created by females, or at least female fronted bands.  The 1990s were a great time for alternative music on the radio, especially that created by women.  As the decade came to an end, so did the welcoming arms of radio, as the trends moved towards nu-metal and its ilk.  So, without further ado, I bring you Female Alt Rock, volume 2.

Dido – Here With Me

Dido leads things off with the theme song from Roswell.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 4/29/2013

Tori Amos – Spark

Amos wrote the song after suffering a miscarriage.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 3/12/2013

Veruca Salt – Born Entertainer

The first single from Veruca Salt’s third album, presumed to be about the departure of founding member Nina Gordon.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 9/2/2011

Jill Sobule – Supermodel

The second hit from Jill Sobule was from the Clueless soundtrack.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 12/12/2012

Letters To Cleo – I Want You To Want Me

The cover of the Cheap Trick hit is from the 10 Things I Hate About You soundtrack.

iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 1/22/2013

Tracy Bonham – Mother Mother

The one hit from Bonham reached the top of Billboard magazine’s Modern Rock Tracks chart.

iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 4/22/2013

Concrete Blonde – Joey

Became the group’s biggest hit, spending four weeks atop the Modern Rock Tracks chart, and crossing over to pop radio, reaching #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 2/16/2011

Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories – Stay

The song, from the Reality Bites soundtrack, earned Loeb the distinction of being the first artist to top the U.S. chart before being signed to any record label.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 4/13/2013

Belly – Gepetto

Though this follow-up did not match the success of “Feed The Tree” it charted on the Billboard Bubbling Under The Hot 100 Singles for 5 weeks in the late fall/winter of 1993.

iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 5/1/2013

PJ Harvey – Down By The Water

Extensive MTV rotation and college radio airplay gave Harvey her biggest radio hit to date, reaching #2 on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 3/14/2013

Continue reading →

by admin

Mix Tape Monday – August 2001

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.

I obviously didn’t know it at the time, but this CD would be the last I would make before the world changed on that early September morning.  This edition featured new music from Nelly Furtado, Weezer, Smash Mouth, and Eve.

Nelly Furtado – I’m Like A Bird

Prior to her current incarnation as a pop music princess, Furtado hit it big with this soulful hit that relied more on her voice than a producer’s computer.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 7/30/2012

Mazzy Star – Hallah

After Fade Into You went huge, radio programmers looked to their previous album and found this gem.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 2/7/2011

Bif Naked – Lucky

One of the highlights of the Buffy soundtrack that led to me buying her debut CD.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 8/10/2011

Joey Scarbury – Believe It Or Not

The theme song from The Greatest American Hero became far more successful than the show from which it was spawned.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 5/1/2012

John Sebastian – Welcome Back

Another theme song, this one from Welcome Back, Kotter.  This MP3 was ripped from the album, which you can tell from a little skip towards the end.

iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 11/19/2012

Liz Phair & Material Issue – The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)

Yet another television theme song, covered for a compilation of cartoon hits.  I apparently never imported this CD into iTunes, a mistake I have now rectified.

iTunes stats: Never played

Material Issue – Kim The Waitress

The one big hit for the local band that seemed to be going places before singer Jim Ellison committed suicide in 1996.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 9/19/2012

Weezer – Islands In The Sun

The latest single from Weezer’s comeback album.

iTunes stats: 1 play, on 3/28/2012

Foo Fighters – Learning To Fly

One of my least favorite Foo Fighter songs.

iTunes stats: 1 play, on 12/1/2010

Continue reading →

by admin

Goodbye, iPhone 3G – Music Edition

As I wait for tomorrow’s delivery of my new iPhone 4S, it is time to say goodbye to the 3G that has been my trusty companion for nearly the past 3 1/2 years.  We’ve traveled the world together (well, at least Canada and the UK) and have listened to a lot of music.  Here is every song (all 1597 of them) I’ve listened to on the phone, with some (ok, very little) bonus commentary!

He’s a Pirate Klaus Badelt Pirates of the Caribbean (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) 100
Gordon Beckham Intro 91
Let’s Go-Go-Go White Sox Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers 87
Thunderstruck AC/DC The Razors Edge 84
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye Steam Billboard’s Top Rock ‘n’ Roll Hits: 1969 83
sox05_montage 75
We Are The Champions Queen Queen: Greatest Hits I & II 73
Boom P.O.D. Satellite 70
Don’t Stop Believin’ Journey Journey’s Greatest Hits 69
2008 White Sox Central Division Champs Montage Chris Tannehill WSCR 670 The Score 65

No surprise that the top 10 are all part of (or were part of) my White Sox victory playlist.  This gets played on the way home from every White Sox winner, plus the occassional ride to a game.  Continue reading →