iTunes Top 200: #158 Part II

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 next batch of songs tied for 158th place with 37 plays apiece since my stats began in late 2007.

#158: Green Day – Basket Case
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 9/28/2024
Previous ranking: #144

The third single from the band’s major label debut, it spent five weeks atop Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart and earned the group one of their four Grammy nominations in 1995.

#158: Green Day – American Idiot
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 9/19/2023
Previous ranking: NR

The band’s first hit to chart on the Hot 100, it has picked up 20 new plays over the past nine years.

#158: George Carlin – People Who Wear Visors
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 6/4/2024
Previous ranking: NR

A strong debut for this comedy bit from Carlin’s twelfth HBO special.

#158: Garfunkel and Oates – Pregnant Women are Smug
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 12/1/2024
Previous ranking: #170

Seven new listens for the comedic tune from Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci.

#158: Foo Fighters – My Hero
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 8/18/2024
Previous ranking: NR

Released in January of 1998 as the third single from the band’s second album, it reached #6 on the Alternative Songs chart.

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iTunes Top 200: #170 Part The Third

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.

We continue today with the next group of ten songs tied for 170th place with 30 plays apiece since my stats began in late 2007.

#170: Garfunkel and Oates – Pregnant Women Are Smug
iTunes stats: 30 plays, most recently on 10/14/2019
Previous ranking: #167

Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci add 13 new listens to pretty much keep pace with their previous showing.

#170: Garbage – Cherry Lips (Live)
iTunes stats: 30 plays, most recently on 11/9/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

An impressive debut for this live version of the song, performed at Chicago’s Virgin Megastore and broadcast live on WXRT.

#170: Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out
iTunes stats: 30 plays, most recently on 12/30/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

Nominated for the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, the song has put in 30 listens since being added to my collection in early 2016 prior to a certain road trip.

#170: DJ Danger Mouse – 99 Problems
iTunes stats: 30 plays, most recently on 9/26/2019
Previous ranking: #118

A big drop off for this mash-up of Jay Z’s 99 Problems and The Beatles Helter Skelter.

#170: The Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Overture/Going Through The Motions
iTunes stats: 30 plays, most recently on 11/9/2019
Previous ranking: #118

A bit of a drop off for the opening tune, performed by series star Sarah Michelle Gellar, from the musical episode in season 6.

#170: Blues Brothers – Sweet Home Chicago
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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #159-167

3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 artists 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 artists, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2017.

We continue on today with the remaining 4 acts tied for 167th, the 3 tied for 164th, and the first 3 tied for 159th, spanning the 1960s through the 2010s.

#167: Cee Lo Green
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

Tied with his own collaboration effort with DJ Danger Mouse, Cee Lo Green makes it as a solo artist thanks to his one megahit.

#167: Bad Religion
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

2 hits from the band, who I saw open for Pearl Jam at Soldier Field in 1995, make up this total.

#167: Belly
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The band, formed by former Throwing Muses member Tanya Donelly, uses contributions from 2 songs to make the list.

#167: Alice Cooper
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The so-called Godfather of Shock Rock hits the chart thanks to contributions from 3 different tracks.

#164: The Doors
iTunes stats: 28 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

3 tracks make up the total from the seminal LA rock group fronted by Jim Morrison.

#164: Poe
iTunes stats: 28 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The trippy singer scores with 4 different songs to make up her total.

#164: Frente!
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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #167-179

3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 artists 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 artists, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2017.

After a brief hiatus, we pick up this week with the final 2 bands/performers tied for 179th place and the first 8 tied for 167th, including a few radio personalities.

#167: Fall Out Boy
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

1 song from Fall Out Boy, used as the intro music for the White Sox in 2015, drives their inclusion on this list.

#167: Gnarls Barkley
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The collaboration between CeeLo Green and DJ Danger Mouse has 2 songs to make up their total.

#167: Live
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The Pennsylvania band used a pretty even split amongst 3 different tunes to mark their spot on the chart.

#167: Mott The Hoople
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

One track, featured on the Juno soundtrack and written by David Bowie, makes up the total for English rock band.

#167: Naughty By Nature
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

2 mega-hits from the hip hop trio make up their total.

#167: Nerf Herder
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The band, who got their name from a Princess Leia quote in Star Wars, contributed the theme song to Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

#167: OutKast
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iTunes Top 200: #118 Continued

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 continue with the second grouping of songs tied for 118th place with 19 plays apiece since late 2007.

#118: Faith No More – Epic
iTunes stats: 19 plays, most recently on 9/28/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

The biggest hit of the band’s career, the song ranked #30 on VH1’s list of 40 Greatest Metal Songs and #67 on their list of the top 100 one-hit wonders.

#118: Dr. Dre – Forgot About Dre
iTunes stats: 19 plays, most recently on 8/26/2015
Previous ranking: #96

Winner of the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 2001 Grammy Awards.

#118: DJ Danger Mouse – 99 Problems
iTunes stats: 19 plays, most recently on 11/20/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

A mash-up of Jay Z’s smash hit with the Beatles’ Helter Skelter.

#118: Dakota Fanning – Cherry Bomb
iTunes stats: 19 plays, most recently on 6/23/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

The signature song from The Runaways, as performed by Dakota Fanning in the movie based on the band’s life story.

#118: Cee Lo Green – Fuck You
iTunes stats: 19 plays, most recently on 7/21/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

The first single from Green’s third album, it peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

#118: The Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Overture/Going Through The Motions
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Top 200 Albums – #186 – 196

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 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, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue with the bottom of the list and look at the 11 albums tied for 186th with 22 listens.

#186: Various Artists – TV Themes Of The 80’s
iTunes stats: 22 plays
5 different theme songs from some of the most popular TV shows of the 1980s contributed to the total for this collection.

#186: Robin Sparkles – Make It Sparkle!
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The 2 faux-Canadian hits from the How I Met Your Mother character make up the total for this “album”.

#186: 2Pac – All Eyez On Me
iTunes stats: 22 plays
2Pac’s collaboration with Dr. Dre is the one song from this album that I have listened to.

#186: Rancid – …And Out Come The Wolves
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The two hits from this album split the total number of listens nearly down the middle.

#186: Belly – Star
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The debut album from the offshoot band of Throwing Muses had 2 songs contibute to this total.

#186: Gnarls Barkley – St. Elsewhere
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The collaboration between mashup DJ Danger Mouse and singer CeeLo Green used 2 songs to make this list.

#186: Warrant – Cherry Pie
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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
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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 →