Tag / Foo Fighters

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Top 200 Albums: #81 – 88

We last counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library four years ago. Since that time, the world has literally changed, and my commute has decreased from 1+ hours each way to 25 steps. So, despite the decrease in potential listening time, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through the morning of January 1, 2022.

The countdown marches on today with the next batch of ten albums that I have listened to the most over the last 15 years, breaking the triple digit total play plateau with three compilations, and music from the 60s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.

#88: Stone Temple Pilots – Purple
iTunes stats: 123 plays
Previous Ranking: 79

A 52% increase in plays for the five of the eleven tracks from this 1994 album, the band’s second.

#88: The Beatles – Abbey Road
iTunes stats: 123 plays
Previous Ranking: 109

Released in 1969, the band’s eleventh studio album, the last completed prior to their breakup, saw an increase of 58 listens to jump 21 spots in the rankings.

#88: Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York
iTunes stats: 123 plays
Previous Ranking: 101

A 73% increase in plays over the past four years for seven of the songs from the group’s 1993 MTV Unplugged performance, their first album released following the death of Kurt Cobain.

#87: Patton Oswalt – My Weakness is Strong
iTunes stats: 124 plays
Previous Ranking: 179

A very impressive 92 spot jump for the funnyman’s third comedy album, thanks to an additional 79 plays over the past four years.

#86: Various Artists – The First 1000 Years – Rock
iTunes stats: 126 plays
Previous Ranking: 77

Seven songs, from alternative artists like The Breeders, Everclear, and Jane’s Addiction, added 43 new listens for this MTV sponsored compilation.

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Top 200 Albums: #131 – 139

We last counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library four years ago. Since that time, the world has literally changed, and my commute has decreased from 1+ hours each way to 25 steps. So, despite the decrease in potential listening time, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through the morning of January 1, 2022.

We continue today with the next batch of ten albums that I have listened to the most over the last 15 years, including one comedy album, one compilation, and an even one half of the albums coming from the 90s.

#139: Foo Fighters – Foo Fighters
iTunes stats: 91 plays
Previous Ranking: 129

Recovering from the death of Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl recorded this debut, which increased its plays by a scant 56.9%, alone and formed the band afterwards.

#139: Bell Biv DeVoe – Poison
iTunes stats: 91 plays
Previous Ranking: 120

The debut album from the former members of New Edition added 30 new listens to two of the ten songs from the album.

#136: The Beatles – Let It Be
iTunes stats: 92 plays
Previous Ranking: 129

Four of the twelve tracks from this remastered version of the Fab Four’s twelfth and final studio album earn a relatively small 58% increase over the past 4 years.

#136: Various Artists – TV Themes of the 80’s
iTunes stats: 92 plays
Previous Ranking: 161

Five different theme songs, from popular TV shows like WKRP in Cincinnati, Love Boat, and the Dukes of Hazzard, added 43 new plays to jump up 25 spots.

#136: Liz Phair – Whitechocolatespaceegg
iTunes stats: 92 plays
Previous Ranking: 127

Ten different songs make up this total, an increase of 56% from four years ago, for this third studio album by the one-time indie darling.

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #5

6 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 and expanded the count down to the Top 200..  It’s been 3 years, so I figured it was time to take yet another look at my Top 200 artists, based on the number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2021.

Today, we break in to the top five and surpass four digits in the number of plays for the first time.  Born out of the death of Kurt Cobain in 1994, our next entry is the Dave Grohl solo project turned band known as Foo Fighters.

 

#5: Foo Fighters
iTunes stats: 1026 plays
Previous ranking: #3

Adding an additional 2 songs, up to 48 songs, helped the Foo Fighters raise their total by 54%, which caused them to drop 2 spots on the charts.  Their most popular song, a live version of My Hero from a concert in London’s Hyde Park in 2006, clocks in with 60 listens, while 6 different tracks bring up the rear with a single play.

I’ve managed to see the band in concert twice: first in 2005 and again in 2015.  The first show was an indoor affair at the Allstate Arena, where they were touring with Weezer, who got things started by mixing a cover of Big Me into their set.  Once the Foo Fighters came out, they mixed in old hits with selections from their new album for a fun, 16-song set.  They also managed to break down some of their hits with elongated guitar solos that gave the audience an opportunity to thrash themselves as much as humanly possible.

10 years later, I saw them for the second time at Wrigley Field.  Having broken his leg over two months earlier,  Dave Grohl spent the show sitting in an electric throne that could bring him out in to the crowd thanks to an extended stage.  The band wasted no time in getting things started, blowing out Everlong and Monkey Wrench straight out of the gate.  2 and a half hours and 21 songs later, they closed down the joint with a rousing rendition of Best Of You.  In between, they put on a hell of a show, featuring their own hits along with some snippets of hits from Van Halen, Yes, and Alice Cooper.

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #7

6 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 and expanded the count down to the Top 200..  It’s been 3 years, so I figured it was time to take yet another look at my Top 200 artists, based on the number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2021.

Twin sisters who bonded in high school over a love of music following the discovery of their step-dad’s guitar, we continue today with at #7 with Sara Quin and Tegan Quin, known professionally as the band Tegan & Sara.

#7: Tegan and Sara
iTunes stats: 657 plays
Previous ranking: #7

Tegan and Sara entered my consciousness in the early 2000s, when I Hear Noises started to get some airplay on WXRT.  Since then, I’ve seen them in concert, read their book. and listened to their music, with 84 songs from 10 different albums in my collection.  They’ve stayed even on the charts, thanks to a mere 50% increase in listens over the past four years.  

I saw them in concert in October of 2005, at the end of what was a very busy week.  Prior to the show, I settled in at Rock Bottom in River North to watch the end of Game 3 of the ALDS as the White Sox finished off their sweep of the Red Sox.  After the game, a group of us hopped on the Red Line and headed north to Wrigleyville to check out Tegan and Sara at the Metro.  To be honest, I don’t remember much about the show at all.  The album they were touring in support of, So Jealous, is one of my favorites and I’m sure I enjoyed the performance.  But, my favorite baseball team was headed for the ALCS, I’d just been to two playoff games, and the Weezer and Foo Fighters show was earlier that week.  It’s all sort of jumbled together at this point.

 

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iTunes Top 200 Wrap-Up

itunes_imageLast week, we wrapped up our latest look at the top 200 songs I’ve listened to, according to iTunes, since late 2007.  Now it’s time to take a final look at those 200 songs and the 122 (or so) artists that made them.  The average number of listens was just under 44, with the median number being 34.  There were 52 new entries, and of the returning entries, there was an average increase of just a tad over 15 listens per song.

Most Represented Band

Foo Fighters – 15
The Cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – 10
The Beatles – 8
The Lonely Island – 6
Garbage – 6
Tegan and Sara – 6

Largest Increase

78 – AC/DC – Thunderstruck
71 – Harry Caray – Take Me Out To The Ballgame
71 – Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
70 – Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers – Let’s Go-Go-Go White Sox
32 – Van Halen – Jump

Smallest Increase

2 – Nancy Faust – Take Me Out To The Ballgame
4 – The Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Coda
4 – Mazzy Star – Fade Into You
5 – The Lonely Island – Lazy Sunday (ft. Chris Parnell)
5 – 2008 White Sox Central Division Champs Montage

Most Recently Played

12/30/2019 2:42 PM – Aerosmith – Janie’s Got A Gun
12/30/2019 2:34 PM – The Beatles – Eight Days A Week
12/30/2019 2:31 PM – Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out
12/29/2019 11:59 AM – The Beatles – Helter Skelter
12/20/2019 2:57 PM – Hole – Doll Parts

Least Recently Played

10/16/2018 5:05 PM – The Lonely Island – Lazy Sunday (ft. Chris Parnell)
10/22/2018 6:02 PM – 10,000 Maniacs – Because The Night
12/17/2018 6:50 AM – Mark Snow – X-Files Theme
12/19/2018 9:08 PM – Foo Fighters – Everlong
1/17/2019 6:53 AM – Letters To Cleo – Here & Now

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iTunes Top 200: #11 – 19

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 break in to the the top 20 today, with the last batch of songs that scored less than 100 listens since my stats began in late 2007.

#19: Metallica – Harvester Of Sorrow
iTunes stats: 59 plays, most recently on 10/10/2019
Previous ranking: #15

Released as the first single from the band’s fourth studio album, it was used as the at-bat music for former White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko for the majority of his career.

#19: Foo Fighters – My Hero
iTunes stats: 59 plays, most recently on 10/14/2019
Previous ranking: #21

The highest ranking tune from the Foo Fighters, up 2 spots from four years ago, is this live version from their previously mentioned concert in London’s Hyde Park.

#18: Nancy Faust – Take Me Out To The Ballgame
iTunes stats: 60 plays, most recently on 3/28/2019
Previous ranking: #14

A slight decrease for the final 7th inning stretch performance of Nancy Faust’s career as White Sox organist.

#17: The Lonely Island – Natalie’s Rap (ft. Natalie Portman & Chris Parnell)
iTunes stats: 63 plays, most recently on 2/14/2019
Previous ranking: #15

A slight drop for the second digital short from The Lonely Island, which featured Natalie Portman playing against type as a lewd gangsta.

#16: Purdue “All-American” Marching Band – Hail, Purdue!
iTunes stats: 71 plays, most recently on 10/25/2019
Previous ranking: #17

A slight increase for this older version of the Purdue fight song, used during my time at the school.

#15: Purdue “All-American” Marching Band – Hail Purdue
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iTunes Top 200: #21 – 29

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 breach the 50 listens plateau, according to my iTunes stats dating back to late 2007.

#29: The Lonely Island – Lazy Sunday (ft. Chris Parnell)
iTunes stats: 47 plays, most recently on 10/16/2019
Previous ranking: #20

A bit of a drop down the charts for the original SNL digital short that put the Lonely Island on the pop culture map and defined the phrase “viral video”.

#29: Chance The Rapper – Step Up Part 1
iTunes stats: 47 plays, most recently on 1/24/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

An auspicious debut for this portion of the hype video the rapper created for the White Sox used during the 2016 season.

#28: Foo Fighters – All My Life
iTunes stats: 49 plays, most recently on 9/25/2019
Previous ranking: #22

A slight decrease for the live version of the song from the Live in Hyde Park bootleg.

#27: Montell Jordan – This Is How We Do It
iTunes stats: 50 plays, most recently on 1/24/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A strong debut for the main walk up song for former White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton.

#23: Van Halen – Jump
iTunes stats: 52 plays, most recently on 8/11/2019
Previous ranking: #96

A tremendous jump (see what I did there?) for the song that, for years, was used as the Chicago Cubs took the field at their home games.

#23: Tag Team – Whoomp! There It Is
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iTunes Top 200: #29 – 36

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 enter Casey Kasem territory today, cracking the top 40 with 10 songs between 44 and 47 plays apiece, according to my iTunes stats dating back to late 2007.

#36: Weird Al Yankovic – Dare To Be Stupid
iTunes stats: 44 plays, most recently on 12/18/2019
Previous ranking: #32

Weird Al’s tribute to the style of Devo, as featured in TransFormers: The Movie.

#36: Dr. John – My Opinionation
iTunes stats: 44 plays, most recently on 8/8/2019
Previous ranking: #27

A slight decrease for the theme song to Blossom, the 90s pantheon to weird teenage girls being themselves.

#36: Taylor Swift – Shake It Off
iTunes stats: 44 plays, most recently on 11/12/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A strong debut for the 22nd song in history to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

#36: Frank Sinatra – My Kind Of Town
iTunes stats: 44 plays, most recently on 9/25/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

Added to recent editions of my White Sox victory playlist, this is the second tune about the Second City from Ol’ Blue Eyes to hit the Billboard charts.

#36: Foo Fighters – Monkey Wrench
iTunes stats: 44 plays, most recently on 12/20/2019
Previous ranking: #65

A big jump up the charts for this first single from the band’s second album, chronicling the disintegration of singer/song writer Dave Grohl’s four-year marriage to Jennifer Youngblood..

#33: Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl
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iTunes Top 200: #60 – 68

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 final three songs with 37 plays and move on to the first group of songs with 38 plays, according to my iTunes stats dating back to late 2007.

#68: Cracker – Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 9/4/2019
Previous ranking: #141

A nice increase in the rankings, thanks to a more than doubling of its listens, for this entry which charted at number 1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks, arguably breaking Cracker into the mainstream.

#68: Concrete Blonde – Joey
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 10/26/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A strong debut for the band’s biggest hit, which spent four weeks atop the Modern Rock Tracks chart and hit #19 on the Billboard Hot 100.

#68: Britney Spears – Toxic
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 10/25/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A strong debut for the song that earned Spears her only Grammy award, for Best Dance Recording.

#60: Taylor Swift – Bad Blood
iTunes stats: 38 plays, most recently on 12/12/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

An impressive debut for one of Anthony Rizzo’s walkup songs, earning it a place on my Cubs victory playlist.

#60: Garfunkel and Oates – Handjob, Blandjob, I Don’t Understand Job
iTunes stats: 38 plays, most recently on 10/26/2019
Previous ranking: #96

A big jump for the comedy duo’s tune about never learning how to use their hands for foreplay during high school.

#60: Foo Fighters – Everlong
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iTunes Top 200: #68 – 79

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 final two songs with 36 plays and move on to the first group of songs with 37 plays, according to my iTunes stats dating back to late 2007.

#79: The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 10/7/2019
Previous ranking: #56

A slight decrease for the only theme song to a Beatles film to not be released as a single.

#79: The Beatles – Can’t Buy Me Love
iTunes stats: 36 plays, most recently on 9/30/2019
Previous ranking: #46

This 1964 hit had the biggest jump to number one (from #27) until Billboard began using SoundScan for their charts.

#68: The Office Theme
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 6/25/2019
Previous ranking: #41

A slight decrease for the theme song from the long-running NBC comedy.

#68: Mexican Cheerleader – American Nice
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 10/25/2019
Previous ranking: #79

The song that serves as a ringtone for the band’s singer on my phone.

#68: The Lonely Island – Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie & Clyde (feat. Rihanna)
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 12/9/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked

A strong debut for the comedic tune featuring Rihanna.

#68: The Lonely Island – Dick In A Box (ft. Justin Timberlake)
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