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.
Once upon a time, people had to leave their homes to get music. One of the stores you could go to get the latest music was Musicland, a mostly mall-based company that thrived in the 80s and early 90s. One of the free-standing outposts of Musicland was located in West Lafayette, a mere stone’s throw away from the Purdue campus.
I found myself in that particular Musicland on the night of April 19, 1993. Aerosmith’s eleventh studio album, Get A Grip, was going on sale the next day and they were going to start selling copies at midnight. I remember things being kind of loose, with a lot of people browsing, but I managed to grab my copy and then head home for the night. Did I listen to the album that night? No, I don’t think so. Did I need to go out in the middle of the night to buy a CD? No. But hey, it was better than sitting in my dorm room all night.
That was kind of the last hurrah for that Musicland location. Within the year, it would be converted into a bar called Kazoo’s.
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
iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 3/12/2022
Despite never having heard this song, which peaked at #26 on the Billboard charts, on the radio in the state of Illinois, I’ve somehow managed to add six new listens over the past four years.
Ugly Kid Joe – Cats In The Cradle
iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 11/30/2022
The cover of the Harry Chapin hit, which gave the band their highest charting hit of their career, picked up a mere six new plays since 2018.
Arrested Development – Mr. Wendal
iTunes stats: 24 plays, most recently on 3/3/2021
The story of a wise homeless man, which hit #6 on the Billboard charts, managed to pick up five plays over the past four years.
Naughty By Nature – Hip Hop Hooray
iTunes stats: 30 plays, most recently on 9/27/2022
Seven new plays over these past four years for the 45th biggest hit of 1993.
Positive K – I Got A Man
iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 12/10/2021
The rappers only top 40 hit, peaking at #14, garnered a slight six play increase in the last four years.
R.E.M.def l – Man On The Moon
iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 2/27/2022
The tribute to comedian Andy Kaufman, which peaked at #2 on the Alternative Songs chart, picked up a mere four new listens over the past four years.
Aerosmith – Livin’ On The Edge
iTunes stats: 19 plays, most recently on 8/4/2022
Spending nine weeks atop the Album Rock Tracks chart, the first single from the band’s eleventh studio album more than doubled its previous play total over the past four years.