Tag / Mother Love Bone

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iTunes Top 200: #158

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: Temple of the Dog – Hunger Strike
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 11/7/2024
Previous ranking: NR

Following the death of Andrew Wood, Chris Cornell joined forces with the former members of Mother Love Bone and Eddie Vedder, who was about to join their new band, to record a tribute album.

#158: The Muffs – Kids in America
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 7/24/2024
Previous ranking: NR

The cover of the Kim Wilde song, recorded for the Clueless soundtrack, picked up nine new listens over the past nine years.

#158: Mexican Cheerleader – Do the Stanley
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 12/5/2024
Previous ranking: #144

Six new plays for the track from the local punk band fronted by a former co-worker.

#158: Ludacris – Get Back
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 12/9/2024
Previous ranking: #170

The lead single from his fifth studio album, it added an additional seven plays over the past five years.

#158: LOST Soundtrack – Main Title
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 8/14/2024
Previous ranking: NR

A healthy debut for the theme song from the 2000s hit television show, which lasts a whole 17 seconds.

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #8

It’s been 4 years since we last counted down the Top 200 artists 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 the artists that have entertained me the most based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2021.

Formed in 1990 after the demise of Mother Love Bone following the death of singer Andrew Wood, Pearl Jam checks in today at #8 as we continue with the top 10.  The new group burst onto the Seattle grunge scene in 1991 and, by the second half of 1992, became a world wide sensation#8: Pearl Jam
iTunes stats: 653 plays
Previous ranking: #9

The grunge godfathers move up on spot thanks to an 88% increase in plays, thanks in part to my attending their 2018 show at Wrigley Field.  Their 653 plays come from 42 tracks and 12 different albums.  Go, tied for their most listened to song, earned additional plays after being used as the walkup song for White Sox star Paul Konerko’s final seasons and its inclusion on my various victory playlists.

I’ve seen them in concert twice: at Soldier Field back in 1995 and the aforementioned Wrigley Field performance in 2018.  The first show took place during the tour they put on without using Ticketmaster, which led to a lottery for tickets. Pearl Jam came out and performed an astounding 29 song set, including 2 encores.  My favorite memory of the night was during the performance of Better Man, when my friend Joe, not understanding the meaning of the song, said that all of the girls sang it about him, that they couldn’t find a better man.  Ironically, this was my last visit to old Soldier Field, which would be “renovated” in 2001 and 2002.

The second show, more than 20 years later, came a long time since I had last considered myself a Pearl Jam fan.  The show, while entertaining, certainly dragged for long periods between songs that I knew as the last album that I owned came out prior to the 1995 show.

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Mix Tape Monday – Tape #2

Earlier this year, we looked at the 20 volumes of mix tapes that I had made between 1989 and 1995, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD.  In addition to those, I had 2 tapes that consisted of songs that I liked, but, for differing reasons, did not make it to the main set.  I thought it would be fun to take another look back at those two cassettes, how much I listen to those songs now, and why they did not qualify for the main set of mix tapes.  Here’s the second of those tapes, which has degraded much more than any of the other tapes I listened to.

 

Side A

Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody

This song, originally a hit in the 70s, was given new life thanks to its inclusion on the Wayne’s World soundtrack.

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

Soul Asylum – Somebody To Shove

My sister had this CD, so I copied over this minor hit that I had missed upon its initial release.

iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 5/25/2012

Temple Of The Dog – Hunger Strike

Prior to their first album, the members of Pearl Jam joined up with Soundgarden for this side project meant as a tribute to Andrew Wood, frontman for Mother Love Bone.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 7/11/2012

Soul Asylum – Runaway Train

Another Soul Asylum song borrowed from my sister’s CD.  Is Black Gold far behind?

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 7/30/2012

K7 – Come Baby Come

One of a long list of hip hop one hit wonders who sang about getting down with the local women.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 5/31/2009

New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle

The 80’s pop hit was brought back to the musical forefront thanks to the cover version by Frente!

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 3/23/2012

Smashing Pumpkins – Today

Another example of a big hit from a band that I ultimately liked (although in this case, eventually lost any and all taste for) that didn’t merit inclusion on my main set of favorites cassettes.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 6/3/2011

Frente! – Bizarre Love Triangle

Speaking of which, here’s the acoustic cover of the New Order hit.

iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 7/16/2012

Side B

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