Fifty Years Of Music – 2003

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 2003, the year I celebrated the completion of my 28th trip around the sun.  A mere 22 songs remain familiar to me today, with just 15 of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.

#98: Eminem – Superman
iTunes stats: 12 plays

Peaking at #15, it was the third single from his fourth studio album.

#89: Eminem – Sing for the Moment
iTunes stats: 12 plays

Sampling Aerosmith’s Dream On, it reached #14 on the Hot 100.

#79: Christina Aguilera – Fighter
iTunes stats: 13 plays

Inspired by November Rain by Guns N’ Roses, it topped out at #20.

#76: Chingy featuring Ludacris and Snoop Dogg – Holidae In
iTunes stats: 11 plays

The second single from the rapper’s debut album, it went to #3 on the Hot 100.

#73: Jewel – Intuition
iTunes stats: 0 plays

Starting a shift to a more pop sound, the lead single from her fifth studio album peaked at #20.

#70: Puddle of Mudd – She Hates Me
iTunes stats: 21 plays

Originally written in 1993, it became the fourth and final single released from the band’s debut album, reaching #13.

#59: No Doubt featuring Lady Saw – Underneath It All
iTunes stats: 12 plays

Spending two weeks at #3, the song remains their highest charting single.

#55: Jennifer Lopez – Jenny from the Block
iTunes stats: N/A

Topping out at #3, it was the lead single from the actress/singer’s third studio album.

#51: Ludacris featuring Shawnna – Stand Up
iTunes stats: 33 plays

Spending a single week atop the Hot 100 in December of 2003, it spent 28 total weeks on the chart.

#36: Missy Elliot – Work it
iTunes stats: 21 plays

The rapper’s most successful single, it spent ten weeks at #2.

#35: Dixie Chicks – Landslide
iTunes stats: N/A

A cover of the Fleetwood Mac song, it went to #7 on the Hot 100 before its run was cut short by singer Natalie Maines’ criticisms of President George W. Bush triggered a boycott.

#30: Justin Timberlake – Cry Me a River
iTunes stats: N/A

Inspired by his relationship with Britney Spears, it peaked at #3.

#28: Eminem – Lose Yourself
iTunes stats: 55 plays

Spending 16 weeks in the top ten, it spent twelve of those weeks at #1 to wrap up 2002 and start 2003.

#18: Avril Lavigne – I’m with You
iTunes stats: 11 plays

Reaching #4, the singer’s third single was inspired by her feelings of loneliness over being single.

#16: Christina Aguilera – Beautiful
iTunes stats: 18 plays

Written and produced by Linda Perry, the song became Aguilera’s longest-charting solo hit, spending 27 weeks on the Hot 100 topping out at #2.

#13: Nelly, P. Diddy, and Murphy Lee – Shake Ya Tailfeather
iTunes stats: N/A

Featured on the Bad Boys II soundtrack, it spent four weeks atop the Hot 100 in the fall of 2003.

#11: Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Ying Yang Twins – Get Low
iTunes stats: N/A

The debut single from Lil Jon and friends went to #2.

#10: Evanescence featuring Paul McCoy – Bring Me To Life
iTunes stats: 32 plays

The lead single from the group’s debut album, it topped the Modern Rock chard and reached #5 on the Hot 100.

#7: Chngy – Right Thurr
iTunes stats: 20 plays

The rapper’s debut single, it spent five non-consecutive weeks at #2.

#4: Beyonce featuring Jay-Z – Crazy in Love
iTunes stats: N/A

The lead single from Beyonce’s solo debut, it spent eight weeks at #1.

#2: R. Kelly – Ignition
iTunes stats: N/A

Parodied by Dave Chappelle on his Comedy Central show, it spent five weeks at #2.

#1: 50 Cent – In da Club
iTunes stats: 12 plays

The lead single from his debut album, it spent nine weeks atop the Hot 100.

Fifty Years Of Music – 2002

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 2002, the year I celebrated my 28th birthday.  Only 29 songs remain familiar to me today, with just 21 of them appearing in my collection in one way or another.

#96: Avril Lavigne – Sk8er Boi
iTunes stats: 29 plays

Peaking at #10, it gave Lavigne her second straight top ten hit and a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

#95: Alanis Morissette – Hands Clean
iTunes stats: 12 plays

The lead single from Morissette’s fifth studio album, it reached #23 and was her last single to crack the Top 40.

#87: Jewel – Standing Still
iTunes stats: 20 plays

Spending a total of 20 weeks on the Hot 100, it topped out at #25

#77: Ludacris – Rollout (My Business)
iTunes stats: 23 plays

Nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Male Rap Solo Performance, it went to #17.

#71: No Doubt featuring Lady Saw – Underneath It All
iTunes stats: 12 plays

Spending two weeks at #3, it is the groups highest charting single.

#63: Eminem – Lose Yourself
iTunes stats: 55 plays

The track from the 8 Mile soundtrack spent 12 weeks at #1 across 2002 and 2003, becoming the rapper’s first chart topping single.

#59: No Doubt – Hella Good
iTunes stats: 26 plays

The second single from the group’s fifth studio album, it peaked at #13.

#56: LeAnn Rimes – Can’t Fight the Moonlight
iTunes stats: 12 plays

The theme song from Coyote Ugly, it stalled at #71 in 2000 but returned to the charts in late 2001, eventually rising to #11.

#54: Missy Elliot – Work It
iTunes stats: 21 plays

Elliot’s most successful single, it spent ten weeks at #2, tying Foreigner for the longest stint at that position.

#47: Eminem – Cleanin’ Out My Closet
iTunes stats: 31 plays

The second release from the rapper’s fourth studio album, it peaked at #4.

#46: Five for Fighting – Superman (It’s Not Easy)
iTunes stats: N/A

The first charting single for the band, it reached #14 while being used to honor the victims, survivors, police, and firefighters involved in the 9/11 attacks.

#45: Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get You Out of My Head
iTunes stats: N/A

Written and produced by former singer Cathy Dennis, it topped out at #7 and was her best-selling single in the US since 1987.

#43: Pink – Just Like a Pill
iTunes stats: 28 plays

Peaking at #8, it was written by Pink and Dallas Austin for her second studio album.

#36: Pink – Don’t Let Me Get Me
iTunes stats: 21 plays

The fifth top ten hit of Pink’s career, it reached #8.

#35: Sheryl Crow – Soak Up the Sun
iTunes stats: 15 plays

The lead single from her fourth studio album, it went to #17, becoming her sixth Top 40 hit.

#32: No Doubt – Hey Baby
iTunes stats: 27 plays

Earning the band the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, it spent two weeks at #5.

#28: Shakira – Whenever, Wherever
iTunes stats: 15 plays

The lead single from the Colombian singer’s English language debut, it peaked at #6.

#25: Chad Kroger featuring Josey Scott – Hero
iTunes stats: N/A

Recorded for the Spider-Man soundtrack, it topped the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts while topping out at #3 on the Hot 100.

#24: Pink – Get the Party Started
iTunes stats: 26 plays

Originally written for Madonna, Pink took the party anthem to #4 in late December 2001.

#23: Michelle Branch – All You Wanted
iTunes stats: 16 plays

Reaching #6, this second single from her debut album was written by Branch.

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

Released eight days before the 9/11 attacks in 2001, it spent fifteen weeks at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart while going to #3 on the Hot 100.

#21: Eminem – Without Me
iTunes stats: 25 plays

Earning two Grammy nominations, the lead single from Eminem’s fourth studio album peaked at #2.

#20: Creed – My Sacrifice
iTunes stats: N/A

Spending nine weeks atop the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, it reached #4 on the Hot 100.

#14: Jimmy Eat World – The Middle
iTunes stats: N/A

The band’s only Top 40 hit, it went all the way to #5.

#11: Avril Lavigne – Complicated
iTunes stats: 18 plays

The debut single from the Canadian singer-songwriter, it topped out at #2 while staying on the chart for 31 weeks.

#6: Vanessa Carlton – A Thousand Miles
iTunes stats: N/A

The singer’s debut single, it remains her biggest hit, reaching #5.

#5: The Calling – Wherever You Will Go
iTunes stats: 17 plays

The band’s only single to reach the Hot 100, it peaked at #5.

#3: Nelly – Hot in Herre
iTunes stats: 15 plays

The lead single from his second studio album, it spent seven weeks at #1 during the summer of 2002.

#1: Nickelback – How You Remind Me
iTunes stats: N/A

Spending four weeks atop the Hot 100 across 2001 and 2002, it was named the most played song of the decade on US radio stations.

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.

Mix Tape Monday – Rap 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 rap and hip hop music, with a very strong focus on the late 80s and early 90s.  So, without further ado, I present Rap, volume 2.

Positive K – I Got A Man

The one hit wonder peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1993.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 8/22/2012

Nelly – Ride Wit Me

This hit from 2001 has not aged particularly well.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 1/10/2009

Eminem – Lose Yourself

Spent 12 weeks at #1, won 2 Grammy awards, and won an Oscar.

iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 2/25/2013

Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.

According to Allmusic, “there was not a bigger, more contagious crossover radio smash in the autumn of 1991.”

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 3/29/2013

Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back

The video was briefly banned by MTV before it became a huge sensation.

iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 2/6/2013

Onyx – Slam

Released on May 11, 1993 it was Onyx’s breakthrough single, making it to #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was the group’s second straight single to make it to #1 on the Rap charts.

iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 2/18/2013

The Fat Boys and Chubby Checker – The Twist

The rap version of Chubby Checker’s hit song reached #2 in the UK, #16 in the US, and #1 in Germany and Switzerland.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 1/7/2011

Run-DMC – Walk This Way

The Aerosmith cover is often credited as helping break rap into mainstream pop music, as it was the first rap song to hit the Top 5 in The Billboard Hot 100,

iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 2/21/2013

Coolio featuring LV – Gangsta’s Paradise

The biggest-selling single of 1995 was featured on the Dangerous Minds soundtrack.

iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 1/28/2013

Continue reading →

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 →