Tag / Phil Spector

by admin

Top 200 Albums: #119 – 129

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, breaking the triple digit total play plateau with three compilations, and music from the 60s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.

#129: Various Artists – Fonzie’s Make Out Music
iTunes stats: 97 plays
Previous Ranking: 143

Six classic tracks from the 1950s, from artists such as The Flamingos, The Platters, and Fats Domino, powered a nearly 80% increase in plays for this compilation.

#129: Green Day – American Idiot
iTunes stats: 97 plays
Previous Ranking: 120

The seventh studio album from the East Bay punk band added 36 new listens to four of the thirteen songs from the album.

#128: The Beatles – Let It Be… Naked
iTunes stats: 98 plays
Previous Ranking: 115

Released in 2003, this remastered and remixed version of the Beatles final album, minus Phil Spector’s patented “Wall of Sound”, adds 34 new listens to the five different tracks that make up its total.

#125: Bush – Sixteen Stone
iTunes stats: 100 plays
Previous Ranking: 108

Five out of the twelve tracks from the band’s 1994 debut album totaled only 34 additional plays over the past four years.

#125: Bon Jovi – VH1 Storytellers
iTunes stats: 100 plays
Previous Ranking: 151

Ripped from the DVD of the band’s September 2000 appearance on VH1 Storytellers, the boys from New Jersey nearly double their total from four years ago.

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by admin

Top 200 Albums – #109 – 120

itunes_imageNearly 4 years ago, we first counted down the Top 200 albums 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, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2018.

We continue things with the next batch of 10 albums that rank between #109 and 120, including 4 studio recordings, 4 compilations, and 2 different collections from the Fab Four.

#120: Bell Biv DeVoe – Poison
iTunes stats: 61 plays
Previous Ranking: 92

The debut album from the former members of New Edition needed only 2 songs to make up this total.

#118: Def Leppard – Adrenalize
iTunes stats: 62 plays
Previous Ranking: 141

A big jump for the first Def Leppard album following the death of guitarist Steve Clark, which uses 5 songs to make up its total.

#118: The Beatles – Past Masters, Vol. 1
iTunes stats: 62 plays
Previous Ranking: 70

5 tracks from the remastered version of the album make up this total.

#117: Various Artists – Austin Powers
iTunes stats: 63 plays
Previous Ranking: 87

The soundtrack to the original Austin Powers film, featuring the work of artists like Strawberry Alarm Clock and Divinyls, makes this list thanks to 4 songs.

#115: Various Artists – Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 2
iTunes stats: 64 plays
Previous Ranking: 127

The second edition of this long running compilation series makes the list thanks to singles from Jay Z and Britney Spears, among others.

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by admin

iTunes Top 200: #141 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.

We continue today with the final grouping of songs tied for 141st place with 18 plays apiece since late 2007.

#141: Eminem – Cleaning Out My Closet
iTunes stats: 18 plays, most recently on 6/20/2015
Previous ranking: #70

Peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, this song became one of the highest-charting singles of Eminem’s career.

#141: Dr. Dre featuring RBX and Snoop Dogg – Let Me Ride
iTunes stats: 18 plays, most recently on 7/1/2014
Previous ranking: #76

This 1994 Grammy Award winner for Best Rap Solo Performance also appeared on Volume 11 of my mix tapes.

#141: Dr. Dre – Keep Their Heads Ringin’
iTunes stats: 18 plays, most recently on 8/26/2015
Previous ranking: #96

This 1995 hit from the Friday soundtrack also appeared on Volume 17 of my mix tapes.

#141: Cracker – Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)
iTunes stats: 18 plays, most recently on 6/24/2014
Previous ranking: #76

Charted at number 1 on the US Modern Rock Tracks, arguably breaking Cracker into the mainstream.

#141: Bloodhound Gang – Bad Touch
iTunes stats: 18 plays, most recently on 9/19/2015
Previous ranking: #96

Ranked at No. 49 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever released in 2010 by AOL Radio.

#141: The Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand
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by jim

2013 Emmy Awards – Reality and Movies

With the Emmy Awards scheduled for Sunday night, here’s day two of my predictions for the awards, today focusing on reality shows and made for TV movies.  I most likely have seen not seen most of these, so I will likely not have an informed decision, but when has that ever stopped me.

Outstanding Reality Show Host

Ryan Seacrest, American Idol

Betty White, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers

Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars

Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, Project Runway

Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance

Anthony Bourdain, The Taste

Tom Bergeron won this last year, and that seems like as good a reason as any for him to win it again.

Outstanding Reality Show Competition

The Amazing Race

Dancing With the Stars

Project Runway

So You Think You Can Dance

Top Chef

The Voice

I think The Amazing Race has won this every year its been on the air.  I see no reason for that streak to end now.

Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series

The Colbert Report

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Real Time With Bill Maher

Saturday Night Live

Another perennial winner should continue to bring home the big prize, although I wonder if Jon Stewart’s extended absence this summer will hurt the show in the voter’s minds.

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