Tag / Q101

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Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 18

20 years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I put together the first of what would 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. We last looked back at all 20 volumes three years ago to see which of my “favorite” songs still resonated in today’s digital world. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how, or if, things have changed in the past 3 years.

Volume 18 covers the summer of 1995, my first working at the bank, and the lead up to the first of my two senior years of college.

Side A

Stone Temple Pilots – Dancing Days

A radio hit despite never being officially released as a single, the Led Zeppelin cover more than doubled its impressive total over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
7 plays 13 plays 27 plays, most recently on 8/28/2018 

PJ Harvey – Down By The Water

The surprise mainstream hit for the indie darling, which hit #2 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart, added a mere 3 listens in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
7 plays 13 plays 16 plays, most recently on 10/9/2018 

REM – Strange Currencies

Nearly left off the Monster album due to its rhythmic similarities to Everybody Hurts, the song more than tripled its number of plays over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
0 plays 2 plays 7 plays, most recently on 7/18/2018 

Live – All Over You

Hitting #4 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart despite never being released as a single in the US, Live’s latest has doubled its plays in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
5 plays 5 plays 10 plays, most recently on 6/24/2018 

Soul Asylum – Misery

Originally recorded off of Q101, the debut single from Soul Asylum’s follow-up to their breakthrough album nearly tripled its listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 4 plays 11 plays, most recently on 12/15/2018 

Collective Soul – December

Peaking at #20 on the Billboard charts, the second single from the band’s second album nearly tripled its output over the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
2 plays 3 plays 8 plays, most recently on 10/9/2018 

Elastica – Connection

The first US hit from Elastica, peaking at #53 on the Billboard charts, added 6 listens in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
7 plays 11 plays 17 plays, most recently on 12/17/2018 

Juliana Hatfield – Universal Heart-Beat

Hitting #5 on the Modern Rock Tracks charts, the solo release from Juliana Hatfield garnered 5 additional listens in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 8 plays 13 plays, most recently on 1/2/2019 

Side B

Continue reading →

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Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 17

20 years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I put together the first of what would 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. We last looked back at all 20 volumes three years ago to see which of my “favorite” songs still resonated in today’s digital world. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how, or if, things have changed in the past 3 years.

Volume 17 picks up in early 1995 and the second semester of my junior year and takes us into early summer.  At this point, it is nearly all alternative, with just one hip-hop breakthrough.

Side A

Hole – Asking For It

One of three Hole songs to feature a contribution from Kurt Cobain, the latest from Courtney Love and company more than quadrupled its play total after not being heard in 2 1/2 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
2 plays 4 plays 17 plays, most recently on 12/4/2018 

Cranberries – Twenty One

The minor hit from the band’s second album, helped in part by the death of singer Dolores O’Riordan, added a mere 5 plays in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
0 plays 1 play 6 plays, most recently on 12/12/2018 

Veruca Salt – Number One Blind

The follow up single to Seether added 8 listens over the past 5 1/2 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
7 plays 9 plays 17 plays, most recently on 12/18/2018 

Stone Temple Pilots – Unglued

Peaking at #16 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart, the track added 10 new plays in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
9 plays 13 plays 23 plays, most recently on 11/30/2018 

Pearl Jam – Better Man

The biggest hit from the grunge superstars’ 3rd album, spending 8 weeks at the top of Mainstream Rock chart, added a paltry 5 listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
4 plays 6 plays 11 plays, most recently on 11/9/2018 

Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night

The traditional American folk song, recorded for MTV Unplugged and released following the death of lead singer Kurt Cobain, picked up a mere 4 new listens.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
2 plays 3 plays 7 plays, most recently on 8/27/2018 

Weezer – No One Else

Never released as a single but with plenty of radio airplay, Weezer’s latest picked up 7 new listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
7 plays 10 plays 17 plays, most recently on 10/4/2018 

Offspring – What Happened To You?

The final offering from Offspring’s debut album, also never officially released as a single, added 8 additional plays in the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
8 plays 12 plays 20 plays, most recently on 10/14/2018 

Side B

Continue reading →

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Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 15

20 years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I put together the first of what would 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. We last looked back at all 20 volumes three years ago to see which of my “favorite” songs still resonated in today’s digital world. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how, or if, things have changed in the past 3 years.

Volume 15 takes us into through the summer of 1994 and into the fall and my junior year of college. The song selection is, again, mostly alternative with some west coast gangsta rap.

Side A

Frente! – Labour Of Love

Originally recorded via Chicago’s new rock alternative, Q101, the hit from Marvin! The Album picked up a single additional listen after going unheard for nearly 3 1/2 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
10 plays 16 plays 17 plays, most recently on 10/20/2018 

Mazzy Star – Fade Into You

Ranked at #19 by Pitchfork Media on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s, the mesmerizing tune from Hope Sandoval and company increased its play total by 4 over the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
9 plays 25 plays 29 plays, most recently on 10/9/2018 

Nirvana – Verse Chorus Verse

Released as a hidden track on the AIDS-benefit compilation album No Alternative, the posthumous B-side from the trio from Seattle added 7 new listens since last we checked.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
9 plays 11 plays 18 plays, most recently on 9/23/2018 

Warren G – This D.J.

Peaking at #9 on the Billboard charts, the second single from the rapper’s debut album added 6 new listens over the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
0 plays 4 plays 10 plays, most recently on 10/11/2018 

Cracker – Eurotrash Girl

The hidden track, originally recorded off the radio via Q101, picked up 5 additional listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
10 plays 13 plays 18 plays, most recently on 7/31/2017 

Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song

Named the 58th best hard rock song of all time by VH1, the latest hit from STP added 17 new listens over the past 3 years, aided in part by the death of singer Scott Weiland late in 2015.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
1 plays 5 plays 22 plays, most recently on 11/29/2018 

Gin Blossoms – Allison Road

Peaking at #20 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, the Gin Blossoms hit added 6 new listens over the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
7 plays 13 plays 19 plays, most recently on 8/28/2018 

Weezer – Undone (The Sweater Song)

The first single from Weezer, which hit #6 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, added 11 new listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
9 plays 13 plays 24 plays, most recently on 6/12/2018 

Side B

Continue reading →

by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 14

20 years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I put together the first of what would 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. We last looked back at all 20 volumes three years ago to see which of my “favorite” songs still resonated in today’s digital world. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how, or if, things have changed in the past 3 years.

Volume 14 takes us into the early summer of 1994, following the end of my sophomore year of college.  The song selection continues to be  mostly alternative, with a little G-funk added for flavor.

Side A

Stone Temple Pilots – Big Empty

This entry from The Crow soundtrack picked up an additional 12 listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 5 plays 17 plays, most recently on 11/30/2018 

Aerosmith – Crazy

A 5 play increase for the final installment of the Alicia Silverstone video trilogy, now with extra Liv Tyler.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
11 plays 18 plays 23 plays, most recently on 11/19/2018 

Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun

Winner of the Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy and nominated for Best Rock Song, the band’s biggest commercial hit picked up 8 plays over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
2 plays 5 plays 13 plays, most recently on 12/11/2018 

Green Day – Longview

The “debut” that pushed Green Day into the mainstream, hitting #1 on the Alternative Songs chart, doubled its number of listens over the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 7 plays 14 plays, most recently on 8/25/2018 

Hole – Miss World

Hitting #13 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, the introduction of Courtney Love to a mainstream audience picked up 8 additional listens over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
9 plays 14 plays 22 plays, most recently on 8/20/2018 

Pearl Jam – Dissident

The song, which peaked at #3 on the Album Rock Tracks chart, more than doubled its listens over the previous 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
8 plays 8 plays 17 plays, most recently on 7/10/2018 

Sarah McLachlan – Possession

Inspired by letters written to McLachlan by two deranged fans, the 27th biggest hit of 1994 on the Alternative songs chart added a paltry 3 plays to its total over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
1 plays 4 plays 7 plays, most recently on 12/6/2018 

Side B

Continue reading →

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Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 6

20 years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I put together the first of what would 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. We last looked back at all 20 volumes three years ago to see which of my “favorite” songs still resonated in today’s digital world. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how, or if, things have changed in the past 3 years.

Volume 6 takes us through the end of high school, through the summer, and into the beginning of my freshman year of college.  Sadly, this is not the original version of volume 6, which was lost after being borrowed by my sister for a party.  The steady stream of hair metal and pop starts to become overtaken by alternative and hip-hop.

Side A

Genesis – I Can’t Dance

The second single from the 14th studio album from Genesis, which received a 1993 Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group, nearly doubled its number of listens in the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
2 plays 7 plays 13 plays, most recently on 8/6/2018 

Ugly Kid Joe – Everything About You

Hitting #9 on the Billboard charts, the first hit for the California band  put together a decent increase of 16 spins over the last 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 6 plays 22 plays, most recently on 9/17/2018 

Joe Public – Live and Learn

Ranked 16th on complex.com’s list of the best new jack swing songs of all time, the tune managed to double its plays since our last check.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 6 plays 12 plays, most recently on 9/5/2018 

Boyz II Men – Please Don’t Go

The final single from Cooleyhighharmony, which failed to crack the top 40, finally got a listen or 8 over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
0 plays 0 plays 8 plays, most recently on 8/3/2018 

Def Leppard – Make Love Like A Man

The second single from Adrenalize, and the first video with new guitarist Vivian Campbell, nearly managed to double its plays over the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 6 plays 11 plays, most recently on 8/30/2018 

Guns N’ Roses – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

After going over 3 years without hearing the Bob Dylan cover, it picked up 5 new listens in the past 3 years.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
7 plays 7 plays 12 plays, most recently on 9/1/2018 

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Under The Bridge

The first appearance of “alternative” music on these collections, which became the 8th biggest single of 1992, nearly doubled its play total.

iTunes Stats
2012 2015 2019
3 plays 6 plays 11 plays, most recently on 12/14/2018 

Side B

Continue reading →

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Mix Tape Monday – Volume 6 Revisited

Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together 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.  Three years ago, we looked back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listened to. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.

Volume 6 takes us through the end of high school, through the summer, and into the beginning of my freshman year of college.  Sadly, this is not the original version of volume 6, which was lost after being borrowed by my sister for a party.  The steady stream of hair metal and pop starts to become overtaken by alternative and hip-hop.

Side A

Genesis – I Can’t Dance

The last hit for Genesis has more than tripled its number of listens in the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 4/12/2015

Ugly Kid Joe – Everything About You

The first hit for the band who came up a few years too late has put together a decent increase over the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 8 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 8/7/2014

Joe Public – Live and Learn

The one hit for the so-called new jack swing group managed to double its plays since our last check.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 4/2/2015

Boyz II Men – Please Don’t Go

I still haven’t listened to the final release from Cooleyhighharmony.

2012 iTunes stats: Never Played

2015 iTunes stats: Never Played

Def Leppard – Make Love Like A Man

The second hit from Adrenalize also managed to double its plays over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 8/16/2014

Guns N’ Roses – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

Somehow, I haven’t listened to this song at all over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 3/31/2012

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Under The Bridge

The mainstream breakthrough hit for the Chilli Peppers, and the first appearance of “alternative” music, has had a healthy increase.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 1/10/2015

Side B

Continue reading →

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Book 17 (of 52) – We Appreciate Your Enthusiasm

We Appreciate Your Enthusiasm: The Oral History Of Q101 - James VanOsdol

We Appreciate Your Enthusiasm: The Oral History Of Q101 – James VanOsdol

In 1992, Q101 flipped their format from adult contemporary to alternative rock, starting a 19 year journey that took them to both the top and bottom of Chicago’s radio rankings.  James VanOsdol, one of the jocks from the station’s mid-90s heyday, put together this history of the station, starting with it’s switch from Murphy in the Morning to the Cure in 1992 to the station’s swansong in 2011, ending as they started with Friday, I’m In Love.

I started listening to Q101 probably soon after they became Chicago’s New Rock Alternative, which coincided with the end of my senior year of high school.  Despite going to college 120 miles away, in Backwater, Indiana, it would not be an understatement to say that the station, and the music it played, was the soundtrack to my college years, and looking back to those years was easily my favorite part of the book.  Hearing recollections from all of the familiar names from back then, Robert Chase, Samantha James, “Join Me” Steve Fisher, and Wendy & Bill, brings me back to that time.

In 1998, Mancow moved his morning madhouse to Q101 from Rock 103.5 and the feel of the station started to change, which was part of the reason I stopped listening as frequently.  The music became harder, Tori Amos and Jewel gave way to Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park, to connect with Mancow’s audience and nuMetal was not something I was into.  I would still tune in occassionally, but not nearly as often.  While this is what pushed me away from the station as a listener, the stories from this time period are fascinating.  The culture clash between the Q101 people and the Mancow people is probably deserving of a book all of its own.

By the time Mancow left in 2006, I had left terrestrial radio behind for Sirius.  Alt Nation and Lithium were now my go-to channels for my alternative music fix, so this era of Q101 I was mostly unfamiliar with.  When the station was sold in June of 2011, it didn’t really register in my world.  I can’t remember if I tuned in on the final night, July 14, 2011, or caught a stream or YouTube of it later, but I heard the end, when a bunch of “current” and former jocks got together to say goodbye, exiting as they entered nearly 20 years earlier with Friday, I’m In Love.

This book came out 2 years ago, and, in the time since, the 101.1 frequency has gone through multiple formats and is once again playing alternative music under the call letters of WKQX, though not the Q101 name.  A few weeks back, I was in a friend’s car where I heard the “new” station for the first time, and heard a Live song from 1994.  In a way, it was like nothing had ever changed.

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Concert Flashback: Pearl Jam

95pearljamWhen Pearl Jam announced that they would try to put on a tour without using Ticketmaster, they had a lottery for tickets, and, thanks to my sister, I found myself with 2 tickets to the show.  With my friend Joe along for the ride, we headed out towards Soldier Field, taking the Orange Line from Midway to avoid the traffic.

If my memory holds, the opening acts for the show were The Frogs and Bad Religion.  I don’t really remember anything about The Frogs other than Jim DeRogatis tearing them apart on an episode of Sound Opinions.  Bad Religion put on a full-on set, performing 17 songs, 2 of which I’ve even heard of.  I’m not sure if I did at the time, though.

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.

After the show, we had missed the last Orange Line train back to Midway, so we had to take the Archer bus down to Cicero and then walk back to the parking lot by the train station.

The local alternative radio station, Q101, recorded the show and put it out on CD as a station giveaway, which put the concert out in the world to live forever.  I had a copy on cassette back when that was a thing and now have an MP3 version of the show.  Ironically, this was my last visit to old Soldier Field, which would be “renovated” in 2001 and 2002.

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Mix Tape Monday – June 2002

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.

This CD has a crazy mix of songs used as part of talk radio shows and odd live cover versions of songs along with the latest releases from Eminem, Abandoned Pools, and reality TV star Kelly Osbourne.

Soup Dragons – Running Wild (edit)

This edit of the Soup Dragons song was used as the opening theme of the old Q101 morning show hosted by Wendy Snyder and Bill Leff.

Eminem – Without Me

The latest smash hit from the non-Vanilla Ice.

iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 5/30/2012

Kelly Osbourne – Papa Don’t Preach

Fresh off the surprise reality smash of the year comes Ozzy’s youngest daughter.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 9/7/2011

Abandoned Pools – The Remedy

The debut single from a band that was never heard from again.

iTunes stats: 1 play, on 7/30/2012

Garbage – Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go)

The unofficial third release from Beautiful Garbage was a number 1 hit in Australia.

iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 8/2/2012

Dave Grohl – TIny Dancer (Live)

This live performance of the Elton John hit comes from the old Craig Kilborn show.

iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 3/13/2012

Ednaswap – Torn (Acoustic)

This live performance by the original performers of the Natalie Imbruglia hit comes from the Howard Stern show.

iTunes stats: Never Played

Pink – Janie’s Got A Gun (Live)

Pink’s cover of the Aerosmith hit comes from a performance on MTV.

iTunes stats: Never Played

Weezer – American Gigolo

Another in a long line of Weezer songs that I had completely forgotten about.

The Strokes – Hard To Explain

The first UK single from The Strokes was their third in the US.

iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 5/25/2012

Continue reading →

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Mix Tape Monday – Volume 20

Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together 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. I thought it would be a fun exercise to look back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listen to today.

We wrap up with Volume 20, which stretches over late 1995 and the fall semester of the first of my two senior years of college.  At some point, I noticed that the tape players on my boom box were slowing down and apparently could not be repaired, which spelled the end for these collections.

Side A

Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings

The first single from the Pumpkins double album opus was taped off the radio via what I assume was Q101.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 5/11/2012

Melissa Etheridge – Your Little Secret

The first single from Melissa Etheridge’s underperforming followup to her smash hit album was taped off the radio from an undetermined station.

Lisa Loeb – Do You Sleep

Lisa Loeb’s latest was taped off the radio, also from an undetermined station.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 8/27/2011

Goo Goo Dolls – Name

The first hit for the Goo Goo Dolls appears to have been taped off a CD.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 5/21/2012

Collective Soul – The World I Know

The latest middling hit from Collective Soul was taped off Q101.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 6/2/2012

Edwyn Collins – A Girl Like You

The hit from the Empire Records soundtrack was taped off the radio thanks to Q101.

iTunes stats: Never played

Garbage – Queer

The breakthrough hit for Shirley Manson and the boys was taped off Chicago’s new rock alternative.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 5/21/2012

Side B

Continue reading →