Tag / Veruca Salt

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #21-29

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 artists in my iTunes library, featuring the songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which performers still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to artists, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2026.

We continue today with the next batch of ten artists, half of which I have seen perform live at least once.

#29: Guns N’ Roses
iTunes stats: 360 plays
Previous ranking: #29

Axl Rose and his sometimes friends add 96 new listens to the now 21 songs in my collection, enabling them to remain at the same position in the rankings.

#29: Avril Lavigne
iTunes stats: 360 plays
Previous ranking: #27

The eight-time Grammy nominee, who somehow has 25 tracks that I’ve listened to in my collection, added just 63 new plays, which moved her down two spots on the charts.

#28: The Monkees
iTunes stats: 371 plays
Previous ranking: #28

The made-for-TV band, who are down to two living members following the death of Peter Tork in 2019, had a 33% increase in their listens, keeping them even in the rankings.

#27: Veruca Salt
iTunes stats: 373 plays
Previous ranking: #26

The girls from Chicago, who I saw live in Champaign back in the day, used fourteen songs to increase their plays by 73, allowing them to drop just a single slot.

#26: Weezer
iTunes stats: 400 plays
Previous ranking: #25

The 19 songs in my collection picked up 98 new listens, helping the band drop a spot in the rankings. Continue reading →

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #111-120

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 artists in my iTunes library, featuring the songs I have listened to the most since 2007.  It is time to do so again, seeing which performers still resonate and if any newer ones have joined the fray.  So, without further ado, here are my most listened to artists, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2026.

We continue today with our next batch of ten artists, covering a little hip hop and a lot of 90s alternative rock.

#120: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
iTunes stats: 87 plays
Previous ranking: #125

The punk rock supergroup, formed in San Francisco in 1995 and who only do covers, added 21 additional listens to the four tracks that are in my collection.

#119: Arrested Development
iTunes stats: 88 plays
Previous ranking: #122

The Atlanta-based new age rap band rises three slots thanks to 21 new listens to their three songs in my collection over the past five years.

#116: K’s Choice
iTunes stats: 91 plays
Previous ranking: #110

Only 18 new listens spread across the five different tracks from the arguable one-hit wonders from Belgium over these past five years led to a six-spot drop.

#116: MC Hammer
iTunes stats: 91 plays
Previous ranking: #122

The Oakland-born rapper, who served as a batboy for the A’s and earned the Hammer name due to a resemblance to Hank Aaron, added 24 plays to the five tracks in my collection.  Oh yeah, he was also the headliner of my first concert way back in 1992.

#116: Collective Soul
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Book 32 (of 52) – Pretend We’re Dead

Pretend We’re Dead: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Women in Rock in the ’90s – Tanya Pearson

In Pretend We’re Dead: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Women in Rock in the ’90s, Tanya Pearson dives into the evolution of women in the alternative rock music scenes of the 1990s, the commercialization and mainstream absorption of alternative rock, which led to the marginalization of many of these artists, and the resurgence of these female artists in the 2010s and ’20s, both for their own careers and as catalysts for the young artists emerging today.

The book chronicles the significant impact that female musicians and rock bands had in the ’90s, including Courtney Love of Hole, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Nina Gordon and Louise Post of Veruca Salt, and Tanya Donelly of Belly, alongside solo acts like Liz Phair and Tracy Bonham. These women not only dominated the airwaves but also challenged the traditional, often misogynistic, norms of the music industry, being outspoken, unapologetic, and helping to redefine the notion of femininity in rock.  At least until the shifting landscape of the music and radio industries left them behind, starting with the rise of nu-metal in 1997 and the inherent misogyny that entailed and, finally, in the backlash against non-conformity following the 9/11 attacks.

This era and these artists covered by Pearson were the soundtrack to my college experience.  There are the groups I listened to, the concerts I went to, and, in many cases, still do today.  I’ll need to do some homework to catch up on the newer releases and to see how their influence has spread amongst the artists of today.

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iTunes Top 200: #19 – 27

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.

With the top of the charts in sight, we continue this week with songs ranking from 27th place with 56 plays up to those with 65 plays apiece, good enough for 19th place since my stats began in late 2007.

#27: Veruca Salt – Seether
iTunes stats: 56 plays, most recently on 2/5/2024
Previous ranking: #29

The group’s debut single was ranked as the 10th greatest grunge song of all time by Paste magazine in 2014.

#27: Garbage – Bad Boyfriend
iTunes stats: 56 plays, most recently on 10/26/2022
Previous ranking: #23

This lead track from the band’s fourth album features Dave Grohl, of Foo Fighters and Nirvana fame, on drums.

#27: Foo Fighters – Monkey Wrench
iTunes stats: 56 plays, most recently on 10/28/2024
Previous ranking: #36

The first single from the band’s second album, chronicling the disintegration of singer/song writer Dave Grohl’s four-year marriage to Jennifer Youngblood.

#27: Barenaked Ladies – If I Had $1,000,000
iTunes stats: 56 plays, most recently on 2/5/2023
Previous ranking: #23

This live version of the song was recorded at Chicago’s own Metro theatre.

#26: The Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Mustard
iTunes stats: 57 plays, most recently on 2/5/2023
Previous ranking: #22

A short interlude from the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer about the joys of dry cleaning.

Continue reading →

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Yet Another Mix Tape Monday Roundup

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 3 years.

Last week, we finished up the last of the 20 volumes.  The 287 songs from 144 different bands or performers have been played an average of more than 22 times each, according to my iTunes stats, up from just under sixteen times four years ago. The lack of a commute over most of these four years has certainly made an impact, as the gains are considerably lower than they’ve been in the past.  Let’s take one final look back at the bands and songs that made up my youth.

Most Played Song

62 – Boyz II Men – It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye
62 – Tag Team – Whoomp! (There It Is)
54 – Snoop Dogg – What’s My Name?
51 – Veruca Salt – Seether
47 – Snoop Dogg – Gin And Juice
47 – Bell Biv Devoe – Poison

Least Played Song

7 – Bon Jovi – 99 In The Shade
8 – TLC – Get It Up
9 – Silk – Freak Me
9 – Shanice – Saving Forever For You
10 – Saigon Kick – Love Is On The Way
10 – Madonna – Vogue
10 – Def Leppard – Miss You In A Heartbeat
10 – Bon Jovi – Lay Your Hands On Me
10 – Edwyn Collins – A Girl Like You
10 – Warren G – Do You See

Most Played Song – Largest Total Increase

19 – Tag Team – Whoomp! (There It Is)
15 – Snoop Dogg – What’s My Name?
15 – Stone Temple Pilots – Creep
14 – Cranberries – Zombie
14 – Boyz II Men – It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye

Least Played Song – Smallest Total Increase

0 – Offspring – What Happened To You?
1 – Nelson – Love And Affection
1 – Bon Jovi – 99 In The Shade
2 – Ugly Kid Joe – Everything About You
2 – Soup Dragons – Divine Thing
2 – Weezer – Say It Ain’t So
2 – Bon Jovi – You Give Love A Bad Name
2 – Ugly Kid Joe – Busy Bee
2 – Genesis – I Can’t Dance
2 – Poison – Every Rose Has It’s Thorn
2 – Silk – Freak Me

Most Played Song – Largest Percentage Increase

175% – Liz Phair – Whip-Smart
166.67% – 4 Non Blondes – Spaceman
150% – Warren G – Do You See
137.5% – Aerosmith – Living On The Edge
133.33% – Radiohead – Stop Whispering

Least Played Song – Smallest Percentage Increase

0% – Offspring – What Happened To You?
9.09% – Nelson – Love And Affection
9.09% – Ugly Kid Joe – Everything About You
9.67% – Warrant – Cherry Pie
10% – Soup Dragons – Divine Thing

Most Represented Band

11 – Poison
10 – Aerosmith
10 – Pearl Jam
7 – Def Leppard
7 – Guns N’ Roses

Most Played Tape

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Yet Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 18

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.

Volume 18 covers the summer of 1995, the first summer that I worked at First Suburban National Bank in Maywood.  I would end up spending three summers working there, the first two as a teller and the third attempting to create a database to track their safe deposit boxes.  I met a lot of interesting people from many different backgrounds, some of whom became friends for a time.

After I graduated and started working towards my career, my involvement at the bank started decreasing.  For a while, I kept my bank account there and would occasionally pop in to see how the old gang was doing, but eventually the on-site branch of a much-larger banking institution got my business.  By October of 2010, when the bank was closed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, I no longer had any contact with anyone from the bank.

Side A

Stone Temple Pilots – Dancing Days
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 12/22/2022

A radio hit despite never being officially released as a single, the Led Zeppelin cover added ten new listens to its impressive total over the past four years.

PJ Harvey – Down By The Water
iTunes stats: 24 plays, most recently on 5/26/2021

Eight new plays for the surprise mainstream hit by the indie darling, which hit #2 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart.

R.E.M. – Strange Currencies
iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 9/9/2022

Nearly left off the Monster album due to its rhythmic similarities to Everybody Hurts, the song picked up five new plays over the past four years.

Live – All Over You
iTunes stats: 22 plays, most recently on 6/7/2022

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

Soul Asylum – Misery
iTunes stats: 18 plays, most recently on 3/1/2022

Originally recorded off of Q101, the debut single from Soul Asylum’s follow-up to their breakthrough album added seven new listens over these past four years.

Collective Soul – December
iTunes stats: 18 plays, most recently on 5/13/2022

Peaking at #20 on the Billboard charts, the second single from the band’s second album more than doubled its output over the last four years.

Elastica – Connection
iTunes stats: 21 plays, most recently on 5/9/2022

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

Juliana Hatfield – Universal Heart-Beat
iTunes stats: 21 plays, most recently on 12/22/2022

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

Side B

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Yet Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 17

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.

Courtney Love is certainly one of the more interesting characters to come out of the 90s.  She moved to LA in the 80s, hoping for an acting career, but managed just a few bit parts before forming Hole with guitarist Eric Erlandson in 1989.  Following the release of their first album, Pretty on the Inside, in 1991, Love briefly dated Billy Corgan and Kurt Cobain.  By late 1991, Love and Cobain had re-united and, in February of 1992, the pair were married.

In October of 1993, Hole recorded their second album, Live Through This, which, according to rumors, was heavily ghost-written by Cobain.  The album was released on April 12, 1994, just one week following Cobain’s suicide.  The album was both a critical, and commercial, success, opening more doors for Love.  When not touring, she returned back to Hollywood, getting small roles in Basquiat and Feeling Minnesota before scoring a starring role in The People vs. Larry Flynt.

1998 saw the release of Celebrity Skin, the band’s last album before disbanding in 2002.  Love’s former boyfriend Billy Corgan, by now a huge star in his own right, officially has co-writer credit on five of the album’s twelve tracks, including the first two singles.  Rumors, again, say he had a much larger part in defining the sound of the album.

Thirty years later, YouTube videos have started calling into question Love’s musical talents.  Isolated tracks of her voice and guitar playing during live performances show a dramatic difference from the album versions.  How much of Hole’s success was due to Love and how much was due to her romantic relationships?  We probably will never know.

What we do know is the Hole appears twice on Volume 17, which 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
iTunes stats: 21 plays, most recently on 4/22/2021

One of three Hole songs to officially feature a contribution from Kurt Cobain, the latest from Courtney Love and company increased its play total by four after and hasn’t been heard in well over a year.

Cranberries – Twenty One
iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 6/6/2021

The minor hit from the band’s second album more than doubled its number of plays in the last four years.

Veruca Salt – Number One Blind
iTunes stats: 25 plays, most recently on 11/11/2021

The follow up single to Seether added eight new listens, despite not being heard in over a year.

Stone Temple Pilots – Unglued
iTunes stats: 33 plays, most recently on 10/21/2022

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

Pearl Jam – Better Man
iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 11/9/2019

Last heard prior to the global shutdown thanks to the corona virus, the biggest hit from the grunge superstars’ third album, which spent eight weeks at the top of Mainstream Rock chart, added a paltry three listens.

Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night
iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 6/8/2022

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

Weezer – No One Else
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 3/19/2021

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

Offspring – What Happened To You?
iTunes stats: 20 plays, most recently on 10/14/2018

Not a single listen for the final offering from Offspring’s debut album, which was never officially released as a single.

Side B

Continue reading →

by admin

Yet Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 16

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.

On October 14, 1994, I hopped in the car with some friends, crossed the Wabash River into Lafayette, and pulled into the local movie theater.  I hadn’t heard of the movie before, but I was up for an entertaining time.  Over the next 154 minutes, a tour de force was unleashed upon the screen, thanks to John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman, among others.  That’s right, I had somehow managed to see Pulp Fiction on its opening night.

Over the coming weeks, it was everywhere: quotes flying around campus, songs from the soundtrack on the radio, and its stars all over late-night television.  The movie was inescapable.  Nearly 30 years later, it still is, in some ways.  I can’t tell you the last time I watched it, though I have a special edition DVD sitting on the shelf behind me.  But it has permeated pop-culture so thoroughly that it feels like I’ve just seen it all over again.

Volume 16 takes us from the early fall of 1994 towards the end of the year and the first semester of my junior year of college. The song selection is nearly completely alternative, with just one or two hip-hop and pop hits to go along with it.

Side A

Hole – Doll Parts
iTunes stats: 34 plays, most recently on 11/4/2021

The band’s first release after the death of bassist Kristen Pfaff in June 1994 picked up an additional six listens over the last four years.

Live – I Alone
iTunes stats: 21 plays, most recently on 11/23/2022

Ranked as the 62nd best song of the 90s by VH1, the band’s second single added five listens over the last four years.

Deadeye Dick – New Age Girl
iTunes stats: 16 plays, most recently on 12/31/2022

The one hit wonder, featured on the Dumb and Dumber soundtrack, doubled its listens.

Nirvana – About A Girl
iTunes stats: 31 plays, most recently on 10/10/2022

An additional eight listens for this performance from MTV Unplugged, which reached #1 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Aerosmith – Blind Man
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 8/21/2020

The extra B-side thrown onto Aerosmith’s then-current greatest hits package picked up five new listens, despite not being heard in over two years.

Real McCoy – Another Night
iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 10/5/2019

Last heard a good four months before anyone had heard of the corona virus, the international dance hit, ranked as both the 63rd best single of 1994 and the sixth best of 1995, added five new plays to its total since last we checked.

Warren G – Do You See
iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 10/4/2021

A 250% increase in plays for this Warren G release, which failed to make the Top 40 in the US and hasn’t been heard over a year.

Urge Overkill – Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon
iTunes stats: 30 plays, most recently on 11/5/2021

The Neil Diamond cover, featured on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, added seven additional plays over these last four years.

Side B

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by admin

Yet Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 15

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.

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
iTunes stats: 24 plays, most recently on 1/31/2022

Originally recorded via Chicago’s new rock alternative, Q101, the hit from Marvin! The Album picked up seven additional listens.

Mazzy Star – Fade Into You
iTunes stats: 37 plays, most recently on 5/13/2022

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 eight over the last four years.

Nirvana – Verse Chorus Verse
iTunes stats: 23 plays, most recently on 11/1/2019

Released as a hidden track on the AIDS-benefit compilation album No Alternative, the posthumous B-side from the trio from Seattle added five new listens despite going unheard since the COVID pandemic.

Warren G – This D.J.
iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 10/29/2021

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

Cracker – Eurotrash Girl
iTunes stats: 24 plays, most recently on 9/2/2022

Six new listens for the hidden track, originally recorded off the radio via Q101.

Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song
iTunes stats: 33 plays, most recently on 10/26/2022

Named the 58th best hard rock song of all time by VH1, the latest hit from STP added eleven new listens over the past four years.

Gin Blossoms – Allison Road
iTunes stats: 22 plays, most recently on 7/6/2022

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

Weezer – Undone (The Sweater Song)
iTunes stats: 33 plays, most recently on 11/11/2022

Nine new listens for the debut single from Weezer, which hit #6 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Side B

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Top 200 Albums: #21 – 30

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 into the top 25 with, mostly, some good old-fashioned rock and roll.

#30: Veruca Salt – American Thighs
iTunes stats: 240 plays
Previous Ranking: 29

Ten of the thirteen songs from the Chicago band’s 1994 debut album added 85 new listens over the past four years.

#29: Garbage – Bleed Like Me
iTunes stats: 241 plays
Previous Ranking: 22

Released in 2005, the band’s fourth studio album saw a 44% increase in plays compiled across all eleven tracks.

#28: Garbage – Version 2.0
iTunes stats: 244 plays
Previous Ranking: 31

92 new listens for the twelve tunes comprising the band’s 1998 sophomore release.

#27: Mexican Cheerleader – Mexican Cheerleader
iTunes stats: 246 plays
Previous Ranking: 25

The debut album from the local punk band headed up by a former co-worker sees a nearly 56% play increase over the past four years.

#26: Mexican Cheerleader – King and Kings’ Hoots
iTunes stats: 248 plays
Previous Ranking: 28

The twelve tunes off this sophomore effort from the local punk band added 92 new listens.

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