Tag / Young MC

by admin

Top 200 Albums – #11 – 20

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we near the end of the list and look at the bottom half of the top 20 albums, breaking the 100 listen mark.

#11: Garbage – Absolute Garbage
iTunes stats: 123 plays
The greatest hits package from Garbage uses 17 songs to make up this total.

#12: Various Artists – TV’s Hits Vol. 7: Cable Ready
iTunes stats: 119 plays
This collection of TV theme songs, mostly from the early to mid 90s, uses 13 different tunes, from shows like Mad About You. Saved By The Bell, and Blossom.

#13: Patton Oswalt – Werewolves And Lollipops
iTunes stats: 114 plays
This total for Patton Oswalt’s standup set would be significantly higher if I were to sync my old phone again.

#14: The Monkees – The Monkees Greatest Hits
iTunes stats: 110 plays
19 different tracks from the made-for-TV band make up this total.

#14: Journey – Journey’s Greatest Hits
iTunes stats: 110 plays
4 different tunes make up this total, although 1 of them contributes 106 of the listens.

#16: Queen – Queen: Greatest Hits I & II
Continue reading →

by admin

Goodbye, iPhone 4S – Music Edition

A little more than a week ago, I upgraded my phone from the iPhone 4S to the newly released iPhone 5S.  The biggest difference, aside from a slightly bigger screen, is the jump from 3G (or 4G, if you believe AT&T’s hype) to LTE.  I had the 4S for a little under 2 years, and in that time, we traveled the world together (well, at least going back to the UK) and have listened to a lot of podcasts and music. Here is every song (all 2079 of them) I’ve listened to on the phone, with some (ok, very little) bonus commentary.  Godspeed.

 

Let’s Go-Go-Go White Sox Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers 33
He’s a Pirate Klaus Badelt Pirates of the Caribbean (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) 32
Take Me Out To The Ballgame Harry Caray 31
Thunderstruck AC/DC The Razors Edge 31
Gordon Beckham Intro 29
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye Steam Billboard’s Top Rock ‘n’ Roll Hits: 1969 29
Don’t Stop Believin’ Journey Journey’s Greatest Hits 27
sox05_montage 27
We Are The Champions Queen Queen: Greatest Hits I & II 27
Your Love The Outfield Play Deep 27
2008 White Sox Central Division Champs Montage Chris Tannehill WSCR 670 The Score 25
Take Me Out To The Ballgame Nancy Faust 25
Harvester Of Sorrow Metallica …And Justice For All 20

You would hope that these numbers would have been higher, but this past season’s miserable performance by the White Sox has put the songs on their playlist out of mind more often than not.

Cannonball The Breeders The First 1000 Years- Rock 19
Man Or Muppet Jason Segel The Muppets 15
It’s Time For Our Song Miss Piggy The Muppets 14
Get Out There And Help Those Guys Jason Segel The Muppets 13
Main Title LOST Soundtrack LOST Soundtrack 13
Are You A Man Or A Muppet? Amy Adams The Muppets 12
How Charming, A Finale Uncle Deadly The Muppets 12
I’m On A Boat (ft. T-Pain) The Lonely Island Incredibad 12
Down At The Ole Barbershop Kermit The Muppets 11
Me and Drugs David Cross Bigger and Blackerer 11
The Antichrist Howard Stern Private Parts: The Album 11
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by admin

iTunes Top 100: #70 – 75

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 2 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, it is now time to look at digital music with the Top 100 songs that I’ve listened to as of 6/2/2013, according to iTunes. Today we look at the 6 songs tied for #70 with 17 overall plays.

#70: The Cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Something To Sing About

Another entry from the Buffy musical episode.

iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 1/2/2013

#70: Eminem – Cleaning Out My Closet

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

iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 5/16/2013

#70: Hole – Celebrity Skin

Hole’s most commercially successful single, being the only one to reach #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 6/17/2012

#70: Van Halen – Jump

For years, the song was used as the intro music as the Chicago Cubs took the field at their home games.

iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 10/2/2012

#70: Warren G – Regulate

This debut hit from Dr. Dre’s step-brother also appeared on Volume 14 of my mix tapes, and has been listened to three times since then.

iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 3/29/2013

#70: Young MC – Bust A Move

This Grammy winning hit also appeared on Volume 1 of my mix tapes, and has been listened to four times since then.

iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 2/21/2013

by admin

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

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by jim

Mix Tape Monday – Volume 1

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.

Volume 1 again, was started in 1989 when I was a sophomore and stretches to early 1990, and features a steady stream of hair metal, with a smattering of pop, rap and dance thrown in for good measure.

Side A

Warrant – Heaven

The massive hit that put Warrant on the map was taped off the radio, most likely from Z95.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 9/17/2011

Young MC – Bust A Move

Young MC’s one hit was taped from the cassingle.

iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 8/4/2011

New Kids Got Run Over By A Reindeer

Not a real song, but a bit from what I believe was the Welch & Woody morning show on Z95.

Bon Jovi – You Give Love A Bad Name

The first “out of sequence” song was taped from my sister’s cassette.

iTunes stats: 5 plays 5/11/2011

B-52s –  Love Shack

Surprisingly, despite coming from the radio, it is the full version of the song, not the radio edit, unlike the MP3 I have today.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 6/29/2011

Paula Abdul – The Way That You Love Me

One of the lesser hits from Abdul’s debut was taped from my sister’s cassette.

iTunes stats: 0 plays

Richard Marx – Right Here Waiting

Marx’s smash hit is another Z95 radio entry.

iTunes stats: 1 play, on 8/31/2008

Side B

Continue reading →

by admin

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 →

by admin

30 Day Music Challenge Day 08 – A Song That You Know All The Words To

I was going to write out all of the lyrics to Bust A Move, but how would you know that I didn’t just copy them for a website?  I guess you’ll just have to take my word for it.  I will say that, back in the day, I did buy this song as a cassingle.  Also, if my best friend Harry has a brother Larry who is getting married within the week, why would he ask me to be his best man?  Why not his brother Harry?  Did they have some sort of falling out?  And, if so, why would he ask his brother’s best friend to fill in with little notice?