iTunes Top 200 Artists: #181-188

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 the genres of pop, punk, rock, and hip-hop.  We have three performers making their debut on the list this week.

#188: Bowling For Soup
iTunes stats: 61 plays
Previous ranking: NR

Formed in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1994, the band makes their debut appearance on this chart thanks for two versions, one from the studio and one live on the Adam Carolla Show, of the Phineas and Ferb theme song.

#188: Chicago
iTunes stats: 61 plays
Previous ranking: #188

The ten-time Grammy nominees, who named themselves Chicago Transit Authority in 1968 and shortened to its current version the following year, show up on the list on the strength of three tracks, two from the early 1970s and one from the mid-80s.

#188: Coolio
iTunes stats: 61 plays
Previous ranking: #178

The 1996 Grammy winner for Best Rap Solo Performance, who passed away in 2022, parlayed his two hits into just twelve new listens over the past five years.

#184: Bad Religion
iTunes stats: 62 plays
Previous ranking: #182

The punk rock band from LA, who I saw open for Pearl Jam at Soldier Field back in 1995, add fourteen new plays to the two songs in my collection.

#184: Bloodhound Gang
iTunes stats: 62 plays
Previous ranking: #164

The band known for humorous and off-beat, satirical lyrics, formed in Pennsylvania in 1992, picked up only nine new listens, which resulted in a 20-spot fall in the charts.

#184: Sarah McLachlan
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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #161-169

It’s been 4 years since we last counted down the Top 200 artists in my iTunes library.  Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at the artists that have entertained me the most based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2021.

We continue today with our next batch of 10 artists, the 2 tied for 169th place, 5 tied for 164th, and the 3 tied for 161st.  We only have 2 bands and/or performers that are newcomers to the list this week.

#169: Jason Segel
iTunes stats: 52 plays
Previous ranking: #111

A big 58 spot drop for the human star of The Muppets, who picked up only 12 additional plays for his 4 songs in my collection.

#169: Schoolhouse Rock!
iTunes stats: 52 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

A big debut for the staple of ABC Saturday mornings, after more than doubling its play total.

#164: Matthew Sweet
iTunes stats: 53 plays
Previous ranking: #185

After seeing him in concert back in 2017, I added 2 new tracks to my collection, which contributed to the 21 spot jump for the 90s star.

#164: Bloodhound Gang
iTunes stats: 53 plays
Previous ranking: #117

The band known for humorous and off-beat, satirical lyrics picked up only 16 new listens, which ended up in a 47 spot fall in the charts.

#164: Janet Jackson
iTunes stats: 53 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

A nice debut for the icon star of the late 80s and early 90s, who added 30 new plays over the last 4 years.

#164: Letters To Cleo
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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #109-119

3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 artists 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 artists, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2017.

We continue today with another wide variety of musical styles, including a couple of actors who appeared in a certain musical movie together.

#119: Bruce Springsteen
iTunes stats: 36 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The Boss debuts on the list thanks to 4 tunes, 3 of which are from his smash Born In The USA album.

#119: Blur
iTunes stats: 36 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The English band uses 2 tracks to make up their total.

#117: INXS
iTunes stats: 37 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

5 tracks from the Australian group combined to make up this total.

#117: Bloodhound Gang
iTunes stats: 37 plays
Previous ranking: #91

A slight increase of 11 plays for the two songs from the band known for humorous and off-beat, satirical lyrics.

#116: The Lemonheads
iTunes stats: 38 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

Evan Dando and crew make their debut on the list thanks to 3 tracks from their 90s heyday.

#113: Styx
iTunes stats: 39 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The local outfit used a surge in one of their tunes, thanks to the recently departed Chris Sale, to make the list.

#113: Rancid
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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
Continue reading →

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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iTunes Top 100 Artists: #91-100

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My 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, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 100 artists that I’ve listened to as of 8/21/2013, according to iTunes. Today we look at the the bottom 10, which includes plenty of rock royalty.

#91: Letters To Cleo

iTunes stats: 26 plays

Split across 2 songs, both of which achieved success due to their inclusion on soundtracks.  The band broke up in 2000.

#91: Beastie Boys

iTunes stats: 26 plays

7 different songs make up this total for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, who have not been active since the death of Adam “MCA” Yauch.

#91: Bloodhound Gang

iTunes stats: 26 plays

2 songs make up this total for the band known for humorous and off-beat, satirical lyrics.

#94: Ozzy Osbourne

iTunes stats: 24 plays

The bumbling TV dad of reality series fame used 5 songs, including a duet with Lita Ford, to compile this total.

#94: K’s Choice

iTunes stats: 24 plays

5 songs make up this total for the arguable one hit wonder from Belgium.

#94: 2Pac

iTunes stats: 24 plays

The slain rapper makes the list with only 2 entries, including his collaboration with Dr. Dre.

Continue reading →

iTunes Top 100: #96 – 118

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My 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 23 songs tied for #96 with 15 overall plays.

#96: Aerosmith – Dude (Looks Like A Lady)

This 1987 hit from Aerosmith also appeared on Volume 2 of my mix tapes, and has been listened to twice since then.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 7/25/2012

#96: The Beatles – Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

Recorded for the White Album in 1968, the song didn’t chart in the US until 1976.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 4/27/2013

#96: The Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night

From 1964, the song is the title track to both the album and the movie.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 4/27/2013

#96: Bloodhound Gang – Bad Touch

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

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 3/19/2013

#96: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – The Parking Ticket

Writer and producer Marti Noxon protests a parking ticket through song from the musical episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 11/1/2012

#96: Coolio featuring LV – Gangsta’s Paradise

This 1995 hit from Coolio also appeared on Volume 19 of my mix tapes, and has been listened to four times since then.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 5/31/2013

#96: Digital Underground – The Humpty Dance

This 1990 smash climbed all the way to #11 on the pop charts, #7 on the R&B charts, and #1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 4/27/2013

#96: Dr. Dre – Keep Their Heads Ringin’

This 1995 hit from the Friday soundtrack also appeared on Volume 17 of my mix tapes, and has been listened to three times since then.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 3/13/2013

#96: Dr. Dre – Forgot About Dre

Winner of the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 2001 Grammy Awards.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 10/8/2012

#96: Elvis Presley – An American Trilogy

A medley of three 19th century songs: Dixie, a blackface minstrel song that became the unofficial anthem of the Confederacy since the Civil War; All My Trials, originally a Bahamian lullaby, but closely related to African American spirituals; and The Battle Hymn of the Republic, the marching song of the Union Army during the Civil War.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 5/8/2013

#96: Foo Fighters – Best Of You

This live version was recorded over the course of three shows in late August, 2006 at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 6/11/2012

#96: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – Big Girls Don’t Cry

Spent 5 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1962.

iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 3/25/2012

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Mix Tape Monday – September 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 was likely the first one I burned here in the (then) new house, which is now just the house.  It includes the latest from Eminem, Pink, and Avril Lavigne.

Eminem – Cleaning Out My Closet

Eminem’s latest is another ode to all of the bad things that happened to him growing up.

iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 10/23/2012

Whale – Hobo Humpin Slobo Babe

The first single from the Swedish pop group reached #24 on the US Modern Rock charts.

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

Pink – Just Like A Pill

The third single from Missundaztood was Pink’s first number 1 single in the UK.

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 5/14/2012

Bjork – Big Time Sensuality

The fourth single from Bjork’s first post-Sugarcubes solo album.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 11/19/2012

Avril Lavigne – Sk8r Boi

The second single from the debut album from the Canadian pop punk princess.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 11/9/2012

Weezer – Keep Fishin

The video for this remix featured the Muppets.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 9/27/2012

Me First And The Gimmee Gimmees – The Rainbow Connection

Speaking of the Muppets, this punk cover of Kermit’s big hit is from the group’s second album.

iTunes stats: 18 plays, most recently on 11/23/2011

The Hives – Hate To Say I Told You So

Originally released in 2000, this signature hit for the Swedish garage band was re-released in 2002 and became a hit.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 7/30/2012

Sponge – Plowed

Rotting Pinata first charted on the Billboard 200 nearly a year after its release thanks to this song.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 9/27/2012

Nirvana – Verse Chorus Verse

A hidden track from the AIDS-benefit compilation No Alternative that apparently should have been called “Sappy.”

iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 10/16/2012

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 →

Retro Playlist – December 2007

I recently came across my old, second generation iPod.  40 gigs of tiny, black and white screened goodness.

Here are the songs I listened to on it, from December 2007.

American Nice Mexican Cheerleader Kings And Kings’ Hoots 12/8/2007 10:32 AM
Mary, Mary Run-D.M.C. Ultimate Run DMC 12/8/2007 10:35 AM
Boom P.O.D. 12/8/2007 10:38 AM
The Girl I Knew Somewhere The Monkees The Monkees Greatest Hits 12/8/2007 10:42 AM
Good Better Than Ezra Deluxe 12/8/2007 10:45 AM
When I Grow Up Garbage Version 2.0 12/8/2007 10:49 AM
Dare Stan Bush The Transformers: The Movie 12/8/2007 10:53 AM
Then He Kissed Me The Crystals 12/8/2007 10:55 AM
The Kids Ruined Rock Mexican Cheerleader Mexican Cheerleader 12/8/2007 10:59 AM
Magical Mystery Tour The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour 12/8/2007 11:02 AM
Continue reading →