Tag / Nine Inch Nails

by admin

iTunes Top 200 Artists: #140-148

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 are a quarter of the way through the countdown and continue today with our next batch of 10 artists, the remaining 3 tied for 148th place, the single artist in 147th, the 4 tied for 143rd, and the first 2 holding down the 140th spot.  For the first time, we have no newcomers making their debut this week.

#148: The Dandy Warhols
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Previous ranking: #105

A big 43 spot drop, thanks to only 14 new listens, for the band responsible for the original Veronica Mars theme song.

#148: Lisa Loeb
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Previous ranking: #185

The first artist to ever hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 without a recording contract, Loeb adds a track and 32 new listens to power her 37 slot jump.

#148: The Doors
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Previous ranking: #164

A 29 play increase for the 3 tracks in my collection from the seminal LA rock group fronted by Jim Morrison.

#147: Alice Cooper
iTunes stats: 58 plays
Previous ranking: #167

The so-called Godfather of Shock Rock rises 20 spots on the chart thanks to 31 additional plays spread across 3 different tracks.

#143: Katy Perry
iTunes stats: 59 plays
Previous ranking: #108

Despite adding 2 new tracks to my collection, although 2 tracks which never made it to my phone, the pop singer suffers a 35 spot drop after adding a mere 17 new listens spread across 3 songs.

#143: Cher
Continue reading →

by admin

iTunes Top 200 Artists: #185-194

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.

Today, we begin with the 10 songs tied for 194th place, along with the first 3 tied for 185th.  These 13 bands and performers are all newcomers to his list, thanks to its expansion to 200 artists since the last time we did this.

#185: The Juliana Hatfield Three
iTunes stats: 25 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

Juliana Hatfield’s band after breaking up with the Blake Babies makes the list thanks to 2 tracks, including one from the Reality Bites soundtrack.

#185: Tony! Toni! Toné!
iTunes stats: 25 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The soul and R&B group split their total between 2 songs.

#185: Travis
iTunes stats: 25 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The Scottish band rode only 1 song, a live cover version of Britney Spears’ …Baby One More Time, to this lofty position.

#194: 4 Non Blondes
iTunes stats: 24 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The one hit wonders have 2 songs contributing to their total.

#194: Dakota Fanning
iTunes stats: 24 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The actress covered a song while playing Cherie Currie in The Runaways.

#194: Great White
iTunes stats: 24 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The band probably more famous now for their role in a 2003 club fire that killed 100 people make the list thanks to only 1 song.

#194: Jill Sobule
Continue reading →

by jim

Mix Tape Monday – May 2005

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 was the last CD of psudeo-new music that I burned.  Fall of 2005 was consumed with other activities and that Christmas, I got a Sirius satellite radio, at which point I pretty much stopped using the CD player in the car.  In fact, the CDs that were in the 5 disc changer at the time stayed there untouched for so long that, when I tried to put in something different, the new discs wouldn’t work.

Tom Petty – I Won’t Back Down

I just now realized that this was from Tom Petty’s solo album and was not a Heartbreakers track.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 8/6/2011

Foo Fighters – Best Of You

The latest from the Foo Fighters was the first single from In Your Honor.

iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 3/29/2012

Black Eyed Peas – Don’t Phunk With My Heart

The less successful follow up to the monster hit Let’s Get It Started.

iTunes stats: Never played

Def Leppard – No Matter What

A cover of the old Badfinger song done as a bonus track for their latest best-of release.

iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 9/28/2012

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Summertime

The Grammy winner for Best Rap single of 1991.

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 6/26/2012

Ramones – Blitzkreig Bop

The debut single for the seminal American punk band.

iTunes stats: 1 plays, on 7/30/2012

Terror Squad – Lean Back

Spent three weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 charts in August of 2004.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 8/4/2011

Weezer – Beverly Hills

The latest single from Weezer was the first from their fifth album.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 10/11/2012

The McCoys – Hang On Sloopy

This is the official rock song of the state of Ohio.

iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 11/19/2012

Usher – Yeah!

Usher’s monster hit spent 12 weeks stop the Billboard Hot 100 in 2004 and was the #1 song of the year.

iTunes stats: 12 plays, most recently on 10/23/2012

Continue reading →

by admin

Mix Tape Monday – Tape #2

Earlier this year, we looked at the 20 volumes of mix tapes that I had made between 1989 and 1995, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD.  In addition to those, I had 2 tapes that consisted of songs that I liked, but, for differing reasons, did not make it to the main set.  I thought it would be fun to take another look back at those two cassettes, how much I listen to those songs now, and why they did not qualify for the main set of mix tapes.  Here’s the second of those tapes, which has degraded much more than any of the other tapes I listened to.

 

Side A

Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody

This song, originally a hit in the 70s, was given new life thanks to its inclusion on the Wayne’s World soundtrack.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 9/19/2012

Soul Asylum – Somebody To Shove

My sister had this CD, so I copied over this minor hit that I had missed upon its initial release.

iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 5/25/2012

Temple Of The Dog – Hunger Strike

Prior to their first album, the members of Pearl Jam joined up with Soundgarden for this side project meant as a tribute to Andrew Wood, frontman for Mother Love Bone.

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 7/11/2012

Soul Asylum – Runaway Train

Another Soul Asylum song borrowed from my sister’s CD.  Is Black Gold far behind?

iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 7/30/2012

K7 – Come Baby Come

One of a long list of hip hop one hit wonders who sang about getting down with the local women.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 5/31/2009

New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle

The 80’s pop hit was brought back to the musical forefront thanks to the cover version by Frente!

iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 3/23/2012

Smashing Pumpkins – Today

Another example of a big hit from a band that I ultimately liked (although in this case, eventually lost any and all taste for) that didn’t merit inclusion on my main set of favorites cassettes.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 6/3/2011

Frente! – Bizarre Love Triangle

Speaking of which, here’s the acoustic cover of the New Order hit.

iTunes stats: 11 plays, most recently on 7/16/2012

Side B

Continue reading →

by admin

Mix Tape Monday – Tape #1

Earlier this year, we looked at the 20 volumes of mix tapes that I had made between 1989 and 1995, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD.  In addition to those, I had 2 tapes that consisted of songs that I liked, but, for differing reasons, did not make it to the main set.  I thought it would be fun to take another look back at those two cassettes, how much I listen to those songs now, and why they did not qualify for the main set of mix tapes.

 

Side A

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Soul To Squeeze

This song was from the Coneheads soundtrack, released in 1993.  I’m not sure what held the song back, as it ranks high today in my list of favorite Chili Pepper songs.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 8/29/2011

Aerosmith – Sweet Emotion

At some point, I stopped putting old songs on the main series of mix tapes and shunted them off to this collection.  This Aerosmith hit, originally released in the 70s, was re-released as the single from the Pandora’s Box boxset.

iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 6/17/2012

EMF – Unforgettable

The one hit from EMF certainly should have made it to the main series of tapes.  Maybe I just never got it recorded until it was too late?

iTunes stats: 6 plays, most recently on 9/1/2011

REM – Drive (Live)

This live version of the debut single from Automatic For The People was recorded for Greenpeace.

Stone Temple Pilots – Plush

One thing I did notice was that for bands I ended up reallly liking, like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and STP, their first breakthrough hit did not make it on to my favorites tapes.

iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 10/13/2010

Motley Crue – Kickstart My Heart

Again, not sure why this wouldn’t have made it to the main tapes, unless it came out before those tapes started.  The timing would have been close.

iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 6/17/2012

REM – Stand

The title song from the Chris Elliot show Get A Life would have pre-dated the other collection of favorite songs.

iTunes stats: 10 plays, most recently on 7/13/2012

Guns N’ Roses – Patience

With the overwhelming success of Appetite For Destruction, a quickie EP was released with previously released material and this song, which would have come out right around the time the other series of tapes was starting off.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 8/15/2011

Van Halen – Jump

Since this song came out in 1984, it was relegated to this backup tape as opposed to the main stream.

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

Def Leppard – Bringin’ On The Heartbreak

This Def Leppard song easily pre-dates my collection of favorite songs, as it came out in the early 1980s.

iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 5/25/2012

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 →