Utlimate Mix

Back in the Napster/Limewire days of my youth I was pretty into burning CDs. Just like our parents had mixtapes we had mix CD's/CD mixes (can't remember what the proper term was). The only problem was that there were restrictions at just about every turn

In the pre-iTunes days you needed software in order to burn a CD and in most cases you had to pay for it. There was no way that I was going to pay for burning capibility, so I once searched around and downloaded the trial version of some CD burning software. The catch was that I could only put 10 songs on a CD and I could only burn 10 CDs. This severely limited my song choices, so I had to really think about what songs were the most deserving to be a part of my mixes. I didn't have any room to waste. I couldn't make any rash decisions if I happened to hear a song that I liked 2-3 times. I had to make sure that I would still like it a month or two down the road.

When I finally reached the point where I had unlimited CD burning capibility I soon realized that the next restriction was the amount of space that blank CDs could hold. Some could only hold 70 minutes, others could hold 80, and oddly enough there were some that could hold 74 minutes. This usually limited my mixes to roughly 17 songs, which was a lot more than the 10 I was used to, but it was still a restriction.

Through the years I've made countless mix CD's (My mom bought me 100 blank CDs before I left for college) and there have been plenty of songs that have ended up on multiple mixes. Because of this slight overlap I've always thought about making what I would consider to be the ultimate mix CD.

Now, of course, I've never gotten around to making the ultimate mix, but for some reason the thought occurred to me the other day.

I decided to limit myself to 15 songs and here's what I came up with. I haven't actually made the CD, but if I do the songs would appear in this order.

*After reading through this list feel free to never respect my opinion on music ever again. I won't be offended.


1.) U2- City of Blinding Lights- On my highly acclaimed radio show in college we primarily played rock music, but also had a Rap/Hip Hop pick and Girly pick of the week. My buddy from home wanted me to add a U2 pick of the week and this was the first song that he recommended.

2.) Foo Fighters- Everlong- Do songs ever make you think of a specific time in your life? Well for me, this song makes me think of the Spring when I was in 7th grade.

3.) Guns N' Roses- Sweet Child o' Mine- Quite possibly my favorite song of all time.

4.) The White Stripes- Seven Nation Army- No other song gets me more pumped up for athletic competition.

5.) AC/DC- Thunderstruck- This is a close second.

6.) The Who- Baba O'Riley- The 1:13 musical lead up is just fantastic.

7.) Van Halen- Why Can't This Be Love?- I probably could have picked 3-4 Van Halen songs, but this one is my favorite.

8.) Foreigner- I Want to Know What Love Is- My #1 love song had to be included.

9.) Bruce Springsteen- Brilliant Disguise- A little bit off the map in terms of Bruce songs, but I can't get enough of this one.

10.) Green Day- When I Come Around- Track #10 on Dookie was a no brainer to be Track #10 on my ultimate mix.

11.) Billy Joel- Scenes From an Italian Restaurant- "A bottle of white, a bottle of red."

12.) Tupac- Changes- I'm not embarassed to know virtually every word in this song.

13.) Arcade Fire- We Used to Wait- My #1 song from 2010. It will probably be the first song to get booted from the mix if I realize that I forgot about a song that I love.

14.) Third Eye Blind- How's it Going to Be?- I can't say it better than lead vocalist Stephan Jenkins, "It deals with a question that we ask ourselves whenever a relationship ends: What does that mean? What it means is that you are no longer intimate, and the transition from friends to acquaintances is a brutal one. Because it reminds us, I think, of all the things ending. 'How's it gonna be/When you don't know me?' There's not an answer to that question."

15.) Kanye West- Family Business- Say what you want about Kanye, but this song is awesome.

"I woke up early this mornin' with a new state of mind
A creative way to rhyme without usin' knives and guns
Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to God
And keep your face to the risin' sun"


Songs that just missed the cut (in alphabetical order by artist):

.38 Special- Caught Up in You
AC/DC- You Shook Me All Night Long
Billy Joel- Allentown
Blink 182- Going Away to College
Bone Thugs 'N Harmony- Tha Crossroads
Brand New- Failure by Design
Bruce Springsteen- Glory Days
Cathy Richardson- Here Come the Irish
Def Leppard- Photograph
Fabolous- This is My Party
Foreigner- Jukebox Hero
Glenn Frey- The Heat is On
Green Day- Good Riddance
Green Day- Waiting
Led Zeppelin- Stairway to Heaven
Metallica- Enter Sandman
Nirvana- Come As You Are
The Offspring- The Kids Aren't Alright
Phil Collins- In the Air Tonight
Puff Daddy feat. Faith Evans- I'll Be Missing You
Red Hot Chili Peppers- Under the Bridge
REO Speedwagon- Keep on Loving You
U2- Where the Streets Have No Name
Van Halen- Can't Stop Lovin' You
The Who- You Better You Bet

I'm sure I forgot at least 25 others. Feel free to let me know what songs I missed.