My Life Of Music Obsession: 1996

As I put the playlist together for this blog and did my research it hit me that most of the stuff on this playlist is 21 years old. Is age 16 really that long ago for me?

This is the year I got my driver's license and would drive around town in my Mom's dodge caravan with the bass cranked up on the stereo, the window's down, blare hip hop music from the stereo so the whole neighborhood heard it, and think I was the coolest kid in the world. My 37 year old self now finds this lame as do the kids that see me when I'm in one of my rare moods and I'll blast Kendrick Lamar or Drake from my own car stereo. Don't judge me!

In late 1996 tragedy struck one of music's most beloved icons. Tupac Shakur was gunned down in a hail of bullets on the Las Vegas Strip. The murder still remains unsolved to this day.

At the beginning of the year Tupac released his album All Eyez On Me, and it propelled him to high levels of fame.

Some people say that his rise to fame was due in part to a legend of Robert Johnson and The Crossroads proportions. In this case he signed with Death Row Records upon his release from prison and some say he signed his soul over to The Devil a.k.a. Suge Knight (CEO of Death Row Records) to become the biggest rapper in the world.

I don't believe the legends surrounding his rise to fame and his death. I will only state the facts.

Upon his release from prison, Tupac went in to the studio with Dr. Dre as producer to record tracks for his Death Row Records debut All Eyez On Me. Tupac ended up spending hours upon hours in the studio and recorded well over 100 songs. Many of these songs ended up being used for posthumous releases and for the album he recorded under the alias Makaveli which was released shortly after his death. Somewhere in the middle of the recording of these songs Dr. Dre decided to leave Death Row Records because he didn't like the unprofessional atmosphere going on at the company. The stories about the illegal and unprofessional behavior at the label are legendary and have been well documented. This left Tupac without a producer so Death Row had to get other producers to help finish the album. The album went on to sell and is still selling millions of copies to this day.

I don't attribute Tupac's rise to fame to anything other than a man who struggled most of his life, got dealt a few lousy hands, wanted desperately to rise above it all and have a better life.

In 1996 Dave Matthews released arguably their best album to date, Crash. It's my favorite DMB album.

Nas released the follow up to his critically acclaimed and brilliant first album, Illmatic.

The Spice Girls stormed upon the scene and became an inspiration to girls everywhere.

Snoop Dogg then known as Snoop Doggy Dogg released the follow up to his multi platinum album, Doggystyle. It was panned by critics and fans alike but time has treated it good and I think it's some of his best work.

Metallica released their first album since 1991's Metallica. It was both a critical and commercial disappointment.

Jay Z released his very first solo album, Reasonable Doubt which is heralded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.

Marilyn Manson caused a storm of controversy with the album, Antichrist Superstar.


Check Out The Companion Playlist: Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube.




1. Metallica - Until It Sleeps. - Metallica decided to go for a more mainstream Hard Rock approach on their first album in five years. This did not sit well with many fans. Their album "Load" was soon in the bargain bins at record stores. I don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be. It's just very far removed from what fans expected at the time.

2. Metallica - King Nothing.

3. Metallica - Hero Of The Day.

4. Jay Z - Can't Knock The Hustle. - I love Jay Z's first album. It's always readily available for listen in my car.

5.  Jay Z - Politics As Usual. - My favorite Jay Z song.

6.  Jay Z - Dead Presidents II.

7.  Jay Z - Aint No... feat. Foxy Brown. - This is another favorite of mine. I love how the chorus is an interpolation of the Four Tops tune "Ain't No Woman Like The One I Got."

8. Beck - Where It's At. 

9. 2 Pac - How Do U Want It feat. Jodeci. - I love the background vocals by K-Ci and Jo Jo of Jodeci.

10. 2 Pac - 2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted feat. Snoop Dogg. 

11. 2 Pac - I Aint Mad At Cha. - The subject matter of this song deals with friends growing up and changing. In this song Tupac addresses a friend going straight and avoiding all the sins of street life.

12. 2 Pac - California Love feat. Dr. Dre. - The chorus contains an interpolation of "West Coast Poplock" by bass guitar legend Ronnie Hudson. I just love the fun atmosphere of this song. You could tell that Tupac was having fun. It's a shame that a version different than the original version wound up on the album. The original version is so much better. The chorus is sang by Roger of the famous funk and disco band Zapp.

13. 2 Pac - Hit Em Up. - I'm not a fan of this song which appeared as a B-Side on the "How Do U Want It" single. This was not the same Tupac who promoted unity on several previous songs.

I suspect Suge Knight was whispering in the ear of Tupac that Notorious B.I.G.'s song "Who Shot Ya?" had been directed towards Tupac after he had been shot several times in the lobby of an NYC recording studio in 1994 where Notorious B.I.G. was also recording at the same time.

Tupac released this battle rap which promotes violence and possibly tore the marriage apart between Faith Evans and Notorious B.I.G. after Tupac's allegations that he slept with the former's wife. Suge Knight had problems with Notorious B.I.G. after comments made at the 1995 Source Awards. I will not go into detail as this is all widely publicized and if you don't know this story it's worth looking into.

Notorious B.I.G. never responded back with a battle rap of his own before his death, and I commend him for it.

When I heard this initially I felt that something was really wrong for a man who always had promoted unity to record something that did the exact opposite.

I had a much younger co-worker ask me recently about this so called east coast vs. west coast beef that lead to the deaths of Tupac and Notorious B.I.G., and which rapper I liked better. First of all no east coast vs. west coast beef is responsible for either of their deaths. It was an east coast record label feuding with a west coast record label. It was not one whole coast vs. another whole coast. That's ridiculous. I feel that both rappers are very different from each other and I never choose a side.

Notorious B.I.G. lived the street life, wrote about what he experienced, and how he was trying to live a more positive life through music. Whereas Tupac wrote about the grittiness of the injustices going on in poor communities, encouraged oppressed people to rise above, and make something better of their lives.

I don't have a favorite between the two. They were both great and it's very sad and tragic that both of their lives had been cut short by shooting deaths. I felt they were both role models to a lot of people and could have done a lot of good in bringing people together if they were still around.

14. Makaveli - Hail Mary. - This song is always listened to during my workouts almost 21 years after it's release.

15. Makaveli - Toss It Up.

16. Makaveli - To Live And Die In L.A. 

17. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand. - This came out in 1994, but didn't gain popularity until 1996 after being used in an episode of The X Files, and in Wes Craven's 1996 box office smash, "Scream."  I love this song and it led me to discover the album this song came from much later in life. The album "Let Love In" is so darn good. It's creepy and fun.

18. Republica - Ready To Go.

19. Republica - Drop Dead Gorgeous.

20. Fugees - Ready Or Not. - This song samples a good chunk of the score from the movie "Sleepwalkers." It's just a great tune.

21. Fugees - Fu-Gee-La.

22. Fugees - Killing Me Softly With His Song. - This song showcases the great talent of Fugees member Lauryn Hill. I can't wait to get to my 1998 entry and talk about her solo album "The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill."  That album is the definition of perfect album.

23. Fugees - No Woman, No Cry.

24. Sublime - What I Got. - Sublime's Lead Singer Died of a Heroin Overdose before he got to see the band rise to fame. When this song was released in 1996 it became an instant smash and the album went five times platinum. I listened to this song and the album heavily during my last two years of high school.

25. Sublime - Santeria.

26. Sublime - Wrong Way.

27. Sublime - Doin' Time.

28. Nas - Street Dreams.

29. Nas - If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)

30. Lost Boyz - Renee. - This is a song about losing a loved one to street violence.

31. Lost Boyz - Music Makes Me High. 

32. Lost Boyz -  Jeeps, Lex, Coups, Bimaz & Benz. 

33. Soundgarden - Blow Up The Outside World.

34. Soundgarden - Burden In My Hand.

35. Rage Against The Machine - Bulls On Parade.

36. Rage Against The Machine - Down Rodeo.

37. The Roots - What They Do. - It's cool that these guys became the house band on "The Tonight Show." I remember buying this album, and my peers thought The Roots sucked. I obviously have a great ear for talent, and they didn't. This song pokes fun at all the cliches of hip hop at the time.

38. Cake - The Distance. - I love this weird little band that fused Jazz with alternative rock music. They're fun and don't take themselves to seriously.

39. Cake - I Will Survive.

40. Tonic - If You Could Only See. - I think this is one of the greatest rock songs of all time.

41. Tonic - Open Up Your Eyes.

42. Stone Temple Pilots. - Big Bang Baby.

43. Stone Temple Pilots - Lady Picture Show.

44. Stone Temple Pilots - Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart.

45. Busta Rhymes - Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check. - I love the eccentricities of Busta Rhymes.

46. A Tribe Called Quest - 1nce Again.

47. A Tribe Called Quest - Stressed Out feat. Faith Evans.

48. MC Lyte - Keep On, Keepin' On (feat. Xscape). - This is another one of my workout songs.

49. MC Lyte. - Cold Rock A Party.

50. Lil Kim - Crush On You Remix feat. Lil Cease.

51. Lil Kim - Not Tonight (Ladies Nite) Remix feat. Left Eye, Da Brat, Angie Martinez,  and Missy Elliot.

52. Spice Girls - Wannabe. - I didn't fully appreciate their contribution to music until the last five years or so. At the time I disliked most mainstream pop, but now that I'm older I can understand why they became as big as they did.

53. Spice Girls - Say You'll Be There.

54. Spice Girls - 2 become 1.

55. The Wallflowers -  One Headlight.

56. The Wallflowers - 6th Avenue Heartache.

57. Redman - Whateva Man feat. Erick Sermon. - I love the music video for this song. It has Method Man and Redman acting out scenes from "The Blues Brothers."

58. Ghostface Killah - All That I Got Is You. - This is a beautiful song by the Wu Tang Clan member about growing up in poverty. It makes me cry a little every time I hear it.

59. Kris Kross - Tonite's Tha Night. - They were all grown up and released a grown up Hip Hop song. It's really good. I got this album for my 16th birthday.

60. Eazy E - Just Tah Let U Know.

61. Gin Blossoms - Follow You Down.

62. Local H - Bound For The Floor.

63. Dave Matthews Band - Crash Into Me. - One of the greatest love songs of all time.

64. Dave Matthews Band - Tripping Billies.

65. Dave Matthews Band - Too Much.

66. Nada Surf - Popular.

67. Quad City DJ's - C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)

68. Primitive Radio Gods - Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth...

69. Toni Braxton - Un-Break My Heart.

70. Fiona Apple - Criminal.

71. Fiona Apple - Sleep To Dream.

72. Alice In Chains - Over Now (MTV Unplugged.) - This came from my favorite MTV unplugged performance.  I love the great laugh that the late great Layne Staley produces before they launch in to performing this.

73. Outkast - Elevators (Me & You).

74. Outkast - ATLiens.

75. John Mellencamp - Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First). - This to date is John Mellencamp's last really successful song. I love the laid back beach vibe it has. It's sad that he failed to connect with younger audiences beyond 1996. He's a great performer. Come on John! Crank out more memorable anthems for us!

76. The Wonders - That Thing You Do.

77. OMC - How Bizarre. - This song is so much fun.

78. Matchbox Twenty - 3AM. - Up until putting the playlist together for this blog I absolutely despised this band. I felt they were the worst band in the world.  I even went on a date with a girl once that I really liked until she stated that Matchbox Twenty is her favorite band, and then I never pursued another date with her. That's how much I despised them.

Here we are 21 years later. My 37 year old self gives them another listen and I suddenly like them. What was wrong with me for so many years? They're good. Now I need to come up with another band for an answer when I get in to in depth music discussions and someone asks me my opinion on the worst band in the world.

79. Matchbox Twenty - Real World.

80. Matchbox Twenty - Push.

81. Ginuwine - Pony.

82. Korn - A.D.I.D.A.S. - This song isn't about shoes or clothing. I can't wait to see these guys for the first time next month at Rock On The Range.

83. Westside Connection - Bow Down.

84. Less Than Jake - Dopeman. - I love this Florida band. There have been several nights over the years where I've drunkenly belted out lyrics by them. Right now I'm thinking about how many times I've belted out "I'd rather sit back, just smoke cigarettes, be the one with the loudest mouth, be the most close minded" from the song "Sugar in your gas tank." I don't smoke cigarettes anymore, and I'm not close minded but I'm still the one with the loudest mouth.

Their drummer is one of the founders of Fueled By Ramen records who were responsible for releasing such acts as Fun, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Panic! At The Disco, Twenty One Pilots, and Gym Class Heroes. One of my favorite bands in the world, Punchline, are also alumni of the label.

85. Snoop Dogg - Vapors.

86. Snoop Dogg - Snoop's Upside Ya Head.

87. The Clarks - Caroline. - They may have only endured regional success in and around Pittsburgh but a lot of their songs are a big part of my life. This is a great alternative pop rock song.

89. Bloodhound Gang - Fire Water Burn. - The Chorus to this song is taken from the Rock Master Scott song "The Roof Is On Fire."

90. Blackstreet - No Diggity. - Another fun song from 1996.

91. Keith Sweat - Twisted. - I recently heard someone remark that the only time they listen to Keith Sweat is when they want to make babies. I guess Keith Sweat is now part of a new sub genre of music I'm dubbing called "conception R&B." I came up with it first.

92. Keith Sweat - Nobody. - I love slow jams.

93. En Vogue - Don't Let Go (Love).

94. Counting Crows - A Long December.

95. Do Or Die - Po Pimp. - One of the first songs I bumped from the stereo of the dodge caravan when In got a license to drive.

96. Los Del Rio - Macarena (Basyside Boys Remix). - I still can't do the Macarena. I'm the worst dancer ever.

97. Boyz II Men feat. Mariah Carey - One Sweet Day.

98. Celine Dion - Because You Loved Me. - Big hit for Celine Dion, but her biggest hit didn't come until the following year. More on that in my 1997 blog. You're welcome for the tease.

99. Seven Mary Three -  Cumbersome. - This is one of my go to karaoke songs. It just flat out rocks and puts my audience in a good mood.

100. The Cardigans - Lovefool.

101. Marilyn Manson -The Beautiful People. - The lyrics to this song can be applied to today's political atmosphere.

He's a genius song writer.

 It's awesome that nobody since has been able to stir up the controversy and shock he generated in popular culture. His genius got overshadowed by image, but I'm not complaining. He scared the crap out of every middle class parent. Parent's feared their kids becoming a fan of his.

On second thought, the controversy he stirred up may have been pure marketing genius on his part because he made a lot of money from record sales. Kids like rebellion and stuff their parents forbid.

102. Marilyn Manson - Tourniquet.

103. Marilyn Manson - The Man That You Fear.

104. Spacehog - In The Meantime. - I've heard this song in so many movies, TV shows, and Commercials. I don't know any of the lyrics. I just know that amazing intro before the vocals kick in.

105. Dishwalla - Counting Blue Cars.

106. Dog's Eye View - Everything Falls Apart.

107. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Love Rollercoaster

108. LL Cool J - Ain't Nobody.

109. Foxy Brown - Get Me Home.

110. Foxy Brown - I'll Be feat. Jay Z. - One of my favorite hip hop songs of all time. I had a crush on Foxy Brown at the time.

111. Jewel - You Were Meant For Me.

112.  Jewel - Who Will Save Your Soul?

113. Sheryl Crow - If It Makes You Happy.

Coming Soon: My Life Of Music Obsession: 1997.

If you would like to read other entries in this series, click here.