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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #11-20

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 final batch of ten artists, bringing us to the brink of the top ten.

#20: Nirvana
iTunes stats: 495 plays
Previous ranking: #20

The seven-time Grammy nominees, and one time winner, stay even on the charts thanks to 121 new listens, good for a 32% increase.

#19: R.E.M.
iTunes stats: 503 plays
Previous ranking: #18

The 2007 inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picked up 115 additional plays over the past five years, dropping them one spot.

#18: Elvis Presley
iTunes stats: 510 plays
Previous ranking: #16

The King of Rock & Roll, who died in 1977, adds 111 plays to his total from five years ago, dropping two spots in the rankings.

#17: Taylor Swift
iTunes stats: 212 plays
Previous ranking: #38

The fourteen-time Grammy winner, who is halfway towards an EGOT, saw a 158% increase with 336 new plays, thanks in part to a many new albums added to the collection.

#15: Alanis Morissette
iTunes stats: 576 plays
Previous ranking: #15

The former You Can’t Do That on Television star, who I saw in 1996 at the New World Music Theater, added 161 new listens to steady even in the rankings.

#15: Bon Jovi
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150 Years Of Cubs Baseball – Outfielders Part 1

Originally founded in 1869, the Chicago Cubs became a charter member of the National League in 1876.  Over the next 150 seasons, the Cubs have played more than 22,000 games, scored over 103,000 runs and recorded more than 200,000 hits, more than any other team in baseball history.  Nearly 2,300 players have worn a Cubs uniform, earning eight division titles, 17 NL pennants, and three World Series championships.

Fans have witnessed generations of unforgettable players, from historical heroes like Joe Tinker, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams to more recent stars like Ryne Sandberg, Derrek Lee, Kerry Wood, and Anthony Rizzo.  The team has called Wrigley Field home for 110 of those 150 seasons.

To celebrate this milestone, the Cubs are holding a fan vote to select the franchise’s anniversary team.  Each week, we will go through the provided options for each position and declare who should, and, if different, who will, win the fan vote.  We continue today with the first eight selections for outfielder.

George Altman spent seven seasons with the Cubs across two stints.  Debuting with the club in 1959, he quickly emerged as one of the team’s most productive hitters, earning All-Star selections in both 1961 and 1962.  He accumulated 7.9 WAR across those two seasons while establishing himself as a dangerous power hitter.  He returned to the Cubs in 1965 but was unable to reclaim his former status and struggled to produce.  He finished his major league career in 1967, hitting just .111 in 15 games.

José Cardenal joined the Cubs for the 1972 season and stayed through 1977.  He was one of the most popular and productive players during his tenure, bridging the gap between the superstars of the 60s and the success coming in the 1980s.  He was named Cubs player of the year by local media in 1973.  His best season came in 1975, earning 3.1 WAR while hitting .317.  He was inducted into the Cubs Hall of Fame in 2022.

Kiki Cuyler joined the Cubs following the 1927 season and spent parts of eight years with the team.  During his tenure, Cuyler was one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league, helping the Cubs win two NL pennants.  He was named to his lone All-Star team in 1934 in its second year of existence.  He led the NL in three times, from 1928 through 1930.  In 1968, he was enshrined in Cooperstown as a member of the Hall of Fame.

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Book 25 (of 52) – This Story Might Save Your Life

This Story Might Save Your Life – Tiffany Crum

When his best friend and podcasting partner goes missing with her husband, Benny starts looking for clues in their shared drives and past episodes.  When the husband is found dead, the police, and the media, turn their attention towards Benny.  After he is arrested for assault and hiding evidence, he learns that his friend is alive and in hiding.  Once they are reunited, the husband’s death is ruled an accident, and everyone lives happily ever after.

Tiffany Crum’s debut novel, This Story Might Save Your Life, mixes mystery and romance.  I seem to be a sucker for mysteries and thrillers with a podcast, so this was right up my alley.  I look forward to what else she has up her sleeve.

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ABC Upfronts

ABC wraps up upfront week with one of their most stable schedules in network history.  Monday once again will simulcast Monday Night Football with ESPN.  The one shock comes on Tuesday, where the next installment of Dancing With the Stars will be followed by R.J, Decker, which was considered to be a bubble show heading into this week.

Wednesday kicks off with the comedy block of Scrubs and Abbott Elementary, followed by another installment of Celebrity Jeopardy! and Shark Tank.  Thursday remains the same with the original 9-1-1 followed by 9-1-1: Nashville and the 23rd season of Grey’s Anatomy.  Friday sees Celebrity Wheel of Fortune followed by two hours of 20/20.  Sunday also stays stable, with America’s Funniest Home Videos followed by three hours of The Wonderful World of Disney.

On the bench for mid-season are new installments of High Potential, American Idol, The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise, Shifting Gears, The Rookie, and Will Trent.  The one new scripted show for mid-season is The Rookie: North, a spinoff of The Rookie.

In a first, no shows were cancelled and never to be seen again.

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Back To .500

After yesterday’s 6-5 victory over the Royals, the White Sox find themselves without a losing record past March for the first time since the conclusion of the 2022 season, when they finished 81-81.  After three consecutive 100-loss seasons, this seems like celebrating.  Now, this doesn’t mean that they are suddenly a “good” team or that they will finish the year above .500, but they do seem to be moving in the right direction and are finally entertaining to watch.

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FOX Upfronts

FOX is looking for stability in their fall schedule, closely mirroring their schedule from last fall during their upfront presentation earlier this week.  The week starts with game shows on Monday, with Celebrity Name That Tune followed by Celebrity Weakest Link.  Tuesday has a second installment of Best Medicine followed by season three of Doc.

Competitions are the order of the day on Wednesday, with the latest installment of The Floor followed by 99 to Beat.  Thursdays focus on reality competitions, with new editions of Hell’s Kitchen and Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.  Sports remains the focus on Friday, with college football and basketball filling the night.  Sunday, as always, is Animation Domination, with The Simpsons, the live-action Animal Control, Universal Basic Guys, and Grimsburg wrapping things up following football.

New shows on tap for midseason include a revamped version of Baywatch, starring Stephen Amell, The Interrogator, an espionage thriller from Stephen Fry, and Marriage Market, a reality competition show hosted by Whitney Cummings where single people give their closest family control of their love lives.  New editions of returning shows include Memory of a Killer, Fear Factor: House of Fear, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, American Dad!, and The Masked Singer.

Gone and mostly forgotten is Going Dutch.

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NBC Upfronts

Sports continues to be a big driver for NBC For the first time in 23 years, with the NFL, MLB, the NBA, and college football taking up a good part of the fall schedule, which was released on Monday.  The week gets off to a familiar start in September with two hours of The Voice returning for another round on Mondays, followed by Line of Fire, a new drama starring Peter Krause.  Come November, St. Denis Medical and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins take over the first hour as The Voice goes to a single hour.  Tuesday will belong to the NBA when its season begins in October.

Wednesday and Thursday continue to be dominated by Dick Wolf franchises, with his three Chicago series running back-to-back-to-back on Wednesday and the two original entries in his Law & Order franchise the following night.  Thursday starts with a civilian version of the Peacock hit reality show The Traitors, hosted by Alan Cumming.  Happy’s Place and Newlyweds, a new comedy starring Téa Leoni and Tim Daly, kick off Friday, followed by a two-hour block of Dateline.  The weekend is dominated by football, with the Big Ten or Notre Dame on Saturday and the NFL on Sunday.

On the bench, NBC has one drama, one comedy, and a game show waiting for midseason.  The Rockford Files stars David Boreanaz in the role originally made famous by James Garner in the 1970s.  Sunset P.I. takes a comedic approach at the private investigator space, starring Jake Johnson and Jane Levy.  Finally, Today co-host Savannah Guthrie will host a live version of Wordle.

Shows gone from our television sets include Brilliant Minds and Stumble.

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Fitbit 12 – Week 16

Another great week as I pushed my 30,000-step week streak to thirteen and my streak of 4000+ step days reached 76.  The week got off to a decent start on Sunday, finishing up with 4400 steps.  Monday saw a big jump, needing just 4 additional steps to reach 6800.  Things kept rolling on Tuesday as I finished 14 steps shy of 5600.  Wednesday saw a slight increase, going up to 5600 steps.  A mere 12 steps was all that stood between me and 4500 steps on Thursday.  A trip to Rate Field Friday night led to 7100 steps, my high point of the week.  Saturday wrapped up the week with 5100 steps.

Total steps: 39,211

Daily average: 5601.6

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #21-29

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 the next batch of ten artists, half of which I have seen perform live at least once.

#29: Guns N’ Roses
iTunes stats: 360 plays
Previous ranking: #29

Axl Rose and his sometimes friends add 96 new listens to the now 21 songs in my collection, enabling them to remain at the same position in the rankings.

#29: Avril Lavigne
iTunes stats: 360 plays
Previous ranking: #27

The eight-time Grammy nominee, who somehow has 25 tracks that I’ve listened to in my collection, added just 63 new plays, which moved her down two spots on the charts.

#28: The Monkees
iTunes stats: 371 plays
Previous ranking: #28

The made-for-TV band, who are down to two living members following the death of Peter Tork in 2019, had a 33% increase in their listens, keeping them even in the rankings.

#27: Veruca Salt
iTunes stats: 373 plays
Previous ranking: #26

The girls from Chicago, who I saw live in Champaign back in the day, used fourteen songs to increase their plays by 73, allowing them to drop just a single slot.

#26: Weezer
iTunes stats: 400 plays
Previous ranking: #25

The 19 songs in my collection picked up 98 new listens, helping the band drop a spot in the rankings. Continue reading →

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150 Years Of Cubs Baseball – Shortstops

Originally founded in 1869, the Chicago Cubs became a charter member of the National League in 1876.  Over the next 150 seasons, the Cubs have played more than 22,000 games, scored over 103,000 runs and recorded more than 200,000 hits, more than any other team in baseball history.  Nearly 2,300 players have worn a Cubs uniform, earning eight division titles, 17 NL pennants, and three World Series championships.

Fans have witnessed generations of unforgettable players, from historical heroes like Joe Tinker, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams to more recent stars like Ryne Sandberg, Derrek Lee, Kerry Wood, and Anthony Rizzo.  The team has called Wrigley Field home for 110 of those 150 seasons.

To celebrate this milestone, the Cubs are holding a fan vote to select the franchise’s anniversary team.  Each week, we will go through the provided options for each position and declare who should, and, if different, who will, win the fan vote.  We continue today with the eight selections for shortstop.

Javier Baez was drafted by the Cubs in the first round in 2011 and debuted with the big-league club in 2014.  He became a starter in 2016, helping the Cubs end their 108-year championship drought by winning the World Series.  His best season came in 2018, when he led the league in RBI and finished second in MVP voting.  His tenure with the Cubs ended in 2021, traded to the Mets for a young prospect named Pete Crow-Armstrong.  During his time on the north side, he was a two-time All-Star, the 2016 NLCS MVP, and won both a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger.

Ernie Banks played his entire 19-year career with the Cubs, earning back-to-back MVP honors in 1958 and 1959.  At the time of his retirement following the 1971 season, he ranked ninth all-time in career home runs with 512.  He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977 and became a team ambassador, never seen without a smile on his face.  Known as Mr. Cub, his #14 was retired by the team in 1982, making him the first Cub to receive that honor.

Bill Dahlen spent eight seasons with the Colts and Orphans through most of the 1890s.  Playing in a dead ball era, he had a good amount of power, finishing among the NL’s top ten players in home runs four times and in slugging percentage three times.  He set a new record with a 42-game hitting streak in 1894.  He was traded away following the 1898 season.  He is considered to have the most career WAR of any eligible player, except those tainted by scandal, to not be in the Hall of Fame.

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