1998 Survey Mix

This is the ninth in the 1990s survey mix series, which I have been presenting monthly in chronological order through this year. You can find the previous mixes here. I’ve made a Spotify version of this survey which you can find here, though it is missing 34 tracks – including a few utterly crucial tracks – and has no sound editing for smooth listening.

The late ‘90s is such a strange and confusing time. On one hand, you have the ascendence of nu-metal and TRL pop, but on the other, a rise in artists embracing sophisticated ideas like post-rock and IDM. The eclecticism-as-virtue thing from the past couple years is still in the mix, but I think there’s also a backlash to it. In retrospect things in music feel very tribal and segregated in this moment.

• This is an excellent and very exciting period for rap, and a lot of the most interesting stuff was also commercially successful. Missy Elliott, Mos Def, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and Method Man are dominant figures in this moment, and all appear on several tracks in this survey. New York City is still very much the center of hip-hop, though Puff Daddy’s influence is beginning to wane. DMX and Jay-Z have their major pop breakthroughs in this year, J Dilla is emerging as a producer of note, and Canibus is really hot for a minute before totally imploding.

• One of my strongest memories of music in 1998 is this period of time around late summer/early fall when it seemed like something from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Beastie Boys’ Hello Nasty, or Air’s Moon Safari was playing anywhere I went in Manhattan. Similarly, I have very vivid memories of hearing Hole’s “Celebrity Skin” and Marilyn Manson’s “The Dope Show” at the old Virgin Megastore.

• I see this year as a major turning point in the history of rock music, or more specifically, a point of divergence. This is around the time when this feeling that rock music was over or boring was really starting to take hold among the cooler indie people, who were moving in the direction of more electronic music, eclectic record collector stuff, or rock music that did not actually rock very much. And in that moment, that was a pretty valid response to a rock scene in which nearly all the major mainstream and indie icons of the 90s had either flamed out or were winding down, and the underground was getting crowded with dull, uninspiring pop-punk and emo bands, not to mention the onslaught of aggressive, juvenile nu-metal bands. But from this point onward, rock basically splits along a class divide – upper class, educated people started gravitating to artsy or less rocking indie acts, and lower and middle class people stuck with either the heavy rock on the radio or the emo/pop-punk acts that would become gradually more mainstream over the next few years. There’s been some changes over the past 20 years, but we’ve never really gotten over this schism and it’s a major reason why rock is perceived to be a less relevant form of popular music today.

• Some assorted great songs I’d like to call some attention to: Solex’s “Solex In A Slipshod Style,” a gorgeous and sexy song from one of the most sadly ignored debut albums of the era. Add N to X’s “The Black Regent,” which is funky yet menacing. The Make Up’s euphoric “Joy of Sound,” which opened the majority of mix tapes I made around this time. Robert Pollard’s “Subspace Biographies,” easily one of the 10 best songs in the greater Guided by Voices discography. RZA’s “NYC Everything,” his best-ever deviation from his signature production style. Wagon Christ’s “Tally Ho!,” which is built around a sample that sounds both goofy and maniacal and gets stuck in my head any time I hear it. “American Flag,” the first song from Cat Power’s finest and saddest album Moon Pix, and “Perfect World,” a simple and lovely track from Liz Phair’s very underrated Whitechocolatespaceegg.

• This survey contains the absolute worst hit of the 1990s: “One Week” by the Barenaked Ladies. A truly dreadful piece of music.

Thanks to Sean T. Collins, Dan Kois, Paul Cox, Rob Sheffield, and Eric Harvey for their help in putting this one together. The final survey in this series will be available at the beginning of October.

DOWNLOAD PART 1

Britney Spears “…Baby One More Time” / Beastie Boys “Intergalactic” / Pras feat. Ol Dirty Bastard and Mya “Ghetto Superstar” / Black Star “Definition” / Lauryn Hill “Doo Wop (That Thing)” / Jay-Z “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” / Outkast “Spottieottiedopalicious” / The Make Up “Joy of Sound” / Clinic “Monkey On Your Back” / Royal Trux “The Banana Question” / Hole “Celebrity Skin” / Marilyn Manson “The Dope Show” / Garbage “I Think I’m Paranoid” / The Smashing Pumpkins “Pug” / Madonna “Ray of Light” / RZA feat. Method Man “NYC Everything” / Buffalo Daughter “Socks, Drugs, and Rock N’ Roll” / R.E.M. “Hope” / Air “La Femme D’Argent” / Pulp “This Is Hardcore” / Black Box Recorder “Child Psychology” / Cat Power “American Flag” / Liz Phair “Perfect World” / Belle & Sebastian “The Boy with the Arab Strap” / Mercury Rev “Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp” / Silver Jews “Blue Arrangements” / Dub Narcotic Sound System feat. Miranda July “Out of Your Mind” / Fugazi “Floating Boy” / Pearl Jam “Do the Evolution” / Sonic Youth “The Ineffable Me” / Jon Spencer Blues Explosion “Talk About the Blues” / Sloan “Money City Maniacs” / Robert Pollard “Subspace Biographies” / Spoon “No, You’re Not” / Missy Elliott “Beep Me 911” / Busta Rhymes “Gimme Some More” / Tricky “Mellow” / Tori Amos “She’s Your Cocaine” / PJ Harvey “My Beautiful Leah” / UNKLE feat. Thom Yorke “Rabbit In Your Headlights” / Massive Attack “Teardrop”

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Tortoise “TNT” / Elliott Smith “Sweet Adeline” / New Radicals “You Get What You Give” / Harvey Danger “Flagpole Sitta” / Imperial Teen “The Beginning” / Shania Twain “That Don’t Impress Me Much” / Faith Hill “This Kiss” / Wilco & Billy Bragg “California Stars” / Dixie Chicks “Wide Open Spaces” / Lucinda Williams “Car Wheels On A Gravel Road” / Alanis Morissette “Thank U” / Dave Matthews Band “Don’t Drink the Water” / Quasi “The Happy Prole” / Stereolab “One Small Step” / Solex “Solex In A Slipshod Style” / Wagon Christ “Tally Ho!” / Fatboy Slim “The Rockafeller Skank” / Aaliyah “Are You That Somebody” / D’Angelo “Devil’s Pie” / Mos Def feat. Q-Tip & Tash “Body Rock” / Peanut Butter Wolf “Styles Crew Flows Beats” / Cornelius “Count Five or Six” / Big L “Ebonics” / Canibus “Second Round K.O.” / DMX “Ruff Ryders Anthem” / Brandy & Monica “The Boy Is Mine” / The Lox feat. Lil Kim & DMX “Money, Power, and Respect” / Zach De La Rocha, KRS-One, and The Last Emperor “C.I.A. (Criminals In Action)” / Cappadonna “Slang Editorial” / Aceyalone “The Guidelines” / Method Man “Torture” / Money Mark “Hand In Your Head” / Boards of Canada “Roygbiv” / Calexico “Gypsy’s Curse” / Beck “Nobody’s Fault But My Own” / Grant Lee Buffalo “The Shallow End”

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Squarepusher “Chunk-S” / DJ Spooky feat. Kool Keith “Object Unknown” / DJ Clue feat. Missy Elliott, Mocha, and Nicole “I Like Control” / Master P feat. Mystikal, Silkk the Shocker, Mia X, Kane & Abel “Hot Boys and Girls” / Run-D.M.C. Vs. Jason Nevins “It’s Like That” / Stardust “Music Sounds Better With You” / Rae & Christian feat. QBall & Curt Cazal “Anything U Want” / Shaggy feat. Janet Jackson “Luv Me Luv Me” / Deadly Venoms feat. Ol’ Dirty Bastard “Drug Free” / Portishead “All Mine (live)” / Mice Parade “Headphoneland: The Gangster Chapter” / The Afghan Whigs “66” / Shudder to Think feat. Jeff Buckley “I Want Someone Badly” / Robbie Williams “Angels” / Sheryl Crow “My Favorite Mistake” / The Cardigans “My Favourite Game” / The Divine Comedy “Generation Sex” / The Loud Family “Businessmen Are Okay” / Gillian Welch “Caleb Meyer” / Mogwai “Xmas Steps” / Modest Mouse “Never Ending Math Equation” / June of 44 “The Dexterity of Luck” / Rufus Wainwright “April Fools” / Sparklehorse “Sick of Goodbyes” / Semisonic “Closing Time” / The Tragically Hip “Bobcaygeon” / Arab Strap “Packs of Three” / Spiritualized “Come Together (live)” / Goldie feat. Noel Gallagher “Temper Temper” / Dälek “Swollen Tongue Burns” / Mack 10 feat. Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Buckshot “For the Money” / Cam’ron feat. Mase “Horse & Carriage” / MF Doom “The M.I.C.” / Dru Hill feat. Redman “How Deep Is Your Love” / Next “Too Close”

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Cher “Believe” / Janet Jackson “Together Again” / NSYNC “Tearin’ Up My Heart” / Usher “Nice & Slow” / Sarah McLachlan “Sweet Surrender” / Gomez “78 Stone Wobble” / Ozomatli “Cut Chemist Suite” / A Tribe Called Quest “Find A Way” / Maxwell “Luxury: Cocosure” / Add N to (X) “The Black Regent” / Trans Am “Prowler ’97” / The All Seeing I “The Beat Goes On” / Asian Dub Foundation “Buzzin’” / Ida “Turn Me On” / Flin Flon “Kamloops” / Joan of Arc “God Bless America” / Onyx feat. Wu-Tang Clan “The Worst” / N’Dea Davenport feat. Mos Def “Bullshittin’ (Remix)” / Saul Williams “Elohim (1972)” / Chocolate Genius “My Mom” / Gastr Del Sol “Blues Subtitled No Sense of Wonder” / Don Caballero “In the Absence of Strong Evidence to the Contrary, One May Step Out of the Way of the Charging Bull” / Shellac “Canada” / The Aislers Set “Long Division” / The Apples In Stereo “Seems So” / Of Montreal “Sing You A Love You Song” / Ben Folds Five “Emaline” / Brooks & Dunn “How Long Gone” / Martina McBride “A Broken Wing” / Mariah Carey “My All” / Natalie Merchant “Kind & Generous” / Manic Street Preachers “If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next” / Catatonia “Mulder & Scully” / Gangsta Boo feat. DJ Paul & Juicy J “Where Dem Dollas At” / Funkdoobiest “Papi Chulo” / Ghostface Killah “Cobra Clutch” / Archers of Loaf “Slick Tricks and Bright Lights” / Bedhead “Exhume”

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Sunny Day Real Estate “Pillars” / A Minor Forest “Look At That Car, It’s Full of Balloons” / Edith Frost “Walk on the Fire” / Jets to Brazil “Starry Configurations” / Rancid “Bloodclot” / Saves the Day “The Choke” / Jejune “This Afternoon’s Malady” / Collin Raye “I Can Still Feel You” / Gov’t Mule “Thelonius Beck” / Keb’ Mo’ “Muddy Water” / The Coup “Me and Jesus the Pimp in a ’79 Granada Last Night” / Timbaland & Magoo feat. Missy Elliott “Here We Come” / Jurassic 5 “Concrete Schoolyard” / Jimmy Ray “Are You Jimmy Ray?” / Mousse T “Horny” / Monifah “Touch It” / Mr. Vegas “Heads High” / Mystikal feat. Master P, Silkk the Shocker, Craig B, and Anita Thomas “Life Ain’t Cool” / Moby “Honey” / Danny Tenaglia “Music is the Answer (Dancin’ and Prancin’)” / 187 Lockdown “Kung-Fu” / Missin’ Linx “M.I.A.” / Six Organs of Admittance “Shadow of a Dune” / Blonde Redhead “Missile ++” / Korn “Got the Life” / Orgy “Stitches” / Placebo “Pure Morning” / Propellerheads “History Repeating” / Plastikman “Contain” / Björk “Hunter” / Jega “Kid Sista” / Autechre “Acroyear2” / Sunz of Man feat. Ol Dirty Bastard “Shining Star” / Juvenile “Ha” / Silkk the Shocker, Master P, Destiny’s Child, O’Dell & Mo B. Dick “Just Be Straight With me” / Snoop Dogg “Still A G Thang” / Prince “The Truth”

DOWNLOAD PART 6

Phish “Moma Dance” / Train “Meet Virginia” / Neutral Milk Hotel “The King of Carrot Flowers, Part One” / Eagle Eye Cherry “Save Tonight” / Third Eye Blind “Jumper” / Death Cab for Cutie “President of What?” / Snow Patrol “Starfighter Pilot” / Vic Chesnutt “Bernadette and Her Crowd” / Ty Herndon “It Must Be Love” / Pernice Brothers “Crestfallen” / Trisha Yearwood “Perfect Love” / Mojave 3 “Give What You Take” / µ-ziq “Brace Yourself Jason” / Wamdue Project “King of My Castle” / Roger S. feat Soulson “Wrek That Discotek” / Lo-Fidelity Allstars feat. Pigeonhead “Battle Flag” / Drag-On “We All Can Get It On” / Will Smith “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit’ It” / Scratch Perverts “Love Rap Routine” / Pete Rock feat. Inspectah Deck and Kurrupt “Tru Master” / Man or Astroman? “Cuts and Volts” / Komeda “It’s Alright, Baby” / Tuscadero “Paper Dolls” / The Donnas “Checkin’ It Out” / At the Drive-In “Chanbara” / moe. “Stranger Than Fiction” / Ui “Drive Until He Sleeps” / 2Pac “Changes” / Xzibit “What U See Is What U Get” / Los Amigos Invisibles “Ultra-Funk” / Lootpack “The Anthem” / The Beatnuts feat. Grand Puba “RU Ready II” / Grandaddy “AM 180” / Everlast “What It’s Like” / System of a Down “Sugar” / Foo Fighters “My Hero” / MxPx “I’m OK, You’re OK” / Mineral “Palisade” / Mary Lou Lord “She Had You” / Braid “A Dozen Roses” / Dirty Three “Distant Shore” / Dump “Clarity” / The Minders “Hooray for Tuesday” / Jewel “Hands” / Lambchop “The Saturday Option”

DOWNLOAD PART 7

Alan Jackson “Right On the Money” / Steve Earle “Carrie Brown” / U2 “The Sweetest Thing” / Clint Black “Nothin’ But the Taillights” / The Verve “Sonnet” / James Iha “Be Strong Now” / Tim McGraw “Just To See You Smile” / Public Enemy “He Got Game” / Funkmaster Flex feat. Charli Baltimore & Cam’ron “Incarcerated Scarfaces Freestyle” / Redman “I’ll Bee Dat!” / Noreaga “Superthug” / Nicole feat. Missy Elliott “Make It Hot” / David Holmes “No More Time Outs” / Meat Beat Manifesto “Acid Again” / Rob Zombie “Dragula” / Girls Against Boys “Park Avenue” / Queens of the Stone Age “Regular John” / Monster Magnet “Space Lord” / Pedro the Lion “Of Up and Coming Monarchs” / The Gloria Record “Grace, the Snow Is Here” / Blink-182 “Josie” / Samiam “Factory” / Patty Griffin “One Big Love” / Soul Coughing “Circles” / Eels “Cancer for the Cure” / Morcheeba “Shoulder Holster” / Chef “Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You)” / Killah Priest feat. Ol Dirty Bastard “If You Don’t Know” / Lil’ Mo feat. Missy Elliott “Five Minutes” / Mya & Sisqo “It’s All About Me” / Scarface feat. 2Pac and Master P “Homies & Thuggs” / The Rock*A*Teens “Don’t Destroy This Night” / Cadallaca “You’re My Only One” / Tommy Keene “Long Time Missing” / Remy Zero “Prophecy” / Unwound “No Tech!” / Blur “Movin’ On (Peel Session)” / Shed Seven “She Left Me On Friday” / Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci “Let’s Get Together (In Our Minds)” / Super Furry Animals “Ice Hockey Hair” / Cake “Never There” / Robert Wyatt “Heaps of Sheeps” / Virteous Humor “Why Are You So Mean To Me?”

DOWNLOAD PART 8

Lenny Kravitz “Fly Away” / Big Punisher “Still Not A Player” / Beenie Man “Who Am I” / Five “When the Lights Go Out” / Puff Daddy feat. Jimmy Page “Come with Me” / Kid Rock “I Am the Bullgod” / Godsmack “Whatever” / Limp Bizkit “Faith” / Eve 6 “Inside Out” / Fastball “The Way” / Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” / Ani DiFranco “Glasshouse” / Backstreet Boys “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” / Jennifer Paige “Crush” / Billie “Because We Want To” / B*Witched “C’est La Vie” / Boyzone “No Matter What” / Bran Van 3000 “Drinking in L.A.” / Frank Black and the Catholics “All My Ghosts” / Local H “All the Kids Are Right” / American Football “Letters and Packages” / Nada Surf “Hyperspace” / Dropkick Murphys “Barroom Hero” / Nashville Pussy “Go Motherfucker Go” / Hot Water Music “Better Sense” / Buddha Monk feat. Ol’ Dirty Bastard “Got’s Like Come Thru” / Jo Dee Messina “I’m Alright” / Garth Brooks “Two Piña Coladas” / Total feat. Missy Elliott “Trippin’” / Gang Starr “Moment of Truth” / Flipmode Squad “Cha Cha Cha” / Bizarre “Butterfly” / Kurupt “We Can Freak It” / Dilated Peoples “Work the Angles” / Jayo Felony feat. Method Man & DMX “Whatcha Gonna Do” / Daz Dillinger feat. Snoop Dogg & Nate Dogg “O.G.” / DJ Q-Bert “Beats & Sounds” / Def Squad “Full Cooperation” / Cocoa Brovaz “Still Standin’ Strong” / Danielson Famile “Pottymouth” / Caesars Palace “Kick You Out” / Melanie B feat. Missy Elliott “I Want You Back” / Sparkle “Be Careful” / Anita Cochran & Steve Wariner “What If I Said” / K-Ci & Jojo “All My Life” / Barenaked Ladies “One Week” / Aerosmith “I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing”