CauliWobbles

On October 27th, 1998 – a group of brave individuals decided to do the unthinkable. To look at music that encapsulated the American Human. A set of music so diverse and entertaining that it embodies the very “Melting Pot” that is the United states. over the next 9 years, there would be 24 more installments of the music that defined the NOW of our lives. Through Terrorist attacks, presidential blowjobs and the creation of the iphone, this was the America of our time. This WAS NOW[That’s what I call music]

Album: Now! That’s what I call music Vol 3 (US)

Release Date: 12/07/1999

Color: Grey Background with Purple/Yellow Letters

Theme: I, Robot

ARTIST: Smash Mouth

SONG: All Star

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #4

THEN! SCORE:   25

NOW! SCORE :  7.9

COMMENTS: This song is impossible to grade.  I was obsessed with it when it came out  for the movie “Mystery Men” (and maybe just too into Smash Mouth in general).  It became a punchline and it deserves it but its also made a comeback and I’m typically happy when it comes on even if it’s just a joke.  Obviously RIPIP King.

ARTIST: Lenny Kravitz

SONG: American Woman

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #49

THEN! SCORE:   8

NOW! SCORE :  6.4

COMMENTS: How Many Lenny is too Many?  This was probably my favorite Lenny Kravitz song and part of the Austin Powers soundtrack, which were both good.  Heather Gharam was attractive as said, American Woman.

ARTIST: Blink-182

SONG: What’s My Age Again?

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #58

THEN! SCORE:   9.5

NOW! SCORE :  7.75

COMMENTS: Launch point for my knowledge of one of my all time bands and all time albums.  Seeing these idiots running naked through Socal was SO cool compared to the bubblegum pop or Rage Nu-metal going on at the time.  Over Time the shine has come off a little from this song but it impacted my life too much to not have a soft spot for this

ARTIST: Enrique Iglesias

SONG: Bailamos

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #1

THEN! SCORE:   6.5

NOW! SCORE :  7.1

COMMENTS: You notice musical trends across these NOW albums where they are trying to force a narrative or check a diversity box (or maybe that was just THE trend) and we were smack dab in the middle of Latino heat era.  Enrique was hot AF and had a few heaters in his catalog, in cluding this one so this one was deserved.

ARTIST: Britney Spears

SONG: Sometimes

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #6

THEN! SCORE:   7

NOW! SCORE :  4

COMMENTS: A Follow up to “Baby one more time”  was never going to match the hype.  This was a safe follow up amongst excedingly unsafe choices to come.

ARTIST: Backstreet Boys

SONG: All I have to Give

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #5

THEN! SCORE:   5

NOW! SCORE :  7.1

COMMENTS: A winner for the boys.   Given th run of things I’d wager that the majority of the squad have run through their Backstreet money and might be trying to score in backstreets, so maybe their love is REALLY all they have to give

ARTIST: Fatboy Slim

SONG: Rockafeller Skank

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #76

THEN! SCORE:   7

NOW! SCORE :  5

COMMENTS:  FUNK SOUL BRUVAH-  Check it out!.  This is a fun song that, like outher Fatboy Slim jams, wears after constant repetiton.  I remember a commerical (or maybe this was the music vid) that featured this song where they were doing doughnuts in  a parking lot over and over again and that did feel like the perfect analogy.  Fun, edgy, repetative and you’ll feel sick if  you do it too many times.

ARTIST: Limp Bizkit

SONG: Nookie

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #80

THEN! SCORE:   69

NOW! SCORE :  4.1

COMMENTS: This song was a harbinger of the wars to come.  This is the song that made Carson Daly paint his fingernails black (SO F*ckin sweeet).  This song could unseat boy bands from the #1 spot.  It was loud aggressive and the lyrics spoke to me because I was a horny youth who didn’t understand his emotions and bodily changes.  In retrospec the lyrics are so f*ckin dumb (despite the nuance of a band named Limp Bizkit) but holds a shameful place in my heart so i’m stuck like sucka with a lump in my throat

ARTIST: Garbage

SONG: Special

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #52

THEN! SCORE:   4

NOW! SCORE :  4.3

COMMENTS: Now here’s a Butch Vig jam that the clams can get behind.  Great song, that I still listen to today on the reg.  This song plays in any era and asks a question that all of us should be asking in today’s day and age “Do you have an opinion, a mind of your own?”

ARTIST: R. Kelly

SONG: If I could Turn Back the Hands of Time

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #12

THEN! SCORE:   NR

NOW! SCORE :  YIKES!

COMMENTS: Upon further review, this song title feels disengenous

ARTIST: Ideal

SONG: Get Gone

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #13

THEN! SCORE:   0

NOW! SCORE :  8

COMMENTS: I did not know this song existed but it instantly polevaulted into a top tier breakup song.  It moonlights as a 90’s RB track but the message is beautifully simple in a relationship that is clearly deteriorating- “Get the Hell on!” (you and yo’ mama)

ARTIST: Chante Moore

SONG:  Chante’s got a Man

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:   #10

THEN! SCORE:   0

NOW! SCORE :  0

COMMENTS: Lol is Chante an industry plant for men?  This is an RB song that basically boils down one woman’s worth being about her having a man when other women don’t.  She’s even gonna repay him by making him dinner! What a woman – t he feminists are livid and the pots on the oven!  in termsof song grades-  this is not good at all.

ARTIST: Blessid Union of Souls

SONG: Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me)

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION: #33

THEN! SCORE:   6

NOW! SCORE :  7

COMMENTS: This song is stupid and awesome all at once.  It has aged POORLY for anyone born after 1996 trying to catch the references.  I’ll gladly listen through and shout out Tyson Beckford  but please put more respect on Steve Buschemi’s name.

ARTIST: Oleander

SONG: Why I’m Here

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #107

THEN! SCORE:   2

NOW! SCORE :  2

COMMENTS: Another Song I didn’t know/barely know.  Cover Art of Oleander’s album screams Stone Temple Pilots- and this song is trying VERY hard to be Kurt Cobain, just 5 years late

ARTIST: Case

SONG: Happily Ever After

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION: #15 

THEN! SCORE:   0

NOW! SCORE :  1.8

COMMENTS: This must’ve been Case’s attempt knock KC and Jo-Jo off the wedding song castle, b ut considering “All my life”  is still being played at weddingsand I thought Case was a mis-spelling of Ma$e, I do not think it worked

ARTIST: 98 Degrees

SONG: The Hardest Thing

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION: #5 

THEN! SCORE:   8

NOW! SCORE :  6

COMMENTS: To my recollection this was the best 98 degrees song and featured Nick Lachey boxing through the pain of being from Cincinnatti. Not sure the farenheit boys ever really turned up the heat on BSB or Nsync after this one

ARTIST: Fastball

SONG: Out of My Head

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION: #20

THEN! SCORE:   7.1

NOW! SCORE :  5.4

COMMENTS: Another Fast ball song from a band that was quickly losing their fastball.  This song is good, although not as good as “The Way” –  maybe they actually packed up and left the kids after this one.