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 entertaing that it embodies the very “Melting Pot” that is the United states. over the next 9 years, there would be 24 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 4 (US)

Release Date: 07/18/2000

Color: Purple with Light blue background

Theme: Bubble Party at Prince’s House

ARTIST: Backstreet Boys

SONG: Larger than Life

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #25

THEN! SCORE:   8

NOW! SCORE :  5

COMMENTS: The Boys are flying through space and boasting about the greatness of their fans.  The ‘Bwa-Bwa’ between the verses are on point and this probably play(ed) well in concerts. This also approaches an inflection point where BSB’s title was being challenged by Joey Fatone and the other boys.

ARTIST: Britney Spears

SONG: (You Drive Me) Crazy

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #10

THEN! SCORE:   8

NOW! SCORE :  5.5

COMMENTS: I’m pretty sure this song was for a movie of some sort.  This was Britney starting to get back in the groove before we had her really start turning up the heat.  It’s a sign of better things to come

ARTIST: Marc Anthony

SONG: I Need To Know

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #3

THEN! SCORE:   4.5

NOW! SCORE :  2

COMMENTS: Latino Heat Rolls onnnnnn.  J-Lo’s Ex sings a song that can be played [But barely enjoyed] at church dances, quincineras and 20th wedding anniversaries

ARTIST: Mandy Moore

SONG: Candy

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #41

THEN! SCORE:   7

NOW! SCORE :  5.8

COMMENTS: Mandy Moore, the Actresss?! The britney and xtina replacements start popping up as Mandy came on as the version more palletable to churchfolk, especially seeing as she had a minority son at the time.  This one is still bops

ARTIST: Eiffel 65

SONG: Blue (Da Ba Dee)

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #6

THEN! SCORE:   7

NOW! SCORE :  -1000000

COMMENTS: Along with “Hampster Dance”  this was the most thought-intruding song on the market.  Stupid Eurotrash that somehow found it’s way to a Billbaord hit sample like 20 years later.  As a youth this song was so funny and silly lolz daboo dee dabooo die,  hearing it now is a 4 hour migrane as you try to find a Miss Rachel song to replace the endless loop from playing in your brain

ARTIST: It Feels So Good

SONG: Sonique

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #8

THEN! SCORE:   5

NOW! SCORE :  7

COMMENTS: Sonique talkin’ about vibes before vibes were a thing.  This is slightly Euro-club but it’s MUCH much better than other NOW entries.  Chorus is memorable, can listen to this driving or vibing.

ARTIST: Lenny Kravitz

SONG: I Belong To You

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #71

THEN! SCORE:   0

NOW! SCORE :  0

COMMENTS: Many Len,  Many, Many, Many Len.  Probably could’ve found a replacements for this one, but I won’t cry no more, won’t look to the sky no more.

ARTIST: Savage Garden

SONG: I Knew I Loved You

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #1

THEN! SCORE:   2

NOW! SCORE :  1

COMMENTS: I Love my savage garden when they are sung by English hooligans.  I Truly, Madly, Deeply do not care about Savage Garden sung by Savage Garden

ARTIST: Joe

SONG: I Wanna Know

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #4

THEN! SCORE:   0

NOW! SCORE :  2

COMMENTS: This dude is just Joe? Can he do that?  Was he like the guy who grabbed a “Frank” username on the internet in 1992. And the title of his album is “My Name Is Joe”   Anyways-  this was a #3 hit that I don’t remember in the slightest so I guess I don’t know Joe, but I’m sure some consensual adults got freaky to this

ARTIST: Aaliyah

SONG: Try Again

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #1

THEN! SCORE:   5

NOW! SCORE :  7

COMMENTS: I wasn’t as tied into the Aaliyah as my ATL people so I probably didn’t give her enough credit at the time.  IT’s also true that shes probably elevated by her passing but there’s no denying this timbaland collab is “Shy on the first date” but gets better if you try again

ARTIST: Jennifer Lopez

SONG: Waiting for Tonight

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #8

THEN! SCORE:   6.5

NOW! SCORE :  6

COMMENTS: A top J.Lo song for me personally-  dancy, Latino heat, all of it working to the rhythm of Ms. Lopez’ bum bum.  Given her 5th divorce J.Lo may still be waiting for tonight, but this works

ARTIST: Montell Jordan

SONG: Get it on Tonight

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #4

THEN! SCORE:   3

NOW! SCORE :  4

COMMENTS: I would not have known this is a Montell Jordan song, but I do know the song and it is a mood setter.  He’s a gentlemen who asks if it “alright to spend the night”  but also says he has a woman who he refers to as chicken so its not all chivalry.  Won’t seek it out, won’t turn it off

ARTIST: Ben Harper

SONG: Steal my Kisses

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #111

THEN! SCORE:   4

NOW! SCORE :  8.5

COMMENTS: Much Like Radiohead on a prior NOW! release, this one was just too early for me in my musical journey.  Ben Harper ALSO doesn’t really strike me as a NOW artist and this song didn’t even crack BB 100 so it’s weird.  That aside, BH is great, this songs is fantasic –  it’s a little funky, a little country and has a Rahzel beatbox in it

ARTIST: Smash Mouth

SONG: Then the Morning Comes

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #11

THEN! SCORE:   7

NOW! SCORE :  4

COMMENTS: As previously noted,  I probably liked Smash Mouth too much in past parts of my life, but that’s no reason to live with regrets.   This wasn’t the best SM song by any means but it was aiiiiight- and if you just accept that smashmouth thought they were living in outer space Shrek world then it makes more sense

ARTIST: Train

SONG: Meet Virginia

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #20

THEN! SCORE:   5

NOW! SCORE :  6

COMMENTS: I kind of want to hate Train but I don’t.  This is a good song, leave it on when it hits the shuffle.  Verses are a little John Cougar and the chorus opens up the song a bit.

ARTIST: Macy Gray

SONG: I Try

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #5

THEN! SCORE:   3

NOW! SCORE :  6

COMMENTS: I really did not like this song when it came out.  I spent my summer days getting paid under the table to scrape vegan cheese off 2000 degree plates and this song was on ALL the damn time.  I thought Macy Gray’s voice was annoying because my dumb brain didn’t understand nuance, but it’s actually pretty good

ARTIST: Hanson

SONG: This Time Around

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #20

THEN! SCORE:   1

NOW! SCORE :  0

COMMENTS: We Came, We mmmBOpped, and I think that was enough of that.  Sorry, Ladies, not this time around.

ARTIST: Blink-182

SONG: All the Small Things

PEAK BILLBOARD POSITION:  #6

THEN! SCORE:   28

NOW! SCORE :  8.5

COMMENTS: This is obviously the song that vaulted B182 into stardom.  The video trolled boy bands but was funny instead of the angry insults coming from Eminem and Nu-Metal bands.  It’s their most commercially successful song, so naturally Blink purists shy away from it but after giving it time to breath and seeing it reborn as a stadium anthem (shout out Avalanche fans) it still fucking rules