Ten Years Back: Best of 1998

My Best of 2008 playlist has been on the back-burner because of moving and general business at work, but I had quickly cherry-picked my favorite songs from ten years ago for a supplementary playlist. It's pretty interesting to go back to older music and see what you were into then. Actually, on this list, only about half the songs I listened to in 1998. The others I discovered later in grad school.

1998 represents really my first full year in college. I was coming into my own in a big way, and learning how to deal with peers who didn't automatically come from a religious perspective. I also began to branch out away from grunge and alternative into a bit of electronica. But 1998 also marks the release of some albums I will take to my grave, like Mineral - EndSerenading, Cardigans - Gran Turismo, and Smashing Pumpkins - Adore. These are albums I can (and have) listened to on repeat for days. Some of these songs also remind me of college friends. Bran Van 3000 is for Caleb D., Radiohead is for Clare D., and Chikada Wasei is for Melissa V. Air reminds me of Jacob K. and that Jewel song reminds me of Becky R. for some reason. And Smashing Pumpkins is for William M., who used to give me such shit for listening to that album.

Anyway, here's the list:

Ten Years Back: The Best of 1998

01. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
02. Bran Van 3000 - Drinking in L.A.
03. Semisonic - Closing Time
04. VAST - Touched
05. Radiohead - Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2)
06. Foo Fighters - A320
07. Eastern Youth - Natu no Hi no Gogo
08. Mineral - &Serenading
09. Jewel - Hands
10. Knife in the Water - Sent You Up
11. Alanis Morissette - Unsent
12. Air - All I Need
13. The Cardigans - Do You Believe
14. Chikada "J.J." Wasei - Cloudy, With Occasional Rain
15. Kent - 747 (English version)
16. The Smashing Pumpkins - For Martha

Let me know if you want a CD