iTunes turns 5, the top 23 songs in my most-played list

iTunes just turned 5 this week. It’s amazing how Apple has helped transform the music industry and people’s music-buying habits in such a short time. It’s proof of just how fast things change. In honor of iTunes’ birthday, here are the 23 most played songs on my iTunes catalog of 2,695 songs or 7.5 days worth of songs:

1. Bob Dylan, “Workingman’s Blues No. 2” – He tackles everything from trade policies to workers’ rights to war to politics to relationships -- maybe. The lyrics can be interpreted in numerous ways. I could never get this song out of my head. It’s relaxing, thought provoking, addictive, unappreciated. It brings back memories of something I just can’t place. It’s haunting. This song comes from Dylan’s 32nd studio album, “Modern Times.”

2. Doves, “Catch the Sun” – The best song from this English group just never gets old.

3. Lightning Seeds, “Pure” – Harmless pop song

4. Bob Dylan, “Hurricane” – Dylan sets the scene in an almost cinematic fashion and the racial injustice he depicts will leave most people outraged. The song is also controversial (some folks don’t buy the innocence of the song’s subject) and Dylan doesn’t perform it in concert anymore. But as a protest song, this thing is pure poetry.

5. Dirty Pretty Things, “Bang Bang You’re Dead” – The mostly sober other half of The Libertines forms a new, better band.

6. The Beach Boys, “God Only Knows” – Actually, this is the only Beach Boys song I can stomach. But it’s just about perfect.

7. Lindsey Buckingham, “Countdown” – Buckingham broke up Fleetwood Mac to release the solo album that contains this song. In other words, it better be good … and it is.

8. The Beatles, “Across The Universe” – The movie with the same name brought a new generation a greater appreciation of The Beatles. But the original song still wins in a landslide.

9. Eddie Vedder, “Hard Sun” – When enough people see the movie masterpiece “Into the Wild,” both this song from the soundtrack and the movie itself will be considered masterpieces.

10. Robbie Robertson, “Showdown at Big Sky” – Formerly of The Band, Robertson went solo in the late 1980s and dropped us this classic.

11. Spoon, “The Underdog” – One of the most unappreciated bands around gave us this winner in their latest album. The song title pretty much describes this band.

12. Modest Mouse, “Float On” – This one grew on me slowly, but just won’t go away.

13. Bruce Springsteen, “The River” – You can’t deny the power and heartbreak of this song.

14. Arcade Fire, “Neighborhood No. 1” – This buzz band is better than the hype. I’ve bought this album (Funeral) for a number of people for Christmas or other occasions so others can discover them as well.

15. Muse, “Time is Running Out” – Some people describe them as Radiohead-light. I don’t think that’s quite fair.

16. Queen and David Bowie, “Under Pressure” – Long before Vanilla Ice ripped off this song and almost destroyed it, real music fans knew this was destined to be a classic.

17. Pink Floyd, “Hey You” – It’s the first song of the second CD of The Wall. When Roger Waters made a movie based on the album, he left this classic out of the movie. A DVD release restores it as a deleted scene.

18. Pink Floyd, “Nobody Home” – People thought it was funny when this heavy, heavy album actually sampled the character Gomer Pyle saying, “Surprise, surprise, surprise.”

19. Radiohead, “Karma Police” – In my book, this band can never equal what they did on the indispensable album, “OK Computer.” But it’s so good, I’ll buy everything they release with the hope that one day they will.

20. The Decemberists, “16 Military Wives” – This indy band lets people know what they think about the war in a pretty direct, melodic fashion.

21. Sufjan Stevens, “Chicago” – Although possibly the only song on the concept album Come on feel the Illinoise capable of breaking out to a larger audience, this indy/folk/alternative album has masterpiece written all over it.

22. Steely Dan, “Deacon Blues” – The duo sing, “Drink Scotch whisky all night long and die behind the wheel.” You think?

23. Aimee Mann, “Save Me” – Her music inspired Paul Thomas Anderson, who was recently nominated for an Oscar, to write the movie “Magnolia,” a great film that doesn’t work without the music.

What’s at the top of you iTunes most-played list? I'd love to know.