how do you narrow down your one single favorite song from both the 80s and the 90s? it's nearly impossible. but here at the friendly confines of abpg, we specialize in the near-impossible.

yes friends, for the first time in abpg #MixDay history, we're bringing you an epic 2-"disc" set. each mixtaper has picked their 2 favorite tracks ranging from 1980 to 1999 and we've got a little bit of everything. there's certainly something for everyone.

happy listening!

Thank God it's #MixDay: Best of 80s Disc 1

1. i'm gonna be (500 miles) / the proclaimers :: amanda hoelzeman
2. when doves cry / prince :: ryan byrd
3. patience / guns 'n roses :: alissa mathews
4. strangelove / depeche mode :: paula cigainero
5. the glamorous life / sheila e :: jason wiest
6. obsession / animotion :: lindsay irvin
7. she sells sanctuary / the cult :: kristen heldenbrand
8. little red corvette / prince :: doc harper
9. the killing moon / echo & the bunnymen :: amber brewer
10. please don't go / kc & the sunshine band :: mark friedman
11. come on eileen / dexy's midnight runners :: alex graham
12. vampira / the misfits :: graham cobb
13. we built this city / jefferson starship :: bekah caraway
14. dress you up / madonna :: jennifer pyron
15. you can call me al / paul simon :: audra wallace

Thank God it's #MixDay: Best of 90s Disc 2

1. 6th avenue heartache / the wallflowers :: amanda hoelzeman
2. black hole sun / soundgarden :: ryan byrd
3. wonderwall / oasis :: alissa mathews
4. breaking the girl / red hot chili peppers :: paula cigainero
5. can i get a… / jay-z :: jason wiest
6. tearin' up my heart / nsync :: lindsay irvin
7. are you gonna go my way / lenny kravitz :: kristen heldenbrand
8. misery / soul asylum :: doc harper
9. common people / pulp :: amber brewer
10. smooth (ft. rob thomas) / santana :: mark friedman
11. wannabe / spice girls :: alex graham
12. if it kills you / drive like jehu :: graham cobb
13. everybody (backstreet's back) / backstreet boys :: bekah caraway
14. zombie / the cranberries :: jennifer pyron
15. volcano girls / veruca salt :: audra wallace

// download the .zip //

sometimes, the day never ends. sometimes, you're on the brink of snapping. sometimes, you just feel like you can't go on. if you've ever experienced these things, we've got the mix for you!

for this #MixDay, we've compiled a list of get-you-through-the-day songs. some will give you energy, while some will calm you down. either way, these are all songs that will help you make it through your day.

happy listening!

1. dogs day are over / florence + the machine :: amanda morgan
2. i want to break free / queen :: lindsay irvin
3. the beat / ben rector :: alex graham
4. on a day like this / elbow :: ryan byrd
5. bad romance / lad gaga :: jennifer pyron
6. b.o.b. / outkast :: chip taulbee
7. party in the usa / miley cyrus :: audra wallace
8. common people / pulp :: kristen heldenbrand
9. it's not you it's me / coconut records :: liz sendejo
10. they just don't know / gyft :: alissa mathews
11. take a look around / limp bizkit :: paula cigainero
12. 200 miles from memphis / donald cowen :: tre baker
13. ms. jackson / outkast :: aubri duran
14. she's long gone / the black keys :: bekah caraway
15. teeth / lady gaga :: jason wiest

// download the .zip //

for every #MixDay-er, the musical journey must begin somewhere. for some of us, our entry point served as the launching point for a long and similar journey. for others, it merely serves as an embarrassing reminder that we had no taste in the 80s… either way, this week, we've taken a look back to our first album. whether it be vinyl, cassette, cd (or 8 track?), we all began somewhere and we thought we'd share it with the world.

happy listening!

1. Every Heartbeat / Amy Grant :: Alex Graham
2. Pac-Man Fever / Buckner & Garcia :: Mark Friedman
3. Leave Me Alone / Michael Jackson :: Ryan Byrd
4. Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old) / Garth Brooks :: Justin Myers
5. Rhythm is Gonna Get You / Gloria Estefan :: Lindsay Irvin
6. Billie Jean / Michael Jackson :: Paula Cigainero
7. Life is a Highway / Tom Cochrane :: Audra Wallace
8. We're Not Gonna Take It / Twisted Sister :: Graham Cobb
9. Ghostbusters Theme / Ray Parker, Jr. :: Aubri Duran
10. Nobody Gets Off in This Town / Garth Brooks :: Jason Wiest
11. Beat It / Michael Jackson :: Alissa Mathews
12. Take it Like a Man / Michelle Wright :: Amanda Morgan
13. Too Much Time on My Hands / Styx :: Tre Baker
14. Hot for Teacher / Van Halen :: Jennifer Pyron
15. Baby, Baby / Amy Grant :: Bekah Caraway

// download the .zip //

on january 15, we kicked off our latest round of #MixDay with 19 fresh-faced mixtapers. 6 months later, we've amassed a collection of retro, country, hip hop, indie, pop and mark friedman. we've seen a little bit of everything. truly, it's been the best of times…and the, um, worst of times (you can choose which mixes fall in which category…).

while we prepare to launch a new #MixDay initiative (that will look somewhat different), we thought we'd pause to take a look back. thanks to the choices of mixtapers bekah caraway and tre baker, we present to you, thank god it's #mixday: the best of 2010 (so far).

enjoy.

1. All That She Wants / Ace Of Base :: Alissa Mathews
2. Gone, Gone, Gone / Robert Plant & Alison Krauss :: Audra Wallace
3. Auditorium / American Princes :: Amanda Morgan
4. Gone For Good / The Shins :: Paula Cigainero
5. Young Forever / Jay-Z :: Lindsay Irvin
6. Encore / DJ Danger Mouse (The Beatles / Jay-Z) :: Chip Taulbee
7. The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us! / Sufjan Stevens :: Liz Sendejo
8. For You / Greg Kihn :: Mark Friedman
9. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go / Wham! :: Ryan Byrd
10. The Power Of Love / Celine Dion :: Aubri Duran
11. I'm In Love With My Car / Queen :: Tre Baker
12. Video Phone (Ft. Lady Gaga) / Beyonce :: Jason Wiest
13. I Fell In Love With A Girl / The White Stripes (Bluegrass Cover) :: Sam Eifling
14. Pretend You're Alive / Lovedrug :: Chris Earls
15. High & Dry / Radiohead :: Justin Myers
16. Sunny Afternoon / The Kinks :: Graham Cobb
17. In Spite Of Ourselves / John Prine With Iris Dement :: Jennifer Pyron
18. New Slang / The Shins :: Bekah Caraway
19. Someone Great / LCD Soundsystem :: Keely Kaffenberger

// download the .zip //

i'm not sure if anyone's noticed, but it's hotter than a mother outside. yes, in fact, hotter than even a mother. whether or not you noticed it, our very own chip taulbee, arkansas business associate publisher, certainly did and has made an appropriate compilation of summertime music. enter summer sounds. that's right, it's time for classics ranging from frank black to wilco to local favorite the reds and a little something for everyone in between.

so, enjoy.

Thank God it's #MixDay: Summer Sounds

1. School’s Out / Alice Cooper
2. Thalassocracy / Frank Black
3. A Pillar of Salt / The Thermals
4. Encore / DJ Danger Mouse (The Beatles / Jay-Z)
5. Rudie Can’t Fail / The Clash
6. The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 / Neutral Milk Hotel
7. 11th Dimension / Julian Casablancas
8. Girl / Beck
9. Wind Blow / Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
10. Tribulations / LCD Sound System
11. Wolf Like Me / TV On The Radio
12. Walk On The Wild Side / Lou Reed
13. I’m Always In Love / Wilco
14. Summer / The Reds
15. The Trees (Felled By I Monster) / Pulp
16. Me & Mia / Ted Leo & The Pharmacists


// download the .zip //

what do you get when you mix #MixDay and mark friedman? in a word: genius. yes friends, we're glad to present, once again, abpg's favorite son, mark friedman. there's little more we could say than this, so without further ado, we present farkum: the love story.

enjoy.

Thank God it's #MixDay: Farkum: The Love Story

1. Freedom Baby/ Pirates in Your Pants
2. Tunnel of Love/ Bruce Springsteen
3. Ask/ The Smiths
4. Pop Song 89/ R.E.M.
5. For You/ Greg Kihn
6. Hi-Heel Sneakers/ Elvis Presley
7. Anna Begins/ Counting Crows
8. So Cruel/ U2
9. Somebody's Crying/ Chris Isaak
10. Boys Don't Cry / The Cure


// download the .zip //

due to some inclement weather friday (a.k.a. an average day in minnesota pretty much 10 months out of the year), we've bumped #MixDay a couple days. but do not fear, fellow music-moochers, sam eifling—one of the newest additions to the arkansas business editorial crew—brings one of the biggest heaping scoops of awesome we've had yet. have you ever dreamed of a mixtape that pauses for a moment to hear william faulkner's nobel prize for literature acceptance speech? well...bam! you've got it.

happy listening!

Thank God it's #MixDay

1. (untitled) / Ray
2. Power and the Glory / NFL Films
3. The World is Yours / Nas
4. Talk Amongst Yourselves / Grand National
5. Why You / The Loose Cannons
6. Treat Me Mean, I Need the Reputation / Xploding Plastix
7. Bitch, I'm Broke / Cody Chesnutt
8. Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb / The Pilgrim Travelers
9. Sixteen Tons / Tennessee Ernie Ford
10. Powerhouse / Raymond Scott
11. I Fell In Love With a Girl / The White Stripes (bluegrass cover)
12. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) / Marvin Gaye
13. Cello Song / Nick Drake
14. (accepting the Nobel Prize for Literature) / William Faulkner speech
15. Old School / Danger Doom & Talib Kweli
16. Chemical Calisthenics / Blackalicious
17. Thirteen / Garbage
18. Think Locally, F'ck Globally / Gogol Bordello
19. Wheels, No Engines / Awesome New Republic
20. Pink Glove / Pulp
21. The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine / Spoon
22. Scuba (Amon Tobin remix) / Bonobo
23. Oo-de-Lally / Roger Miller

// download the .zip //

several months ago, we kicked off the inaugural round of abpg's #MixDay. no doubt about it, it's been a huge success. we've had everything from 80s pop to singing poop to pirates in your pants. certainly, it's been good so far.

we'll be back next week with a whole new slate of mixtapers, so be sure to check back here next friday. you'll see some old names and some new ones, so it's sure to be an extra helping of awesome in 2010.

to kick off the year, though, we're gonna take a look back. we've taken a single track from each person's mixtape to create a best of 2009 mix. (the song choice/order was determined by what order people went. for example, paula was in the 5th week, so we picked her track #5 from her previously-submitted mix.)

happy listening!

1. Entertain / Sleater-Kinney :: Lance Turner
2. Born Again / Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons :: Ryan Byrd
3. Coconut / Widespread Panic :: Jennifer Pyron
4. So Deep / MSTRKRFT :: Gabe Couch
5. Daybreaker / Beth Orton :: Paula Cigainero
6. Hey Hey You Say / Papa Fritas :: Graham Cobb
7. In the Waiting Line / Zero 7 :: Amanda Morgan
8. Heart it Races / Architecture in Helsinki :: Amber Brewer
9. The Con / Tegan and Sara :: Chris Earls
10. Black Friday / Steely Dan :: Tre Baker
11. Driving Song / Widespread Panic :: Alissa Mathews
12. Slow Life / Grizzly Bear :: Bekah Caraway
13. Lost / Anouk :: Audra Wallace
14. Catch That Girl / Pirates in Your Pants :: Mark Friedman
15. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas / Mr. Hankey :: Chip Taulbee
16. Don't Look Back in Anger / Oasis :: Justin Myers

// download the .zip //

joy to the world, #MixDay has come! yes, indeed, our last MixDay of 2009 (i think) has come and we bear great tidings of goodness to the world. for this mix—titled Gifts to the World—each mixtaper has submitted a single track that they consider, naturally, a gift to the world. as you can see, this is a sordid group of music connoisseurs. nevertheless, when you combine the likes of extreme with the bee gees and a certain pirate musical group, awesomeness is sure to ensue.

enjoy!

Thank God it's #MixDay: Gifts to the World

1. More Than Words / Extreme :: Amber Brewer
2. The Gambler / Kenny Rogers :: Audra Wallace
3. I Wanna Sex You Up / Color Me Badd :: Ryan Byrd
4. One / U2 :: Alissa Mathews
5. X-Mas Gift / il libretina :: Graham Cobb
6. Stayin' Alive / Bee Gees :: Bekah Caraway
7. Losing My Religion / R.E.M. :: Amanda Morgan
8. Macarena / Los Del Rio :: Chip Taulbee
9. Heretics / Andrew Bird :: Jamie Walden
10. Fire & Rain / James Taylor :: Justin Myers
11. Purple Haze / Jimi Hendrix :: Keely Kaffenberger
12. Hallelujah / Jeff Buckley :: Lance Turner
13. Respect / Aretha Franklin :: Paula Cigainero
14. The Gift / The Velvet Underground :: Tre Baker
15. Do They Know It's Christmas / Band Aid :: Jennifer Pyron
16. Silver Bells / Pirates in Your Pants :: Mark J. Friedman

// download the .zip //

someone had to do it. someone needed to do it. alas, thanks to arkansas business associate publisher, chip taulbee, brings the christmas mix. but what's a christmas mix without a few gifts from dee snyder, hollis' greatest rap group, a singing, high-pitched piece of poo and, of course, the dark lord of the underworld? merry christmas!

enjoy.

Thank God it's #MixDay

1. Jingle Bells / Frank Sinatra
2. Oh Come All Ye Faithful / Twisted Sister
3. Linus and Lucy / Vince Guaraldi Trio
4. The Chipmunk Song / Alvin & the Chipmunks
5. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town / Bruce Springsteen
6. Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight) / The Romones
7. Baby It’s Cold Outside / Leon Redbone / Zoe Deschanel
8. Here Comes Santa Claus / Bob Dylan
9. Christmas in Hollis / Run-D.M.C.
10. Wizards In Winder / Trans-Siberian Orchestra
11. Skating / George Winston
12. You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch / Boris Karloff
13. What’s This / Danny Elfman
14. Christmas Time In Hell / Satan, The Dark Prince
15. Punk Rock Christmas / Sex Pistols
16. New Years Eve / The Walkmen
17. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer / Dean Martin
18. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas / Mr. Hankey


// download the .zip //