J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.

Here are the latest entries in the "albums that influenced me" series I started writing in May 2020.

Note: Just because an album appears on this list doesn't mean I give it a blanket endorsement. Many of the secular albums on this list are mainly there because they wound up being spoofed by ApologetiX.

1493. Billboard Top Hits: 1992 - Various Artists
Remember General Halftrack from the Beetle Bailey comic strip? Well, half of the tracks on Billboard Top Hits: 1992 made it all the way to #1, although obviously none were by The Beatles: "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot, "How Do You Talk To An Angel" by The Heights, "Jump" by Kris Kross, "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred, and "To Be With You" by Mr. Big. Although this compilation contained no #2 hits, the remaining five tracks each peaked at a different chart position between #3 and #7: "Masterpiece" by Atlantic Starr (#3), "Live and Learn" by Joe Public (#4), "Just Another Day" by Jon Secada (#5), "Tell Me What You Want Me To Do" by Tevin Campbell (#6), and "I Can't Dance" by Genesis (#7). We launched ApologetiX in '92, so I was a little preoccupied and didn't listen to mainstream radio much that year, but we did eventually spoof "To Be With You" in 2015 and "I'm Too Sexy" in 2022. 

1494. Billboard Top Hits: 1994 - Various Artists
Although Billboard Top Hits: 1994 featured a measly five Top five hits, three of them went to #1: "The Sign" by Ace Of Base, "Bump N' Grind" by R. Kelly, and "Here Comes The Hotstepper" by Ini Kamoze. There were only 10 chart toppers on the Hot 100 in 1994, and one of them was a carryover from 1993. At the time, that was the lowest amount of #1 hits in the history of that chart; the current record for fewest in a year is now eight (2002 and 2005). Moreover, there were only five singles that peaked at #2 in 1994, and one of them appeared on Billboard Top Hits: 1994, "Regulate" by Warren G. & Nate Dogg (#2). The rest of the collection consisted of the following: "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies (#4), "Baby, I Love Your Way" by Big Mountain (#6), "Now And Forever" by Richard Marx (#7), "Can We Talk"  by Tevin Campbell (#9), "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)" by Us3 (#9), and "If You Go" by Jon Secada (#10). My favorites are "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm," which also hit #1 on the alternative chart and #25 on the mainstream rock chart, and "Cantaloop," which also hit #29 on the alternative chart and #21 on the R&B chart. ApologetiX spoofed "Baby I Love Your Way" in 2016, but we did it in the style of Peter Frampton's original. There are two other cuts on this collection I hope to cover eventually; we already have the concepts in place. 

1495. Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits: 1961 - Various Artists
As far as #1 hits go, Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits: 1961 scored a perfect 10; every single track topped the Hot 100. "Tossin' And Turnin'" by Bobby Lewis, "Runaway" by Del Shannon, "Blue Moon" by The Marcels,  "Runaround Sue" by Dion, "Quarter to Three" by U.S. Bonds, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shirelles, "Take Good Care Of My Baby" by Bobby Vee,  "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes, "Mother-In-Law" by Ernie K-Doe, and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens. ApologetiX spoofed "Runaway" in 1999. "Tossin' and Turnin'" was the biggest hit of '61 — staying in the premier position for seven weeks. Meanwhile, "Please Mr. Postman" was the first-ever #1 hit (of many) for Motown Records. In the mid-'90s, ApologetiX met one of the original members of The Marcels, Richard Knauss, after one of our concerts. At the time, I wondered about his claim, because he was white and the only photo I'd ever seen of The Marcels clearly showed five men who were black. There wasn't much I could do in the way of research in those pre-Google/pre-Wikipedia days, but I now know the original line-up of The Marcels that recorded "Blue Moon" had three white members and two black members. Multiracial groups were extremely rare in the early '60s, so that caused problems when The Marcels toured in the Deep South, which resulted in a line-up change. The photo I'd seen was apparently taken after that change. Ironically, although The Marcels were a Pittsburgh-based group like us, we actually met Richard in Virginia. 

1496. Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits: 1968 - Various Artists
Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits: 1968 was originally released in 1988 and then re-released in 1993 with a revised track listing. I owned the latter, which featured five #1 hits: "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" by John Fred & His Playboy Band, "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" by Otis Redding, "People Got To Be Free" by The Rascals, and "Green Tambourine" by The Lemon Pipers. It also included a pair of #2 hits by artists who'd had #1 singles the year before, "Chain Of Fools" by Aretha Franklin (who'd hit the top spot with "Respect" in '67) and  "Cry Like A Baby" by The Box Tops (who'd reached the pinnacle with "The Letter" in '67), plus a third #2 hit by an artist who'd never made the Top 40 before and never would again, "The Horse" by Cliff Nobles & Co. The remaining two tracks, "Mony Mony" by Tommy James & The Shondells and "Yummy Yummy Yummy" by Ohio Express, had to settle for #3 and #4 respectively, but they probably attained more lasting fame than about half of the other songs on Billboard Top Rock 'n' Roll Hits: 1968. ApologetiX spoofed "Mony Mony" in 2000 and "People Got to Be Free" in 2014. 

1497. The Rock 'n' Roll Era: 1964 - Various Artists
Released in 1987, this compilation was the 10th installment in a 40-volume set manufactured for Time-Life Music by Warner Special Products. It's ironic that the cover illustration alludes to the song "Hi Heel Sneakers" by Tommy Tucker, because that's the only one of the 22 songs on this collection that didn't hit the Top 10, although it certainly came close (#11). The Rock 'n' Roll Era: 1964 featured five #1 hits: "Where Did Our Love Go" by The Supremes, "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison, "My Guy" by Mary Wells, "Leader of the Pack" by The Shangri-Las, and "Chapel of Love" by The Dixie Cups. Four other tracks peaked at #2: "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore, "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen, "Last Kiss" by J. Frank Wilson And The Cavaliers, and "Dancing in the Street" by Martha And The Vandellas. The remaining dozen charted as follows: "Suspicion" by Terry Stafford (#3), "The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)" by Jan And Dean (#3), "Under The Boardwalk" by The Drifters (#4), "G.T.O." by Ronny And The Daytonas (#4), "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen (#4), "California Sun" by The Rivieras (#5), "C'mon And Swim" by Bobby Freeman (#5), "Goin' Out Of My Head" by Little Anthony And The Imperials (#6), "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" by Betty Everett (#6), "It Hurts To Be In Love" by Gene Pitney (#7), "Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow The Sun)" by Del Shannon (#9), and "No Particular Place To Go" by Chuck Berry (#10).

1498. Billboard #1 Hits of the '90s - Various Artists
In keeping with the '90s theme of this compilation, only 90 percent of the tracks actually topped the Billboard Hot 100. The lone exception, "Hold On" by En Vogue, stalled at #2 but did reach #1 on the Billboard R&B and dance charts. It was one of five songs featured from 1990: "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles, "I Don't Have the Heart" by James Ingram, "I'll Be Your Everything" by Tommy Page, "If Wishes Came True" by Sweet Sensation, and "Hold On" by En Vogue. The remaining five on Billboard #1 Hits of the '90s were "I Adore Mi Amor" by Color Me Badd ('91), "Romantic" by Karyn White ('91), "To Be With You" by Mr. Big ('92), "Informer" by Snow ('93), and "Freak Me" by Silk ('93). My wife and I saw En Vogue in concert in 2022 along with New Kids on the Block, Rick Astley, and Salt-N-Pepa. I was very impressed with their performance. ApologetiX spoofed "Black Velvet" and "To Be With You" in 2015.

1499. Billboard Top Hits of the '90s - Various Artists 
Every song on Billboard Top Hits of the '90s hit the Top 10, except one, "I'll Be There For You (Theme from 'Friends')" by The Rembrandts (#17 pop). However, that tune was actually one of the biggest hits of the decade, based on other charts (#1 adult contemporary for seven weeks, #1 Radio and Records for eight weeks, and #1 Canada for five weeks). It was also one of six tracks on this collection that ApologetiX spoofed — the others being "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies (#1), "To Be With You" by Mr. Big (#1), "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers (#3), "Only Wanna Be With You" by Hootie & The Blowfish (#6), and "Sex And Candy" by Marcy Playground (#8). There were at least five other sections on Billboard Top Hits of the '90s that we have serious considered spoofing. I won't say which ones, but here are the remaining tracks in order of chart position: "The Sign" by Ace Of Base (#1), "Unbelievable" by EMF (#1), Missing" by Everything But The Girl (#2), "Whoomp! (There It Is)" by Tag Team (#2), "Feminine Canine" by Meredith Brooks (#2), "Right Here, Right Now" by Jesus Jones (#2), "Ordinary World" by Duran Duran (#3), "I Wish It Would Rain Down" by Phil Collins (#3), "Breakfast At Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something (#5), "Baby I Love Your Way" by Big Mountain (#6), "I Can't Dance" by Genesis (#7), "Bad Boys" by Inner Circle (#8), "Free Your Mind" by En Vogue (#8), and "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?" by Paula Cole (#8).