An impromptu 80s Alternative playlist (+Wilco)

You hit the Genius button on your iTunes and you either hit or miss. A band like Bad Religion, which has been saddled with the unfortunate Pop Punk label, might throw in similar but still distant bands like Alkaline Trio. A recent Genius list for Alice in Chains’ “Angry Chair” snuck in a few Megadeth and Metallica songs.

I suppose Metallica fans and Alice in Chains fans overlap, their catalogs often mixing. But they just seem a little out of character.

And then, sometimes, Genius works wonders.

1. “Swan Swan H” – R.E.M.
2. “Kiss Me on the Bus” – The Replacements
3. “Ana Ng” – They Might Be Giants
4. “A Sort of Homecoming” – U2
5. “Stay Up Late” – Talking Heads
6. “Hesitating Beauty” – Billy Bragg & Wilco
7. “Shipbuilding” – Elvis Costello
8. “No. 13 Baby” – Pixies
9. “I’m Always in Love” – Wilco
10. “I Believe” – R.E.M.
11. “Tomorrow” – U2
12. “Twisting” – They Might Be Giants
13. “Accident Waiting to Happen” – Billy Bragg
14. “Watching the Detectives” – Elvis Costello
15. “Gone Daddy Gone” – Violent Femmes
16. “Alex Chilton” – The Replacements
17. “Jonas & Ezekial” – Indigo Girls
18. “Cuyahoga” – R.E.M.
19. “Cecilia Ann” – Pixies
20. “Two Hearts Beat As One” – U2

It might as well be a dedicated “80s Alternative+Wilco” playlist. It’s making for some great photo editing music, either way, despite the fact that most of these songs were released while I was still in grade school.

(Note: is Genius automatically set to honor the recently deceased Alex Chilton or is that just a happy coincidence?)