iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The two kids in this photo are now music-loving high schoolers who submitted Top 10 lists for this year’s #XPNCountdown. I just confirmed that “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” was *not* on their lists, but I still like to think their love of music was born when they saw They Might Be Giants in 2010.

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In high school in the mid 90s, I was one of the cool kids who had The Lemonheads It’s a Shame About Ray CD before it was re-issued with the “Mrs. Robinson” bonus track. #XPNCountdown

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I enjoy the #XPNCountdown every year for so many reasons, but most of all I love that it allows us to hear @rahrahraina.bsky.social and @kallao.bsky.social as live @wxpnfm.bsky.social DJs. (To be clear, I love @worldcafe.bsky.social too, but it's fun to hear them just spinning records on our local.)

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Just got out of my last on-campus meeting of the semester to find that I missed two more songs from my Top 10 appear back-to-back on the #XPNCountdown: The White Stripes' "Jolene" and Toots & the Maytals' "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Those final day appearances bump my grade to a C for my Top 10.

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Scott Wible @scottwible.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Final class of the semester means by my final commute of the semester. I’m always grateful for the @wxpnfm.bsky.social Morning Show with Kristen & Bob to keep me company on the long drives, but I’m also thankful for the next 6 weeks of watching the sun rise at home instead of the highway.

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I greatly prefer the Cap’n Jazz cover of “Take on Me” — had it at #3 on my Top 10 list, in fact. #XPNCountdown youtu.be/O9aHYMJmXo4

youtu.be

Take On Me

YouTube video by Cap'n Jazz - Topic

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Scott Wible @scottwible.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

YES!!! My #1 pick makes it onto the #XPNCountdown. Gets me to 5 songs from my Top 10 with two days to go.

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Scott Wible @scottwible.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Just finished teaching my next-to-last class of the semester and checked in to see I missed the 3rd song from my Top 10 to make the #XPNCountdown: Nina Simone's cover of the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody."

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@courtneybamboo.bsky.social I stand by my belief that Christmas songs shouldn’t be defined as covers. #XPNCountdown

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Heading outside for a run — hoping the next hour of the #XPNCountdown delivers plenty of fast-paced tunes.

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Only a 20% for my Top 10 list at the midway point of the #XPNCountdown. Fortunately, most of the student writing projects I've been grading have scored much, much better.

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YES!!! RATM's cover of "Renegades of Funk" appearing on the #XPNCountdown. Afrika Bambaataa's Planet Rock was one of the first cassette tapes I ever owned as a kid!

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YES!!! Loved hearing Minor Threat's "Steppin' Stone" on the #XPNCountdown. It pained me to do it, but that song was *the* last one I cut from my list before getting to my Top 10.

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I need to turn off the #XPNCountdown for 12 minutes to listen to a student's podcast submission, but the run of songs this past hour has been too good to miss.

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Scott Wible @scottwible.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

Johnny Cash is my absolute favorite artist of all-time, but I didn't include any of his songs in my Top 10 list of covers because I knew so many other people would be voting for him that he'd still be well represented in the #XPNCountdown -- and you all certainly did not disappoint.

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I had to wait until Day 4 and Song #577, but I’ve finally heard one of my Top 10 choices in the #XPNCountdown: The Breeders, “Happiness is a Warm Gun.”

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Scott Wible @scottwible.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Taking a break from the #XPNCountdown to see some live music: The Budos Band playing @wxpnfm.bsky.social Free at Noon in Ardmore. Support your local public radio station, and support your local public transit!

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Scott Wible @scottwible.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

I’m a college writing professor, and the #XPNCountdown always coincides with the end of the semester when I’m reading and grading student projects. I’m hoping to earn at least a solid C this year on my Top 10 list of the Greatest Covers Songs. Looking forward listening, @wxpnfm.bsky.social!

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Scott Wible @scottwible.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

Mike V. on the @wxpnfm.bsky.social Midday Show: Love today's theme for the new year! Not only is the Stone Roses' "I Wanna Be Adored" my favorite album opener, but it's also the opening song on the first mixtape I made in September 2000 for my then-girlfriend, now wife of 20 years.

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Scott Wible @scottwible.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

Just finished a six-mile run in the snow along the Radnor Trail listening to @djrobertdrake.bsky.social‘s #XPNTNB. Happy Holidays!

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Still have the Valentine’s Day gift my then-fiancé, now-wife got me at a record shop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire back in February 2004. #XPNCountdown

Well before the start of the 21st Century, I attended my first-ever concert at the Mann: The Butthole Surfers & Stone Temple Pilots, with the "Vaseline"-era Flaming Lips as the opener. #XPNCountdown

YES!!! The Yeah Yeah Yeahs get me to the 50% mark for my #XPNCountdown Top 10 (and that's probably where I'll stay).

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YES!!! M.I.A.! Finally got another one of my Top 10 songs on the #XPNCountdown.

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Well done, #XPNCountdown! Let's go, Fightin' Phils!

I’ve loved hearing Bob Bumbera’s voice marking the top of every hour in the #XPNCountdown. Kinda like hearing the church bells in my town.

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From Jason Isbell, one of my favorite opening lines in music: "A heart on the run / Keeps a hand on a gun / Can't trust anyone." #XPNCountdown

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Wish there was more Sharon Jones on the #XPNCountdown, but happy the Dap-Kings are getting so much play from the Amy Winehouse Back to Black cuts.