As I’ve posted about earlier, I collect sealed music singles that are either personally meaningful or artistically timeless. Both of these are subjective, of course, and many will probably disagree with my judgment on the latter. Either way, here are some highlights from my growing collection.
My favorite one is “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind, which I feel perfectly captures the simultaneous optimism and cynicism of the 1990s. It meets what I call the ‘Voyager Test’: A song I could provide to a future generation or alien species that epitomizes an era of American culture. Bonus points if the cover includes a KMart sticker.