SONGS of the 90s

Ah, the Nineties. A decade in which it literally didn't matter what genre a song might belong to or how strange that song might be, it had a chance of being a hit. Angsty, sludgy songs sung in flannel shirts by heroin-aided dudes who haven't washed in weeks? Yep, there were lots of hits there. Gritty street-crime dramas? Sure, why not! Neo-hippie Deadheads (who haven't washed in months) playing radio-ready jamband nonsense? Covered. Weird ass pop songs about letting the dogs out, mambo #5s, sexing you up, thongs, the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's, tub thumping, being too sexy for your car too sexy by far, peaches, and rap-rock covers of George Michael songs? Oh my God there were so many! (This is just a random selection of some of the decade's most memorable and forgettable hits. Don't get me started about the Macarena.)

But still, like any other decade I've covered so far, there was a lot of capitol G Grrrrreat music in the 90s. Let's start with Nirvana. The 80s saw the rise of bands who wrote big ballads to match their big hair (NO BIG HAIR!). When "Smells Like Teen Spirit" dropped, it took a blow torch to the safe, lifeless, soulless junk that passed for popular rock music. Goodbye Warrant, Poison, Winger, Cinderella, Stryper, and whoever the hell else. And hello Stone Temple Pilots, Creed, Our Lady Peace, Everclear, Live, and Sponge! Well, Kurt Cobain inspired his share of safe, lifeless, soulless junk too. But Nirvana's popularity also allowed a lot of great bands who might've lingered in obscurity to sign major labor deals and grab a shot at the big time. And a lot of those bands' songs appear throughout this list.

There was a lot of other greatness too. The East Coast vs. West Coast rap battles led to some unfortunate violence but also to a lot of the decade's most exciting music. Oblivious, sheltered suburban kids like me heard tales of an oppressive inner city life for the first time. It was the beginning of the process of opening my eyes and mind to the struggle for equity and equality that so many face in this country. (And to be clear - I'll take the gritty street poetry of Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Nas, and Jay-Z over the west coast any day FYI.)  

Bjork did her best to be the David Bowie of the 90s. The combination of her brilliant, progressive songs and a constant evolution of image and visuals led her to become one of the decade's greatest artists. U2 also spent the 90s embracing their inner-Bowie, retreating to Berlin to produce Achtung, Baby, and its even more "out-there" follow-up Zooropa, which turned their late-80s earnestness on its head. Amazingly, both albums were huge hits despite them abandoning the sounds that broke them in the first place. R.E.M. pulled off the near impossible task of going from one of America's great underground bands during the 80s to one of the best mainstream bands of the 1990s. They stormed Top 40 radio with their mandolins and strange Southern imagery before plugging back in and creating some of the decade's best radio rock.

And the tradition of great American bands and artists continued with Pavement, Built to Spill, The Breeders, Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Dinosaur Jr., Sleater-Kinney, Guided by Voices, Uncle Tupelo, Mercury Rev, Liz Phair, Yo La Tengo, Superchunk, and so many more. And then there was Radiohead, whose three album progression from Pablo Honey to The Bends to OK Computer is one of the most startlingly great leaps a band has ever made over three albums (and that's not even getting into the next leap to Kid A, which is a story for another decade). I was old enough in 1990 to be aware of what was happening in music and I have lived with much of this music for the past 20-30 years. This is the music of my formative years.   

1. Let Down // Radiohead

2. Get Me // Dinosaur Jr. 
3. New York State of Mind // Nas

4. Frontwards // Pavement
5. 5 Years // Bjork

6. Losing My Religion // R.E.M.

7. Misunderstood // Wilco

8. Common People // Pulp

9. I Know // Fiona Apple

10. Iceblink Luck // Cocteau Twins

Smells Like Teen Spirit // Nirvana

Carry the Zero // Built to Spill

Paranoid Android // Radiohead

Game of Pricks // Guided by Voices

The Fly // U2

Holland, 1945 // Neutral Milk Hotel

Web In Front // Archers of Loaf

Fake Plastic Trees // Radiohead

Don't Sweat the Technique // Eric B. & Rakim

New Partner // Palace Music

Trains Across the Sea // Silver Jews

Blue Line Swinger // Yo La Tengo

Bittersweet Symphony // The Verve

Spottieottiedopalicious // Outkast

Only Shallow // My Bloody Valentine

Way Down Now // World Party

4th Chamber // GZA (ft. RZA, Ghostface Killah, & Killah Priest)

Teardrop // Massive Attack

Cherub Rock // Smashing Pumpkins

Little Bones // The Tragically Hip

Gold Soundz // Pavement

Trailer Trash // Modest Mouse

One More Hour // Sleater-Kinney

Above the Clouds // Gang Starr

Don't Stop Now // Guided By Voices

Sabotage // Beastie Boys 

Fade Into You // Mazzy Star

Holes // Mercury Rev

Rid of Me // PJ Harvey

Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta // Geto Boys

Holy Ghost // Scud Mountain Boys 

I Heard You Looking // Yo La Tengo

Timebomb // Old 97s 

Never Said // Liz Phair

So Watcha Want // Beastie Boys

Random Rules // Silver Jews

Cannonball // The Breeders

Head On // Pixies

Summer Babe (Winter Version) // Pavement

Lost Ones // Lauryn Hill

The Bends // Radiohead

Xtal // Aphex Twin

To Find A Friend // Tom Petty

ATLiens // Outkast 

California Stars // Wilco & Billy Bragg

Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight // Whiskeytown

All My Little Words // The Magnetic Fields

Cast Iron // Superchunk

Criminology // Raekwon (ft. Ghostface Killah)

Enjoy The Silence // Depeche Mode

Reprovisional // Fugazi

The Concept // Teenage Fanclub

I See A Darkness // Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space // Spiritualized

Box Full of Letters // Wilco

Waiting For A Superman // The Flaming Lips

Zooropa // U2

They Reminisce Over You (TROY) // Pete Rock & CL Smooth

Windfall // Son Volt

Let The Mystery Be // Iris Dement

Lake Marie // John Prine

Picture In A Frame // Tom Waits

Protect Ya Neck // Wu-Tang Clan

The Last Day of Our Acquaintance // Sinead O'Connor

All Apologies // Nirvana

There She Goes // The La's

Ascension Day // Talk Talk

New Madrid // Uncle Tupelo

Sugarcube // Yo La Tengo

Know The Ledge // Eric B. & Rakim

Soldiers // You Am I 

Groove Is In The Heart // Dee-Lite

Somebody To Shove // Soul Asylum

Regret // New Order

What's The Frequency Kenneth // R.E.M.

Feed The Tree // Belly

Fight The Power // Public Enemy

Slack Motherfucker // Superchunk

Grace, Too // The Tragically Hip

Here // Pavement

Eye For An Eye (Your Beef Is Mines) // Mobb Deep (ft. Nas & Raekwon)

Settled Down Like Rain // The Jayhawks

I Feel Alright // Steve Earle

Midnight In A Perfect World // A Tribe Called Quest

Walls // Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Jump Around // House of Pain

I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone // Sleater-Kinney

Scenario // A Tribe Called Quest

Big Day Coming // Yo La Tengo

Corduroy // Pearl Jam

Triumph // Wu-Tang Clan

Where Did You Sleep Last Night? // Nirvana

Slide Away // Oasis

The Next Movement // The Roots

Country Feedback // R.E.M. 

Grounded // Pavement

Sometimes Always // The Jesus & Mary Chain

Start Choppin' // Dinosaur Jr. 

No Surprises // Radiohead

Divorce Song // Liz Phair

Kicked It In The Sun // Built to Spill

Broke // Modest Mouse

Bill Is Dead // The Fall

Soon // My Bloody Valentine

Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying // Belle & Sebastian

Angel Dream #4 // Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Headache // Frank Black

Untied // Superchunk 

Bird Dream of Olympus Moons // Pixies

Why I Didn't Like August '93 // Elevator to Hell

The Plan // Built to Spill

Get Up // Sleater-Kinney

Girlfriend // Matthew Sweet

Two-Headed Boy // Neutral Milk Hotel

Dry The Rain // The Beta Band

Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt // DJ Shadow

Heaven Or Las Vegas // Cocteau Twins

Ain't That Enough // Teenage Fanclub

Shook Ones, pt. 2 // Mobb Deep

Halftime // Nas

Timeless Melody // The La's 

Gold Star For Robot Boy // Guided By Voices

Ball and Chain // Social Distortion

Today // Smashing Pumpkins

Pass The Mic // Beastie Boys

My Drug Buddy // The Lemonheads

Sunken Treasure // Wilco

Meth of A Rockette's Kick // Mercury Rev

Silence Kit // Pavement 

Hyper-ballad (Family Tree Version) // Bjork

Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em // Eric B. & Rakim

I've Made Enough Friends // The Wrens

Barrier Reef // Old 97s

Not Dark Yet // Bob Dylan

John Cage Bubblegum // Stereolab

Into Your Arms // The Lemonheads

Joey // Concrete Blonde

Seagull // Ride

Sour Times // Portishead

Please Don't Ask Me To Smile // You Am I 

After The Flood // Talk Talk

The Universal // Pulp

Harry Hood // Phish

Just To Get A Rep // Gang Starr

Alcoholiday // Teenage Fanclub

Thunderstruck // ACDC

Sometimes // James

Talking Shit About A Pretty Sunset // Modest Mouse

Crowded In The Wings // The Jayhawks

Far Far Away // Wilco

Knuckleheadz // Raekwon

When You Sleep // My Bloody Valentine

Helpless // Sugar

The Living Bubba // Drive-by Truckers

Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth... //Primitive Radio Gods

Larry // Buffalo Tom

Mama Said Knock You Out // LL Cool J

E-Bow The Letter // R.E.M.

Lucky Man // The Verve 

Motor Away // Guided By Voices

In Spite of Ourselves // John Prine (ft. Iris Dement)

King Herod // Mogwai 

Range Life // Pavement 

Dead Flag Blues // Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Where I'm From // Jay-Z

North Country Boy // The Charlatans

Tom Courtenay // Yo La Tengo

Buggin' Out // A Tribe Called Quest

Shadowboxin' // GZA (ft. Method Man)

1979 // Smashing Pumpkins

Breadcrumb Trail // Slint

Rugged Roses // The Gourds

Supersonic // Oasis

The Wagon // Dinosaur Jr. 

At The Hundredth Meridian // The Tragically Hip

Metal Detektor // Spoon

Race For The Prize // The Flaming Lips

Hold On // Tom Waits

Black Boys On Mopeds // Sinead O'Connor

Hail Mary // Tupac Shakur

To Bring You My Love // PJ Harvey

Concrete Schoolyard // Jurassic 5

Mathematics // Mos Def

Joad Out // Barbara Manning

Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now) // Cracker

Can't Even Tell // Soul Asylum

Gin n' Juice // Snoop Dogg

Sometimes Salvation // The Black Crowes

Your Fucking Sunny Day // Lambchop

The Sky Is Crying // Stevie Ray Vaughn

Metal Heart // Cat Power

Gamera // Tortoise

Electric Relaxation // A Tribe Called Quest

The Ghost of Tom Joad // Bruce Springsteen

Sugar Kane // Sonic Youth

Rhymes Like Dimes // MF Doom

Watch Me Jumpstart // Guided By Voices

American Music // Violent Femmes

Definition // Black Starr

Poison Girl // Chris Whitley

Gun // Uncle Tupelo

Doll Parts // Hole

Skew It On The Bar-B // Outkast 

Formula, Cola, Dollar Draft // Marah

Me In Honey // R.E.M.

No Distance Left To Run // Blur

Seed Toss // Superchunk

Fast As You Can // Fiona Apple

It Was A Good Day // Ice Cube

All My Friends // Pavement

Nautical Disaster // The Tragically Hip

Quality of Armor // Guided By Voices

(nice dream) // Radiohead

Mind Playing Tricks On Me // Geto Boys

Tear Stained Eye // Son Volt

D. Boon Free (9th Grade Crime) // Centro-matic

Water In The Fuel // Fred Eaglesmith

Velvet Waltz // Built to Spill

Ex-Factor // Lauryn Hill

Columbia // Oasis

Unknown Legend // Neil Young

Bronx Cheer // Mercury Rev

The Book of Love // The Magnetic Fields

Summer of Drugs // Soul Asylum

Check the Rhime // A Tribe Called Quest

C.R.E.A.M. // Wu-Tang Clan

Aneurysm // Nirvana

French Disko // Stereolab

Feeling Yourself Disintegrate // The Flaming Lips

In The Airplane Over The Sea // Neutral Milk Hotel

Nightswimming // R.E.M.

The State That I'm In // Belle & Sebastian

Now She's Gone // Steve Earle

Bobcaygeon // The Tragically Hip

I Used To Love H.E.R. // Common

Dry // PJ Harvey

She's A Jar // Wilco

$1000 Wedding // Evan Dando 

The Abandoned Hospital Ship // The Flaming Lips

Djed // Tortoise

If I Ruled The World // Nas

The Drowners // The London Suede

Low // Cracker

Car // Built to Spill

The Light That Will Cease To Fail // Stereolab

Doomsday // MF Doom

Smile // Pearl Jam

Reunited // Wu-Tang Clan

Gettin' Jiggy Wit' It // DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Sleep Well Tonight // Gene

Do You Feel Loved // U2

From The Curve // Superchunk

The Diamond Sea // Sonic Youth

Youngstown // Bruce Springsteen

Chickamauga // Uncle Tupelo

Cross Bones Style // Cat Power

Between The Bars // Elliott Smith

Strange Currencies // R.E.M.

Work For Food // Dramarama

Starseed // Our Lady Peace

Angelyne // PJ Harvey

Can't Stand It // Wilco 

The Choice Is Yours // Black Sheep

Hotwax // Beck

Dirty Boots // Sonic Youth

Rebound // Sebadoh

Alison // Slowdive

Kiss Them For Me // Siouxie & The Banshees

Respiration // Black Star (ft. Common)

What They Do // The Roots

Halah // Mazzy Star

Tonite It Shows // Mercury Rev

It's A Shame About Ray // The Lemonheads

Mountains of Your Head // Buffalo Tom

A Salty Salute // Guided By Voices

Friday Night (Is Killing Me) // Bash n' Pop 

Knockin' On Mine // Paul Westerberg

Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam // Nirvana

Narcotic Prayer // Chris Whitley 

Raining In Darling // Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

Goodbye // Steve Earle 

On And On // Erykah Badu

Moonshiner // Uncle Tupelo

Human Behavior // Bjork

How To Rent A Room // Silver Jews

Parade of Choosers // Centro-metic

Cowboy Dan // Modest Mouse

Boil My Strings // The Gourds

Long Time A-Comin' // Bap Kennedy

Doo Wop (That Thing) // Lauryn Hill

I Don't Wanna Grow Up // Tom Waits

When It's Raining // The Samples

If I Had A Hammer // American Music Club

Opus 40 // Mercury Rev

Divine Thing // Soup Dragons

Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) // Digable Planets

Bring The Pain // Method Man

Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) // Jay-Z

Daytona 500 // Ghostface Killah

Elevators (You & Me) // Outkast

Brooklyn Zoo // Ol' Dirty Bastard

6'1" // Liz Phair 

Investigative Reports // GZA (ft. Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God)

Love Would Never Do (Without You) // Janet Jackson

Acquiesce // Oasis

Hunger Strike // Temple of the Dog

The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) // Missy Elliot

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