Popular Rap Music Of The 90s - The Beats That Live On and On and On
Remember the days before T-Pain and Nelly? Back when Sean Combs was still Puff Daddy? Back when two kings of the game ruled supreme? When rap still sounded like rap? If you haven't figured it out yet, this article is dedicated to '90s rap music. Rap in the '90s brought widespread popularity to the genre. In the late 80s, Public Enemy, Run-D.M.C. and N.W.A. built a foundation for the gangster rap genre. They paved the way for what would be arguably the best decade the genre has ever seen.
With the exit of Ice Cube in 1989, N.W.A. continued to feud and eventually disbanded in 1991. The stage was set for an epic battle of rap supremacy in the early 90s. An East-West Coast divide had formed with Bad Boy Records on the East Coast, and Death Row Records on the West Coast. Tupac threw gasoline on the fire when he accused Biggie and Combs of being involved with the shooting he fell victim to in a NYC recording studio in 1994. With each record after that, the drama escalated and I think we all know how this story ends.
I think it was summed up best by The Notorious B.I.G. when he said:
I was in shock of everything. I wasn't shocked about him getting shot. 'Pac is a strong dude, yo. He's real strong, so when he got shot I was just like, 'Again?' You know, he's always getting shot or shot at, he gonna pull through, make a few records and it's going to be over. But when he died it took me by surprise. Even though we were going through our drama I would never wish death on nobody. 'Cause there ain't no coming back from that.
Unfortunately for everyone, the feud turned to violence and two of the greatest rappers ever were both assassinated, within six months of each other. The rivalry that sparked some of the best rap music ever was officially over and the game was forever changed.
That is your history lesson for today.
'90s rap is not something that I am a expert on but I know my fair share. That is why I have complied my top five songs from each year of the 90s. The rules are the same as the two previous lists and in case you forgot them, I have explained them below.
How it works:
For each genre of music I will rank the top 5 singles from each year in the 90s. I will provide a link for each song (either imeem or youtube, depending on availability) for your listening pleasure.
Disclaimer: These rankings are based on my personal preferences, not on actual popularity. I think of these lists as recommendations. Hopefully these songs will bring back some good memories, and if you have never heard them before, maybe create some new ones.
Interested in '90s Pop and Rock as well? Be sure to check out these lists as well.
90s Pop Music
90s Rock Music
Starting with 1999:
1. "Still D.R.E." by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg
2. "What's My Name" by DMX
3. "You Can Do It" by Ice Cube feat. Mack 10 & Ms. Toi
4. "My Name Is" by Eminem
5. "Deception" by Blackilicious
1998:
1. "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" by Jay-Z
2. "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" by DMX
3. "Changes" by Tupac Shakur
4. "You Got Me" by The Roots
5. "Doo Wop (That Thing)" by Lauren Hill
1997:
1. "Hail Mary" by Tupac Shakur
2. "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" by Puff Daddy feat. Mase
3. "Hypnotize" by The Notorious B.I.G.
4. "Feels So Good" by Mase
5. "Burbons and Lacs" by Master P featuring Silkk The Shocker & Gotti from The Gambino Family
1996:
1. "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" by Tupac Shakur feat. Snoop Dogg
2. "Tha Crossroads" by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
3. "California Love" by Tupac Shakur feat. Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman
4. "Hit 'Em Up" by Tupac Shakur feat. Outlawz
5. "What They Do" by The Roots
1995:
1. "One More Chance" by The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Faith Evans and Mary J. Blige
2. "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" by Dr. Dre
3. "1st of tha Month" by Bone Thungs-n-Harmony
4. "I Got 5 On it" by Luniz
5. "Shook Ones Pt. II" by Mobb Deep
1994:
1. "Gin and Juice" Snoop Dogg feat. Daz Dillinger
2. "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" by Outkast
3. "C.R.E.A.M." by Wu-Tang Clan
4. "Juicy" by The Notorious B.I.G.
5. "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony feat. Shatasha Williams
1993:
1. "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang" by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg
2. "It Was A Good Day" by Ice Cube
3. "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" by Snoop Dogg (with Dr. Dre & Jewell)
4. "Down With The King" by Run-D.M.C.
5. "Hip Hop Hooray" by Naughty by Nature
1992:
1. "So What'Cha Want" by Beastie Boys
2. "Deep Cover" by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg
3. "The Phuncky Feel One" by Cypress Hill
4. "Uptown Anthem" by Naughty By Nature
5. "Take It Personal" by Gang Starr
1991:
1. "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J
2. "O.P.P." by Naughty by Nature
3. "Shut 'Em Down" by Public Enemy
4. "O.G. Original Gangsta" by Ice-T
5. "Check The Rhime" by A Tribe Called Quest
1990:
1. "100 Miles and Runnin'" by N.W.A.
2. "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted" Ice Cube
3. "Around the Way Girl" by LL Cool J
4. "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em" by Eric B. & Rakim
5. "Streets of New York" by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
Similar to my 90s pop and 90s rock lists, this is only a small sampling of the genre. I just tried to represent all of the most influential acts of the decade and remind you of some the classic jams of the '90s. While this blog tends to focus on alternative rock, it is nice to take a step back and reflect on another great genre.
Hope you enjoyed this collection of music.
Agree or disagree with my selections? Feel free to share your opinion by making a comment below.
90s Post-Grunge Playlist
After last week's 90s Pop Music playlist, I decided to get back to my real roots and create a playlist with a collection of some of the best rock songs of the late 90s. This playlist has some of my favorite artists from the 90s, and these bands are the reason I first became interested in music in general.
I tried to go with more of these band's more popular and familiar songs but I plan on creating a few more of these playlists, where I dig a little deeper into the genre.
My favorite from this playlist has to be "Push" by Matchbox Twenty, one of the best songs of any genre from the 90s. The opening to "Push" never fails to bring chills down my spine.
Fortunately, this is not the only great song on this playlist. All of these artists have proved their worth over the years, and these songs only sample their excellence.
Enjoy.
90s Post-Grunge Playlist:
1. "Heavy" by Collective Soul
2. "Push" by Matchbox Twenty
3. "Everything Zen" by Bush
4. "Old Apartment" by Barenaked Ladies
5. "How's It Going To Be" by Third Eye Blind
6. "I Alone" by Live
7. "Inside Out" by Eve 6
8. "Good" by Better Than Ezra
9. "Everlong" by Foo Fighters
10. "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers
Here's the link for the whole playlist: 90s Post-Grunge Playlist
Looking for more playlists? We've got plenty.
"Sleepwalker" by The Wallflowers - Song Of The Week
After a week off, Rizzo Music continues with the 2 week tradition of "Song Of The Week". This week we examine a classic, "Sleepwalker" by The Wallflowers. This gem is a single off of their third studio album, Breach. This was the last single from the Wallflowers to break into the top 40 on either the Mainstream or Modern Rock Chart.
I have always been a fan of this song but recently I came across a great acoustic version that I would like to share with you. It can be found on Imeem, or you can listen to it by clicking here. It is not often that I prefer a revision of an original song but this is one of them. While the original is still solid, Jakob Dylan brings the song to a different level in this version.
You get that live feel to the song without sacrificing the sound quality. You can sense that there is a lot of emotion in the lyrics that he sings: a sense that is lost in the single version. It loses the pop rock feel as well as the clapping, and what is left is a raw look at a great song.
I also included the original song and music video below just in case you do in fact prefer it.
In any case, it is one of my favorites from The Wallflowers, a band that I was lucky enough to see live about a year ago. They put on a great show.
Currently, they are not on tour while Jacob does his thing on his own. He is touring Europe right now, promoting his solo album.
That's it for this week. Be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed if you want to be updated when new articles are posted.
Popular Rock Music Of The 90s - The Songs That Defined A Decade
Rizzo Music is back with a new article from the "Popular Music of the 90s" series. Last week I made a list of some of the best pop music of the decade and today I am going to share with you my list for the most popular rock music of the 90s. Out of all the lists and playlists I have created in the past, this was by far the hardest to come up with. There are so many great artists and songs that originated in the 90s and deciding on just 5 songs for every year was tough. I tried to get representation out of all the key rock artists and hopefully I didn't forget anyone.
After much debate I was able to compile this list of 90s rock music. There are so many songs that I really enjoy that could not be included due restrictions on space but there are 50 great singles here for your enjoyment.
How it works:
For each genre of music I will rank the top 5 singles from each year in the 90s. I will provide a link for each song (either imeem or youtube, depending on availability) for your listening pleasure.
Disclaimer: These rankings are based on my personal preferences, not on actual popularity. I think of these lists as recommendations. Hopefully these songs will bring back some good memories, and if you have never heard them before, maybe create some new ones.
Interested in 90s Pop and Rap as well? Be sure to check out these lists as well.
90s Pop Music
90s Rock Music
Starting with the year 1999:
1. "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit
2. "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind
3. "Scar Tissue" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
4. "The Chemicals Between Us" by Bush
5. "Heavy" by Collective Soul
1998:
1. "Inside Out" by Eve 6
2. "The Way" by Fastball
3. "Sex and Candy" by Marcy Playground
4. "Shimmer" by Fuel
5. "Closing Time" by Semisonic
1997:
1. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve
2. "Push" by Matchbox Twenty
3. "Everlong" by Foo Fighters
4. "The Freshman" by The Verve Pipe
5. "Everything to Everyone" by Everclear
1996:
1. "1979" by Smashing Pumpkins
2. "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers
3. "Counting Blue Cars" by Dishwalla
4. "What I Got" by Sublime
5. "In the Meantime" by Spacehog
1995:
1. "Lightning Crashes" by Live
2. "Wonderwall" by Oasis
3. "Glycerine" by Bush
4. "Name" by Goo Goo Dolls
5. "Good" by Better Than Ezra
1994:
1. "When I Come Around" by Green Day
2. "Shine" by Collective Soul
3. "I Alone" by Live
4. "Self Esteem" by The Offspring
5. "About a Girl" by Nirvana
1993:
1. "Rooster" by Alice in Chains
2. "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows
3. "Hey Jealousy" by Gin Blossoms
4. "No Rain" by Blind Melon
5. "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine
1992:
1. "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam
2. "In Bloom" by Nirvana
3. "Drive" by R.E.M.
4. "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica
5. "Creep" by Radiohead
1991:
1. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
2. "Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains
3. "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
4. "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.
5. "Right Here, Right Now" by Jesus Jones
1990:
1. "Hunger Strike" by Temple of the Dog
2. "Kool Thing" by Sonic Youth
3. "Head Like A Hole" by Nine Inch Nails
4. "Stop!" by Jane's Addicton
5. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
Well there you have it. The top 5 songs from each year of the 90s. Thanks for listening and enjoy.
Agree? Disagree? Feel free to share your opinion by making a comment below.
Popular Pop Music Of The 90s - The Hits That You'll Never Forget
Remember when you could turn on the radio and actually find some decent music? That is what I miss the most about the 90s. Whether you liked rock, pop, or rap, the '90s provided your fix for your particular tastes. Although my tastes tend to lean towards the post-grunge music I grew up on, there was no denying some of the great songs that came out of the decade.
I thought it was time to switch it up and bring to you a new kind of article. Within in the next few weeks I am going to present to you my favorite 90s songs separated by genres. I thought I would start off with pop since its pretty general, and well, popular. I will get to strictly rock and rap and many other sub-genres in the future. Feel free to offer your suggestions.
How it works:
For each genre of music I will rank the top 5 singles from each year in the 90s. I will provide a link for each song (either imeem or youtube, depending on availability) for your listening pleasure.
Disclaimer: These rankings are based on my personal preferences, not on actual popularity. I think of these lists as recommendations. Hopefully these songs will bring back some good memories, and if you have never heard them before, maybe create some new ones.
Interested in ’90s Rap and Rock as well? Be sure to check out these lists as well.
90s Rap Music
90s Rock Music
Let's start with a year I am very familiar with 1999:
1. "Steal My Sunshine" by LEN
2. "Genie In A Bottle" by Christina Aguilera
3. "Bring It All To Me" by Blaque
4. "I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden
5. "If You Had My Love" by Jennifer Lopez
1998:
1. "All My Life" by K-Ci & JoJo
2. "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" by Will Smith
3. "That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain
4. "I Want You Back" by NSYNC
5. "I Don't Wanna To Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith
1997:
1. "Mo Money Mo Problems" by The Notorious B.I.G
2. "I'll Be Missing You" by P. Diddy, Faith Evans, 112
3. "Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden
4. "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion
5. "As Long As You Love Me" by Backstreet Boys
1996:
1. "Always Be My Baby" by Mariah Carey
2. "Pony" by Ginuwine
3. "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion
4. "Macarena" by Los Del Rio
5. "Killing Me Softly" by The Fugees
1995:
1. "You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson
2. "I Know" by Dionne Farris
3. "This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan
4. "Beautiful Life" by Ace of Base
5. "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey
1994:
1. "I Swear" by All-4-One
2. "Another Night" by The Real McCoy
3. "Don't Turn Around" by Ace of Base
4. "Cotton Eye Joe" by Rednex
5. "Waterfalls" by TLC
1993:
1. "Weak" by SWV
2. "What Is Love" by Haddaway
3. "Fields of Gold" by Sting
4. "What's Up?" by 4 Non Blondes
5. "Linger" by The Cranberries
1992:
1. "Rhythm Is A Dancer" by Snap
2. "Walking On Broken Glass" by Annie Lennox
3. "To Be With You" by Mr. Big
4. "Save The Best For Last" by Vanessa Williams
5. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
1991:
1. "Walking In Memphis" by Marc Cohen
2. "I Do It For You" by Bryan Adams
3. "Baby, Baby" by Amy Grant
4. "When A Man Loves A Woman" by Michael Bolton
5. "Unbelievable" by EMF
1990:
1. "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" - C & C Music Factory
2. "Love Shack" - B52's
3. "We Didn't Start The Fire" - Billy Joel
4. "Pump Up The Jam" - Technotronic
5. "It Must Of Been Love" - Roxette
Some might look at the list and think, really? Is that the best the 90s had to offer? I, on the other hand, look at this collection of music, and see memories. While I made it a point to disqualify anything that resembled rock and rap, and it still has some really good songs. At the very least I hope you found at least one good song in this giant list that you forgot about.
Agree? Disagree? Feel free to share your opinion by making a comment below.
The Wallflowers New Tour Dates!
After a brief stint with his solo career, Jakob Dylan seems to have rejoined his fellow band mates -- at least for a while. The Wallflowers website, seems to be revamped back to feature the band as a whole and not just Jakob. There is not much content on it right now but it looks like they are working on it. According to Jacok Dylan's Myspace page, www.myspace.com/jakobdylan, these dates are the first live performances for the group in over two years. This is great news for any fan of The Wallflowers as it means that they are starting to get back together and they seem to be getting things moving. Hopefully they are not just out to play a few shows but are back working on a new album. Anyway, here are the dates. I hope that they are stopping by somewhere close to you.
Date - Time - Venue - City
Oct 7 2007 - 7:15P - BayFest - Mobile, Alabama
Oct 18 2007 - 10:00P - 9:30 Club - Washington DC, Washington DC
Oct 19 2007 - 8:00P - Keswick Theatre - Glenside, Pennsylvania
Oct 20 2007 - 9:00P - Borgata Music Box - Atlantic City, New Jersey
Oct 21 2007 - 7:30P - Somerville Theatre - Somerville, Massachusetts
Oct 22 2007 - 8:00P - Highline Ballroom - New York, New York
Oct 27 2007 - 8:00P - Dream Catcher at Viejas - Alpine, California
Oct 28 2007 - 7:30P - The Grand Cabaret, Pala Hotel & Casino - Pala, California
Nov 7 2007 - 7:30P - Park West - Chicago, Illinois
Nov 8 2007 - 8:00P - Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort - Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Nov 10 2007 - 8:00P - The Pabst Theatre - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nov 11 2007 - 8:00P - The Fitzgerald Theatre - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Recently Discovered Songs - Top 10 Songs You Should Know Playlist
Lately I have been listening to a lot of music, most of which I never heard before. A lot of it has been from some of my favorite artists, but some have just been random songs that I have come across. I have been going through some old albums as well as some new ones and I decided to make a new playlist with some of my new favorites.
I would just like to make a note of Dishwalla, a band that I recently rediscovered and started to listen to them extensively. Know most for their classic radio hit, "Counting Blue Cars", they are a band that is much deeper then their one hit wonder status. If you happen to like "Coral Sky", which is in this playlist, I suggest you check out more of their latest album, which is self-titled. Some of my favorites from that album are "Above The Wreckage", "Collide" and "40 Stories". If your more of a fan of their older music you should definitely check out their Live... Greetings From The Flow State album. Well, that's it for this week. Hope you enjoyed it.
Top 10 Songs You Should Know - Week 20 - August 20-26 2007
1. Goo Goo Dolls - Big Machine
2. Dishwalla - Coral Sky
3. The Smashing Pumpkins - Neverlost
4. Big Head Todd and The Monsters - Bittersweet
5. Hootie & The Blowfish - Old Man & Me
6. Death Cab For Cutie - Photobooth
7. Better Than Ezra - Heaven
8. Depeche Mode - Policy Of Truth
9. Bush - Letting The Cables Sleep
10. The Wallflowers - Here In Pleasantville
Here's the link for the whole playlist: Recently Discovered Songs
Looking for more playlists? We've got plenty.