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.
this is a good start.. i don’t know if these are the best, but if you ask me, I don’t think I could ever come up with just 5. There are too many of them.
Lots of Cheeze on these lists … how about some Kool Kutting Edge Kutz?
wot about vanilla ice – ice ice baby
Yeah!!! What about Vanilla Ice? He was so fine back then and good beat to his music!!!
how about Far Behind by Candlebox amazing stuff
Don’t get me wrong this list is pretty good but….What about Spice girls and Backstreet boys… As I re-call they were Most popular
the hell ! u didn’t include Britney Spears’ Baby One More time. It was one of the best !
wow grew up in the 90s and almost forgot and the kick ass songs we had back then.. but yeah brittany spears was big and so was the spice girls and backstreet boy..
I Would have put Mariah Carey’s collaboration with Whitney Houston (“When You Believe”). Some others: “The Postman Song” (Stevie B), “Rush Rush” (Paula Abdul), “Don’t Speak” (No Doubt), “Semi-Charmed Life” (Third Eye Blind), “Un-Break My Heart” (Toni Braxton), and “Exhale” (Whitney Houston)…Those were all major pop songs.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!!!!!!!!
Agreed with “Don’t Speak” (No Doubt), “Semi-Charmed Life” (Third Eye Blind), and “Hey Jealousy” (Gin Blossoms)
Not too bad. My number one concern is–where are the bleesed Gin Blossoms?! You can’t leave Hey Jealousy off the ’93 list. Also, I would put “All I Want” by Toad the Wet Sprocket on ’91.
I’ll give you props for just making the list, but I’d really say that you’d have to really give a dedication of at least 20 songs to each year to even come CLOSE to … tapping the hits that WERE the 90′s…I mean these days all we have are the synthesized, hype-y, sell-out crap…I mean there are SOME good songs these days, but it’s nothing like what came out of the 90′s…
But valiant effort nonetheless
WOW this is a terrible list. Most of these songs are terrible and I hated them in the 90′s. Where is Nirvana? Spice Girls? Jewel? Tori Amos?
You obviously didn’t get the 90′s at all. What the hell about Alanis Morisette, Sarah McLachlan and Merideth Brooks?
You skipped over all the actually good songs . . Will smith?
i was just searching for these songs… thnx a bunch..
no Grunge/Alternative rock?
Hello ummm how about Mmm Bop(idk what year but like mid-late 1990s-maybe ’96 or ’97 possibly?!) by the extraordinary boy-band Hanson??!! And what about All For You by Sister Hazel (from 1997)??? good start though, i love looking back at this and remembering songs that I grew up listening to (I was born in 1992).
these songs arn’t the best, but there good.
atleast you didn’t leave nirvana off the list…oh wait
if so many of you don’t like the list that he made, then why don’t you make your own. at least he has one. plus everyone is different, he said that this was his opinion.
Nirvana was overrated anyways. They only had one good song, and no great ones. Pearl Jam is by far better than they were.
you def. need to add all around the world by ATC everybody listened to that song ADD IT!!!
this list is jacked up!!!!????!!u really dont know music do u!!???!
Some songs on this list are ok but the rest are wack u need get up on your 90′s music becuase there were songs that came out that were waaaaaayyy..better than some of those songs
Great list – comprehensive and reflective of your taste. I don’t understand the bashers on here who are forgetting that it is an opinion blog and criticize with poor spelling.
Check out this quiz all you fans –
http://zone.msn.com/en/celebtrivia/90smusic_default.htm?gt1=29000
-World Series-
OK seriously there are good songs that spark many memories! A great list indeed..thanks for your opinon..and I agree with a previous comment Get off this guys back its his list, his opinion, of how the 90s songs…so if you all have a problem just go make your own list:-)
guys i am trying to find this group Dont turn your back yeah baby yeah i miss you i want you i need you so dont turn your backyeah baby theres a feeling inside i want you to know that i cant let you goo . who sang that song i think it was in the 90′s please tell me
Roy, the band you’re looking for is BBMak. The song is called “Back Here.” One of my favorites.
Here I am
So alone
And there’s nothing in this world I can do
Until you’re back here baby
I miss you, I want you, I need you so
Until you’re back here baby, yeah
There’s a feeling inside I want you to know
You are the one
And I can’t let you go
Hanson – mmmbop, no way that can’t be on the list
Deff. don’t forget Sugar Ray and Third Eye Blind. & Sublime.
yep
There are some really good songs that aren’t on here but this is your list of songs that you liked and a few on here that I forgot about and enjoyed back in the day thanks!
Does anyone know the name of a song Pump It! (Nice & Hard) Sounds dirty but the song is about a girl who’s at a club and ends up with a “Nerd” whom she thinks cant dance and he floors her with his moves. Ummm I am trying to think of the lyrics. He name or band use to have Blue?? She was a blonde girl…. I cant remember the song damn it!
Song begins with: Pump It , Pump It, Get up on this, pump it pump it!
He said his name was merver, merve was a nerd but I said what the heck!
Anyone, clues, Ideas would be great!
hey i’m not trying to be mean or anything but u guys are being aholes to this poor guy if you would’ve read it correctly these were his memories and i think most of these songs are ok and if your gonna be mean about then don’t get on here ……….whoever made this “rock” and ignore mean people because “MEAN PEOPLE ARE MEAN”
{ on (Shelly’s) Anna Farris bumper sticker from “The House Bunny”}
Wheres the Chuka Deemus and Pliers????
Not a bad list reminded me of a couple of songs back in the day that im off to d/l now lol
i hate her nd her songs and she is also very ugly. ; p
how bout the thong song by cisco, mambo #5, the macarena, savage garden, that god awful party of 5 song, Cher, Celine Dion with “my heart will go on”, Rob Zombie was a huge hit, what is love by haddaway, waterfalls by tlc, eminem, enigma “return to innocence”, selena, jlo, whoomp! there it is!, everybody dance now! by c+c music factory, unbelievable by emf, baby got back, AQUA with the Barbie song!, it’s a beautiful life ace of base, tubthumping by chumbawumba, be my lover by la bouche, scatman by scatman john, cotton eyed joe by rednex, bad boys by innercircle, the humpty dance, Shaggy with it wasn’t me and you’re my angel, salt n peppa push it, baha men who let the dogs out, creed, gettin jiggy with it by will smith, the rockafeller skank by fatboy slim, kernkraft 400, darude by sandstorm, blue by Eiffel 65, I love you always forever by Donna Lewis…. just more songs
oh! and the catwalk yeah the catwalk!
you know, the i’m too sexy song! lol
Thank you so much for taking the time and making this list. It brought back alot of memories. I forgot alot of this music and now I have a good start to finding it again for my collection.
Don’t forget about Aaliyah (RIP). She had a major hit in 1998 from the Dr. Doolittle soundtrack, the song Are You That Somebody? .
Thank you! Love it!
Sinead O’Conner – Nothing Compares (1990)
Spin Doctors – Two Princes (1993)
Hootie and The Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You (1994)
Deep Blue Something – Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1994)
Live – Selling the Drama (1994)
Dave Matthews Band – Ants Marching (1994)
Semisonic – Closing Time (1998)
wow, this list has a lot of crappy, dated pop that most people would never listen to today. people forget that most 90s pop music was crap, and i think that’s why there has never been a 90s pop music nostalgia craze, similar to the 80s pop music nostalgia craze during the 90s. 80s pop aged better and didn’t sound as cheesy in the following decade. however, the rock music of the 90s was so, so great. but i’m wondering, where is MC Hammer or the Spice Girls for this list?
backstreet boys were they biggest band towards the end of the 90′s.but the list doesnn’t mention any song by them.it ok though.
thanks for the list. must have had some great memories. I was trying to find some songs from when I was in high school that I use to listen to in the car while driving around hanging out. I could have used some Train, Nirvana, Merideth Brooks, Alanis Morrsett, Matchbox 20, Presidents of the United States, and a couple others.. but your list is great too.
*glad I didn’t see Hanson on there. I was a Moffatt fan.* LOL I guess we all have our dorky stages in life… Kudos.
give credit where credit is due… lauryn hill made “killing me softly” hers and only hers. yeah the fugees were on the track and they were essentially a group together, but she made that song what it was and leaving her name off is just blasphemous
Here Is My List Of Popular 90′s Dance Songs
Get Ready For This – 2 Unlimited
No Limit – 2 Unlimited
Twilight Zone – 2 Unlimited
Baby Got Back – Sir Mix-A-Lot
Groove Is In The Heart – Deee-Lite
I’m Too Sexy – Right Said Fred
Humpty Dance – Digital Underground
Get Ready To Bounce – Brooklyn Bounce
Are You That Somebody – Aaliyah
Ghetto Supastar – Pras
Boriqua Anthem – C&C Music Factory
Gonna Make You Sweat – C&C Music Factory
Here We Go – C&C Music Factory
My Lovin’ – En Vogue
Shoop – Salt N’ Pepa
Whatta Man – Salt N’ Pepa
100% Pure Love – Crystal Waters
Everybody Everybody – Black Box
Strike It Up – Black Box
All that She Wants – Ace Of Base
Beautiful Life – Ace Of Base
Cruel Summer – Ace Of Bace
The Sign – Ace Of Base
Everybody’s Free – Rozalla
I’m Gonna Get You – Bizzare Inc.
More And More – Captain Hollywood Project
Let’s Get Ready To Rumble – Espn Jock Jams
Cotton Eyed Joe – Rednex
Macarena – Los Del Rio
C’mon & Ride It (The Train) – Quad City Dj’s
I Like To Move It – Reel To Reel
I Like It Like That – Blackout Allstars
Come Baby Come – K7
Here Comes The Hotstepper – Ini Kamoze
Cantaloop – Us3
1,2,3,4 – Coolio
Fantastic Voyage – Coolio
Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
Be My Lover – La Bouche
Sweet Dreams – La Bouche
Tonight Is The Night – Le Click
Lick It – Roula
Set U Free – Planet Soul
Can You Feel It – 3rd Party
When I Fall In Love – Lil Suzy
Not Tonight – Lil Kim
Dreamer – Livin Joy
Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Nicki French
Do You Miss Me – Jocelyn Enriquez
Gimme Some Lovin – Gina G.
Ooh Aah…Just A Little Bit – Gina G.
One More Night – Amber
This Is Your Night – Amber
Mr. Vain – Culture Beat
Take Me Away – Culture Beat
Superhero – Daze
Jellyhead – Crush
What’s Up – Dj Miko
My Boo – Ghost Town Dj’s
Stomp – God’s Property
Déjà Vu, Uptown Baby – Lord Tarif
I Love You Always Forever – Donna Lewis
Boom, Boom, Boom – Outhere Brothers
Da Dip – Freak Nasty
How Bizarre – Omc
Return Of The Mack – Mark Morrison
Coco Jamboo – Mr. President
Stayin’ Alive – N-Trance
Do Ya Think I’m Sexy – N-Trance
Another Night – Real Mccoy
Automatic Lover – Real Mccoy
Come And Get Your Love – Real Mccoy
Run Away – Real Mccoy
Love For Love – Robin S.
Show Me Love – Robin S.
Raise The Roof – Luke
Baby Baby – Corona
Rhythm Of The Night – Corona
Crush – Jennifer Paige
Get Away – Maxx
The Hitman – Ab Logic
Connected – Stereo Mc’s
Emotions – Mariah Carey
Fantasy – Mariah Carey
Everybody (Backstreets Back) – Backstreet Boys
Quit Playing Games – Backstreet Boys
Everlasting Love – Gloria Estefan
Heaven’s What I Feel – Gloria Estefan
Turn The Beat Around – Gloria Estefan
Intergalactic – Beastie Boys
Give It Up – Goodmen
Finally – Ce Ce Peniston
Good Vibrations – Marky Mark
What Is Love – Haddaway
I’ve Been Thinking About You – Londonbeat
Feels So Good – Mase
Top Of The World – Mase
Getting Jiggy With It – Will Smith
Men In Black – Will Smith
Miami – Will Smith
Fatboy – Max-A-Million
Sexual Healing – Max-A-Million
Take Your Time (Do It Right) – Max-A-Million
Breaking All The Rules – She Moves
Jump Around – House Of Pain
Let Me Clear My Throat – Dj Kool
Rump Shaker – Wrecks N Effect
Now That We Found Love – Heavy D
Killing Me Softly – Fugees
Doo Wop – Lauryn Hill
U Can’t Touch This – Mc Hammer
Luv Me Luv Me – Shaggy
No Diggity – Blackstreet
Take Me There – Blackstreet
What’s My Name – Snoop Doggy Dog
Been Around The World – Puff Daddy
Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down – Puff Daddy
I’ll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy
Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
Get Up – Technotronic
Move This – Technotronic
Pump Up The Jam – Technotronic
Supermodel – Rupaul
Rhythm Is A Dancer – Snap
The Power – Snap
I’m Every Woman – Whitney Houston
This Is How We Do It – Montell Jordan
Go Deep – Janet Jackson
Together Again – Janet Jackson
Rhythm Of Love – Dj Company
California Love – 2 Pac
Tootsie Roll – 69 Boyz
Goin Back To Cali – Notorious Big
Mo Money Mo Problems – Notorious Big
One More Chance – Notorious Big
Still Not A Prayer – Big Punisher
O.P.P. – Naughty By Nature
Hip Hop Horay – Naughty By Nature
Too Close – Next
Barbie Girl – Aqua
Say You’ll Be There – Spice Girls
Spice Up Your Life – Spice Girls
Wannabe – Spice Girls
I Want You Back – Nsync
Tearin Up My Heart – Nsync
Whoomp! (There It Is) – Tag Team
Ray Of Light – Madonna
Vogue – Madonna
Touch It – Monifah
Where Do You Go – No Mercy
While some of the music sure is not by alot of people’s standards a “hit”, or even a good song, to some people ( I was born in 84, and remember this music the most), it is a great joy to see all the lists of songs posted on here, and I want to thank everyone, especially Mark Trezise for enlightening me on either the name of the song, or the artist, which I forgot, and I once enjoyed!!! Thanks a ton everyone, great memories came flooding back!!!
1,2,3,4 – Coolio
100% Pure Love – Crystal Waters
All That She Wants – Ace Of Base
Another Night – Real Mccoy
Are You That Somebody – Aaliyah
Automatic Lover – Real Mccoy
Baby Baby – Corona
Baby Got Back – Sir Mix-A-Lot
Back And Forth – Aaliyah
Barbie Girl – Aqua
Be My Lover – La Bouche
Beautiful Life – Ace Of Base
Been Around The World – Puff Daddy
Boom, Boom, Boom – Outhere Brothers
Boriqua Anthem – C&C Music Factory
Breaking All The Rules – She Moves
C’mon & Ride It (The Train) – Quad City Dj’s
California Love – 2 Pac
Can You Feel It – 3rd Party
Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down – Puff Daddy
Cantaloop – Us3
Coco Jamboo – Mr. President
Come And Get Your Love – Real Mccoy
Come Baby Come – K7
Connected – Stereo Mc’s
Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex
Cruel Summer – Ace Of Base
Crush – Jennifer Paige
Da’ Dip – Freak Nasty
Dazzey Dukes – Dulce
Dear Mama – 2 Pac
Déjà Vu, Uptown Baby – Lord Tarif
Do Ya Think I’m Sexy – N-Trance
Do You Miss Me – Jocelyn Enriquez
Don’t Stop Movin’ – Livin’ Joy
Doo Wop – Lauryn Hill
Dreamer – Livin’ Joy
Emotions – Mariah Carey
Escapede – Janet Jackson
Everlasting Love – Gloria Estefan
Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Backstreet Boys
Everybody Everybody – Black Box
Everybody’s Free – Rozalla
Fantastic Voyage – Coolio
Fantasy – Mariah Carey
Fatboy – Max-A-Million
Feels So Good – Mase
Finally – Ce Ce Peniston
Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
Get Away – Maxx
Get Ready For This – 2 Unlimited
Get Ready To Bounce – Brooklyn Bounce
Get Up – Technotronic
Getting’ Jiggy With It – Will Smith
Ghetto Supastar – Pras
Gimmie Some Love – Gina G.
Give It Up – Goodmen
Go Deep – Janet Jackson
Goin Back To Cali – Notorious Big
Gonna Make You Sweat – C&C Music Factory
Good Vibrations – Marky Mark
Groove Is In The Heart – Deee-Lite
Heaven’s What I Feel – Gloria Estefan
Here Comes The Hotstepper – Ini Kamoze
Here We Go – C&C Music Factory
Hip Hop Hooray – Naughty By Nature
How Bizarre – Omc
Humpty Dance – Digital Underground
I Get Lonely – Janet Jackson
I Like It Like That – Blackout Allstars
I Like To Move It – Reel To Reel
I Love You Always Forever – Donna Lewis
I Want You Back – Nsync
I’ll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy
I’m Every Woman – Whitney Houston
I’m Gonna Get You – Bizzare Inc.
I’m Too Sexy – Right Said Fred
I’ve Been Thinking About You – Londonbeat
Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
Informer – Snow
Intergalactic – Beastie Boys
Jellyhead – Crush
Jump – Kris Kross
Jump Around – House Of Pain
Killing Me Softly – Fugees
Let Me Clear My Throat – Dj Kool
Let’s Get Ready To Rumble – Espn Jock Jams
Lick It – Roula
Love For Love – Robin S.
Luv Me Luv Me – Shaggy
Macarena – Los Del Rio
Men In Black – Will Smith
Miami – Will Smith
Mo Money, Mo Problems – Notorious Big
More And More – Captain Hollywood Project
Move It Like This – K7
Move This – Technotronic
Mr. Vain – Culture Beat
My Boo – Ghost Town Dj’s
My Lovin’ – En Vogue
No Diggity – Blackstreet
No Limit – 2 Unlimited
Not Tonight – Lil’ Kim
Now That We Found Love – Heavy D
O.P.P. – Naughty By Nature
One More Chance – Notorious Big
One More Night – Amber
Ooh Aah…Just A Little Bit – Gina G.
Pump Up The Jam – Technotronic
Quit Playing Games – Backstreet Boys
Raise The Roof – Luke
Ray Of Light – Madonna
Ready To Go – Republica
Return Of The Mack – Mark Morrison
Rhythm Is A Dancer – Snap
Rhythm Of Love – Dj Company
Rhythm Of The Night – Corona
Rump Shaker – Wrecks N Effect
Run Away – Real Mccoy
Say You’ll Be There – Spice Girls
Set U Free – Planet Soul
Sexual Healing – Max-A-Million
Shoop – Salt N’ Pepa
Short Short Man – 20 Fingers
Show Me Love – Robin S.
Spice Up Your Life – Spice Girls
Stayin’ Alive – N-Trance
Still Not A Prayer – Big Punisher
Stomp – God’s Property
Strike It Up – Black Box
Superhero – Daze
Supermodel – Rupaul
Sweet Dreams – La Bouche
Take Me Away – Culture Beat
Take Me There – Blackstreet
Take Your Time (Do It Right) – Max-A-Million
Tearin’ Up My Heart – Nsync
The Hitman – Ab Logic
The Power – Snap
The Sign – Ace Of Base
This Is How We Do It – Montell Jordan
This Is Your Night – Amber
Together Again – Janet Jackson
Tonight Is The Night – Le Click
Too Close – Next
Tootsie Roll – 69 Boyz
Top Of The World – Mase
Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Nicki French
Touch It – Montifah
Turn The Beat Around – Gloria Estefan
Twilight Zone – 2 Unlimited
U Can’t Touch This – M.C. Hammer
Vogue – Madonna
Wannabe – Spice Girls
What Is Love – Haddaway
What’s My Name – Snoop Doggy Dog
What’s Up – Dj Miko
Whatta Man – Salt N’ Pepa
When I Fall In Love – Lil’ Suzy
Where Do You Go – No Mercy
Whoomp! (There It Is) – Tag Team