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. “Bittersweet 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.
Great post, thank you so much!
No Guns N’ Roses?
great list, although I have to agree with anonymous above that the absence of GNR is surprising. i’d suggest november rain take it’s rightful spot in 1992 (i don’t mind which of song is booted as long as it’s not Jeremy)
pearl jam blows nirvana is way better pretty accurate list though there is tones more but pretty good i would have to say kurt and his band owned the 90′s invented grunge to damn bad he still not here today fame can do that too ya and drugs of coarse
where is the butthole surfers lol
Great songs, I know this comment is late, but still, really great songs. all of them.
Hells yes it’s more popular than the pop list. When I was little I didn’t even think of most of these as being “rock” but I guess so. The point is, this list contains songs I actually liked as a child growing up in the 90′s. Thanks!
(Although I’m still wondering why the f*ck no list has had Alanis Morisette or Sarah McLachlan on it!)
Axel is a lil B.
Also, its alternative rock.
GREAT LIST!! I dont care if you didnt list everything. The 90s had the best music and kudos to you for limiting yourself to 5 songs per year.
No Soul Asylum? Remember Runaway Train from 1992 along with Black Gold and Somebody to Shove? What about Misery in 1996? Good thing somebody remembers The Way by Fastball at least.
its head like a hog on the nine inch nails song,jus so ya know. not hole.
wonderwall is better than all them songs.
decent, what about fuel hemmorhage?
Hey. Hemorrhage (In My Hand) by Fuel is one of my favorites. It was released in 2000 though. Just missed the cut.
No Queensryche? ’90 was an amazing year for them.
The Toadies? The Offspring? Stone Temple Pilots? Creed?
aaaaagreed, not hatin on this at all
about a girl was off of nirvana’s debut album which was late 80′s. i realize unplugged was 94 but that song is technically an 80′s song
Great List. I would have put Van Halen – Right Now or GnR – November Rain over Jesus Jones though.
“the Freshman” is by Verve, not the Verve Pipe.
Were no strangers to love
You know the rules and so do i
A full commitments what Im thinking of
You wouldnt get this from any other guy
I just wanna tell you how Im feeling
Gotta make you understand
* never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you
Weve know each other for so long
Your hearts been aching
But youre too shy to say it
Inside we both know whats been going on
We know the game and were gonna play it
And if you ask me how Im feeling
Dont tell me youre too blind to see
(* repeat)
Give you up. give you up
Give you up, give you up
Never gonna give
Never gonna give, give you up
Never gonna give
Never gonna give, five you up
I just wanna tell you how Im feeling
Gotta make you understand
There’s a problem with this list of “rock” songs. You only listed 3 actual rock bands – Metallica, Alice in Chains, and AC/DC.
Dude, it is Head like a HOLE.
Head like a hole
black as your soul
i’d rather die,
than give you control.
Anyway, GREAT list. Love all these songs. I’m such a 90′s alt lover.
For 1997 you have:
2. “Push” by Matchbox Twenty
I’m sorry you lose! Matchbox Twenty is awful and always will be. A much better choice would have been “A semi-charmed kind of life” by Third Eye Blind.
What about Spacehog – In the Meantime?
Wow, that really brought me back. Now I’m going to go flush my head down the toilette.
Thanks.
I have to say, that list of 1994 is qustionable. According to my knowledge the top 3 Billboard rock songs of 1994 is,
1) Interstate Love Song – Stone Temple Pilots
2) Shine – Collective Soul
3) High Hopes – Pink Floyed
how come Pink Floyed and S.T.P. missing in that list ? what about Black hole sun by sound garden.
Then 1996 List,
No Alice in chains
No Sound Garden
No Metalica
No S.T.P. Along with Smashing Pumpkins these bands were nominated for best rock album and rock song at Grammy’s & American Music awards in 1996. How come they are missing ?
And the song Touch Peeling Stand by Days Of The New should be in the list for 1997.
ver disapointed about the list overall although 1992 & 1993 is quiet allright.
Thank You.
pubudu
To the person who made the fourth comment down from the top….Pearl Jam became the fastest selling band in 1993 when they relaesed their second album Vs. They sold 950,000copies in the first week. Technically they are a better band but in my opinion I also like Nirvana more
I count exactly 10 good songs. Out of 50.
What a s*** decade it was!
shite your name is right, you don’t know crap about music.
Real music died when 1999 ended.
You did a decent job on this list I think. Maybe the top 10 for each year would be better. Where’s Banditos by The Refreshments in ’96?
Anonymous dude that said the NIN song is head like a hog. You shouldn’t post if you don’t know what you are talking about. It’s “Head Like a Hole” from Pretty Hate Machine.
Agreed burny …
Where the hell is blur?
If you ask me Pearl Jam kills Nirvana! everyone thinks Nirvana and Kirt are the gods of Grunge but they aren’t. Really to me Nirvana is WAY over rated. But the list isn’t to bad i must say. And to the guy that said there are only 3 real rock bands on this list, shut up all of the bands are rock bands.
Seriously! this list is decent but could have listed some better bands. Bands such as Metallicrap could have stayed out. They lost their kick in the early 90′s before they had to sue napster over greediness. Third Eye Blind, Better Than Ezra, Collective Soul, Chumbawamba, Default, Days of the New, Gin Blossoms, Goo Goo Dolls, Harvey Danger, or even Green Day would have made the list a whole hell of a lot better…. Not even a mention of Toad the Wet Sprockets or Tonic?? shame shame shame..
I guess if you were only listening to pop music in the nineties on only one radio station, these are appropriate. However, there were a ton of genres and bands completely left off here!
This list is pretty good. Thanks!
Also, just wanted to mention that I hate it when people complain about a list based on somebody’s opinion. Rizzo says at the top “Disclaimer: These rankings are based on my personal preferences”!
good list overall. i’m surprised you were able to make a good list of songs for 1990, since hair bands were still big during that year, as well as the late-late 90s, when poppy boybands and teen queens took over the music landscape and GOOD rock (not that Korn or Limp Bizkit crap) was hard to come by. but i think Soundgarden, another one of the grunge pioneers, should have been included in one of those years.
This is one of the best lists on the web. Probably better than digital dream door’s.
Check my list out when you have a chance.
http://www.therockczar.com/rock-genre/top-20-90s-alternative-rock-bands