Best Hit Songs of the 90s

THE 90s! The music of the '90s had so much to offer, not just in quantity but in quality and diversity too. While the first two to three years of the decade started out a bit stale, they more than made up for it in the rest of the years following. As musicians and labels struggled to find a new sound outside of the dying '80s style new artists emerged and created a sound of their own and burst into the scene. Bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam changed the rock scene. Artists like Green Day and Weezer were doing their thing outside of that scene. Closing out the decade we saw the rise of pop megastars Britney Spears and NSYNC alongside Backstreet Boys. Other artists would rise in their respective genres too like Garth Brooks, Gwen Stefani with No Doubt, Daft Punk, Dr. Dre, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, and a hundred others. To me, a lot of these songs and artists have a special place in my heart. Growing up hearing a lot of these songs on the radio, on CDs, and on MTV helped grow my love of music (eventually). Now I can go back and listen to these songs and appreciate them in a new way or just feel nostalgic. So I'd like to talk about my favorite hit songs of the decade and the great artists that made them. The keyword there is "hit", so no indie songs that weren't on the radio or no one heard. 

Special Mentions

(1997) Shania Twain - "Man! I Feel Like a Woman"

It's hard not to love Shania Twain, a sentiment most people agreed back then. She was one of the most popular country stars of the decade and released best-selling albums back to back to back (to back). While one could argue what her most iconic song is, I always found myself coming back to this one. Even as a kid I adored this song, even though my music taste was questionable... I still agree with kid me on this one, it's a great song. 

(1994) TLC - "Waterfalls"

That video where the members turn into weird water creatures? Yes, that one. Most of the songs on this list have iconic music videos, but this one has that one specific burned into my brain (the bad 90s special effects might be a part of that). The song itself is still as catchy as it was 25+ years ago... god I'm old. Existential crisis aside, the song has aged like a nice wine. I never realized how important the bass is to this song until I listened to it recently. The bass does some beautiful things to really make this song stand out musically. The vocals are great as well, they have a nice relaxing quality to them for most of the run-time until around the end when the rap comes in. Lisa "left eye" Lopes was really great and I love her unique voice, fits in perfectly in this song. TLC had plenty of other great songs, so if you've been missing out then go listen. 

(1991) U2 - "One"

By the 90s, U2 had early become one of the biggest rock bands in the world. They're a band that has so many hit songs, you could put an argument for many of them being their true signature song. Not only is "One" one of the best U2 songs ever made, but the album it came from, "Achtung Baby", is one of the best rock albums of the 90s. 

(1994) Weezer - "Say it Ain't So"

This song and I have a long history, one that doesn't currently look too good. At one point I could've had this one up pretty high on my top 10 list, but the years have not been kind. I'm not sure if it's overplayed or just me souring on this song specifically, but it just doesn't hit the way it used to. I still feel like it deserves a mention at least, it's still a pretty great song despite all that. Weezer themselves have stuck around this whole time with varying degrees of success. Maybe one day I'll turn back around on this, but for now... not quite in the top 10. Shoutout to "Pinkerton" though, still one of my favorite albums. 

(1999) Britney Spears - "...Baby One More Time"

If I was judging this list based on just how catchy the song is then this would probably be the number one song. The thing that really pushed this song to the top 10 was the bridge, which I feel is one of the best of any song I've ever heard. I'm not sure what it is, but the melody and build-up to that final chorus is like magic. Knowing what we know about Britney today, I only wish she could have been treated better as a child star and someone who grew up in the music industry. Her talent shines through here and it's easy to see why so many fell in love with her music to instantly make her a star. From the iconic piano intro to the iconic "Hit me baby one more time" line, it all just worked. 

(1998) Ms. Lauryn Hill - "Ex-Factor"

Lauryn Hill dropped one of the most beloved albums of the 90s and then never made another album again. Her career was always kind of left with a "what if" hanging in the air. "Ex-Factor" is my favorite from the album, but I could see any one of the songs from that album being someone's favorite. It's just that good.  

(1999) Lou Bega -  "Mambo No. 5"

What?

(1995) Montell Jordan - "This Is How We Do It"

One of the catchiest songs of the decade is still pretty damn popular 30 years later. That's because this song just feels timeless in its hip-hop and dance style. Sadly it's also the kind of song that's nearly impossible to replicate, so Montell himself couldn't replicate its success. That being said, he made one of the most recognizable songs of the last three decades, so I'd call that a pretty big deal. 

(1994) Nirvana - "Come As You Are"

It wouldn't be right having a list of best 90s songs without having Nirvana in it. There's plenty of great songs to pick from, but I've always had a soft spot for this song in particular. While not as iconic and game-changing as "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Come As You Are" I feel like is the better song overall. It's got the writing Kobain was known for alongside an iconic bass line that makes the song recognizable from the very first second. Nirvana completely changed the music scene at a time when it really needed some new blood, some youthful energy to really take it to new places. For that, they will always be remembered. 

(1997) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - "The Impression That I Get"

I couldn't NOT mention at least one of the great bands from the ska revival of the 90s. Well, I guess technically there is one on my list coming up, but it's a little different than this style of all-out wackiness that was ska in the 90s. If the entire band isn't wearing suits then you're doing wrong. To be slightly more serious though, this band meant a lot to the scene not just in the 90s but pretty much every decade after. While ska itself isn't as big as it was back then, it never did go away. Bands like this stuck around making great music and inspiring other ska bands to be created. It was just a few days ago the Might Mighty Bosstones decided to finally call it quits, and I just wanted to shout them out here for being awesome for as long as I've lived. 

Top 10 (No Order)

(1999) Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Scar Tissue"

Right at the end of the decade came an album that was pretty much a perfect send-off to the last 5-6 years of alt-rock made popular by bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers themselves. RHCP had been around before all of that started, but didn't really explode until their 1991 album "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". They floundered a bit through the mid-90s as they tried to maintain the success they found from hits like "Under the Bridge" and "Give it Away". Then, in 1999 they released what many feels is one of the best rock albums of the 90s named "Californication". The album is full of hits and it really cemented RHCP as one of the biggest bands in the world. There's an argument to be had about what the standout track from "Californication" is, but for me it's always been "Scar Tissue". Every single second of the song just feels memorable. From the lyrics and melodies to the guitar solos, and of course Flea and his legendary bass playing. It's one of the best rock songs of all time, let alone the 90s. 

(1996) Fiona Apple - "Criminal"

An artist who quickly became a huge name in music (to a lesser extent than Britney, but still) was Fiona Apple. Just like Britney Spears, she was only 18 when her first album came out and it was a huge success for her and for music in general. Even at 18, her music felt incredibly mature and ground-breaking. The video was pretty controversial at the time of release because of its imagery, lots of half-naked shots of the young Fiona. The song itself is all about Fiona's guilt about cheating on her partner by sleeping with another person. Fiona went on to win many awards for this song and the album it was from, and to this day is still releasing great albums. 

(1995) Coolio - "Gangsta's Paradise"

Some people remember this song from the film "Dangerous Minds", a film that was not very good. But it was a part of this song's rise to fame so for that, I'd give it a pass. Coolio brought a very honest look at life in the ghetto, or more specifically being a part of a gang. The things he does to survive don't bring him any joy, and he doesn't know if he's going to be alive much longer the way things are going. It's an eye-opening message backed by a powerful chorus by singer LV. The song heavily samples a Stevie Wonder song called "Pastime Paradise", which is a fantastic song on its own. "Gangsta's Paradise" is still one of the most iconic rap songs ever made, possibly outside of that genre too. 

(1994) Green Day - "Welcome To Paradise"

To say that Green Day changed rock music with this album (Dookie) would be an understatement. While this might not be the most famous song from this album (Basket Case would be that), it is my favorite from the album. Green Day has been one of my favorite bands since I was about 12 and I think they had one of the best runs any band has ever had, especially those 1994-2004 albums. "Welcome to Paradise" always stood out because of the energy and lyrics that Green Day became famous for. The bridge in particular stands out with the bass and guitar gradually speeding up until it explodes into the final verse and chorus. It works on every level. 

(1996) Fugees - "Killing Me Softly With His Song"

Lauryn Hill was one of the most loved artists in the 90s and it's pretty easy to see why. Before she went solo to make her groundbreaking album "Miseducation", she was part of the Fugees. Alongside Pras and Wyclef Jean who became huge names in their own right, they changed the music scene in the short time they were together. With the megahit "Killing Me Softly With His Song" it was clear that Lauryn Hill had the potential to be a huge star. Her talent is undeniable, as she beautifully carries this song with her vocals and the iconic melodies. I feel like I've been saying this a lot in this post, but the basslines in this song are freaking fantastic. Lauryn did go on to release her award-winning solo record, but sadly it was the first and last record she would ever release. Unless you count her live album which... is better left forgotten. 

(1998) New Radicals - "You Get What You Give"

This song is kinda cheesy, but I love it so much. It has some stellar melodies and it just gives off really fun and happy vibes. The band was pretty underrated in my opinion, considering they only released one album and just had this one big hit. The album is pretty solid and worth a listen, it makes me wonder why they never tried to make more. The lead singer, Gregg Alexander, would go on to write songs for lots of big artists like Santana, Hanson, and Enrique Iglesias (remember him?). I don't think any of those other songs really compare to his best song "You Get What You Give" though, at least the ones I heard anyway. He did write "Game of Love" for Santana, which is another song I really like. 

(1995) No Doubt - "Don't Speak"

No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom is one of the best albums of the decade, and "Don't Speak" was the standout track. It stood out for two main reasons in my opinion: the iconic melody and how different it was from anything Gwen Stefani and No Doubt had put out at this point. The band was a part of the ska revival of the 90s, and they were very popular in the scene up to this point. Their 1995 album "Tragic Kingdom" not only pushed them to the top of that genre but also into pop success. Gwen would eventually go out on her own and find lots of solo success. But before that No Doubt had plenty of other hits to keep them in the spotlight past the 90s. "Don't Speak" was written by Gwen and her brother, originally supposed to be a lot more cute and upbeat. Gwen's breakup with the bass player Tony ended up causing the shift in the song's mood to a more sad one. It's impossible to know if the original would've been as big of a hit, but it's hard to imagine it being better than the version we ended up with. If you're curious actually, you can find a sample of the original version on youtube. 

(1995) Alanis Morrisette - "You Oughta Know"

Alanis' first big album was not only one of the best rock albums of the 90s but also one of the best-selling albums of the entire decade (3rd overall). This album no doubt inspired tons of artists to bring out the same style of raw, honest rock music. "You Oughta Know" is one of the two big hits from this album (Ironic being the other). In the song, Alanis expresses her honest feelings about a recent breakup, the hurt she feels, and the jealousy about how fast he's moved on. The song also features 90s music legends Flea and Dave Navarro on Bass and Guitar, elevating the song to iconic levels. Even with them, Alanis' lyrics and vocals are still the standout part of the song, because of the emotion and clear message she's trying to send to her ex. She has a very raw and angry sound to her voice that makes it very clear what she's feeling. I think that was always the appeal with this album, the honesty that came with Alanis, and how she puts her emotions on display. Sadly she never found the same success on future albums, but she'll always have "Jagged Little Pill" as one of the most influential albums of all time on her resume. 

(1997) Third Eye Blind - "Semi-Charmed Life"

Third Eye Blind popped into the music scene in 1997 with their self-titled debut album. They found instant success with their unique style of alt-rock with songs like "Semi-Charmed Life" that have fun riffs and catchy melodies that get stuck in your head for days. Lead singer Stephen Jenkins has a knack for writing witty lyrics and earworm melodies, especially if they are about drugs apparently. It's pretty easy to see why this song was a huge success though, it's a perfect song for the radio. That and, as I said before, it's dangerously catchy. Stephen Jenkins would go on to screw over all of his bandmates and still make some pretty good music despite being kind of a douche. 

(1995) The Smashing Pumpkins - "1979"

This is the song. The song that, to me, takes me back to the 90s more than any other song. I guess it is funny that a song called "1979" would do that. In my opinion, this song is perfection and whenever I think about all of the great music of the 90s, this song always comes to mind first. Honestly, I'm not even a huge fan of Smashing Pumpkins as a band, for some reason I could never really get fully into them. This song is an anomaly because despite my feelings towards the band I still think it's one of the greatest songs ever made. I guess that's not too abnormal, there are plenty of bands that only have one song I like. I feel like I can't really explain why I love this song so much though. I think it's just how everything comes together. The guitars and bass carry the song with a really melancholy sound, which I find very relaxing in a strange way. The vocals are pretty understated until the chorus where Billy adds a bit of energy and power, and I really like that too. There's just something about it all that puts me in a really interesting mood.