The Top 200 Songs of the 1990s (according to Issun, no repeats)

[Issun]

The 1990s are almost a quarter century old and 90s music afficionado Issun is here to clue in the younguns on this forum about what was cool and hip in the olden days. I'll be posting one video a day until we go from 200 to 1 and no repeat artists (unless said artists collaborated on something else that's fair game.

Day one, song 200 is that song what everyone hears when their sports team is down in the 25th inning but I first heard it at a goth club in 2002 where I felt uncomfortable wearing cargo pants. Give it up for Kenrkraft 400.

 

[Kirin]

The 1990s are almost a quarter century old

Way to start on a jump-scare, geez.

Anyway I missed a lot of 90s stuff because contrary to being too young I was just kinda disconnected from pop culture during college and grad school, so, looking forward to filling in some gaps!

 

[Issun]

#199
"There She Goes" is a cover by Sixpence None the Richer (mostly known for the song "Kiss Me" from the same album) of a 1990 song by The La's that, I'm given to understand, is actually about the effects of heroin maybe.

 

[Issun]

#198
Oh man, somehow I forgot to put "Ninja Rap" at #1. Oh well, too late now. You know what this is. Go ninja go ninja go!

 

[Ixo]

The 1990s are almost a quarter century old and 90s music afficionado Issun is here to clue in the younguns on this forum about what was cool and hip in the olden days. I'll be posting one video a day until we go from 200 to 1 and no repeat artists (unless said artists collaborated on something else that's fair game.

Day one, song 200 is that song what everyone hears when their sports team is down in the 25th inning but I first heard it at a goth club in 2002 where I felt uncomfortable wearing cargo pants. Give it up for Kenrkraft 400.

 

[Issun]

Man, it's be interesting to find out the story about how that became Kernkraft 400.

Anyways, on to #197

"Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus may be one of those you had to be there songs, I dunno. It's still catchy, so won't you listen to Iron Maide baby with me?

 

[Issun]

Beyonce would go on to become one of the only two superstars of the 21st Century along with Taylor Swift, but at the turn of the century she was still part of Destiny's Child, whose pre-21st century jam was definitely #196 "Bills Bills Bills"

Also I'm pretty sure that's Anthony Mackie in the video but I have no proof from internet research.

 

[Issun]

Remember the late 1990s, when ska was all the rage? If not, then #195, "The Impression That I Get" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones will remind you.

 

[Issun]

It's difficult to imagine trying to explain to someone who wasn't yet alive in 1997 what a cultural phenomenon Titanic was, in a way no film has been since. Even the LotR trilogy didn't reach this level of saturation. And, of course, that means it's theme song, #194: "My Heart Will Go On" was absolutely everywhere. They even had the version with dialogue from the movie, which of course lent itself to parody versions using dialogue from everything from Seinfeld to (then brand-new show) South Park. It was so overexposed it became a punchline. But listen now and yeah, it's schmaltzy but man can Celine Dion knock out a melodramatic ballad.

 

[Kirin]

Celine definitely has some pipes, but I just can't bring myself to click that link. I heard enough of the song in 1997, even on my relatively low media consumption at the time.

 

[Falselogic]

Remember the late 1990s, when ska was all the rage? If not, then #195, "The Impression That I Get" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones will remind you.

This song still slaps. Ska will always be great.

 

[Issun]

#193 "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger is pretty pretentious for late 90s alt pop, but man, that hook, not to mention the coda. I'll forgive an "I don't even own a TV" flex for that.

 

[WildcatJF]

Harvey Danger had some of my favorite lyrics, altho this was the only song that ever got radio play. If I may indulge in a bit of "top 5 Harvey Danger songs most people haven't heard but should":

 

[Issun]

Thanks for the extra HD tracks, WC! I definitely need to listen to the King James Version album.

 

[Issun]

Also also: I just learned that Teenage Dirtbag was from the year 2000, despite me always assuming it came out in 1999. Whatever, it's a 1999 ass track if ever there was one so it gets to be the honorary 1990s song on this list.

 

[Kirin]

#193 "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger is pretty pretentious for late 90s alt pop, but man, that hook, not to mention the coda. I'll forgive an "I don't even own a TV" flex for that.

Oh this song is... that song. And also that one.

There's a ton of stuff from the 90s, especially one-hits, that I know from general osmosis but never even had any idea who I was listening to, much less the actual song titles. Good to put some names and faces to things in my head.

 

[Issun]

The Gin Blossoms were not one of the cutting edge bands of the early 90s, and that's okay. They played wistful, mopey alt rock the best way they knew how, and sometimes that's enough. Anyways, I owned a cassette single of #192 "Hey Jealousy" and listened to it a fair bit in 1994.

 

[Ixo]

Also also: I just learned that Teenage Dirtbag was from the year 2000, despite me always assuming it came out in 1999. Whatever, it's a 1999 ass track if ever there was one so it gets to be the honorary 1990s song on this list.

It's kind of like how I'm always surprised that Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars came out in '88, which means What I Am gets honorary 90's song status too. Edie ahead of her time is all.

 

[Issun]

#191, "Ghetto Superstar" is one of the great team-ups of the decade. Pras of The Fugees joining with ODB and Mya produced a hell of a track. And if you're of a certain age, the melody might recall this song more than Islands in the Stream.

 

[Issun]

Dropkick Murphys were just getting going in the late 90s, but they were already bringing the union anthems, as #190, "Finnegan's Wake" shows.

 

[Issun]

Here we have our first of many PNW stars of the era, as well as our first deceased star of same. It's weird, there was some asshole who used to come into the store I worked at where a close friend and coworker insisted he was lead singer Mark Lanigan. Then Lanigan died 2 years ago in Ireland so it was clearly not him, but I never got to lord that over my friend. The last time I saw him he was clearly struggling and then last July he passed away, devastating me and my entire family.

Sorry to be such a downer, but sometimes art and life are linked inextricably. Here's #189 "Nearly Lost You" by The Screaming Trees.

 

[Issun]

Michael Franti & Spearhead took a long time to gain real popularity, but one of their first songs is also one of their best, telling a story about every day ethical quandries with a neat twist at the end. #188 "Hole in the Bucket".

 

[Issun]

Talk about a song that grows on you. When it came out, I thought I was too cool for #187 "Truly Madly Deeply" but it actually is a pretty good slow-jam. If you're pushing 40 this probably reminds you of the days of middle school dances.

 

[Olli]

#191, "Ghetto Superstar" is one of the great team-ups of the decade. Pras of The Fugees joining with ODB and Mya produced a hell of a track. And if you're of a certain age, the melody might recall this song more than Islands in the Stream.

Heck yeah. This is my jam. RIP Ol' Dirty.

 

[zonetrope]

I always preferred "I Want You," because it's uptempo and synthy, but that Savage Garden album was one of my junior high staples and I have the whole thing memorized.

 

[Issun]

I always preferred "I Want You," because it's uptempo and synthy, but that Savage Garden album was one of my junior high staples and I have the whole thing memorized.

Honestly, I probably should have gone with "To the Moon and Back" here, but it's locked in now. Anyhoo, while she was clearly borrowing from Sheryl Crow and Alanis Morisette, it took until pushing 40 for Meredith Brooks to get a hit, and what better hit than the feminist anthem, #186 "Bitch".

 

[Issun]

Matchbox Twenty is a band that I've grown to appreciate more over time, though #185 "3AM" was one of the first of their songs I started liking early on.

 

[Kirin]

If you're pushing 40 this probably reminds you of the days of middle school dances.

Unfortunately I'm well past pushing, so this was well past middle school and mostly passed me by, but it got enough play that I recognize the chorus.
TBH as a very late-blooming nerd, I wouldn't have appreciated it much in middle school anyway. Or high school for that matter.

 

[Issun]

#184 "Closing Time" by Semisonic is another of those late 90s one-hits that nearly everyone's heard. You can probably still remember some of the lyrics I bet.

 

[Issun]

Yes, U Can't Touch This was MC Hammer's most iconic track, but I think #183 "2 Legit 2 Quit" is more fun.