The Halftime Snack's 99 Favorite Songs of the 90's
The 1990’s was a decade bursting with momentous achievements. It saw the rise of the internet, the boom of cable television, and 6 NBA Titles for the Chicago Bulls. The 90’s also saw the spread of capitalism and social liberalization after the fall of the Soviet Union and reunification of Germany, allowing more spread of cultures throughout the world. These events and achievements shaped every aspect of life, but most noticeably in pop-culture and media.
Here at The Halftime Snack, the 90’s was mostly a decade of growth, both literally and figuratively. With the majority of us born in the 80’s, we were highly influenced by 90’s popular culture. In-between collecting JNCO jeans and hacky-sacking at lunch, we were tuning into MTV and the local radio. And so when it came to selecting our favorite songs from these formative years, you’ll notice a common trend… most of the songs were universally popular. There aren’t many B-side tracks or underground jams because frankly, we weren’t exposed to them. The songs on our list that are more on the periphery of the mainstream were the result of influence from cooler, older siblings or the discovery of these songs later in our lives. So, without further explanation and ado, we present The Halftime Snack’s 99 Favorite Songs of the 90’s.
99. "Santa Monica" Everclear, Sparkle and Fade (1995)
Starts with simple riff that slowly build s to something more anthemic and by the time the song’s half over, you’re busting out all the old dance moves. It's strange to like a song so much simply because it's beautifully structured, but it's sort of like great architecture, the more you look at it the more you appreciate the intricacies.
Favorite Lyrics: “I am still dreaming of your face
Hungry and hollow for all the things you took away
I don't want to be your good time
I don't want to be your fall-back crutch anymore”
98. “Big Pimpin’” JAY-Z feat. UGK, Volume 3… Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)
Fresh off the monster success of Vol. 2, JAY-Z didn't slow down with Volume 3. The best song from the album features southern rap legends UGK (Underground Kingz) and taught us if you want to be Big Pimpin', you better be ready to spend the cheese.
Favorite Lyrics: “Go read a book you illiterate son of a bitch and step up yo' vocab
Don't be surprised if yo' hoe stab, out with me
And you see us comin' down on yo' slab”
97. "All I Want" Toad the Wet Sprocket, fear (1991)
There's 90's "Mom Rock" (Goo Goo Dolls, Sister Hazel, etc.) and there's 90's "Dad Rock" (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, etc.) and then you have Toad the Wet Sprocket, which feels kind of like the perfect marriage.
Favorite Lyrics: “And it won't matter now
Whatever happens will be
Though the air speaks of all we'll never be
It won't trouble me”
96. "Black Hole Sun" Sound Garden, Superunknown (1994)
The song is hypnotizing. It draws you into an eerie netherworld and then Chris Cornell's unsettlingly (yet beautiful) power-wailing kicks in to take you on a musical journey in some unknown dimension.
Favorite Lyrics: “In my eyes, indisposed
In disguises no one knows
Hides the face, lies the snake
The sun in my disgrace”
95. “Sabotage” Beastie Boys, Ill Communication (1994)
Everyone has that cool older brother or cousin who told us this would be the greatest song of our generation, and you know what, they're not far off.
Favorite Lyrics: “I can't stand it, I know you planned it
I'mma set it straight, this Watergate
I can't stand rockin' when I'm in here
'Cause your crystal ball ain't so crystal clear”
94. “Satellite” Dave Mathews Band, Under the Table Dreaming (1994)
There's something wonderfully organic about hearing the scratching of the strings in the intro. It's unpolished but it's more intimate. Close your eyes and you could be in the studio with them or watching them live.
Favorite Lyrics: “Satellite strung from the moon
And the world your balloon
Peeping Tom for the mother station”
Editor’s Note: These lyrics are a little creepier than I remember.
93. "Lovefool" The Cardigans, First Band On the Moon (1996)
Has there ever been a song about love lost that is so completely and utterly lovely? It's like a bran muffin dressed up like a cupcake.
Favorite Lyrics: “Lately I have desperately pondered,
Spent my nights awake and I wonder
What I could have done in another way
To make you stay”
92. "C.R.E.A.M." Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)
The nine-piece rap group assembled from the best New York had to offer (RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon the Chef, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Inspectah Deck, and Masta Killa) was Nuthin' ta fuck with.
Favorite Lyrics: “I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times side
Staying alive was no jive
Had second hands, moms bounced on old men
So then we moved to Shaolin land”
91. "I Have Nothing" Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard - Soundtrack (1992)
It's Whitney. It may not be the most obvious 90's Whitney choice, but give it another listen… I think you’ll be surprised to find that it is the best.
Favorite Lyrics: “Don't make me close one more door
I don't want to hurt anymore
Stay in my arms if you dare
Or must I imagine you there“
90. “Killing in the Name” Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine (1992)
In response to the Rodney King beating and the L.A. riots, “Killing in the Name” equates corrupt police forces with the KKK. It’s a protest song that will rock you all the down to the bone marrow.
Favorite Lyrics: “Some of those that work forces,
Are the same that burn crosses”
89. "Killing Me Softly with His Song" Fugees, The Score (1996)
Roberta Flack made it a number 1 hit in 1973, and yet, it didn't fully peak until the Fugees made it a Grammy winning phenomenon in '96.
Favorite Lyrics: “Strumming my pain with his fingers (one time, one time)
Singing my life with his words (two times, two times)
Killing me softly with his song”
88. “Bring Me Your Cup” UB40, Promises and Lies (1993)
One of those songs everyone adores. You might have been a big British reggae fan, or you came about this album because you liked UB40's cover of “(I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You", or maybe you just stole this album from your dad unsure what you were in for… Regardless, you fell in love with "Bring Me Your Cup".
Favorite Lyrics: “I've got the bottle, bring me your cup
Pop the cork, and try a sup
And when you're empty, I'll fill you up
We'll drink it down till the sun comes up”
87. “Time Bomb” Rancid, …And Out Come the Wolves (1995)
The Ska movement was made popular in the 90s by bands like No Doubt and Sublime, but nobody did it better than Rancid, and “Time Bomb” is their Magnum Opus.
Favorite Lyrics: “Tears come from the razor that's been tattooed below his eye
His mother cries, she knows that he is strong enough to die
He's rollin' in the Cadillac, its midnight sunroof is down
Three shots rung out the hero's dead, the new king is crowned”
86. “Pony” Ginuwine, Ginuwine… The Bachelor (1996)
No one’s complaining when this song comes on in a SoulCycle class.
Favorite Lyrics: “If you're horny, let’s do it, ride it, my pony
My saddle's, waiting, come and jump on it
85. "My Name Is" Eminem, The Slim Shady LP (1999)
The one that put Eminem on the map. He busted out there without any widespread recognition from the music community of either Slim or Eminem and attacked some of the biggest names in the biz. Ca-Jo-Nes!
Favorite Lyrics: “My brain's dead weight, I'm tryin' to get my head straight
But I can't figure out which Spice Girl I want to impregnate (Oh)”
84. “My Heart Will Go On” Celine Dion, Let’s Talk About Love (1997)
Sorry not sorry, don’t @ me.
Favorite Lyrics: “You're here, there's nothing I fear
And I know that my heart will go on”
83. “Suicide Blonde” INXS, X (1990)
Legend has it that the “Suicide Blonde” is a woman who has bleached her own hair because she had "dyed" by her own hand. Myth or fact, doesn’t matter, this song is catchy as hell.
Favorite Lyrics: “You want to make her suicide blonde
Love devastation, suicide blonde
You want to make her suicide blonde
Love devastation, suicide blonde”
82. “Loser" Beck, Mellow Gold (1994)
Beck's utterly unique gonzo hit has persevered as an anthem for a generation of self-loathing millennials.
Favorite Lyrics: “In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey
Butane in my veins so I'm out to cut the junkie”
81. “Because the Night” 10,000 Maniacs, MTV Unplugged (1993)
Patti Smith killed it on her 1978 release of this song. But this is a list of songs from the 90's, and the fact that it's held up so well across decades speaks to its power and influence.
Favorite Lyrics: “Come on now try and understand
The way I feel under your command
Take my hand as the sun descends
They can't hurt you now,
Can't hurt you now, can't hurt you now
Because the night belongs to lovers”
80. “Semi-Charmed Life” Third Eye Blind, Third Eye Blind (1997)
Most would select “Jumper” from this album, but when thinking of 90s music (late 90s music at least) this song seems like the right choice. According to the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist, this song is about speed addiction, and now it all makes sense... we were a huge Speed-heads in the 90s.
Favorite Lyrics: “I believe in the sand beneath my toes
The beach gives a feeling, an earthy feeling
I believe in the faith that grows
And the four right chords can make me cry”
79. “Let Me Go” Cake, Prolonging the Magic (1998)
This album feels way more recent than the 90’s. Cake (both band and food) will never go out of style.
Favorite Lyrics: “When she walks
She swings her arms, instead of her hips
When she talks
She moves her mouth, instead of her lips”
78. “Mysterious Ways”, U2, Achtung Baby (1991)
One of the catchier tunes by the legendary Irishmen. Bono and the lads deserve a spot on this list, and most lists.
Favorite Lyrics: “Johnny take a walk
With your sister the moon
Let her pale light in
To fill up your room”
77. "Inside Out" Eve 6 , Eve 6 (1998)
Eve 6 had a knack for inventive word play and it especially shines through in “Inside Out” See lyrics like: “Rendezvous, and I’m through with you”, “I think sick like ginger ale”, and “Or am I origami, folded up and just pretend”.
Favorite Lyrics: “I hear words and clips and phrases,
I think sick like ginger ale.
My stomach turns and I exhale”
76. “The Man Who Sold the World” Nirvana, MTV Unplugged in New York (1994)
Is it strange to select a cover song from Nirvana?... because this band brought so many goods. But you see, Bowie is a lyrical genius and when you pair that with all that is Nirvana, you get a match made in heaven… and possibly the best cover of all time.
Favorite Lyrics: “I laughed and shook his hand
And made my way back home
I searched for form and land
For years and years I roamed”
75. “The Boy with the Arab Strap" Belle & Sebastian, The Boy with the Arab Stripe (1998)
Any-self-respecting hipster knows that this song has gotta be on the list, especially since the lyric "Colour my life with the chaos of trouble, 'cause anything's better than posh isolation" has become an enduring high school yearbook quote for my emo brethren.
Favorite Lyrics: “Colour my life with the chaos of trouble
'Cause anything's better than posh isolation”
74. "Basket Case” Green Day, Dookie (1994)
Once upon a time, Green Day was a gritty punk trio that wanted to shred and rebel and didn't give two fucks. Those were great times.
Favorite Lyrics: “Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up”
73. "Gone Till November" Wyclef Jean, Wyclef Jean presents The Carnival featuring Refugee Allstars (1997)
Easy going, soulful, sentimental. It's a triple threat.
Favorite Lyrics: “January, February, March, April, May
I see you cryin', but girl, I can't stay”
Editor’s Note: This might be the perfect anthem for all of us in quarantine.
72. "Sex & Candy" Marcy Playground, Marcy Playground (1997)
As a 10-year-old it was great because it gave you the opportunity to say "Sex"! As you get older and actually understand the song, you recognize there are better reasons to love it.
Favorite Lyrics: “Hangin' round downtown by myself
And I’ve had too much caffeine
And I was thinkin' 'bout myself
And then there she was, in platform double suede
Yeah there she was, like disco lemonade”
71. "The Boy Is Mine" Brandy feat. Monica, Never Say Never (1998)
The dreamy vibe and vocals of the song is in stark contrast to the lyrical battle-royale of cattiness, and it’s expertly done. The only thing that might top this song is the video.
Favorite Lyrics: “You need to give it up, had about enough
It's not hard to see, the boy is mine
I'm sorry that you, seem to be confused
He belongs to me, the boy is mine”
70. "Good” Better Than Ezra, Deluxe (1995)
This song was used as a promo for the film “The Baby Sitters Club” staring that girl from the Secret World of Alex Mack... Despite the clamoring of anticipation and hype, this movie did not become a great American classic, but the song has made a lasting impression.
Favorite Lyrics: “Sitting around the house
Watching the sun trace shadows on the floor
Searching for signs of life, but there's nobody home”
69. "Hey Jealousy" Gin Blossoms, New Miserable Experience (1992)
For a moment, this song was everywhere, and what a moment that was!
Favorite Lyrics: “Tomorrow we can drive around this town
And let the cops chase us around
The past is gone but something might be found
To take its place... Hey jealousy”
68. "Check the Rhime" A Tribe Called Quest, The Low End Theory (1991)
Phife Dawg tragically passed away a few years ago, but "Check the Rhime" serves as a perfect reminder & showcase of Phife's extraordinary talent.
Favorite Lyrics: “Now here's a funky introduction of how nice I am
Tell your mother, tell your father, send a telegram
I'm like an energizer 'cause, you see, I last long
My crew is never ever wack because we stand strong”
67. "Carnival" Natalie Merchant, Tigerlily (1995)
The disparity between the Santana-esque guitar riffs and Merchant's silky-sweet voice is pure magic. The bongos add a nice touch too.
Favorite Lyrics: “Have I been blind have I been lost
Inside myself and my own mind
Hypnotized, mesmerized by what my eyes have seen?”
66. "The Way" Fastball, All the Pain Money Can Buy (1998)
Some argue that the best songs are the ones that tell a story. This song provides pretty damning evidence in support.
Favorite Lyrics: “You can see their shadows wandering off somewhere
They won't make it home, but they really don't care”
65. "Hanginaround" Counting Crows, This Desert Life (1999)
Ten out of ten times, this song will put you in a good mood... the moment the chorus hits, serotonin all over.
Favorite Lyrics: “We spend all day getting sober
Just hiding from daylight, watching TV
We just look a lot better in the blue light
Well, you know I gotta get out
But I'm stuck so tight
Weighed by the chains that keep me...
Hangin' around this town on the corner”
64. "Game of Pricks" Guided by Voices, Alien Lanes (1995)
Despite being only 93 seconds long, this song is pure perfection with a guitar hook and melody for the ages.
Favorite Lyrics: “I'll climb up on the house
Weep to water the trees
And when you come calling me down
I'll put on my disease”
63. "Your Woman" White Town, Women in Technology (1997)
A hauntingly beautiful riff to grab you, then a thumpy bass line and unyielding beat to keep you. The song was ahead of its time with heavily processed vocals (before it was the norm), a “gotta hear it for yourself” interlude, and an austere ending. If for some reason you’ve never heard this one, give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
Favorite Lyrics: “Now I know your heart, I know your mind
You don't even know you're bein' unkind
So much for all your highbrow Marxist ways
Just use me up and then you walk away”
62. "What’s My Age Again? ” blink-182, Enema of the State (1999)
I'm not sure any one band captured that adolescent, manic energy quite like blink-182. They weren't the first to make being a teenage dirtbag look cool, but they might have been the best at it.
Favorite Lyrics: “And that's about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you're twenty-three
And I'm still more amused by TV shows
What the hell is A.D.D.?
My friends say I should act my age
What's my age again, what's my age again?”
61. "Livin' La Vida Loca" Ricky Martin, Ricky Martin (1999)
We’ve spent a lot of time so far in the angsty, misunderstood parts of our psyche. Ricky provides us with an avenue to let all that shit go and be present as AF.
Favorite Lyrics: “She's into superstitions, black cats and voodoo dolls
I feel a premonition, that girl's gonna make me fall”
Editor’s Note: Nobody covered this song better than the cast of Shrek 2.
60. "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" Crash Test Dummies, God Shuffled His Feet (1994)
And then there was Crash Test Dummies... just pure (strange) magic here. A hallowed 90s song made even more sacred by one of the greatest comedies of all time, Dumb & Dumber.
Favorite Lyrics: “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm”
59. "One Headlight" The Wallflowers, Bringing Down the Horse (1996)
Jakob Dylan emerged from his father's shadow to create one of the very best rock songs of the decade.
Favorite Lyrics: “I'm so alone and I feel just like somebody else
Man, I ain't changed, but I know I ain't the same
But somewhere here in between the city walls of dyin' dreams
I think of death, it must be killin' me”
58. "The Sign" Ace of Base, The Sign (1993)
Keep your eyes open for signs ladies and gentlemen and remember that life is demanding without understanding. No one’s going to drag you up to get into the light where you belong. But where do you belong?
Favorite Lyrics: “I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes, I saw the sign
Life is demanding without understanding”
57. “Baby Got Back" Sir Mix-A-Lot, Mack Daddy (1992)
There’s not a tweenage soul who complained when Sir Mix-A-Lot came on during a middle school dance… even if half the lyrics were masked and they other half we weren’t quite sure what was being said. Quintessential 90’s.
Favorite Lyrics: “So your girlfriend rolls a Honda, playin' workout tapes by Fonda
But Fonda ain't got a motor in the back of her Honda
My anaconda don't want none
Unless you've got buns, hon”
56. "Are You That Somebody" Aaliyah, Dr. Dolittle: The Album (1998)
Gone too soon, Aaliyah had something special. She was that somebody, and it would've been great to see what more she had to offer, but at least we got this classic.
Favorite Lyrics: “Boy, I've been watching you like the hawk in the sky
That fly and you were my prey (my prey)”
55. "All For You" Sister Hazel, …Somewhere More Familiar (1997)
With one of the catchiest choruses of any song ever, "All For You" endures as a perfect drunken sing-a-long with friends, and should be on every party playlist.
Favorite Lyrics: “It's hard to say what it is I see in you
Wonder if I'll always be with you
But words can't say, and I can't do
Enough to prove, it's all for you”
54. "Hook” Blues Traveler, Four (1994)
It's the catchiest song ever written about writing a catchy song. Genius.
Favorite Lyrics: “It doesn't matter what I say
So long as I sing with inflection
That makes you feel I'll convey
Some inner truth or vast reflection”
Editor’s Note: This song feels particularly pertinent in today’s America with our current POTUS.
53. "How Do You Want It" 2Pac feat. K Ci & JoJo, All Eyez On Me (1996)
A collaboration to the likes of peanut butter and chocolate. 2Pac’s iconic voice with K Ci and JoJo’s soul. And, let’s not forget about that beat.
Favorite Lyrics: “Mr. International, playa with the passport
Just like Aladdin bitch, get you anything you ask for
It's either him or me, champagne, Hennessy
A favorite of my homies when we floss, on our enemies”
52. "All That She Wants" Ace of Base, The Sign (1993)
The Swedes know how to do it: Interior Design, ABBA, Spotify, Minecraft, the list goes on. Ace of Base is no exception to Swedish excellence, beginning with this song off their debut album.
Favorite Lyrics: “All that she wants is another baby
She's gone tomorrow, boy”
51. "Torn" Natalie Imbruglia, Left of the Middle (1998)
The song that makes you fantasize about staying up all night finding the meaning of life and then watching the sunrise.
Favorite Lyrics: “I'm all out of faith, this is how I feel
I'm cold and I am shamed, lying naked on the floor
Illusion never changed, into something real
I'm wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn”
50. "Somebody’s Crying” Chris Isaac, Forever Blue (1995)
While most love “Wicked Games” best, this song puts that song to Shame! Still all the beautiful falsetto your heart could desire but a more upbeat energy.
Favorite Lyrics: “I know somebody, and they cry for you
They lie awake at night and dream of you
I bet you never even know they do but somebody's crying”
49. “Via Chicago" Wilco, Summerteeth (1999)
Asking to choose between other 90s Wilco classics like "Misunderstood," "I'm Always in Love," and "A Shot in the Arm" is like asking to choose a favorite child. But ultimately, "Via Chicago" best captures Jeff Tweedy's mix of incredible talent and ugly inner demons in a perfectly beautiful song.
Favorite Lyrics: “I dreamed about killing you again last night
And it felt alright to me
Dying on the banks of Embarcadero skies
I sat and watched you bleed”
48. "Steal My Sunshine" LEN, You Can't Stop the Bum Rush (1999)
Doppler-like sound effects, echo-y pops, conversational intro, a raspy lead accompanied with honeyed feminine vocals for a perfect balance... is there anything else needed for a great song?
Favorite Lyrics: “I was lying on the grass of Sunday morning of last week
Indulging in my self-defeat”
Editor’s Note: If you listen really carefully to the lyrics, you’ll still never understand what’s being said.
47. “Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)” Pras feat. Maya and Ol' Dirty Bastard Ghetto Supastar (1998)
A fantastic collab between three very different artists with a sensational music video. Couldn't ask for more.
Favorite Lyrics: “Some got, hopes and dreams, we got, ways and means
The surpreme dream team, always up with the schemes
From hubcaps to sellin raps, name your theme
My rise to the top, floatin on this cream”
46. "Wonderwall" Oasis, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
This song has been covered countless times and by renown artists like Ryan Adams, Cat Power, and LeAnn Rimes; but you can't beat the original… and it’s best not to be on the bad side of Manchester City fans.
Favorite Lyrics: “And all the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I
Would like to say to you but I don't know how”
45. "Wannabe" Spice Girls, Spice (1996)
If putting this tune on this list is wrong, then we don’t Wannabe right.
Favorite Lyrics: “If you want my future, forget my past
If you wanna get with me, better make it fast
Now don't go wasting, my precious time
Get your act together we could be just fine”
44. "Last Goodbye" Jeff Buckley, Grace (1994)
Jeff Buckley’s incredible voice and gravitas are the stuff of legend, and "Last Goodbye" may be the most epic and grand song in his catalogue, made even more somber by his death just a few years after the song's release.
Favorite Lyrics: “This is our last embrace
Must I dream and always see your face?”
43. “Fantasy” Mariah Carey, Daydream (1995)
Go ahead, roll down the window and sing your heart out. When this song pops up on 90’s on 9, there is no judgement.
Favorite Lyrics: “Oh, when you walk by every night
Talkin' sweet and lookin' fine
I get kinda hectic inside”
42. “Cowboy Take Me Away” Dixie Chicks, Fly (1999)
How could we not include these loud-mouth liberal cowgirls? For godsake, songs on this album (“Goodbye Earl”) encouraged vigilante murder sprees on abusive husbands- what’s not to love?!
Favorite Lyrics: “Cowboy take me away
Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue
Set me free, oh, I pray
Closer to heaven above and closer to you”
41. “Buddy Holly” Weezer, Weezer (Blue Album) (1994)
Oo-ee-oo this song is infectious. It rocks hard, it's a party favorite, and it also helped launch Weezer into indie-rock icons for 26-years and counting! Impressive, yes, but there’s more. Weezer hired a little-known skateboard and BMX photographer named Spike Jonze to direct their Blue Album music videos… he’s done alright for himself.
Favorite Lyrics: “Oo-ee-oo I look just like Buddy Holly
Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore
I don't care what they say about us anyway
I don't care 'bout that”
40. “Summer Girls” LFO, LFO (1999)
No better feeling than bumpin’ to this song as a pre-teen and pretending to be cool as hell. Lo-Fi cool before Lo-Fi was cool.
Favorite Lyrics: “You're the best girl that I ever did see
The great Larry Byrd, jersey thirty-three
When you take a sip, you buzz like a hornet
Billy Shakespeare wrote a whole bunch of sonnets”
Editor’s Note: These lyrics are so ridiculous they’ve become the stuff of legend.
39. “Fade into You” Mazzy Star, So Tonight That I Might See (1993)
"Fade into You" could've been released in the 60's and felt relevant and poignant or it could have been released today and felt as fresh and real. This song is timeless.
Favorite Lyrics: “You live your life, you go in shadows
You'll come apart and you'll go black
Some kind of night into your darkness
Colors your eyes with what's not there”
38. "Ready or Not" Fugees, The Score (1996)
Never sleep on how amazing it was to have Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill together, even if it was for a relatively short period of time. Bonus, Obama once listed this song as one of his favorites.
Favorite Lyrics: “Rap orgies with Porgy and Bess
Capture your bounty like Elliot Ness, yes
Bless you if you represent the Fu
But I'll hex you with some witch's brew”
37. “Don’t Look Back in Anger” Oasis, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
Sure, the Gallagher brothers are kind of assholes, but they made some great music and this song still holds up.
Favorite Lyrics: “So I start a revolution from my bed
'Cause you said the brains I had went to my head”
36. “SpottieOttieDopaliscious" Outkast, Aquemini (1998)
You could pick just about any song off Outkast's 1998 perfect album Aquemini, but SpottieOittie is their most iconic. It features the best trumpet and horn hook of all time and is an undeniably soulful and funky song for the ages. It has also proven itself to be a truly awesome college marching band song.
Favorite Lyrics: “Funny how shit come together sometimes (ya dig)
One moment you frequent the booty clubs and
The next four years you & somebody's daughter
Raisin' y'all own young'n now that's a beautiful thang”
35. “Barbie Girl” Aqua, Aquarium (1997)
A novelty song or social commentary? Who can say? What can be certain is this song is an earworm that has wiggled its way into our heads for twenty-three years.
Favorite Lyrics: “I'm a Barbie girl in the Barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic”
Editor’s Note: This song makes me nauseous.
34. “Mo Money Mo Problems” Notorious B.I.G. feat. Puff Daddy & Mase, Life After Death (1997)
Long live Notorious, when Diddy was Daddy, and Mase out there being fresh as hell.
Favorite Lyrics: “B-I-G P-O-P-P-A, no info for the DEA
Federal agents mad 'cause I'm flagrant
Tap my cell and the phone in the basement”
33. “No Scrubs” TLC, Fanmail (1999)
Get your act together, gentlemen. It’s as simple as that.
Favorite Lyrics: “A scrub is a guy that thinks he's fly
And is, also known as a buster
Always talking about what he wants
And just sits on his broke ass”
32. “Push" Matchbox Twenty, Yourself Or Someone Like you (1996)
Yourself or Someone Like You is still one of the best albums to rock in the car on a long road trip. Picking a favorite song from this album amongst other highlights like "3AM," "Damn," and "Real World" is tough, but "Push" is ultimately top of the list. A song about spousal abuse has never been so infectious.
Favorite Lyrics: “She said "I don't know if I've ever been good enough
I'm a little bit rusty, and I think my head is caving in
And I don't know if I've ever been really loved
By a hand that's touched me, and I feel like something's gonna give
And I'm a little bit angry"”
31. “Wonder” Natalie Merchant, Tigerlily (1995)
This twisted song about a freaky girl who is an anomaly to medical science is rather disturbing if you listen to the lyrics, but Merchant spins it to a song of strength in differences. How lovely! Plus, the girl has some pipes!
Favorite Lyrics: “Ooo, I believe, fate smiled and destiny
Laughed as she came to my cradle
Know this child will be able
Laughed as my body she lifted
Know this child will be gifted”
30. “Juicy” The Notorious B.I.G, Ready to Die (1994)
One of the greatest clap back songs of all time. A masterpiece from a legend taken far too soon.
Favorite Lyrics: “It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up! magazine
Salt-n-Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine
Hangin' pictures on my wall
Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl”
29. “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” Eiffel 65, Blue (Da Ba Dee) Single (1998)
What the hell is this song even about? Who cares, it pumps!
Favorite Lyrics: “I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa”
28. “Creep” Radiohead, Pablo Honey (1993)
Thom Yorke once claimed he heard Creep on the radio and didn't recognize it was one of his own until it was half way through. We on the other hand, will never forget. Yes, it's a little simpler than some of Radiohead's more recent endeavors, but simple can be really good... and in this case, great.
Favorite Lyrics: “I want you to notice, When I'm not around
You're so fuckin' special, I wish I was special
But I'm a creep”
27. “Good Vibrations” - Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch feat. Loleatta Holloway, Music for the People (1991)
Before Mark Wahlberg starred in summer blockbusters like "Fear", there was Marky Mark. Don’t worry about the lyrics being inane – it’s not relevant. There isn't a better song to start the New Year. A word of caution, don’t google “Good Vibrations” without also including Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.
Favorite Lyrics: “Yo, it's about that time
To bring forth the rhythm and the rhyme
I'm a get mine so get yours
I wanna see sweat comin' out your pores”
Editor’s Note: So dumb, but so fun.
26. “Head Over Feet” Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill (1995)
All of Jagged Little Pill is iconic. Alanis is one of only two women (along with Sheryl Crowe) to win best rock album of the year (shame shame Grammy voters), but this girl earned her award. Such an easy song to jam to.
Favorite Lyrics: “Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole
You're so much braver than I gave you credit for
That's not lip service”
25. “I Want You” Savage Garden, Savage Garden (1997)
I don't need to try to explain this song. Just hold on tight because when it comes your way, you can't help but move your lips so slightly to the lyrics - a chica cherry cola.
Favorite Lyrics: “I don't need to try to explain, I just hold on tight
And if it happens again, I may move so slightly
To the arms and the lips and the face
Of the human cannonball that, I need to, I want to”
Editor’s Note: This song is nonsensical.
24. "Mr. Jones" Counting Crows, August and Everything After (1993)
This song is highly relatable to anyone who’s gone through depression or a deep sense of loneliness but has tried to disguise their mood with a good time. Moreover, the color gray never had a bigger moment, and no we haven't forgotten about that Liam Neeson flick or those lonely housewife books.
Favorite Lyrics: “Well, I'm gonna paint my picture
Paint myself in blue and red and black and gray
All of the beautiful colors are very, very meaningful
Yeah, well, you know gray is my favorite color
I felt so symbolic yesterday
If I knew Picasso, I would buy myself a gray guitar and play”
23. “Angeles” Elliott Smith, Either/Or (1997)
Good Will Hunting lives on as one of the best and most rewatchable movies of the 90s, and Elliott Smith's beautiful music is one of the main reasons why the film still resonates so deeply. "Angeles" will never fail to bring us back to that tragic scene when Will is saying goodbye to Skylar, and it serves as enduring inspiration to those of us who gotta go see about a girl.
Favorite Lyrics: “Someone's always coming around here, trailing some new kill
Says I've seen your picture on a hundred-dollar bill
And what's a game of chance to you, to him is one of real skill”
22. “Glycerine” Bush, Sixteen Stone (1994)
Gavin Rossdale should top any warm-blooded American's list of “get out of jail free cards”... what a delicious dish. This grungy ballad's incorporation of cellos made it a bit softer than what was coming out of Seattle and cemented it as one of the more beautiful songs of the genre and decade.
Favorite Lyrics: “Must be your skin that I'm sinking in
Must be for real 'cause now I can feel
And I didn't mind, It's not my kind
It's not my time to wonder why”
21. “Walking on Broken Glass” Annie Lennox, Diva (1992)
Despite being about a broken heart, this is the perfect play-at-the-bar song. A sure-fire crowd pleaser.
Favorite Lyrics: “Since you've abandoned me
My whole life has crashed
Won't you pick the pieces up
'Cause it feels just like I'm walking on broken glass”
20. “Holland, 1945" Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
Inspired by the story of Anne Frank, as the legend goes, "Holland, 1945" is the rollicking apex of one of the decade’s most meaningful albums.
Favorite Lyrics: “And now we ride the circus wheel
With your dark brother wrapped in white
Says it was good to be alive
But now he rides a comet's flame
And won't be coming back again”
19. “Champagne Supernova" Oasis, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
The beauty of this song is that it's not really about anything, and yet, it means so many things to so many people… even to the writer. Noel Gallagher once said, "It means different things when I'm in different moods." There's a strange power to this song.
Favorite Lyrics: “Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova in the sky”
18. “Changes” 2Pac feat. Talent, Greatest Hits (1998)
Pac was a visionary, a true legend. Come to think of it, Pac probably still is a visionary. All his songs had an infectious flow, but the lyrical genius on display in this track was masterful.
Favorite Lyrics: “And still I see no changes, can't a brother get a little peace
It's war on the streets and the war in the Middle East
Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs
So the police can bother me”
17. “Shadowboxer” Fiona Apple, Tidal (1996)
Holy shit, Tidal (the whole album) is my anthem! As it was for every teenage girl of the 90’s. "Shadowboxer" is about this angry beauty outraged at a world of men trying to contain her fury. Give ‘em hell Fiona! God damn it.
Favorite Lyrics: “Oh, it's evil, babe, the way you let your grace
Enrapture me
When well you know I'd be insane, to ever let that
Dirty game recapture me”
16. “Still D.R.E.” Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg, 2001 (1999)
That intro is perfect. Those few notes on the piano will forever get the adrenaline pumping. If you’ve seen Training Day, you know what we mean.
Favorite Lyrics: “Since the last time you heard from me I lost some friends
Well, hell, me and Snoop, we dippin' again
Kept my ear to the streets, signed Eminem”
15. “Truly Madly Deeply” Savage Garden, Savage Garden (1997)
A late 90’s anthem that encapsulates the very primal feelings of love.
Favorite Lyrics: “I want to stand with you on a mountain.
I want to bathe with you in the sea.
I want to lay like this forever.
Until the sky falls down on me”
Editors Note: The sea is a terrible place to bathe.
14. “Karma Police” Radiohead, Ok Computer (1997)
Top to bottom, OK Computer is an absolute masterpiece. Although Radiohead has claimed this is not a concept album, the songs' themes and aesthetics fit in perfect harmony. "Karma Police" radiates the album's interweaving paranoia of an impending doom from over-reliance on technology and media-driven insanity... so glad this hasn't come to fruition.
Favorite Lyrics: “Karma police, Arrest this man
He talks in maths
He buzzes like a fridge
He's like a detuned radio”
13. "ATLiens” Outkast, ATLiens (1996)
In the midst of the East vs. West rap feud, two young Georgia rappers exploded on to the scene and introduced both coasts to the Southern Hip-Hop movement. "ATLiens" is a perfect example of Andre 3000 and Big Boi's brilliant wordsmithing, but equally as impressive is the futuristic sound mixing and beats.
Favorite Lyrics: “I heard it's not where you're from but where you pay rent
Then I heard it's not what you make but how much you spent
You got me bent like elbows, amongst other things, but I'm not worried
Cause when we step up in the party, like I'm out-you-scurry
So go get your fuckin' shine box, and your sack of nickles
It tickles to see you try to be like Mr. Pickles”
12. “Iris” Goo Goo Dolls, Dizzy Up the Girl (1998)
We’re all searching for that one person who makes us feel like we truly belong in this world. This song gives us hope that such a dream might actually turn into a reality.
Favorite Lyrics: “And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive”
11. “Return of the Mack” Mark Morrison, Return of the Mack (1996)
One hit wonder? Forget about it, it’s not relevant. This song is head and shoulders above the rest. As soon as the beat hits, there's not a single abled person who’s not vibin’ and groovin’.
Favorite Lyrics: “So I'm back up in the game
Running things to keep my swing
Letting all the people know
That I'm back to run the show.”
10. "Tonight, Tonight” The Smashing Pumpkins, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)
Out of the gun, you know this song is going to be a wild ride. An orchestral wall of sound crashes into you for the first 40 seconds until the song takes an abrupt left turn into something a little more quiet and melancholy. "Tonight, Tonight" will continue this bipolarity of highs and lows throughout the rest of the song to great effect.
Favorite Lyrics: “Time is never time at all
You can never ever leave,
Without leaving a piece of youth”
9. “Human Touch” Bruce Springsteen, Human Touch (1992)
Even though one might argue his greatest hits are from the late-70’s and 80’s, the Boss had to show up somewhere on this list. Springsteen is immune to aging. We went with “Human Touch” here because we’re sentimental softies just looking for a connection.
Favorite Lyrics: “So you been broken, and you been hurt
Show me somebody who ain't
Yeah I know I ain't nobody's bargain
But hell a little touch-up, and a little paint...”
8. “Nightswimming" R.E.M., Automatic for the People (1992)
A list of 90’s songs would not be complete without R.E.M. "Losing My Religion" and "Man on the Moon" would both be very worthy additions to this list. However, "Nightswimming" is our favorite, a simple melody about the lost joys of being young, and the best song about skinny-dipping ever made. Few things are as equally pure and haunting as John Michael Stipe’s voice in this song.
Favorite Lyrics: “Nightswimming, deserves a quiet night
The photograph on the dashboard, taken years ago
Turned around backwards so the windshield shows
Every streetlight, reveals the picture in reverse”
7. “Paranoid Android" Radiohead, OK Computer (1997)
Nothing explains the 90’s quite like Radiohead's somber symphony of existential dread about technology taking over our lives.
Favorite Lyrics: “Ambition makes you look pretty ugly
Kicking, squealing Gucci little piggy”
Editor’s Note: Any song named after a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy character is going to break into the top 100. Still searching for that "Zaphod Beeblebrox" hit.
6. “Zombie” The Cranberries, No Need to Argue (1994)
It has a powerful message (commenting on a bombing that killed two children), beautifully sung, with a catchy hook. But it’s more than that. It’s the perfect guide for entering your soul and losing yourself in an existential journey after some initial trepidation. In other words, our path through this transformative decade.
Favorite Lyrics: “In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie”
5. "Doo Wop (That Thing)” Ms. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
This song has a lot going on, and yet, it's flawless. Every beat, every harmony, every verse thrown into a perfect 5-and-a-half-minute gumbo.
Favorite Lyrics: “It's been three weeks since you were looking for your friend
The one you let hit it and never called you again
'Member when he told you he was 'bout the Benjamins?
You act like you ain't hear him, then give him a little trim”
4. “Round Here” Counting Crows. August and Everything After (1993)
Every note and chord (or lack thereof) is played with such piercing and precise intention, drawing us into this song’s rich atmosphere. Adam Duritz's beautifully tortured lyrics and masterfully controlled vocals sweep us even further into this tragic, glittering world. This song is perfect.
Favorite Lyrics: “Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog
where no one notices the contrast of white on white.
And in between the moon and you the angels get a better view
of the crumbling difference between wrong and right.”
3. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Nirvana, Nevermind (1991)
No top songs of the 90’s list is complete without genre shattering Nirvana. Their sound had never been heard before. It was art without imitation… will this ever happen again? On top of that, you have this uniquely charismatic lead singer - Forever young, forever misunderstood, forever giving the finger to the establishment. R.I.P, Kurt. R.I.P.
Favorite Lyrics: “With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here we are now, entertain us”
2. “Gangsta’s Paradise” Coolio feat. L.V., Gangsta’s Paradise (1995)
This song is powerful and moving on its own, but its ties to a badass Michelle Pfeiffer conquering the most challenging group of students ever assembled, compound its glory.
Favorite Lyrics: “As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I take a look at my life and realize there's not much left”
1. “Bitter Sweet Symphony” The Verve, Urban Hymns (1997)
Where were you when you first heard "Bitter Sweet Symphony"? It has an iconic melody that will withstand the test of time, but equally as great are the lyrics. The metaphors abound in a manner that is profound, especially on impressionable young minds.
Favorite Lyrics: “No change, I can't change, I can't change, I can't change,
But I'm here in my mold, I am here in my mold.
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next,
I can't change my mold, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.”
Check out the Spotify Playlist of The Halftime Snack’s 99 Favorite Songs of the 90’s!
