VH1 is airing a “100 Greatest Songs of the ’90s” countdown on Dec. 17, but as PopWatch reader Jason points out, you can vote now for your top 10 choices here. Sadly, you’re limited to VH1′s preselected pool of tunes, which includes no more than one song by any artist. If you like any Nirvana songs besides “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” any Beck songs besides “Loser,” any Radiohead songs besides “Creep,” any Tupac songs besides “California Love,” and any country songs besides Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart,” then you’re out of luck. Also, nothing here by such ’90s stalwarts as Juliana Hatfield (pictured), Tori Amos, Pavement, Morphine, Bjork, or the Fugees (though Lauryn Hill is here). And even though this is VH1, classic-rockers who had major successes in the ’90s (Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Bob Dylan) aren’t here either.
Here are five songs I wish were on this list:
• The Verve: “Bittersweet Symphony”
• Lemonheads: “It’s a Shame About Ray”
• Teenage Fanclub: “The Concept”
• Matthew Sweet: “Divine Intervention”
• Letters to Cleo: “Here and Now”
Your turn: You can pick only ’90s songs that aren’t on VH1′s list.
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No mention of “Laid” by James? “You Always Get What You Give” by New Radicals?
Sigh. The songs are super mainstream and, in some cases, totally generic. It’s more of a “biggest hit” list than a truly “best songs” compilation. Billy Ray? Really?
Horrod list. I am not even a big Verve fan and I know the love for Bittersweet Symphony. Also, every Radiohead fan knows that the band is far superior post-Creep.
And where is the Coolio?
“Please” by Chris Isaak. 1998
Whether or not the songs are ‘good’ is of little significance here. I hate ‘My heart will go on’ just like everyone else, but the first time I heard it I thought it was a fine song. Achy-breaky is the same. Fun song at first, but then after the millionth time…arrgggg!
A lot of the songs on this list aren’t really about being good, it’s more about sales.
Been a while since I’ve posted on PW. Anywho, my Top 5 Best Songs of the 90s:
“I Want It That Way”, Backstreet Boys
“Poison”, Bell Div DeVoe
“Always Be My Baby”, Mariah Carey
“Bombs Over Baghdad”, OutKast
“Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems”, Notorious B.I.G.
Those are the songs that stood out to me in the ’90s.
I forgot one more:
“Don’t Speak”, No Doubt.
Where the the real rock contingent.
Some “Mama, I’m Coming Home” by Ozzy,
“Sweating Bullets” by Megadeth
Shawn Colvin Sunny Came Home
Tori Amos Cornflake Girl
En Vogue Hold On
It’s interesting that no artist has more than one song on the chart…
Here’s my five:
1. The Sign – Ace of Base (#1 song of 1994!?!)
2. Let’s Talk About Sex – Salt-N-Pepa
3. Ray of Light – Madonna
4. Don’t Speak – No Doubt
5. Hero – Mariah Carey
The Fugees are in there: “Killing Me Softly”
i second the ace of base love. i’d also add:
1) robyn’s “show me love” and/or “do you know what it takes to love me.”
2) skee lo “i wish”
3) boyz II men “motown philly”
4) spice girls “wannabe”
5) natalie imbruglia “torn”
“Hey Jealousy” by Gin Blossoms.
“Hold On” by Wilson Phillips.
“Vision of Love” by Mariah Carey (back when she looked like a normal girl)
I think I would trade out your Divine Intervention for some Gilfriend on Matthew Sweet — since it is the perfect pop song =). I would add: Michael Penn — No Myth
James — Laid
New Radicals — Get What You Give
Paul Westerberg — Dyslexic Heart (Not popular but oh so good!)
BBD- Poison
De la Soul- Me, Myself, and I
NWA- Straight Outta Compton
Lisa Stansfield- Been Around the World
Boyz II Men- Motownphilly
ABC- Iesha
Kris Kross- Jump
Naughty By Nature- OPP
and here’s a longshot- Tribe Called Quest either Check the Rhyme or Scenario
I hope no one minds if I frame “the 90s” in emotional/political terms, i.e. from the fall of the Berlin Wall to September 11th – that way, songs like The Stone Roses’ “Fool’s Gold” and “I Want To Be Adored,” or The Las’ “There She Goes” can be counted.
In any case, that decade for me was framed by the overwhelming beauty of shoegazer and the angular crankiness of indie rock. Having grown out of most of it, I still have to respect it.
Black Metallic – Catherine Wheel
Only Shallow – My Bloody Valentine
Connection – Elastica
Cut Your Hair – Pavement
Good Morning, Captain – Slint
…and last, but not least, the best song of the 90s…
Lucky – Radiohead