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If you are feeling nostalgic then you have come to the right place. Today we are diving into the the 90s songs that hold up the best.
The metrics by which these songs were chosen are pretty simple and straight-forward: (1) was the song a hit in the 90s? (2) If it comes on the radio/Spotify/Apple Music do you skip it? (3) Do you turn up the volume when you hear this song every time or go about your business?
24 Best 1990s Songs That Hold Up 25 Years Later
These 90s songs that hold up the best aren’t ranked in order of best to worst. For the most part, they are in chronological order starting with songs from 1991 and so on and so forth.
I tried to make sure to include songs from each major genre and songs from bands I simply had to include but I am sure there will be plenty of you out there who disagree with these selections. I welcome anyone who disagrees with my selection of 90s songs to get loud in the Facebook comments or email me anytime at cass@brobible.com as I always welcome healthy discourse around here. Now let’s dive into these 24 90s songs that hold up the best.
1. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ by Nirvana (1991)
What could little old me say about Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit that hasn’t already been said before? This is one of the most iconic rock songs ever produced. It was the anthem of an entire generation of grunge fans.
I still remember seeing the music video for Smells Like Teen Spirit first time like it was yesterday during some MTV countdown. It was one of those life-changing songs that impacted my lifelong musical tastes in ways I could’ve never imagined at that first listen.
2. ‘Losing My Religion’ by R.E.M. (1991)
You would have a hard time convincing someone from Gen Z that there was a time when R.E.M. was the most popular band in the industry, mostly because they ceased to exist for a handful of reasons (primarily health related), and since the industry isn’t incentivized to keep promoting them in hopes of future reunion tours their airplay and streaming #’s pale in comparison to other 90s acts but my goodness they had America in a stranglehold for a while.
One thing I’ve always loved about this song is how there is simply no way to dance to it. And I say that as a Phish fan who can move his body to just about anything. But with Losing My Religion you just have to let the music wash over you as Michael Stipe’s incredibly voice sing of unrequited love.
This was the lead single on R.E.M.’s album Out of Time and it went Platinum in the United States, UK, Spain, and around the globe.
3. ‘Black’ by Pearl Jam (1991)
The fifth song on Pearl Jam’s debut album, Ten, it features lyrics written by Eddie and music composed by Stone Gossard. There are more commercially successful Pearl Jam songs from the 90s but mind you this is a list of songs from the 90s that hold up the best, not ’90s bands biggest hits.’
Prior to this song being featured on Ten, Pearl Jam’s label wanted them band to release it as a single but they pushed back. Despite not being released as a single, Ten still managed to reach #3 on the charts and remains a Grunge anthem to this day.
4. ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ by Sinéad O’Connor (1990)
When is the last time you listened to Nothing Compares 2 U? I hadn’t heard it in years until I was having drinks a few months ago at a friend’s family’s house and his uncle turned this on and cranked up the volume. My GOD did the room stop. We were transfixed by how powerful O’Connor’s vocals were on the track.
It kind of felt like I was hearing it for the first time and I said aloud ‘this sortof sounds like a Prince song’ only to hit Wikipedia and learn that Prince actually wrote the song and gave it to Sinéad O’Connor and the rest was history.
5. ‘Creep’ by Radiohead (1992)
The one thing about Radiohead’s Creep is even when you find someone who doesn’t like Radiohead’s music they still love this song. Everyone does. It’s one of the best and most powerful Alt Rock songs ever recorded.
Initially released as a single, it was kind of a flop. But when it went international the song exploded in popularity and that actually created a dilemma for Radiohead because their label, EMI, wanted them to match the success of Creep while the band was still exploring new sounds and styles and had no interest in trying to capture lightning in a bottle for a second time, they wanted to keep creating. To this day it remains one of the best songs to come out of the 90s.
6. ‘Under the Bridge’ by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (1992)
Not only is Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Under The Bridge one of the songs from the 90s that holds up the best it’s arguably one of the 10 best rock songs in history, maybe top 5.
It first appeared on the band’s 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik and is a tale about singer Anthony Kiedis’ struggle with the loneliness that followed getting sober. He would later say he almost didn’t even share the song with his band members because of how personal it was to him.
7. ‘Killing In The Name’ by Rage Against The Machine (1992)
This is actually the song that was the entire impetus for this article. I was driving to the gym early Saturday morning and this came on my Spotify Daylist, I cranked up the volume, and even though I hear this song pretty regularly I was reminded by just how powerful it is and how much it’s stood the test of time.
Is the message more poignant than ever? Perhaps. But the same could be said at just about any point in history since the song was written as there’s always political strife happening somewhere on the globe. The first time I heard this song was when my older brother let me borrow his CD and the rest was history…
8. ‘November Rain’ by Guns N’ Roses (1992)
November Rain is the purest definition of ‘power ballad’ to ever be produced. The style of Heavy Metal ‘Hair Rock’ music might’ve been slightly on its way out by the 90s after peaking in the 80s but this song alone could be credited with keeping the genre alive for a few more years.
Written by Axl Rose and recorded in 1991, it was released in 1992 and immediately became a top 10 hit. At 8min57sec it is the longest song on this list but when November Rain comes on you know it’s time to lock in and enjoy.
9. ‘Loser’ by Beck (1993)
I couldn’t tell you what Beck is up to these days but I know if this song comes on my Spotify Daylist that I’m turning up the volume because it holds up as well as any song from the 90s. Those tasty opening guitar riffs followed by the drums kicking in and Beck’s unique voice hits you like a tidal wave every time but when the chorus comes in, MY GOD.
Dare I say this was a perfect song of its era. Beck wrote it about being a homeless musician who couldn’t find a single opportunity or job worth working. He was toiling away at minimum wage jobs and performing at coffee shops and clubs and this song was borne out of that era of his life and that layer of authenticity makes it even better.
10. ‘Chattahoochee’ by Alan Jackson (1993)
Released on May 17, 1993, Chattahoochee is one of the catchiest Country Music songs of all-time and that’s not up for debate, it’s a fact. This song had a stranglehold on America when it dropped with everyone sucked into the Chattahoochee… hotter than a hoochie coochie vocals and it remains one of the most popular karaoke songs from the 90s still this day.
This song was certified 3x Platinum and it was actually Alan Jackson’s first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 where it peaked at #46.
11. ‘Zombie’ by The Cranberries (1994)
I think it is fair to say that The Cranberries had as much of an impact on early 1990s music as any band on this list. The Irish protest song sang by Cranberries frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan still shuts down an audience anytime a modern band takes a crack at covering it.
We could get into the background of the song and how it was written about The Troubles in Northern Ireland and how it shed light on children losing their lives but we are here to talk about how songs hold up over time and this 90s anthem hasn’t lost a beat. It is as impactful today as it was the day it was released.
12. ‘Gin N Juice’ by Snoop Dogg (1994)
How do you pick just one Snoop Dogg song from the 90s that still goes hard? They all hold up. But I didn’t want to overdo it so I went with Gin N Juice which remains an anthem to this day.
Released as the second single from Snoop Dogg’s debut album, Doggystyle, this track broke out on its own on January 18, 1995. I remember seeing this music video at an age where I was definitely too young to understand what was going on but I’ll be damned it if it didn’t make house parties look fun even if I’d never been to a party in my life.
13. ‘Stay (I Missed You)’ by Lisa Loeb (1994)
Hand on heart, if Lisa Loeb’s Stay comes on my Spotify Daylist or the radio I’m staying put until the song is over. I don’t care if anyone out there judges my masculinity for that. I’m a proud father and husband and I’ll be damned if I don’t sing Lisa Loeb at the top of my lungs every time it comes on because this track captures the spirit of the 90s in a way most song cannot.
It was the lead single on the soundtrack to the 1994 film Reality Bites and I remember the music video like it was yesterday. The video was actually directed and shot by actor Ethan Hawke who was a friend and neighbor of Lisa’s and the actor responsible for submitting her song to Ben Stiller to be featured in Reality Bites.
For the music video, he conceived of two continuous camera shots of Lisa Loeb walking around her empty NYC apartment. It’s perfect. I’m listening to the song now on repeat. 100 out of 100.
Fun fact, Lisa Loeb once babysat one of the editors here at BroBible. Can you guess who it is? Shoot me an email to cass@brobible.com if you think you know who it is. Hint: it’s not me.
14. ‘California Love’ by 2Pac feat. Dr. Dre (1995)
I’m fairly certain I was watching MTV during some Saturday marathon where you had to watch all the way to the end to see the worldwide debut of the California Love music video. At least that’s how I remember it. And it did NOT disappoint.
Looking back, this was one of the coolest music videos I can ever remember. It had that Mad Max dystopian vibe shot out in the desert that just seemed to fit right with the vibe that Dre was sending out with his mellow accent. Written by 2Pac and produced by Dr. Dre, this is on the Mt. Rushmore of Hip-Hop tracks from the 90s.
15. ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ by Oasis (1995)
Frankly, we could have done an entire list about how every song from 1995’s (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? still holds up but I had to pick one and so I chose the song that I repeatedly add to every playlist I make over the years: Don’t Look Back In Anger.
There were bigger commercial successes for Oasis, to be sure, but this is the song that I’ll never skip. I will always reach for the dial and turn up the volume and keep my car running if I have to in order to belt out the chorus in the car at the top of my longs. It’s a proper 90s anthem.
16. ‘This Is How We Do It’ by Montell Jordan (1995)
To his fans, Montell Jordan had other great songs but this was really his biggest and only hit with the mainstream so like it or not, he might be the only one hit wonder on this list but this song still holds up. Don’t believe me? Hit ‘play’ on that track above.
Somehow it took only one time listening to this song to absorb all of the lyrics and be able to sing along. It hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on April 15, 1995 and kicked Madonna out the top spot. Then it stayed there for almost two full months.
17. ‘Swallowed’ by Bush (1996)
Was this the biggest radio hit from Gavin Rossdale and Bush? No, it was not. That honor would go to Glycerine but this is my list and my barometer for the list was how hard the song still goes and when it comes on to I turn up the volume or skip it.
Swallowed first appeared on Bush’s 1996 album Razorblade Suitcase as the lead single. It was their second studio album. It also made an appearance on their Greatest Hits release. Swallowed peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart which is wild in hindsight because this song never gets old.
18. ‘Pony’ by Ginuwine (1996)
Released on July 30, 1996, Pony by Ginuwine hit the school dance scene like a bat out of hell. It was produced by Timbaland who actually revealed that the instrumental portion of the song was written back in 1989, a full 7 years before the song hit the airwaves.
This track reached #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and Ginuwine actually performed it live on Soul Train in 1996 which feels like something from a completely forgotten era.
19. ‘Santeria’ by Sublime (1997)
There are so many Sublime songs that hold up from before Bradley Nowell tragically passed away in 1996 at just 28 years old but I chose Santeria because those opening guitar licks hit so hard every time. Then when Bradley’s vocals kick in it transports me back in time to simpler days.
From the band’s 1994 album Robbin’ The Hood, it was posthumously released as a single following Nowell’s death in 1996. It’s made appearances in countless films from Idle Hands to This Is 40, and was a track on 2008’s Guitar Hero World Tour. You will never under any circumstances find me skipping this song.
20. ‘Friends in Low Places’ by Garth Brooks (1998)
This has been such a funny song to me over the years because I’ll have those friends that say “I don’t like country but I love this song” every time it comes on. My dudes, this is, has been, and will always be a Country Music anthem. If you like this song you like Country Music.
Released on August 6, 1998 on Garth’s No Fences album, Friends In Low Places was the lead single from the album and one of the biggest commercial success of his career. It still wears out jukeboxes across the globe in packed bars every night to this day.
Fun fact, there is actually a ‘lost verse’ or ‘third verse’ that Garth often performs at concerts but that never made it to the studio track.
21. ‘Uninvited’ by Alanis Morissette (1998)
There are a handful of Alanis Morissette tracks that could have been featured here but I’ve found myself writing about Uninvited twice recently and have had this revelation of how great of a track it is.
That all started a few weeks back when Brandi Carlile covered Morissette’s song at Red Rocks in Colorado and then Alanis performed it in Las Vegas last week and the vocals on this track are truly beautiful. They infect your brain in a way that is hard to describe.
It first appeared in the 1998 film City of Angels and on the soundtrack and Uninvited went on to win two Grammy Awards for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song.
22. ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ by Lit (1999)
I 100% would have thought this was 2002 or 2003 but My Own Worst Enemy by Lit came out in January 1999. This song still hits my Spotify Daylist at least three times a week. It knows to hit me with 90s Pop Punk tracks when I’m at the gym before 5:30 AM every day and this song brings the energy in a way that still holds up 25 years later.
23. ‘All The Small Things’ by Blink-182 (1999)
It sort of breaks my brain that Blink-182’s All The Small Things was released in the same decade as some of the other song son this list. It basically straddled Y2K and Blink blew up with TRL while MTV was enjoying its final days of music.
Blink-182 impacted my musical tastes as much as any band on this list if not more than all of them. They defined Pop Punk in a way that still remained authentic before the genre got diluted in the early 2000s. And if you haven’t read Mark Hoppus’ book yet, go do that now. You’ll thank me later.
24. ‘Smooth’ by Santana and Rob Thomas (1999)
Smooth by Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas just snuck into this list as a mid-1999 song. It bridged the gap between the new era of music and the Classic Rock guitar riffs Carlos Santana was best known for.
When Smooth came out in 1999 I don’t think you could walk into a restaurant, store, or mall in America without hearing this track. It was everywhere overnight. Santana’s guitar had taken over the radio waves like a plague.
This song was so impactful it actually ranked #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the chart’s first 50 years. Since then, Blinding Lights somehow moved to #1 and bumped Chubby Checkers’ The Twist to #2 and Santana’s song to #3. But that’s wild, #3 on the charts in the past 50 years!