By Miriam Alavez
The nineties were a great decade in music, full of irreverent, festive, but also conscious songs. But there are only 100 songs that can be called real music icons, at least according to the British magazine New Musical Express (NME), which released quite an interesting list that defined the nineties. With songs by mythical bands and musicians like Oasis, Radiohead, Metallica, Eminem, and Daft Punk (just to mention a few), these were tunes that marked us as a generation.
One of the things that defined the nineties was the fact that it set the foundations for most of the major changes this millennium is characterized by. Music, naturally, was one of them, with so many bands whose music genres are still explored in contemporary music.
There are songs that automatically take us back to a particular moment of our lives during the nineties. Whether it was a cool party, a great movie, or just a moment you shared with your pals, these songs will always bring us really cool memories.
So, let’s start with the top 10, shall we?
10. Rage Against The Machine – “Killing In The Name”
Through powerful rhymes, this song mocks US army policies, racism, and the Ku Klux Klan.
9. McAlmont & Butler – “Yes”
As the band’s biggest hit, this song showed their loyalty to their unique style and sound.
8. Daft Punk – “Da Funk”
Despite the fact that it was thought Daft Punk was going to release an album exploring the hardcore hip-hop genre, they came out with a dance hit that would define the dancing sounds of the decade through synthesizers, something quite innovative back then.
7. The Beastie Boys – “Sabotage”
Though punk was the original essence of the band, later on, they decided to focus on an original sound. Like this song, which mixes hip-hop rhythms with an alternative base.
6. Oasis – “Supersonic”
This is a song that showed the confidence of the band with the Gallagher brothers, proving they had all it took to be great. That was before their huge feud.
5. Manic Street Preachers – “Motorcycle Emptiness”
With this song, the band showed the world they could create legendary hits.
4. Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”
This was the song that kept Thom Yorke on the spotlight. Since 1995, Radiohead has been ruling the genre.
3. Suede – “Stay Together”
With an emotional message, this song talks about the many ways a broken-hearted drug addict can move on.
2. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Kurt Cobain didn’t just become an instant music legend because of his tragic life. Through his music filled with despair and pain, he showed the powerful essence of music.
1. Pulp – “Common People”
Based on real events, this song is a deep analysis of social class divisions in the country.
The previous songs are truly icons you can’t stop listening to. But these 90 songs were (and still are) also quite influential back them.
100. Coolio – “Gangsta’s Paradise”
99. Black Grape – “Reverend Black Grape”
98. Paul Weller – “The Changingman”
97. Snoop Doggy Dogg – “Who Am I? (What’s My Name)”
96. New Radicals – “You Get What You Give”
95. Guns N’ Roses – “November Rain”
94. Leftfield – “Open Up”
93. James – “Laid”
92. Dr. Dre – “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang”
91. Pulp – “Babies”
@elcadillacnegro90. A Tribe Called Quest – “Can I Kick It?”
89. Belle & Sebastian – “The Boy With The Arab Strap”
88. Metallica – “Enter Sandman”
87. Manic Street Preachers – “A Design For Life”
86. Oasis – “Wonder Wall”
85. Sonic Youth – “Sugar Kane”
84. No Doubt – “Don’t Speak”
83. Happy Mondays – “Step On”
82. 2Pac – “California Love”
81. Ride – “Vapour Trail”
@rideox4official80. Beta Band – “Dry The Rain”
79. Deee-Lite – “Groove Is In The Heart”
78. The KLF – “What Time Is Love?”
77. Air – “Sexy Boy”
76. Primal Scream – “Come Together”
75. Hole – “Celebrity Skin”
74. New Order – “Regret”
73. Sinead O’Connor – “Nothing Compares 2 U”
72. Cornershop – “Brimful Of Asha (Fatboy Slim Remix)”
71. Wu-Tang Clan – “Protect Ya Neck”
@wutangclan70. Radiohead – “Creep”
69. Björk – “Hyperballad”
68. The Chemical Brothers – “Hey Boy Hey Girl”
67. Tricky – “Hell Is Round The Corner”
66. Brandy & Monica – “The Boy Is Mine”
65. U2 – “One”
64. Missy Elliott – “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”
63. Spiritualized – “Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space”
62. Pearl Jam – “Alive”
61. The Lemonheads – “It’s A Shame About Ray”
@lemonheads.fp60. The Breeders – “Cannonball”
59. Green Day – “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)”
58. The Cure – “Friday I’m In Love”
57. Elliott Smith – “Needle In The Hay”
56. Ol’ Dirty Bastard – “Got Your Money”
55. The Fugees – “Ready Or Not”
54. Lauryn Hill – “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
53. Elastica – “Stutter”
52. Nirvana – “Lithium”
51. The Stone Roses – “One Love”
@stoneroses.daily50. Supergrass – “Caught By The Fuzz”
49. R.E.M. – “Losing My Religion”
48. Blur – “For Tomorrow”
47. House Of Pain – “Jump Around”
46. Saint Etienne – “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”
45. TLC – “No Scrubs”
44. The Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic”
43. Blackstreet – “No Diggity”
42. Beck – “Where It’s At”
41. The Charlatans – “The Only One I Know”
@thecharlatans40. Super Furry Animals – “If You Don’t Want Me To Destroy You”
39. Boo Radleys – “Lazarus”
38. Julee Cruise – “Falling”
37. Daft Punk – “Around The World”
36. Mazzy Star – “Fade Into You”
35. Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue – “Where The Wild Roses Grow”
34. Portishead – “Glory Box”
33. The Prodigy – “No Good (Start The Dance)”
32. The Smashing Pumpkins – “1979″
31. Massive Attack – “Unfinished Sympathy”
@massiveattackofficial30. Underworld – “Born Slippy”
29. Blur – “Girls And Boys”
28. Foo Fighters – “Everlong”
27. PJ Harvey – “Down By The Water”
26. Warren G – “Regulate”
25. The Verve – “History”
24. Kelis – “Caught Out There”
23. Jeff Buckley – “The Last Goodbye”
22. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – “Into My Arms”
21. Oasis – “Live Forever”
@oasis20. Green Day – “Basket Case”
19. Ash – “Girl From Mars”
18. Blur – “Song 2″
17. Weezer – “Buddy Holly”
16. Eminem – “My Name Is”
15. Radiohead – “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”
14. Suede – “Animal Nitrate”
13. Primal Scream – “Loaded”
12. Madonna – “Vogue”
11. The Verve – “Bittersweet Symphony”
@the.verveTranslated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
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