So, I'm trying to figure out my personal top 100 of the 1990s.

[NightTrain]

Unfortunately, my knowledge of that decade's music is kinda weak, especially when compared to my musical knowledge of the 1950s - 1980s. But given what I do know about '90s music, I'm attempting to rank-order a personal top 100 for the decade. And I thought I'd post what I've come up with so far.

Remember, the rankings are subject to change. And if you don't see one of your favorite songs listed, it's entirely possible that I'm unfamiliar with it!


1. FREE YOUR MIND – En Vogue (92)
2. THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD – Rage Against The Machine (97)
3. DEAR MAMA – 2 Pac (95)
4. O.P.P. – Naughty By Nature (91)
5. BABY GOT BACK – Sir Mix-A-Lot (92)
6. COP KILLER – Body Count featuring Ice-T (92)
7. ENTER SANDMAN – Metallica (91)
8. YOU OUGHTA KNOW – Alanis Morissette (95)
9. NOTHING COMPARES 2 U – Sinead O’Connor (90)
10. CREAM – Prince & The New Power Generation (91)

11. MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT – LL Cool J (91)
12. CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON – Steve Earle (97)
13. KILLING ME SOFTLY – The Fugees (96)
14. LOSING MY RELIGION – R.E.M. (91)
15. POP GOES THE WEASEL – 3rd Bass (91)
16. HOW BIZARRE – O.M.C. (97)
17. CARIBBEAN BLUE – Enya (92)
18. MIND PLAYING TRICKS ON ME – The Geto Boys (91)
19. MY LOVIN’ (YOU’RE NEVER GONNA GET IT) – En Vogue (92)
20. JUSTIFY MY LOVE – Madonna (90)

21. CLOSER TO FREE – The BoDeans (96)
22. JUMP AROUND – House of Pain (92)

[HEyHEY]

1. What's my name - snoop doggy dog

[SlavesandBulldozers]

2. so, Free Your Mind is the #1 song of the 90's?

i don't know where to start with that list. we got 2 en vogue songs in the top 20. I mean, i like en Vogue, but im not sure even they would give themselves such acclaim.

[NightTrain]

12. No, it's *my* #1 song of the '90s. At least, for the moment.

As for whether or not En Vogue "would give themselves such acclaim," an artist often is the worst judge of his/her own creations.

[Sandpiper]

3. Here's a couple for you

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana (91)
Nuthin but a G Thang - Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg (92)

[politicat]

4. Ordinary world - Duran Duran (the Wedding Album) 1993

Far better than their early US released stuff.

Also, Too Much Information from the same album.


Here are my top 10 90's, at least by number of times I've played them. Thanks, iTunes.

Games Without Frontiers, Peter Gabriel, 1990, So
Sing Your Life, Morrissey, Kill Uncle, 1991
Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now) Cracker, Cracker 1992
All This Time, Sting, 1994 (I don't know the original album, as I have it on compilation.)
Every You, Every Me, Placebo, 1999 (Cruel Intentions Soundtrack, though other album, too.)
Black Metallic, Catherine Wheel, Ferment, 1992
Walking In London, Concrete Blonde, 1992
Everlasting Love, Howard Jones, 1993
Soy, Gipsy Kings, Mosaique, 1990 (American Release; copyright says 1989)
Tango to Evora, Loreena McKennitt, The Visit, 1992

But that's me.

Politicat

On Edit: eek! I must have been obsessing on these at some point or other. Or just generally have crappy probability and random numbers generation on this machine.

[HEyHEY]

5. good call - and "It's friday I'm in love" - the cure

[politicat]

6. *smiles* happy memories of 6 freaks in Mormon country tooling around

in a 1968 station wagon, playing that tape and singing.

Thanks, HEyHEY. Those were good times.

Politicat

[Bryan]

14. Oh no! I forgot about "Black Metallic"!

God, that song was a huge deal. Thanks.

[Delano]

7. Galileo by the Indigo Girls (1992)

Awesome song.

There are about 5 in your list I like and about 5 that I hate, several I've never heard of.

The Fugees cover of Killing Me Softly is indeed better than the original.


And if I had to pick a Naughty by Nature track it would be "Ghetto Bastard" But I guess you kinda like the party-song genre...

Another great song was Praying for Time by George Michael (1990) although it really is a downer.

[politicat]

8. Praying for Time has too many memories, not good ones.

Too many Activist funerals in the mid 90s.

But Galileo was 13 on my list....

Pcat

[politicat]

9. The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony 1997

I'm not trying to take up space here, really...

Just lots of music tonight.

Pcat

[ForrestGump]

10. 100 good songs from the '90s?????

Good luck, dude!

[NightTrain]

11. Now now, Forrest....

Every decade has its good music and its crap. My job: cut through the latter to get to the former. It ain't easy, but it's always rewarding!

[Bryan]

13. Ah, the '90s

I thought only Nick Hornby and I were working on lists like this. God bless you, sir. Here are a few that keep coming up on my list:

Massive Attack, "Protection"
Rocket From the Crypt, "On a Rope"
They Might Be Giants, "The Statue Got Me High"
Sleater-Kinney, "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone"
Wu-Tang Clan, "C.R.E.A.M."
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, "The Lover's Seat"
Soul Coughing, "Super Bon Bon"
Lyle Lovett, "She's Already Made Up Her Mind"
Teenage Fanclub, "The Concept"
Warren G featuring Nate Dogg, "Regulate"
Tom Waits, "Filipino Box-Spring Hog"
Morphine, "All Your Way"
Morrissey, "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get"
Mary J. Blige, "Real Love"
My Bloody Valentine, "Only Shallow"
Pulp, "Common People"
Elvis Costello and the Attractions, "Kinder Murder"
Cowboy Junkies, "A Common Disaster"
Bjork, "Big Time Sensuality"
The Chemical Brothers, "Block Rockin' Beats"
Fugazi, "Caustic Acrostic"
U2, "Mysterious Ways"
Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Breaking the Girl"
Method Man and Redman, "Da Rockwilder"
Beth Orton, "Central Reservation"
Geto Boys, "Still"
Weezer, "El Scorcho"
Liz Phair, "Divorce Song"
Faith No More, "Midlife Crisis"
The Trash Can Sinatras, "Obscurity Knocks"
Radiohead, "Fake Plastic Trees"
Blur, "Parklife"
Peter Gabriel, "Digging in the Dirt"
Deftones, "My Own Summer (Shove It)"
Portishead, "Sour Times"
Drugstore, "Say Hello"
Beck, "The New Pollution"

Sorry, I can go on forever when I'm primed...