I Love the '90s!

Yeah, so, anyone who knows me knows that music is a HUGE part of my life.  In fact, my life is divided up into music segments.  From birth to around 5 years of age (1975-1980), my earliest music memories mostly consist of disco, ‘70s Top 40, and classic rock (especially Elton John, The Beatles, The Eagles, Gerry Rafferty, etc.).  The ‘80s are probably my most influential music decade since it covers my early childhood to my pre-teen years.  To write a blog about the ‘80s would take twice as long to write because there are so many tracks in so many genres that are still my favorites to this day.  However, what I really want to share are some of my favorite tracks from the ‘90s (my high school and college years). 

 

In September 1990, I began high school and was immediately introduced to a “new wave” of music.  At a time when Baby Face, Vanilla Ice, Lisa Stansfield, Color Me Badd, MC Hammer, etc. ruled Top 40, the ‘80s backlash against pegged jeans, Z. Cavaricci’s, and teased bangs began.  It was then that I discovered there were other “alternatives” to the horrific mess of mainstream music and fashion.  The hipsters of 1990 dressed in a late ‘60s psychedelic style, thick headbands (think Lady Miss Kier in the “Groove is in the Heart” video), baggier bohemian-styled jeans (un-pegged), Chinese slippers, Doc Martens (before they became “cool”), flat hair, etc.  It was in 1990 that I discovered my first college radio station, WRAS 88.5 Atlanta – Album 88 (Georgia State University).  By late 1992, local Top 40 station WNNX 99,7 Atlanta – Power 99 changed formats to 99X, an “alternative” radio station.  In 99X’s infancy, it was a great station.  It provided an excellent mix of old and new.  However, as the latest incarnation of youth subculture was branded and sold to the masses, Alternative became commercial, and the rest is history.

 

All of that being said, below are some of my favorite tracks that transformed the era of decadence and greed into the era of slacker apathy.  Synthesized, sugary pop was replaced with a more grassroots sounding guitar rock.  In the early part of the decade, I was heavily into indie rock, but as grunge took over, I moved more towards Britpop and mod.  By mid-decade, I was more interested in the fusion of electronica and rock.  Finally, by the end of the decade, I had moved towards electronica completely (downtempo, jungle/drum ‘n bass, and house).

 

Wherever possible, I’ve hyperlinked the tracks to videos on YouTube.  However, being that videos are constantly both posted and removed, I can’t guarantee the video will still be linked.  If it has been removed, simply re-type the song in YouTube’s search box, and an updated version will probably be posted.

 

Enjoy!

 

1990

“Policy of Truth” – Depeche Mode

“Hippy Chick” – SoHo

“Never Enough” – The Cure

“Serious” – Duran Duran

“What is Love?” – Deee-Lite

“Down In It” – Nine Inch Nails            

“Cuts You Up” – Peter Murphy

“Candy” – Iggy Pop (featuring Kate Pierson of The B-52’s)

“Been Caught Stealing” – Jane’s Addiction

“Here’s Where the Story Ends” – The Sundays

“Unbelievable” – EMF

 

1991

“Kill Your Television” – Ned’s Atomic Dustbin

“Grey Cell Green” – Ned’s Atomic Dustbin

“Suicide Blonde” – INXS

“Give It Away” – Red Hot Chili Peppers

“No Other Way” – Blur

“Radiosong” – R.E.M.

“Jesus Built My Hotrod” – Ministry

 “Crucify” – Tori Amos

“Silent All These Years” – Tori Amos

“The Wagon” – Dinosaur Jr.

“Siva” – Smashing Pumpkins

“Monster” – Fred Schneider & The Shake Society

"It Ain't Over 'til It's Over" - Lenny Kravitz 

 

1992

“Tomorrow” – Morrissey

“Pretend that We’re Dead” – L7

“I Don’t Care” – Shakespear’s Sister

“Wild Horses” – The Sundays

“High” – The Cure

“Detachable Penis” – King Missile

“These Are the Days” – 10,000 Maniacs

“Welcome to Paradise” – Green Day

“Popscene” – Blur

“Good Stuff” – The B-52’s

 

1993

“My Sister” – Juliana Hatfield Three

"Get Off This" - Cracker

“Push th’ Little Daisies” – Ween

“Ordinary World” – Duran Duran 

“No Rain” - Blind Melon

“Labour of Love” – Frente!

“Pets” – Porno for Pyros

“Human Behavior” – Bjork

“For Tomorrow” – Blur

“Chemical World” – Blur

"Kite" - Nick Heyward 

 

1994

“Fade Into You” – Mazzy Star

“Blackhole Sun” – Soundgarden

“Girls and Boys” – Blur

“Backwater” – Meat Puppets

“Rocket” – Smashing Pumpkins

“Closer” – Nine Inch Nails

“God” – Tori Amos

“Cornflake Girl” – Tori Amos

“Here and Now” – Letters to Cleo

“Ordinary Angels” – Frente!

“Dolphin” – Shed Seven

“Supersonic” - Oasis

“Change in the Weather” – Love Spit Love

“Sour Times” – Portishead

 

1995

“Friends of P” – The Rentals

“I Kissed a Girl” – Jill Sobule

“Plowed” – Sponge

“Natural One” – Folk Implosion

“I Gotta Girl” – Tripping Daisy

“What’s the Story (Morning Glory)?” – Oasis

“Wonderwall” – Oasis

“Connection” – Elastica

“Car Song” – Elastica

“Stutter” – Elastica

“Last Goodbye” – Jeff Buckley

“Galaxie” – Blind Melon

“Army of Me” – Bjork

“Queer” – Garbage

“Bullet with Butterfly Wings” – Smashing Pumpkins 

“Disco 2000” – Pulp

“Just (Do it to Yourself)” – Radiohead

“Here (Squirmel Mix)" – Luscious Jackson

"So Low" - Self

 

1996

“Stereotypes” – Blur

“Tattva” – Kula Shaker

“In the Meantime” – Spacehog

“Big Bang Baby” – Stone Temple Pilots

“Only Happy When it Rains” – Garbage

“Stupid Girl” – Garbage

“Zero” – Smashing Pumpkins

“Ready to Go” – Republica

“Firestarter” – The Prodigy

“Christiansands” – Tricky

“Born Slippy” – Underworld

“Life in Mono” – Mono

“Roll On” – Sneaker Pimps

“Setting Sun” – The Chemical Brothers (featuring Noel Gallagher)

“Excuse Me Mr.” – No Doubt

“Naked Eye” – Luscious Jackson

 

1997

“Spin Spin Sugar” – Sneaker Pimps

“Pearl’s Girl” – Underworld

“Sick to Death” – Atari Teenage Riot

“Smack My Bitch Up” – The Prodigy

“Bittersweet Symphony” – The Verve

“Not if You Were the Last Junkie on Earth” – The Dandy Warhols

“Cosmic Girl” – Jamiroquai

“Alright” – Jamiroquai

“Paranoid Android” – Radiohead

 

1998

“Drowning” – Cleveland Lounge (Dave’s Drum & Space Mix)

“I Think I’m Paranoid” – Garbage

“Stitches” – Orgy

“Intergalactic” – Beastie Boys

“Lucky Man” – The Verve

“Everyday Should Be A Holiday” – The Dandy Warhols

“April Fools” – Rufus Wainwright

"Sweeter Love" - Blue Six 

 

1999

“Opium Dreams” – The Controls

“Soothing” – pH Balance

“Canned Heat” – Jamiroquai

“Coffee & TV” – Blur

“No Distance Left to Run” – Blur

“Somebody Has to Pay” – Susie Van Der Meer

“Push Upstairs” – Underworld

“King of Snake” – Underworld

"Feel Up" - Spook (featuring Roisin Murphy - Original Groove Mix)

“Deceptacon” – Le Tigre