Greatest Rock Songs Of The 1990s

Criteria: - Songs listed are from Rock Music & related sub-genres. These songs
are ranked based upon their initial and lasting popularity, as well as their
influence and impact on the evolution of Rock and Roll and its sub-genres.

Edited by: Brian
Last Updated 2-4-12

DDD page: http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_songs90s.html

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
2. Losing My Religion - R.E.M.
3. One - U2
4. Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang – Dr. Dre
5. Jeremy - Pearl Jam
6. Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
7. Waterfalls – TLC
8. Loser – Beck
9. Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
10. Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinead O’Connor
11. Wonderwall – Oasis
12. Doo Wop (That Thing) – Lauryn Hill
13. Creep – Radiohead
14. California Love – 2Pac
15. Enter Sandman – Metallica
16. Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve
17. Tears In Heaven - Eric Clapton
18. Killing Me Softly – The Fugees
19. Come As You Are – Nirvana
20. You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
21. Song 2 – Blur
22. 1979 – Smashing Pumpkins
23. Paranoid Android – Radiohead
24. My Name Is – Eminem
25. Alive – Pearl Jam
26. Enjoy the Silence – Depeche Mode
27. Jump Around – House of Pain
28. Don’t Speak – No Doubt
29. No Diggity – BLACKstreet
30. Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden
31. Sabotage – Beastie Boys
32. Killing In the Name - Rage Against The Machine
33. Iris – Goo Goo Dolls
34. November Rain - Guns ‘N’ Roses
35. Regulate – Warren G
36. Vogue – Madonna
37. It Was a Good Day – Ice Cube
38. Baby Got Back – Sir Mix-a-Lot
39. Smooth - Santana and Rob Thomas
40. Groove Is in the Heart – Deee-Lite
41. Everlong – Foo Fighters
42. O.P.P – Naughty by Nature
43. Zombie - The Cranberries
44. Closer - Nine Inch Nails
45. Black or White – Michael Jackson
46. (Everything I Do) I Do It for You – Bryan Adams
47. Friday I’m in Love – The Cure
48. Juicy – Notorious B.I.G.
49. Scar Tissue – Red Hot Chili Peppers
50. U Can’t Touch This – MC Hammer
51. Karma Police – Radiohead
52. All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow
53. Everybody Hurts – R.E.M.
54. Mr. Jones - Counting Crows
55. Ironic - Alanis Morissette
56. Buddy Holly – Weezer
57. Gin & Juice – Snoop Doggy Dogg
58. Basket Case – Green Day **
59. Today - Smashing Pumpkins
60. Hypnotize – Notorious B.I.G.
61. Intergalactic – Beastie Boys
62. Man In the Box - Alice In Chains
63. Vision of Love – Mariah Carey
64. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day
65. Dear Mama – 2Pac
66. Bullet with Butterfly Wings – Smashing Pumpkins
67. No Scrubs – TLC
68. What I Got – Sublime
69. Say My Name – Destiny’s Child **
70. Hard Knock Life – Jay Z
71. I Believe I Can Fly – R. Kelly
72. Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana
73. Nothing Else Matters – Metallica
74. Give It Away – Red Hot Chili Peppers
75. Creep – TLC
76. Torn – Natalie Imbruglia
77. Mama Said Knock You Out – LL Cool J
78. When I Come Around – Green Day
79. Firestarter – Prodigy **
80. Mo Money Mo Problems – Notorious B.I.G.
81. Ray of Light – Madonna
82. All the Small Things – Blink 182
83. I’ll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy
84. No Rain - Blind Melon
85. Rooster - Alice In Chains
86. Dreamlover – Mariah Carey **
87. Unfinished Sympathy – Massive Attack **
88. C.R.E.A.M. – Wu Tang Clan
89. Baby One More Time – Britney Spears **
90. Tha Crossroads – Bone Thugs ‘n’ Harmony
91. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – Aerosmith
92. That’s the Way Love Goes – Janet Jackson
93. Self Esteem - The Offspring
94. The Boy Is Mine – Brandy and Monica
95. Missing – Everything but the Girl **
96. Two Princes – Spin Doctors
97. Are You Gonna Go My Way – Lenny Kravitz
98. Black - Pearl Jam
99. Crash into Me – Dave Matthews Band
100. My Lovin’ – En Vogue
101. Insane in the Brain – Cypress Hill
102. Freak on a Leash – Korn
103. Live Forever – Oasis
104. Kiss from a Rose – Seal
105. Lithium – Nirvana
106. Big Poppa – Notorious B.I.G.
107. Plush - Stone Temple Pilots
108. Lovefool – Cardigans **
109. Linger - The Cranberries
110. Where It's At – Beck
111. Gonna Make You Sweat – C & C Music Factory
112. Streets of Philadelphia – Bruce Springsteen
113. Longview – Green Day
114. Angels – Robbie Williams
115. Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check – Busta Rhymes
116. Cryin’ – Aerosmith
117. I Try – Macy Gray
118. Bulls on Parade - Rage Against The Machine
119. Un-Break My Heart – Toni Braxton **
120. Been Caught Stealing - Jane's Addiction
121. Around the World – Daft Punk **
122. Real Love – Mary J. Blige
123. Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind
124. Lightning Crashes – Live
125. I’ll Make Love to You – Boyz II Men
126. Thunderstruck - AC/DC
127. Still D.R.E. – Dr. Dre **
128. Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots
129. Tennessee – Arrested Development
130. Mysterious Ways – U2
131. All Apologies – Nirvana
132. Believe – Cher **
133. Drive – Incubus
134. Ready or Not – The Fugees
135. Disarm - Smashing Pumpkins
136. Say It Ain't So – Weezer
137. Always – Bon Jovi
138. What Is Love – Haddaway **
139. Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz
140. Protect Ya Neck – Wu-Tang Clan **
141. One Headlight - The Wallflowers
142. Runaway Train - Soul Asylum
143. Tubthumping – Chumbawamba
144. Forgot About Dre – Dr. Dre featuring Eminem **
145. On and On – Erykah Badu
146. Keep Ya Head Up – 2Pac
147. Set Adrift on Memory Bliss – PM Dawn
148. Candle in the Wind 1997 – Elton John **
149. Don’t Cry – Guns n’ Roses **
150. Something to Talk About – Bonnie Raitt
151. Even Flow – Pearl Jam **
152. Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers **
153. Sour Times – Portishead **
154. Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley **
155. Girls and Boys – Blur **
156. Man on the Moon – R.E.M.
157. N. Y. State of Mind – Nas **
158. Would? – Alice in Chains **
159. More Than Words – Extreme
160. Hard to Handle - Black Crowes
161. All Star – Smash Mouth **
162. Fake Plastic Trees – Radiohead **
163. All My Life – K-Ci & JoJo **
164. One Week - Barenaked Ladies
165. Champagne Supernova – Oasis
166. Push – Matchbox Twenty
167. Come Out and Play – The Offspring
168. One of Us – Joan Osborne
169. Changes – 2Pac
170. Better Man – Pearl Jam
171. Music Sounds Better with You – Stardust **
172. Gettin' Jiggy Wit It – Will Smith
173. Unbelievable – EMF
174. Fantasy – Mariah Carey **
175. Jump – Kris Kross **
176. Spoonman – Soundgarden
177. The Rockafeller Skank – Fatboy Slim **
178. Poison – Bell Biv Devoe
179. Closing Time – Semisonic **
180. Block Rockin’ Beats – Chemical Brothers **
181. You Make Me Wanna … – Usher
182. Higher – Creed
183. What’s Up – 4 Non Blondes **
184. Name - Goo Goo Dolls
185. Mind Playing Tricks on Me – Geto Boys
186. Truly Madly Deeply – Savage Garden
187. End of the Road – Boyz II Men **
188. You Get What You Give – New Radicals **
189. Crazy – Seal **
190. Common People – Pulp
191. Award Tour – A Tribe Called Quest
192. Stupid Girl – Garbage
193. In Bloom – Nirvana **
194. What’s My Age Again – Blink 182 **
195. Rosa Parks – Outkast
196. Just a Girl – No Doubt **
197. Bawitdaba – Kid Rock
198. Silent Lucidity – Queensryche
199. Whatta Man – Salt ‘n’ Pepa with En Vogue
200. Born Slippy (NUXX) – Underworld **
201. The Power – Snap! **
202. Porcelain - Moby **
203. Hero – Mariah Carey **
204. Daughter – Pearl Jam
205. Are You That Somebody – Aaliyah **
206. Sex and Candy – Marcy Playground **
207. The Distance – Cake
208. Walkin’ on the Sun – Smash Mouth
209. Justify My Love – Madonna **
210. The World Is Yours – Nas **
211. Fell on Black Days – Soundgarden
212. 3 AM – Matchbox 20
213. Sober – Tool **
214. Change the World - Eric Clapton and Babyface
215. Whoomp! (There It Is) – Tag Team
216. Shine - Collective Soul
217. I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By – Method Man
218. Cemetary Gates – Pantera
219. Hunger Strike - Temple of the Dog
220. Bump ‘n’ Grind – R. Kelly
221. Stay (I Missed You) – Lisa Loeb **
222. What’s the Frequency, Kenneth – R.E.M.
223. Cream – Prince **
224. Glycerine – Bush
225. I Alone – Live **
226. Together Again – Janet Jackson **
227. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Deep Blue Something **
228. Never Ever – All Saints **
229. Hey Jealousy – Gin Blossoms
230. Gone Till November – Wyclef Jean
231. What Would You Say – Dave Matthews Band
232. Flava in Ya Ear – Craig Mack
233. The Way – Fastball **
234. You’re Makin’ Me High – Toni Braxton
235. Mary Jane’s Last Dance - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
236. Only Wanna Be With You – Hootie & the Blowfish **
237. Santeria – Sublime **
238. I Wanna Sex You Up – Color Me Badd
239. Run Around – Blues Traveler **
240. Loaded – Primal Scream
241. Santa Monica – Everclear
242. Celebrity Skin – Hole
243. Cannonball – The Breeders
244. Give Me One Reason – Tracy Chapman **
245. I’d Do Anything for Love – Meat Loaf **
246. One Sweet Day – Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men **
247. Can’t Truss It – Public Enemy
248. A Design for Life – Manic Street Preachers
249. Right Here Right Now – Jesus Jones
250. Fly – Sugar Ray

** indicates new entry.

Reserved for future revision.

Shouldn't Jesus Christ Pose be on the list?

Probably beats both "Spoonman" and "Fell on Black Days" in musical impact and influence. It's also #2 on Soundgarden's song list (though that list is flawed since Spoonman is only #6).

Yes, my thoughts exactly. It's not consistent with the general rock song list either, where it's the only Soundgarden song at #93...

I honestly wouldn't use that list as reference point.

Yeah, I think the only reason JCP is on the alltime songs list is that years ago, JCP was #1 on this list. The old versions of lists can be found on the main site, and I think a look at that list will make it clear that that list definitely shouldn't be used as a reference point.

I don't think any of these songs have much influence and there's not much difference in musical impact, but the 2 songs on the list win popularity. I'm not sure both of them have to be on the list, but if one were removed, I'd think it would be to add a song by someone other than Soundgarden.

I disagree. JCP is quite an acclaimed song and one of the defining songs of grunge's breakthrough era. I think it has quite an advantage in musical impact and also some in influence compared to FoBD. I think it should be enough to secure it a place somewhere. I don't know about FoBD though. It doesn't seem to have much influence or impact and not enough popularity to place inside the Top 200.

15. California Love - 2Pac
17. Wonderwall - Oasis

...A bit strange, isn't it?

Not really, considering that California Love is way more popular than Wonderwall (and 2pac is, of course, far more popular than Oasis could ever hope to be), and it has quite a bit of influence on the rap scene, whereas Wonderwall has only popularity, and also derides quite heavily from the Beatles.

I'm just gonna go ahead and ask this: Where the hell is Hallelujah?

"Good Riddance (Time of Your Life" seems to be way too high compared to those other songs.

"Good Riddance" might be too high.



Popularity isn't the only consideration on this list, but it is the biggest consideration, and "Hallelujah" (I assume you mean by Jeff Buckley) doesn't have much of it.

In Finland everyone knows Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah"...

I feel like that song has gained a lot popularity in the states in recent years because it's been used in television programs.

It's still not overwhelmingly known, though.