250 Greatest Rock Songs of the 1990s
Criteria: Songs listed are from Rock Music and related sub-genres from the 1990s. These songs are ranked based upon their intitial and lasting popularity, as well as their influence and impact on the evolution of Rock and Roll and its sub-genres.
Newly added names are in Red
Newly added names are in Red
1. Smells Like Teen Spirit
Nirvana
2. Losing My Religion
R.E.M.
3. Nuthin' But a "G" Thang
Dr. Dre
4. Under the Bridge
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5. Wonderwall
Oasis
6. One
U2
7. Gangsta's Paradise
Coolio
8. Creep
Radiohead
9. Enter Sandman
Metallica
10. California Love
2Pac
11. Bittersweet Symphony
The Verve
12. Nothing Compares 2 U
Sinéad O'Connor
13. Enjoy the Silence
Depeche Mode
14. No Scrubs
TLC
15. Come As You Are
Nirvana
16. Juicy
The Notorious B.I.G.
17. Killing In the Name
Rage Against The Machine
18. Say My Name
Destiny's Child
19. Song 2
Blur
20. My Name Is
Eminem
21. 21. Everlong
Foo Fighters
22. Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
23. Doo Wop (That Thing)
Lauryn Hill
24. No Diggity
BLACKstreet
25. 1979
Smashing Pumpkins
26. Waterfalls
TLC
27. Loser
Beck
28. Killing Me Softly
The Fugees
29. I Want It That Way
Backstreet Boys
30. It Was a Good Day
Ice Cube
31. Alive
Pearl Jam
32. Basket Case
Green Day
33. Black Hole Sun
Soundgarden
34. Sabotage
Beastie Boys
35. Wannabe
Spice Girls
36. Iris
Goo Goo Dolls
37. Jump Around
House of Pain
38. Zombie
The Cranberries
39. Paranoid Android
Radiohead
40. Jeremy
Pearl Jam
41. You Oughta Know
Alanis Morissette
42. Heart-Shaped Box
Nirvana
43. Hypnotize
The Notorious B.I.G.
44. Don't Speak
No Doubt
45. Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
46. C.R.E.A.M.
Wu Tang Clan
47. November Rain
Guns 'N' Roses
48. Friday I'm in Love
The Cure
49. Regulate
Warren G
50. Nothing Else Matters
Metallica
51. Vogue
Madonna
52. Karma Police
Radiohead
53. Still D.R.E.
Dr. Dre
54. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
Green Day
55. Torn
Natalie Imbruglia
56. Smooth
Santana and Rob Thomas
57. Scar Tissue
Red Hot Chili Peppers
58. Big Poppa
The Notorious B.I.G.
59. Everybody Hurts
R.E.M.
60. Lovefool
Cardigans
61. Believe
Cher
62. Tears In Heaven
Eric Clapton
63. U Can't Touch This
MC Hammer
64. Gin & Juice
Snoop Doggy Dogg
65. All the Small Things
Blink 182
66. Dear Mama
2Pac
67. Buddy Holly
Weezer
68. Black or White
Michael Jackson
69. What's Up
4 Non Blondes
70. Mr. Jones
Counting Crows
71. I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
Aerosmith
72. (Everything I Do) I Do It for You
Bryan Adams
73. Say It Ain't So
Weezer
74. Shook Ones, Pt. 2
Mobb Deep
75. Hallelujah
Jeff Buckley
76. Baby Got Back
Sir Mix-a-Lot
77. Closer
Nine Inch Nails
78. Groove Is in the Heart
Deee-Lite
79. Ironic
Alanis Morissette
80. O.P.P
Naughty by Nature
81. Self Esteem
The Offspring
82. Insane in the Brain
Cypress Hill
83. I'll Be Missing You
Puff Daddy
84. Thunderstruck
AC/DC
85. All Star
Smash Mouth
86. Linger
The Cranberries
87. Firestarter
Prodigy
88. What Is Love
Haddaway
89. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
Smashing Pumpkins
90. When I Come Around
Green Day
91. Kiss from a Rose
Seal
92. I Try
Macy Gray
93. Fantasy
Mariah Carey
94. Hard Knock Life
Jay Z
95. What I Got
Sublime
96. Tha Crossroads
Bone Thugs 'n' Harmony
97. Intergalactic
Beastie Boys
98. No Rain
Blind Melon
99. Are You Gonna Go My Way
Lenny Kravitz
100. The Boy Is Mine
Brandy and Monica
Nirvana
2. Losing My Religion
R.E.M.
3. Nuthin' But a "G" Thang
Dr. Dre
4. Under the Bridge
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5. Wonderwall
Oasis
6. One
U2
7. Gangsta's Paradise
Coolio
8. Creep
Radiohead
9. Enter Sandman
Metallica
10. California Love
2Pac
11. Bittersweet Symphony
The Verve
12. Nothing Compares 2 U
Sinéad O'Connor
13. Enjoy the Silence
Depeche Mode
14. No Scrubs
TLC
15. Come As You Are
Nirvana
16. Juicy
The Notorious B.I.G.
17. Killing In the Name
Rage Against The Machine
18. Say My Name
Destiny's Child
19. Song 2
Blur
20. My Name Is
Eminem
21. 21. Everlong
Foo Fighters
22. Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
23. Doo Wop (That Thing)
Lauryn Hill
24. No Diggity
BLACKstreet
25. 1979
Smashing Pumpkins
26. Waterfalls
TLC
27. Loser
Beck
28. Killing Me Softly
The Fugees
29. I Want It That Way
Backstreet Boys
30. It Was a Good Day
Ice Cube
31. Alive
Pearl Jam
32. Basket Case
Green Day
33. Black Hole Sun
Soundgarden
34. Sabotage
Beastie Boys
35. Wannabe
Spice Girls
36. Iris
Goo Goo Dolls
37. Jump Around
House of Pain
38. Zombie
The Cranberries
39. Paranoid Android
Radiohead
40. Jeremy
Pearl Jam
41. You Oughta Know
Alanis Morissette
42. Heart-Shaped Box
Nirvana
43. Hypnotize
The Notorious B.I.G.
44. Don't Speak
No Doubt
45. Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
46. C.R.E.A.M.
Wu Tang Clan
47. November Rain
Guns 'N' Roses
48. Friday I'm in Love
The Cure
49. Regulate
Warren G
50. Nothing Else Matters
Metallica
51. Vogue
Madonna
52. Karma Police
Radiohead
53. Still D.R.E.
Dr. Dre
54. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
Green Day
55. Torn
Natalie Imbruglia
56. Smooth
Santana and Rob Thomas
57. Scar Tissue
Red Hot Chili Peppers
58. Big Poppa
The Notorious B.I.G.
59. Everybody Hurts
R.E.M.
60. Lovefool
Cardigans
61. Believe
Cher
62. Tears In Heaven
Eric Clapton
63. U Can't Touch This
MC Hammer
64. Gin & Juice
Snoop Doggy Dogg
65. All the Small Things
Blink 182
66. Dear Mama
2Pac
67. Buddy Holly
Weezer
68. Black or White
Michael Jackson
69. What's Up
4 Non Blondes
70. Mr. Jones
Counting Crows
71. I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
Aerosmith
72. (Everything I Do) I Do It for You
Bryan Adams
73. Say It Ain't So
Weezer
74. Shook Ones, Pt. 2
Mobb Deep
75. Hallelujah
Jeff Buckley
76. Baby Got Back
Sir Mix-a-Lot
77. Closer
Nine Inch Nails
78. Groove Is in the Heart
Deee-Lite
79. Ironic
Alanis Morissette
80. O.P.P
Naughty by Nature
81. Self Esteem
The Offspring
82. Insane in the Brain
Cypress Hill
83. I'll Be Missing You
Puff Daddy
84. Thunderstruck
AC/DC
85. All Star
Smash Mouth
86. Linger
The Cranberries
87. Firestarter
Prodigy
88. What Is Love
Haddaway
89. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
Smashing Pumpkins
90. When I Come Around
Green Day
91. Kiss from a Rose
Seal
92. I Try
Macy Gray
93. Fantasy
Mariah Carey
94. Hard Knock Life
Jay Z
95. What I Got
Sublime
96. Tha Crossroads
Bone Thugs 'n' Harmony
97. Intergalactic
Beastie Boys
98. No Rain
Blind Melon
99. Are You Gonna Go My Way
Lenny Kravitz
100. The Boy Is Mine
Brandy and Monica
101. Two Princes
Spin Doctors
102. Freak on a Leash
Korn
103. Lithium
Nirvana
104. Mo Money Mo Problems
The Notorious B.I.G.
105. Give It Away
Red Hot Chili Peppers
106. Angels
Robbie Williams
107. Forgot About Dre
Dr. Dre featuring Eminem
108. That's the Way Love Goes
Janet Jackson
109. Missing
Everything but the Girl
110. More Than Words
Extreme
111. Unfinished Sympathy
Massive Attack
112. End of the Road
Boyz II Men
113. Don't Look Back in Anger
Oasis
114. Streets of Philadelphia
Bruce Springsteen
115. Black
Pearl Jam
116. No Surprises
Radiohead
117. Fade Into You
Mazzy Star
118. Learn to Fly
Foo Fighters
119. Ready or Not
The Fugees
120. You Get What You Give
New Radicals
121. Around the World
Daft Punk
122. Semi-Charmed Life
Third Eye Blind
123. Kiss Me
Sixpence None the Richer
124. What's My Age Again
Blink 182
125. Creep
TLC
126. Return of the Mack
Mark Morrison
127. Champagne Supernova
Oasis
128. Remember the Time
Michael Jackson
129. Interstate Love Song
Stone Temple Pilots
130. Bulls on Parade
Rage Against The Machine
131. This Is How We Do It
Montell Jordan
132. Don't Cry
Guns n' Roses
133. All That She Wants
Ace of Base
134. Man In the Box
Alice In Chains
135. Live Forever
Oasis
136. Vision of Love
Mariah Carey
137. Wind of Change
Scorpions
138. Poison
Bell Biv Devoe
139. Always
Bon Jovi
140. Un-Break My Heart
Toni Braxton
141. Truly Madly Deeply
Savage Garden
142. Changes
2Pac
143. On and On
Erykah Badu
144. Runaway Train
Soul Asylum
145. I'll Make Love to You
Boyz II Men
146. Common People
Pulp
147. Big Pimpin'
Jay-Z
148. Can I Kick It?
A Tribe Called Quest
149. Today
Smashing Pumpkins
150. Jump
Kris Kross
151. All I Wanna Do
Sheryl Crow
152. Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J
153. Drive
Incubus
154. Fake Plastic Trees
Radiohead
155. N.Y. State of Mind
Nas
156. Mind Playing Tricks on Me
Geto Boys
157. Even Flow
Pearl Jam
158. Closing Time
Semisonic
159. Keep Ya Head Up
2Pac
160. Ordinary World
Duran Duran
161. Would?
Alice in Chains
162. Freedom '90
George Michael
163. Real Love
Mary J. Blige
164. I'd Do Anything for Love
Meat Loaf
165. Santeria
Sublime
166. Music Sounds Better with You
Stardust
167. Livin' la Vida Loca
Ricky Martin
168. I Believe I Can Fly
R. Kelly
169. One Headlight
The Wallflowers
170. Girls and Boys
Blur
171. All My Life
K-Ci & JoJo
172. Plush
Stone Temple Pilots
173. Gonna Make You Sweat
C & C Music Factory
174. Porcelain
Moby
175. Protect Ya Neck
Wu-Tang Clan
176. All Apologies
Nirvana
177. Glory Box
Portishead
178. Tubthumping
Chumbawamba
179. Ray of Light
Madonna
180. Dreamlover
Mariah Carey
181. Fly Away
Lenny Kravitz
182. Crash into Me
Dave Matthews Band
183. Praise You
Fatboy Slim
184. Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
Will Smith
185. You Make Me Wanna...
Usher
186. Just a Girl
No Doubt
187. Come Out and Play
The Offspring
188. Mary Jane's Last Dance
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
189. One Week
Barenaked Ladies
190. Ex-Factor
Lauryn Hill
191. Disarm
Smashing Pumpkins
192. Crazy
Seal
193. Man on the Moon
R.E.M.
194. Hero
Mariah Carey
195. Candle in the Wind 1997
Elton John
196. Cryin'
Aerosmith
197. One Sweet Day
Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
198. Are You That Somebody
Aaliyah
199. Alright
Supergrass
200. Push
Matchbox Twenty
Spin Doctors
102. Freak on a Leash
Korn
103. Lithium
Nirvana
104. Mo Money Mo Problems
The Notorious B.I.G.
105. Give It Away
Red Hot Chili Peppers
106. Angels
Robbie Williams
107. Forgot About Dre
Dr. Dre featuring Eminem
108. That's the Way Love Goes
Janet Jackson
109. Missing
Everything but the Girl
110. More Than Words
Extreme
111. Unfinished Sympathy
Massive Attack
112. End of the Road
Boyz II Men
113. Don't Look Back in Anger
Oasis
114. Streets of Philadelphia
Bruce Springsteen
115. Black
Pearl Jam
116. No Surprises
Radiohead
117. Fade Into You
Mazzy Star
118. Learn to Fly
Foo Fighters
119. Ready or Not
The Fugees
120. You Get What You Give
New Radicals
121. Around the World
Daft Punk
122. Semi-Charmed Life
Third Eye Blind
123. Kiss Me
Sixpence None the Richer
124. What's My Age Again
Blink 182
125. Creep
TLC
126. Return of the Mack
Mark Morrison
127. Champagne Supernova
Oasis
128. Remember the Time
Michael Jackson
129. Interstate Love Song
Stone Temple Pilots
130. Bulls on Parade
Rage Against The Machine
131. This Is How We Do It
Montell Jordan
132. Don't Cry
Guns n' Roses
133. All That She Wants
Ace of Base
134. Man In the Box
Alice In Chains
135. Live Forever
Oasis
136. Vision of Love
Mariah Carey
137. Wind of Change
Scorpions
138. Poison
Bell Biv Devoe
139. Always
Bon Jovi
140. Un-Break My Heart
Toni Braxton
141. Truly Madly Deeply
Savage Garden
142. Changes
2Pac
143. On and On
Erykah Badu
144. Runaway Train
Soul Asylum
145. I'll Make Love to You
Boyz II Men
146. Common People
Pulp
147. Big Pimpin'
Jay-Z
148. Can I Kick It?
A Tribe Called Quest
149. Today
Smashing Pumpkins
150. Jump
Kris Kross
151. All I Wanna Do
Sheryl Crow
152. Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J
153. Drive
Incubus
154. Fake Plastic Trees
Radiohead
155. N.Y. State of Mind
Nas
156. Mind Playing Tricks on Me
Geto Boys
157. Even Flow
Pearl Jam
158. Closing Time
Semisonic
159. Keep Ya Head Up
2Pac
160. Ordinary World
Duran Duran
161. Would?
Alice in Chains
162. Freedom '90
George Michael
163. Real Love
Mary J. Blige
164. I'd Do Anything for Love
Meat Loaf
165. Santeria
Sublime
166. Music Sounds Better with You
Stardust
167. Livin' la Vida Loca
Ricky Martin
168. I Believe I Can Fly
R. Kelly
169. One Headlight
The Wallflowers
170. Girls and Boys
Blur
171. All My Life
K-Ci & JoJo
172. Plush
Stone Temple Pilots
173. Gonna Make You Sweat
C & C Music Factory
174. Porcelain
Moby
175. Protect Ya Neck
Wu-Tang Clan
176. All Apologies
Nirvana
177. Glory Box
Portishead
178. Tubthumping
Chumbawamba
179. Ray of Light
Madonna
180. Dreamlover
Mariah Carey
181. Fly Away
Lenny Kravitz
182. Crash into Me
Dave Matthews Band
183. Praise You
Fatboy Slim
184. Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
Will Smith
185. You Make Me Wanna...
Usher
186. Just a Girl
No Doubt
187. Come Out and Play
The Offspring
188. Mary Jane's Last Dance
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
189. One Week
Barenaked Ladies
190. Ex-Factor
Lauryn Hill
191. Disarm
Smashing Pumpkins
192. Crazy
Seal
193. Man on the Moon
R.E.M.
194. Hero
Mariah Carey
195. Candle in the Wind 1997
Elton John
196. Cryin'
Aerosmith
197. One Sweet Day
Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
198. Are You That Somebody
Aaliyah
199. Alright
Supergrass
200. Push
Matchbox Twenty
201. Daughter
Pearl Jam
202. Hard to Handle
Black Crowes
203. In Bloom
Nirvana
204. Mysterious Ways
U2
205. Shiny Happy People
R.E.M.
206. Flava in Ya Ear
Craig Mack
207. Spoonman
Soundgarden
208. Born Slippy (NUXX)
Underworld
209. My Lovin'
En Vogue
210. Rooster
Alice In Chains
211. Together Again
Janet Jackson
212. Longview
Green Day
213. Breakfast at Tiffany's
Deep Blue Something
214. Sex and Candy
Marcy Playground
215. The World Is Yours
Nas
216. Santa Monica
Everclear
217. Whatta Man
Salt 'n' Pepa with En Vogue
218. Walk
Pantera
219. The Distance
Cake
220. Lightning Crashes
Live
221. 3 AM
Matchbox 20
222. Rosa Parks
Outkast
223. Frozen
Madonna
224. Bump 'n' Grind
R. Kelly
225. One of Us
Joan Osborne
226. Give Me One Reason
Tracy Chapman
227. Where It's At
Beck
228. Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check
Busta Rhymes
229. Hey Boy Hey Girl
Chemical Brothers
230. Glycerine
Bush
231. Better Man
Pearl Jam
232. Unbelievable
EMF
233. Been Caught Stealing
Jane's Addiction
234. I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By
Method Man
235. Higher
Creed
236. Hunger Strike
Temple of the Dog
237. Celebrity Skin
Hole
238. Walkin' on the Sun
Smash Mouth
239. Stay (I Missed You)
Lisa Loeb
240. Name
Goo Goo Dolls
241. Never Ever
All Saints
242. Only Wanna Be With You
Hootie & the Blowfish
243. Cannonball
The Breeders
244. Thong Song
Sisqó
245. Change the World
Eric Clapton and Babyface
246. Tennessee
Arrested Development
247. Shine
Collective Soul
248. Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
PM Dawn
249. Hey Jealousy
Gin Blossoms
250. Cream
Prince
Pearl Jam
202. Hard to Handle
Black Crowes
203. In Bloom
Nirvana
204. Mysterious Ways
U2
205. Shiny Happy People
R.E.M.
206. Flava in Ya Ear
Craig Mack
207. Spoonman
Soundgarden
208. Born Slippy (NUXX)
Underworld
209. My Lovin'
En Vogue
210. Rooster
Alice In Chains
211. Together Again
Janet Jackson
212. Longview
Green Day
213. Breakfast at Tiffany's
Deep Blue Something
214. Sex and Candy
Marcy Playground
215. The World Is Yours
Nas
216. Santa Monica
Everclear
217. Whatta Man
Salt 'n' Pepa with En Vogue
218. Walk
Pantera
219. The Distance
Cake
220. Lightning Crashes
Live
221. 3 AM
Matchbox 20
222. Rosa Parks
Outkast
223. Frozen
Madonna
224. Bump 'n' Grind
R. Kelly
225. One of Us
Joan Osborne
226. Give Me One Reason
Tracy Chapman
227. Where It's At
Beck
228. Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check
Busta Rhymes
229. Hey Boy Hey Girl
Chemical Brothers
230. Glycerine
Bush
231. Better Man
Pearl Jam
232. Unbelievable
EMF
233. Been Caught Stealing
Jane's Addiction
234. I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By
Method Man
235. Higher
Creed
236. Hunger Strike
Temple of the Dog
237. Celebrity Skin
Hole
238. Walkin' on the Sun
Smash Mouth
239. Stay (I Missed You)
Lisa Loeb
240. Name
Goo Goo Dolls
241. Never Ever
All Saints
242. Only Wanna Be With You
Hootie & the Blowfish
243. Cannonball
The Breeders
244. Thong Song
Sisqó
245. Change the World
Eric Clapton and Babyface
246. Tennessee
Arrested Development
247. Shine
Collective Soul
248. Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
PM Dawn
249. Hey Jealousy
Gin Blossoms
250. Cream
Prince
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Edited By: Brian
Last Updated: 2026-02-04
Last Updated: 2026-02-04
