100 Greatest Songs From 1991

record cover art for Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana and Losing My Religion by R.E.M.
Criteria: These records were chosen and ranked based on their initial and lasting popularity, and on their impact on the overall scope of musical history.

Smells Like Teen Spirit single cover Losing My Religion single cover One single cover Under the Bridge single cover Jeremy single cover Enter Sandman single cover November Rain single cover Black or White single cover
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release).
Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
No.
Song
Artist
1 Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana
2 Losing My Religion R.E.M.
3 One U2
4 Under The Bridge Red Hot Chili Peppers
5 Jeremy Pearl Jam
6 Enter Sandman Metallica
7 Come As You Are Nirvana
8 Alive Pearl Jam
9 November Rain Guns N' Roses
10 Black Or White Michael Jackson
11 (Everything I Do) I Do It for You Bryan Adams
12 Nothing Else Matters Metallica
13 O.P.P. Naughty by Nature
14 Two Princes Spin Doctors
15 Lithium Nirvana
16 Give It Away Red Hot Chili Peppers
15 Unfinished Sympathy Massive Attack
18 Black Pearl Jam
19 Remember The Time Michael Jackson
20 Don't Cry Guns N' Roses
21 Mind Playing Tricks on Me Geto Boys
22 Even Flow Pearl Jam
23 In Bloom Nirvana
24 Mysterious Ways U2
25 Shiny Happy People R.E.M.
26 Hunger Strike Temple of the Dog
27 Tennessee Arrested Development
28 Set Adrift On Memory Bliss PM Dawn
29 Cream Prince
30 Something To Talk About Bonnie Raitt
31 Can't Truss It Public Enemy
32 The Unforgiven Metallica
33 I Wanna Sex You Up Color Me Badd
34 I Can't Make You Love Me Bonnie Raitt
35 The Show Must Go On Queen
36 It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over Lenny Kravitz
37 Gypsy Woman Crystal Waters
38 To Be With You Mr. Big
39 Summertime D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
40 Scenario A Tribe Called Quest
41 How I Could Just Kill A Man Cypress Hill
42 Save The Best For Last Vanessa Williams
43 I'm Too Sexy Right Said Fred
44 Finally Ce Ce Peniston
45 I Can't Dance Genesis
46 Check The Rhime A Tribe Called Quest
47 I Love Your Smile Shanice
48 Gett Off Prince
49 Safe From Harm Massive Attack
50 There's No Other Way Blur
51 Motownphilly Boyz II Men
52 Only Shallow My Bloody Valentine
53 Innuendo Queen
54 Walking In Memphis Marc Cohn
55 Learning To Fly Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
56 Heal The World Michael Jackson
57 Emotions Mariah Carey
58 Sad But True Metallica
59 Jesus Christ Pose Soundgarden
60 Rush, Rush Paula Abdul
61 Weather With You Crowded House
62 Go Moby
63 No More Tears Ozzy Osbourne
64 Joyride Roxette
65 Summer Babe Pavement
66 You Could Be Mine Guns N' Roses
67 Life Is A Highway Tom Cochrane
68 No Vaseline Ice Cube
69 Stars Simply Red
70 Buggin' Out A Tribe Called Quest
71 3 A.M. Eternal (Live at the S.S.L.) The KLF
72 Suck My Kiss Red Hot Chili Peppers
73 Diamonds And Pearls Prince
74 Even Better Than the Real Thing U2
75 Polly Nirvana
76 Now That We Found Love Heavy D & the Boyz
77 Fading Like A Flower Roxette
78 Right Now Van Halen
79 Higher Than The Sun Primal Scream
80 The Choice Is Yours Black Sheep
81 It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday Boyz II Men
82 Jazz (We've Got) A Tribe Called Quest
83 Stay Shakespear's Sister
84 Good Vibrations Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch
85 Brenda's Got A Baby 2pac
86 Come & Talk to Me Jodeci
87 Papua New Guinea Future Sound of London
88 Soul to Squeeze Red Hot Chili Peppers
89 Justified And Ancient The KLF
90 Unforgettable Natalie Cole with Nat "King" Cole
91 Get Ready For This 2 Unlimited
92 Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me George Michael and Elton John
93 Rusty Cage Soundgarden
94 All I Want Toad the Wet Sprocket
95 Hand On The Pump Cypress Hill
96 A Roller Skating Jam Named 'Saturdays' De La Soul
97 Breakin' My Heart Mint Condition
98 Little Miss Can't Be Wrong Spin Doctors
99 Charly The Prodigy
100 Forever My Lady Jodeci
20 more worth mentioning.
101 Will You Be There Michael Jackson
102 Wherever I May Roam Metallica
103 Breaking The Girl Red Hot Chili Peppers
104 When A Man Loves A Woman Michael Bolton
105 The Star Spangled Banner Whitney Houston
106 The Fly U2
107 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Primus
108 Always on the Run Lenny Kravitz
109 Jesus Built My Hot Rod Ministry
110 Ring Ring Ring De La Soul
111 Hazard Richard Marx
112 Baby Baby Amy Grant
113 Rhinoceros Smashing Pumpkins
114 Can't Stop This Thing We Started Bryan Adams
115 No Son Of Mine Genesis
116 2 Legit 2 Quit M.C. Hammer
117 All This Time Sting
118 All 4 Love Color Me Badd
119 Romantic Karyn White
120 Steady Mobbin' Ice Cube
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1991
Brian's Choice: An unheralded great record from 1991
* Waiting The Feelies
Lew's Choice:
* Walk On The Ocean Toad the Wet Sprocket
Brett's Choice:
* Sexuality Billy Bragg
Ryan's Choice:
* Drive That Fast Kitchens of Distinction