200 ESSENTIAL 90s SONGS: #100-91. More: next week.

Caffe` Latte` presents…

200

 ESSENTIAL SONGS

 of the  

1990s

Many new sub-genres were launched during the 1990s as hybrids of various styles were fused to create innovative new sounds. Females infiltrated the once misogynistic world of rap as it evolved into hip-hop. New Jack Swing gave way to New Jill Swing. Grunge exploded around the world. The music industry grappled with dwindling sales and the threat of piracy. Here are the 200 songs that mattered most -in terms of lasting impact, influence and enduring quality- in the final decade of the previous millennium.

100

ALL APOLOGIES Nirvana

Nirvana proved 'Nevermind' was no fluke with its follow up album 'In Utero' in 1993. Lead singer Kurt Cobain wrote "All Apologies". Steve Albini produced the track. The single helped to further entrench grunge as a dominant sound on radio airwaves.

99

YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE New Radicals

The New Radicals unleashed the radio and chart hit "You Get What You Give" in 1998. It preceded the group's 'Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too' album. The single reached #1 in Canada and New Zealand. It reached the Top 10 in Britain, Spain and Ireland.

98

JUMP AROUND House Of Pain

The squawking sax heard throughout "Jump Around" by hip hop group House Of Pain was sampled from Junior Walker & The All Stars' "Shoot Your Shoot". Bob and Earl's "Harlem Shuffle" provided the intro. House Of Pain's 1992 single peaked in the American and UK Top 10s.  

97

THE BOY IS MINE Brandy & Monica

The 90s answer to "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)", was the duet dual by R&B vocalists Brandy and Monica. Issued in 1998, "The Boy Is Mine" made #1 in America, Canada, parts of Europe and New Zealand. In Britain, the single peaked at #2. It was one of R&B's defining songs of the decade.

96

O.P.P. Naughty By Nature

Rap group Naughty By Nature helped popularize hip hop with "O.P.P." in 1991. On the US Pop Chart, the single peaked at #6. As rap was still being ignored by the mainstream,the single helped shift attitudes towards the burgeoning genre.

95

STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA Bruce Springsteen

Recruiting Bruce Springsteen to sing the hit song from the powerful film 'Philadelphia' earned the critically lauded musician an Academy Award. The 1994 track was used in the opening sequence of the film starring Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and Antonio Banderas, dealing with HIV/ A.I.D.S. On the European and Canadian charts, the song reached #1. The single cemented Springsteen's place among the greatest American musical storytellers.

94

CONNECTED Stereo MCs

Bringing together ingredients such as dance, rap and house, Stereo MCs built "Connected" around a sample of the disco / soul track by Jimmy "Bo" Horne "Let Me (Let Me Be Your Lover)".

93

JUSTIFY MY LOVE Madonna

Co-written and co-produced by Lenny Kravitz, "Justify My Love" reshaped Madonna's sound. In late 1990, the singer / actress unleashed the single. It flew to #1 in America and Canada and made the Top 5 in Britain, Europe and Australia.

92

WHOOMP! THERE IT IS Tag Team

In 1992, Tag Team helped expand the rap audience with "Whoomp! There Is Is". The catchy track contained dance, Miami bass and rap. The single topped the US R&B Chart and peaked at #2 Pop. It also served as the parent album's title track.

91

GANGSTA'S PARADISE Coolio ftg. L.V.

Coolio scored his biggest hit in 1995 with the song "Gangsta's Paradise". It sampled "Pastime Paradise" from Stevie Wonder's 'Songs In The Key Of Life'. The single was a global smash: ruling the Australian chart for 13 weeks. Coolio's hit reached #1 in America, Britain, Europe and New Zealand. It was featured in the film 'Dangerous Minds' starring Michelle Pfeiffer.

1990s