Most Iconic 90s Songs

When you think of 90s music, which songs speak most to that era in music? Feel free to add your own choices, there's definitely a lot of others I could've mentioned (I refuse to include any Celine Dion myself).
The Top Ten
1 Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

Come on. This isn't my favorite song in the list by a country mile, but it is easily the most iconic song of the 90s. When I think of 90s music, Smells Like Teen Spirit is always the first song to come to mind. I think Cobain didn't want to be thought of as the voice of a generation, but he did write the anthem of the decade...and Weird Al couldn't have made it clearer

"well we don't sound
like Madonna!
here we are now
we're Nirvana!"

At first I too was stupid enough to think that this was an overrated song, and then my dad made me listen to it and I was completely blown away... If there's a song that doesn't have flaws at all... It's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" ...a masterpiece by Nirvana ( RIP Kurt Cobain ... Miss you so much)... I'm so unlucky that I never got to see Nirvana live ...

Yes. I used to be mainstream, but then I had a revelation and realized these bands are cool. So now I'm really into Queen and My Chemical Romance and I'm still getting into Nirvana but I am loving it! My friend hates the song endless nameless but I like it to be honest.

2 I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston

Sure, Whitney sang this beautifully, but this is DOLLY PARTON's song! I believe Parton sang it better, but even if you disagree, Dolly wrote this song BY HERSELF, and would not be in existence without her. A cover should not be the song that defines the 90s.

At least it's way better than every single Taylor Swift song I can't stand. I didn't know Whitney Houston made a cover of that Dolly Parton song.

A massive smash hit, and in my view one of the best vocal performances of all-time. And yet it comes from a fairly forgettable film...

Definitely the most iconic '90s song and one of the most iconic songs of all time. Whitney absolutely nailed it.

3 Enter Sandman - Metallica

Metallica in this point of time, was untouchable. Their lyrics, the vocals, the music, and the gosh dang AMAZING guitar solos. Their songs make me feel all types of emotions, and stronger than any other artist/band that I have ever heard of, in my entire life.

YES! METALLICA! I knew this song was going to be near the top. I know that people don't like this song because it is too overrated. But just because something is overrated doesn't mean that it is not good. This song is my jam and definitely on my personal top ten favourite song of all time. And Lars' drumming here is so badass. And I know that TRUE METALLICA fans would agree with me. Stop hating on Lars!

Thrash metal going mainstream. Not my favourite song on the album, but undeniably iconic and a big part of the 90s for me personally.

4 ...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears

The melody is a rip off of Gangsta's Paradise! Like in the Sonic Movie.

This is how u do pop music! This song and the video alone invented pop girls. U can see christina, jessica simpson, & mandy moore used that kind of bubblegum music.

I dressed up like her from the video one year for halloween.

5 Losing My Religion - R.E.M.

And somewhere high up on the list, and repeatedly. No band personifies the 90s more than REM. Not to mention that this is a GREAT song.

Beautiful song by one of my favorite bands, a bit overrated tho...

This is the best song...and music video hands down 90's!

Incredible lyrics with a deep meaning

6 Basket Case - Green Day

Glad someone added this, I listened to this album a LOT when it came out.

One of Green Day's greatest songs. This album was all the rage back then.

Been listening to them for years. Love their songs

Awesome song and a big hit in the 90s from a great band

7 Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio

Featured in Paramount Pictures' Sonic the Hedgehog! Staring Jim Carrey, James Marsden and Ben Schwartz! Oh we've been spending all our lives in a Green Hills Paradise! Movie Sonic Flosses to this hot beat! And he pooted in a motel room too! This little hedgehog has had way too many chili dogs!

I knew this song before the Sonic movie or the "Amish Paradise" became a thing, and yet the song is so good! I'm not a fan of rap, but this is good.

Nope. I hated the Sonic movie, and I hated this. It's my opinion, but I don't like Sonic, and never have.

8 All Star - Smash Mouth

The only reason anybody in the 2000's know the lyrics to this song is because of Shrek

Not #1? Really, I thought everyone knew this song

Classic! It's goofy, but who doesn't love it?

9 I Want It that Way - Backstreet Boys

Tell me why baby ain't nothing but a heartake tell me why ain't nothing but a mistake tell me why I never want to say I want it that-a way am I your fire your one desire. Desire

Undoubtedly the best boy band song in the whole universe and is my favourite hit of 90's

I really never liked this song but it has been on so much lately that I like it know

10 Thunderstruck - AC/DC

Dude. Best. Song. Ever. No. Question. About. It. Everyone knows this song. As far as I know, everyone LIKES this song. Everyone knows AC/DC because of this and Back in Black. If they are two of the most iconic songs of all time, I'm pretty sure one of them (this one!) has to be at the top of the list.

The only real way to play this on guitar is to play it only using hammer ons with one hand and playing smoke on the water while tapping on the other...

Everyone knows this song, hopefully, but it's too good to ignore. One of AC/DC's best songs!

Awesome performance by AC/DC - This song never loses its punch or grows old in time.

The Newcomers

? Enthused - Blink-182
The Contenders
11 Wonderwall - Oasis

"Song 2" is my favorite Suede song. The drumming by Jarvis Cocker, the bass playing from Gaz Coombes, the guitar playing by Tim Wheeler and the singing by Justine Frischmann is sublime and perfect! I rate this song 10/10. Best shoegaze song ever!

12 Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden

Awesome song! My favourite from them. Can't get it out of my head. Rest in peace Chris Cornell. 'no one sings like you anymore.'

Easily the best song of the 90s, Chris was easily the best singer of the ninties I mean come on the dude would leave a trail of broken mics at any studio just because he sang so loud.

A song that gave me back the belief that unique good quality songs can still make it

13 My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion

Fun fact this is possibly the most commercially successful song ever according to chart masters.

This song is honestly the real most Iconic song of the 90s. It's probably not even close.

14 Killing in the Name - Rage Against the Machine

If getting punched in the balls had a soundtrack it would be this.

Amazing song charging their rage against police brutality.

15 Creep - Radiohead

I love the lyrics and the music. One of my favourite parts of this song is the riff before the chorus (if that makes any sense). Beautiful song overall.

I bet the people who voted for this song probably think that Radiohead are one-hit wonders. Just saying.

Great rock song

Love this song

16 Buddy Holly - Weezer

I think Say It Ain't So should be higher in terms of popularity/iconic-ness (? ) but this has always been my favorite of Weezer's radio hits.

17 Paranoid Android - Radiohead

A six minute song with four sections and no chorus reaching no. 3 on the British Singles Chart? That's quite an accomplishment. Creep may be more popular, but this is more deserving of "sacred cow" status.

In my opinion one of the best songs of the decade. A six minute journey into multi sections, hell yeah! Still sounds like it could have came out in like 2030.

I really love Radiohead and this is in my opinion the second best song of the 90's, after Smells Like Teen Spirit.

My favourite song of all time, and yes, my favourite genre is heavy metal.

18 Black or White - Michael Jackson

This should be ranked higher.. I mean come on it's Michael!

It should be waay higher. I mean, come on it's Michael Jackson, the King of Pop!

It doesn't matter! You hear that, leftists?

19 Alive - Pearl Jam

Looking back, I think we can safely say Pearl Jam aren't/weren't a grunge band, but they were a huge part of making 90s music what it was/is.

Eddie Vedder is the only one of the big four grunge frontmen that isn't dead. Thanks to that this song is a meme because the chorus goes "I'm still alive yeah"

I love Vedder's indistinguishable vocals and the hopeful sounding vocals

20 Wannabe - Spice Girls

I was a huge spice girls fans in the 90s and heard this song for a while like every day.

I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want!

Okay I know most people might not like this song but I actually love it

21 November Rain - Guns N' Roses

Greatest band at that time, still the greatest band but deserves more recognition

Beautiful song with a rocking end to it, brought me to tears every time I listen to it.

As john mulaney says " hey november rains over! No its not theres more" best dip in a song ever

A beautiful song. Whenever I think 90s, I think of this song.

22 Wind of Change - Scorpions

The whistle at the beginning brings a good feeling already, along with the rest of the song it's just the best Scorpions song, next to The Zoo.

Not only that, but the whistle at the beginning has to be one of the most iconic opening notes ever.

I love this song and no one like you by scorpions!

Best song by the Scorpions.

23 Juicy - The Notorious B.I.G.

The Notorious B.I.G was one of the best rappers ever! It's so sad that he got shot to death...

24 Come as You Are - Nirvana

Another masterpiece by Nirvana ...this is what got me introduced to the sound of grunge...

Just a really good song

25 Man in the Box - Alice in Chains
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