The ’90s gave us so much great music, from era-defining hits to catchy pop tunes that still can’t leave our heads and hearts. These aren’t just one-time chart-toppers; they’re eternal, once-in-a-lifetime hits that changed the musical landscape over time and influenced artists of both new and old calibers.
The ten greatest pop songs of the ’90s are also a steady mix of genres here and there, but they’re all essentially pop at their core. These are songs that you know even if you dislike, and you will likely stick around until the end to hear them spark that nostalgia within you once again. Some are also legendary karaoke picks, fit for being a great party trick or even an embarrassing moment to retell later on. These ’90s iconic singles are the definition of a time.
10
“Torn” (1997)
Performed by Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia singing to the camera in the music video for “Torn”
Image via RCA
Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn” is a pitch-perfect, bittersweet ’90s pop radio staple. She wasn’t the biggest pop star in the world, but she had a steady career that was jumpstarted with “Torn,” a single that peaked at #2 in the UK and #1 on the US Pop Airplay charts. A fun fact about this song is that it’s actually a cover of LA-based band Ednaswap’s single of the same name, and it’s the most famous version of the song.
Imbruglia kicked off her career with her debut album Left of the Middle in 1997, with Torn being the first song on it. Its infectious mix of rock riffs and a pop-ish, catchy chorus is improved further by Imbruglia’s vulnerable, sweet delivery, turning the song’s melancholic vibe into a pop tune worthy of a sing-along. Even those who don’t like the song know it, since it dominated airwaves and TV charts for a long time.
9
“MMMBop” (1997)
Performed by Hanson
The band Hanson looking down into the camera in the music video for “MMMBop”
Image via Mercury
Another debut album single, “MMMBop,” is performed by the band Hanson, comprised of three brothers (and a couple of other members)—Zac, Taylor, and Isaac. At the time when “MMMBop” became a #1 hit on the American and British charts, the three brothers were between 11- and 16-years-old, becoming sensations just for their young ages. It helped that “MMMBop” became a turbo pop rocket of a single, giving Hanson a great debut album success—though this one remains their most famous song even today.
“MMMBop” has a sunny melody and a massive but very simple chorus, with just the youthful voices of the Hanson brothers singing along; it’s pure teen-pop bliss. Interestingly, the song was initially slower, but the Dust Brothers—producers most famous for their work with Beck, Beastie Boys, and the original soundtrack for Fight Club—decided to flip it into a less soulful and more pop-ish track that can make even the grumpiest person sing along. “MMMBop” was a way of life in 1997.
8
“Vogue” (1990)
Performed by Madonna
madonna-vogue-social
Image via Warner Bros Records
“Vogue” was, interestingly, a single off Madonna‘s OST album, I’m Breathless (one of her most underrated albums). She starred in Dick Tracy besides Warren Beatty, and “Vogue” stands out on the album because of how much it differs thematically from the rest. In the end, this became her most famous single in 1990 (and for a long time after), topping the charts at #1 across the globe. This single later inspired the album, “Vogue,” which Madonna made with Shep Pettibone.
The creation of “Vogue” was inspired by vogueing and ballroom culture—a massive but underground scene in NYC. Ballroom and vogueing entered the mainstream through this single, which expertly blends a catchy house beat with a catchy disco-pop chorus. Madonna had an old Hollywood glam that combined modernity and classics; this is also heard within the song itself, when she namedrops some stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. We have the label to thank for “Vogue” becoming the lead single off I’m Breathless, because it made the ’90s a much funner decade all around.
7
“No Scrubs” (1999)
Performed by TLC
TLC in their futuristic music video for “No Scrubs”
Image via Arista Records
You know that, as soon as you see the phrase “No Scrubs” (or just even the word scrub), your mind has to go: “No, I don’t want no scrub, a scrub is a guy that can’t get no love from me…” It’s just the rules, and, sorry, I don’t make the rules. Jokes aside, this powerhouse of a song made the 90s feel like the decade was still relevant; like it was signing out with the greatest banger you could imagine. TLC performed “No Scrubs,” but unlike some chart-toppers here, the song’s #1 ranking wasn’t news for the group; this was TLC’s third #1 single since they began their career in 1990. If anything, they were underappreciated.
“No Scrubs” is the definitive late-90s R&B/pop empowerment anthem, and its killer hooks and harmonies just make complete sense the more you listen. Produced with laser-precision and tight mastering, “No Scrubs” is one of the most original tunes of the late 90s. Though the track also sparked some controversy and even got responses in tracks like “No Pigeons,” it stayed iconic and superior over any other version, spin-off, or response.
6
“My Heart Will Go On” (1997)
Performed by Céline Dion
Celine Dion singing to the camera in the video for “MY Heart Will Go On”
Image via Columbia
For a song that was originally written for a movie, “My Heart Will Go On” was an immensely successful tune. James Horner composed it and Céline Dion performed it for the Titanic OST; there’s a story around that James Cameron wasn’t interested in having a pop song on the soundtrack, but when he heard the moving ballad’s demo, he changed his mind. Good call on that for him, Dion, and everyone involved, as the song won an Oscar, contributing to ten other Oscar wins for Cameron and Titanic. It was a chart-topper, reaching the #1 spot in over 25 countries.
“My Heart Will Go On” is the ultimate blockbuster ballad. Dion’s towering vocals are layered over an unforgettable melody, which was the first part of the song that was written. The lyrics reflect the emotionally devastating love story at the center of the film, and just as much as the movie was parodied, so was the song. “My Heart Will Go On” is considered Céline Dion’s signature song, and despite a long and fruitful career, remains her most famous tune.
5
“I Want It That Way” (1999)
Performed by Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys wearing all-white in the music video for “I Want It That Way”
Image via Jive Records
One of the busiest people in the pop industry is Swedish producer Max Martin. Nowadays, he’s busy producing songs for Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, and other chart-toppers, but he’s behind some of the biggest hits of the 1990s, too. That includes “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys, a timeless classic that marked the end of the decade, and the boy band’s illustrious career. “I Want It That Way” was an easy #1 in the UK and a long-lasting Pop Airplay #1 in the US.
“I Want It That Way” is near-perfect pop alchemy—melancholic, mysterious lyrics wrapped in a pristine Max Martin-esque melody. The lyrics are about complications in a relationship, and the emotional strain it has on the subject. However, the lyrics were a point of contention for a while, sparking numerous music critics and analysts to wonder what is ‘that’ in the song. The band even recorded an alternate lyric version that “explains” the song’s story more clearly, but they (rightly) chose the enigmatic hit version to be the main one instead.
4
“Believe” (1998)
Performed by Cher
A close up of Cher with strings in her hair, as she puts her hand close to her lips in the music video for “Believe”A close up of Cher with strings in her hair, as she puts her hand close to her lips in the music video for “Believe”
Image via Warner Bros. Records
“Believe” is, believe it or not (pun intended), a single from Cher‘s 22nd studio album. At the time of its release, Cher was 52-years-old, and continuously thriving in the pop world. “Believe” reinvented Cher within the modern pop world, especially because the song pioneered and mainstreamed Auto-Tune as a vocal effect, reshaping the sound of pop—and other genres later—for decades. This single is also considered among Cher’s most important, topping the charts in over two dozen countries, and it’s her most successful single to date.
Accolades and numbers aside, “Believe” is timeless, eternal. It’s a catchy and fun Eurodance and house-inspired pop tune with themes of self-empowerment and self-sufficiency, giving the subject a second wind after a difficult breakup. The Auto-Tune gives the song a futuristic and campy feel, pushing the boundaries of pop music on its own terms. Another crucial part about “Believe” is that it’s an essential gay anthem and has solidified Cher, once again, as a gay icon.
3
“Wannabe” (1996)
Performed by Spice Girls
Iconic pop group Spice Girls Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Mel B, Melanie C and Emma Burton.
Image via Everett Collection
“Wannabe” by Spice Girls was #1 in the UK and the US for over a month. The auditory burst of girl power gave global pop some attitude, personality, and charisma, while the Spice Girls became a blueprint for girl groups later (especially in the UK). Spice Girls aren’t the only British girl group, but they’re the ones that gained the most prominence, and the time of their appearance was crucial for their enduring success. The world was still internet-less and not as connected, and innovative pop music and concepts were highly attractive; Spice Girls represented various feminine concepts with each Spice Girl having a different style—it was history in the making.
The Spice Girls’ debut single “Wannabe” made history with “zig-a-zig-ah,” the most pointless lyrics that just made sense in the moment. The catchy pop tune was simply an It-song, combining dance-pop, hip-hop, and R&B. Layered with funky bass, piano notes, and some extra sound effects, the energetic vocals of the Spice Girls celebrate female friendship, telling a potential suitor that he has to be cool with her friends. It’s kind of impossible to feel unhappy while listening to “Wannabe,” and this is the defining ’90s moment of that song.
2
“I Will Always Love You” (1992)
Performed by Whitney Houston
A close up of Whitney Houston singing in the video for “I Will Always Love You”
Image via RCA
“I Will Always Love You” is the power ballad to end all power ballads. That a cappella opening followed by that sustained note was seismic. Whitney Houston moved mountains with her fascinating, brilliant vocals, but many don’t know that “I Will Always Love You” is originally a Dolly Parton composition from 1974 that Houston transformed into a pop ballad for the soundtrack of her film, The Bodyguard. Though Parton’s version was just as popular, it didn’t go around the world and inspire global aspiring singers to follow their musical dreams like Houston’s version did.
“I Will Always Love You” remains one of the best-selling singles of all time; it often finds its way onto ‘best of’ charts, mostly ‘best of all time,’ celebrating its grandiosity and beauty. The composition is seemingly effortless, starting off with almost a minute-long a cappella, and then belting into a complex, orchestral composition, boosted by strings, keyboards, drums, and even a saxophone solo. It’s hard to hear “I Will Always Love You” and not think back to the 90s fondly and with great memories in mind.
1
“…Baby One More Time” (1998)
Performed by Britney Spears
A close up of Britney Spears looking bored in the video for “…Baby One More Time”
Image via Jive Records
The song that gave the world Britney Spears, “…Baby One More Time” was a metaphorical earthquake, shifting plates and moving worlds; if anyone went back into history and prevented the song from ever being made, the timeline would be perpetually ruined. No one try that, please, we’re already having a tough time. This is another Max Martin tune, who can’t seem to make a bad song (kudos to him), but his skills and talents come secondary here to Britney’s, who turned “…Baby One More Time” into a downright generational anthem.
It was her girl-next-door appeal, her youthful vigor, and her interesting, almost baby-ish singing voice that contributed to the single reaching #1 upon release in some countries. “… Baby One More Time” has that iconic, catchy, Max Martin hook that made it an instant classic. Britney’s octave-jumping delivery is paired with a welling tune, some wah-wah guitars, and electrifying keyboards, while she sings about missing an old boyfriend, asking him to hit her up “one more time.” A fun fact is that the song was initially pitched to Backstreet Boys and TLC, both of whom passed on the track.
KEEP READING: 10 Most Iconic ’90s TV Characters, Ranked