Anthems 90s

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Though their F-bomb-dropping cover of “I Will Survive” was more notorious, “The Distance” was the bigger hit for Cake, thanks to the song’s racing-as-a-metaphor-for-romantic-pursuit narrative and mariachi-inspired trumpet. Given how dour and humorless much of grunge could be, Cake’s deadpan goofiness offered a welcome respite. The Cardigans – Lovefool (1996)

Written and produced by the legendary Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, this inspiring gospel/R&B song reminds listeners to, “keep your head up to the sky” and “to hold on to your dreams.” In 1991, this song went all the way to No.3 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop songs chart. 63: Deborah Cox: Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here You could say that That Dog had talent in their blood: Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Anna Waronker is the daughter of producer-turned-executive Lenny Waronker, while legendary jazz bassist Charlie Haden was the father of two of her bandmates. Their pedigree no doubt opened doors, but it was Waronker’s songcraft that enabled so many people to form a connection with the band. In the case of “Minneapolis,” it’s the details, like the Low concert at Jabberjaw and the embarrassment Waronker feels when she tells her friends she wants to leave, that pull you into the story. Toadies – Possum Kingdom (1994) Lauryn Hill initially penned “Ex-Factor” for another group but felt it was too personal to give away. This beautiful, heart-wrenching, breakup song was on repeat on many a Discman due to its relatability and stirring vocal performance. 29: Aaliyah – One In A Million Coming at the end of a decade marred by cynicism and consumerism, New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give” was a ray of sunshine of a pop song, warm, bright, and life-affirming. Though New Radicals are remembered only as a one-hit-wonder (and disbanded after just one album), it’s a hit that left an impressive legacy. Nine Inch Nails – Closer (1994) You would’ve been foolish to dismiss Cibo Matto as a mere novelty act for their food-centric lyrics. Their debut Viva! La Woman is kitschy, sure, but it’s also vivid and inventive, and nowhere were they more kitschy, vivid, or inventive than they were on “Sugar Water,” a hypnotic hybrid of trip-hop and pop. Cocteau Twins – Cherry-Coloured Funk” (1990)Very little of what Elizabeth Fraser sings on Heaven or Las Vegas – and the Cocteau Twins’ discography as a whole – sounds like anything in the English language, but her voice possesses an uncanny evocative power. The way her wordless vocals swirl around Robin Guthrie’s guitar on the luminous “Cherry-Coloured Funk” can practically induce rapture. There’s a reason why critics sometimes referred to Fraser as “the voice of God.” Concrete Blonde – Joey (1990)

This extremely upbeat cover of Ready For The World’s 1986 tune took the airwaves by storm 11 years later in 1997. INOJ’s rework of the song and her cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”, was less a slow jam or ballad than a song to be blasted at your cardio funk class. 52: Queen Latifah – Weekend Love If you missed the Top 100 Greatest Songs countdown on Absolute 90s throughout the week, Ben Burrell will be recapping the entire Top 40 from 7pm on Monday night (31st August) on Absolute Radio. Listen to Absolute Radio Given the crowded field, we’ve been ultra-selective in compiling this all-bangers, no-clangers playlist and limited it to one song per artist. Whether the ‘90s was the greatest decade for music is mostly a generational debate, but as you’ll hear, one thing’s for sure: it was never boring.Two R&B divas are better than one, and “The Boy Is Mine” combined the powerhouse vocal stylings of Brandy and Monica. The iconic duet completely dominated the charts (and culture) the summer of 1998, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks, selling over 3 million copies, and earning them both a Grammy Award. 26: Soul IV Real – Candy Rain The very idea of a dance rendition of a Neil Young ballad sounds like it shouldn’t work. But Saint Etienne pull off their cover of “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” by staying true to the original’s emotional tenor – a melancholy, homespun charm that’s better suited for dancing on your own in your bedroom than in the club. Stereolab – French Disko (1993) Freak Like Me” not only served as Adina Howard’s sex-positive debut but paved the way for fellow female R&B vocalist to own their sexuality on record. It was one of the first 90s R&B songs where a woman talked unapologetically about her desires, plus the beat thumps to this day. 15: TLC – Waterfalls

The second single of their debut album Bigger, Better, Faster, More!, ‘What’s Up?’, actually originates from before the group started, with Linda Perry having written it before then. The title does not appear in the lyrics, but the phrase “What’s going on?” features heavily in the chorus. Linda Perry fought to get her version of the song released as she disliked the reworked version that featured different lyrics. Let’s clear up a common misconception: Despite the apparent lustfulness of its opening verse (“You let me violate you / You let me desecrate you”) and the chorus, Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” is not a sexy song. Its lyrics are not about desire, but an all-consuming self-hatred that makes you want to use someone else as a means to your own annihilation. That being said, “Closer” has a groove that’s as unsettling as it is undeniable – it’s “I Want Your Sex” for nihilists. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991)The music video relies heavily on computer-generated imagery and features Soviet imagery and iconography. The single got to the top spot in Ireland, the last single of theirs to do so to date and their fourth Irish number one. The Village People only managed number 15. If you started playing bass in the 90s, there’s a good chance you were inspired to do so after listening to Les Claypool, who can coax more sounds out of four strings than most guitarists can get out of six. It’s those crazy bass skills that broke Primus into the mainstream with “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver” – and if you can’t remember what the song is about, it’s probably because you were too busy frantically trying to play air bass along with it. Los Prisioneros – Tren al sur (1990) No, that isn’t “The Imperial March” that you hear at the beginning of White Town’s fluke hit, “Your Woman” – it’s actually taken from an old jazz tune. (You can hear the same sample in Dua Lipa’s “Love Again.”) If anything, “Your Woman” sounds like lo-fi Prince – and yes, the song is as great as that sounds. Yo La Tengo – Autumn Sweater (1997) My second artist-repeat from the ’80s is my favourite band, with probably their most misinterpreted song. You’ll see a lot of grunge and Brit-pop represented below, but alternative was a worldwide phenomenon, and that’s why you’ll also see artists from Mexico, Iceland, France, and more.