Pitchfork: Best Songs of the 1990s

Fantasy

Mariah Carey (1995)

Hyperballad

Björk (1995)

Are You That Somebody?

Aaliyah (1996)

F**k and Run (2018 Remaster)

Liz Phair (1993)

The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)

Missy Elliott (1997)

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Nirvana (1991)

Windowlicker

Aphex Twin (1999)

Say My Name

Destiny's Child (1999)

Juicy

The Notorious B.I.G. (1994)

Rebel Girl

Bikini Kill, The Julie Ruin & Le Tigre (1993)

Around the World

Daft Punk (1997)

Doo Wop (That Thing)

Lauryn Hill (1998)

Fade into You

Mazzy Star (1993)

Criminal

Fiona Apple (1996)

Shook Ones, Pt. II

Mobb Deep (1995)

Freedom! '90 (2010 Remastered Version)

George Michael (1998)

Sour Times

Portishead (1993)

Common People (Live Glastonbury Festival)

Pulp (1995)

Born Slippy (Nuxx)

Underworld (2014)

Sabotage

Beastie Boys (2005)

Cannonball

The Breeders (1993)

Believe

Cher (1998)

Paranoid Android

Radiohead (1997)

Can I Kick It?

A Tribe Called Quest (1990)

Pony

Ginuwine (1996)

Nuthin' But A "G" Thang

Dr. Dre (1992)

...Baby One More Time

Britney Spears (1999)

Teardrop

Massive Attack (1998)

The Boy Is Mine

Brandy, Tamia, Gladys Knight & Chaka Khan (1998)

Closer

Nine Inch Nails (1994)

No Scrubs

TLC (1999)

You Oughta Know

Alanis Morissette (1995)

SpottieOttieDopaliscious

Outkast (1998)

Ex-Factor

Lauryn Hill (1998)

One In A Million

Aaliyah (1996)

Music Sounds Better with You (Radio Edit)

Stardust (1998)

Paper Bag

Fiona Apple (1999)

Real Love

Mary J. Blige (1992)

Gold Soundz

Pavement (1994)

Mind Playing Tricks on Me

Geto Boys (1991)

No Ordinary Love

Sade (1992)

Dreams

The Cranberries (1993)

California Love (feat. Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman) [Remix]

2Pac (1996)

HALCYON + ON + ON

Orbital (1993)

Groove Is In the Heart (Bootsified to the Nth Degree)

Deee-Lite (1991)

Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)

Digable Planets (1993)

Always Be My Baby

Mariah Carey (1995)

If

Janet Jackson (1993)

Deceptacon

Le Tigre (1999)

Back That Azz Up (feat. Lil Wayne & Mannie Fresh)

Juvenile (1998)

The Whistle Song

Frankie Knuckles (1991)

Creep

TLC (1994)

Ray of Light

Madonna (1998)

On & On

Erykah Badu (1997)

Some Things Last a Long Time (feat. Kramer)

Daniel Johnston (1989)

Scenario (feat. Busta Rhymes, Dinco D & Charlie Brown) [LP Mix]

A Tribe Called Quest (1991)

I Will Always Love You (Film Version)

Whitney Houston (2017)

Shades of Jae

Moodymann (2004)

Carry the Zero

Built to Spill (1999)

Regulate (feat. Nate Dogg)

Warren G (1994)

This Is How We Walk On the Moon

Arthur Russell (1993)

Lovefool (Radio Edit)

The Cardigans (1996)

Between the Bars

Elliott Smith (1997)

Ruff Ryders' Anthem

DMX (1998)

Show Me Love

Robin S. (1993)

Violet

Hole (1994)

Everlong

Foo Fighters (1997)

Missing (Todd Terry Club Mix / Us Radio Edit)

Everything But the Girl (1994)

They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth (1992)

Torn

Natalie Imbruglia (1997)

Tha Crossroads

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (1995)

Walking On Broken Glass

Annie Lennox (1992)

Rid of Me

PJ Harvey (1993)

Check the Rhime

A Tribe Called Quest (1991)

Only Shallow

my bloody valentine (1995)

Still D.R.E. (feat. Snoop Dogg)

Dr. Dre (1999)

Wide Open Spaces

The Chicks (1998)

Karma Police

Radiohead (1997)

Bug in the Bass Bin

Innerzone Orchestra (2003)

Tyrone (Live)

Erykah Badu (1997)

Rosa Parks

Outkast (1998)

One More Hour (2014 Remastered Version)

Sleater-Kinney (1997)

Finally

CeCe Peniston (1992)

Unfinished Sympathy (2012 Mix/Master)

Massive Attack (1991)

Luchini AKA This Is It (Instrumental)

Camp Lo (1997)

Kool Thing

Sonic Youth (1990)

Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See

Busta Rhymes (1997)

Murder She Wrote

Chaka Demus & Pliers (1991)

Human Behaviour

Björk (1993)

Game of Pricks

Guided By Voices (1995)

U.N.I.T.Y.

Queen Latifah (1993)

Loser

Beck (1994)

Mo Money Mo Problems (feat. Puff Daddy & Mase) [Radio Mix]

The Notorious B.I.G. (1997)

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom

Selena (1992)

Little Fluffy Clouds

The Orb (1990)

1979

The Smashing Pumpkins (1995)

Make Em' Say Uhh (feat. Silkk the Shocker, Mia X & Fiend)

Master P (1997)

Say It Ain't So

Weezer (2001)

Freak Like Me

Adina Howard (1995)

Knights of the Jaguar

DJ Rolando (1999)

Enjoy the Silence

Depeche Mode (1990)

Killing Me Softly with His Song

Fugees (1996)

Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless) (La Da Dee La Da Da) [Basement Boy Strip To The Bone Mix]

Crystal Waters (1991)

The State I Am In

Belle and Sebastian (1996)

Together Again

Janet Jackson (1997)

Beau Mot Plage (Freeform Reform Parts I & II)

Isolée (1998)

Got Your Money (feat. Kelis)

Ol' Dirty Bastard (1999)

Nightswimming

R.E.M. (1992)

I See a Darkness

Will Oldham (2018)

Vogue (Edit Version)

Madonna (1990)

Passin' Me By

The Pharcyde (1992)

No No No

Dawn Penn (1999)

Killing In the Name (Live, Orlando, 1993)

Rage Against the Machine (2025)

Shoop

Salt-N-Pepa (1992)

Midnight In a Perfect World

DJ Shadow (2016)

Let Down

Radiohead (1997)

I'll Be There for You / You're All I Need to Get By (feat. Mary J. Blige)

Method Man (1995)

Poison

Bell Biv DeVoe (1990)

The Wild Kindness

Silver Jews (1998)

Inner City Life (Baby Boy's Edit)

Goldie (2000)

Keep Ya Head Up

2Pac (1993)

Man! I Feel Like a Woman!

Shania Twain (1997)

Rhymes Like Dimes (feat. DJ Cucumber Slice)

MF DOOM (1999)

Basket Case

Green Day (1994)

The Bells

Jeff Mills (2019)

Ready or Not

Fugees (1996)

Tunic (Song for Karen)

Sonic Youth (1990)

You Got Me (feat. Erykah Badu & Eve)

The Roots (1999)

Constant Craving (Live)

k.d. lang (2001)

Flava in Ya Ear

Craig Mack (1994)

Summer Babe

Pavement (1993)

Elevators (Me & You)

Outkast (1996)

Hot Music

Soho (2003)

93 'Til Infinity

Souls of Mischief (1993)

All Apologies (Live Acoustic)

Nirvana (2007)

It Was a Good Day

Ice Cube (1992)

Energy Flash

Joey Beltram (1997)

Say Yes

Elliott Smith (1997)

If It Makes You Happy

Sheryl Crow (1996)

Hypnotize

The Notorious B.I.G. (1997)

That's the Way Love Goes

Janet Jackson (1993)

Harvest Moon

Neil Young & Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1993)

My Name Is

Eminem (1999)

Connection

Elastica (1995)

Tear da Club Up

Three 6 Mafia (1995)

Valley of the Shadows

Origin Unknown (1992)

Free Your Mind

En Vogue (1992)

One Day (feat. Mr. 3-2 & Ronnie Spencer)

UGK (1996)

Bitter Sweet Symphony

The Verve (1997)

A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays" (feat. Q-Tip & Vinia Mojica)

De La Soul (1991)

Friday I'm In Love

The Cure (1992)

Just a Girl

No Doubt (1995)

Welcome to the Terrordome

Public Enemy (1990)

Autumn Sweater

Yo La Tengo (1997)

Caught Out There

Kelis (1999)

Losing My Religion

R.E.M. (1998)

Still Not a Player (feat. Joe)

Big Punisher (1998)

Mayonaise

The Smashing Pumpkins (1993)

Jupiter Jazz

Galaxy 2 Galaxy (2005)

Stakes Is High

De La Soul (1996)

Don't Look Back in Anger (Remastered)

Oasis (1995)

Who Am I

Beenie Man (1997)

The Sign (2015 Remastered Version)

Ace of Base (1993)

It's All About the Benjamins (Remix) [feat. The Notorious B.I.G., Lil' Kim & the Lox]

Puff Daddy (1996)

Alison

Slowdive (1993)

My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)

En Vogue (1992)

Waltz, No. 2 (XO)

Elliott Smith (1998)

Superthug

Noreaga (1998)

Fourth of July

Galaxie 500 (1997)

Firestarter

The Prodigy (1997)

Friends in Low Places

Garth Brooks Tribute (2023)

Ice Cream (feat. Ghostface Killah, Method Man & Cappadonna)

Raekwon (1995)

Enter Sandman (Live)

Metallica (2025)

You Make Me Wanna...

USHER (1997)

Blue Flowers

Dr. Octagon (1995)

Wannabe (Radio Edit)

Spice Girls (1996)

You Can't Play With My Yo-Yo (feat. Ice Cube)

Yo-Yo (1991)

Via Chicago

Wilco (1999)

Right Here (Human Nature Radio Mix)

SWV (1992)

Daytona 500 (feat. Raekwon & Cappadonna)

Ghostface Killah (1996)

Ripgroove (feat. Top Cat) [Vocal Mix, Rerecorded]

Double 99 (2022)

Cherry-Coloured Funk

Cocteau Twins (1990)

Tell Me

Groove Theory (1995)

Mass Appeal

Gang Starr (1994)

Feels Good

Tony! Toni! Toné! (1990)

Save Me

Aimee Mann (1999)

Here's Where The Story Ends

The Sundays (1990)

Venus As a Boy

Björk (1993)

Sleep to Dream

Fiona Apple (1996)

Pretend We’re Dead

L7 (1992)

Trip to the Moon Pt.1 (Danny Byrd Remix)

Acen (2021)

Pat's Trick

Helium (1995)

Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder) [Remastered 2021]

Maxwell (1996)

Doll Parts

Hole (1994)

Ms. Fat Booty

Mos Def (1999)

Cross Bones Style

Cat Power (1998)

Funkdafied

Da Brat (1994)

You Get What You Give

New Radicals (1998)

Return of the Mack

Mark Morrison (1996)

The Concept

Teenage Fanclub (1991)

Feed the Tree

Belly (1993)

3AM Eternal (Live at the S.S.L.)

The KLF (2020)

Hunger Strike

Temple of the Dog (1991)

I'm Every Woman (Clivilles & Cole House Mix I Edit)

Whitney Houston (2017)

What's Up?

4 Non Blondes (1992)

Big Momma Thang (feat. JAY Z & Lil' Cease)

Lil' Kim (1996)

Stupid Girl

Garbage (1995)

No Diggity (feat. Dr. Dre & Queen Pen)

Blackstreet (1996)

Dammit

blink-182 (1997)

I Love Your Smile

Shanice (1990)

Semi-Charmed Life (Acoustic)

Third Eye Blind (2022)

Suavemente

Elvis Crespo (1998)

Girls & Boys (2012 Remaster)

Blur (1994)

Seether

Veruca Salt (1994)

Supermodel (You Better Work) [7” Mix]

RuPaul (1992)

There She Goes (Original Single Version)

The La's (2009)

I Got 5 On It (feat. Michael Marshall)

Luniz (1995)

Savory

Jawbox (1994)

Would? (Live)

Alice In Chains (2000)

Cell Therapy

Goodie Mob (1995)

Black Hole Sun (Live from the Artists Den)

Soundgarden (2019)

Motownphilly (80s R&B Burn and Groove)

Boyz II Men (2008)

Brimful of Asha

Cornershop (1997)

It's All Coming Back to Me Now

Céline Dion (1996)

Lay My Love

Brian Eno & John Cale (1990)

How I Could Just Kill a Man

Cypress Hill (1991)

Freak On a Leash

Korn (1998)

Give Me One Reason

Tracy Chapman (1995)

Echo's Answer

Broadcast (2000)

Hey Jealousy

Gin Blossoms (1992)

Song 2

Blur (1997)

Dead Presidents II

JAY-Z (1996)

Corduroy

Pearl Jam (1994)

Show Me Love

Robyn & Spoek Mathambo (1997)

Feel Me Flow

Naughty By Nature (1995)

You Are Invited

The Dismemberment Plan (1999)

Nobody's Supposed to Be Here

Deborah Cox (1998)

New Noise

Refused (1998)

Hold On

Wilson Phillips (1990)

Smallpox Champion

Fugazi (1993)

Both Hands

Ani DiFranco (1990)

Triumph

Wu-Tang Clan (1997)

Steal My Sunshine

LEN (1999)