"Tonight, Tonight" is the best song of the 90s.

[stray]

Bittersweet Symphony.

[Falconeer]

uh, fixed the link. And of course, no idea about popularity oversea. Glory Box was immense in my part of Europe.
I didn't like Wonderwall but I recognize qualities in it.

[stray]

People should listen to the Ryan Adams version of Wonderwall. Just to see if they can appreciate the lyrics executed in a different way.

Same goes for his version of Down in a Hole. That shit made WEEP the first time I heard it (granted, I was actually in a hole at the time).

[Signe]

I   Portishead.  Hate Oasis - Unexceptionally talented John Lennon stalking wankers producing ripped off from anywhere nonsense.

[MrHat]

Bilnd Melon - No Rain - 1993

Fuck yes.

Also, I heard Lightning Crashes thrown around.

Also:

He would do anything for love.

But he won't do that.



Reading everyone's lists though, I realize, I fucking love 90's music.

[Tale]

I love Portishead (first two albums, the 3rd is putrid), but I don't believe Glory Box was even released as a single in the US.  While popularity by no means automatically = good, to reach a consensus 'best' the song should at least be moderately popular, imo.  By the way, you linked to Numb, not Glory Box.

Different use of the same sample:
Glory Box - Portishead
Hell Is Around The Corner - Tricky

When you play in the f13 pop-up window they say "no longer available" but if you click through to YouTube, they are playable.

[Sky]

Lots of great metal in the 90s. Metallica was not playing it.

Tool, Kyuss, Melvins, Slipknot, just off the top of my head. Patton was doing great stuff with FNM. Tool.

There was tons of great music in the 90s. Just like every decade ever. One of my favorite albums, Just Won't Burn by Susan Tedeschi came out in 98. It Hurts So Bad is a phenomenal song, the modern Janis (which is actually an insult to Susan imo). I'm seeing a lot of Clear Channel push in this thread.

[stray]

You and I have agreements on music, but calling people's tastes clear channel push is a bit unfair imo. They can still like the songs in their own right.

[Nevermore]

Also, I heard Lightning Crashes thrown around.

Lightning Crashes is a great song.  I also really like the Sam Sever remix of White, Discussion.

[Engels]

I have a sneaking suspicion that anyone moaning about the 90s did not live as a teen in the 80s. We're talking about stuff that got radio air play in the 80s, not the indie scene which did have quite a bit of good music, and was the birthing place for most of the 90s good music. The Cure, Sonic Youth, Pixies, REM, Husker Du, Alice in Chains, Megadeth, Souxie and the Banshees (although to be fair she had her shit going on since the 70s)...all these are the groundwork for what you listened to on the radio in the 90s. Pior to the Nirvana outbreak in the early 90s, it was a barren wasteland where if you heard Prince on the radio, it was a GOOD day.

[Signe]

I love Portishead (first two albums, the 3rd is putrid), but I don't believe Glory Box was even released as a single in the US.  While popularity by no means automatically = good, to reach a consensus 'best' the song should at least be moderately popular, imo.  By the way, you linked to Numb, not Glory Box.

Different use of the same sample:
Glory Box - Portishead
Hell Is Around The Corner - Tricky

When you play in the f13 pop-up window they say "no longer available" but if you click through to YouTube, they are playable.

Love Tricky and love that song.  And I'm NOT as heroin addict, either.  Just sayin'....

[HaemishM]

If we're talking about Smashing Pumpkins songs, 1979 was a better song than Tonight, Tonight. Much better.

As for Portishead, I'd say "It's a Fire" is on par with "Glory Box."

I think Nirvana's acoustic version of "All Apologies" has got to be up there for most gut-wrenching song of the '90's.

Tool's "Sober" is just one of many that could win the title, especially if we're considering the video. But I can't really speak much to the video thing, since videos starting to disappear from the airwaves in the '90's.

[stray]

I have a sneaking suspicion that anyone moaning about the 90s did not live as a teen in the 80s. We're talking about stuff that got radio air play in the 80s, not the indie scene which did have quite a bit of good music, and was the birthing place for most of the 90s good music. The Cure, Sonic Youth, Pixies, REM, Husker Du, Alice in Chains, Megadeth, Souxie and the Banshees (although to be fair she had her shit going on since the 70s)...all these are the groundwork for what you listened to on the radio in the 90s. Pior to the Nirvana outbreak in the early 90s, it was a barren wasteland where if you heard Prince on the radio, it was a GOOD day.

I was perfect game for 90's rock and hip hop. Born in 77. Starting playing guitar in middle school, hated a lot of 80's music though, but got into the underground of it early on, started highschool in 91, all angry and depressed and shit. A damn 'Gen X'" cliche  

I dig drugs, attempted suicide, and even participated in drive-bys. lol. Kurt Cobain and Cypress Hill were awesome.

[Xuri]

Metallica - Nothing Else Matters
Metallica('s version of) - Whiskey in the Jar
Rob Zombie - Dragula

Dude, you started well, and then... ugh. Turn in your heavy metal fanclub membership card.

I don't have one. I don't like music-styles, I like individual songs.

[Johny Cee]

Lots of great metal in the 90s. Metallica was not playing it.

Tool, Kyuss, Melvins, Slipknot, just off the top of my head. Patton was doing great stuff with FNM. Tool.

There was tons of great music in the 90s. Just like every decade ever. One of my favorite albums, Just Won't Burn by Susan Tedeschi came out in 98. It Hurts So Bad is a phenomenal song, the modern Janis (which is actually an insult to Susan imo). I'm seeing a lot of Clear Channel push in this thread.

Great metal?  Why didn't you mention Tool.

[Tale]

Love Tricky and love that song.  And I'm NOT as heroin addict, either.  Just sayin'....

Your avatar might be.

I have a sneaking suspicion that anyone moaning about the 90s did not live as a teen in the 80s. We're talking about stuff that got radio air play in the 80s, not the indie scene which did have quite a bit of good music, and was the birthing place for most of the 90s good music. The Cure, Sonic Youth, Pixies, REM, Husker Du, Alice in Chains, Megadeth, Souxie and the Banshees (although to be fair she had her shit going on since the 70s)...all these are the groundwork for what you listened to on the radio in the 90s. Pior to the Nirvana outbreak in the early 90s, it was a barren wasteland where if you heard Prince on the radio, it was a GOOD day.

I didn't find it barren in the 1980s. I've been struggling in this thread not to mention The Stone Roses, whose first album defined the 1990s for me even though I bought it in 1989: Fool's Gold - The Stone Roses.

Also been looking up stuff from the thriving Sydney band scene in the late 1980s like Heironymus - Clouds, Dancing in the Storm - Boom Crash Opera, and Lock it - Falling Joys.

I was going to mention it with The Stone Roses, but apparently Step On - Happy Mondays qualifies as 1990s. It's a cover of a 1971 song released in early 1990.

[Engels]

I should have clarified that when I said that 80s radio sucked, I was limiting my scope to the US, since I have no idea what it was like in the rest of the world.

[Nevermore]

I have a sneaking suspicion that anyone moaning about the 90s did not live as a teen in the 80s. We're talking about stuff that got radio air play in the 80s, not the indie scene which did have quite a bit of good music, and was the birthing place for most of the 90s good music. The Cure, Sonic Youth, Pixies, REM, Husker Du, Alice in Chains, Megadeth, Souxie and the Banshees (although to be fair she had her shit going on since the 70s)...all these are the groundwork for what you listened to on the radio in the 90s. Pior to the Nirvana outbreak in the early 90s, it was a barren wasteland where if you heard Prince on the radio, it was a GOOD day.

There were some decent 'non-underground' bands in the 80s.  Tears for Fears, Eurythmics, New Order, the Police to name a few.  My two favorite bands started in the 80s (Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance) but both of those are solidly underground.

[stray]

Ooh, a fellow positive gothy type, eh? 

I am jamming Faith and the Muse atm. ;)

[Murgos]

90's iconic music?

Psha, easy.  Under the Bridge, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

[Righ]

The best songs of the 1990s included:

The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds
Pearl Jam - Jeremy
Moodswings - State of Independence Pt II (Spiritual High)
The Prodigy - Out of Space
Primal Scream - Loaded
Salt Tank - Eugina
Mansun - Wide Open Space
Massive Attack - Teardrop
Radiohead - Paranoid Android
Underworld - NUXX (Born Slippy)
Faithless - Insomnia
Portishead - Glory Box
Propellerheads & Shirley Bassey - History Repeating
Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
Ben Folds Five - Army
Pulp - Common People

Okay, I'll stop.

my fave:

William Orbit - Water From A Vine Leaf (not an official video, but there's the music anyhow)

Best thing Beth Orton ever did. Just like the best things Madonna ever did were with William Orbit.

[Righ]

There were some decent 'non-underground' bands in the 80s.  Tears for Fears, Eurythmics, New Order, the Police to name a few.  My two favorite bands started in the 80s (Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance) but both of those are solidly underground.

They're underground? Everybody I knew was into them. I must have been living under ground. Pretty much everything on 4AD (during the 80s at least) was excellent. Cocteau Twins were what drew me to the label. I saw most of their bands live a few times. Wolfgang Press were faves too.

Have you got the recent album Lisa Gerrard did with electronic music maestro Klaus Schulze? Great stuff - two and a half hours of bliss.

[stray]

Anything 4AD would not have been underground in the States.. Even with Gerrard's high profile in films these days, she's still underground!

[NowhereMan]

I didn't find it barren in the 1980s. I've been struggling in this thread not to mention The Stone Roses, whose first album defined the 1990s for me even though I bought it in 1989: Fool's Gold - The Stone Roses.

Y'know I was going to mention the Stone Roses. I didn't actually hear them till the late 90's and would have posted them had I not had a quick check on Wiki to see they were technically 80's. Resurrection beats any Oasis song for drunken sing alongs, as well as just generally I think.

[Sky]

Forgot to mention the mighty Rev Horton Heat. And Brian Setzer got his orchestra going in the 90s.

[Baldrake]

Oh man, there goes my afternoon, Righ!

[Engels]

Hmm, it looks like I may have misguaged what was underground and what wasn't in the 80s. I had assumed, aparently incorrectly, that the radio stations in Chapel Hill, NC, would have been a fairly progressive reflection of what was available nationwide in moderately civilized areas.

4AD stuff was NEVER on any mainstream radio station in my area. Tears for Fears was as radical as we got. Eurythmics, New Order and the Police? Not a chance in hell that went out over commercial radio in Norf Cackalacky. Even on WXYC, the UNC Chapel Hill college radio station, you only got a smattering of some talent, amidst the charter-mandated requirement to play Yak Yodeling of the Mongolian Steppes and the like.

[Ozzu]

Am I still the only one to mention Alice in Chains?

Man in the Box - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFWkPVHKwCY
I Stay Away - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMOU7qZVwJs

I prefer 'I Stay Away' overall. Has a good video and well, it's got nice production value too. It's a winner.

[Nebu]

My choices:

Goo Goo Dolls "Long Way Down"

Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

U2 "One"

Jamiroquai "Virtual Insanity"

Matchbox Twenty "3 AM"

Red Hot Chili Peppers "Give it Away"

Blues Traveler "The Hook"

Bare Naked Ladies "It's All Been Done"

[MrHat]

Fuck, this thread has shown me that my iphone is starving for some retro.

[Grimwell]

This thread is an awesome troll.

Smashing Pumpkins as best song of the 90's?? 

[stray]

This thread is an awesome troll.

Smashing Pumpkins as best song of the 90's?? 

I proclaim Billy Corgan as one of the best guitar players of his era. Both in how he recorded, and what he recorded.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4Ok35HEJQ

I don't really agree with schild with the best song thing, but Corgan doesn't get much credit outside of the Uncle Fester/Charlie Brown comparisons. So it's cool to see.

[murdoc]

This thread definitely confirms that I  90s music.

[Soln]

All I know is that it’s largely true that “Grunge was just bad Neil Young”.

[Nevermore]

There were some decent 'non-underground' bands in the 80s.  Tears for Fears, Eurythmics, New Order, the Police to name a few.  My two favorite bands started in the 80s (Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance) but both of those are solidly underground.

They're underground? Everybody I knew was into them. I must have been living under ground. Pretty much everything on 4AD (during the 80s at least) was excellent. Cocteau Twins were what drew me to the label. I saw most of their bands live a few times. Wolfgang Press were faves too.

Have you got the recent album Lisa Gerrard did with electronic music maestro Klaus Schulze? Great stuff - two and a half hours of bliss.

Thanks, I haven't heard that one yet.    Sadly, since I left working at Borders a few years ago I've been depressingly out of touch with what's new.

As for what's considered 'underground', I was just going by what you could hear on the radio.  That's subjective by where you live, I suppose.  Though I can't believe anyplace didn't play any Police.  Seriously?  Not even 'Every Breath You Take'? (That last to Engels)