Here are the Top 51, at least as far as my personal favorites go…
The 90s was my favorite decade for music. I turned 16 in 1990 and was 25 in 1999. I remember New Year’s Eve for 1992 at my buddy’s place in Stratford, while two of our other buddies were at a concert – The Cult and Lenny Kravitz. I remember NYE for 1998 at that same buddy’s place, this time in London. And for 2000 I remember going to Oshawa to hang with my UofG pals (I also remember my girlfriend backing out of that trip because she was sick). And everything in between:
- end of my high school days
- my days at the University of Guelph and the lifelong friends from there
- my first real girlfriend, and the others that followed. In fact, come to think of it, I had all of my girlfriends in the 90s except one – who became my wife.
- my time in London, officially attending Fanshawe College (but reality is – it was just one big party with my friends, old and new)
- my first pets (an awesome Maine Coon cat Soldier, and a great Siberian Husky named Sable)
Music binds me to my history. I can better place memories on a timeline based on what songs were playing at that moment. Going through all these songs, and then ranking my favorites, brought forth a tsunami of memories. It was a lot of fun.
Finishing off the Top 200 214, here are my favorite 51. The cream of the crop.
Songs 51 through 1…
51. Geek Stink Breath – Green Day (1995)
50. Plush – Stone Temple Pilots (1992)
49. Hard To Handle – The Black Crowes (1990)
48. Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz (1998)
To me, this marked a glorious comeback for Kravitz. I understand that he never left, but to me after Let Love Rule he was on a pedestal. Following that up with Mama Said and Are You Gonna Go My Way kept him on that pedestal. But I didn’t like Circus at all, and so by 1998 it had been five years (a lifetime in those days, from my perspective) since he had something I loved. This song came out and I wondered why nobody had ever come out with that kind of riff before. So simple…so obvious…so good.
47. Brain Stew/Jaded – Green Day (1995)
What always pisses me off is when I hear Brain Stew on the radio and they don’t follow it up with Jaded. The songs should remain tied together always. Can’t remember the last time a station played them that way though. If ever. But these songs belong together as one song.
46. Hero Of The Day – Metallica (1996)
45. Fire In the Head – The Tea Party (1995)
My favorite song by Canadian Band The Tea Party
44. Fake Plastic Trees – Radiohead (1995)
43. Down In A Hole – Alice in Chains (1992)
Going with the unplugged version here, as that MTV Unplugged album was what got me into AiC to begin with.
42. Take A Picture – Filter (1999)
41. Uninvited – Alanis Morissette (1998)
40. Run – Collective Soul (1999)
39. Inside Out – Eve 6 (1998)
38. Pennyroyal Tea – Nirvana (1993)
37. Fiddler’s Green – The Tragically Hip (1991)
I often sang this to my first-born baby girl before putting her down for a nap. Here is a live version of this great song, as it shows the power and raw emotion.
36. Lucky Man – The Verve (1997)
35. Believe – Lenny Kravitz (1993)
34. What I Got – Sublime (1996)
The version I like the best…
33. Glycerine – Bush (1994)
32. No Excuses – Alice in Chains (1994)
31. All Apologies – Nirvana (1993)
30. A Long December – Counting Crows (1996)
It really was a long December for me back in 1996. I broke up with a long-time, live-in girlfriend in November…and we still lived together until NYE! Brutal, brutal month. This song was so damn fitting. Naturally, I think about those days when I hear this song. Great song though – it actually made me feel better when I heard it.
29. What’s My Age Again? – blink-182 (1999)
28. Self Esteem – The Offspring (1994)
27. Pepper – Butthole Surfers (1996)
26. Blow Up The Outside World – Soundgarden (1996)
25. Hunger Strike – Temple of the Dog (1990)
24. Bullet With Butterfly Wings – Smashing Pumpkins (1995)
23. Heaven Beside You – Alice in Chains (1996)
Hearing this song at the Guelph bar Van Gogh’s Ear it was love at first listen. I went out and bought the Alice in Chains MTV Unplugged CD just for this song, plus I liked No Excuses. When I heard the entire CD I loved every song, instantly becoming one of my favorite albums – ever. It put AiC on the map for me. I know I was late to the party with this band, but for me it all started with Heaven Beside You.
22. She Talks To Angels – The Black Crowes (1990)
21. Better Man – Pearl Jam (1994)
20. Hold My Hand – Hootie & the Blowfish (1994)
19. 4 AM – Our Lady Peace (1997)
18. Under the Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)
17. Locked in the Trunk of a Car – The Tragically Hip (1992)
16. Wonderwall – Oasis (1995)
15. Bitter Sweet Symphony – The Verve (1997)
14. Santa Monica – Everclear (1996)
This song brings an old memory of briefly living in the couples residence at Guelph with my girlfriend at the time. A happier memory is a new one. My daughter, currently eight, plays soccer and I swear almost every time I drive her this song comes on one of the stations I flip through. She’s even told me that the song sticks in her head when she plays. I’ll keep that one. And it’s definitely catchy – a stubborn ear worm.
13. Cherub Rock – Smashing Pumpkins (1993)
12. The Unforgiven – Metallica (1991)
Sang this one to my oldest daughter when she was an infant. I think that was because it was when I really got into this song. Not so much when it was released, but in 2009 I really grew to appreciate it.
11. Little Bones – The Tragically Hip (1991)
Reminds me of camping in ’91 in Bayfield. An awesome follow-up release after their Up To Here album.
10. Mary Jane’s Last Dance – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (1993)
This one – University of Guelph, Johnston Hall, second semester of my freshman year. Blasting this on the speakers.
9. All The Small Things – blink-182 (1999)
8. Daughter – Pearl Jam (1993)
7. Ahead by a Century – The Tragically Hip (1996)
6. Paranoid Android – Radiohead (1997)
5. In Bloom – Nirvana (1991)
4. Superman’s Dead – Our Lady Peace (1997)
3. Shine – Collective Soul (1993)
2. Lightning Crashes – Live (1994)
1. Alive – Pearl Jam (1991)
My favorite song, period. Amazing opening riff, obviously a catchy chorus that everyone wants to belt out at the top of their lungs, a pump-me-up instrumental to close. The perfect rock song. And my inspirational song during my battle with cancer.
All 212 songs are on a YouTube playlist here. Over 11 hours of music if you’re ever out on the deck all day having drinks with friends.
And you can also ‘favorite’ this playlist on Spotify…
Here are my 214 favorite songs from the 90s…
| 1 | Alive | – | Pearl Jam | 1991 |
| 2 | Lightning Crashes | – | Live | 1994 |
| 3 | Shine | – | Collective Soul | 1993 |
| 4 | Superman’s Dead | – | Our Lady Peace | 1997 |
| 5 | In Bloom | – | Nirvana | 1991 |
| 6 | Paranoid Android | – | Radiohead | 1997 |
| 7 | Ahead by a Century | – | The Tragically Hip | 1996 |
| 8 | Daughter | – | Pearl Jam | 1993 |
| 9 | All The Small Things | – | blink-182 | 1999 |
| 10 | Mary Jane’s Last Dance | – | Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers | 1993 |
| 11 | Little Bones | – | The Tragically Hip | 1991 |
| 12 | The Unforgiven | – | Metallica | 1991 |
| 13 | Cherub Rock | – | Smashing Pumpkins | 1993 |
| 14 | Santa Monica | – | Everclear | 1996 |
| 15 | Bitter Sweet Symphony | – | The Verve | 1997 |
| 16 | Wonderwall | – | Oasis | 1995 |
| 17 | Locked in the Trunk of a Car | – | The Tragically Hip | 1992 |
| 18 | Under the Bridge | – | Red Hot Chili Peppers | 1991 |
| 19 | 4 AM | – | Our Lady Peace | 1997 |
| 20 | Hold My Hand | – | Hootie & the Blowfish | 1994 |
| 21 | Better Man | – | Pearl Jam | 1994 |
| 22 | She Talks To Angels | – | The Black Crowes | 1990 |
| 23 | Heaven Beside You | – | Alice in Chains | 1996 |
| 24 | Bullet With Butterfly Wings | – | Smashing Pumpkins | 1995 |
| 25 | Hunger Strike | – | Temple of the Dog | 1990 |
| 26 | Blow Up The Outside World | – | Soundgarden | 1996 |
| 27 | Pepper | – | Butthole Surfers | 1996 |
| 28 | Self Esteem | – | The Offspring | 1994 |
| 29 | What’s My Age Again? | – | blink-182 | 1999 |
| 30 | A Long December | – | Counting Crows | 1996 |
| 31 | All Apologies | – | Nirvana | 1993 |
| 32 | No Excuses | – | Alice in Chains | 1994 |
| 33 | Glycerine | – | Bush | 1994 |
| 34 | What I Got | – | Sublime | 1996 |
| 35 | Believe | – | Lenny Kravitz | 1993 |
| 36 | Lucky Man | – | The Verve | 1997 |
| 37 | Fiddler’s Green | – | The Tragically Hip | 1991 |
| 38 | Pennyroyal Tea | – | Nirvana | 1993 |
| 39 | Inside Out | – | Eve 6 | 1998 |
| 40 | Run | – | Collective Soul | 1999 |
| 41 | Uninvited | – | Alanis Morissette | 1998 |
| 42 | Take A Picture | – | Filter | 1999 |
| 43 | Down In A Hole | – | Alice in Chains | 1992 |
| 44 | Fake Plastic Trees | – | Radiohead | 1995 |
| 45 | Fire In the Head | – | The Tea Party | 1995 |
| 46 | Hero Of The Day | – | Metallica | 1996 |
| 47 | Brain Stew/Jaded | – | Green Day | 1995 |
| 48 | Fly Away | – | Lenny Kravitz | 1998 |
| 49 | Hard To Handle | – | The Black Crowes | 1990 |
| 50 | Plush | – | Stone Temple Pilots | 1992 |
| 51 | Geek Stink Breath | – | Green Day | 1995 |
| 52 | What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? | – | R.E.M. | 1994 |
| 53 | You Oughta Know | – | Alanis Morissette | 1995 |
| 54 | The World I Know | – | Collective Soul | 1995 |
| 55 | Hurt | – | Nine Inch Nails | 1994 |
| 56 | Muzzle | – | Smashing Pumpkins | 1995 |
| 57 | Pigeon Camera | – | The Tragically Hip | 1993 |
| 58 | Black | – | Pearl Jam | 1991 |
| 59 | Swallowed | – | Bush | 1996 |
| 60 | Home for a Rest | – | Spirit of the West | 1990 |
| 61 | Nothing Compares 2 U | – | Sinéad O’Connor | 1990 |
| 62 | Strange Currencies | – | R.E.M. | 1994 |
| 63 | Lithium | – | Nirvana | 1991 |
| 64 | Undone – The Sweater Song | – | Weezer | 1994 |
| 65 | Karma Police | – | Radiohead | 1997 |
| 66 | Let Her Cry | – | Hootie & the Blowfish | 1994 |
| 67 | Lounge Act | – | Nirvana | 1991 |
| 68 | Rooster | – | Alice in Chains | 1992 |
| 69 | Killing in the Name | – | Rage Against the Machine | 1992 |
| 70 | Why Don’t You Get a Job? | – | The Offspring | 1999 |
| 71 | Temptation | – | Tea Party | 1997 |
| 72 | Cowboy | – | Kid Rock | 1998 |
| 73 | Laid | – | James | 1993 |
| 74 | Lucky | – | Seven Mary Three | 1997 |
| 75 | Lost Together | – | Blue Rodeo | 1992 |
| 76 | What’s Up | – | 4 Non Blondes | 1992 |
| 77 | You Don’t Know How It Feels | – | Tom Petty | 1994 |
| 78 | Breakout | – | Foo Fighters | 1999 |
| 79 | I Am Here | – | Grapes of Wrath | 1991 |
| 80 | Wheat Kings | – | The Tragically Hip | 1992 |
| 81 | Money City Maniacs | – | Sloan | 1998 |
| 82 | What’s This Life For | – | Creed | 1997 |
| 83 | Just | – | Radiohead | 1995 |
| 84 | Grace, Too | – | The Tragically Hip | 1994 |
| 85 | Low | – | Cracker | 1993 |
| 86 | Gotta Get Away | – | The Offspring | 1994 |
| 87 | Head Over Feet | – | Alanis Morissette | 1995 |
| 88 | All Around The World | – | Oasis | 1997 |
| 89 | Shelf In The Room | – | Days Of The New | 1997 |
| 90 | Zero | – | Smashing Pumpkins | 1995 |
| 91 | Burden In My Hand | – | Soundgarden | 1996 |
| 92 | Radiation Vibe | – | Fountains of Wayne | 1996 |
| 93 | Come Out And Play | – | The Offspring | 1994 |
| 94 | Stop Draggin’ Around | – | Lenny Kravitz | 1991 |
| 95 | The Last of the Unplucked Gems | – | The Tragically Hip | 1991 |
| 96 | Creep | – | Stone Temple Pilots | 1992 |
| 97 | Love Rollercoaster | – | Red Hot Chili Peppers | 1996 |
| 98 | How’s It Going to Be | – | Third Eye Blind | 1997 |
| 99 | Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) | – | Green Day | 1997 |
| 100 | Time Bomb | – | Rancid | 1995 |
| 101 | Starseed | – | Our Lady Peace | 1994 |
| 102 | Call and Answer | – | Barenaked Ladies | 1999 |
| 103 | When You’re Gone | – | The Cranberries | 1996 |
| 104 | Plateau | – | Nirvana | 1994 |
| 105 | No Way | – | Pearl Jam | 1998 |
| 106 | You Should Come Over | – | 54-40 | 1998 |
| 107 | Violet | – | Hole | 1994 |
| 108 | Nothingman | – | Pearl Jam | 1994 |
| 109 | Don’t Speak | – | No Doubt | 1995 |
| 110 | Creep | – | Radiohead | 1993 |
| 111 | When I Come Around | – | Green Day | 1994 |
| 112 | Doll Parts | – | Hole | 1994 |
| 113 | Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town | – | Pearl Jam | 1993 |
| 114 | Poets | – | Tragically Hip | 1998 |
| 115 | Pretty Noose | – | Soundgarden | 1996 |
| 116 | Deuces Are Wild | – | Aerosmith | 1994 |
| 117 | El Scorcho | – | Weezer | 1996 |
| 118 | Where Did You Sleep Last Night | – | Nirvana | 1994 |
| 119 | Basket Case | – | Green Day | 1994 |
| 120 | My Friends | – | Red Hot Chili Peppers | 1995 |
| 121 | Yawning or Snarling | – | The Tragically Hip | 1994 |
| 122 | High And Dry | – | Radiohead | 1995 |
| 123 | Everybody Hurts | – | R.E.M. | 1992 |
| 124 | Open Up Your Eyes | – | Tonic | 1996 |
| 125 | Novocaine For The Soul | – | Eels | 1996 |
| 126 | Mama Said Knock You Out | – | LL Cool J | 1990 |
| 127 | Are You Gonna Go My Way | – | Lenny Kravitz | 1993 |
| 128 | Lump | – | The Presidents of the United States of America | 1995 |
| 129 | Push | – | Matchbox Twenty | 1996 |
| 130 | Off He Goes | – | Pearl Jam | 1996 |
| 131 | Fight | – | The Tragically Hip | 1991 |
| 132 | One | – | U2 | 1991 |
| 133 | The Man Who Sold the World | – | Nirvana | 1994 |
| 134 | Bulls On Parade | – | Rage Against the Machine | 1996 |
| 135 | Jeremy | – | Pearl Jam | 1991 |
| 136 | Got You Where I Want You | – | The Flys | 1998 |
| 137 | Ruby Soho | – | Rancid | 1995 |
| 138 | Lake of Fire | – | Nirvana | 1994 |
| 139 | Another Sunday | – | I Mother Earth | 1996 |
| 140 | Big Bang Baby | – | Stone Temple Pilots | 1996 |
| 141 | Dumb | – | Nirvana | 1993 |
| 142 | Been Caught Stealing | – | Jane’s Addiction | 1990 |
| 143 | The Bad Touch | – | Bloodhound Gang | 1999 |
| 144 | Yellow Ledbetter | – | Pearl Jam | 1992 |
| 145 | Something to Believe In | – | Poison | 1990 |
| 146 | Inevitability of Death | – | The Tragically Hip | 1994 |
| 147 | Remedy | – | The Black Crowes | 1992 |
| 148 | Who You Are | – | Pearl Jam | 1996 |
| 149 | Just Another Day | – | Jon Secada | 1992 |
| 150 | Wind Of Change | – | Scorpions | 1990 |
| 151 | Malibu | – | Hole | 1998 |
| 152 | Thief | – | Our Lady Peace | 1999 |
| 153 | Celebrity Skin | – | Hole | 1998 |
| 154 | What Was Going Through My Head | – | The Grapes of Wrath | 1990 |
| 155 | Disappear | – | INXS | 1990 |
| 156 | Hole Hearted | – | Extreme | 1990 |
| 157 | I Could Have Lied | – | Red Hot Chili Peppers | 1991 |
| 158 | Come As You Are | – | Nirvana | 1991 |
| 159 | Jumper | – | Third Eye Blind | 1997 |
| 160 | Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) | – | The Offspring | 1998 |
| 161 | Runaway Train | – | Soul Asylum | 1992 |
| 162 | I Got Id | – | Pearl Jam | 1995 |
| 163 | November Rain | – | Guns N’ Roses | 1991 |
| 164 | Linger | – | The Cranberries | 1993 |
| 165 | Tubthumping | – | Chumbawamba | 1997 |
| 166 | Walking Contradiction | – | Green Day | 1995 |
| 167 | Song 2 | – | Blur | 1997 |
| 168 | Big Me | – | Foo Fighters | 1995 |
| 169 | Drain You | – | Nirvana | 1991 |
| 170 | Only In Dreams | – | Weezer | 1994 |
| 171 | Nearly Lost You | – | Screaming Trees | 1992 |
| 172 | She | – | Green Day | 1994 |
| 173 | Everlong | – | Foo Fighters | 1997 |
| 174 | Closer | – | Nine Inch Nails | 1994 |
| 175 | Pillar Of Davidson | – | Live | 1994 |
| 176 | Dissident | – | Pearl Jam | 1993 |
| 177 | Scooby Snacks | – | Fun Lovin Criminals | 1996 |
| 178 | Miss World | – | Hole | 1994 |
| 179 | You Learn | – | Alanis Morissette | 1995 |
| 180 | All For You | – | Sister Hazel | 1997 |
| 181 | Always on the Run | – | Lenny Kravitz | 1991 |
| 182 | Thank U | – | Alanis Morissette | 1998 |
| 183 | Nothing Else Matters | – | Metallica | 1991 |
| 184 | In The Garage | – | Weezer | 1994 |
| 185 | Breathe | – | Moist | 1999 |
| 186 | Supersonic | – | Oasis | 1994 |
| 187 | Zombie | – | The Cranberries | 1994 |
| 188 | Black Hole Sun | – | Soundgarden | 1994 |
| 189 | Say It Ain’t So | – | Weezer | 1994 |
| 190 | Loser | – | Beck | 1994 |
| 191 | The Distance | – | Cake | 1996 |
| 192 | Roam | – | B-52s | 1990 |
| 193 | Thunderstruck | – | AC/DC | 1990 |
| 194 | Immortality | – | Pearl Jam | 1994 |
| 195 | Tomorrow | – | Silverchair | 1994 |
| 196 | Cumbersome | – | Seven Mary Three | 1995 |
| 197 | Automatic Flowers | – | Our Lady Peace | 1997 |
| 198 | Your Woman | – | White Town | 1997 |
| 199 | The Sign | – | Ace of Base | 1993 |
| 200 | Misery | – | Soul Asylum | 1995 |
| 201 | A Change Would Do You Good | – | Sheryl Crow | 1996 |
| 202 | Possum Kingdom | – | Toadies | 1994 |
| 203 | Santeria | – | Sublime | 1997 |
| 204 | Blue on Black | – | Kenny Wayne Shepherd | 1997 |
| 205 | We’ll Go To | – | The Tragically Hip | 1993 |
| 206 | One Of Us | – | Joan Osborne | 1996 |
| 207 | Popular | – | Nada Surf | 1996 |
| 208 | All Mixed Up | – | 311 | 1995 |
| 209 | Give It Away | – | Red Hot Chili Peppers | 1991 |
| 210 | Eat My Brain | – | The Odds | 1995 |
| 211 | Freedom ’90 | – | George Michael | 1990 |
| 212 | Enter Sandman | – | Metallica | 1991 |
| 213 | Mr. Jones | – | Counting Crows | 1993 |
| 214 | Interstate Love Song | – | Stone Temple Pilots | 1994 |
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