Ultimate Hits of the 90s

Attention!!!

Well it has been sometime since my last post. This is not because I have been idle, but I have been compiling this list of the ultimate hits of the 90s. The decade 1990-1999 is definitely one of my favourites as you can see a mix of Pop, Rock and Eurodance genres which have come and gone on the charts. We see pitch perfect artistes such as Mariah Carey and Bryan Adams reach their peak and the advent of the pop girl and boy bands such as Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls and N*Sync. Then we can see Alternative Rock entering the mainstream and also see how Eurodance paves the way for the now extremely popular Europop. Elements of disco can be seen in some songs but can see that it is definitely dying. Artistes such as Elton John, Whitney Houston and Carlos Santana although big in the previous decades came up with their greatest hits in the 90s. 

This list is a compilation of the greatest hits released between 1990-1999 by different artistes with the exception of Mariah Carey and Boys II Men receiving a double entry due to their collaboration on One Sweet Day. I have deliberately excluded other double entries for the sole reason that if that is done then artistes like Elton John, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston will receive many entries and the same will go for bands such as the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys which would lead to other major artistes and bands who were popular at the time or a particular famous song at the time to be excluded. Therefore, painstakingly I have had to research and find out the best song released by these artistes and bands who were popular at the time. 

Thus, these are the Ultimate Hits of the 90s based on chart performance worldwide as well as accolades received.  

1. Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On

This was the theme song of James Cameron’s blockbuster film “Titanic” and Dion’s biggest hit up to date. The song topped the charts worldwide and certified 2X Platinum in the UK and Gold in the US. It won the 1997 Academy Award for Best Original Song and dominated the 1999 Grammy Awards with Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Song specifically written for a Motion Picture or Television. It is considered as the best film theme song of all time as well as the biggest love ballad of the nineties.

2. Mariah Carey & Boys II Men – One Sweet Day

Both Carey and the members of Boys II Men wrote the song about specific people in their lives to include the sufferers of the AIDS epidemic so globally prevalent at the time. The song was a major success especially in the US where it was No.1 for 16 weeks and is the longest running No.1 in the US up to date. Rolling Stones Magazine recognized it as the best collaboration of all time and Billboard ranked it at No.1 on their End of Decade 1990-1999 chart. 

3. Los del Rio – Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)

This is a Spanish dance song about a woman of the same name. It was an international hit topping the US chart and several other countries although No.2 in the UK. With a unique dance step to its music it uses a type of clave rhythm. It was certified 4X Platinum in the US and Gold in the UK and is No.2 on the Billboard End of Decade 1990-1999 Chart. The song ranks at No.5 on Billboard’s All Time Top 100 and ranks No.1 in both Billboard’s All Time Latin Songs and All Time Dance Songs. 

4. Elton John – Candle in the Wind

This is a rewritten and rerecorded version of his own 1973 hit and released as a tribute single to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. According to RIAA it is the best selling single of all time and this was confirmed by the Guinness World Records 2009 stating that the song was the best selling single in the UK and US since the charts began in the 1950s. It debuted at No.1 on both the US and UK charts in 1997 and was certified Diamond in the US and 9X Platinum in the UK. It topped the charts in almost all the countries it charted and John won the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 40^th Grammy Awards in 1998. 

5. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit

     Considered as the American rock band’s signature song, it was a major success in late 1991. The song uses a verse-chorus form where the main four-chord riff is used during the intro and chorus to create an alternating loud and quiet dynamic. It reached No.6 in the US and No.7 in the UK. VH1 ranked the song No.1 on its list of 100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years and Rolling Stones ranked it No.9 on its 2004 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. This song also marks the entry of alternative rock into the mainstream.

  6. Spice Girls – Wannabe

     This was the band’s debut hit song and their biggest hit up to date released in 1996. It is an uptempo dance-pop song which incorporates a mix of hip-hop and rap. The lyrics address the value of female friendship over the heterosexual bond and became an iconic symbol of female empowerment. It topped the charts worldwide over 31 countries and was certified 2X platinum in the UK and Platinum in the US. It laid the foundation for the band’s future success as many call them the next best thing from the UK after The Beatles. It is the best selling single by a female group of all time.

  7. Puff Daddy ft. Faith Evans & 112 – I’ll Be Missing You

   This song was recorded in memory of Notorious B.I.G. who was murdered in 1997. It samples The Police’s 1983 No.1 hit “Every Breath You Take”. Topping the charts in UK, US and worldwide it ended up at No.10 on the Billboard End of Decade 1990-1999 Chart. It was the only rap song to debut at No.1 in the US till Eminem’s Not afraid 13 years later and spent a record breaking 11 weeks at No.1. It won the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 40^th Grammy Awards 1998. 

      8. Santana ft. Rob Thomas – Smooth

     This song was a collaboration between the Latin rock band Santana headed by Carlos Santana and the lead vocalist of Matchbox 20, Rob Thomas. It was an international hit topping the charts in the US and No.3 in the UK. The song ranks at No.2 on Billboard’s All Time Top 100 and won the Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 42^nd Grammy Awards 2000.

   

      9. Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You

This is a cover version of Dolly Parton’s 1974 hit but which Whitney Houston managed to make her signature song with powerful vocals. It was recorded as part of the soundtrack for the film The Bodyguard which was Houston’s film debut. The tenor saxophone solo was played by Kirk Whalum. The song was a worldwide success topping the charts in UK and US and ranked No. 7 on the Billboard End of Decade 1990-1999 Chart. It also won the Record of the Year and the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 36^th Grammy Awards 1994. 

10. Britney Spears – …Baby One More Time

This is Spears’ debut single and her biggest hit up to date, paving the way for her stardom as it peaked in every country it charted. It is a teen pop and dance-pop song that refers to a girl who regrets breaking up with her boyfriend. It was also certified Platinum in almost all the countries it charted and the accompanying video was a major success as well being voted as the Best Video of the 90’s and also Jam! ranks it as the third Most Influential Pop Video of All Time. Rolling Stones lists it at No.25 on their Greatest Pop Songs Since 1963 and VH1 lists it as the second Best Song of the 1990s. 

11. Cher – Believe

This was the lead single from her twenty third album of the same name and Cher managed to captivate the youngsters of the nineties as well. This is evident since she grabbed the Best Dance Recording at the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000 and also nominated for Record of the Year. The song incorporates elements of techno, eurodance and house music. It became No.1 in over 10 countries including the US and UK and certified Platinum and 2X Platinum respectively. It was voted as the 8th Best Song by a poll conducted by BBC.

12. Bryan Adams –  Everything I Do ( I Do It For You)

This is a power ballad by the Canadian rock star for the soundtrack of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It was an international success spending peaking in almost all the countries it charted and spending 16 weeks at No.1 in the UK and 7 weeks at No.1 in the US. It won the Best Song Written for a Motion Picture or Television at the 34th Grammy Awards 1992 and also nominated for the Best Song at the Academy Awards. It remains Adams' most success hit up to date. 

13.  Brandy & Monica – The Boy is Mine

This is duet by two of the most popular R&B female artistes at the time. As the lead single from Brandy's Never Say Never and Monica's The Boy is Mine the song was described as an answer to The Girl is Mine by Sir Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. The song reached No.1 in the US and No.2 in the UK and was a mega hit in other countries it charted. It won the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and nominated for Record of the Year and Best R&B Song at the 41st Grammy Awards 1999. It was ranked 54th on the Billboard All Time Hot 100 Top Songs Chart and ranked 3rd on the Billboard 40 Biggest Duets of All Time. 

14. Michael Jackson – Black or White 

This is the first single from Jackson's eighth studio album Dangerous and has elements of dance, rap and hard rock. It topped the charts in twenty countries and spent the week on top of the US Charts for a total of 7 weeks and certified Platinum. It ranks at No.39 on the Billboard End of Decade 1990-1999 Chart. It was the fastest chart topper in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 since The Beatles' Get Back in 1969 and received worldwide radio airplay and continues to be a rock n' roll dance anthem about racial harmony.

15. Coolio ft. L.V. – Gangsta's Paradise

This is Coolio's biggest up to date and the theme song of the film Dangerous Minds. It sampled the chorus and music of the 1976 song Pastime Paradise by Stevie Wonder. It is one of the best selling singles of all time peaking in almost every country it charted including the US and UK and certified Platinum. US Billboard ranks it at No.13 on the End of Decade Chart and at No.69 on Billboard's Greatest Songs of All Time. He received the award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 38th Grammy Awards 1996.

16. Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way

This is the first single from their album Millennium and is their greatest hit up to date reaching No.1 in over 25 countries including the UK. The song was voted No.3 on VH1's Greatest Songs of the 90s and ranked No.10 on the Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time. The song was also nominated for 3 Awards at the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo or Group Performance. 


17. Christina Aguilera – Genie in a Bottle

This is her lead single from her self-titled debut album and also her greatest hit up to date. It's a teen-pop and dance-pop track incorporating elements of R&B. It achieved international success and peaked in both US and UK and was also certified Platinum in the US. This was one of the materials which led to her victory in the Best New Artist category in the 42nd Grammy Awards 2000. VH1 ranked it at No.38 on its Greatest Songs of the 90s and it was listed at No.43 in the US Billboard End of Decade Chart 1990-1999. 

18. Sinead O' Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U

Originally written and composed by Prince for The Family, one of his side projects which was a funk band, it appeared on the self-titled album The Family but was not released as a single. Its lyrics explore the feelings of longing from an abandoned lover's point of view. O' Connor recorded it in her album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got and it was a worldwide hit peaking at No.1 in the US and UK and also certified Platinum in both countries. VH1 ranked it at No.10 of the 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s and Billboard at No.77 on the Greatest Hits of All Time.

19. Ace of Base – The Sign

This is a dance-pop song from the band's album Happy Nation. It is the band's biggest hit up to date reaching No.2 in the UK and peaking in the US and certified Gold in the UK and Platinum in the US. It was No.1 on the 1994 Billboard Year End Chart and ranked at No.51 on the Billboard Hot 100 All Time Top Songs. It was ranked No.11 on the Billboard Hot 100 End of Decade Chart 1990-1999. 

20. Aerosmith – I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

This is a power ballad performed by the band for the 1998 Blockbuster hit Armageddon. It was an international hit and it debuted at No.1 in the US and reached No.4 in the UK which is the band's highest charting song in the UK. The song was nominated for the Best Original Song at the 71st Academy Awards 1998 and a Best Video from a Film at the MTV Video Music Awards. 

And the other greatest hits are:–

21. Wet, Wet, Wet – Love is All Around
22. Eiffel 65 – Blue (Da Ba Dee)
23. Toni Braxton – Un-Break My Heart
24. Ricky Martin – Livin' La Vida Loca
25. Aqua – Barbie Girl
26. All-4-One – I Swear
27. Boys II Men – End of the Road
28. Faith Hill – Breathe
29. R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
30. Meat Loaf - I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
31. Guns N' Roses – November Rain
32. Jewel – Foolish Games
33. Snap! – Rhythm is a Dancer
34. No Doubt – Don't Speak
35. LeAnn Rimes – How Do I Live
36. Bruce Springsteen – Streets of Philadelphia
37. En Vogue – Don't Let Go
38. Boyzone – No Matter What
39. Soul Asylum – Runaway Train
40. Real McCoy – Another Night
41. C+C Music Factory – Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
42. Oasis – Wonderwall
43. Shania Twain – You're Still the One
44. Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
45. Donna Lewis – I Love You Always Forever
46. Haddaway – What is Love
47. The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony
48. Amy Grant – Baby, Baby
49. Next – Too Close
50. Janet Jackson – That's the Way Love Goes
51. Everything But The Girl – Missing (Todd Terry Remix)
52. Jon Secada – Just Another Day
53. K-Ci & Jojo – All My Life
54. Sarah McLachlan – Adia
55. Hanson – MMMBop
56. Chumbawamba – Tubthumping
57. Enrique Iglesias – Bailamos
58. TLC – No Scrubs
59. Eric Clapton – Tears in Heaven
60. Seal – Kiss from a Rose
61. U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
62. All Saints – Never Ever
63. The Cranberries – Zombie
64. R. Kelly – I Believe I Can Fly
65. Natalia Imbruglia – Torn
66. Jay-Z - Hard Knock Life
67. Take That – Back for Good
68. Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do
69. Mariah Carey – Fantasy 
70. Eagle Eye Cherry – Save Tonight
71. No Mercy – Where Do You Go
72. Sash! ft. Rodriguz – Ecuador 
73. Diana King – Shy Guy
74. Notorious B.I.G. ft. Puff Daddy & Mase – Mo Money Mo Problems 
75. Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby
76. Eminem – My Name Is
77. Alanis Morissette – Ironic
78. Lonestar – Amazed
79. Madonna – Frozen
80. Whigfield – Saturday Night
81. Will Smith – Wild Wild West 
82. Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill – It's Your Love
83. Jennifer Lopez – If You Had My Love
84. East 17 – Stay Another Day
85. Eternal ft. Bebe Winans – I Wanna Be the Only One
86. Peter Andre – Mysterious Girl
87. Lou Bega – Mambo No.5
88. Billie – Because We Want To
89. Marc Anthony – I Need to Know
90. B*Witched – C'est la Vie
91. Bon Jovi – Always
92. Westlife – If I Let You Go
93. Robbie Williams – Angels
94. Savage Garden –  Truly, Madly, Deeply
95. Inner Circle – Sweat (A La La La La Long)
96. Baha Men –  Who Let the Dogs Out
97. Shaggy –  Boombastic
98. MC Hammer – U Can't Touch This
99. The Pretenders – I'll Stand By You
100. Wilson Phillips – Hold On
101. Macy Gray – I Try
102. Blondie – Maria
103. Right Said Fred – I'm Too Sexy
104. Robert Miles – Children
105. 2Pac ft. Dr. Dre & Robert Troutman – California Love
106. Dido – Here With Me
107. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge
108. Imi Kamoze – Hot Stepper
109. Snow – Informer
110. Spin Doctors – Two Princes
111. Alice Deejay – Better Off Alone
112. Billy Ray Cyrus – Achy Breaky Heart
113. Sir Mix-a-Lot – Baby Got Back
114. Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)
115. Run-D.M.C. – It's Like That
116. Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg, Kurupt & Nate Dogg – The Next Episode
117. New Kids On The Block – Step by Step
118. Prince – Most Beautiful Girl in the World
119. Olive – You're Not Alone
120. Extreme – More than Words
121. Cornershop – Brimful of Asha 
122. Beats International – Dub Be Good to Me
123. Smash Mouth – Walkin' on the Sun
124. Shawn Colvin – Sunny Came Home
125. Vanessa Williams – Save the Best for Last
126. UB40 – Kingston Town
127. Meredith Brooks – Bitch
128. Joan Osbourne – One of Us
129. 'N Sync – I Want You Back
130. Kylie Minogue – Better Than the Devil You Know
131. Blackstreet ft. Dr. Dre – No Diggity
132. Creed – Higher
133. Red Nex – Cotton Eye Joe
134. Sugar Ray – Fly 
135. Roxette – Joyride
136. Richard Marx – Hazard
137. 5ive – Keep on Movin'
138. The Corrs – Runaway
139. LFO – Summer Girls 
140. Gina G – Ooh Aah...Just a Little Bit
141. Des'Ree – Life
142. The Offspring – Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)
143. Daft Punk – All Around the World
144. The Cardigans – Lovefool
145. Green Day – Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
146. Modjo – Lady
147. M People – Movin' on Up
148. Destiny's Child – Bills, Bills, Bills
149. 911 – Bodyshakin'
150. Steps – Heartbeat
151. Michael Bolton – Said I Loved You...But I Lied
152. Matchbox 20 – 3 a.m.
153. Jessica Simpson – I Wanna Love You Forever
154. The Rembrandts – I'll Be There For You
155. Depeche Mode – Enjoy the Silence
156. Tag Team – Whoomp! (There it is)
157. Hootie and the Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You
158. Smashing Pumpkins – 1979
159. Deep Blue Something – Breakfast at Tiffany's
160. OMC – How Bizarre
161. Vengaboys – Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom
162. Gloria Estefan – Reach
163. Gary Barlow – Forever Love
164. Robyn – Show Me Love
165. Metallica – Until It Sleeps
166. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – The Crossroads
167. Jennifer Paige – Crush
168. George Michael – Fastlove
169. The Prodigy – Breathe 
170. Counting Crows – Mr. Jones
171. 4 Non Blondes – What's Up
172. Sixpence None the Richer – Kiss Me
173. Salt-n-Pepa – Let's Talk About Sex
174. Dave Mathews Band – Crash Into Me
175. Melanie C – Never Be the Same Again
176. New Radicals – You Get What You Give
177. Montell Jordan – This is How We Do It
178. House of Pain – Jump Around
179. Marcy Playground – Sex and Candy
180. Emilia – Big Big World
181. Sonique – It Feels So Good
182. 98 Degrees – The Hardest Thing
183. Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life
184. The Heights – How Do You Talk To An Angel
185. Kriss Kross – Jump
186. Geri Halliwell – Look At Me
187. Mr. President – Coco Jambo
188. Vanessa Amorosi – Absolutely Everybody
189. Mandy Moore – Candy
190. Lighthouse Family – High
191. Jimmy Ray – Are You Jimmy Ray
192. Duran Duran – Ordinary World
193. Lisa Loeb – Stay
194. Meja – All About the Money
195. Shanks & Bigfoot – Sweet Like Chocolate
196. Carrapicho ft. Chilli – Tic, Tic Tac
197. T-Spoon – Sex on the Beach
198. M2M – Don't Say You Love Me
199. Lutricia McNeal – Ain't That Just The Way
200. Michael Learns To Rock – The Actor

Til the next symphony...

At Ease!!!