The 100 Greatest Songs of the 1990s
Paste Magazine’s staff ranking, in Paste’s order. Wu-Tang at #1, Tori Amos at #2, and a decade that put Britney, Aphex Twin and Shania Twain on the same list.
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| # | Rank | Artist | Song | Listen · year · source | Save to my list | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | #1 | Wu-Tang Clan | C.R.E.A.M. | ▶ Listen · 1993 · Paste | ||
| 002 | #2 | Tori Amos | Caught a Lite Sneeze | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 003 | #3 | Silver Jews | Random Rules | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 004 | #4 | Björk | Hyperballad | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 005 | #5 | Moodymann | The Thief That Stole My Sad Days… Ya Blessin' Me | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 006 | #6 | Mariah Carey | Can't Let Go | ▶ Listen · 1991 · Paste | ||
| 007 | #7 | Juvenile feat. Mannie Fresh & Lil Wayne | Back That Azz Up | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 008 | #8 | Hole | Violet | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 009 | #9 | New Radicals | You Get What You Give | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 010 | #10 | Aphex Twin | Fingerbib | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 011 | #11 | Lucinda Williams | Car Wheels on a Gravel Road | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 012 | #12 | The Notorious B.I.G. | Everyday Struggle | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 013 | #13 | The KLF feat. Tammy Wynette | Justified & Ancient | ▶ Listen · 1991 · Paste | ||
| 014 | #14 | Bonnie "Prince" Billy | I See a Darkness | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 015 | #15 | PJ Harvey | Man-Size | ▶ Listen · 1993 · Paste | ||
| 016 | #16 | D'Angelo | Brown Sugar | ▶ Listen · 1995 · Paste | ||
| 017 | #17 | Janet Jackson | If | ▶ Listen · 1993 · Paste | ||
| 018 | #18 | Nirvana | Aneurysm | ▶ Listen · 1992 · Paste | ||
| 019 | #19 | Sade | No Ordinary Love | ▶ Listen · 1992 · Paste | ||
| 020 | #20 | Bruce Springsteen | Streets of Philadelphia | ▶ Listen · 1993 · Paste | ||
| 021 | #21 | OutKast | Da Art of Storytellin', Pt. 1 | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 022 | #22 | Theo Parrish | Sweet Sticky | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 023 | #23 | George Michael | Freedom! '90 | ▶ Listen · 1990 · Paste | ||
| 024 | #24 | Missy Elliott | The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 025 | #25 | Wilco | A Shot in the Arm | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 026 | #26 | Liz Phair | Fuck and Run | ▶ Listen · 1993 · Paste | ||
| 027 | #27 | A Tribe Called Quest | Check the Rhime | ▶ Listen · 1991 · Paste | ||
| 028 | #28 | Fiona Apple | Fast As You Can | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 029 | #29 | Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth | They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) | ▶ Listen · 1992 · Paste | ||
| 030 | #30 | Britney Spears | …Baby One More Time | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 031 | #31 | The Breeders | Cannonball | ▶ Listen · 1993 · Paste | ||
| 032 | #32 | Daft Punk | Around the World | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 033 | #33 | Bikini Kill | Rebel Girl | ▶ Listen · 1992 · Paste | ||
| 034 | #34 | Bone Thugs-N-Harmony | Tha Crossroads | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 035 | #35 | Erykah Badu | Other Side of the Game | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 036 | #36 | Pavement | Range Life | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 037 | #37 | Lauryn Hill | Ex-Factor | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 038 | #38 | Third Eye Blind | Semi-Charmed Life | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 039 | #39 | Portishead | Sour Times | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 040 | #40 | Nas | Life's a Bitch | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 041 | #41 | Madonna | Ray of Light | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 042 | #42 | Geto Boys | Mind Playing Tricks on Me | ▶ Listen · 1991 · Paste | ||
| 043 | #43 | Radiohead | Planet Telex | ▶ Listen · 1995 · Paste | ||
| 044 | #44 | Brandy & Monica | The Boy Is Mine | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 045 | #45 | Massive Attack | Teardrop | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 046 | #46 | Mobb Deep | Shook Ones, Pt. II | ▶ Listen · 1995 · Paste | ||
| 047 | #47 | Celine Dion | It's All Coming Back to Me Now | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 048 | #48 | Guided by Voices | Game of Pricks | ▶ Listen · 1995 · Paste | ||
| 049 | #49 | DMX | Ruff Ryders' Anthem | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 050 | #50 | Gillian Welch | Orphan Girl | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 051 | #51 | TLC | No Scrubs | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 052 | #52 | DJ Shadow | Midnight in a Perfect World | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 053 | #53 | Elliott Smith | Christian Brothers | ▶ Listen · 1995 · Paste | ||
| 054 | #54 | The Roots feat. Erykah Badu & Eve | You Got Me | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 055 | #55 | Public Enemy | Welcome to the Terrordome | ▶ Listen · 1990 · Paste | ||
| 056 | #56 | Jamiroquai | Canned Heat | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 057 | #57 | Tom Waits | Come On Up to the House | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 058 | #58 | Richard Jacques | Can You Feel the Sunshine? | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 059 | #59 | Yo La Tengo | Autumn Sweater | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 060 | #60 | Aaliyah | Are You That Somebody? | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 061 | #61 | Weezer | Only in Dreams | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 062 | #62 | JAY-Z | Dead Presidents II | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 063 | #63 | Mazzy Star | Fade Into You | ▶ Listen · 1993 · Paste | ||
| 064 | #64 | Jeff Buckley | Lover, You Should've Come Over | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 065 | #65 | Built to Spill | Carry the Zero | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 066 | #66 | De La Soul | Stakes Is High | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 067 | #67 | Kristin Hersh | Your Ghost | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 068 | #68 | Prince | Gold | ▶ Listen · 1995 · Paste | ||
| 069 | #69 | Pulp | Common People | ▶ Listen · 1995 · Paste | ||
| 070 | #70 | Digable Planets | Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) | ▶ Listen · 1992 · Paste | ||
| 071 | #71 | Cat Power | Metal Heart | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 072 | #72 | MF DOOM feat. Pebbles the Invisible Girl | Doomsday | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 073 | #73 | The Sundays | Here's Where the Story Ends | ▶ Listen · 1990 · Paste | ||
| 074 | #74 | Destiny's Child | Say My Name | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 075 | #75 | Sinéad O'Connor | Nothing Compares 2 U | ▶ Listen · 1990 · Paste | ||
| 076 | #76 | Belle and Sebastian | Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 077 | #77 | The Pharcyde | Otha Fish | ▶ Listen · 1992 · Paste | ||
| 078 | #78 | Daniel Johnston | Some Things Last a Long Time | ▶ Listen · 1990 · Paste | ||
| 079 | #79 | Shania Twain | Man! I Feel Like a Woman! | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 080 | #80 | Ice Cube | It Was a Good Day | ▶ Listen · 1992 · Paste | ||
| 081 | #81 | Beck | Lord Only Knows | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 082 | #82 | Ini Kamoze | Here Comes the Hotstepper | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 083 | #83 | Natalie Imbruglia | Torn | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 084 | #84 | Gang Starr | Mass Appeal | ▶ Listen · 1993 · Paste | ||
| 085 | #85 | R.E.M. | Nightswimming | ▶ Listen · 1992 · Paste | ||
| 086 | #86 | Camp Lo | Luchini AKA This Is It | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 087 | #87 | Neutral Milk Hotel | Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 088 | #88 | Three 6 Mafia | Tear Da Club Up '97 | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 089 | #89 | Le Tigre | Deceptacon | ▶ Listen · 1999 · Paste | ||
| 090 | #90 | Cocteau Twins | Heaven or Las Vegas | ▶ Listen · 1990 · Paste | ||
| 091 | #91 | The Smashing Pumpkins | 1979 | ▶ Listen · 1995 · Paste | ||
| 092 | #92 | UGK feat. Mr. 3-2 & Ronnie Spencer | One Day | ▶ Listen · 1996 · Paste | ||
| 093 | #93 | The Chicks | Wide Open Spaces | ▶ Listen · 1998 · Paste | ||
| 094 | #94 | Stereolab | The Flower Called Nowhere | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 095 | #95 | Warren G feat. Nate Dogg | Regulate | ▶ Listen · 1994 · Paste | ||
| 096 | #96 | The Cranberries | Linger | ▶ Listen · 1993 · Paste | ||
| 097 | #97 | Depeche Mode | Enjoy the Silence | ▶ Listen · 1990 · Paste | ||
| 098 | #98 | Mary J. Blige | Real Love | ▶ Listen · 1992 · Paste | ||
| 099 | #99 | Modest Mouse | Cowboy Dan | ▶ Listen · 1997 · Paste | ||
| 100 | #100 | Raekwon | Incarcerated Scarfaces | ▶ Listen · 1995 · Paste |
How this was counted. A canon, not a tally: Paste’s writers made this ranking, and it stays in their order rather than being re-sorted by anything here. Artist credits follow Paste, featured guests included, and the year is the one Paste gives for each song. The write-ups that go with each entry are Paste’s and live on their pages — the source link goes there. What makes it worth reading is the spread: Wu-Tang’s C.R.E.A.M. on top, Detroit house from Moodymann and Theo Parrish in the top 25, a Sonic R soundtrack cut at #58, and the decade’s biggest pop — Celine Dion, Britney, Third Eye Blind — ranked without apology among the indie canon.