Remember blasting your Walkman to the most iconic songs of the 90s? And now every time these nostalgic songs play on the radio you’re taken right back to your youth. So grab your jelly shoes, and get ready to travel down memory lane. These 7 songs are still stuck in our heads decades later.
1. “I Want It That Way,” Backstreet Boys
You can’t have a nostalgic 90s hit list without the iconic Backstreet Boys on the list. Even if you aren’t a fan of boy bands, almost everyone knows and loves this song. From their second album, Millennium, “I Want It That Way” might just be their most popular song. Commercially it reached the number in more than 25 countries.
2. “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” Shania Twain
Released as a single in 1997, “That Don’t Impress Me Much” is country superstar Shania Twain’s catchiest song. Shania Twain is one of the best-selling female country artists with over 100 million records sold. The country-pop superstar flooded the top of the country charts in the 90s with hits including “Man I Feel Like a Woman,” and ” Still The One I Want.”
3. “Waterfalls,” TLC
TLC was composed of Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas. The group had nine top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including four number-one singles: “Creep,” “Waterfalls,” “Scrubs,” and “Unpretty.” “Scrubs” is their best-selling song with 677,000 copies sold. It’s also their most streamed song with almost 24 million plays since 2014.
4. “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston
Originally written by Dolly Parton, “I Will Always Love You” rose to an iconic level when Whitney Houston recorded it in 1992. Houston’s version peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for a then-record-breaking 14 weeks. It then became a diamond single. Whitney Houston will always be known as one of the greatest voices of our time.
5. “Wannabe,” Spice Girls
“Wannabe” was a debut single released by the Spice Girls in 1996. By the end of 1996, “Wannabe” had topped the charts in 22 countries. Scary Spice, Sporty Spice, Baby Spice, Ginger Spice, and Posh Spice together were one of the most iconic girl groups of the 90s. Some say they paved the way for pop girl groups.
6. “…Baby One More Time,” Britney Spears
At just 16 years old, Britney Spears released her hit single “…Baby One More Time.” “Toxic” remains Britney’s biggest song, but “…Baby One More Time” is just as iconic. Britney was ranked by Billboard as the eighth-biggest artist of the 2000s. Today, the artist is worth about $60 million, a testament to her fame.
7. “Vogue,” Madonna
One of Madonna’s career highlights, “Vogue” has sold more than 6 million copies to date. The song is inspired by ‘voguing’, a dance that was part of the LGBTQ club scene in New York. It is her best-selling single of all time. Madonna also performed the song at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show.
Creating Your Perfect 90s Hit List
From boy bands to megastars in a league of their own, the 90s was full of musical talent. The result is an era of iconic songs that won’t soon be forgotten. What are your go-to 90s songs that make up your nostalgic hit list?