In the 1990s, the rise of hip-hop led to the rise of R&B. At this point, R&B blended the beats and rhythms of hip-hop with soul vocals. 90s R&B artists created timeless ballads that guided millennials through their first experience with love. Love may hurt sometimes, and these R&B hits taught us how to really feel it.

“Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey

This song will make it hard not to think of a former lover. Even if you don’t have someone to miss, and many teenagers didn’t, this track almost made you wish you had someone to miss. Released in 1995, “Always Be My Baby” fell right in the middle of Mariah Carey‘s dominance on the charts in the 90s. She earned an incredible 14 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 during the decade. “Always Be My Baby” topped the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Chart in February 1996. Her fifth album, Daydream, generated three No. 1 hits out of five singles released. She’s still among the most decorated artists of all time.

“Every Time I Close My Eyes” by Babyface

For this 1997 single, Babyface brought together some of the best musicians in mainstream music. Famous saxophonist Kenny G provides soprano saxophone, while Mariah Carey provides additional vocals. On the drums, we hear the “Queen Of Percussion”, the one and only Sheila E. When you bring together these world-class artists, the result is a hit single. “Every Time I Close My Eyes” peaked at No. 5 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in early 1997.

“All My Life” by K-Ci & JoJo

This one has millennials singing along to “All my life, I’ve prayed for someone like you” when we hadn’t even been on Earth for more than two decades. We weren’t really waiting that long, but it felt like it. That’s the power of 90s R&B ballads like this. They could make anyone feel like they’ve been praying all their lives for a love like this. Soul and passion in R&B peaked with this. It earned the duo three Grammy nominations. Released in March 1998, “All My Life” peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of the most successful R&B singles of the latter half of the decade.

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In 1994, Green Day’s third album, Dookie, pushed pop-punk into the mainstream. Throughout the late 90s, countless other pop-punk bands emerged. This coincided with the rise of skateboarding in the 1990s, with the sport becoming widely popular in the late 90s. With skateboarding on the rise, many millennials attempted to take up the hobby, resulting in some harsh slams on concrete. Skateboarding culture and pop-punk went hand in hand in the 90s, and these pop-punk bands gave millennials the courage to take these harsh slams on a skateboard.

Less Than Jake

Formed in Gainesville, Florida, in 1992, Less Than Jake blended together pop-punk and ska punk at a time when the two genres were beginning to take over the alternative music world. They released their debut album, Pezcore, in 1995, before joining a major label. Now signed with Capitol Records, the band released their 1996 sophomore album, Losing Streak. They followed up in 1998 with Hello Rockview, produced by Howard Benson, who would go on to work with bands such as My Chemical Romance. With these albums, Less Than Jake was at the forefront of the skate-punk movement from the late 90s into the early 2000s.

Blink-182

As Green Day dominated the mid-to-late 90s, Blink-182 started to benefit from their momentum, launching into the mainstream with their 1997 sophomore album, Dude Ranch. Their 1995 debut, Cheshire Cat, established the group’s signature sound, but they became a mainstream success with their follow-up. It was the last to feature original drummer Scott Raynor, who then left the group in 1998.

By this point, Blink-182 was on a fast track to match the success of Green Day. Dude Ranch peaked at No. 67 on the Billboard 200, but landed at No. 1 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. In 1999, their third album, Enema Of The State, was the first to feature iconic punk drummer Travis Barker. This completed the band’s legendary trio lineup. Enema Of The State was a huge commercial success at the end of the 90s, peaking at No. 9 on the US Billboard 200.

MxPx

MxPx were another dominant skate-punk band in the 1990s. They released three defining pop-punk albums in the mid-90s, all a year apart. In 1994, they released their debut album Pokinatcha. They followed up in 1995 with Teenage Politics, featuring some of their most popular songs such as “Punk Rawk Show”.

Their 1996 album, Life In General, is considered to be the band’s masterpiece. It features the essential 90s pop-punk anthem, “Chick Magnet”. MxPx is a band that was known to be closely associated with 90s skateboarding culture. They even used skateboarding in their imagery. An example of this is the cover art of the band’s 1998 B-sides and rarities album, Let It Happen.

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It’s finally that time of year. Your flannel shirts in all their different colors and designs have either been sitting untouched in your closet or neatly folded away with your winter clothes. It’s October and officially fall, and though the daytime temperature may not have dipped yet, it’s cool in the evening. You may need a flannel if you’re leaving home at night. To get you excited to incorporate flannels back into your wardrobe, here are songs from the 90s that’ll make you want to bust out your flannel collection as soon as possible.

“Hey Jealousy” by Gin Blossoms

Few bands captured the pop-rock sensibilities of the 90s quite like the Gin Blossoms. The band from Tempe, Arizona, not only had that sound, but it also fit their fashion sense. In the 90s, flannel shirts and torn-up jeans became the trend, and Gin Blossoms’ laid-back, dusty sound fit their aesthetic to a T. In 1992, the band re-recorded a track from their debut album, and it became their breakout hit. The band’s signature track peaked at No. 4 on the Mainstream Rock chart, No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and helped define pop-rock in the early 90s.

“Come As You Are” by Nirvana

You can discuss flannels and the 90s without the band that helped usher the fashion trend into the decade. They weren’t the first to dress this way, nor the first grunge band, but they became the template once they broke into the mainstream in late 1991. Throughout 1992, Nirvana‘s popularity grew significantly, becoming the most recognizable band in the world. It’s hard not to wear a flannel with torn-up jeans and Converse without feeling like you’re ripping off Kurt Cobain. Yet that was just the style at the time, and it returns each year in the fall.

“Dam That River” by Alice In Chains

Out of the biggest names in grunge in the 1990s, Alice In Chains felt like they were on another level. By the time they released their sophomore album, Dirt, no other band blended metal into grunge better than these guys. This can be heard on track two of the 1992 album. Jerry Cantrell’s mean guitar riffs, matched with Layne Staley’s unforgettable snarling vocals, make this high-energy track a thrill ride. It’s an underrated track from the band in the grand scheme of their entire discography. That’s mostly because they penned so many hits at the time, and “Dam That River” wasn’t released as a single. That hasn’t stopped this track from becoming a fan favorite throughout the years.

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As many malls have closed their doors in 2026, Gen Z and the young may never understand what the mall meant to millennials and older. It was our place to hang out. You didn’t even have to be shopping for anything in particular. Your parents could drop you off, and you’d hang out in the food court for hours, goofing around with friends. We may have taken this for granted back then, and now younger generations will never understand malls at their peak. To get a sense of what it was like, here are four songs that you’d hear while walking around the mall in the 1990s.

“Two Princes” by Spin Doctors

Just by hearing the snare drum intro alone, many millennials are transported back to the 1990s. This song was hard to escape, and many 90s kids didn’t want to. Their unique blend of funk rock was infectious in this 1993 hit. It’s no wonder it peaked at No. 1 on the US Pop Airplay, No. 2 on the Alternative Airplay, and No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Linger” by The Cranberries

Among the hardest 1990s songs to escape in the mall was “Linger”. It was also The Cranberries breakout hit in 1993. The song carries a sense of innocence that resonated with many teenagers in the 90s. It’s one of the songs that will instantly remind you of your first love, or potentially your first date to the mall. In 1993, the song peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“MMMBop” by Hanson

Not only was this song everywhere in 1997, but nearly every teenager looked like the Hanson brothers. Their blond haircuts were the style at the time. This catchy pop hit earned the young band two Grammy nominations. Released on March 24, 1997, “MMMBop” topped the charts around the world, peaking at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It’s not only the band’s most successful single, but one of the most successful singles of the entire decade.

“Waterfalls” by TLC

TLC is among the defining groups that put Atlanta, Georgia, on the hip-hop map. Their blend of R&B and Hip-Hop culminated in the 1995 hit “Waterfalls”. The song spent seven weeks at No. 1 in 1995, earning the group two Grammy nominations in 1996. Additionally, the music video won Video of the Year at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards.

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The 90s were a great time for the music industry. Money was coming in at an unprecedented rate, and each genre had its own incredible run. That success allowed a ton of weird one-hit wonders to flood the markets. Odd entries like “Mambo No. 5” and artists like Scatman John could have extremely random blips on the radar on the Billboard charts.

But there are some that aren’t just absurd novelty records or disposable relics of their time. Sometimes, they’re so catchy, you can’t help but remember them for a lifetime. We’ve picked out four songs from the 90s that had their brief run in the sun but will always be remembered in my heart.

4 All-Time One-Hit Wonders from the 90s That I Still Love Today

‘I’m Too Sexy’ by Right Said Fred

It’s still mind-boggling that two of the biggest artists of all time have found direct inspiration from Right Said Fred. Taylor Swift interpolated the hook for her catty, dramatic “Look What You Made Me Do“. Drake leaned heavily on the “I’m Too Sexy” sample and made Future rap the most hilarious interpolation of it imaginable. I still don’t know why he rapped that he was too sexy for your gang.

But all of this speaks to the mind-numbing catchiness that Right Said Fred channeled on his massive one-hit wonder. There’s something deeply charming in its simplicity, as if he’s sassily giving playground insults. Being so sexy that it hurts to even utter is hilarious and even a little relatable when you feel your best.

‘Lovefool’ by The Cardigans

It’s easy to imagine Sabrina Carpenter reimagining this pop masterpiece. But where she would undoubtedly add a layer of irony and sarcasm to the whole affair, The Cardigans’ lead singer Nina Persson sang the record in earnest. When she pleads and croons that she’d rather be lied to, there’s a desperation that unfortunately feels all too relatable sometimes. Capped with a lounge atmosphere, “Lovefool” is sweet and addictive.

‘I Love You Always Forever’ by Donna Lewis

Donna Lewis sings “I Love You Always Forever” as if she’s casting a spell on you. Her voice shines and glimmers like a crystal as it echoes and eventually lodges into your brain for ages. It’s too delicate for her love to be seductive. Instead, it feels like you’re in the coziest bed of all time, and you refuse to get up. Mixed with its heavenly chords, it’s the kind of adult contemporary record that’s hard to replicate today.

‘You Get What You Give’ by The New Radicals

There used to be a fire and hope in records from decades ago. Sure, there was a thick layer of irony coated in the 90s, but the effects of that mindset never really sat until the present day. Now, everything feels quite hopeless, and people are shrugging away every piece of injustice.

What makes “You Get What You Give” so refreshing is that it believes that future generations will fight and persevere, despite the hand they’ve been dealt. Gregg Alexander aches for kids to never give up their dreams, even when the noise of the current moment threatens to suffocate you. You can’t quit. After all, “you’ve got the music in you.”

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Now that we’re officially in October, fall 2026 has begun. The month is a huge countdown to a holiday that has never lost its thrill. In fact, Halloween seems to be more popular than ever. Over the years, the holiday has become less about kids and more about adults. Whether you’re a millennial who remembers the 90s, or you’re Gen Z or younger discovering music, here are 90s alternative rock songs that belong on your Halloween playlist this year.

“Do The Vampire” by Superdrag

Arguably one of the most underrated bands of the 90s, Superdrag is often considered to be a one-hit wonder. In 1996, they earned a hit from their debut album Regretfully Yours. Their single, “Sucked Out”, peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. For their follow-up album, the band sensed their label wanted to drop them. They made the best of their studio time and hefty budget to create a masterpiece.

Superdrag released their sophomore album, Head Trip In Every Key, on March 24, 1998. The lead single “Do The Vampire” was released weeks earlier, on March 2. The song became a college radio hit, though it never reached the heights of “Sucked Out”. If you’re looking for a 90s deep cut to surprise your friends on Halloween, add this underrated track to the playlist.

“Floyd The Barber” by Nirvana

Die-hard Nirvana fans will quickly jump at this inclusion with “that song wasn’t released in the 90s.” You’re right, but many were unaware of the track from Nirvana’s 1989 debut, Bleach. Famously, Nirvana broke into the mainstream in 1991, becoming more than just an underground Sub Pop band. They became the most notorious band in the world in the early 90s. Due to this, their debut album was re-released in 1992. This introduced the whole world to the predecessor of Nevermind.

In track two, “Floyd The Barber”, Cobain turned the small fictional town of Mayberry from The Andy Griffith Show into the setting of a horror film. Floyd Lawson, the barber on the 60s TV show, and the rest of the cast terrorize and abuse the narrator at the barber shop. One by one, each character takes turns assaulting the victim, who is tied to the barber chair. This spin on the happy-go-lucky sitcom is one of Cobain’s most underrated pieces.

“Dragula” by Rob Zombie

It’s no surprise that Halloween is Rob Zombie’s favorite holiday. It’s truly his entire gimmick. His 1998 debut solo, Hellbilly Deluxe, capitalized on the singer’s fame from fronting White Zombie. His debut solo single, “Dragula”, became his signature track upon release. Cobain wasn’t the only artist pulling from the sitcoms of the 60s. “Dragula” is based on the drag-racing vehicle from the 1960s sitcom The Munsters.

It remains Rob Zombie’s best-selling hit to this day and his highest-charting hit. It peaked at No. 6 on the US Mainstream Rock chart. Most of Zombie’s discography is fitting for Halloween. Another track from the debut album that you could include is “Living Dead Girl”.

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With the 90s being over 30 years in the past, it’s easy to forget every group from that decade. Millennials are getting older, and admittedly, a lot has happened since the 1990s. So with a little grace, I still can’t believe millennials have forgotten about these pop groups from the 90s.

98 Degrees

I have a feeling die-hard fans will push back on this group being included on this list, but it’s true. 98 Degrees doesn’t get nearly the same recognition as NSYNC or Backstreet Boys. I’m not saying I forgot about them, but many millennials seem to have. Many would remember more about Nick Lachey rather than the entire group. This is largely due to Lachey’s reality TV career in the early 2000s with then wife Jessica Simpson, on Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. On the radio, you’ll rarely catch their hits “Because of You” and “The Hardest Thing” from their 1998 debut, 98 Degrees And Rising. Not to mention their cover of Mark Wills’ “I Do (Cherish You)”, which is the band’s most-streamed hit.

The Moffatts

In 1998, Canada found their answer to the pop group Hanson. This group was unique, comprised of triplet brothers Bob, Clint, and David, and their older brother Scott. Bob and Clint were born as identical twins, with Dave being a fraternal triplet.

They engaged in a friendly rivalry with Hanson upon releasing their third album, Chapter 1: A New Beginning. Before this, the group had released three albums in Canada. Their third album was the first to chart in the US, though only peaking at No. 124. They began to garner significant attention at the tail end of the decade and capitalized on this in 2000. Their fourth album, Submodalities, generated the hit single “Bang Bang Boom”, becoming the fastest-rising single in Canadian music history.

Nobody’s Angel

This often-forgotten girl group penned a minor hit, “Let’s Get Together”, for The Parent Trap Soundtrack in 1998. Due to this, their 1999 single, “If You Wanna Dance”, peaked at No. 39 on the Dance Club Songs chart. Though the group drew comparisons to NSYNC and Christina Aguilera, they never reached the heights of these Y2K artists. Their 2000 self-titled debut peaked at No. 184 on the Billboard 200. Despite this, they acquired die-hard bubblegum pop fans at the turn of the century.

In July 2000, they contributed the track “Pokémon World” to the Pokémon The Movie 2000 Soundtrack. That same year, they were featured on the 102 Dalmatians Soundtrack as well. Though they contributed a cover of Salt-N-Pepa’s “Ain’t Nothing But a She Thing” to The Princess Diaries Soundtrack in 2001, they disbanded shortly after, leaving behind an unreleased follow-up album.

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In the late 80s and early 90s, dream pop emerged from the UK. Along with shoegaze, an adjacent and associated genre, these bands featured ethereal vocals and distorted guitar effects, creating a “wall of sound.” Dream pop has re-emerged in recent years, with bands catering to Gen Z listeners. Here are three dream pop bands of the 90s that may find a second life with Gen Z.

Cocteau Twins

One of the main pioneers of dream pop is the Cocteau Twins. In 1983, their debut album, Garlands, is one of the earliest examples of dream pop. Their single “Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops” peaked at No. 29 in the UK. Throughout the 80s, the band expanded on the new genre with Treasure in 1984, Victorialand in 1986, and Blue Bell Knoll in 1988. Victorialand became the band’s first top ten album in the UK, and Blue Bell Knoll broke the band into the US market. Their 1988 single, “Carolyn’s Fingers”, peaked at No. 2 on the Alternative Airplay chart.

Cocteau Twins’ sixth album, Heaven Or Las Vegas, became the band’s biggest success in 1990. It went to No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart, their highest charting position. The album marked the rise of shoegaze, which peaked in 1991. Many shoegaze bands credited Cocteau Twins’ 80s releases as a major influence on the genre.

Mazzy Star

In recent years, the 90s alternative band Mazzy Star has seen renewed interest and popularity. The band formed out of the remains of the late 80s psychedelic rock group Opal. Hope Sandoval took over as the new singer for Opal, but pushed the band to write new material. This resulted in a new direction and name for the group, landing on Mazzy Star. They released their debut in 1990, She Hangs Brightly. Their single, “Blue Flower”, peaked at No. 29 on the Alternative Airplay chart, proving they could tap into the commercial mainstream.

They did just that in 1993, with their single “Fade Into You”. It became one of the biggest dream pop hits of the 90s in the US, peaking at No. 3 on the Alternative Airplay chart. Hope Sandoval’s vocals and stage presence are reminiscent of modern artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, which could easily appeal to Gen Z.

The Sundays

Formed in 1998, The Sundays were also among the pioneers of the dream pop movement of the 1980s. Their 1990 debut, Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic, was a moderate success. Ahead of the debut album, the band penned a minor hit with “Can’t Be Sure”, peaking at No. 45 in the UK. Following the album’s release, their third single, “Here’s Where The Story Ends”, went to No. 1 on the US Alternative Airplay charts. With this, they became one of the first UK dream pop bands to break into the US mainstream. Their 1992 follow-up album, Blind, peaked at No. 15 in the UK. It drew comparisons to the Cocteau Twins, with fans of one band easily gravitating towards the other.

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In 1991, members of Soundgarden and future members of Pearl Jam came together to honor their friend, Andrew Wood. He was the frontman of the Seattle-pioneering grunge band Mother Love Bone. In March 1990, Wood tragically died of an overdose. His roommate, Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, penned songs in tribute to and inspired by his friend. Under the name Temple Of The Dog, Cornell brought together guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard, and bassist Jeff Ament.

Around the same time, they received a demo tape of a singer from Southern California named Eddie Vedder. Impressed with his vocals, they flew Vedder to Seattle to audition for the band. While there, Vedder lent vocals to the Temple Of The Dog track “Hunger Strike”, as the band was in the middle of recording the tribute album.

Soon after the recording sessions, Vedder, McCready, Gossard, and Ament formed Pearl Jam with drummer Dave Krusen. Together, they recorded the band’s debut album, Ten, released in August 1991. The debut was released just one month before grunge broke into the mainstream with Nirvana’s single “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. As a result, other Seattle grunge bands such as Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains garnered significant attention and fueled their new releases. Ten peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, generating four hit singles: “Alive”, “Even Flow”, “Jeremy”, and “Oceans”.

For their debut, the band released accompanying music videos that were on heavy rotation on MTV, as every other band had done. Despite these videos’ popularity, the band grew to resent music videos and decided to stray from this trend.

The Band Refused To Make a Music Video for ‘Black’

Despite winning awards at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards, the band refused to record a music video for their song “Black”. With this, the band continued to refuse to make music videos for their songs. In the book Five Against One: The Pearl Jam Story by Kim Neely, Eddie Vedder explained the band’s decision. “Before music videos first came out, you’d listen to a song with headphones on, sitting in a beanbag chair with your eyes closed, and you’d come up with your own visions, these things that came from within. Then, all of a sudden, sometimes even the first time you heard a song, it was with these visual images attached, and it robbed you of any form of self-expression.”

Bassist Jeff Ament followed up on this in a 1993 interview with Rolling Stone. “Ten years from now, I don’t want people to remember our songs as videos.” After that, the band used visualizers and abstract videos as their music videos. This can be seen in the video for “Daughter” in 1993, the only music video released from their sophomore album, Vs. They continued this trend into the late 90s and 2000s, with animated videos and visualizers.

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