In the 90’s, the world was a better place. For a brief time, everything just felt right. And by brief I mean until approximately 2005, when we collectively decided it was time to move on from chunky highlights, bell bottoms, and Von Dutch trucker hats, as if there’s anything better. We also left behind the best era in pop music there ever was.
The 90’s and early 2000’s was a time for hope. Britney and Justin were together, making us all believe that we too could find our boyband sweetheart with a chlorine-stained perm and live happily ever after in denim-on-denim nirvana.
It was also a time to find yourself and figure out what you like. One of my earliest musical memories is deciding whether to blast N’ Sync or Michelle Branch on my Hit Clips or Walkman (Hit Clips for recess, Walkman at home. Obviously). When my crush didn’t like me back in the first grade, I spent the car ride home sulking to Shania Twain, who’s songs became the pinnacle of romance in my young and heartbroken mind. Clutching my Furby in one hand, Tamagotchi in the other, I felt like I finally understood life and love.
And, like pretty much every 90’s girl, as I grew, so did my obsession with Britney Spears. The first music video I ever saw was for Lucky, and I still have the concert shirt I got when I was six years old at her Dream Within a Dream tour. I covered my room with her posters and truly believed that the music video for Oops!… I Did It Again was what high school was going to be like.
Thankfully I was wrong about that, but I do know that this era was a magical time to be alive and its music must never be forgotten. In no particular order, here’s a list of 101 of the best songs from the 90’s and early 2000’s. You’re welcome.
1. I’m Like a Bird – Nelly Furtado (2000)
2. It Wasn’t Me – Shaggy (2003)
3. Don’t Speak – No Doubt (1995)
4. Here Without You – 3 Doors Down (2002)
5. Stacy’s Mom – Fountains of Wayne (2000)
6. I’ll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy/Faith Evans/112 (1997)
7. Ocean Avenue – Yellowcard (2003)
8. Since U Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson (2004)
9. Picture ft. Sheryl Crow – Kid Rock (2001)
10. Get Down – B4-4 (2000)
*Swoons
11. Smooth ft. Rob Thomas– Santana (1999)
12. Beautiful – Christina Aguilera (2002)
13. Sk8r Boi – Avril Lavigne (2002)
14. Everywhere – Michelle Branch (2001)
15. A Thousand Miles – Vanessa Carlton – (2001)
16. No Scrubs – TLC (1999) * See Also: Waterfalls (1994)
17. Wherever You Will Go – The Calling (2001)
18. The Reason – Hoobastank (2003)
19. Ignition Remix – R Kelly (2003)
20. Lucky – Britney Spears (2000)
*Honourable Mentions: … Baby One More Time (1999), Toxic (2003), Oops!… I Did It Again (2000)
21. Hot in Herre – Nelly (2002)
22. Move Along – The All American Rejects (2005)
23. All Star – Smash Mouth (1999)
24. Every Morning – Sugar Ray (1999)
25. Interstate Love Song – Stone Temple Pilots (1994)
26. Happy – Ashanti ft. Ja Rule (2002)
27. Angel ft. Rayvon – Shaggy (2000)
28. Over and Over ft. Tim McGraw– Nelly (2004)
29. Beautiful Soul – Jesse McCartney (2004)
30. Mr. Brightside – The Killers (2004)
31. Underneath it All ft. Lady Saw – No Doubt (2001)
32. Only Wanna Be With You – Hootie and the Blowfish (1994)
33. Let Me Love You – Mario (2004) *Watch the music video. Now.
34. Photograph – Nickelback (2005)
35. Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Green Day (2004)
36. Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down – Fall Out Boy (2005)
37. You and Me – Lifehouse (2005)
38. Unwell – Matchbox Twenty (2002)
39. Lips of an Angel – Hinder (2005)
40. All About You – McFly (2005)
41. Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous – Good Charlotte (2002)
42. Only One – Yellowcard (2003)
43. Hey Ya! – Outkast (2003)
44. Forever and Always – Shania Twain (2002)
*Honourable Mentions: You’re Still the One (1997), From This Moment On (1997), Man! I Feel Like a Woman! (1997)
45. I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston (1992)
46. 1985 – Bowling for Soup (2004)
47. Big Yellow Taxi ft. Vanessa Carlton – Counting Crows (2002)
48. E.I. – Nelly (2000)
49. Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinéad O’Connor (1990)
50. Bye Bye Bye – ‘N Sync (2000)
51. Ironic – Alanis Morissette (1995)
52. Yeah! – Usher (2002)
53. Take Me Away – Fefe Dobson (2003)
54. My Immortal – Evanescence (2000)
55. Beverly Hills – Weezer (2005)
56. Drops of Jupiter- Train (2001)
57. Face Down – Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (2004)
58. Through Glass – Stone Sour (2006)
59. Ever the Same – Rob Thomas (2005)
60. 1979 – The Smashing Pumpkins (1995)
61. I Miss You – Blink 182 (2003)
62. Iris – Goo Goo Dolls (1998)
63. Wannabe – The Spice Girls (1996)
64. The Sign – Ace of Base (1992)
65. As Long as You Love Me – Backstreet Boys (1996)
*Honourable Mentions: Everybody (1996), I Want it That Way (1999), Incomplete (1996), Shape of My Heart (1997)
66. I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack (2000)
67. Milkshake – Kelis (2003)
68. Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield (2004)
69. Hey There Delilah – Plain White T’s (2005)
70. The Game of Love ft. Michelle Branch – Santana (2002)
71. Ms. New Booty – Bubba Sparxxx (2005)
72. Hollaback Girl – Gwen Stefani (2004)
73. The Middle – Jimmy Eat World (2001)
74. Get The Party Started – P!nk (2001)
75. Take Me Out – Franz Ferdinand (2004)
76. With Arms Wide Open – Creed (1999)
77. Say My Name – Destiny’s Child (1999)
*Honourable Mentions: Survivor (2001), Bootylicious (2001)
78. Zombie – The Cranberries (1994)
79. Landslide – The Dixie Chicks (2002)
80. Leave (Get Out) – JoJo (2004)
81. Can’t Get You Out Of My Head – Kylie Minogue (2001)
82. Work It – Missy Elliot (2002)
83. Lose Yourself – Eminem (2002)
84. You Remind Me – Usher (2001)
85. Before He Cheats – Carrie Underwood (2005)
86. My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion (1994)
87. Rock Your Body – Justin Timberlake (2002)
88. Into the Ocean – Blue October (2006)
89. I Write Sins Not Tragedies – Panic! At The Disco (2005)
90. How Do I Live? – LeAnn Rimes (1997)
91. Cloud Number Nine – Bryan Adams (1998)
92. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana (1991)
93. Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me – George Michael & Elton John (1995)
94. Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio & L.V. (1995)
95. California Love – Tupac (1996)
96. Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show (2004)
97. Wonderwall – Oasis (1995)
98. It’s All Been Done – Barenaked Ladies (1998)
99. Angel – Sarah McLachlan (1997)
100. Big Pimpin’ ft. UGK – Jay Z (1999)
101. Where’d You Go? – Fort Minor (2005)