3 Acoustic Songs From the 1990s With Melodies That Still Echo Decades Later

The acoustic guitar enjoyed a renaissance in the 1990s. For whatever reason, many of the world’s best songwriters and performers were putting aside their electric six-string in favor of an acoustic one.

Here below, we wanted to highlight three songs from back in the day that greatly benefited from this transition. Indeed, these are three acoustic songs from the 1990s with melodies that still echo decades later.

“Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)” by Green Day from ‘Nimrod’ (1997)

Most of the time, when you hear a song by the California-born band Green Day, you notice the big, chunky, buzzing chords that take center stage. But on this 1997 offering from the band’s LP, Nimrod, Green Day has gone in a totally different direction. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong picks up his acoustic to pluck a few notes and strum a few chords. The result is something beautiful—a remarkable work from the era. Indeed, the song is one of Green Day’s best, even now.

“Wonderwall” by Oasis from ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’ (1995)

Similar to the band’s California cohorts above, the British-born band Oasis often wowed their fans with big, electric guitar-driven tracks. But on this tune from the band’s 1995 LP, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?, Oasis went acoustic. The result is a heartfelt track from a rock group known for their brash behavior. While Oasis regularly made headlines for their familial infighting, brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher were also writing all-time songs for the ages. It was quite the dichotomy in the moment.

“Tears In Heaven” by Eric Clapton from ‘Rush: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack’ (1991)

This tune by legendary guitar player Eric Clapton bears the distinction of being one of the saddest songs of all time. The song is an ode to Clapton’s four-year-old son Conor, who tragically fell out of the window of a high-rise apartment building and died. With that as a backdrop, it’s almost impossible to hear this tune and not feel emotional, deeply sad. But that’s also what the acoustic can do so well—it summons our emotions really like no other instrument.

Photo by Phil Dent/Redferns