3 Perfect Pop Bridges From the 1990s Songwriting Boom

Bridges are an important part of any song, including pop hits. The bridge serves as a segue into different sections of a song, and many famous bridges are even more memorable than the rest of the song. Let’s look at some throwback gems and revisit some of the best bridges from 1990s pop songs. If you’re a songwriter, you might just get inspired.

Videos by American Songwriter

“I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys (1999)

“Now I can see that we’ve fallen apart / From the way that it used to be, yeah / No matter the distance, I want you to know / That deep down inside of me.”

If you never belted this part of “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys alone in your bedroom, are you even a 90s kid? Kevin Richardson and AJ McLean really whipped out the vocal tricks for this vocal-focused segue into the fourth verse. Instead of bringing things down, the bridge kicks off a sick solo before diving into the rest of the song’s verses, breaks, chorus, and outro. A fine way to keep interest without bringing the energy down too low.

“…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears (1998)

“Oh, baby, baby.”

The title track of one of the biggest 1990s pop albums ever, “…Baby One More Time” is a masterclass in pop music from start to finish. A big part of its appeal is that masterfully composed bridge, which features Spears’ spoken word croon of “Oh, baby, baby” and a brief drop in energy before kicking into that legendary final rendition of the chorus. Songwriter Max Martin really knew what he was doing.

“Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia (1997)

“There’s nothing where he used to lie / My inspiration has run dry / That’s what’s going on / Nothing’s right, I’m torn.”

Natalie Imbruglia’s soft yet intense vocals in this bridge amp up the listener before hitting the chorus yet again, followed by a pretty sick guitar solo. This song is such a lovely piece of adult contemporary pop work, and that bridge suits it perfectly. It’ll never be sane to me that Imbruglia is technically a one-hit wonder with “Torn”. It’s just so good, as is the rest of her discography. She deserved better, dang it!

Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images