In many ways, the 1990s were bleak. The rock songs of the day could be difficult to swallow. There were strange images, depressive lyrics, and odd performers. But music fans during the decade loved itโgrunge and alternative music were all the rage.
Here below, we wanted to highlight three rock songs from the time period that remain fan favorites. Not only do they offer a sense of nostalgia, but they summon something in you to play along. Indeed, these are three rock songs from the 1990s that will get your friends singing.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins from ‘Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness’ (1995)
It may seem strange today, but in the mid-1990s, music fans of all ages were singing about being a rat in a cage. We all had rage, but despite that, we all kind of also felt like we knew what that overgrown mouse was feeling behind bars. It was a weird time to be alive. And at the center of it all were The Smashing Pumpkins with their sticky lyrics about vermin. Odd? Yes. But would we go back? Any day of the week!
“Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden from ‘Superunknown’ (1994)
This song sums up the 1990s. From one angle, it’s the most catchy tune ever. Chris Cornell gave the decade an image to stare atโthis black hole sun. But if you’ve ever tried to sing the entire set of lyrics for this track, you know. It gets a little hard to follow. And yet, we always return to the chorus. We are always with Cornell, singing about that burning dark orb in the sky. Sometimes when you sing along, you don’t know every word. But that doesn’t stop you from trying.
“Hand In My Pocket” by Alanis Morissette from ‘Jagged Little Pill’ (1995)
After Kurt Cobain died in 1994, rock music felt a giant void. But in stepped Alanis Morissette and her 1995 LP, Jagged Little Pill. The record wasn’t as bleak as albums like In Utero, but it still satisfied the hunger for rock that many music fans had at the time. It was a perfect addition to the sonic landscape. It also offered a number of songs to sing along to, including “Hand In My Pocket”, which supplied lyrics that remain equally catchy and silly.
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