4 Songs From 1990 That Will Take You Back to High School

Some pop songs, more than others, define an era so vividly, just hearing their titles is enough to transport you back to another time. The songs on this list were massive hits in 1990. But they also felt like both a continuation and a shedding of the previous decade. So if you’re feeling nostalgic, press play on these 1990 jams and see if the old clothes from high school still fit.

Videos by American Songwriter

“Vogue” by Madonna

If you didn’t know what voguing was before 1990, you did once Madonna released her hit tutorial. Before the term became a part of mainstream culture, it originated as a dance in Harlem’s ballroom scene. Mimicking poses from Vogue magazine as well as figures from ancient Egyptian art, the dance was a form of self-expression and community for Black and LGBTQ+ people. Then it reached millions of TV sets with one of the most iconic videos in MTV’s history.

“Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice

After “Ice Ice Baby” became a hit, there was a huge dust-up over whether Vanilla Ice had pinched the bass riff from Queen and David Bowie’s classic “Under Pressure”. Anyone with ears knew the answer to the question, but in 1990, Vanilla Ice, born Robert Van Winkle, attempted to highlight the difference by singing both motifs in a video interview. The clip became nearly as infamous as the track. The case was settled out of court, and Van Winkle later cleared up what wasn’t at all confusing: He indeed sampled John Deacon’s bass line.  

“Thieves In The Temple” by Prince

“Thieves In The Temple” sounded like a reinvention for Prince, though he’d been challenging the boundaries of pop music since following Purple Rain with Around The World In A Day in 1985. You can hear echoes of the psychedelia he’d experimented with on “Pop Life” mixed with the deep bass-less groove of “When Doves Cry”. However, this felt darker, operatic, haunting. It’s a one-man-band track, with Prince layering vocals, wailing rock guitar, and a funky beat via separate drum machines. He’s desperate to escape despair. “Love come quick, love come in a hurry.”

“Hold On” by Wilson Phillips

In 2020, Chynna Phillips explained to Kelly Clarkson the inspiration behind “Hold On”. Phillips said she had reached a dark place in her life when she thought of the title. She was battling addiction while also trying to exit a bad relationship. The hopeful sentiment that later became one of the decade’s most memorable hooks offered Phillips a way out. She wasn’t alone. The hit was named Billboard’s single of the year and helped launch the trio’s debut. When Wilson Phillips began, the group’s famous parents dominated any conversation about them. But the daughters of Brian Wilson and The Mamas And The Papas’ John and Michelle Phillips will be most remembered for “Hold On”.

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