5 Hit Songs From the 1990s That Immediately Transport Me Back to That Decade

Every decade of the 20th century had its own traits, trends, and stereotypes, and the 1990s and the hit songs released during that time are no exception. Being the last decade of the century and millennia, there was a sense of finality—and uncertainty—that seemed to grow more present as we inched our way toward 2000. The internet was slowly connecting global society in a way we had never experienced before. Music was evolving, and genres like hip-hop, grunge, and alternative pop were emerging in mainstream media.

To say it was a simpler time is a cliché, but when one compares it to the 2020s, perhaps that’s a fair generalization. In any case, looking back on the hit songs of the 1990s offers all the warm, nostalgic coziness without the dial-up internet and cracked CD cases.

“Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Lauryn Hill 

Lauryn Hill won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year for her 1998 debut solo record, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, cementing her status as a 1990s icon and laying the groundwork for more hit songs to come. But legal battles, other creative pursuits, and building her family meant that this debut would be her only solo album of the entire decade. Consequently, it’s hard to hear “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and not feel like it’s 1998 again.

“Smooth” by Santana feat. Rob Thomas

Up until 2021, when they collaborated on their second track, “Move”, the only time the world saw 1960s rock icon Santana and Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas work together was on their 1999 hit single, “Smooth”. The somewhat unlikely collaboration was a massive success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for a staggering 12 consecutive weeks. You could hardly go anywhere in the late 1990s without hearing this hit song, which makes it an effective audio time machine decades later.

“Come As You Are” by Nirvana

Although Nirvana wouldn’t make it to the latter half of the 1990s, they remain one of the most prominent bands of the decade due to their immense influence on the grunge movement. This wouldn’t be a “hit songs of the 1990s” list without them. And sure, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is probably their best-recognized track. But something about the way Kurt Cobain’s Electro-Harmonix Small Clone chorus pedal sounds in the introduction to “Come As You Are” transports me right back to pre-Y2K.

“The Sign” by Ace of Base

Swedish group Ace of Base topped the U.S. charts for nearly two months straight with their hit 1993 song, “The Sign”. If the track’s popularity wasn’t enough to earn it a spot on this list, then its inclusion in a memorable storyline in the hit sitcom Full House certainly should be. If only Stephanie Tanner, Gia Mahan, Kimmy Gibbler, and Melissa Morgan had practiced their rendition of “The Sign” more, they would have won the Wake Up San Francisco talent show.

“…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears

Nirvana is one must-have on any good 1990s hit songs list, and Britney Spears is another. How can anyone listen to her debut single from 1999 and not immediately get thrown into the cardigan pigtail-clad music video for “…Baby One More Time”? From its call-and-response chorus to one of the most recognizable three-note intros in modern pop music history, it’s no wonder that this classic 1990s track was one of the best-selling singles of all time. Oh, baby, baby.

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)