The 1990s was a great decade for music, particularly in rock. However, some early-decade hits from that era don’t get as much attention nowadays as they used to. Let’s revisit a simpler time and explore a few underrated songs that came out in the year 1991!
1. “The Person You Are” by John Wesley Harding
You might recognize the name “John Wesley Harding” as the title of Bob Dylan’s 1967 album. However, John Wesley Harding is very much a real artist who took his stage name from that very album; and he is an artist who is still sorely underrated today.
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“The Person You Are” was released in 1991 and is a telltale song of the decade. It boasts a delightful hook and a doom-and-gloom storyline, and you can’t beat that earworm chorus.
2. “Dizzy” by Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff
Out of many underrated songs released in the year 1991, “Dizzy” by Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff has a narrative that can’t be beat. Vic Reeves might be best known as a comedian and artist, but this music with The Wonder Stuff was on another level.
3. “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” by Saint Etienne
The 1990s was the decade of grunge, and “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” by Saint Etienne is an extremely underrated 1991 grunge track that just sounds like the era. It’s definitely dated, but that isn’t always a bad thing. If you were around that year, just listening to this song might transport you back to a simpler time and give you a hefty dose of nostalgia.
4. “Feel So Sad” by Spiritualized
“Feel So Sad” was the first song that most people heard from space rock revival band Spiritualized. This is the ultimate “healing” song, destined to be listened to by people who just want to tune out and escape the world. It’ll likely serve that purpose for decades to come.
5. “Pearl” by Chapterhouse
By the time the 1990s rolled around, most musicians and bands were eager to escape the 1980s sound. Chapterhouse, however, was more interested in leaning into the recently wrapped-up decade. “Pearl” makes it to our list of underrated songs from 1991 because it managed to take the upbeat nature of late-1980s pop music and shoegaze and turn it into something different.
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