The ’90s blessed us with some iconic pop songs. While they’re not the most high brow tunes, there’s no shame in jamming out to the hits of the era.
Videos by American Songwriter
Some may feel hesitant to admit that they still know all the words to that Spice Girls bop, to opt for a Britney Spears classic at a karaoke outing, or to proudly sing along to a Hanson tune when it comes on in the grocery store. That, however, defeats the joy of the time period.
Let’s instead lean into the cheese, celebrate the nostalgia, and unabashedly enjoy the songs that defined the ’90s. There’s no arguing that the three below tracks did just that. They all reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after their release.
“Hold On” by Wilson Phillips
The ’90s got off to an iconic start when Wilson Phillips released “Hold On.” The track’s upbeat nature and girl power vibes disguises the serious nature of its lyrics.
Penned by the trio’s Carnie Wilson and Chynna Phillips, along with hit songwriter Glen Ballard, the song is intensely personal for Phillips. The lyrics came from a time in the singer’s life when she was battling addiction.
“I was really in a dark space when that lyric was written,” Phillips said on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “I was really at a point in my life where I felt like I was at a crossroads… I was in a lot of pain and I just said, ‘If I don’t change my course, I’m going to be in a lot of trouble.’ So I knew that I was at a crossroads that I either had to hold on for one more day or just die.”
Hold on she did. The song became the first No. 1 hit for the trio. Decades later, the track exploded in popularity once again. The trio performed it during a cameo in the hit movie Bridesmaids.
“Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice cemented his place in history when he released “Ice Ice Baby” in 1990. By sampling David Bowie and Queen’s 1981 hit “Under Pressure,” Ice knew people would be drawn into the track. While the sample certainly did just that, it also created a legal battle for Ice. He had to fork over $4 million to Bowie and Queen and give them songwriting credits too.
While Ice’s career never really recovered from the legal fallout of “Ice Ice Baby,” the track is unquestionably a hallmark of the era. Pop culture agrees, as the song appeared in the movie 13 Going on 30, was covered on Glee, and referenced in the flick That’s My Boy.
“My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion
When someone says “Celine Dion” the opening notes of “My Heart Will Go On” are immediately evoked. Dion’s vocals and the emotion they elicit made the song unforgettable, but its role as the theme song for Titanic made it a cultural phenomenon after its 1997 release.
Dion was initially hesitant to record the track, which was composed by James Horner and written by Will Jennings, but was convinced to do so by her late husband, René Angélil.
It turned out to be the right choice, as the track went on to win the Best Original Song Oscar and cement its place in history.
Photo by Eric Robert/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.