The 1990s brought the world a wealth of great rock songs. The early part of the decade saw the rise of grunge with bands like Nirvana. Then, the mid-90s gave rise to pop punk with bands like Green Day. The decade ended with the rise of bands like Korn and Slipknot, who popularized nu metal. At the same time, bands like ZZ Top, AC/DC, Metallica, and others were still seeing chart success. In short, it was a great time to be a rock fan.
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Dig out your Walkman and flannel shirts, today we’re going back to the 1990s to dig into some forgotten hit rock songs. All of these songs topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart during the decade. However, they’ve either been largely forgotten or overshadowed by bigger hits in the artist’s catalog.
[RELATED: 4 Iconic Rock Albums of the 1990s That Inspired a Generation]
1. “Hurting Kind (I’ve Got My Eyes on You)” by Robert Plant (1990)
Former Led Zeppelin singer and all-around rock and roll legend kicked off the 1990s with his fifth solo album, Manic Nirvana. He introduced the album with the lead single “Hurting Kind (I’ve Got My Eyes on You” in March 1990. It went to No. 5 on the UK singles chart and No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song performed better on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, where it went No. 1, taking him to the top of that chart for the fifth time.
The song sees Plant singing about chasing a lover despite her doing him wrong in the past. It’s not subject matter that many love songs touch on, but it is still widely relatable and deserves a second look.
2. “Silent Lucidity” by Queensryche (1991)
A list of hit rock songs form the 1990s wouldn’t be complete without at least one power ballad. Queensryche released this song in 1991 as a single from their 1990 album Empire. “Silent Lucidity” went to No. 1 ont he Mainstream Rock chart and was the chart’s No. 1 song of the year. It also went to No. 9 on the Hot 100 and brought the band a Grammy nomination.
Vocalist Chris DeGarmo found inspiration for this song while reading a book about lucid dreaming. That inspiration bled into the lyrics, the instrumentation, and the vocal delivery, creating a huge, surreal, and dreamlike sonic landscape. The sheer ambition of the track demands a re-listen.
3. “Big Gun” by AC/DC (1993)
Rock legends AC/DC didn’t change their sound for the 1990s and this song is proof. However, “Big Gun” didn’t come from one of their albums. Instead, it was featured on the soundtrack for the 1993 film Last Action Hero starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. It appeared in Backtracks box set more than a decade later.
This song was AC/DC’s first No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock chart. It was also the first song from the band to be available on iTunes. The fact that it’s an AC/DC song that seemingly few have heard earns this track a place on the list.
4. “Until It Sleeps” by Metallica (1996)
Unfortunately, many of Metallica’s songs from the 1990s have been overshadowed by the rest of the A-list rock band’s deep catalog. The decade saw them shifting away from the thrash metal that made them a worldwide sensation and into a more mainstream sound. Their 1991 self-titled album marked the beginning of the shift, and their 1996 album Load saw them become what seemed to be an entirely new band. They introduced their new sound with the album’s lead single, “Until It Sleeps.”
It topped the Mainstream Rock chart and came in at No. 10 on the Hot 100, giving the band their only top 10 hit on the all-genre chart. However, many fans of the band tend to overlook the band’s output from the ;90s like it never happened. Despite that, they put out some great material throughout the decade that deserves reappraisal.
Featured Image by Andre Csillag/Shutterstock
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