When you think of the 90s, you think of rock music. The two are synonymous. You can just hear the 1990s. What with the era’s fanaticism for grunge and other alt-rock songs. But for those who grew up in the decade, don’t look now. Yes, 1995 is a whopping 30 years ago! So, all the guitar-driven tunes you loved back then have now become—gulp—classic.
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Nevertheless, we wanted to take a look at (and a listen to) three songs from the 90s that give us all the feels. Three tunes from the time period that make us remember the 90s, what it was like to be young then, and everything in between. Indeed, these are three classic rock songs from the 90s that will inevitably make you feel nostalgic.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana from ‘Nevermind’ (1991)
Did somebody say grunge? For the style of music that dominated the early and middle portions of the 1990s, there was really only one band at the top. Amongst the incredible groups of the day, from Soundgarden to Pearl Jam to Alice in Chains, the grunge gods amongst grunge gods were Nirvana. Led by Kurt Cobain, the group had the music, the lyrics, and the affectation. Cobain was a model-handsome tortured genius. And his group’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was the quintessential 90s grunge rock song.
“No Rain” by Blind Melon from ‘Blind Melon’ (1993)
When you hear Blind Melon’s song “No Rain”, you are hearing the literal sound of nostalgia. If you look up the definition of the word in the dictionary, it will just say “See: ‘No Rain’” and be done. Of course, that’s a joke. But the point is clear. Blind Melon’s “No Rain” offers that sense of coziness combined with a sense of wistful imagination. And when the electric guitar comes in? Forget about it! Your nostalgia meter is on 11.
“Wonderwall” by Oasis from ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’ (1995)
There is nothing quite like an acoustic-driven pop song to make you pine for the past. And that’s exactly what “Wonderwall” from the Britpop band Oasis does for fans today. The song even sounded nostalgic the moment it came out, thanks to its loving ode sensibilities and its jangly rhythms. Today, Oasis is back on tour. The feuding brothers Lian and Noel Gallagher have made nice. Will it last? Who knows. But what does last is that tingly feeling you get from listening to their 90s tunes like this one.
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