4 Forgotten Songs From the 90s That You Need To Remember

There was so much great music in the 90s, it’s easy to have forgotten songs worth remembering. To the youngsters reading this, you had to buy music then, which meant you never had enough money for the number of CDs you wanted to purchase.

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And it wasn’t only grunge or alternative rock. Hip-hop was becoming dominant alongside pop, dance, and electronic music. Yes, The Real World was popular, but MTV still played music videos, and the Video Music Awards were must-see events.

I’ve mixed a combination of big hits and lesser-known ones to jog your memory. If you’re old enough, you’ll have known these songs before you forgot them.

“Groove Is In The Heart” by Deee-Lite

Deee-Lite constructed this banging house beat with samples from Herbie Hancock and Vernon Burch tracks. It also features P-Funk legend Bootsy Collins on guest vocals. But the song’s highlight is the rap by A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip. “Groove Is In The Heart” became a dance smash hit in an era when you could still get away with sampling classic records.

“Free Your Mind” by En Vogue

There are heavy bands that don’t rock as hard as En Vogue. “Free Your Mind” follows the pop-rock paths set by “Black Cat” and “Beat It”. While Janet and Michael Jackson set the benchmark for using rock guitars in pop tunes, “Free Your Mind” helped En Vogue pick up where The Supremes left off. Landing the most number-one R&B hits since Diana Ross led her iconic group from Hitsville U.S.A.

“Bound For The Floor” by Local H

You might not know this song by its title. You might not know the name of the band either. But you surely know the hook because it’s the only one I can think of that uses the word “copacetic.” Don’t reach for the dictionary, I got you. It means very satisfactory. In the mid-90s, Local H had the right combination of quiet verses, loud choruses, and angst to land a major record deal. And the duo’s only hit is worth remembering.

“Super Bon Bon” by Soul Coughing

If you’ve forgotten “Super Bon Bon”, shame on you. Sorry, I know that’s harsh. But if you’re not familiar with Soul Coughing, or singer and guitarist Mike Doughty, this track is a good place to begin. The New York band doesn’t fit easily into a single genre. But a cult following was attracted to Doughty’s stream-of-consciousness lyrics and the band’s eclectic blending of genres. And you might be, too.

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