The 1990s gave us grunge (yay!) and also a bunch of overstuffed pop (boo!). Along the way, Britpop started, but so did a whole subgenre of American bands like Matchbox Twenty and Hootie & the Blowfish. Even the Spin Doctors fit in there.
It was a kind of rock-pop, and at times a twinge of country. In fact, a good bit of modern country owes itself to these mostly failed rock bands. Some have even crossed over into country (here is looking at you, Darius Rucker).
Still, the groups weren't wholly without value. They also dropped at least one surprisingly great song. Three of those are below, and still worth listening to.
1990s bands that had no business creating one great track (but did so anyway)
Matchbox Twenty - "Back 2 Good"
Rob Thomas knows how to write a decent tune, but how much those tracks transform into gems that people are still listening to in 50 years is a different story. One would think not. This isn't to say Matchbox Twenty songs are bad because they aren't. They are just on the higher end of mediocrity.
Except for "Back 2 Good." The lyrics and vocal line have just enough yearning and angst to hit home. In the chorus, Thomas says what we all think, but keep to ourselves. It's brilliant.
The tune isn't emo, of course, but one could see an emo band doing a louder, faster cover and do so without feeling guilty about it. That's the magic of the track: It can be reworked and revisited, and still work.
Gin Blossoms - "Hey Jealousy"
While the Blossoms are also known for mid-tempo rubbish such as "Found Out About You," this tune might catch new listeners off guard with its upbeat melancholy. It's a true rocker, and a fun one. The band walks the thin line between hopelessness and feeling a bond with another, and does it well.
The frustrating part for fans might be that the Gin Blossoms never strained to duplicate this track, but instead seemed to focus on '90s rock-pop to make a bit of money. They likely did that, but lost their artistic integrity along the way.
Hootie & the Blowfish - "Let Her Cry"
The song has no business being as good as it is. It's a slow-tempo croon with a sound that has been delivered well before and after this single was created. Maybe the inspiration for the song led to greatness.
Vocalist Darius Rucker once stated he had just heard the Black Crowes' "She Talks to Angels" for the first time and that, coupled with a love of Bonnie Raitt's music, moved him to pen this tune. The Crowes track and the Hootie & the Blowfish tune are sonically similar, though the narrative of the lyrics is different.
Still, try not singing along to the chorus and feeling a few goosebumps. Maybe you feel a guilty pleasure for doing so, but don't. A good song is a good song.
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