The 1990s are best known for grunge perhaps, and that is fine. The subgenre was excellent and gave us an untold amount of fine gems. Though the decade ended as an attempt to give radio a release from Seattle-area groups, the fact is the music was worse.
Some bands might have been missed along the way, though. Sure, you have probably heard of all the groups that follow, but have you really listened to them? One is even faster and more punk than any grunge act.
The others vary. Two are friends, actually (John McCrea and Ben Folds). One is pure English gold. All are becoming too underrated and are worthy of being heard.
Four rock bands from the 1990s that deserve more love
The Verve
Forget about "Bitter Sweet Symphony." It is a fine song but a bit gimmicky and well-overplayed. The album (Urban Hymns) in which that song exists, however, is full of righteous gems such as "Sonnet." Perhaps one of the group's most underrated tracks is "Velvet Morning" - just lay back and relax and enjoy everything in life for a moment.
There are some fans that will tell you A Northern Soul is better and they might be correct. The truth is you will have to listen to both records and decide for yourself. Both records, as well as all of the band's early albums, are worthy of being heard multiple times. Richard Ashcroft's voice combined with the slightly psychedelic sound is sheer perfection.
Bikini Kill
Hardcore and abrasive riot grrrl music that is exceedingly well-done and massively influential? Yes, please. But do you know why this is the case? Because the songs are worth it. Well beyond the most popular track, "Rebel Girl," the original foursome churned out a bunch of winners including "New Radio." Some fantastic tunes cannot be printed here because they contain "bad" words.
The entire catalog of the band was produced in the 1990s. The group got back together to tour for a few years recently, and they were great, of course. But nothing quite captures the energy of the opening years of the band when they did not seemingly care what anyone thought of them even though the uncool kids thought they were excellent. That is all that matters.
Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds and his two friends (the "five" was always a joke) have one overplayed song and that is "Brick." The earnestness with which the song is done is too much. Still, it's not a bad tune because Folds doesn't truly write bad songs.
He also never wanted to be in a pop band and "Brick" sounds pretty poppy. But you know what doesn't? "Battle of Who Could Care Less." If you have ever gone through a break-up, listen to this song. It'll bring back some painful memories but filled with a bunch of rage. The song is cathartic.
What really makes the band special is the deeper tracks. Real Ben Folds Five fans know those are the ones that get stuck in your head. The entire Whatever and Ever Amen is a must-listen.
Cake
While everyone knows "The Distance," and maybe it was played one too many times, the song never truly fell out of favor because of its uniqueness. This is a lot like the band itself. There were multiple lineup changes but John McCrea and Vince DiFiore always remained. They were Cake for all intents and purposes and that is a great thing.
Start with the group's sophomore album, Fashion Nugget, and go from there. That album is a non-skip unless there is something wrong with your ears, which we know there is not. The third album, Prolonging the Magic, is not far behind. You will be happy with the suggestion.