1994 was an amazing year for music. In the United States, grunge was in full swing, the pop-punk movement was in its infancy, myriad classic hip-hop albums were released and, perhaps most importantly, The Lion King soundtrack was released.
In the U.K., Britpop was booming, as Oasis had released their seminal debut album, Definitely Maybe, to massive critical acclaim and huge sales, while other Britpop stalwarts such as Suede unveiled their magnum opus, Dog Man Star, and Oasis’s rivals Blur produced what is perhaps their signature achievement: Parklife.
It’s stunning to think that 1994 was 30 years ago, but good music is good music, and these tracks sound just as fresh and inventive as they did when they were released in 1994.
From Britpop to Hip-Hop, these tracks from 1994 still sound amazing 30 years later
Whether you love hip-hop, electronic, punk, angular post-punk, or innovative alternative rock, this list has many songs you’ll love – or ones that you’ve forgotten about that you’ll surely want to revisit. Let’s dive in.
“The Circle of Life” – Carmen Twillie, Lebo M. – The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
One of Disney’s finest achievements, The Lion King, was released to widespread adoration in the summer of 1994. The film combined sterling animation work, a star-studded voice cast, and – most importantly in our case – an absolutely brilliant soundtrack from Elton John and Tim Rice. The opening number from the film (and, by extension, on the soundtrack) is “The Circle of Life,” an epic, powerful track that perfectly introduces the film’s setting and tone.
Watching this film as a child – and still as an adult – brings goosebumps when the song ends and the name of the film flashes on the screen. A spellbinding masterpiece from 1994.
“Kiss From A Rose” – Seal – Seal
A showcase for the tremendous talents of singer/songwriter Seal, this track has aged exquisitely in the 30 intervening years. A powerhouse vocal performance coupled with a strikingly dramatic backing track make this a stellar number – and definitely Seal’s signature tune. Also used to brilliant comedic effect in an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
“My Iron Lung” – Radiohead – My Iron Lung
While Radiohead’s striking “My Iron Lung” wouldn’t make it onto an album proper until 1995’s The Bends released, its actual debut occurred in 1994 and heralded a sea change in the group’s sound and ethos. Written as a metaphor for the group’s massive success following the release of “Creep,” the band’s material on My Iron Lung sounds far different – and far more experimental and engaging than the post-grunge material on their debut album Pablo Honey. Featuring one of the group’s finest guitar riffs and a thrilling musical freakout to end the song, this is a seminal number in Radiohead’s history.
“Basket Case” – Green Day – Dookie
Green Day’s major label debut could’ve featured any number of legendary tracks on this list – “Longview,” “Welcome to Paradise,” “When I Come Around” – but, for this writer, the most notable track on the group’s 1994 classic album is “Basket Case,” a thrilling, to-the-point treatise on Green Day’s entire raison d’etre featuring terrific melodic sensibilities and the tight musicianship the group would continue to hone over the years. “Sometimes I give myself the creeps…”
“Self Esteem” – The Offspring – Smash
The Offspring’s 1994 album Smash – alongside Green Day’s Dookie – were the progenitors of the pop-punk movement in the early/mid-1990s. While Dookie was a mega-hit released on a major record label, The Offspring’s fourth album was actually the most successful independently released album of all time for a while, with sales of over 6 million copies. This raucous track treads similar lyrical territory to Green Day’s “Longview” or Radiohead’s “Creep” with an instantly recognizable guitar riff tacked on.
“Vasoline” – Stone Temple Pilots – Purple
Both this track and STP’s “Interstate Love Song” would certainly qualify for this list, but it’s the immediacy coupled with the battering ram guitar riff on “Vasoline” that potentially represents the group’s creative peak. With lyrics about “being stuck in the same situation over and over again” and “about me becoming a junkie,” according to legendary STP lead singer Scott Weiland, the song is heavy both musically and lyrically.
“Black Hole Sun” – Soundgarden – Superunknown
Soundgarden’s seminal 1994 album Superunknown is home to a plethora of tremendous songs, and while any number of them could’ve been chosen for this list (this writer’s personal favorites being “Fell On Black Days” and “The Day I Tried To Live”), it’s the album’s best-known song that gets the nod: “Black Hole Sun.”
Featuring apocalyptic lyrics, a disturbing and weird music video, and beautiful guitar tones throughout, this is widely regarded as Soundgarden’s signature tune, and with good reason – it’s a legendary banger that has aged like a fine wine and perhaps sounds even better today than it did 30 years ago.
“Nutshell” – Alice in Chains – Jar of Flies
Legendary grunge outfit Alice in Chains didn’t release a proper album in 1994 after the brilliant yet draining Dirt released in 1992, but they still managed to hit number one on the album chart for the first time in their career with Jar of Flies EP, which featured this astounding acoustic composition. Featuring an alchemical guitar solo by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and lacerating lyrics by Layne Staley, it’s no wonder this track propelled this EP to the top of the charts. “Nutshell” is still a powerful listen 30 years after it was released.
“The Man Who Sold The World” – Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York
Back when MTV was a music TV channel, the station’s “Unplugged” series featured a bevy of notable artists performing songs in an intimate, acoustic setting. Perhaps the best-known (and most impactful) group to perform on this series was grunge legends Nirvana.
During the performance, they covered David Bowie’s 1970 track “The Man Who Sold The World” and turned the glam-tinged number into a funereal dirge delivered to perfection by a weary-sounding Kurt Cobain. Stunningly, the album was released well after the death of Kurt Cobain – lending the album a somewhat mythically powerful atmosphere.
“Regulate” – Warren G feat. Nate Dogg – Regulate… G Funk Era
A masterful slice of G-funk-era hip-hop with some excellent samples (Michael McDonald, Bob James, Dr. Dre himself) as well as the inimitable voice of hip-hop crooner Nate Dogg spliced in between Warren G’s verses, this is a classic hip-hop track that hits just as hard as it must have in 1994 when it released. A masterpiece.
“Waterfalls” – TLC – CrazySexyCool
A seminal track from one of the finest albums of 1994, TLC’s “Waterfalls” was a mega-hit upon release – even going so far as to get a full-song parody by “Weird Al” Yankovic (always the mark of a terrific and mega-popular song. The track was a number-one hit for Left Eye, T-Boz, and Chili for seven weeks (in 1995 as a single, though the song debuted in 1994), and with good reason. With socially conscious lyrics as well as sensuous, sinewy instrumentation punctuated by sultry horn blasts, “Waterfalls” is a tremendous R&B confection that turns 30 this year.
“Glory Box” – Portishead – Dummy
One of the sexiest songs on this list, Portishead’s “Glory Box” closes out the group’s legendary and influential debut album Dummy, which features one of the best opening songs on a debut album. Part of the U.K. “trip-hop” genre (a term that artists under that umbrella reviled) that included Massive Attack and others, Portishead’s work on the album is intricate, engaging, and melodic with top-tier beat craft on display on every track. The album’s closing song features a searing guitar solo atop a languid, sensual backing track that is sure to set a romantic mood.
“Protection” – Massive Attack – Protection
While not as influential or widely revered as the group’s debut album Blue Lines, which features one of the best opening songs from a debut album in the 1990s, Massive Attack’s 1994 follow-up album Protection is home to a bevy of terrific, moody electronic tracks that have aged beautifully in the intervening 30 years. The album’s opening track is the sprawling, stunning “Protection,” which features vocals from Everything But The Girl vocalist Tracey Thorn – a notable collaborator for the group during this era.
“The Summerhouse” – The Divine Comedy – Promenade
Britpop was a major commercial force in England and the U.K. in the 1990s. While The Divine Comedy, the brainchild of Neil Hannon, dabbled in the genre in the 1990s, he was far more concerned with delivering Scott Walker-esque crooning tracks, such as on his 1997 album A Short Album About Love (check out our modern review of the album).
On The Divine Comedy’s 1994 album Promenade, Hannon delivers a concept album about “two lovers at the sea,” with notable ultra-melodic and introspective songs, including this gorgeous remembrance of childhood joy and innocence set to one of Hannon’s finest melodies. A standout that should be heard by more people.
“Do You Remember the First Time?” – Pulp – His ‘n’ Hers
English rock band Pulp had been delivering moody alternative rock tracks since the early 1980s, but they didn’t gain any commercial traction in the U.K. until 1994, when Britpop was hitting its stride, and the group released the first of three straight classic albums in the 1990s: His ‘n’ Hers.
This 1994 release featured a string of standout numbers, including “Joyriders,” “Lipgloss,” “Razzmatazz,” and this catchy track about losing one’s virginity. With a taffy-like guitar tone and an eminently singable chorus, Pulp would continue in this vein for another album (1995’s Different Class) before tearing up the rulebook on their 1997 album This Is Hardcore.
“Live Forever” – Oasis – Definitely Maybe
While Britpop had existed for a few years and was already a major cultural force in England by 1994, it didn’t truly hit the stratosphere until that year, when Oasis unveiled their debut album Definitely Maybe. While it might have featured entire melodies lifted from other sources, all other Britpop albums lacked the supreme mainstream appeal of five blokes from Manchester singing about drinking, doing drugs, shagging, and being “Rock ‘n’ Roll Stars.”
The album was a smash hit upon release, and with good reason – the songs found on this album are touchstones for British rock and hold up beautifully 30 years later, especially the more melodic and thoughtful ones such as “Live Forever” and this writer’s personal favorite: the climactic “Slide Away.”
“Parklife” – Blur – Parklife
Oasis’s biggest rivals were London-based group Blur, who had released their debut album Leisure in 1991, which saw some success – but nothing compared to how popular the group would be when they embraced Britpop on their follow-up albums Modern Life Is Rubbish and the profoundly brilliant Parklife in 1994.
Spanning a wide range of genres, including electronica, chamber pop, rock, jazz, folk, and many more, Parklife was an astounding achievement and still serves as one of the finest Britpop documents ever. The title track, with narration from notable actor Phil Daniels, was a major smash upon release and still holds up 30 years on.
“The Wild Ones” – Suede – Dog Man Star
Suede kicked off the Britpop movement in 1991 with their eponymous debut album, which featured a stable of notable classic songs, but it was their follow-up album Dog Man Star that represented the group’s finest work from their “classic” lineup that featured Bernard Butler on guitar. A powerful listen, Dog Man Star showcases a wide range of musical styles, though all of the tracks on the album are chock-full of pathos and power courtesy of Brett Anderson’s vocal delivery and Butler’s terrific (and dramatic) songwriting.
“The Wild Ones” is the album’s clear standout, with Anderson’s skyscraping, sloganeering vocals hovering above a brilliant maelstrom of guitar parts – leading to one of the finest climaxes in pop music history.
“Faster” – Manic Street Preachers – The Holy Bible
Manic Street Preachers were an amazing Welsh rock group whose career has continued steadily since the late 1980s until today. In 1994, the group released their magnum opus, The Holy Bible, which is an eviscerating listening experience due to the fragile mental state of the group’s lead lyric writer, Richey Edwards, at the time (Edwards disappeared in 1995 and was presumed dead in 2008).
“Faster” is a careening wall of post-punk anguish with lyrics that veer from boastful (“I am stronger than Mensa, Miller and Mailer”) to self-effacing (“I am idiot drug hive, the virgin, the tattered and the torn”) to poetically disturbing (“Sleep can't hide the thoughts splitting through my mind”). Somehow, these impenetrable lyrics are put into an incredibly catchy song that sounds just as immediate as it did in 1994.
“Hallelujah” – Jeff Buckley – Grace
Much like Biggie Smalls (more on his 1994 release later), Jeff Buckley only released one album during his lifetime – but what an album it was. Featuring intimidating vocal acrobatics that very few male singers can even attempt to imitate, Jeff Buckley’s inimitable talents were perhaps showcased best on “Hallelujah,” a cover of a Leonard Cohen song that Buckley completely made his own. Featuring only Buckley and a softly reverbed electric guitar, this is a spellbinding song and one that is still a transcendent listening experience 30 years after it was released.
“Buddy Holly” – Weezer – The Blue Album
While other album cuts or singles from Weezer’s first album might be favorites among devoted fans of the group (“Only In Dreams,” “My Name Is Jonas,” “Holiday,” and “Say It Ain’t So” spring to mind), the group’s second single “Buddy Holly” is among the catchiest and most memorable songs from U.S. music in 1994. With a legendary video and a singalong chorus that still sounds fresh and fun in 2024, Weezer became instant icons with the release of their debut album, and this song in particular, 30 years ago.
“Closer” – Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral
An industrial classic, Trent Reznor’s 1994 album The Downward Spiral is still a suffocating listening experience 30 years after the fact – though it does reward close listening thanks to the lyrical depth and intriguing soundscapes that Reznor created. The most notable track on the album is “Closer,” which was such a hit that “Weird Al” Yankovic even covered the song in one of his polka medleys.
“Zombie” – The Cranberries – No Need to Argue
While the lyrical content is tragic (about the tragic death of young children during a bombing during Northern Ireland’s Troubles), this song is one of the most fun you can ever sing at a karaoke bar. This track represented a stylistic shift from the dream pop The Cranberries dabbled with in their early career with songs such as “Dreams” and “Linger.” Lead singer and songwriter Dolores O’Riordan delivers a guttural roar during the song’s chorus, coupled with her trademark yodeled yelps above a crunching, distorted guitar part.
“Hook” – Blues Traveler – Four
Featuring an exploratory melody with clever lyrics crafted by Blues Traveler frontman John Popper as well as a striking vocal performance that sees his voice transform from a throaty roar to a gentle whisper – spanning multiple octaves in the process – this album and song helped the group break into the mainstream. A harmonica virtuoso, Popper gets to showcase his chops on that instrument in a lengthy and climactic solo. A fun song that sounds a tad dated but is still worthy of mention due to its immensely catchy melody and double-time bridge.
“Loser” – Beck – Mellow Gold
One of the more unusual megahits of 1994, Beck’s commercial breakthrough was this “anti-anthem,” that featured the lyric: “Get crazy with the Cheez Whiz!” “Loser’s” huge success, especially after Beck was signed to major label DGC, led to this album hitting the Billboard top ten and has now sold over 1.2 million copies. Beck’s creative output has changed and matured considerably in the intervening 30 years, but it all started with “Loser.”
“Juicy” – The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die
Biggie Smalls’ debut album Ready to Die is a seminal hip-hop release and it features his first single “Juicy,” which is a sprawling treatise and hagiography of Biggie’s upbringing and history before becoming one of the greatest rappers of all time. Featuring the legendary opening line “It was all a dream,” this Biggie album was the only one released during the artist’s lifetime.
“Sabotage” – Beastie Boys – Ill Communication
Showcasing the Beastie Boys’ punk bona fides, “Sabotage” is a razor-edged blast of raucous punk rock with instrumentation played by the Beasties themselves (Ad-Rock on guitar, MCA on bass, and Mike D on drums). The track serves as both a terrific period piece for any film or television show that needs a badass song for a montage (set in the 1990s or otherwise), as well as a great workout song. This song still hits eminently hard 30 years after it was released in January 1994.
“Black Ego” – Digable Planets – Blowout Comb
An expansive, seven-minute-long track from Digable Planets’ second album Blowout Comb, this is a brilliant release from one of the more underrated acts from the Golden Age of hip-hop. A ruminative and beautiful song with a hypnotic sample courtesy of jazz guitar legend Grant Green, this track is definitely worthy of a listen if you’re looking for some “left field” ‘90s hip-hop.
“Crumblin’ Erb” – Outkast – Southernplayasticadillacmuzik
While Outkast would reach tremendous commercial heights with future releases, the Atlanta-based hip-hop duo exploded out of the gate with their debut album, the tongue-twisting Southernplayasticadillacmuzik, in 1994. While “Player’s Ball” is likely the best-known song from this album, the overall best track is likely this ode to the sticky-icky-icky. Featuring a truly beautiful Quiet Storm-influenced chorus as well as the youthful-sounding verses courtesy of Andre 3000 and Big Boi, this is truly a masterwork and hints at the bright future that Outkast had ahead of them.
“Can You Feel The Love Tonight” – Elton John – The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
While “Circle of Life,” “Be Prepared” and “Hakuna Matata” from the actual film were all standout bangers, the pop single from The Lion King was Elton John’s “Can You Feel The Love Tonight,” which works exceedingly well within the realm of the film – but is actually even stronger as a standalone work. John’s melodicism is on full display on this song and Tim Rice’s lyrics are terrific (kings and vagabonds, indeed).
“Only Wanna Be With You” – Hootie & the Blowfish – Cracked Rear View
Not to be confused with “I Only Want To Be With You” by Dusty Springfield, which features on one of the best albums of 1964, this Hootie & The Blowfish classic from 1994 was unavoidable after it was released and was featured in myriad films, commercials and television shows – and it continues to be the group’s best-known composition today. A massively catchy number with a strong melody, a singalong chorus, and layers upon layers of guitars, this song typifies pop/rock from the 1990s.
“Connection” – Elastica – Elastica
Released in advance of this seminal Britpop unit’s 1995 debut album, this opening salvo from the group has held up beautifully in the intervening 30 years. In fact, the track still sounds so immensely innovative and engaging that its appearance in the dreadful 2023 Five Nights at Freddy’s film was one of that film’s (exceedingly few) highlights. Catchy, driving and droll with a hint of sexiness – that’s Elastica’s stock-in-trade.
“I’ll Make Love To You” – Boyz II Men – II
Arguably a cheesy number with an extremely dated synth brass line to begin the song, this track is still, undeniably, a love-making classic. Featuring the group’s tremendously tight harmonies as well as impressively heartfelt lead lines from each member, this writer still prefers the group’s work on How I Met Your Mother.
“Lovelife” – Lush – Split
Lush was an English shoegaze band that released their first compilation album, Gala, in 1990 and their first proper album, Spooky, in 1992. The group started off with spectral, wailing dream pop motifs early on in their career but slowly developed a poppier sound that became more fully fleshed out by the time the group released Split in 1994. The album was typified by the earworm melody of “Lovelife,” which featured jangly guitars, a driving beat (replete with bongo accents), and a waifish melody – all indicative of Lush’s poppy future.
“Shining Road” – Cranes – Loved
A little-known dream pop group from the early-to-mid-‘90s, Cranes were headlined by the inimitable helium-toned vocals of lead singer Allison Shaw. A group that’s hard to pigeonhole, Cranes dabbled in folky electronica, doom-laden dream pop and various other styles. The group’s opening track from their 1994 album, Loved, showcases the group’s disparate influences.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey – Merry Christmas
One of the greatest Christmas songs of all time, Mariah Carey’s perennial Christmas classic first debuted all the way back in 1994 on her first Christmas album: Merry Christmas. The song simply sounds timeless, which is the mark of any great Christmas track.
It sounds like it could’ve been a cover of a song from the 1950s, or it sounds like it might’ve just been written a few years ago as a vintage throwback. Either way, the song rockets into the Billboard Top 5 every December, and with good reason – there are only a handful of Christmas songs better than this one.