[Back to the ’90s!] Dance music in Western pop that was a hit in the 1990s
The 1990s were a period in which electronic music saw remarkable growth compared to any previous era.
Genres like Eurobeat and dance-pop attracted particular attention and went on to influence modern styles such as artcore and deep house.
In this piece, I’d like to introduce dance music from the 1990s.
Alongside global smash hits, I’ve also included more niche tracks with a Eurobeat flavor.
For those interested in the evolution of electronic music, there are many must-hear tracks here, so please take your time and enjoy.
- [Western Music] A Collection of Cool Dance Music (Western Songs)
- Get in the Groove with Classic Albums: The World's Eurobeat – Recommended Popular Tracks
- Great Western pop masterpieces and hit songs of the 90s
- A roundup of 90s Western hip-hop: classics from the golden era
- [Nostalgic Hits] Popular Japanese dance music songs that were hits in the 1990s
- [Western Music] Classic disco tracks that were hits in the ’90s
- Western songs from the 90s featured in commercials. A roundup of CM songs.
- Tearjerkers! A roundup of moving Western songs that were hits in the ’90s
- Club Hits: Dance music from Western artists that energized the dance floors in the 1980s
- 90s Rock Revolution! A Collection of Masterpieces by Western Bands That Colored the 90s
- Dance music in Japanese (J-pop) that people in their 50s used to listen to. Nostalgic classic hits.
- A 90s rapper. An artist who was active during the golden age of US hip-hop.
- Easy-to-dance songs [Perfect for dance beginners]
[Back to the ’90s!] Western dance music hits from the 1990s (1–10)
No ScrubsTLC
It’s a smooth mid-tempo track released in 1999 by the American girl group TLC.
It reached the top 10 on charts around the world and was nominated for a Grammy.
It was sampled in Todd Edwards’s 2006 track of the same name.
Its catchy melody gives the song a refreshing feel.
U Can’t Touch ThisMC Hammer
A quintessential hip-hop anthem of the ’90s, “U Can’t Touch This.” Many of you probably recognize its distinctive track.
Even among the hip-hop of its time, this song was quite an outlier, with a strong emphasis on dance music unlike typical hip-hop.
As a result, it’s sampled more often in electronic genres like house and techno than in hip-hop.
Livin’ La Vida LocaRicky Martin
If you love high-energy Latin music that radiates heat, I recommend Livin’ la Vida Loca.
It’s performed by Puerto Rico’s iconic singer-songwriter Ricky Martin.
In Japan, Hiromi Go also released a cover titled GOLD FINGER ’99.
This track is a dance number that blends Latin, pop, and rock in perfect balance.
Its sultry, sizzling melody naturally gets your body moving and lifts your spirits.
Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of…)Lou Bega
If you’re looking for a breezy track with dance-pop elements, this song by Lou Bega is a great pick.
It’s a remake based on an instrumental composed in 1949 by a Cuban musician, to which Bega added new lyrics.
Set to Latin pop and mambo rhythms, it playfully lists various women’s names while expressing a man’s growing fascination with each of them.
Released in July 1999, it became a worldwide hit, achieving huge success—especially in France, where it held the number-one spot for 20 weeks.
It remains a beloved staple for energizing the dance floor even today.
Everytime We TouchCascada
Cascada is a Eurodance group formed in 2004.
Eurodance sparked a massive boom worldwide—Japan included—during the 1990s.
Cascada became one of the groups that ignited that Eurodance craze, producing numerous hit songs.
Among them, a standout recommendation is “Everytime We Touch.” It’s a Eurodance track with strong pop elements, characterized by a fresh and upbeat melody throughout.