[Western Music] Summer songs that were hits in the ’90s: Recommended classics and popular tracks
The 1990s were a time when alternative rock upended the dominance of the hit charts that had lasted through the ’80s, indie artists brimming with talent thrived without relying on major labels, and one young talent after another emerged in hip-hop and R&B.
Of course, the mainstream pop scene also produced countless big hits.
Among the countless hit songs and classics born from these diverse scenes, this time we’re picking out “summer songs” perfect for the season.
From definitive anthems that sing directly about summer to killer tunes made for hot days, we’re bringing you a richly varied lineup!
Playlist
| [Western Music] Summer songs that were hits in the ’90s: Recommended classics and popular tracks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1 | Summer GirlsLFO | play_arrow | A light, funky, summer love song by the Light Funky Ones |
| 2 | MiamiWill Smith | play_arrow | Introduction to Will Smith’s rap song “Miami” |
| 3 | Better Off AloneAlice DeeJay | play_arrow | Alice Deejay’s heartbreak dance song |
| 4 | Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!Vengaboys | play_arrow | Vengaboys’ signature summer song |
| 5 | Samba De JaneiroBellini | play_arrow | Representative songs of a German music project |
| 6 | Blue (Da Ba Dee)Eiffel 65 | play_arrow | Eiffel 65’s signature song “Blue” |
| 7 | This Is How We Do ItMontell Jordan | play_arrow | Montell Jordan summer classic |
| 8 | Goody GoodyLisette Melendez | play_arrow | Reset Melendez’s 90s dance-pop |
| 9 | WannabeSpice Girls | play_arrow | The Spice Girls’ signature work is a big hit. |
| 10 | WaterfallsTLC | play_arrow | A song that warns of the dangers of chasing dreams |
| 11 | Really Into YouAround the way | play_arrow | An R&B love song from Around the Way |
| 12 | BoombasticShaggy | play_arrow | Shaggy’s Boombastic recommendation |
| 13 | Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)The Offspring | play_arrow | Offspring, a recommended killer tune for summer |
| 14 | Doo-Wop (That Thing)Lauryn Hill | play_arrow | Lauryn Hill establishes her status as a female rapper |
| 15 | TubthumpingChumbawamba | play_arrow | A cheer song praising Chumbawamba’s indomitable spirit |
| 16 | Shy GuyDiana King | play_arrow | Diana King summer classic reggae |
| 17 | You Get What You GiveNew Radicals | play_arrow | 90s hit songs cheer on the youth |
| 18 | California Love2Pac | play_arrow | Tupac’s California Love |
| 19 | The Bad TouchBloodhound Gang | play_arrow | The Bloodhound Gang's satirical hit song |
| 20 | Freedom! ’90George Michael | play_arrow | George Michael’s exhilarating anthem to freedom |
| 21 | Walkin’ On The SunSmash Mouth | play_arrow | Introduction to Smash Mouth's debut song |
| 22 | Say You’ll Be ThereSpice Girls | play_arrow | A 1996 release by the Spice Girls |
| 23 | One HeadlightThe Wallflowers | play_arrow | The Wallflowers’ success and positive lyrics |
| 24 | Don’t SpeakNo Doubt | play_arrow | Introduction to No Doubt's “Don’t Speak” |
| 25 | Steal My SunshineLen | play_arrow | Len's summer pop song |
| 26 | StarlightThe Supermen Lovers (feat. Mani Hoffman) | play_arrow | Representative works of French music producers |
| 27 | JumpKriss Kross | play_arrow | Kris Kross’s smash hit |
| 28 | I’ll Be Missing YouPuff Daddy ft. Faith Evans & 112 | play_arrow | Tribute song to The Notorious B.I.G. |
| 29 | Roll To MeDel Amitri | play_arrow | Del Amitri's 1995 single |
| 30 | I Love You Always ForeverDonna Lewis | play_arrow | Introduction to Donna Lewis's Enigmatic Songs |
| 31 | Save TonightEagle-Eye Cherry | play_arrow | Swedish singer, a hit song representing the 1990s |
| 32 | The WayFastball | play_arrow | Introducing Fastball’s summer song “The Way.” |
| 33 | Only Wanna Be With YouHootie&The Blowfish | play_arrow | Introduction to classic songs by Hootie & the Blowfish |
| 34 | Hootie & the BlowfishI Go Blind Hootie & The Blowfish | play_arrow | "I Go Blind" became hugely popular when covered by Hootie & the Blowfish. |
| 35 | You Were Meant For MeJewel | play_arrow | Introduction to songs by distinctive female vocalists from the ’90s |
| 36 | TornNatalie Imbruglia | play_arrow | Introduction to Natalie’s classic song Torn |
| 37 | SanteriaSublime | play_arrow | Ska band releases a memorial music video honoring the deceased |
| 38 | ZombieThe Cranberries | play_arrow | Cranberries' anti-war song becomes a big hit |
| 39 | If You Could Only SeeTonic | play_arrow | Tonic, a representative song of 1990s alternative rock |
| 40 | Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)Green Day | play_arrow | Green Day's acoustic masterpieces |
| 41 | Sex And CandyMarcy Playground | play_arrow | Marcy Playground, a unique world influenced by the ’70s |
| 42 | FantasyMariah Carey | play_arrow | Sampling a song by Tom Tom Club |
| 43 | Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana | play_arrow | Nirvana’s signature song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” |
| 44 | All I Wanna DoSheryl Crow | play_arrow | Sheryl Crow’s genre-blending song |
| 45 | Thong SongSisqo | play_arrow | Sisqó 1999 single soulful vocals |
| 46 | Two PrincesSpin Doctors | play_arrow | The Spin Doctors’ classic song “Two Princes” |
| 47 | Whoomp! (There It Is)Tag Team | play_arrow | Tag Team's 1993 song |
| 48 | LovefoolThe Cardigans | play_arrow | International hit song of the Earth Sisters |
| 49 | Give Me One ReasonTracy Chapman | play_arrow | Tracy Chapman's blues love song |
| 50south_east | Give Me One ReasonTracy Chapman | play_arrow | Introduction to Tracy Chapman's signature songs |
| 51 | (I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With YouUB40 | play_arrow | The UB40 version was a big hit in 1993. Used in a film. |
| 52 | Cruel Summer (Bananarama Cover)Ace of Base | play_arrow | Ace of Base's summer song |
| 53 | Run-AroundBlues Traveler | play_arrow | Blues Traveler’s 1996 Grammy-winning song |
| 54 | Rockafeller SkankFatboy Slim | play_arrow | Fatboy Slim's smash hit song |
| 55 | CreepTLC | play_arrow | Introduction to TLC’s signature song “Creep” |
| 56 | Ice Ice BabyVanilla Ice | play_arrow | Vanilla Ice is a rapper who sold well in the 90s. |
| 57 | All StarAll Star Smash Mouth | play_arrow | Smash Mouth's signature song 'All Star' |
| 58 | Til I Hear It From YouGin Blossoms | play_arrow | The refreshing rock of The GIN BLOSSOMS |
| 59 | I Need to KnowMarc Anthony | play_arrow | Marc Anthony's hit song I Need to Know |
| 60 | Smooth ft. Rob ThomasSantana | play_arrow | Introduction to Santana’s classic song “Smooth” |
| 61 | Can I Kick It?A Tribe Called Quest | play_arrow | A Tribe Called Quest’s representative songs of the ’90s |
| 62 | VenusBananarama | play_arrow | Covered by Bananarama and became a worldwide hit |
| 63 | The Boy Is MineBrandy&Monica | play_arrow | Brandy and Monica’s 90s R&B classic |
| 64 | Baby BabyCorona | play_arrow | Eurodance brimming with the euphoria of the coronavirus era |
| 65 | The Rhythm of the NightCorona | play_arrow | Italian Eurodance becomes a global hit |
| 66 | Are You Gonna Go My WayLenny Kravitz | play_arrow | Lenny Kravitz’s 90s rock hit song |
| 67 | All That She Wants (Official Music Video)Ace of Base | play_arrow | Introduction to Ace of Base’s worldwide hit songs |
| 68 | I Don’t Want to Miss a ThingAerosmith | play_arrow | Introduction to Aerosmith’s signature songs |
| 69 | I Want It That WayBackstreet Boys | play_arrow | Explanation of signature songs by the Backstreet Boys |
| 70 | One WeekBare Naked Ladies | play_arrow | A Canadian band breaks through in the U.S. |
| 71 | No RainBlind Melon | play_arrow | A song from before the band was formed, inspired by a lover’s depression |
| 72 | HookBlues Traveler | play_arrow | Blues Traveler’s signature song “Hook” |
| 73 | CrossroadsBone Thugs-N-Harmony | play_arrow | A tribute rap song to Eazy-E |
| 74 | …Baby One More TimeBritney Spears | play_arrow | The appeal of Britney Spears’s debut song |
| 75 | Gangsta’s Paradise (feat. L.V.)Coolio | play_arrow | Coolio's signature song that sings about gang culture |
| 76 | SummertimeDJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince | play_arrow | Summertime is Will Smith’s classic summer hit |
| 77 | NameGoo Goo Dolls | play_arrow | Goo Goo Dolls’ smash hit song “Name” |
| 78 | Here Comes The Hotstepper (Remix)Ini Kamoze | play_arrow | Kamoze’s classic, a fusion of reggae and dancehall |
| 79 | Let’s Get LoudJennifer Lopez | play_arrow | Jennifer Lopez's upbeat songs |
| 80 | Lightning Crasheslive | play_arrow | Live's signature song, 'Lightning Crashes' |
| 81 | Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of…)Lou Bega | play_arrow | Lou Bega's mambo dance tune becomes a big hit |
| 82 | U Can’t Touch ThisMC Hammer | play_arrow | MC Hammer's 'U Can’t Touch This' becomes a big hit |
| 83 | Real WorldMatchbox Twenty | play_arrow | A refreshing rock song by Matchbox Twenty |
| 84 | I’m The Only OneMelissa Etheridge | play_arrow | Melissa released a love song in 1993 |
| 85 | Black Or WhiteMichael Jackson | play_arrow | Michael’s masterpiece, a work themed around racial discrimination |
| 86 | Just A GirlNo Doubt | play_arrow | No Doubt's rock number |
| 87 | WonderwallOasis | play_arrow | Oasis’s classic song “Wonderwall,” summer-ready |
| 88 | Hey Ya!OutKast | play_arrow | A love-themed song by OutKast |
| 89 | SledgehammerPeter Gabriel | play_arrow | Peter Gabriel’s US No. 1 hit song |
| 90 | Livin’ La Vida LocaRicky Martin | play_arrow | A famous Latin music song, Livin' la Vida Loca |
| 91 | Maria Maria ft. The Product G&BSantana | play_arrow | A fusion of Latin music and R&B, Grammy Award-winning |
| 92 | Closing TimeSemisonic | play_arrow | About Semisonic’s signature song “Closing Time” |
| 93 | If It Makes You HappySheryl Crow | play_arrow | Sheryl Crow’s signature country rock song |
| 94 | Baby Got BackSir Mix A Lot | play_arrow | A song by a man who loves women with big butts |
| 95 | All For YouSister Hazel | play_arrow | An alternative rock band originating from Florida |
| 96 | Gin And JuiceSnoop Dogg | play_arrow | Snoop Dogg’s signature summer track |
| 97 | Here We GoStakka Bo | play_arrow | A dance-pop classic that critiques consumerism |
| 98 | Every MorningSugar Ray | play_arrow | Sugar Ray's summer classic |
| 99 | I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)The Proclaimers | play_arrow | A love song by Scottish twins |
| 100 | We Like to PartyVengaboys | play_arrow | Bengaboys' signature 90s Eurodance song |
| 101 | Say It Ain’t SoWeezer | play_arrow | Weezar’s song, family discontent and Catholic elements |
| 102 | It’s Not Right But It’s OkayWhitney Houston | play_arrow | A strong woman theme of Whitney singing about a breakup with a man |
| 103 | Men In BlackWill Smith | play_arrow | Will Smith movie theme song smash hit |
| 104 | Bitchmeredith brooks | play_arrow | Meredith Brooks’s debut song |
| 105 | Oh YeahAsh | play_arrow | Ash’s summer song “Oh Yeah” |
| 106 | Genie In A BottleChristina Aguilera | play_arrow | The sexually controversial song that Christina sang |
| 107 | UnbelievableEMF | play_arrow | A song about a woman who does nothing but make demands |
| 108 | MMMBopHanson | play_arrow | A smash hit by a sibling band that depicts a waste of time |
| 109 | Return Of The MackMark Morrison | play_arrow | Mark Morrison's 1996 R&B song |
| 110 | Counting CrowsMr. Jones | play_arrow | Introduction to Counting Crows' hit song 'Mr. Jones' |
| 111 | C’mon N’ Ride It (The Train)Quad City DJ’s | play_arrow | Quad City DJ’s 1996 dance hit |
| 112 | S Club PartyS club 7 | play_arrow | Introduction to S Club 7’s 1999 song |
| 113 | Black Hole SunSoundgarden | play_arrow | Soundgarden's grunge summer song |
| 114 | FlySugar Ray | play_arrow | Sugar Ray "Fly" Released in 1997 |
| 115 | Mo Money Mo ProblemsThe Notorious B.I.G. | play_arrow | A song that sings about issues of money and success |
| 116 | Semi-Charmed LifeThird Eye Blind | play_arrow | A song that portrays a descent into drug addiction |
| 117 | RegulateWarren G ft. Nate Dogg | play_arrow | A song by Warren G and Nate Dogg |
| 118 | 1979The Smashing Pumpkins | play_arrow | Summer songs by The Smashing Pumpkins |


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