90s Western music revisiting youth friendship songs: classic tracks from first meetings to farewells

WannabeSpice Girls

Spice Girls – Wannabe (Official Music Video)

If you came of age in the 1990s, this is a wonderfully nostalgic classic.

The Spice Girls, the girl group born in the UK.

The song I’d recommend as their anthem of friendship is their debut single, released in June 1996.

It’s an energetic track that boldly proclaims the bond with your mates is eternal—more important than romance.

Its irresistibly catchy melody topped the charts for seven consecutive weeks in their home country and went on to conquer the charts in 37 countries worldwide.

It’s perfect for celebrating a new friendship or getting together with your closest friends.

Be sure to check it out.

Keep Ya Head Up2Pac

Keep Ya Head Up

Tupac, who continues to exert a tremendous influence on the hip-hop world.

Released in October 1993, this song is a warm anthem that reveals his socially conscious side and a profound love for humanity.

Included on the classic album “Strictly 4 My N.

I.

G.

G.

A.

Z.

…,” it layers a soulful track with gentle R&B vocals, wrapping listeners in a calm embrace.

It portrays a powerful message of encouragement and deep respect for women living through difficult circumstances.

It can also be taken as a song about friendship that transcends gender, or mutual support between people.

It was used in a symbolic scene in the 2017 biopic “All Eyez on Me,” which depicts his life.

It’s the kind of track that quietly gives a nudge forward when a dear friend is feeling down.

Say My NameDestiny’s Child

Destiny’s Child – Say My Name (Official Video)

Destiny’s Child, the R&B group also known for having Beyoncé as a member.

Their 1999 smash-hit classic, The Writing’s on the Wall, features not only songs that celebrate the sparkle of friendship, but also tracks that explore its fragility.

This particular piece portrays the tense emotions of a woman who, sensing suspicious behavior from the person on the other end of the phone, becomes convinced that their bond is slipping away.

Doesn’t that searing doubt also echo the feelings you have when confronted with a trusted friend’s betrayal? The innovative beats and the relentless interplay of vocals are stunning, and in 2001 the song won two Grammy Awards.

If you want to touch on the more complex side of human relationships—something a bit different from glittering friendship anthems—listening to this might lead to new discoveries.

WonderwallOasis

Oasis – Wonderwall (Official Video)

Oasis, the strongest rock band born from the UK in the ’90s.

This song they released on their classic album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? has become an enduring anthem loved around the world.

Carried by the wistful sound of an acoustic guitar, it gives voice to a piercingly heartfelt wish: even while burdened by loneliness and anxiety, you hope someone might come to save you.

Noel Gallagher later said it was a song about an “imaginary friend,” so you can hear it as reflecting feelings not just for a lover, but for an irreplaceable friend as well.

Released as a single in October 1995, it became a global hit.

Its iconic music video won a BRIT Award in 1996.

Give it a listen when you want to savor the vague restlessness of youth and the preciousness of friendship.

WaterfallsTLC

TLC – Waterfalls (Official HD Video)

TLC, the female R&B group that dominated the scene in the ’90s, captured the hearts of many listeners not only with catchy hooks but with songs carrying powerful messages.

Released as a single in 1995 from their 1994 classic album CrazySexyCool, this track is a prime example of that essence.

Despite its dreamy, silky-smooth R&B sound, the song is a warning to those who chase reckless dreams and step onto dangerous paths.

It can even sound like a desperate cry to stop a dear friend from heading toward ruin.

The music video, which won Video of the Year at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards, delves deeply into this serious theme as well.

It’s a track that moves you with the bittersweet ache of caring for a friend—sweet, but far from saccharine.

Hand in My PocketAlanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette – Hand In My Pocket (Official 4K Music Video)

Dubbed the “Queen of Alternative Rock” in the ’90s and a global phenomenon, Alanis Morissette released this track as a single from the landmark 1995 album Jagged Little Pill.

Set to a warm, acoustic-driven sound, it humorously sings about life’s contradictions and uncertainties.

Even when you’re lost or feeling down, the lyrics reassure you in the end that “everything’s going to be okay,” like a close friend encouraging you by your side.

It reminds us of the importance of someone who accepts us just as we are.

Many will also remember its striking use in the coming-of-age film Lady Bird.

It’s a perfect classic for moments when you want to reminisce about memories shared with friends who understood your anxieties.

Everybody HurtsR.E.M.

R.E.M. – Everybody Hurts (Official HD Music Video)

“Everyone gets hurt, and at times is tormented by loneliness.

” This is a gem of a ballad by the American rock band R.

E.

M.

that gently stays close to such universal suffering.

Its solemn tone, infused with gospel and soul influences, and the all-embracing vocals softly loosen the knots in the listener’s heart.

When life feels on the brink of despair, its message—that you are not alone—sounds exactly like the words you would offer a friend who’s feeling down, evoking a profound form of friendship.

Featured on the 1992 masterpiece Automatic for the People and released as a single in April 1993, the song’s powerful message even led to its adoption in a campaign by a UK suicide prevention organization.

It’s a track that shares tears with you on nights of unbearable loneliness and gives you the strength to step into tomorrow when a friend is hurting.