Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, Jamiroquai, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston.
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Here are the classic and hit songs from the greatest Western pop of the 1990s, recommended by our editorial team.
Just a few notes will instantly transport anyone back to that era with a rush of sweet nostalgia.
It’s a legendary playlist that reshaped the history of global music and will never lose its luster.
- [For Beginners] A Collection of Iconic and Popular Western Hits from the 1990s
- [Back to the '90s!] Dance Music from Western Hits of the 1990s
- All masterpieces! Western pop ballads that were hits in the ’90s
- Western songs from the 90s featured in commercials. A roundup of CM songs.
- Debut songs by female Western artists from the 1990s
- [1990s] Still Shining! Recommended Female Singers in Western Music
- Great Western rock classics and hit songs of the ’90s
- 2000s Western pop hits you still hear in commercials, movies, and on the streets
- Cool Western music bands. Recommended overseas bands that will get you pumped just by listening.
- Western music popular among women in their 40s. World-famous classics and hit songs.
- Tearjerkers! A roundup of moving Western songs that were hits in the ’90s
- [Western Music] Classic disco tracks that were hits in the ’90s
- Karaoke songs that were hits in the ’90s. Classic and popular tracks from Japanese music.
Great Western pop classics and hit songs of the 90s (1–10)
Black Or WhiteMichael Jackson
This is a masterpiece released in 1991 by Michael Jackson, who left a brilliant mark on the history of pop music.
It conveys a message of unity and equality that transcends racial and cultural barriers, expressed through a groundbreaking sound that fuses pop rock and hip-hop.
It spent seven consecutive weeks at No.
1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Jackson the first artist to top the charts in three different decades—the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.
Its music video, renowned for its innovative visual beauty, captivated as many as 500 million viewers.
It’s a song I especially recommend to anyone who values racial and cultural diversity.
Virtual InsanityJamiroquai
This is a 1996 work by Jamiroquai, the British acid jazz band led by Jay Kay.
When I first heard the song, it was my first time feeling that music in this genre could be so cool, and when I saw the music video, I was blown away by how cool Jay Kay looked dancing as if gliding over the moving floor.
LovefoolThe Cardigans
It’s a 1996 hit by the Swedish band The Cardigans, key figures in Swedish pop.
The song appears on their third album, First Band on the Moon, and was released as a single.
It’s extremely popular in Japan as well; many musicians have covered it, and it’s frequently used in commercials—one of those tunes you hear all the time.
Always Be My BabyMariah Carey
This song, one of the signature tracks by Mariah Carey, a defining female singer of the 1990s, was released as a single from her fifth album, Daydream.
It’s a mid-tempo ballad featuring supple, emotionally rich vocals, with a captivating sound that fuses pop and R&B.
The lyrics portray a strong bond and connection with a past lover, resonating with listeners who still feel unchanging love even after a breakup.
It became a major hit both in Japan and abroad, reaching No.
1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1996.
As a song symbolizing eternal love, it continues to be cherished by many people to this day.
Livin’ La Vida LocaRicky Martin
Released in 1999, this song took the world by storm and catapulted Ricky Martin’s career into overdrive.
Its passionate blend of Latin pop and dance-pop delivers an irresistible rhythm that makes listeners want to move.
The lyrics’ portrayal of an encounter with a free-spirited woman awakens the spirit of adventure within us.
Issued as the lead single from his self-titled album “Ricky Martin,” which also marked his English-language debut in the U.
S.
, the track spent five consecutive weeks at No.
1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Its compelling sound helped propel Latin music into the mainstream.
Tears in heavenEric Clapton
It’s Eric Clapton’s 1992 hit song, included on the album “Unplugged.” Known as a song mourning the death of Clapton’s own son, its background, together with the song’s atmosphere, makes it deeply moving.
It won a Grammy Award in 1993.
Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana
Here is an anthem of rebellion that defines the 1990s.
Its ferocious guitar riffs and dynamic, inflected vocals brilliantly capture youthful anger and alienation.
The dynamic structure that alternates between quiet and loud grips the listener and never lets go.
Released in September 1991, this song paved the way for the grunge movement and catapulted alternative rock into the mainstream.
As the lead single from the album Nevermind, it swept the globe, while its music video—depicting a defiant youth—became a hot topic on MTV.
It’s a track I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone struggling with boredom and complacency.