Great Western rock classics and hit songs of the ’90s

Retard GirlHole

Retard Girl

Raw, visceral, and furious punk rock.

In April 1990, the first recording released by the Los Angeles alternative rock band Hole was nothing less than Courtney Love’s soul laid bare.

Woven from her experiences of being bullied at school, the piece fuses piercing guitar noise with Love’s emotional vocals into a single, searing force that hits the listener straight in the heart.

After a single on Sympathy for the Record Industry, the band made their full debut with the album Pretty on the Inside in September 1991.

This work marked the first step on the brilliant path that would lead to Live Through This and Celebrity Skin.

It’s a song that offers empathy and courage to anyone who feels isolated at the margins of society.

AlivePearl Jam

Pearl Jam – Alive (Official Video)

A soul’s cry where intensity and poignancy intertwine vividly captures Pearl Jam’s origins.

The Seattle-based grunge rock band’s July 1991 debut weaves a grand narrative in which heavy guitar riffs resonate with emotive vocals.

It portrays the turmoil of a teenage boy who learns of his biological father’s death and the presence of his stepfather, expressed through the weighty sound characteristic of grunge rock.

Mike McCready’s striking guitar solo is highly praised as an element emblematic of the band’s musical identity.

Featured across various media—including an MTV Unplugged performance and inclusion in the video game Rock Band 2—the song is cherished as a deeply resonant piece that prompts reflection on family bonds and the meaning of life.

CreepRadiohead

Radiohead – Creep

A raw, urgent cry of the soul laying bare self-loathing and alienation is vividly expressed by the British band Radiohead.

Sung from the perspective of a lonely soul who doesn’t fit into society, yearning for an object of admiration, this work was released in September 1992 and initially faced harsh criticism, including being refused airplay by the BBC.

However, after heavy rotation on Israeli radio, it gradually gained worldwide support and achieved the remarkable feat of reaching No.

34 on the U.

S.

Billboard chart.

Featured in films such as The Social Network and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.

3, it continues to resonate with people who struggle with loneliness and feelings of inferiority.

Black Hole SunSoundgarden

Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun

A signature track by Soundgarden that adds a new interpretation to the grunge sound emblematic of the ’90s.

Released in March 1994 by the Seattle-based leaders of the grunge movement, this work is a masterpiece that fuses grand psychedelic rock with hard rock.

Alongside its luscious melodic lines, it expresses disillusionment with a world full of falsehoods, distrust of society, and the emotions of confronting one’s inner darkness.

Featured on the album “Superunknown,” the song garnered global attention through airplay on MTV and won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

It’s a track that resonates with deep empathy when you want to face the loneliness and struggles buried in your heart.

Slave To The GrindSkid Row

Skid Row – Slave To The Grind (Official Music Video)

A track by Skid Row known as a quintessential hard rock anthem of the ’90s.

With its aggressive sound and defiant lyrics, it centers on liberation from societal oppression and the pursuit of self-realization.

Released in 1991 as the title track of their second album, Slave to the Grind, the song fused elements of speed metal and glam metal, delivering a fresh shock to the music scene of the time.

It’s a perfect pick for anyone who wants to break free from daily routines and societal expectations and stay true to themselves.

GlycerineBUSH

Bush – Glycerine

A gem of a ballad from Britain’s Bush, where passionate guitar tones and a wistful melody resonate, reaching deep into the heart.

The unstable emotions of love are brilliantly conveyed through the contrast between aggressive performance and delicate messaging.

Released in November 1995, this track drew major attention as a single from the album Sixteen Stone and achieved the remarkable feat of topping the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for two consecutive weeks.

Mystically portraying explosive feelings and the unpredictability of romance, the song continues to deeply comfort those walking the rocky path of love.

Listen when you want to heal the pain of heartbreak or reaffirm your feelings for someone special.

PlushStone Temple Pilots

Stone Temple Pilots – Plush (Official Music Video)

The powerful work released by America’s Stone Temple Pilots in September 1992 is a gem that won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.

Featured on the album Core, it blends a distinctive chord progression inspired by ragtime music with Scott Weiland’s striking vocals in exquisite harmony.

The lyrics—sparked by a newspaper article about a kidnapping—poignantly portray lost relationships and a profound sense of loneliness.

It won Best New Artist in a Video at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards, and continues to move countless listeners as a defining rock anthem of the ’90s.

It’s a recommended track when you want to share bittersweet emotions and an inner cry, or when you’re seeking genuine, soul-stirring rock.