How the 90s turned to sh*t

[Danny Chook Fan Club]

Inspired by NDG's outstanding 80s list, I thought I'd have a bash at a 90s list.

My sole criterion for a song making the list was that it charted as a single in Australia between January 1990 and December 1999.

Well, after lengthy investigation, I've come to the conclusion that there is no point putting a numbered list together, because the woeful imbalance between early and late 90s songs would render the time period meaningless.

For the record, here are the finalists, with the year of chart (not necessarily release) preceeding. Each year's songs are listed in my preferred order:

90 - Joey - Concrete Blonde
90 - I Remember You - Skid Row
90 - Candy - Iggy Pop
90 - King Of Wishful Thinking - Go West
90 - Dancing In The Storm - Boom Crash Opera
90 - Epic - Faith No More
90 - Heart In Danger - Southern Sons
90 - Forgotten Years - Midnight Oil
90 - Toy Soldiers - Martika
90 - Bust A Move - Young MC
90 - Falling To Pieces - Faith No More
90 - Like Jesse James - Cher
90 - On Our Own - Bobby Brown
90 - Talk It Over - Grayson Hugh
90 - Just Between You And Me - Lou Gramm
90 - Disappear - INXS
90 - The Great Song Of Indifference - Bob Geldof
90 - It Must Have Been Love - Roxette
90 - I Wish It Would Rain Down - Phil Collins
90 - Brave - Kate Ceberano

91 - Freedom '90 - George Michael
91 - 1,000 Miles Away - Hoodoo Gurus
91 - Love, Thy Will Be Done - Martika
91 - Right Here, Right Now - Jesus Jones
91 - That Ain't Bad - Ratcat
91 - Rush - Big Audio Dynamite II
91 - Better - Screaming Jets
91 - Hole Hearted - Extreme
91 - All This Time - Sting
91 - More Than Words - Extreme
91 - Love Rears Up Its Ugly Head - Living Color
91 - Rhythm Of My Heart - Rod Stewart
91 - Walking In Memphis - Marc Cohn
91 - I've Got To Go Now - Toni Childs
91 - Last Train To Transcentral - The KLF

92 - One - U2
92 - November Rain - Guns 'N' Roses
92 - The Day You Went Away - Wendy Matthews
92 - Stay - Shakespeare's Sister
92 - Always The Last To Know - Del Amitri
92 - Alive - Pearl Jam
92 - Justified & Ancient - The KLF featuring Tammy Wynette
92 - You Don't Treat Me No Good - Sonia Dada
92 - God Gave Rock And Roll To You II - Kiss
92 - 7 - Prince & The New Power Generation
92 - Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-a-Lot
92 - To Be With You - Mr Big
92 - Even Flow - Pearl Jam
92 - Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
92 - Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
92 - It's Only Natural - Crowded House

93 - Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.
93 - Tears Of Joy - Hunters And Collectors
93 - Distant Sun - Crowded House
93 - Livin' On The Edge - Aerosmith
93 - House Of Love - East 17
93 - Stone Cold - Jimmy Barnes
93 - In These Arms - Bon Jovi
93 - Shivers - Screaming Jets

94 - Nails In My Feet - Crowded House
94 - Mr Jones - Counting Crows
94 - Always - Bon Jovi
94 - Daughter - Pearl Jam
94 - I'll Stand By You - The Pretenders
94 - If I Only Knew - Tom Jones

95 - Whatever - Oasis
95 - Lightning Crashes - Live
95 - When I Come Around - Green Day
95 - Back For Good - Take That
95 - Country House - Blur
95 - Wonderwall - Oasis
95 - Self Esteem - The Offspring
95 - Ode To My Family - The Cranberries

96 - Santa Monica - Everclear
96 - Champagne Supernova - Oasis
96 - Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis
96 - Mother Mother - Tracy Bonham
96 - 1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
96 - Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth - Primitive Radio Gods
96 - It's Oh So Quiet - Bjork

97 - Monkey Wrench - Foo Fighters
97 - Ashes To Ashes - Faith No More
97 - Place Your Hands - Reef
97 - Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve
97 - Song 2 - Blur
97 - Semi-Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind
97 - Gone Away - The Offspring

98 - Time Of Your Life (Good Riddance) - Green Day
98 - All Around The World - Oasis
98 - The Impression That I Get - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
98 - Angels - Robbie Williams
98 - Save The Day - The Living End

99 - Ana's Song - Silverchair

Look at 1990 - 20 songs. 1999 - One. Did music go to sh*t from the mid-90s onwards?

The 1997 list contains two classics (Monkey Wrench & Ashes To Ashes), but I can take or leave every other song in the last three years. Only my Oasis bias saves 1995 & 1996, and even back to 1993, there's no songs that would feature on an "all-time" list for me.

Of course, not a great deal has changed in the charts in the last three years, meaning that we've suffered practically a decade of sh|t. I realise that good music is still being made, but why doesn't the record buying public buy it? What chance would a masterpiece like Joey have of topping (or even entering) the singles chart today?

It truly saddens me. Maybe I'm a sad old bastard, but I'm not alone. The ten year period between 1983 and 1992, which simply does not get played on Melbourne radio at all, contains some brilliant work (see NDG's list for more proof) - I sincerely hope that some day a "retro" faze brings that music back into the spotlight.

[BW]

nice work DCFC, could of included some Metallica though :confused:

out of that list my top 10 are (in order):

92 - Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
90 -Epic - Faith No More
97 - Monkey Wrench - Foo Fighters
97 - Gone Away - The Offspring
97 - Ashes To Ashes - Faith No More
92 - Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
92 - Alive - Pearl Jam
95 - Self Esteem - The Offspring
95 - When I Come Around - Green Day
96 - Santa Monica - Everclear

[The Hitman]

How did PJ and Nirvana sneak into your list? :p

I must admit, they don't make 'em like they used to... :(

The Hitman

[Mooster7]

How 90's music went to *****? I'll paraphrase that line from the movie 'Jurassic Park.'

"Everyone was so busy trying to see if they COULD do it, no one stopped to reflect whether or not they SHOULD do it."

That's how 90's music went to *****.

[Macca19]

Originally posted by Danny Chook Fan Club
The 1997 list contains two classics (Monkey Wrench & Ashes To Ashes), but I can take or leave every other song in the last three years. Only my Oasis bias saves 1995 & 1996, and even back to 1993, there's no songs that would feature on an "all-time" list for me.

Of course, not a great deal has changed in the charts in the last three years, meaning that we've suffered practically a decade of sh|t. I realise that good music is still being made, but why doesn't the record buying public buy it? What chance would a masterpiece like Joey have of topping (or even entering) the singles chart today?

It truly saddens me. Maybe I'm a sad old bastard, but I'm not alone. The ten year period between 1983 and 1992, which simply does not get played on Melbourne radio at all, contains some brilliant work (see NDG's list for more proof) - I sincerely hope that some day a "retro" faze brings that music back into the spotlight.

Depends on musical taste. I thought Joey was one of the worst songs at the time...and i was into all that sorta stuff back then.

From about 1996 onwards the only thing thats been in the charts is stuff like Britney Spears, Take That, Backstreet Boys etc.

But heres a few songs you missed which i used to like:

1990 - Show No Mercy - Mark Williams
1990 - Poison - Alice Cooper
1990 - Fantasy - Black Box
1991 - I Been Thinking About You - LondonBeat
1991 - Things That Make You Go Hmmm - C&C Music Factory
1992 - Rythym Is A Dancer - Snap
1993 - Mr Vain - Culture Beat
1993 - Sweat - Inner Circle
1993 - Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
1995 - Dont Speak - No Doubt
1995 - Mouth - Merril Bainbridge
1996 - Break My Stride - Unique II
1996 - Spaceman - Babylon Zoo

Theres heaps of others but i cant think.
I reckon 1991 was one of the best music years ever. Awesome year.
But it all depends on musical tastes. Ive turned to metal and electronic from about 96 onwards and i reckon its been great. A lot better than listening to anything on the top 40.

[SydneyBomber]

Where's 2Unlimited damnit?
;)

[dreamkillers]

Originally posted by Macca19

A lot better than listening to anything on the top 40.

Top 40 has for far too long been influenced by the record companies..........

I remember a few year ago in the early 90's when one of the majors advertising that for $10,000 you could have a number 1 record in this country.......not that you got any of the profits.....the record company kept that

basically they supplied the song, your voice was recorded singing and then severely remixed/altered to sound reasonable then the record company took over by supplying a name and buying airtime on all the teeny bopper Top 40 shows for promotion of the song............then it was just a matter of time before the song made No 1 for a week or two.......


pathetic.......but that's the music industry these days.........at least JJJ keep them a little honest but even there all the DJ's get heaps of CD's given to them each week.........thank god there are still a few independant radio stations giving real bands a go......

[Porthos]

Originally posted by dreamkillers
Top 40 has for far too long been influenced by the record companies..........Um....isn't the definition of top 40 the top 40 most sold songs/albums? Doesn't that mean top 40 has always been influenced by the record companies?

[dreamkillers]

Originally posted by Porthos
Um....isn't the definition of top 40 the top 40 most sold songs/albums? Doesn't that mean top 40 has always been influenced by the record companies?

In a way yes........but it's the big boys that tend to rule these days.....

[Santos L Helper]

DCFC you legend!! 'Baby Got Back' is a ****ing classic, along with 'Put em on Da Glass'.

Sir Mix-a-Lot raaawks.

[The Hitman]

Originally posted by Santos L Helper
Sir Mix-a-Lot raaawks.

"So your girlfriend owns a Honda;
Playing workout tapes by Fonda;
But Fonda ain't got a motor on the back of her Honda;
My anaconda don't want none unless you got buns hun!"

:D :D :D

Indeed he does! ;)

The Hitman

[Darky]

Wallflowers - One Headlight? Where is it DCFC?

[Docker_Brat]

Originally posted by Darky
Wallflowers - One Headlight? Where is it DCFC?
Isn't a song about a woman who had a mastectomy? :p

[Danny Chook Fan Club]

Originally posted by Darky
Wallflowers - One Headlight? Where is it DCFC? Actually a very late scratching. One of the final to miss the cut. Wallflowers lose marks for their snore-inducing Heroes cover. Good song though.

[BW]

My list-

90- 90 - Epic - Faith No More

92- THE UNFORGIVEN METALLICA
92- ENTER SANDMAN METALLICA
92- HEART SHAPED BOX NIRVANA
92 - Alive - Pearl Jam
92 - Even Flow - Pearl Jam
92 - Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
92 - Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana


93 - Livin' On The Edge - Aerosmith
93- Soundgarden- Black Hole Sun

94 - Always - Bon Jovi
94 - Daughter - Pearl Jam

95- Take Me To Your Leader- Incubus
95 - Lightning Crashes - Live
95 - When I Come Around - Green Day
95 - Self Esteem - The Offspring

96 - Santa Monica - Everclear

97- A CERTAIN SHADE OF GREEN
97- NEW SKIN INCUBUS
97- DON’T SPEAK NO DOUBT
97- FREAK SILVERCHAIR
97- ABUSE ME SILVERCHAIR
97- THE MEMORY REMAINS METALLICA
97- CEMETERY SILVERCHAIR
97- FAITH LIMP BIZCUIT
97 - Monkey Wrench - Foo Fighters
97 - Ashes To Ashes - Faith No More
97 - Place Your Hands - Reef

98- PRISONER OF SOCIETY THE LIVING END
98- THE UNFORGIVEN II METALLICA
98- FUEL Metallica
98- TURN THE PAGE Metallica
98- BLACK FRIDAY GRINSPOON
98- HITCHIN A RIDE GREEN DAY

99- ANTHEM FOR THE YEAR 2000 Silverchair
99- SHIMMER Fuel
99- SUNBURN FUEL
99- EVERY MORNING Sugar Ray
99- SCAR TISSUE Red Hot Chili Peppers
99- PARDON ME- INCUBUS

[M29]

Agree with you Danny. Read about the Brit awards the other day, what a snore fest that would have been. Seriously, I'd do anything to go back to the Days when bands like Oasis were up there completely loaded slagging of anyone and everyone and vice versa. I think it was in 96 that Jarvis Cocker got up on stage during a Michael Jackson performance at the brits and started handing out V signs to everyone in protest against michael jackson. We need more **** like this instead of this britney-boy band goody two shoes image. I want drunken action by my music Idols, and I want it fuking NOW!

[35eye]

Originally posted by dreamkillers


Top 40 has for far too long been influenced by the record companies..........

I remember a few year ago in the early 90's when one of the majors advertising that for $10,000 you could have a number 1 record in this country.......not that you got any of the profits.....the record company kept that


Things were were pretty corrupt and I don't know for sure if they have changed.

There were only select music store chains such as Brashs whose sales had any bearing on the charts. But taking one step back, the sales really didn't mean squat, infact it was the pre-orders made by these chains that supposedly gave these singles a place in the charts. It didn't matter that the excessive stock may need to be returned at a later date or distributed to the independant stores almost immediately.

Then there are all the tricks and promotions that offerred a chance to win signed, framed posters if you bought the single from a certain store within a certain week.

There seemed to be more in store appearances in years gone by, Virgin Megastore in Melbourne was huge for it.

[SydneyBomber]

Originally posted by M29
Agree with you Danny. Read about the Brit awards the other day, what a snore fest that would have been. Seriously, I'd do anything to go back to the Days when bands like Oasis were up there completely loaded slagging of anyone and everyone and vice versa. I think it was in 96 that Jarvis Cocker got up on stage during a Michael Jackson performance at the brits and started handing out V signs to everyone in protest against michael jackson. We need more **** like this instead of this britney-boy band goody two shoes image. I want drunken action by my music Idols, and I want it fuking NOW!

Here here.

Remember when KLF performed 'You're so unbelievable' (I think), with the crust band Extreme Noise Terror several years ago at the brit awards.

The rumour still persists that ENT fired real shots above the crowd during the song.:p

There's just no danger anymore is there?!:D

Even Guns N Roses made sure they were loaded (or at least acted like it) and managed to offend heaps of people.

Why isn't mainstream music any fun at all anymore?:confused: :(

[Mr Ripper]

The 90s...what's that??? :confused: