Top Ten Modern Rock Songs of the 1990's

The Decade of the 1990's Brought About a Whole New Dimension into Rock Music

Jeremy Dunn
The decade of the 1990's brought about a whole new dimension into rock music. Big hair bands such as Poison, Guns N Roses, Def Leppard, and Skid Row dominated the rock airwaves in the 1980's. But every era of rock music must come to a conclusion.

In the early 1990's, a steady flow of rock bands out of Seattle, Washington such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice In Chains changed the face of rock music. Instead of big hair, it was tousled hair. Instead of tights and spandex, it was worn jeans and flannel shirts. Eventually, the days of big hair bands completely faded away and the popularity of grunge rock continued to escalate.

Bands such as The Screaming Trees, Stone Temple Pilots, and Bush followed the same path that Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains paved. Other proverbial bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction leaned towards mainstream.

In the mid-90's, alternative rock began to rival grunge rock. Bands such as Weezer, The Breeders, and Dinosaur Jr shared the airwaves with the conventional grunge rock bands. Punk rock groups such as Green Day, 311, and The Offspring were mixed into modern rock rotation. Many rock stations began to adjust their configuration to suit all genres of rock music.

After the grunge rock era settled down, modern rock music hit a stale period in the late-90's. It was difficult to categorize groups such as Matchbox 20, Third Eye Blind, Sugar Ray, and Eve 6 as modern rock music when it was also recurrently rotated on Pop stations. Because of this, many rockers were drawn to more intense underground rock bands.

By 1999, hard rock became modern rock. Groups such as Korn, Sevendust, Deftones, and Staind flourished in 1999 and well into the 2000's. Rap/rock groups such as Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, and P.O.D. completely diversified rock music as hip-hop and old school rap was collaborated with heavy metal.

Below is a compilation of the top ten modern rock songs of the 1990's

10. Big Me; Foo Fighters (1996)
Off the album �Foo Fighters' released in 1995

9. Bawitiba; Kid Rock (1999)
Off the album entitled �Devil Without A Cause' released in 1998

8. Black Hole Sun; Soundgarden (1994)
Off the album entitled �Superunknown' released in 1994

7. Closer; Nine Inch Nails (1994)
Off the album entitled �The Downward Spiral' released in 1994

6. Comedown; Bush (1995)
Off the album entitled �Sixteen Stone' released in 1994

5. Jeremy; Pearl Jam (1992)
Off the album entitle �Ten' released in 1991

4. Plush; Stone Temple Pilots (1993)
Off the album entitled �Core' released in 1992

3. Enter Sandman; Metallica (1991)
Off the album entitled �Metallica' (also know as the Black album) released in 1991

2. Under The Bridge; Red Hot Chili Peppers (1992)
Off the album entitled �Blood Sugar Sex Magik' released in 1991

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit; Nirvana (1992)
Off the album entitle �Nevermind' released in 1991

Also worth mentioning:

Lightning Crashes; Live
When I Come Around; Green Day
Buddy Holly; Weezer
Man In The Box; Alice In Chains
You Oughtta Know; Alanis Morisette
Freak On A Leash; Korn
Wonderwall; Oasis
Come As You Are; Nirvana
Shine; Collective Soul
1979; Smashing Pumpkins
Been Caught Stealing; Jane's Addiction
Evenflow; Pearl Jam
No Rain; Blind Melon
My Own Prison; Creed
Daughter; Pearl Jam
All Apologies; Nirvana
Nookie; Limp Bizkit
Cowboy; Kid Rock
Sex And Candy; Marcy Playground
Inside Out; Eve 6
Today; Smashing Pumpkins
Come Out And Play; The Offspring
Heart Shaped Box; Nirvana
Give It Away; Red Hot Chili Peppers
Down; 311

Published by Jeremy Dunn

Jeremy is a freelance writer. He is currently writing for the Atlanta Examiner, and also runs his own blog, NASCAR Racing Scene. He is the author of the book entitled 'Superstars of Pro Football- Ray Lewis'.  View profile

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  • dougrad7/27/2010

    very good summary of rock in the 90s. by 1997, i remember being so confused at why all these happy pop-oriented rock songs that were being played on pop stations were getting played on modern rock stations as well. and why by 1999, angry nu-metal and rap-metal bands had taken over the modern rock stations. i'd say the early to mid 90s was the best era for modern rock.

  • ??????5/19/2010

    Godsmack????? Metallica???

  • Ted4/8/2010

    Um..Toadies? Possum Kingdom?

  • Becca Greiner4/5/2010

    Great list... takes me back!! I don't think I'd put Kid Rock's song 'bawitdaba' (or however it's spelled) on there though - never liked Kid Rock, and definitely didn't think that song was as good as anything else on your 'worth mentioning' list. I'd definitely replace Kid Rock with some Collective Soul or Live!

  • nick12/29/2009

    deffs needs third eye blind and maybe BLINK 182!? I thought that would be obvious

  • NotGuilty10/10/2009

    It's a very good list! I think you should have put Pixies-the happening or James- Born of frustration or the Strokes-12 51 maybe Incubus-megalomaniac.. but it's a really good list..

  • javier9/23/2009

    mmm...losing my religion anyone???

  • serg8/2/2009

    greenday dookie

  • grungeisntdead7/29/2009

    trying to avoid putting my own taste into this i think u made a great list though i genuinly think oasis deserves a spot but maybe that is just me. u don't blow lol

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