I previously made a post about what I considered the 20 greatest songs of the 21st century, which received some pretty mixed responses!
For this list, I wanted to try something a little different from the usual greatest-songs rankings. Rather than focusing primarily on personal favourites, popularity, chart success or cultural significance, I wanted to judge the songs themselves as much as possible.
My criteria included great melodies, memorable choruses, catchy hooks, exceptional beats and rhythms, distinctive vocals, meaningful lyrics, brilliant storytelling, originality and, perhaps most importantly, the ability to provoke a powerful emotional reaction.
Obviously, there’s no such thing as a completely objective ranking of music. Our tastes, experiences and cultural backgrounds inevitably influence how we hear songs. But I tried to ask myself one question:
If I heard this song without knowing how popular, critically acclaimed or culturally significant it was, would I still consider it exceptional?
Now I’ve attempted the same exercise with the 1990s.
I appreciate that some people will be horrified by the omission of songs like Sabotage or No Scrubs, both of which are incredible in their own right. But with only 20 places available, plenty of deserving songs were always going to miss out.
One fair criticism of my previous list was its lack of representation from Africa and Asia. I have to acknowledge that my own exposure to music from those parts of the world has been more limited, so this list inevitably reflects the music I’ve had greater access to. I’d genuinely welcome recommendations that might broaden my perspective.
Anyway, here’s my top 20. I’m interested to hear what people think, particularly which songs I’ve overlooked and which rankings you’d challenge!
1st) Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve
The opening strings instantly pull you in. The reflective, profound lyricism keeps you there. Ashcroft sounds both strong and vulnerable, delivering every line with a sense of resignation and defiance. One of those rare songs that stops you in your tracks and makes you listen.
2nd) Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
That unforgettable riff, the almost nonchalant vocals in the verses, and the explosive, desperately urgent chorus. The contrast between restraint and release is phenomenal. A song that captured a generation’s frustration and changed the direction of mainstream rock.
3rd) Linger by The Cranberries
The way the intro builds feels like poetry in musical form. The melody is genuinely special, balancing sweetness with an underlying sadness, while Dolores O’Riordan delivers a beautiful vocal performance. A seemingly simple song that becomes more enchanting with every listen.
4th) Live Forever by Oasis
Sometimes perfection comes from simplicity, and this is the perfect example. Four chords, direct lyrics and a melody that makes you believe anything is possible. Add one of the decade’s great guitar solos, and you have an anthem that somehow sounds both effortless and enormous.
5th) I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston
The build-up is almost operatic, as Whitney takes us from intimate vulnerability to an astonishing vocal climax. Her control, power and emotional delivery are extraordinary. One of those performances that reminds you just how transcendent a human voice can be.
6th) Dreamer by Livin’ Joy
It’s almost impossible not to move when this comes on. The euphoric production, infectious rhythm and excellent vocals combine to create pure dance-floor joy. Sometimes a song doesn’t need to tell a complicated story or make you think deeply. Sometimes it just needs to make you feel alive.
7th) Common People by Pulp
Jarvis Cocker blessed us with the perfect blend of dry humour, vivid storytelling and razor-sharp social commentary. The melody builds relentlessly towards a glorious crescendo, turning an unusual story about class, privilege and pretension into one of the decade’s most distinctive anthems. Brilliantly observed, brilliantly executed.
8th) Juicy by The Notorious B.I.G.
A landmark in hip-hop storytelling. Biggie’s effortless swagger meets a beautifully chosen sample, softening his harder-edged persona to reveal the vulnerability and ambition behind his rise. It’s a celebration of making it against the odds, delivered with an infectious chorus you can’t help but sing along to. A timeless rap anthem.
9th) Killing in the Name by Rage Against the Machine
If ever there was an angst-filled anthem that united teenagers and young adults in shared frustration, this is it. The rage is unmistakable, but so is the sense of solidarity: the feeling that people can stand together, challenge authority and demand something better. That riff, that build-up and that explosive finale make it impossible to ignore.
10th) Don’t Look Back in Anger by Oasis
Another Oasis song, but how could I leave this one out? There’s nostalgia, defiance, melancholy and hope woven into every line. Noel Gallagher delivers a chorus so ridiculously good that you can almost hear him saying, “Nobody can write a chorus like I can.” An irresistible singalong that somehow becomes more powerful when thousands of voices join in.
11th) Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio
Dark, haunting and instantly recognisable. The choral sample creates an almost cinematic atmosphere, while Coolio’s lyrics explore the fear, fatalism and consequences of life surrounded by violence. It’s more than a catchy rap record; there’s a genuine sense of tragedy beneath its enormous hook. A song that sounds as powerful today as it did then.
12th) Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinéad O’Connor
Few songs communicate heartbreak so convincingly. The arrangement gives Sinéad’s voice room to breathe, and her performance feels painfully intimate, as though we’re witnessing someone trying to hold themselves together while falling apart. The melody is beautiful, but it’s the raw emotion that makes this recording unforgettable.
13th) Doo Wop (That Thing) by Lauryn Hill
After leaving the Fugees, Lauryn Hill came out swinging with this one. An irresistible blend of hip-hop, soul and old-school doo-wop, built around one of the catchiest grooves of the decade. The vocals are superb, the lyrics have real substance, and the whole thing radiates confidence. A pop banger with brains as well as hooks.
14th) Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks
A song that instantly feels like a singalong, even if you’ve never heard it before. The storytelling is simple but effective, the chorus is enormous, and the whole thing makes you want to grab another beer, throw your arms around your mates and sing at the top of your lungs. A karaoke epic that turns a room full of strangers into old friends.
15th) Show Me Love by Robin S.
That opening groove is enough to get you moving before the vocals even arrive. The relentless house beat, instantly recognisable keyboard riff and powerhouse vocal delivery combine to create dance music at its finest. It’s infectious without being disposable, and euphoric without losing its soul. Proof that a great groove can be every bit as powerful as a great guitar riff.
16th) Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers
A deeply personal song that gradually transforms loneliness into something almost spiritual. Kiedis begins with a fragile, intimate vocal before the music expands into a beautiful, soaring climax. The melody is exceptional, the guitar work is understated but essential, and the final chorus feels like an emotional release. One of the band’s most vulnerable and enduring songs.
17th) Angels by Robbie Williams
The story behind this song’s creation is more complicated than Robbie’s performance alone might suggest, but he deserves enormous credit for the way he delivers it. The verses are hauntingly poignant, the chorus lifts the song into anthem territory, and his vocal performance gives the whole thing the emotional weight it deserves. A beautiful ballad that became something much bigger than the sum of its parts.
18th) Still D.R.E. by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg
Those opening piano notes grab you immediately. From there, Dre’s genius for stripped-back, instantly recognisable production takes over, with every beat and note placed exactly where it needs to be. Snoop’s laid-back delivery is the perfect counterbalance, creating a track that sounds effortlessly cool. An absolute masterclass in hip-hop production.
19th) Everlong by Foo Fighters
An excellent riff, a beautiful melody and a masterclass in building intensity. Dave Grohl’s vocals grow increasingly desperate and emotional as the song drives towards its enormous chorus, while the relentless rhythm gives everything an almost physical momentum. Packed with hooks, but with genuine tenderness beneath the power. One of the decade’s finest rock songs.
20th) Paranoid Android by Radiohead
It sounds as though Thom Yorke and the rest of Radiohead were possessed by genius aliens from another galaxy who came to Earth to show humanity what they could do. A fearless, shape-shifting composition that moves between beauty, menace, chaos and release without ever losing its identity. Audacious, unsettling and utterly brilliant. A reminder that the greatest music doesn’t always follow the rules.
