1"Stay (I Missed You)" by Lisa Loeb (1994)
Vinnie Zuffante//Getty ImagesAs the lead single from the soundtrack of the iconic Gen X movie Reality Bites, this song helped define an entire generation.
2"No Scrubs" by TLC (1999)
Jeff Kravitz//Getty ImagesThis song fits into the category of ladies telling the guys how to act — and we're still so here for it.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
3"That's the Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson (1993)
Ron Galella, Ltd.//Getty ImagesJanet Jackson was one of the reigning queens of the '90s — and this song has such a sultry vibe that still sets a whole mood.
4"Vogue" by Madonna (1990)
L. Busacca//Getty ImagesJust sneaking into the beginning of the decade, this song still makes us want to strike a pose any time we hear the beat.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
5"End of the Road" by Boyz II Men (1992)
Aaron Rapoport//Getty ImagesNow more than 30 years old, this song remains a classic soundtrack for breakups, graduations, and any type of poignant life transition.
6"Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears (1998)
Paul Natkin//Getty ImagesThis was Britney's decade, and this classic earworm will live rent-free forever in our brains.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7"My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion (1997)
Ron Davis//Getty ImagesThe runaway hit from Titanic — one of the decade's biggest movies — this song remains the most successful single in Celine Dion's towering career.
8"Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia (1997)
Vinnie Zuffante//Getty ImagesNatalie Imbruglia's moody heartbreak ballad stays fresh and singalong-worthy all these years later.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
9"Regulate" by Warren G and Nate Dogg (1994)
Al Pereira//Getty ImagesThis smooth, storytelling song from Warren G and Nate Dogg epitomizes the 1990s G-funk sound that emerged from West Coast artists — especially from Los Angeles and Long Beach.
10"Zombie" by The Cranberries (1992)
Bob Berg//Getty ImagesThis haunting alternative-rock anthem evokes the traumas of violence and conflict, particularly the Troubles in Northern Ireland, where the band is from.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
11"Two Princes" by Spin Doctors (1992)
Vinnie Zuffante//Getty ImagesWe're pretty sure we've had this catchy song knocking around our heads for the last 30-some years. Sing it with us: "If you want to call me baby, just go ahead now..."
12"That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain (1997)
Beth Gwinn//Getty ImagesOne of Shania Twain's early songs from her third studio album, this tune remains one of her biggest hits of all time.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13"This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan (1995)
Tim Mosenfelder//Getty ImagesThe deeply catchy — and totally iconic — hook of this 1995 song still shows up everywhere from social media posts to commercials.
14"No Diggity" by Blackstreet (1996)
Tim Mosenfelder//Getty ImagesIt's Blackstreet's biggest song — and one of the catchiest hits of the '90s. Do we still know all the words? No diggity... no doubt.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
15"Brown Sugar" by D'angelo (1995)
Vinnie Zuffante//Getty ImagesFrom D'Angelo's debut studio album, this sultry track mixes soul, funk, and R&B — creating a whole new genre category for neo-soul — and it makes for a totally distinctive sound that holds up great to this day.
16"Fantasy" by Mariah Carey (1995)
Frank Micelotta Archive//Getty ImagesMariah Carey, still as relevant as ever, became the first female artist to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart with this hit.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
17"Doo Wop (That Thing)" by Lauryn Hill (1996)
Peter Pakvis//Getty ImagesThe Fugees made some of the decade's most powerful and groundbreaking music; this 1996 hit comes from Lauryn Hill's debut as a solo artist.
18"This Kiss" by Faith Hill (1998)
Aaron Rapoport//Getty ImagesFaith Hill's joyful, upbeat song about giddy love still gives us butterflies — even if "centrifugal motion" doesn't mean what those famous lyrics intend them to. (Hey, let's not let science ruin a great love song!)
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
19"Juicy" by Notorious BIG (1994)
Chris Walter//Getty ImagesName a more enduring and widely referenced first line to any hip-hop song than, "It was all a dream..." (We'll wait.)
20"California Love" by Tupac and Dr. Dre (1995)
Nitro//Getty ImagesThis rap anthem from two of the genre's historic heavyweights is still one of the greatest musical tributes of all time dedicated to the state of California.

Alesandra is a digital travel and lifestyle journalist based in Los Angeles whose work has appeared in Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Prevention, Insider, Glamour, Shondaland, AFAR, Parents, TODAY and countless other online and print outlets. Alesandra has a masters degree in journalism with an emphasis on cultural reporting and criticism from NYU, and a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. An avid traveler, she trots the globe with her husband and their twins.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below