The 1990s were one of the best eras for rock music, particularly when it came to alternative rock and grunge. From Nirvana to Green Day to Radiohead, tons of rock bands released chart-topping and legendary songs during this decade. However, because of the sheer volume of great music that came out during that time, a lot of bigs songs have fallen through the cracks and may not be remembered as fondly as other big hits of the decade. Let’s take a dive into 10 of the best alternative rock songs from the 1990s that you may have forgotten about!
1. “Take A Picture” by Filter
This hit song closed out the millennium in a killer way, and Filter’s album Title Of Record came out the following January.
2. “New” by No Doubt
“New” was originally written for the soundtrack to the 1999 film Go. However, No Doubt added it to their album Return Of Saturn in 2000. Depending on what kind of fan you ask, this is peak No Doubt entering their new wave era.
[Get Tickets To See Gwen Stefani Of No Doubt Live In Concert]
3. “What It’s Like” by Everlast
Remember “Jump Around” by House Of Pain? The lead singer of that band was in Everlast and sang “What It’s Like”. Fun facts are fun!
4. “Eye” by The Smashing Pumpkins
They delivered hit after hit during the 1990s, but this alternative rock song by The Smashing Pumpkins deserves more lasting love for what it was. It was a beautiful addition to the soundtrack of David Lynch’s 1997 film Lost Highway.
5. “Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth” by The Dandy Warhols
“Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth” wasn’t just a killer 1990s alternative rock song. It was also a tongue-in-cheek tribute to friends (and rivals) The Brian Jonestown Massacre. The latter even released a cheeky song in response titled “Not If You Were The Last Dandy On Earth”.
6. “Uninvited” by Alanis Morissette
“Ironic” and “You Learn/You Oughta Know” were Alanis Morissette’s biggest hits in the 1990s. We think “Uninvited” should be up there too.
[Buy Tickets To See Alanis Morissette Live On Tour]
7. “The Great Beyond” by R.E.M.
Another soundtrack song on our list, “The Great Beyond” by R.E.M. was originally written for the 1999 movie Man On The Moon.
8. “The Way” by Fastball
Nothing sounds like the late 1990s quite like “The Way” by Fastball. If you need a good dose of nostalgia, let this alt-rock track take you back to a simpler time.
9. “6 Underground” by Sneaker Pimps
This electronic dance-rock song was revived for a while thanks to TikTok in 2023. “Spin Spin Sugar” is another great hit by Sneaker Pimps, too.
10. “Walking After You” by Foo Fighters
“Walking After You” was more popular in the UK than it was in the US upon its release in 1997. We think it’s an incredibly underrated gem from Foo Fighters’ earlier discography.
Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images
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