Even if you weren’t around to enjoy all of the stellar music that came out in 1994, you probably still listen to a few iconic songs that were released that year. It was the peak of grunge, but it was also a great year for indie and alternative rock as well. Let’s take a stroll through rock history and break down seven of the best rock songs from 1994!
1. “I Alone” by Live
Live is a sorely underrated band, in this writer’s opinion. Their 1994 album Throwing Copper was the band’s most successful album to date, and there are a few stellar tracks that hit the charts from that album. One noteworthy song is “I Alone”. The accompanying music video is also pretty meta (and hilarious).
2. “Mr. Jones” by Counting Crows
Counting Crows enjoyed a lot of success in the 1990s. “Mr. Jones” was just one of their biggest hits. The irony of it all is that the song is widely considered to be the band’s breakthrough hit song, and the song itself is about Adam Duritz’s never-ending desire to make his band famous.
[Get Tickets To See Counting Crows With Carlos Santana Live In 2024]
3. “Sabotage” by Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys put rap-rock on the map in the 1990s, and “Sabotage” is a great example of their most successful ventures. If you want to be transported back to simpler times watching MTV music videos on Saturday morning, give the music video for “Sabotage” a spin.
4. “Shine” by Collective Soul
Collective Soul had rough beginnings. They struggled to find a label and keep a steady lineup of band members. Luckily, their hit song “Shine” finally got the band the recognition they deserved. It’s a gritty, delightfully 90s rock song.
5. “Zombie” by The Cranberries
This wouldn’t be a list of the best rock songs from 1994 without including this legendary alternative rock track by The Cranberries. It’s a passionate piece of work about the war in Northern Ireland that is still used as a protest song today. RIP, Dolores O’Riordan.
6. “Basket Case” by Green Day
Dookie is one of Green Day’s best albums, and “Basket Case” is similarly one of their best songs. They pioneered that particular era of pop-punk beautifully, and no one has matched their particular sound and heavy themes quite the same way since.
7. “Tomorrow” by Silverchair
Silverchair’s debut album Frogstomp was famously recorded when the band was composed of teenagers without a label. Band leader Daniel Johns said that while the songwriting “might not be genius”, the performances on that album were quite good. We’re inclined to agree. “Tomorrow” was the track from that album that kicked off a major musical career for Silverchair in Australia and beyond.
Photo by Catherine McGann
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