Monday 30 August 2010

Top 100 Dance Songs of the 90s


Following the rip-roaring success of the AVPS Top 100 Dance Songs of the 00s at the tail end of last year, what better way to celebrate Britain's scorching weather than unleashing the definitive top 100 dance songs of the 1990s on this bank holiday? It really puts you in that summery mood. Like last time, 'dance' here is used as a short hand for all forms of electronic music, from handbag to euphoric trance, from old skool rave to trip hop. So forget sad sectarian Dave and his rock imperialism and wrap your ears around the best 1990s dance music has to offer.

Edit: Oh look, here are the top 100s for the 1970s and 1980s.

2nd edit: And here's the Top 100 of the 2010s too!

100)
Something Goin' On by Todd Terry (1997)
99)
Hey Boy, Hey Girl by The Chemical Brothers (1999)
98)
Music Sounds Better With You by Stardust (1998)
97)
Phorever People by The Shamen (1992)
96)
Pearl River by Three n One presents Serial Diva (1999)
95)
Higher State of Consciousness by Josh Wink (1995)
94)
Nightmare by Brainbug (1996)
93)
Hyperballad by Björk (1996)
92)
Right in the Night by Jam and Spoon feat. Plavka (1993)
91)
The Gift by Way Out West (1996)
90)
Around the World by Daft Punk (1997)
89)
Finally by CeCe Peniston (1991)
88)
Playing With Knives by Bizarre Inc. (1991)
87)
Cubik by 808 State (1990)
86)
Insanity by Oceanic (1991)
85)
Happiness Happening by Lost Witness (1999)
84)
Infinity by Guru Josh (1990)
83)
Trip to Trumpton by Urban Hype (1992)
82)
Greece 2000 by Three Drives (1998)
81)
Activ-8 (Come With Me) by Altern-8 (1991)
80)
Your Woman by White Town (1996)
79)
Original by Leftfield feat. Toni Halliday (1995)
78)
Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap! (1992)
77)
Everybody's Free (To Feel Good) by Rozalla (1991)
76)
U Don't Know Me by Armand Van Helden (1999)
75)
Can You Feel the Passion by Blue Pearl (1991)
74)
Stella by Jam and Spoon (1992)
73)
Charly by The Prodigy (1991)
72)
Glory Box by Portishead (1995)
71)
It's My Life by Dr Alban (1992)
70)
Life is Sweet by The Chemical Brothers (1995)
69)
Hardcore Heaven by DJ Seduction (1992)
68)
Infiltrate 202 by Altern-8 (1991)
67)
Offshore '97 by Chicane feat. Power Circle (1997)
66)
The Box by Orbital (1996)
65)
Go West by Pet Shop Boys (1992)
64) Liberation (Fly Like an Angel) by Matt Darey (1999)
63)
JJ Tribute by Asha (1994)
62)
Universal Nation by Push (1998)
61)
Rhythm is a Mystery by K-Klass (1991)
60)
Superstring (Rank 1 Remix) by Cygnus X (1999)
59)
Kinetic by Golden Girls (1992)
58)
Love U More by Sunscreem (1992)
57)
Naked in the Rain by Blue Pearl (1990)
56)
2√231 by Anticappella (1991)
55)
Last Train to Transcentral by The KLF (1991)
54)
A Juicy Red Apple by Skin Up (1992)
53)
Carte Blanche by Veracocha (1999)
52)
New York City Boy by Pet Shop Boys (1999)
51)
Return to Innocence by Enigma (1993)
50)
Saltwater by Chicane (1999)
49)
Children by Robert Miles (1995)
48)
Walhalla by Gouryella (1999)
47)
Papua New Guinea by Future Sound of London (1991)
46)
Satan by Orbital (1996)
45)
Sweet Harmony by Liquid (1992)
44)
Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack (1991)
43)
Hold That Sucker Down by OT Quartet (1994)
42)
No More Talk by Dubstar (1997)
41)
El Niño by Agnelli and Nelson (1998)
40)
Crucified by Army of Lovers (1991)
39)
Show Me Love by Robin S (1993)
38) Your Loving Arms by Billie Ray Martin (1994)
37)
It's a Fine Day by Opus III (1992)
36)
Freed from Desire by Gala (1996)
35)
Sadness Part 1 by Enigma (1990)
34)
Age of Love by Age of Love (1990)
33)
Stay by Sash! (1997)
32)
Milk (Tricky Mix) by Garbage (1996)
31)
Gamemaster by Lost Tribe (1997)
30)
What is Love? by Haddaway (1993)
29)
Out of Space by The Prodigy (1992)
28)
Love Stimulation (Paul van Dyk's Love Club Mix) by Humate (1997)
27)
For An Angel by Paul van Dyk (1994)
26)
You're Not Alone by Olive (1996)
25)
Let Me Be Your Fantasy by Baby D (1992)
24)
Seven Cities by Solarstone (1999)
23)
You Got the Love (Now Voyager Mix) by The Source feat. Candi Staton (1997)
22)
Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? by Moby (1999)
21)
Not Over Yet by Grace (1995)
20)
Revelation by Electrique Boutique (1999)
19)
Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode (1990)
18)
Better Off Alone by Alice Deejay (1999)
17)
I Want You (Forever) by Carl Cox (1991)
16)
Out of the Blue by System F (1999)
15)
Killer by Adamski (1990)
14)
Missing (Todd Terry Remix) by Everything but the Girl (1995)
13)
No Good (Start the Dance) by The Prodigy (1994)
12)
Don't You Want Me by Felix (1992)
11)
1999 (Kaycee Mix) by Binary Finary (1999)
10)
The Secret Wish by Boccaccio Life (1999)
9)
Are You Ready to Fly? by Rozalla (1992)
8)
Bullet in the Gun by Planet Perfecto (1999)
7)
Windowlicker by Aphex Twin (1999)
6)
The World '99 (Moonman Club Mix) by Pulp Victim (1999)
5)
Gouryella by Gouryella (1999)
4)
Airwave by Rank 1 (1999)
3)
Roads by Portishead (1994)
2)
Silence by Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlan (1999)

And number one? It's this ...



17 comments:

Doktorb said...

The Better Off Alone link is the same as the preceding Depeche Mode one....

Top list, though. Makes me feel fsking old though =!

Phil said...

Cheers - tidied that link up.

And yes, I feel the same. I can't believe the choons of my clubbing days are so long ago BUT that said, much of this stuff holds up very well today.

nicktheowl said...

But... but... but...

NO UNDERWORLD?! Not even "Born Slippy"? Let alone "Rez", "Cowgirl", "Pearl's Girl", "Two Months Off"??

And what about Joey Beltram "Energy Flash"? Lamb "Gorecki"? Laurent Garnier "The Man With The Red Face?" Empirion "Narcotic Influence"? Slam "Positive Education"? LFO "LFO"?

And surely some drum and bass should have sneaked in there? No Squarepusher, no Roni Size, no Photek?

You have surely now lost all credibility and should cease blogging forthwith :-)

(Seriously - some fantastic nostalgia trip tunes for me in there... good work...)

Phil said...

I cannot bear listening to any Underworld! - I well and truly overdosed on them back in the day. Ditto for several other big acts and choons - it's a wonder Robert Miles made it on my list. If I avoid all of them for the next 20 years I might be able to appreciate their qualities properly :)

Phil said...

Oh yeah, jungle/drum n bass brings me out in a rash!

The Grim Reaper said...

"Stay" by Sash! is in your chart of the greatest 100 dance tracks from the 1990s. As someone who's been into dance music since the mid-90s, I have to say - you have got to be fucking kidding me. That man was responsible for a lot of the horrible Euro-Trance that infests our charts even to this day. Same goes for "Better Off Alone" by DJ Jurgen & Alice Deejay. Hideous, hideous record.

Good effort, but there are some notable omissions. On my part, I have to ask where's "Where Love Lives" by Alison Limerick? The original from 1991, or the Dancing Divaz Club Mix from 1996 are both classics. "Show Me Love" by Robin S doesn't appear - StoneBridge's mix from back in the day is excellent, as well as Lisa Marie Vocal Experience from 1997. "America (I Love America)" by Full Intention's another one, as is "Keep On Jumpin" from Lisa Marie Experience. I could go on all day...

Oh, as for Todd "The God" Terry, I have to differ. My favourite from him was the Rhythm Masters Thumpin' Mix of "Jumpin". I heard Pete Tong opening a set with it on the radio in the summer of 1996 and loved it ever since.

Phil said...

I think you'll find there are folk far more culpable than Sash for the grot that gets heavy rotation on MTV Dance. Step forward the producers behind 2 Unlimited, Corona, Maxx, Culture Beat, La Bouche, etc. Besides, 'Stay' is quality choonage.

I've never understood why folk go ape over Where Love Lives. It is a totally average house track with a catchy piano riff, that's all!

For Robin S, see my above comments about Underworld.

Will said...

I fuckking hate 'young' 'peeple'.

Cretins.

Anonymous said...

1,2 Step - Ciara
1,2,3,4 - Plain White T's
1,2,3,4 (Jumpin' Now) - Coolio
100% Pure Love - Crystal Waters
16 Candles - The Crests
19 - Paul Hardcastle
1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
1999 - Prince
2 Step - Dj Unk
2 Way - Lil' Romeo
20 Inch - Cutty Rames
20th Century Fox Fanfare - Cincinnatti Pops
3 - Britney Spears
4 Minutes - Madonna Feat. Justin Timberlake
7 Things - Miley Cyrus
867-5309 Jenny - Tommy Tutone
99 Red Balloons - Nena
A Bay Bay - Hurricane Chris
A Little Respect - Erasure
A Moment Like This - Kelly Clarkson
A Puro Dolor - Son By Four
A Song For Mama - Boyz Ii Men
A String Of Pearls - Glenn Miller Orchestra
A Whole New World - Peabo Bryson & Celine Dion
Abc - Jackson 5
Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band
Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus
Action - Terror Fabulous
Addicted - Enrique Iglesias
Addicted - Simple Plan
Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer
Africa - Toto
After All - Peter Cetera & Cher
After The Lovin' - Engelbert Humperdinck
Ain't It Funny - Jennifer Lopez Feat. Ja Rule
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye
Ain't No Other Man - Christina Aguilera
Ain't That A Kick In The Head - Dean Martin
Ain't That A Shame - Fats Domino
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg - Temptations
Air Force Ones - Nelly
Alcohol - Brad Paisley
Alejandro - Lady Gaga
Alive - Beastie Boys
Alive - P.O.D.
Alive With The Glory Of Love - Say Anything
All Apologies - Gin Blossoms
All For You - Janet Jackson
All I Have To Do Is Dream - Everly Brothers
All I Wanna Do - Sheryl Crow
All I Want Is You - U2
All Jacked Up - Gretchen Wilson
All My Ex’s Live In Texas - George Strait
All My Life - K-Ci & Jojo
All My Life - Linda Ronstad & Arron Neville
All My Rowdy Friends - Hank Williams, Jr.
All Night Long - Lionel Richie
All She Wants To Do Is Dance - Don Henley
All Shook Up - Elvis Presley
All Star - Smash Mouth
All Summer Long - Kid Rock
All That She Wants - Ace Of Base
All The Small Things - Blink 182
All The Things She Said - T.A.T.U
All You Need Is Love - Beatles
Alley Cat - Bent Fabric
Alright Now - Free
Always - Atlantic Starr
Always & Forever - Heatwave
Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson
Always On Time - Ja Rule W/ Ashanti
Always On Time - Jay-Z
Amazed - Lonestar
American Boy - Estelle Feat. Kanye West
American Pie - Don Mclean
American Woman - Lenny Kravitz
American Woman - The Guess Who
And I Love You So - Perry Como
Angel - Aerosmith
Angel - Amanda Perez
Angel - Shaggy
Angel Eyes - Jeff Healey Band
Angelina - Louis Prima
Anniversary Waltz - Eddie Howard
Another Brick In The Wall - Pink Floyd
Another Night - Real Mccoy
Another One Bites The Dust - Queen
Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Bandd
Any Man Of Mine - Shania Twain
Apache (Jump On It) - Sugarhill Gang
Apologize - Timbaland
Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet
Are You Lonesome Tonight - Elvis Presley
Around The World (La La La La La) - Atc
As Long As You Love Me - Backstreet Boys
As Time Goes By - Johnny Mathis
At Last - Etta James
At The Hop - Danny & The Juniors
At This Moment - Billy Vera
Atomic Dog - George Clinton

Phil said...

And the point of this alphabetised list is?

Andrew said...

Just come across this... loving catching up some of these.

But no cafe del mar?!

Phil said...

Nope. Heard it too many times and ... it's never done much for me.

FlipC said...

So I knew 4 in the naughties and this time... 12; oh yeah this is starting to show my age and musical tastes off to a tee. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to check out the eighties.

Greg said...

Just caught this list. Some fantastic and nostaglic tracks there. Nice to see late 90s trance given space at the top. This is when dance music hit its apex for me. Nothing today comes anywhere near it.

Unknown said...

#STORMTIMETOBURNUPHQ

Anonymous said...

You missed one! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5LW07FTJbI

Dannenberg said...

Again great work, bet you would love the movie "Human Traffic"