The Top 150 Hits of… 1994
People sometimes talk about how music used to be better back
in (insert favorite year or range of years here). I always say that each era
has its share of crap and classics. For example, 1968 may have boasted top tens
by Aretha Franklin, the Beatles, James Brown, etc., but it also saw the career
peaks of Bobby Goldsboro and Gary Pucket.
1994 is a prime example of these extremes. On one end,
Modern Rock hit a commercial peak, and this list contains a bunch of
Alternative songs that define the 90’s for a lot of people, recorded by a bunch
of future (or likely future) Rock and Roll Hall of Famers including Nirvana,
Pearl Jam, Green Day, Soundgarden, Beck, Nine Inch Nails, and Smashing
Pumpkins.
On the other end, the top of the list seems a bit more
densely packed than usual with the kind of stately, over-produced, Hallmark
ready power ballads that no one but country artists make anymore, with Boyz II
Men, All-4-One, Bryan Adams and others competing hard for most generic, and
therefore successful. Boyz II Men (written and produced by Babyface) won.
Come to think of it, if there was a year out of the decade
that was the most “90’s”, I think this might be it. You’ve got 13 of the 12
biggest hitmakers of the decade represented (from 1 to 13, minus #8 TLC who
were between albums in ’94, they are: Mariah, Janet, Madonna, Boyz II Men,
Whitney, Celine, R. Kelly, Elton John [yes, really], Michael Bolton, Bryan
Adams, Prince, and Toni Braxton. Heck, you get 10 of them in the top 25!),
along with only-in-the-90’s artists like Ace of Base, Gin Blossoms, and Coolio.
Everything I said in the 1993 entry regarding chart
following in the 90’s goes here, only more so. The highest ranking radio-only
song is “Mr. Jones” at #10. The most complicated chart history goes to “Again”
at #4, which racked up more than 100 points on the airplay chart before being
released as a single and entering the Hot 100.
Side note: I’m hoping to get the lists for 1976 and 2014 posted before the year’s out.
- I’ll Make Love to You – Boyz II Men
- The Sign – Ace of Base
- I Swear – All-4-One
- Again – Janet Jackson
- Breathe Again – Toni Braxton
- All That She Wants – Ace of Base
- The Power of Love – Celine Dion
- Hero – Mariah Carey
- Stay (I Missed You) – Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
- Mr. Jones – Counting Crows
- Wild Night – John Mellencamp with Me’Shell Ndegeocello
- Don’t Turn Around – Ace of Base
- All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow
- Bump n’ Grind – R. Kelly
- When Can I See You – Babyface
- All for Love – Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting
- Without You – Mariah Carey
- Whatta Man – Salt-n-Pepa feat. En Vogue
- 100% Pure Love – Crystal Waters
- I’ll Remember – Madonna
- Tootsee Roll – 69 Boyz
- You Mean the World to Me – Toni Braxton
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John
- The Most Beautiful Girl in the World – Prince
- Fantastic Voyage – Coolio
- Baby I Love Your Way – Big Mountain
- Shoop – Salt-n-Pepa
- Please Forgive Me – Bryan Adams
- Regulate – Warren G & Nate Dogg
- If You Go – Jon Secada
- Back & Forth – Aaliyah
- Now and Forever – Richard Marx
- Secret – Madonna
- Any Time, Any Place – Janet Jackson
- So Much in Love – All-4-One
- Never Lie – Immature
- Shine – Collective Soul
- Said I Loved You… But I Lied – Michael Bolton
- Return to Innocence – Enigma
- Can We Talk – Tevin Campbell
- Gangsta Lean – DRS
- Stroke You Up – Changing Faces
- Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm – Crash Test Dummies
- Funkdafied – Da Brat
- Because the Night – 10,000 Maniacs
- Come to My Window – Melissa Etheridge
- Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) – US3
- Endless Love – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey
- I’ll Stand by You – Pretenders
- Understanding – Xscape
- I’m Ready – Tevin Campbell
- Because of Love – Janet Jackson
- Flava in Ya Ear – Craig Mack
- Linger – The Cranberries
- December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) – Four Seasons
- At Your Best (You Are Love) – Aaliyah
- Anytime You Need a Friend – Mariah Carey
- Found Out About You – Gin Blossoms
- Loser – Beck
- Gin and Juice – Snoop Doggy Dogg
- This D.J. – Warren G
- Until I Fall Away – Gin Blossoms
- Streets of Philadelphia – Bruce Springsteen
- Getto Jam – Domino
- Your Body’s Callin’ – R. Kelly
- Far Behind – Candlebox
- I Miss You – Aaron Hall
- What’s My Name? – Snoop Doggy Dogg
- Daughter – Pearl Jam
- Keep Ya Head Up – 2Pac
- Cry for You – Jodeci
- Basket Case – Green Day
- I Can See Clearly Now – Jimmy Cliff
- Never Keeping Secrets – Babyface
- Crazy – Aerosmith
- Always – Erasure
- Dreams – Gabrielle
- What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? – R.E.M.
- Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through – Meat Loaf
- Amazing – Aerosmith
- Groove Thang – Zhane
- Mr. Vain – Culture Beat
- Anything – SWV
- Beautiful in My Eyes – Joshua Kadison
- Prayer for the Dying – Seal
- Mary Jane’s Last Dance – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
- Circle of Life – Elton John
- Thuggish Ruggish Bone – Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
- Everyday – Phil Collins
- Stay – Eternal
- Don’t Take the Girl – Tim McGraw
- Got Me Waiting – Heavy D & the Boyz
- I’ll Take You There – General Public
- The Lucky One – Amy Grant
- U.N.I.T.Y. – Queen Latifah
- Back in the Day – Ahmad
- Love Sneakin’ Up on You – Bonnie Raitt
- Always in My Heart – Tevin Campbell
- Bop Gun (One Nation) – Ice Cube feat. George Clinton
- Choose – Color Me Badd
- Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden
- And Our Feelings – Babyface
- Indian Outlaw – Tim McGraw
- The Way She Loves Me – Richard Marx
- Sex Me – R. Kelly
- Juicy – Notorious B.I.G.
- Jessie – Joshua Kadison
- About a Girl – Nirvana
- All About Soul – Billy Joel
- Playaz Club – Rappin’ 4-Tay
- Never Should’ve Let You Go – Hi-Five
- Dunkie Butt (Please Please Please) – 12 Gauge
- None of Your Business – Salt-n-Pepa
- Wild World – Mr. Big
- Born to Roll – Masta Ace Incorporated
- Pumps and a Bump – Hammer
- Misled – Celine Dion
- U Will Know – BMU (Black Men United)
- You Know How We Do It – Ice Cube
- Willing to Forgive – Aretha Franklin
- Time and Chance – Color Me Badd
- Round Here – Counting Crows
- (I Know I Got) Skillz – Shaquille O’Neal
- Sweet Potatoe Pie – Domino
- I’d Give Anything – Gerald Levert
- I’m in the Mood – Ce Ce Peniston
- Lucas with the Lid Off – Lucas
- Queen of the Night – Whitney Houston
- Feenin’ – Jodeci
- Self Esteem – Offspring
- Do you Wanna Get Funky – C+C Music Factory
- All Apologies – Nirvana
- Come Out and Play – Offspring
- Slow and Easy – Zapp & Roger
- Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat – Don Henley
- Having a Party – Rod Stewart
- Player’s Ball – Outkast
- Action – Terror Fabulous with Nadine Sutherland
- Closer – Nine Inch Nails
- Love Is All Around – Wet Wet Wet
- Something’s Always Wrong – Toad the Wet Sprocket
- Body & Soul – Anita Baker
- Disarm – Smashing Pumpkins
- Dreams – Cranberries
- Longview – Green Day
- Einstein on the Beach – Counting Crows
- Nuttin’ but Love – Heavy D & the Boyz
- Both Sides of the Story – Phil Collins
- Fa All Y'all – Da Brat
- Fade into You – Mazzy Star
