Tuesday, October 13, 2015

1994


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.


  1. I’ll Make Love to You – Boyz II Men
  2. The Sign – Ace of Base
  3. I Swear – All-4-One
  4. Again – Janet Jackson
  5. Breathe Again – Toni Braxton
  6. All That She Wants – Ace of Base
  7. The Power of Love – Celine Dion
  8. Hero – Mariah Carey
  9. Stay (I Missed You) – Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories
  10. Mr. Jones – Counting Crows
  11. Wild Night – John Mellencamp with Me’Shell Ndegeocello
  12. Don’t Turn Around – Ace of Base
  13. All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow
  14. Bump n’ Grind – R. Kelly
  15. When Can I See You – Babyface
  16. All for Love – Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting
  17. Without You – Mariah Carey
  18. Whatta Man – Salt-n-Pepa feat. En Vogue
  19. 100% Pure Love – Crystal Waters
  20. I’ll Remember – Madonna
  21. Tootsee Roll – 69 Boyz
  22. You Mean the World to Me – Toni Braxton
  23. Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John
  24. The Most Beautiful Girl in the World – Prince
  25. Fantastic Voyage – Coolio
  26. Baby I Love Your Way – Big Mountain
  27. Shoop – Salt-n-Pepa
  28. Please Forgive Me – Bryan Adams
  29. Regulate – Warren G & Nate Dogg
  30. If You Go – Jon Secada
  31. Back & Forth – Aaliyah
  32. Now and Forever – Richard Marx
  33. Secret – Madonna
  34. Any Time, Any Place – Janet Jackson
  35. So Much in Love – All-4-One
  36. Never Lie – Immature
  37. Shine – Collective Soul
  38. Said I Loved You… But I Lied – Michael Bolton
  39. Return to Innocence – Enigma
  40. Can We Talk – Tevin Campbell
  41. Gangsta Lean – DRS
  42. Stroke You Up – Changing Faces
  43. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm – Crash Test Dummies
  44. Funkdafied – Da Brat
  45. Because the Night – 10,000 Maniacs
  46. Come to My Window – Melissa Etheridge
  47. Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) – US3
  48. Endless Love – Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey
  49. I’ll Stand by You – Pretenders
  50. Understanding – Xscape
  51. I’m Ready – Tevin Campbell
  52. Because of Love – Janet Jackson
  53. Flava in Ya Ear – Craig Mack
  54. Linger – The Cranberries
  55. December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) – Four Seasons
  56. At Your Best (You Are Love) – Aaliyah
  57. Anytime You Need a Friend – Mariah Carey
  58. Found Out About You – Gin Blossoms
  59. Loser – Beck
  60. Gin and Juice – Snoop Doggy Dogg
  61. This D.J. – Warren G
  62. Until I Fall Away – Gin Blossoms
  63. Streets of Philadelphia – Bruce Springsteen
  64. Getto Jam – Domino
  65. Your Body’s Callin’ – R. Kelly
  66. Far Behind – Candlebox
  67. I Miss You – Aaron Hall
  68. What’s My Name? – Snoop Doggy Dogg
  69. Daughter – Pearl Jam
  70. Keep Ya Head Up – 2Pac
  71. Cry for You – Jodeci
  72. Basket Case – Green Day
  73. I Can See Clearly Now – Jimmy Cliff
  74. Never Keeping Secrets – Babyface
  75. Crazy – Aerosmith
  76. Always – Erasure
  77. Dreams – Gabrielle
  78. What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? – R.E.M.
  79. Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through – Meat Loaf
  80. Amazing – Aerosmith
  81. Groove Thang – Zhane
  82. Mr. Vain – Culture Beat
  83. Anything – SWV
  84. Beautiful in My Eyes – Joshua Kadison
  85. Prayer for the Dying – Seal
  86. Mary Jane’s Last Dance – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
  87. Circle of Life – Elton John
  88. Thuggish Ruggish Bone – Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
  89. Everyday – Phil Collins
  90. Stay – Eternal
  91. Don’t Take the Girl – Tim McGraw
  92. Got Me Waiting – Heavy D & the Boyz
  93. I’ll Take You There – General Public
  94. The Lucky One – Amy Grant
  95. U.N.I.T.Y. – Queen Latifah
  96. Back in the Day – Ahmad
  97. Love Sneakin’ Up on You – Bonnie Raitt
  98. Always in My Heart – Tevin Campbell
  99. Bop Gun (One Nation) – Ice Cube feat. George Clinton
  100. Choose – Color Me Badd
  101. Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden
  102. And Our Feelings – Babyface
  103. Indian Outlaw – Tim McGraw
  104. The Way She Loves Me – Richard Marx
  105. Sex Me – R. Kelly
  106. Juicy – Notorious B.I.G.
  107. Jessie – Joshua Kadison
  108. About a Girl – Nirvana
  109. All About Soul – Billy Joel
  110. Playaz Club – Rappin’ 4-Tay
  111. Never Should’ve Let You Go – Hi-Five
  112. Dunkie Butt (Please Please Please) – 12 Gauge
  113. None of Your Business – Salt-n-Pepa
  114. Wild World – Mr. Big
  115. Born to Roll – Masta Ace Incorporated
  116. Pumps and a Bump – Hammer
  117. Misled – Celine Dion
  118. U Will Know – BMU (Black Men United)
  119. You Know How We Do It – Ice Cube
  120. Willing to Forgive – Aretha Franklin
  121. Time and Chance – Color Me Badd
  122. Round Here – Counting Crows
  123. (I Know I Got) Skillz – Shaquille O’Neal
  124. Sweet Potatoe Pie – Domino
  125. I’d Give Anything – Gerald Levert
  126. I’m in the Mood – Ce Ce Peniston
  127. Lucas with the Lid Off – Lucas
  128. Queen of the Night – Whitney Houston
  129. Feenin’ – Jodeci
  130. Self Esteem – Offspring
  131. Do you Wanna Get Funky – C+C Music Factory
  132. All Apologies – Nirvana
  133. Come Out and Play – Offspring
  134. Slow and Easy – Zapp & Roger
  135. Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat – Don Henley
  136. Having a Party – Rod Stewart
  137. Player’s Ball – Outkast
  138. Action – Terror Fabulous with Nadine Sutherland
  139. Closer – Nine Inch Nails
  140. Love Is All Around – Wet Wet Wet
  141. Something’s Always Wrong – Toad the Wet Sprocket
  142. Body & Soul – Anita Baker
  143. Disarm – Smashing Pumpkins
  144. Dreams – Cranberries
  145. Longview – Green Day
  146. Einstein on the Beach – Counting Crows
  147. Nuttin’ but Love – Heavy D & the Boyz
  148. Both Sides of the Story – Phil Collins
  149. Fa All Y'all – Da Brat 
  150. Fade into You – Mazzy Star
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