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Name: TiffanySong: You and Me
Label: MCA Records
Released: 1990
Genre: Pop
Style: Synthrock
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 128kbps
Version: Album
Time: 3:45
If you've seen the early '90s revisioning of the Jetsons movie, you'll probably agree that it's not very good. Aside from better animation, it suffered from the fact that, well, it's The Jetsons. The original cartoon was no Flinstones. The most memorable thing about it was the soundtrack. Namely Tiffany's (who voiced Judy) contributions. This one is the faster paced teenybop pop rock "You and Me". The saccahrine quality along with the electric riffs are made for solo karaoke in my car at night.
Name: K's ChoiceSong: Not an Addict
Label: Sony Records
Released: 1996
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative, Post Grunge
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 128kbps
Version: Album
Time: 4:48
K's Choice is a Belgian duo that is known stateside for the hit "Not an Addict". It's a moody track that's been labeled as a metaphor for love, but it's actually about drugs. The imagery is beautiful, stark and real.
Name: DivineSong: One More Try
Label: Pendulum
Released: 1999
Genre: R&B
Style: Cover, Pop
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 320kbps
Version: Single
Time: 3:42
Divine, known for its #1 song "Lately", scored one last top forty cut from their only album. It was a George Michael cover. Michael's presence was already familiar with the Billboard's R&B chart so it's a pleasant surprise for these three girls to give tribute to the king of contemporary blue eyed soul pop. The arrangement is not too distant or remarkable, but is just right. Divine's performance is controlled and rich.
Name: FiveSong: When The Lights Go Out
Label: BMG Records
Released: 1998
Genre: Pop
Style: Dance, Teenybopper
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 192kbps
Version: Single
Time: 3:50
The '90s were ripe with boy bands and Backstreet Boys and 'N SYNC dominated. However, "When the Lights Go Out" is such a classic that I cannot deny its wonderful cheesiness. I especially adore that break "rap". If I recall correctly, Shinhwa's "Hey Come On" samples this song just a bit. There were two versions of the song - the British and the U.S. version, which has the rap performed by Abs instead of J. This is the original mix.
Name: S.E.S.Song: Yume wo Kasanete (To Dream Again)
Label: VAP
Released: 1999
Genre: Pop
Style: J-Pop
Language: Japanese
Format: MP3 / 192kbps
Version: Single
Time: 4:50
Again, another S.E.S. song. I wasn't sure how to classify this type of track since it's not slow like a ballad or fast and super danceable, and it's pretty void of the R&B seen in their latter works. Still, "Yume wo Kasanete" is a cute song that's perfect for spring - warm and happy. The girls remade the song in Korean, "Kkoom Eul Mo Ah Suh (Just in Love)", on their 4.5 album.
Name: Park Ji-YoonSong: Kiss in the Dark
Label: Seoul Records
Released: 1999
Genre: Pop
Style: Jazz, R&B
Language: Korean
Format: MP3 / 128kbps
Version: Album
Time: 4:09
Ji-Yoon's unique voice took a backseat when she switched labels and let JYP produce her. Not to say she didn't have some songs from her fourth and fifth albums that showed off her vibrato ("Baek Jo" and "Hwan Sang" are good examples). This fleshly pop track has a mature sound to it and it explores Ji-Yoon's vocal prowess in the chorus.
Name: Tatyana AliSong: Daydreamin'
Label: MJJ Music
Released: 1998
Genre: Pop
Style: Dance, R&B, Teenybopper
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 128kbps
Version: Single
Time: 4:03
Tatyana Ali is better known as playing Ashley Banks from the hit sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In the late '90s, she decided to record an album with help from Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and Will Smith. I can't help but make the comparison to Samantha Mumba and Crystal Kay when I hear this sweet radio jam.
Name: Jordan KnightSong: Give It to You
Label: Interscope
Released: 1999
Genre: Pop
Style: 2step, Dance, R&B, Teenybopper
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 160kbps
Version: Single
Time: 4:21
Jordan Knight, formerly of New Kids on the Block (granted they're back together now), went solo in '99. This song is written by him, Jam & Lewis (of Janet Jackson fame) and Robin Thicke. It's a stylish dance pop song with underlying R&B and waltz tones. "Give It to You" was a one hit wonder for Knight.
Name: eriko with crunchSong: EVERYDAY, BE WITH YOU
Label: TOY'S FACTORY
Released: 1999
Genre: Pop
Style: Cover, Dance
Language: Japanese
Format: MP3 / 320kbps
Version: Single
Time: 4:31
Eriko Imai of SPEED had two solo songs before the group disbanded (the first time around). This was one of them. It's actually a cover of a song by the group HIM (or HIM-egg). hiro's "As Time Goes By", Hitoe's 57 Move's "INORI" and MAX's "Ginga no Chikai" are also HIM covers. "EVERYDAY, BE WITH YOU" is an energetic track with influences of Europop within. Eriko went by "eriko with crunch" for her first few solo releases because she had a set of backup dancers known as "Crunch".
Name: Natalie ImbrugliaSong: Smoke
Label: RCA
Released: 1997
Genre: Pop
Style: Alternative, Ballad, Piano
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 128kbps
Version: Single
Time: 4:02
The third single from Natalie's debut album in the U.S. was this emotional piano ballad. It sort of flopped, but it barely got any promotion. And to be honest, it's depressing. "Smoke" speaks of Imbruglia's father issues. With lyrics like, "Why, bleeding is believing/You're hiding underneath the smoke in the room", you can't help but feel something more than whatever you got from Imbruglia's singles prior to this one.
Name: BlondieSong: Maria
Label: Beyond Music, Capitol Records
Released: 1999
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 192kbps
Version: Single
Time: 4:09
Blondie needs no introduction. They were pioneers of nu punk and new wave, but they had a little trouble staying relevant in popular music during the '90s. They made a splash in the UK with "Maria" (went to #1), but it didn't even crack the top 75 in the U.S. Still, it's a really great comeback song (first single since 1982).
Name: HushSong: Hush
Label: Synnara
Released: 1999
Genre: Pop
Style: Jazz, R&B
Language: Korean
Format: MP3 / 128kbps
Version: Album
Time: 3:48
Hush was a Korean duo that had two singles - "Hush" and "Ae In" - off their only album. I detect a little sampling of TLC's "Waterfalls" on "Hush" (and a bit of "Take My Breath Away" on "Ae In" as well), a medium paced pop song with jazzy influences. Something about their creation leads me to believe that the label wanted a Korean version of DOUBLE. Not exactly, though.
Name: BushSong: Glycerine
Label: Atlantic, Interscope, Trauma
Released: 1994
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative, Ballad, Post Grunge
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 320kbps
Version: Album
Time: 4:26
Bush has always been called a poor man's Nirvana, but their sound was a little lighter. They broke through America's music scene with this song and "Comedown". "Glycerine" is a grave rock ballad with some hidden orchestration throughout. Gavin's gravelly voice is perfect for evoking the dismal mood Bush took upon themselves.
Name: FastballSong: The Way
Label: Hollywood
Released: 1998
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 320kbps
Version: Album
Time: 4:16
Fastball's only hit "The Way" was a quirky one. Cold verses, happier chorus.
Name: Dishwalla
Song: Counting Blue Cars
Label: A&M
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative
Language: English
Format: MP3 / VBR
Version: Album
Time: 4:51
Dishwalla scored big with this rock track which is most memorable for its suggestion that God is female.
Name: Merril Bainbridge
Song: Mouth
Label: Gotham, Universal
Released: 1995
Genre: Pop
Style: Adult Contemporary
Language: English
Format: MP3 / VBR
Version: Album
Time: 3:26
This hidden beatbox pop hit from down under really won me over with its winsome lyrics.
Name: A-Mei Chang
Song: Qing Ren? Di Ren? (Lover? Enemy?)
Label: Forward Music
Released: 1997
Genre: Pop
Style: Power Ballad
Language: Mandarin
Format: MP3 / VBR
Version: Album
Time: 5:00
This track, from A-Mei's second album, really proves how much of a great singer she is. "Qing Ren? Di Ren?" is an obvious power ballad - soaring vocals over spurts of electric guitar and orchestration.
Name: White Town
Song: Your Woman
Label: Chrysalis, EMI
Released: 1997
Genre: Electronic
Style: Electropop, Funk
Language: English
Format: MP3 / 192kbps
Version: Album
Time: 4:19
White Town is the performing name of Jyoti Mishra. He had a #1 in the UK with the lyrically odd "Your Woman", which only managed to break the top thirty in the U.S. Nonetheless it's got a stimulating sound that will make you boogie.
Name: JewelSong:
You Were Meant for Me
Label: Atlantic Records
Released: 1995
Genre: Pop
Style: Acoustic, FolkLanguage: English
Format: MP3 / 256kbps
Version: Single
Time: 3:46
I remember overplaying Jewel's first album so much during sixth grade. Strange considering how sad that record is. "You Were Meant for Me" was the second single and the most popular. It's a narrative crossover song that meanders between country and pop folk.
Name: ShinhwaSong:
Chun Il Yoo Hon (1001 Day Temptation)
Label: Synnara
Released: 1998
Genre: Pop
Style: Hip-Pop, R&BLanguage: Korean
Format: MP3 / 192kbps
Version: Album
Time: 3:55
I was never the biggest Shinhwa fan and I actually think a good lot of their music is kind of cheesy now. However, they're still a staple of Korean boy bands. "Chun Il Yoo Hon", from their debut album, has bits of pop rap, R&B and traditional K-pop all mixed together to create something sly and easy to listen to.
Name: Tiffany
