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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:

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

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

    ReplyDelete
  2. 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.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 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...)

    ReplyDelete
  4. 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 :)

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

    ReplyDelete
  6. "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.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 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.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I fuckking hate 'young' 'peeple'.

    Cretins.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 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

    ReplyDelete
  10. And the point of this alphabetised list is?

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

    But no cafe del mar?!

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

    ReplyDelete
  13. 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.

    ReplyDelete
  14. 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.

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

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

    ReplyDelete

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