It proved to be a tough situation to figure out which track would nab the top spot as the best song released 30 years ago.  In the end I had to go with chart listing, radio play, mainstream crossing, and continued usage years later.  This song overwhelmingly checked off all those marks and when I heard it for this list, I knew it had a real good chance at getting the top spot.  It’s balance of country and grunge is still masterful and the tune has not lost any luster all these years.  So…the #1 song released in 1994 is…Interstate …..more →

I will admit – back in the day, if you had told me that this group would in 10 years time compose one of the biggest rock concept albums that would become a Broadway smash, I would have said you’re crazy.  Speaking of crazy, if you wanted to look back at which song would set the tone for this aforementioned smash, I would say it’s this one.  It remains one of the band’s biggest songs and has been covered in various instances – pretty impressive for a tune considered new punk.  And it almost nabbed the top spot.  Instead, it’s …..more →

There were quite a few songs that failed to get into the 1994 countdown but I wanted to list them here anyway. 69 Boyz – Tootsie Roll All 4 One – I Swear Bruce Springsteen – Streets of Philadelphia Counting Crows – Round Here Dave Matthews Band – What Would You Say? Des’ree – You Gotta Be Elton John – Circle of Life Enigma – Return to Innocence Green Day – Longview Green Day – Welcome To Paradise Janet Jackson – You Want This Joshua Kadison – Jessie Lisa Loeb – Stay Live – All Over You Live – Selling the Drama Madonna …..more →

The third and final entry of the band responsible for Throwing Copper is the band’s biggest hit ever, and rightly so.  It might make the list of the top 10 rock ballads of the 90s.  This was on so many different playlists and the track has maintained resonance and importance in a wide range of avenues, and was also covered a lot due to its simplicity in its chord progression.  We’re getting close to the top and at #3 for the 1994 countdown, it’s Lightning Crashes by Live.

We now approach the only time a “deep-cut” track makes the countdown, and to think of this track as a deep-cut, i.e. a song that was never released as a single, it goes to show how huge of a song this track is, not just for the year but for this band.  Some fans of the group would call it their favorite, and it would probably be the band’s last best-known track for years to come.  Coming in at #4 for the top songs of 1994 is Better Man by Pearl Jam.

We now hit the top 5 of the songs turning 30 years old, and we arrive at this band’s (arguably) biggest hit ever.  Long after grunge made its impact, this fourth of the founding groups finally gets its due with this incredible rock track, subtly balancing grunge and progressive rock.  The video was considered groundbreaking in its disturbing visual nature, and it’s still a well-loved track today.  Arriving at #5 is Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden.