For over a decade, Every Breath You Take was the quintessential “love song” chosen for weddings and dances, despite its meaning having a lot darker context. That has possibly changed since the arrival of this next countdown entry. As innocently sounding and beautifully produced as it is, this song carries a very dark undertone once you understand the meaning behind the lyrics. Yet it still has not stopped from it being played and heard over and over again, becoming one of the biggest songs released in 1996. AT #7 it’s I Love You Always Forever by Donna Lewis.

The second entry for these guys in the top 20 songs turning 40 years old this year is a down-right, fun rock song, with an equally fun video that had my kids laughing in droves. Between this and the other one, it is the bigger song, more memorable and also more played. It’s also just a good song that you don’t want to end as it fades. Coming in at #7 is Hip To Be Square by Huey Lewis and The News.

I remembered when this song first came out, it was rap but not done in the similar vein as other such songs. It was rock, heavy, and these three white guys would end up setting a standard for hip-hop that would lead to multiple re-inventions of the genre. And it all started with their message to all young guys and girls who just want to party. Coming in at #8 is Fight For Your Right (To Party) by The Beastie Boys.

Our next entry in the top 20 songs turning 30 years old this year is one of the biggest “what-could-have-been” groups of the 1990s. Ska began to permeate the airwaves during the middle part of this decade, and this group was on the precipice of being one of the greats, until a tragic overdose took away the group’s main writer and vocalist. Still, this song became a bona fide smash and is considered a 90s classic today. Coming in at #8 is What I Got by Sublime.

You either love them or you hate them, but you cannot deny that this group were a major force to be reckoned with when they burst on the scene. One could say the arrival of this group helped explode another round of boy and girl groups that would literally take over the pop scene for the remainder of the decade. This track remains their biggest song and it’s still heard and played everywhere you go. Coming in at #9 is Wannabe by The Spice Girls.

Our next entry to this countdown is a group that had already smashed their way into the pop-rock mainstream a couple years prior, and then proceeded to hit their proverbial peak during this time. The first of two tracks to make this list, this is a great song for all of those in long term relationships and marriage, and it is just a well-crafted song. Coming in at #9 is Stuck With You by Huey Lewis and The News.