A lot of killer music came out in the 90s across so many different genres. Let’s celebrate a few somewhat forgotten songs from 90s alt-rock, dance, and R&B, shall we? It might take a second, but if you were young in the 90s, you might just remember these forgotten songs from that era!
“Remember Me” by Blue Boy
“Remember Me” by Blue Boy was a hit dance-funk song that dropped way back in 1997. British DJ Alexis Blackmore was the artist behind the project, and “Remember Me” remains one of his most recognizable songs. If you’re a fan of American singer Marlena Shaw, you’ll clock the samples used in this song right away.
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“Remember Me” peaked at No. 8 in the UK and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. It was also a huge hit across Europe. This one’s going straight to my 90s playlist.
“You Might Need Somebody” by Shola Arma
Another amazing British song comes from crooner Shola Ama. “You Might Need Somebody” was released in 1997 and became quite the pop R&B hit. The song peaked at No. 4 in the UK and didn’t quite chart across the pond in America, but its music video was used in heavy rotation on MTV.
Fun fact: Shola Ama’s 90s hit is actually a cover. The original version of “You Might Need Somebody” was recorded by Turley Richards in 1979. That OG version is great, as is the jazzier version from 1981 by Randy Crawford, but Arma’s take on the song is really memorable.
“Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” by Crash Test Dummies
We couldn’t have a list of forgotten 90s songs without including at least one alt-rock track. The 90s were the era for alternative rock, after all. “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” by Crash Test Dummies came out in 1993 and was a pretty hefty hit upon its release. However, while the song earned tons of love from critics back in the 90s, it has since gotten a bit of criticism in recent years.
Personally, I think the song’s a pretty fascinating exploration of childhood embarrassment and even abuse, depending on how you look at it. Either way, this song is a 90s alt-rock staple.
Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage
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