1995: The Year In Music

1995 – More than 170 countries agree to extend the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty indefinitely and without conditions to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. O.J. Simpson is found not guilty of the murder of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. “Toy Story”, the first feature-length film created completely using computer-generated imagery, is released. A mixed bag for news … so let’s see if the music is more uplifting!

I’ll be looking at the popular and highest-rated songs / albums of the year, giving my opinions on their musicality and longevity as well as an overall verdict for the year as a whole.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Billboard Top 10 (Popular) Singles

Source: Wikipedia

10 – This Is How We Do It (Montell Jordan)

A hype song that has been retroactively nullified by excessive advert usage.

9 – Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days) (Monica)

“Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)” wasn’t a song I was familiar with, but I immediately like the vocals and groove.

8 – Take a Bow (Madonna)

A soppy ballad. No thanks.

7 – Fantasy (Mariah Carey)

“Fantasy” samples “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club, but I vastly prefer the original.

Carey brings a powerful vocal performance but it’s too much for me.

6 – Another Night (Real McCoy)

Oh it’s this song!

I never knew the name of it, and it’s a club classic.

5 – On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)

… Why are Boyz II Men still hitting the charts?

They’ve had their time in the spotlight, and “On Bended Knee” brings nothing new to the table.

4 – Kiss from a Rose (Seal)

The story goes that Seal didn’t like “Kiss from a Rose” and almost didn’t release it … spooky to think that a 90’s classic almost didn’t see the light of day.

It’s a powerful ballad with an intensely memorable chorus.

3 – Creep (TLC)

I know “Creep” is one of TLC’s biggest hits, but it has never struck my interest quite like some of the others. Speaking of which …

2 – Waterfalls (TLC)

“Waterfalls” is a staple of 90’s RnB, with sultry production and some great vocals from all of TLC’s members.

1 – Gangsta’s Paradise (Coolio feat. LV)

Did you know “Gangsta’s Paradise” is an expanded cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise”? I didn’t know that until recently and it blew my naive mind.

Credit where credit is due, Coolio and LV’s version is the definitive one. It’s slick, catchy, and so dramatic you can’t help but smile.

FAVOURITE – “Gangsta’s Paradise” (Coolio feat. LV)

LEAST FAVOURITE – “Take a Bow” (Madonna)

Top-Rated Songs

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

10 – Champagne Supernova (Oasis)

The final song on Oasis’s “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?”, and my personal pick for the best on the album.

“Champagne Supernova” is long and the outro is heavily extended, but I’m transported to a higher plane of existence throughout the whole thing.

9 – Dear Mama (2Pac)

I’m used to rappers talking about hardships, but I’ve never heard the vulnerability on display in “Dear Mama” before.

2Pac lays out his life and its many regrets on a plate, and the end result is both catchy and heart-warming.

8 – Common People (Pulp)

An anthem of a generation.

Pulp tapped into a societal anger for “Common People”, and rarely is a song as rousing on its hundredth listen as it was on its first.

7 – Don’t Look Back In Anger (Oasis)

Step aside “Wonderwall” – “Don’t Look Back In Anger” is the real crowd-pleaser from Oasis’s famous album.

Noel’s vocals are a nice distinction from Liam’s, and that chorus always hits hard.

6 – Tonight, Tonight (The Smashing Pumpkins)

“Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness” starts with a short piano track, so “Tonight, Tonight” is the first true song.

It’s a lovely song … but I can’t help but be salty because songs like “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” didn’t make this top ten in its place.

5 – Shook Ones Pt. II (Mobb Deep)

Its central hook is filled to the brim with stank, and the chorus of “Shook Ones Pt. II” is one of the catchiest in all of rap.

I’ve only recently discovered it and it’s already a favourite from the era.

4 – Hyper-ballad (Bjork)

Bjork is unlike any other artist I’ve heard.

Her strange style and odd vocal phrasings are prevalent on “Hyper-ballad”, and yet the final product is alluring in ways I can’t explain.

3 – 1979 (The Smashing Pumpkins)

The most famous Smashing Pumpkins song, and for good reason.

“1979” strikes that perfect balance of nostalgia and melancholia (or, in other words, it has a melancholy with a dash of infinite sadness).

2 – Street Spirit (Fade Out) (Radiohead)

The closing track on “The Bends” is a beauty.

Thom Yorke’s vocals are sublime on “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”, and the crescendo at the end is goosebump-inducing.

1 – Fake Plastic Trees (Radiohead)

If you’re a fan of Radiohead’s slower, more introspective works, “Fake Plastic Trees” will be a song for you.

I do really like it, and it contains some genius lyrics, but it’s not in my personal top three for the album.

BEST SONG OF 1995 – “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” (Radiohead)

Top-Rated Albums

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

5 – Post (Bjork)

“Post” is probably the Bjork album that most would recognise, since it contains her hit “It’s Oh So Quiet”.

That song is great, but others like “Army of Me” and “Hyper-ballad” are good too.

4 – Different Class (Pulp)

“Different Class” is notable for two bangers – “Disco 2000” and especially “Common People”.

Unfortunately, the rest isn’t really worth writing home about.

3 – Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness (The Smashing Pumpkins)

I’m not sure “Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness” needed to be a double album, but otherwise it’s another banger from The Smashing Pumpkins.

Personal highlights include “Zero”, “Tonight, Tonight”, “Cupid De Locke” and especially “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” and “1979”.

2 – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? (Oasis)

When talking about the great British albums from the 90’s and beyond, one of the first records I always think of is “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?”.

It has all of my favourite Oasis songs like “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, “Cast No Shadow” and “She’s Electric”, and the closer “Champagne Supernova” keeps me invested in the album until the very last note.

1 – The Bends (Radiohead)

It’s incredible how much better “The Bends” is compared to Radiohead’s debut album two years prior.

It’s got banger after banger, like “Iron Lung”, “Just”, “Fake Plastic Trees” and “Planet Telex”, and “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” is one of my favourite album closers of the decade.

BEST ALBUM OF 1995 – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? (Oasis)

Final Thoughts

1995 was almost worthy of the full “A”, but despite the amazing top-rated songs and albums I don’t think the hits were as strong as they could have been.

Overall Grade: A-

Aaaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: