20 Classic Guilty Pleasure Songs From the ’90s
Everybody
has
musical
guilty
pleasures
–
songs
we
happily
revisit
in
the
comfort
of
our
home,
but
wouldn’t
dare
admit
we
own
or
stream.
We’ve
previously
looked
back
on
some
of
the
biggest
guilty
pleasures
from
the
‘70s
and
‘80s,
so
we’re
doing
one
final
lap
with
songs
from
the
‘90s.
The
era
offered
a
real
smorgasbord
of
guilty
pleasure
options.
There
were
remnants
from
hair
metal,
emerging
alternative
acts
taking
bold
(and
sometimes
strange)
risks,
curious
career
left
turns
by
already
well-known
artists
and
still
so
many
ballads.
Below,
we’ve
collected
20
Classic
Guilty
Pleasure
Songs
From
the
‘90s.
Remember,
it’s
OK
to
love
these
tunes,
even
if
you’d
rather
pretend
you
don’t.
Def
Leppard,
“Let’s
Get
Rocked”
(1992)
There’s
a
famous
meme
–
taken
from
a
30
Rock
scene
–
in
which
Steve
Buschemi
pretends
to
be
a
high
school
student
by
putting
on
a
backwards
hat
and
holding
a
skateboard
over
his
shoulder.
Def
Leppard’s
1992
single
“Let’s
Get
Rocked”
feels
like
the
musical
embodiment
of
that
meme.
It’s
lyrics
about
a
teenager
who
refuses
to
do
chores
and
instead
wants
to
“get
the
rock
outta
here”
feel
contrived
and
disconnected
coming
from
a
bunch
of
rockers
who
were
then
in
their
30s.
Yet,
it’s
Def
Leppard.
These
guys
could
fall
out
of
bed
and
make
a
catchy
tune.
So
as
much
as
we
want
to
hate
“Let’s
Get
Rocked,”
it’s
too
fun
to
completely
dismiss.
As
such,
it
lands
firmly
in
guilty
pleasure
territory.
Extreme,
“More
Than
Words”
(1991)
Most
people
will
agree
that
“More
Than
Words”
is
a
well-crafted
song,
perfectly
balancing
heartfelt
emotion
with
an
instantly
recognizable
melody.
If
anything,
the
tune
achieved
guilty
pleasure
status
because
the
band
was
too
good
at
achieving
their
goal.
“More
Than
Words”
resonated
with
so
many
listeners
that
it
became
a
standard
at
high
school
proms,
bar
mitzvahs
and
weddings.
But,
as
is
so
often
the
case,
over-emotion
and
over-playing
left
people
just
plain
over
it.
“More
Than
Words”
has
been
relegated
to
the
annals
of
romantic
ballads,
but
that
doesn’t
stop
us
from
revisiting
it
from
time
to
time.
Chumbawumba,
“Tubthumping”
(1997)
Did
you
know
Chumbawumba
was
a
politically
charged
punk
rock
group?
Probably
not,
considering
U.S.
audiences
only
know
them
for
their
lone
American
hit,
1997’s
“Tubthumping.”
Designed
to
celebrate
the
resilience
of
the
common
man,
the
song
is
best
remembered
for
its
defiant
chorus:
“I
get
knocked
down,
but
I
get
up
again
/
You’re
never
gonna
keep
me
down.”
Yet,
when
a
song
becomes
so
ubiquitous
that
overtakes
pop
culture,
there’s
often
a
strong
response
in
the
other
direction.
By
1998,
“Tubthumping”
was
no
longer
cool
and
Chumbawumba
was
already
being
called
a
one-hit
wonder.
Aerosmith,
“I
Don’t
Want
to
Miss
a
Thing”
(1998)
Aerosmith
are
unquestioned
rock
legends.
Diane
Warren
is
a
hugely
influential
songwriter.
It’s
no
surprise
that
their
converging
talents
delivered
a
massive
hit
song.
But
is
“I
Don’t
Want
to
Miss
a
Thing”
actually
good?
That’s
debatable,
as
the
power
ballad
is
heavy
on
the
schmaltz.
It’s
fitting,
then,
that
the
song
was
recorded
for
Armageddon,
a
cinematic
guilty
pleasure
from
the
era.
Divinyls,
“I
Touch
Myself”
(1990)
With
its
sleek
sound
and
titillating
chorus,
the
Divinyls’
“I
Touch
Myself”
is
an
inescapable
earworm.
Released
in
November
of
1990,
the
tune
peaked
at
No.
4
on
the
Billboard
Hot
100.
Despite
its
popularity,
we’re
guessing
soccer
moms
roll
up
the
windows
of
their
mini-vans
before
singing
along.
Much
like
the
song’s
subject
matter,
“I
Touch
Myself”
is
best
enjoyed
in
private.
Santana,
“Smooth”
(1999)
There’s
no
question
Santana’s
“Smooth”
was
a
massive
critical
and
commercial
success.
It
spent
12
weeks
at
No.
1
on
the
Billboard
Hot
100,
won
a
trio
of
Grammys,
and
helped
propel
the
Supernatural
album
to
more
than
30
million
copies
sold
worldwide.
So
why
is
it
a
guilty
pleasure?
Well,
decades
later
there’s
a
certain
kitschiness
to
hearing
Rob
Thomas
slip
in
Spanish
terms
like
“My
muñequita.”
Thomas,
himself,
also
carries
a
level
of
corniness
–
he’s
regularly
admitted
to
not
being
cool.
None
of
this,
of
course,
takes
away
“Smooth”’s
place
in
pop
rock
history.
It’s
just
a
tune
nobody
will
openly
admit
they
love
(even
though
they
did…
or
still
do).
Nelson,
“(Can’t
Live
Without
Your)
Love
and
Affection”
(1990)
Brothers
Matthew
and
Gunnar
Nelson,
twin
sons
of
early
rock
pioneer
Ricky
Nelson,
forged
their
own
successful
career
in
the
early
‘90s.
As
Nelson,
the
duo
scored
multi-platinum
success
in
1990
with
their
debut
album,
After
the
Rain.
Lead
single
“(Can’t
Live
Without
Your)
Love
and
Affection”
reached
No.
1,
while
its
accompanying
music
video
–
which
seemingly
leaned
into
every
music
video
cliche
of
the
time
–
was
all
over
MTV.
However,
the
blonde
brothers’
sound
was
distinctively
tuned
to
the
‘80s,
and
when
the
‘90s
sound
(aka
grunge)
came
along,
Nelson
was
quickly
cast
aside.
Meatloaf,
“I’d
Do
Anything
for
Love
(But
I
Won’t
Do
That)”
(1993)
Overdramatic?
Yes.
Theatrical?
You
know
it.
Unnecessarily
long?
Without
question.
But
will
we
sing
along
with
it
every
single
time
we
hear
it?
Hell
yes.
Such
is
the
case
for
Meat
Loaf’s
chart-topping
1993
hit
“I’d
Do
Anything
for
Love
(But
I
Won’t
Do
That).”
On
a
list
of
guilty
pleasures,
there’s
arguably
no
better
example.
Firehouse,
“Love
of
a
Lifetime”
(1991)
Many
rock
historians
have
analyzed
the
reasons
behind
grunge’s
sudden
arrival
in
the
‘90s,
effectively
ending
the
hair
metal
era
for
many
‘80s
acts.
One
often-cited
factor
is
the
oversaturation
of
power
ballads.
So
many
hair
metal
acts
embraced
the
style
–
and
so
many
of
the
songs
ended
up
sounding
similar
–
that
audiences
became
desperate
to
hear
anything
different.
One
of
the
last
grasps
at
power
ballad
glory
came
courtesy
of
Firehouse,
whose
1991
single
“Love
of
a
Lifetime”
reached
No.
5
on
the
Billboard
Hot
100.
Dripping
with
romantic
sentiment,
the
track
quickly
became
a
go-to
for
first
dances
at
weddings.
That
nostalgia
helps
keep
it
on
our
playlists,
but
the
overall
cheesiness
means
we
push
it
way
down
in
the
order.
Jon
Bon
Jovi, “Blaze
of
Glory”
(1990)
Bon
Jovi
had
already
successfully
harnessed
cowboy
imagery
for
their
1987
hit
“Wanted
Dead
of
Alive.”
So
when
Hollywood
came
calling
in
1990,
offering
frontman
Jon
Bon
Jovi
the
chance
to
write
the
theme
song
to
Young
Guns
II,
we’re
guessing
the
rocker
saw
it
as
an
easy
assignment.
Sure
enough,
“Blaze
of
Glory”
rides
a
very
similar
trail
to
“Wanted
Dead
or
Alive.”
Both
tunes
offers
a
fair
amount
of
cheese,
but
Jon’s
1990
solo
track
doubles
down
on
the
gunslinging
imagery
and
twangy
guitar.
Did
it
work
for
the
flick?
Sure!
Is
it
a
song
we’re
proud
to
still
enjoy?
Well,
no…
but
we
definitely
do.
Barenaked
Ladies,
“One
Week”
(1998)
We
still
have
no
clue
what
the
hell
Barenaked
Ladies
are
talking
about
in
the
verses
to
this
song.
Upon
further
review,
neither
did
the
band.
The
lyrics
were
the
result
of
an
improvised
rap,
having
no
correlation
to
the
chorus.
“One
Week”
was
a
chart-topping
hit
in
1998,
but
the
novelty
wore
off
quickly.
Nowadays
people
look
back,
shake
their
heads
and
wonder,
“What
were
we
thinking?”
Still,
those
same
people
also
yell “Chickity
China
the
Chinese
chicken”
as
soon
as
the
song
comes
on.
Creed, “Higher”
(1999)
Almost
any
Creed
song
could
have
occupied
this
spot,
but
“Higher”
really
remains
the
band’s
ultimate
guilty
pleasure.
A
formulaically
triumphant
track,
complete
with
heavenly
imagery
and
a
catchy
–
if
basic
–
guitar
line,
“Higher”
became
a
massive
worldwide
hit
in
1999.
Though
Creed
continually
rejected
the
Christian
rock
label,
“Higher”
certainly
carried
a
biblical
theme,
feeling
like
“On
Eagle’s
Wings”
for
Generation
X.
The
song
wasn’t
really
cool
when
it
was
released,
and
these
days
it’s
generally
greeted
with
smirks
or
sarcasm.
Yet,
it’s
also
an
undeniably
catchy
tune,
placing
it
squarely
among
our
guilty
pleasures.
Poison, “Unskinny
Bop”
(1990)
Poison’s
1990
hit
“Unskinny
Bop”
bounces
with
energy.
It’s
the
kind
of
effervescently
fun
rock
tune
that
you
can’t
help
but
enjoy.
Because
of
that,
it’s
easy
to
look
past
the
song’s
flaws
–
like
the
vacuous
lyrics,
or
the
titular
phrase
that
has
no
meaning.
Think
of
this
as
the
musical
equivalent
to
empty
calories.
Nobody
brags
about
their
junk
food
diet,
and
in
the
same
way “Unskinny
Bop”
listening
habits
remain
firmly
under
wraps.
Cinderella, “Shelter
Me”
(1990)
Credit
where
credit
is
due:
Cinderella
didn’t
enter
the
‘90s
looking
to
copy
their
‘80s
selves.
Instead,
Tom
Kiefer
and
company
looked
to
expand
their
sound
for
their
third
studio
album,
Heartbreak
Station.
Was
adding
country
twang,
soulful
backing
singers
and
a
brass
section
the
right
move
for
a
glam
metal
act?
That’s
up
for
debate.
But
the
formula
worked
fairly
well
on
“Shelter
Me,”
a
track
we
still
enjoy
playing
when
nobody
else
is
around.
Presidents
of
the
USA, “Peaches”
(1996)
Can
you
name
a
better
song
inspired
by
an
acid
trip,
unrequited
love
and
a
fruit
tree?
We
didn’t
think
so.
The
lyrics
to
“Peaches”
feel
silly
–
“Peaches
come
from
a
can
/
They
were
put
there
by
a
man”
–
but
they
get
wedged
in
your
brain
for
days.
Kids
who
were
born
long
after
this
song
was
popular
can’t
understand
why
it
was
a
hit.
We
get
it
–
hell,
we
still
love
it.
Scorpions, “Wind
of
Change”
(1991)
Scorpions’
1991
power
ballad
“Wind
of
Change”
faced
the
same
issue
that
many
“of
the
moment”
songs
run
into
–
namely,
once
that
respective
moment
has
passed,
what’s
left?
In
the
case
of
“Wind
of
Change,”
the
end
of
the
Soviet
Union
and
fall
of
the
Berlin
Wall
will
always
be
connected
with
the
track.
It’s
fun
to
occasionally
look
back
on
as
a
time
capsule,
but
not
something
that
fans
are
adding
to
the
playlist
for
their
next
cocktail
party.
Crash
Test
Dummies,
“Mmm
Mmm
Mmm
Mmm”
(1993)
Canadian
rock
band
Crash
Test
Dummies
became
breakout
stars
in
1993
thanks
to
the
massively
successful
track
“Mmm
Mmm
Mmm
Mmm.”
While
the
song
put
Crash
Test
Dummies
on
airwaves
across
the
world,
and
even
earned
them
three
Grammy
nominations,
they
were
soon
discarded
into
the
bin
of
‘90s
one-hit
wonders.
“Mmm
Mmm
Mmm
Mmm”’s
evolution
to
guilty
pleasure
status
is
largely
due
to
the
distinctive
baritone
delivery
of
the
band’s
frontman,
Brad
Roberts.
His
voice
is
quirky
and
weird,
and
thus
easily
mocked.
Though
the
band
stopped
being
cool
decades
ago,
“Mmm
Mmm
Mmm
Mmm”
is
a
track
worth
revisiting.
Bryan
Adams,
“Everything
I
Do”
(1991)
Bryan
Adams
is
a
hugely
successful
songwriter
with
more
awards
and
platinum
records
than
any
of
us
mere
mortals
could
dream
of.
Despite
such
achievements,
his
biggest
hit
is
also
a
classic
‘90s
guilty
pleasure.
Recorded
for
the
motion
picture
Robin
Hood:
Prince
of
Thieves,
“Everything
I
Do
(I
Do
It
for
You)”
was
arguably
more
cinematic
than
anything
in
the
Kevin
Costner
flick.
Across
more
than
six
and
a
half
minutes
(in
the
album
version),
Adams
dramatically
croons
about
a
love
“worthy
dying
for.”
The
song
is
so
synonymous
with
over
the
top
melodrama
that
Family
Guy
poked
fun
at
it
by
having
Stewie
Griffin
perform
“Everything
I
Do”
in
its
entirety
during
a
2009
episode.
Mr.
Big,
“To
Be
With
You”
(1991)
From
the
uplifting
tone,
to
the
communal
chorus
and
happy
clapping,
everything
about
Mr.
Big’s “To
Be
With
You”
feels
like
an
enjoyable
night
around
the
bonfire
at
summer
camp.
It’s
a
vibe
that’s
fun
in
doses,
but
not
destined
to
sustain
forever
(there’s
a
reason
summer
camp
only
lasts
a
few
weeks).
About
once
a
year,
it’s
still
fun
to
break
out
the
marshmallows
and
cook
some
s’mores.
That’s
about
how
often
you’ll
also
catch
us
singing “To
Be
With
You”
at
the
top
of
our
lungs
—
though
not
while
we’re
eating
(that’d
be
messy).
Bloodhound
Gang, “The
Bad
Touch”
(1999)
Novelty
songs
are
tricky
because
they
were
never
meant
to
be
taken
seriously
in
the
first
place.
So
when
one
of
them
erupts
into
mainstream
success,
as
did
Bloodhound
Gang’s
1999
single “The
Bad
Touch,”
no
one
really
knows
how
to
handle
it.
Bloodhound
Gang
suddenly
found
themselves
all
over
MTV,
while
the
chorus
“You
and
me
baby
ain’t
nothing
but
mammals,
so
let’s
do
it
like
they
do
on
the
Discovery
Channel”
became
unavoidable.
But
like
the
many
novelty
hits
that
followed
it
—
we’re
looking
at
you, “What
Does
the
Fox
Say?”
—
audiences
quickly
grew
tired
of “The
Bad
Touch.”
The
song,
and
Bloodhound
Gang,
faded
away
(the
band
has
largely
been
inactive
since
2015).