Top 10 '90s Bangers From 'That '90s Show'

Groove Is In The Heart by Deee-Lite

Featured in episode one of the That '90s Show, Groove Is In The Heart, is a classic bop that has seen everyone on the dancefloor at some point in their lives. Filled with funky beats, stellar vocals and a kick-ass groove that never seems to end, Groove Is In The Heart really lives up to its name. When the song was released, popular music mag Music Week said that the hit was "pure '70s funk with a '90s groove". That's pretty convenient.

You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette 

It wouldn’t be a '90s list if we left off '90s queen Alanis Morissette and her legendary track You Oughta Know. Recorded with an all-star cast (guitarist Dave Navarro, bassist Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers and drummer Taylor Hawkins, who had yet to join Foo Fighters), it’s no wonder that this angsty little song became such a classic hit. Defining the era with heavy guitars, a gravelly voice and scathing lyrics, a classic rock crowd carried this song to super-stardom. 

Here Comes The Hotstepper by Ini Kamoze

Instantly recognisable from the opening 'nahs' (sampled from Cannibal & The Headhunters’ version of Land Of A 1000 Dances), this reggae bop gets you moving and grooving. Really, the song is a big mash-up of samples - as many tracks in the '90s were - that featured either vocal or instrumental pieces from The Champ by The Mohawks, Hot Pants by Bobby Byrd, La Di Da Di by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick, Heartbeat by Taana Gardner and Hung Up On My Baby by Isaac Hayes. Ini Kamoze put all the best bits of those songs together and gifted us the magic of Here Comes The Hotstepper. 

This Is How We Do It by Montell Jordan 

This Is How We Do It is a sometimes forgotten banger of the '90s, but its classy soul/R&B energy, mixed with Montell Jordan’s silky smooth vocals, makes it a hit from day dot, and we couldn’t be happier that it got some extra love in the That '90s Show. At the time, the song earned Jordan a Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. He lost out to heavyweight Stevie Wonder and his hit, For Your Love. Either way, This Is How We Do It is a song that defined a new era of soul and gave it a new groovy name. 

Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa

Arguably one of the biggest and most successful rap songs to come out of the '90s is Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa. The '90s were a decade when rap, soul and R&B really flourished, and it’s clear that Salt-N-Pepa - particularly in the song Snoop - paved the way for many women in the scene. UDiscover Music labelled Salt-N-Pepa as one of the most influential groups in the rap scene, stating, “Salt-N-Pepa were frank and outspoken about their desires and sexuality, while simultaneously demanding respect, preaching feminist values and speaking out against assault and discrimination.”

Cowboys From Hell by Pantera 

Featured in the ninth episode of That '90s Show, Cowboys From Hell by Pantera is that taste of heavy metal/rock that we needed. The best thing about this song is that you can hear the heavy '70s influences from the band's listed influences of Black Sabbath and Judas Preist, as well as the modern influences from the '90s, making it the perfect song to feature in the spin-off show. Filled with raw vocal gymnastics, heavy drums and intense guitar riffs, this is a must-have in any '90s heavy rock lover's playlist. 

The World I Know by Collective Soul 

The World I Know by Collective Soul is probably the most obscure song featured on this list, but it doesn't make it any less influential. Not only was hip hop coming into its own in the '90s, post-grunge was also having its time in the sun, and The World I Know is so quintessentially '90s that it would be difficult to mistake it for any other era. Soft, groaning vocals and a hopeful rhythmic guitar pattern plant Collective Soul right in the dead centre of '90s classic pop/rock, and we couldn’t love it more.

No Rain by Blind Melon

A true jiggle and jive hit, No Rain by Blind Melon is sure to put a pep in your step, despite the often sad and explicit lyrics bringing down the mood, but hey, who doesn’t love a sad banger? Twangy guitar riffs and a rhythmic groove perfectly blend together to give this song a country/pop/rock liveliness that a lot of songs in today’s age seem to bypass. Acclaimed music publication Pitchfork described the song by saying it has "a playfully jingle-jangle riff that feels strummed from a hammock, a beguiling falsetto vocal from wildly charismatic frontman Shannon Hoon, a sweet and mournful lyric about watching the world go by that doesn't sound depressed even though it literally describes depression".

I Wish by Skee-Lo

I Wish by Skee-Lo is another fantastic rap song that jumped on the hip hop boom in the '90s. The good-natured and whimsical track did well in the charts at the time, but it’s still majorly influential today. Not only did it feature in That '90s Show, but it also picked up a second wind on Tiktok (albeit a sped-up version), with the key lyrics “I wish I was a little bit taller/I wish I was a baller/I wish I had a girl who looked good, I would call her” soundtracking makeovers, daily vlogs and dance clips.

Kids In America by The Muffs

Kids In America by The Muffs is a bit of a controversial song for this list, mainly because it's a cover and especially because it’s the least popular version of the two. Originally released by Kim Wilde in 1981, The Muffs re-recorded the song in their classic punk rock way, and it became one of their most popular songs, with fans instantly gravitating towards the '90s take of the classic '80s hit. The Muffs version has been in many coming-of-age movies, such as Clueless, and now, it makes its debut in That '90s Show. It's grungy, big and outrageously fun.