Skip to content
Music League ArchiveBack to Music Through the Decades

The 1990s: The Basement Tapes

Choose a song released from 1990 to 1999 that wasn't a massive hit--a deep cut or cult classic that defined the decade for you.

Oct 25, 2025

Playlist

Highlights

Winner
Jen with 9 points
Scoring
14 scored submissions imported

Submissions

  1. SappyNirvanaSubmitted by Jen
    T19 pointsFirst-time

    Dig out my grunge gear for this one

  2. T19 pointsFirst-time

    A lot of 90s bands are currently doing nostalgia tours, but REM broke up almost 15 years ago and the members are just quietly living out their normal lives. Pretty rare for a band that was so successful. I guess we can always take a trip back to the 90s through the music…

  3. Sell OutReel Big FishSubmitted by Taylor Kayatta
    T28 pointsFirst-time
  4. PlowedSpongeSubmitted by arhumphrey-us
    T28 pointsFirst-time
  5. T37 pointsFirst-time

    One day i came home from middle school and my brother was listening to “badmotorfinger” in the dark on a perfectly sunny day. I had started playing guitar, was about to stop playing football, and i could see that soundgarden was the future of music. Drawing flies is a deep cut on an album that i listened to a million times on my paper route. Still playing guitar thinking about the 90’s.

  6. PeachesThe Presidents Of The United States Of AmericaSubmitted by amfish123
    T37 pointsReturning

    Yeah, this song was my JAM!

  7. T37 pointsFirst-time
  8. The HopA Tribe Called QuestSubmitted by Meredith
    T37 pointsFirst-time
  9. StargazerMother Love BoneSubmitted by Brandon Nohara
    T46 pointsFirst-time

    A prequel of sorts to the Temple of the Dog pick from a previous league. That band formed as a tribute to the lead singer of Mother Love Bone, who passed away in 1990. This song was originally released later that year, but also appears on this eponymous compilation album.

  10. The FreshmenThe Verve PipeSubmitted by JDG
    T46 pointsFirst-time
  11. Happy SongThe NixonsSubmitted by Zach
    T55 pointsFirst-time

    Step away from the angsty music for a minute and remember how good the 90s were...

  12. Mass PikeThe Get Up KidsSubmitted by Michael Sugar
    T55 pointsFirst-time

    I

  13. T55 pointsFirst-time

    Can’t say it defined anything for me, but I do love this song

  14. Mercyful FateMetallicaSubmitted by Jason
    #62 pointsFirst-time

    This banger never saw the radio waves, probably because it’s too long. But what a great medley of Mercyful Fate (the band) songs. This was also awesome to play on Guitar Hero: Metallica

The 1990s: The Basement Tapes