Iconic 1990s Rock Songs: The Ultimate Wedding Guide

The 1990s were a golden era for rock. We moved from the hair metal of the late ’80s into the raw emotional power of grunge and the catchy hooks of alternative rock. For weddings, 90s rock provides everything from the most requested first dance songs to high-energy floor-fillers that get the “alternative” crowd moving.

The “Big Three” 90s Rock Wedding Staples

• The Ultimate First Dance: “Iris” – Goo Goo Dolls (1998). Originally written for the City of Angels soundtrack, this song has become a wedding institution. Its slow, acoustic build and explosive, emotional chorus make it perfect for a dramatic first dance. Fun Fact: Lead singer John Rzeznik was inspired to name the song after country singer Iris DeMent.
• The Power Ballad: “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” – Aerosmith (1998). This track from the Armageddon soundtrack is one of the most popular first dance choices in the world. Interestingly, it wasn’t written by the band, but by legendary songwriter Diane Warren, who was inspired by a conversation between Barbra Streisand and James Brolin.
• The Perfect Finale: “Closing Time” – Semisonic (1998). While some might call it “cliché,” it remains the #1 requested last dance song for a reason. It’s the universal signal to “finish your whiskey or beer” and celebrate the end of a legendary night.

Expert DJ Tips for 90s Rock

• Energy Management: 90s rock can be heavy. I recommend mixing in pop-rock crossovers like “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer or “Truly Madly Deeply” by Savage Garden to keep the older and younger guests engaged.
• The “Grunge” Risk: Songs like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or “Enter Sandman” (1991) are massive hits, but they work best later in the night when the “formal” part of the wedding is over, and people are ready to truly let loose.

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Top 1990s Rock Songs

To start, we have compiled a list of the 10 best 90s rock songs, which are now considered to be pillars of both the decade and the rock genre:

1. Creep – Radiohead (1992)
2. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana (1991)
3. Wonderwall – Oasis (1995)
4. November Rain – Guns N’ Roses (1991)
5. Lightning Crashes – Live (1994)
6. Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind (1997)
7. Nothing Else Matters – Metallica (1991)
8. More Than Words – Extreme (1991)
9. Under The Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)
10. What’s Up – Four Non-Blondes (1992)
11. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Bryan Adams (1991)
12. Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999)
13. Longview – Green Day (1994)
14. Where It’s At – Beck (1996)
15. Ants Marching – Dave Matthews Band (1995)
16. Send Me An Angel – The Scorpions (1990)
17. Ironic – Alanis Morissette (1996)
18. Please Forgive Me – Bryan Adams (1993)
19. Black – Pearl Jam (1991)
20. Plush – Stone Temple Pilots (1992)
21. High Hopes – Pink Floyd (1994)
22. Don’t Cry – Guns N’ Roses (1992)
23. Streets Of Philadelphia – Bruce Springsteen (1993)
24. Higher – Creed (1999)
25. Angels – Robbie Williams (1997)
26. Shine – Collective Soul (1993)
27. Always – Bon Jovi (1994)
28. Hard To Handle – The Black Crowes (1990)
29. Live Forever – Oasis (1994)
30. All The Small Things – Blink 182 (2000)
31. Let Her Cry – Hootie and The Blowfish (1994)
32. Cemetery Gates – Pantera (1990)
33. I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) – Meat Loaf (1993)
34. Push – Matchbox 20 (1996)
35. Right Now – Van Halen (1991)
36. Fly – Sugar Ray (1997)
37. Wait and Bleed – Slipknot (1999)
38. Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman? – Bryan Adams (1995)
39. Now and Forever – Richard Marx (1997)
40. Painkiller – Judas Priest (1990)
41. Self Esteem – The Offspring (1994)
42. Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz (1998)
43. Moneytalks – AC/DC (1990)
44. Out of My Head – Fastball (1998)
45. Cowboys From Hell – Pantera (1990)
46. Jerry Was a Racecar Driver – Primus (1991)
47. Love Is on the Way – Saigon Kick (1992)
48. Glycerine – Bush (1994)
49. Two Steps Behind – Def Leppard (1993)
50. Freak on a Leash – Korn (1998)
51. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Deep Blue Something (1995)
52. Celebrity Skin – Hole (1998)
53. Something to Talk About – Bonnie Raitt (1991)
54. Today – Smashing Pumpkins (1993)
55. Cryin’ – Aerosmith (1993)
56. Seasons in the Abyss – Slayer (1990)
57. Can’t Stop This Thing We Started – Bryan Adams (1991)
58. Nookie – Limp Bizkit (1999)
59. Criminal – Fiona Apple (1996)
60. Symphony of Destruction – Megadeth (1992)
61. The World I Know – Collective Soul (1995)
62. Stop! – Jane’s Addiction (1990)
63. Girls and Boys – Blur (1994)
64. Tonight, Tonight – The Smashing Pumpkins (1995)
65. Do I Have to Say the Words? – Bryan Adams (1991)
66. Lump – Presidents of The United States (1995)
67. This Ain’t A Love Song – Bon Jovi (1995)
68. Du Hast – Rammstein (1997)
69. If You Could Only See – Tonic (1996)
70. Common People – Pulp (1995)
71. All Mixed Up – 311 (1995)
72. This Love – Pantera (1992)
73. Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) – The Offspring (1998)
74. Walk – Pantera (1992)
75. I Alone – Live (1994)
76. Good – Better Than Ezra (1993)
77. Wind of Change – The Scorpions (1990)
78. One Headlight – The Wallflowers (1996)
79. Heaven Knows – Rick Price (1992)
80. I Live My Life for You – Firehouse (1996)
81. Cloud Number Nine – Bryan Adams (1998)
82. High Enough – Damn Yankees (1990)
83. Dreams – The Cranberries (1993)
84. Stupid Girl – Garbage (1995)
85. Dammit – Blink 182 (1997)
86. Santa Monica – Everclear (1995)
87. Roots Bloody Roots – Sepultura (1996)
88. Pull Me Under – Dream Theater (1992)
89. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad – Def Leppard (1992)
90. Pepper – The Butthole Surfers (1996)
91. Sad, but True – Metallica (1991)
92. Can’t Stop Loving You – Van Halen (1995)
93. Rusty Cage – Soundgarden (1991)
94. Territory – Sepultura (1993)
95. Fake Plastic Trees – Radiohead (1995)
96. Mama, I’m Coming Home – Ozzy Osbourne (1991)
97. Holy Wars…The Punishment Due – Megadeth (1990)
98. Tomorrow – Silverchair (1995)
99. Keep the Faith – Bon Jovi (1992)
100. Torn – Natalia Imbruglia (1997)
101. Flood – Jars of Clay (1995)
102. One of Us – Joan Osborne (1995)
103. Don’t Look Back in Anger – Oasis (1995)
104. Mary Jane’s Last Dance – Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (1993)
105. When I Come Around – Green Day (1994)
106. More Human Than Human – White Zombie (1995)
107. All I Want – Toad The Wet Sprocket (1991)
108. The Way – Fastball (1998)
109. Nutshell – Alice in Chains (1994)
110. Let’s Get Rocked – Def Leppard (1992)
111. Spoonman – Soundgarden (1994)
112. You Could Be Mine – Guns N’ Roses (1991)
113. Crazy – Aerosmith (1994)
114. Joey – Concrete Blonde (1990)
115. Down – 311 (1995)
116. Livin’ On The Edge – Aerosmith (1993)
117. Hook – Blues Traveler (1994)
118. Come Out and Play – The Offspring (1994)
119. Dead Embryonic Cells – Sepultura (1991)
120. Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton (1999)
121. What I Got – Sublime (1996)
122. Mr. Jones – Counting Crows (1993)
123. Closing Time – Semisonic (1998)
124. Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinead O’Connor (1990)
125. I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – Aerosmith (1998)
126. Give It Away – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991)
127. Alive – Pearl Jam (1991)
128. Don’t Speak – No Doubt (1995)
129. Smooth – Santana and Rob Thomas (1999)
130. Losing My Religion – R.E.M. (1991)
131. Enter Sandman – Metallica (1991)
132. Song 2 – Blur (1997)
133. Hunger Strike – Temple of the Dog (1991)
134. You Get What You Give – New Radicals (1998)
135. Are You Gonna Go My Way – Lenny Kravitz (1993)
136. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) – Green Day (1997)
137. Loser – Beck (1994)
138. Cannonball – The Breeders (1993)

1990s Alternative Rock

1. Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden (1994)
2. No Rain – Blind Melon (1992)
3. Killing In The Name – Race Against The Machine (1992)
4. You Oughta Know – Alanis Morissette (1995)
5. Basket Case – Green Day (1994)
6. One – U2 (1992)
7. Everlong – Foo Fighters (1997)
8. Come As You Are – Nirvana (1991)
9. Buddy Holly – Weezer (1994)
10. Interstate Love Song – Stone Temple Pilots (1994)

1990s Grunge Rock

1. Pretend We’re Dead – L7 (1992)
2. Plush – Stone Temple Pilots (1992)
3. Doll Parts – Hole (1994)
4. Nearly Lost You – Screaming Trees (1992)
5. Them Bones – Alice In Chains (1992)
6. Backwater – Meat Puppets (1994)
7. Zombie – The Cranberries (1994)
8. Even Flow – Pearl Jam (1991)
9. Feel The Pain – Dinosaur Jr (1994)
10. Lizzy – Melvins (1993)
11. Seether – Veruca Salt (1994)
12. Hunger Strike – Temple Of The Dog (1991)
13. Touch Me I’m Sick – Mudhoney (1996)
14. In Bloom – Nirvana (1991)
15. Vasoline – Stone Temple Pilots (1994)
16. Today – Smashing Pumpkins (1993)
17. Superunknown – Soundgarden (1994)
18. Would – Alice In Chains (1992)
19. Alive – Pearl Jam (1991)
20. Don’t Speak – No Doubt (1995)

1990s Alternative Metal Rock

1. All Apologies – Nirvana (1993)
2. Freak On A Leash – Korn (1998)
3. Say It Ain’t So – Weezer (1994)
4. Bitter Sweet Symphony – The Verve (1997)
5. Paranoid Android – Radiohead (1997)
6. Crash Into Me – Dave Matthews Band (1996)
7. Everybody Hurts – R.E.M. (1992)
8. Rooster – Alice In Chains (1992)
9. Been Caught Stealing – Jane’s Addiction (1990)
10. Tubthumping – Chumbawamba (1997)
11. Mysterious Ways – U2 (1991)
12. Thunderstruck – AC/DC (1990)
13. Man In The Box – Alice In Chains (1990)
14. Bullet With Butterfly Wings – Smashing Pumpkins (1995)
15. All Star – Smash Mouth (1999)
16. Closer – Nine Inch Nails (1994)
17. Iris – Goo Goo Dolls (1998)
18. Heart-Shaped Box – Nirvana (1993)
19. All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow (1993)
20. Jeremy – Pearl Jam (1991)

1990s Acoustic Rock

1. More Than Words – Extreme (1990)
2. She Talks To Angels – The Black Crowes (1990)
3. Silent Lucidity – Queensryche (1990)
4. No Excuses – Alice In Chains (1994)
5. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) – Green Day (1997)
6. Lake Of Fire – Nirvana (1994)
7. Love Will Keep Us Alive – The Eagles (1994)
8. Two Princes – Spin Doctors (1991)
9. Friday I’m In Love – The Cure (1992)
10. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel (1998)
11. Losing My Religion – R.E.M. (1991)
12. Layla – Eric Clapton (1992)
13. The Man Who Sold The World – Nirvana (1994)
14. Champagne Supernova – Oasis (1996)
15. Better Man – Pearl Jam (1994)
16. Karma Police – Radiohead (1997)
17. One Week – Barenaked Ladies (1998)
18. Bulls On Parade – Rage Against The Machine (1996)
19. Heroes – The Wallflowers (1998)
20. Runaway Train – Soul Asylum (1993)

1990s Rock Spotify Playlist

FAQs

And there you have it, those were the 100 most iconic rock songs of the 90s. We hope that you found this list helpful and that you agree with our choices. To learn more about 90s rock songs, we have included some other titles below.