Pop Shots – A Look at the Charts … From 24 Years Ago
Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week I’m hopping into my time machine again, this time setting the coordinates for 24 years ago this week. I have to admit, the ‘90s were my favorite era of music, and looking at this Billboard Hot 100 from 1994, it’s easy to see why.
The number one song this week in 1994 was “I Swear,” by All-4-One, which I’m pretty sure was required by law to be played at every wedding during this time. Elsewhere I see I whole lot of songs that many of us would still crank up if we heard them played as a “throwback” today.
So let’s get into this exploration in chart history! Of course, since this is Pop Shots, you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.
If you’re anything like me, the phrase “REGULATORS! Mount up!” still gets you absolutely hyped, and it’s because you know what comes next is the Warren G and Nate Dogg G-Funk classic. Many of us can still rap “Regulate” its entirety, and yes, we all try to emulate Nate Dogg’s iconic vocals, and yes, we all sound kinda silly because no one can sound quite like he did.
8. Ace Of Base – The Sign
That’s not a typo, this week in 1994 Ace of Base had not one, but two songs in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. We’ve always loved our Swedish pop stars, and this was a moment in time when Ace of Base absolutely dominated the airwaves. These two songs followed their breakout hit “All That She Wants,” and all three qualify as ‘90s earworms we still welcome getting stuck in our head today.
1994 was the year we were introduced to Lisa Loeb, and we’ve loved her ever since. The sweetness of her voice, juxtaposed with the authentic franticness of the way her breakup/non-breakup thoughts came out, made “Stay” a mega-hit. The video for “Stay” was a minimalist masterpiece, and let’s face it, we all loved her glasses, too.
When Beck debuted on the chart with “Loser,” a quirky song that confused some, and was beloved by others, there was no way anyone could’ve possibly predicted he’d turn into the musical icon he’s become today. Nearly a quarter century after his initial hit Beck’s name has become synonymous with musical greatness, but back in ’94 he had us singing about being a “Loser,” and in Spanish, no less!
Before he he told everyone about living in a “Gangsta’s Paradise,” and before he became a Juggalo, Coolio was a guy with unique hair who had a car with some truly incredible trunk space. Sampling Lakeside’s “Fantastic Voyage,” Coolio made a hit that should be part of everyone’s BBQ soundtrack until the end of time … or until the cassingle pops (yes, I have the cassingle!).
One of the many reasons the ‘90s were great was that you could have a band named Meat Puppets, and that band could have a song like “Backwater.” “Backwater” is the type of song that when you hear it today you immediately know the era it’s from, and you think, “Man, this was a really good song.” This may not seem like much, but it’s actually pretty impressive.
The ‘90s featured a battle for Brit-pop supremacy between Oasis and Blur. In the long run, Oasis ended up the legendary band, but Blur still made their mark on the scene. American audiences may consider them a one-hit-wonder due to the insane popularity of the band’s 1997 hit “Song 2,” but looking back on their catalog, songs like “Girls & Boys” still sound great today, so don’t let anybody blur out Blur, or their contributions to the ‘90s.
And with that, my time is up for the week, but I'll be back next week with more shots on all things pop.
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